This report contains data on state library agencies in the 50 states and the District of Columbia for state fiscal year 1996. The data were collected through the State Library Agencies (STLA) Survey, the product of a cooperative effort between the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies, the United States National Commission on Libraries and…

This paper describes the struggles of one professional development project as it attempted to use networking technology to promote ongoing reflection and community building among its participating teachers. It employs Riel and Levin's (1990) framework for participant structures in computer networking environments to consider the strengths and…

Libraries faced with the challenge of cooperative cataloging must maintain a high degree of unification within the library network (consortium) without compromising local libraries' independence. This paper compares a traditional model for cooperative catalogs achieved by means of a Union Catalog that depends entirely on replication of data…

UDLib/SEARCH is a unique partnership between the University of Delaware Library and state K-12 education in Delaware. UDLib/SEARCH provides access to 16 full text databases via the Internet on the state network to all Delaware public high schools and middle schools, and training for teachers and librarians. Using $30 million in state funds,…

This paper describes the experience and the problems solved in the process of developing and integrating advanced World Wide Web-based services into the University of Patras (Greece) system. In addition to basic network services (e.g., e-mail, file transfer protocol), the final system will integrate the following set of advanced services: a…

A successful Web-based training (WBT) system must be highly adaptable to already existing training procedures and software in a special environment. In corporate environments internal communication and collaboration is usually standardized throughout the company. The success of a WBT system therefore mainly depends on the ability of the system to…

This paper examines general systems theory as it applies to higher education institutions. Using this approach, the university is viewed as a system (comprised of subsystems) that interacts with the external environment. The first sections of the paper review general systems theory and its application to management, and examine some theoretical…

"Learning in an online world 2003-06" articulates national priorities for action by schools and associated organisations to develop pedagogies that integrate information and communication technologies (ICT). This paper focuses on ICT as an enabler of good pedagogy. It highlights issues for consideration when planning for integration of…

Discussion of teachers of the future focuses on their role as historians, where the subject, the history of the subject, and the history of applicable information technologies related to the subject will need to be taught. Discusses computer networks, multimedia materials, distance learning, access to information, and active versus passive…

A teacher at a Beijing international school describes some exciting, unexpected benefits of providing all 10 eighth graders in the school with laptop computers. During a three-month pilot program, students quickly became proficient at using, caring for, and managing their personal laptops. Teachers learned that some subject areas were more…

Discusses problems (poverty, lack of national publishers, use of libraries as study halls, low professional status of librarians) affecting high school libraries in Latin America and suggests ways to improve library services, focusing on reference service (opening reference stacks, improved cataloging, library skills instruction), technical…

Computer-aided instruction incorporating interactive multimedia and network technologies can boost teaching effectiveness and student learning. This article describes the development and implementation of network server-based interactive multimedia courseware for a fundamental course in nuclear engineering. A student survey determined that 80% of…

Demonstrates how to develop, implement, and manage an institutional Web site, based on a project administered by the Ottawa General Hospital (OGH) library staff. Emphasizes that planning and organization are the most important skills needed to develop a Web site. A table outlines the OGH Web Site Work Plan. (AEF)

Reviews the historical development of online information in libraries, including computers, software, and networks. Highlights include quotes from leaders in the field; the end-user movement; commercial products from vendors; the spread of the Internet and its effects on online companies and searchers; options on the World Wide Web; and future…

An article and four sidebars examine tools that help information professionals perform efficient Internet searches. Topics include search engine features, integrated software applications, document management and creation utilities, the speed of online communications, intelligent agents for filtering information, cross-platform networking…