The authors advocate a systematic procedure involving the identification of: fixed parameters, variable options for each variable parameter, factors affecting a choice among available options, factors affected by a choice among available options, and the optimum sequence in which decisions should be made during the design process. (Author/MF)

The main conclusions are: the human factor appears to be the main variable in all components of an information retrieval system; length of indexes affects performance considerably more than indexing languages; question analysis and search strategies affect performance to a great extent - as much, if not more than indexing. (Author/MF)

Deals with the relationship between a theory of indexing and a theory of information storage and retrieval. Attention is directed to the view that indexing is an order increasing operation, and some thermodynamic notions are invoked to aid in this description. (MF)

Provides specific information on varying photographic materials and processes to aid archivists and curators in preserving photograph collections. Preservation problems related to major types of silver prints on paper (salt, albumen, collodion, gelatin) and to the silver image (oxidation, silver sulfide) are covered. Twenty references are cited.…

Discusses an investigation of certain problems concerning the structural design of lexicons used in computational approaches to natural language understanding. Emphasizes three aspects of design: retrieval of relevant portions of lexicals items, storage requirements, and representation of meaning in the lexicon. (Available from ALLC, Dr. Rex Last,…

This overview of the current users, common features, functions, and applications of online electronic information exchange systems, includes a discussion of both the benefits of such systems, and the problems they are likely to create. (RBF)

Reviews the state of information technologies involving teletext, viewdata, interactive graphics, videodisc, audio synthesis, and holography, and discusses the current understanding of access schemes and cognitive processing. Sixteen suggested readings and nine references are cited. (FM)

Provides a brief overview of advances in electronic technologies during the past five years in the processing, storage, and transmission of information. The author also comments on software implementors, systems designers, management teams, and their organizations, and notes some problems. (Author/JD)

Describes how, when used effectively, data warehouses can be a significant component of strategic decision making on campus. Discusses what a data warehouse is and what its informational contents may include, environmental drivers and obstacles, and strategies to justify developing a data warehouse for an academic institution. (EV)

Describes how university libraries are in danger of losing assets to deterioration whether they store information in hard copy or in digital format. (EV)

Presents three text compression methods of increasing power and evaluates each based on the trade-off between compression gain and processing time. The advantages of using hash coding for speed and optimal arithmetic coding to successor information for compression gain are discussed. (26 references) (Author/CLB)

Examines two models to study the consequences for coding efficiency of sample fluctuations, a specific type of error in the statistics on which data compression codes are based. The possibility that random fluctuation can be exploited for data compression is discussed. (six references) (KRN)

Discusses provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DCMA) that relate to special librarians and offer a limitation on liability for online service providers. Highlights include eligibility requirements; storing material and referring users to material at other locations through hypertext links or search engines; system caching; and scope…