Describes the pivotal role of the school librarian in the television series, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Discusses the image of librarians; the power of knowledge; information-seeking behavior; the methodical nature of research; the importance of printed materials; issues with computers and online technology; and censorship and…

Outlines the major issues and dilemmas regarding the Internet and education. Discusses in detail both its promise (with regard to communication; references and resources; publication; hypertext; hypertext and reading; hypertext and writing; and hypertext, image, and sound) and its problems (inappropriate and inaccurate materials, educational…

Examines one online forum conventionally defined as open, the discussion list TECHWR-L, and considers some positionings and restrictions that both validate and invalidate participants' conversational topics. Considers the question of democracy as it relates to electronic conversations. Suggests that a wide range of discursive conditions, not just…

Presents a statistical learning approach to assigning controlled index terms that consists of the learning process and the indexing process. A learning feedback technique is also introduced. Experimental results show that the statistical learning approach and the learning feedback technique are practical means to automatic indexing of controlled…

Discusses interactivity in distance education and outlines four models: (1) no-interactivity; (2) resource-learner interactivity and peer-peer interactivity, similar to a face-to-face classroom setting; (3) decentralized self-managed peer-peer interactivity; and (4) coordinated-decentralized interactivity. Tables and diagrams depict these…

Presents information to help users discern illegal online content from offensive content and tips for reporting both types of material. Highlights include: illegal Internet content and activities; offensive or annoying Internet content and activities; reporting an incident of online crime to the police; who to contact; what and how to report; and…

This follow-up to a December 2000 article provides more details on Stanford University's venture into the "sell-side" of e-commerce, then describes another "sell-side" success story at the University of Wisconsin. Madison. Discusses experiences on the "buy-side" of e-commerce at the Massachusetts Institute of…

As question answering services in the commercial sector proliferate, libraries are innovating with new forms of electronic reference (e-reference). The Library of Congress' Collaborative Digital Reference Service (CDRS) extends worldwide. Discussion includes reference service developments; "reclaiming" users; growth of library interest…

Reports an approach to interactive information seeking that is grounded in the idea of summarizing query results through automated document clustering. The authors' prototype acted as an intermediate layer between the user and a commercial Internet search engine. Data was processed from 36 users and it was concluded that the prototype improved…

Investigates whether participants in online environments (Multi-User Dungeon) take advantage of the technological capability to be something different, or instead manipulate the online environment to reflect the world off-line. Suggests individual choice inherent in strategic use of programmed convention is not welcome behavior, and that virtual…

Using the financial industry as a context, this study addresses the issue of the classification of electronic bookmarks in a multi-user system by investigating the factors that influence how individuals develop categories for bookmarks and how they choose to classify bookmarks within those organizational categories. Sample participant…

Describes the development of a web-based resource on school practice designed to support preservice mathematics teachers. Conducts focus group discussions to gain ideas from students about the type of support that would be most helpful to them as they prepare to teach mathematics lessons, and how the university might be able to assist with these…

Offers detailed instructions for getting on the Internet and publishing a web page using HTML (hypertext markup language). (TB)

Describes a web site called Newsweb, an online newswire and resource center designed for high school journalists and their advisers. Explains what can be done at the site and lists its goals. (TB)

Examines whether pricing Internet goods and services can adapt in real time to variations in the demand for different goods and services, so that revenue to the publishers and providers is increased. Establishes that presenting two test prices to 20 or 25 customers each will generate data which permit achievement of a high proportion of the…