Predicts that online searching in the 1990s will be characterized by end users discovering faster and easier ways to access information. Predicted trends that are discussed include databases designed for end users, pricing innovations, increased use of CD-ROM products, improved computer graphics, and the expansion of database products into the…

Describes the scope and types of information available to potential buyers of CD-ROM products in product directories and review tools. Extensive listings of CD-ROM product directories, journals, newsletters, and product reviews are appended. (16 references) (CLB)

Adaptive aids which can help individuals with disabilities to get around more easily are described, including ramps, portable ramps, lifts, doors, and doorways. The use of professional assistance in selecting adaptive aids and use of the ABLEDATA database are noted. Appended is a list of companies which manufacture adaptive equipment. (JDD)

Reports on the Online Access to Knowledge (OAK) Project, which developed software to support end user access to a Department of Energy database based on the skill levels and needs of energy researchers. The discussion covers issues in development, evaluation, and the study of user behavior in designing an interface tailored to a special…

Presents a method for measuring the quality of controlled vocabularies that involves identifying clusters of documents, searching for each document, identifying terms used to index each document, and calculating certain measures to determine indexing quality. The results of a comparison of three library and information science databases using this…

Summarizes the issues relating to the impact of CD-ROM technology that were discussed at a conference of producers and publishers of databases and other information services. Topics discussed include production issues, copyrights, case studies of product development and marketing, and the relationship between primary and secondary information…

The University of North Carolina School of Medicine developed a computer database, INQUIRER, containing scientific information in bacteriology, and then integrated the database into routine educational activities for first-year medical students in their microbiology course. (Author/MLW)

Provides a chronology of news library automation and describes the current functions and services of a newspaper library. Areas discussed include clerical tasks, automated clip files, the use of free text searching and field specificity in newspaper databases, the development of online experts, and the impact on the skills required of news…

Argues that in-house database building offers possibilities for staff development, can provide important links between the library and the community, and can become important tools for local networking and cooperative collection development. Issues related to database planning, design, and testing are discussed, and several examples of existing…

Describes a study that supported two hypotheses concerning the use of anaphors in information retrieval: first, that anaphors tend to refer to integral concepts rather than peripheral concepts; second, that various term weighting schemes are affected differently by anaphoric resolution. The implications for the use of anaphoric resolution for…

Surveys studies on bibliometrics and related subjects in Japan, classifying them into studies on bibliometrics and applications of bibliometrics. Examines applications of fuzzy set theory to document retrieval using bibliometric techniques. Emphasizes the models and methods used in common between bibliometrics and other fields of science. (SR)

Explores the underlying concepts involved in the design of art scholarly databases and describes three systems definition projects currently in progress. The discussion covers the revisions of MARC formats and authority controls used in bibliographic information networks that might support an art scholarly database. (eight references) (CLB)

Explores issues related to bibliographic database authority control, including the nature of standards, quality control, library cooperation, centralized and decentralized databases and authority control systems, and economic considerations. The implications of authority control for linking large scale databases are discussed. (18 references)…

The introduction to a special issue on locally loaded databases in online library systems discusses three trends in using technology to provide greater access to materials available in library collections: unification of local collections; access to outside resources; and inclusion of reference works and full text in online catalogs. (three…

This bibliography lists 754 books and articles which focus on programs that can run on IBM microcomputers and compatibles using PC DOS/MS DOS, and that can be used in online information and documentation work. An index lists the software packages alphabetically by title and references them to the main entries, which are listed by author. (CLB)