This essay addresses factors that influence a customer's perception of the value of online information delivery services: evident costs, uncertain return, long-term return, not directly productive, overhead expense, and differential use. Roles assumed in acquiring and using information services (purchasers, searchers, consumers), price, and…

The Research Libraries group (headquartered at Stanford University) has a computer terminal that can be used to create and retrieve bibliographic information in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean vernacular scripts as well as in roman alphabet languages. The development, operation, and future of the system is described. (JN)

This paper explores contemporaneous and intergenerational relationships among various scientific endeavors and military activity. Using European historical data from 1500 to 1900 A.D., generational (or 25-yr) fluctuations were examined for nine categories of scientific discovery and invention and for two aspects of military activity. Findings are…

Calculations of storage requirements for retrieval systems using inverted files. Problem of minimal storage requirements for inverted file is solved for different index term distributions. (Author/KP)

This book takes a detailed look at the nature and extent of the Invisible Web, and offers pathfinders for accessing the valuable information it contains. It is designed to fit the needs of both novice and advanced Web searchers. Chapter One traces the development of the Internet and many of the early tools used to locate and share information via…

This study tracks the increasing use of the term "information broker" in the professional library literature, and looks at the extent to which the professional literature reflects the increasing trend of information commodification. The content of three online databases was analyzed: LIBRARY LITERATURE, LISA, and ABI/INFORM. Four terms…

The purpose of this study was to examine the inter-indexer consistency in the assignment of selected access points between OCLC and RLIN (Research Libraries Information Network). Both databases are used by many libraries as bibliographic sources for copy cataloging. Access points were compared for differences in wording, MARC coding, and…

This report explores the suitability of Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) as a framework for building, managing, and providing access to digital libraries, with special emphasis on preservation and access issues. SGML is an international standard (ISO 8879) designed to promote text interchange. It is used to define markup languages,…

Students often fail to store new information in memory in a way that is accessible or useful. The information they have acquired is inert. This paper examines the inert knowledge problem in the context of learning from informational expository text. Kintsch and van Dijk (1978) have suggested a framework for understanding learning from expository…

The 1999 American Society for Information Science (ASIS) conference explored current knowledge creation, acquisition, navigation, correlation, retrieval, management, and dissemination practicalities and potentialities, their implementation and impact, and the theories behind the developments. Speakers reviewed processes, technologies, and tools,…

This paper reviews indexing theory and suggests that information retrieval can be significantly improved by applying basic indexing criteria. Indexing practices are described, including the three main types of indexes: pre-coordinate, post-coordinate, and variants of both. Design features of indexes are summarized, including accuracy, consistency,…

This manual is designed to assist librarians in programming unique database applications that meet specific library needs. Chapter 1 goes over the basic functions of working with Windows, describes terms such as multitasking, and shows how to use the menu and tool bars. Chapter 2 covers the basics, defines some useful terms, and presents the steps…

The Partnership for Research in Spatial Modeling (PRISM) project at Arizona State University (ASU) developed modeling and analytic tools to respond to the limitations of two-dimensional (2D) data representations perceived by affiliated discipline scientists, and to take advantage of the enhanced capabilities of three-dimensional (3D) data that…

Whether one is a specialist working in any of the fields of health and medicine or someone who wants nontechnical answers to health- or medical-related questions, this book guides users through the search methods to the materials, people, or other resources they seek. Included in this book are step-by-step instructions in finding health and…

This book presents information specialists--researchers, librarians, and students who work with information--with an accessible approach to finding information on the World Wide Web and the Internet. Each of the chapters contains one or more step-by-step activities to demonstrate fundamental skills and concepts. The book has an accompanying Web…