Teachers appreciate online services with tailored education features--such as Classroom Prodigy, the Scholastic Network on American Online, and dedicated portions of Compuserve and Delphi Internet Services. Online services are speedier and more accessible than Internet, allow interstudent communications, and offer teachers a low-cost menu of…

Describes the experience of a teacher and his students on Writers in Electronic Residence (WIER), a computer network available to schools in which students post their creative writings which are then discussed by professional writers, students, and teachers. Makes a case for using computer technology in language arts classes. Discusses some of the…

Reviews the development of telecommunications networks and describes current technology being used for online information retrieval. Highlights include use for military and research needs; experiences in Europe versus those in the United States; value-added networks (VANs); local area networks (LANs) and personal computers; and the Integrated…

Examines users' requirements from online vendors, both from the point of view of an inexperienced user and an experienced information specialist. Criteria that users look for are discussed, including available information, price structure, a trial period, service and user support, training, document delivery, consistency, quality, screen design,…

Examines commercial electronic document delivery services that are available to academic libraries. Highlights include collection development issues; criteria for selection and evaluation; remote access systems, including CARL UnCover 2, Faxon Finder and Faxon Xpress, ContentsFirst and ArticleFirst, and CitaDel; and on-site access systems,…

Discusses the vendor's role in the library collection evaluation process. Vendor services are described, including catalogs, bibliographies, periodicals, and announcement services; the process required to produce a vendor publication is explained; and new online and CD-ROM collection assessment tools are described. (LRW)

Describes the availability of databases held on DIALOG, ESA-IRS, and DATA-STAR. Database overlap among the systems, prices, database contents, and data transmission costs are addressed; and results of a search of the ENVIROLINE database on each system are presented. The appendix lists subjects referenced on each system and compares database…

Discusses search requests in information retrieval systems and describes the development of an algorithm for the automatic construction of query formulations in Boolean form. Topics discussed include user needs, information retrieval languages, online systems, design requirements for the algorithm, and algorithmic functioning in information…

Describes how anyone with a personal computer and a telephone can easily go "online" with hundreds of different bulletin board services (BBS), many of which are ideal data sources and information exchanges for amateur scientists. Lists contact information for selected commercial and governmental BBS systems. (Author/JJK)

The LISTSERV program on the BITNET computer network started as a simple mailing list program for electronic group communication. A revised version of LISTSERV now offers sophisticated new functions and help for users, including file-server functions. Problems with the revised version are noted, and computer commands are provided. (six references)…

Describes archival concepts and theories and their evolution in recent times. Basic archival functions--appraisal, arrangement, description, reference, preservation, and publication--are introduced. Early applications of automation to archives (including SPINDEX, NARS-5, NARS-A-1, MARC AMC, presNET, CTRACK, PHOTO, and DIARY) and automation trends…

Describes the America Tomorrow Leadership Information Service (ATLIS) and how this information can benefit early childhood professionals. Discusses the future of telecommunications in the early childhood profession and includes a glossary of telecommunications terms. (HTH)

Describes the design of a classification scheme for reusable software and the implementation of an information retrieval system for reusable software using the SMART system. Highlights include a review of other systems for reusable software; system design; reorganization of software documentation; and system testing, including recall and…

This special section presents two articles relating to accessing online systems. The first article discusses power availability for portable computers, including batteries and electrical outlets; the second describes two bulletin board systems that provide information about the Internet and its resources for librarians and patrons. (LRW)

Reports preliminary results of a study that investigated the nature of feedback during 40 uses of user-intermediary-information retrieval system interaction through the use of microanalysis. Types of feedback based on human judgments include magnitude feedback, relevance feedback, term relevance feedback, tactical review feedback, and terminology…