Presents a new application for retrieving news from a large electronic bank of newspapers that is intended to manage past issues of newspapers. Highlights include a data model for newspapers, including metadata and metaclasses; document definition language; document retrieval language; and memory organization and indexes. (Author/LRW)

Examines the move to make U. S. government information available solely in an electronic format. Discusses inability of general purpose search engines to access the information; shift of cost to the consumer; the online version of the "Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications"; federal statistics; Agency Web sites; and a…

Discusses netiquette, or rules of etiquette when using computer networks, for online communications such as electronic mail and public online forums. Print and online sources for netiquette are given, and examples of poor communication are included. (LRW)

Online searchers waste time and money if they log on without first reading help files and database descriptions; determining search goals; tailoring the search to fit needs; choosing the best source; keeping an open mind for search alternatives; considering other keyword search formulations; and knowing the online system tricks and tools. (PEN)

Suggests that one place a writing center should be is online, as a virtual space of unlimited size in the form of a "writing cooperative," a term the article defines and discusses. (TB)

Describes the development of the Campus Global portal at a public university in Spain. The project aimed to change the ways in which the university community worked, taught, and learned. Examines how the project was carried out, the transformations it instigated inside the organization, the improvements it has brought about, and the current state…

Details the rationale, evaluation and implementation of use scenarios-structured narrative descriptions of envisioned system use-in the development of the Alexandria Digital Earth Prototype (ADEPT). Discusses the strengths of the scenario approach, obstacles to their use, and lessons learned in the overall development process. (Author/AEF)

Describes the digitization projects being undertaken by publishers to provide long runs of back issues of newspapers and journal articles, and the necessary indexing tools, to meet the need for older materials. Discusses search capabilities, links, the addition of metadata, and usage statistics. (LRW)

Tinto's student integration model and Bean and Metzner's student attrition model have been influential in explaining persistence and attrition in higher education programs. This article draws chiefly from these models and the results of research into the needs of online distance education students to synthesize a composite model to better explain…

Two sections of business classes taught by the same professors were randomly assigned to complete teacher evaluations either online or in class (16 professors, 961 usable evaluations). The online method had a lower response rate; students were concerned about anonymity and thought the process was time consuming and complicated. (SK)

In an interview, Microsoft CEO Bill Gates answers questions about the Gates Library Foundation; Libraries Online; tax-support for libraries; comparisons to Andrew Carnegie; charges of "buying" the library market; Internet filters, policies, and government censorship; the future of the World Wide Web and the role of librarians in its…

This paper presents a history of the Internet and the World Wide Web, describes benefits and disadvantages of the Web for instructional programs, makes recommendations for Web-based instructional design, and provides technical information for Web-based learning. A glossary of terms is also included. (PEN)

Traditional output measures for library services do not address the use of electronic resources and services, and national efforts to formulate such measures have failed. Describes the efforts of the Federal State Cooperative System for Public Library Data to identify output measures and the merits of various measures for local use of electronic…

Examines sustained use and non-use of online services within organizations using an open-systems view that overcomes limitations of traditional approaches that led to over-estimates of use. Focuses on the informational environments of firms in three industries: law, real estate, and biotech/pharmaceuticals; and discusses insights from an intranets…

A survey of business faculty showed that they preferred the traditional paper method of teacher evaluation to an online version, mainly because they believed it would produce a higher and more accurate response than the online method. Found no characteristics that correlated to attitudes. (EV)