Discusses the use of CD-ROM products in libraries and describes a full-text CD-ROM library, called the Compact Agricultural Library, that is being produced for developing nations. Topics discussed include CD-ROM and international development; making information more useable; full-text versus fielded information; editing and layout; hypertext; and…

Discussion of how scholars work and how they use information focuses on a case study of the use of new electronic resources by humanist scholars. Interviews with humanists at the University of Pennsylvania about their experiences with the RLIN (Research Libraries Information Network) database are discussed, including content, connectivity, user…

After preparing their own teaching portfolios, four Georgia Southern University instructors designed a study to investigate what happens when neither follow-up workshops nor mentoring are provided by the institution. Results indicate that without institutional support, especially mentoring, faculty use teaching portfolios primarily for tenure and…

Describes the way in which Wilfrid Laurier University (Ontario), an institution that had worked hard to improve its programs and reputation, addressed a disappointing ranking in a national news magazine. In cooperation with other educators, administrators, and institutional researchers, the university undertook a successful project to have the…

Includes 11 papers that summarize the National Federation of Abstracting and Information Services (NFAIS) conference. Highlights include publishers and digital object identifiers; metadata; digital libraries; strategic implications for scholarly publishing; users and information use; federal and international programs; Dialog services; European…

Discussion of user problems with navigating large spaces in virtual information environments focuses on a top-down application of semantic knowledge by the user from experiences within the sociocognitive context of information production and consumption. Considers individual differences in studies of interaction; spatial and semantic cues; and…

Discusses bibliographic instruction in libraries. Topics include a history of bibliographic instruction; the Internet and electronic searching; librarians' use of technology; defining information needs; locating and accessing information, including classification systems and Boolean searching; evaluating information; using and communication…

Surveys 543 college students to identify their preferred criteria when evaluating Internet-based and library-based sources. Finds (1) students writing research reports (63% of students) ranked easy-to-find sources most highly, whether library-based or Internet-based; (2) nearly 60% of students received library training, most frequently from high…

Identifies current trends and issues in health informatics with examples of applications, particularly in English-speaking countries. Topics include health systems, professionals, and patients; consumer health information; electronic medical records; nursing; privacy and confidentiality; finding and using information; the Internet; e-mail;…

This article reports the results of a study examining the reading attitudes of the Russian people. This study also investigates the motives that guide adults in their choice of literature. Researchers have noted that two motives stand out: (1) "normative" or "pragmatic" reading (for school, exams, and reports; for carrying out…

The purpose of our research was (1) to map the universe of digital resources available to a subset of undergraduate educators in the humanities and social sciences, and (2) to investigate how and if available digital resources are actually being used in undergraduate teaching environments. We employed multiple methods, including surveys and focus…

Principal-preparation programs require students to take research courses; however, principals are often unprepared to apply research skills in school settings. This paper discusses approaches to using data for decision making in a site-managed school. It describes one high school's efforts to apply research and recommends that…

This book describes the design and evaluation of a computer-based information system for secondary schools in The Netherlands. It reports on three studies: (1) a pilot study; (2) the SCHOLIS project, which designed a computer-assisted system for school administration; and (3) the evaluation of the implementation of a computer-assisted Absentee…

Governments urgently need better national information bases for determining educational policy and practice in an increasingly interconnected world. This report, from the first phase of the Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI), presents a framework for improved international cooperation in improving the knowledge base for…

If they are to be effective, organizations must acquire and create new knowledge in order to achieve their goals. Service organizations, such as schools, must employ the concept of organizational learning. Organizational learning is an intentional process directed at improving organizational effectiveness. The process involves four…