Discusses the use of online networks for distance education based on a workshop sponsored by the Australian Open Learning Information Network. Topics addressed include Pegasus, an Australian electronic network; the perspectives of teachers and students who were involved with online distance education courses; and services provided by ILANET…

Discussion of quality control in online and CD-ROM databases focuses on the problem of data elements that are omitted from records. Completeness testing is discussed; search strategies are described; and a case study of Bowker's Video Directory, part of the Children's Reference Plus database, is presented. (eight references) (LRW)

Describes the development of an in-house bibliographic database by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory on arctic wetlands research. Topics discussed include planning; identifying relevant search terms and commercial online databases; downloading citations; criteria for software selection; management…

Describes travel guidebooks as the backbone of library travel collections. Guidebooks for students and others on restricted budgets are discussed; the benefits of visiting and understanding other cultures are considered; selection guidelines are suggested; travel information in electronic formats is described; and sidebars list guidebook series…

Describes the development of the WAIS (Wide Area Information Servers) protocol, a system that allows users access to personal, corporate, and commercial electronic information from one interface. The availability of WAIS on the Internet and the reactions of users are addressed. Several problems are considered, including funding, hardware…

Describes a project that was designed to study the effectiveness and efficiency of editing procedures within an online bibliographic system at a large research university library. A comprehensive statistical overview of editing commands available is presented, frequency of their use is studied, and questions for further research are suggested.…

The current state of information retrieval (IR) evaluation is reviewed with criticisms directed at the available test collections and the research and evaluation methodologies used, including precision and recall rates for online searches and laboratory tests not including real users. Automatic text retrieval systems are also discussed. (32…

Characterizes information retrieval systems in a network environment from a user's perspective along two axes: query and presentation. Several examples of early, current, and developing information retrieval systems are considered within this framework, and Daltext, a prototype system to support research on text-based retrieval systems, is…

This second in a series of articles on a software evaluation project conducted by the Netherlands Association of Users of Online Information Systems (VOGIN) lists and compares specifications, properties, and test results for nine microcomputer-based software programs that fall into the category of classical information retrieval systems. (26…

Describes technology-based systems that offer performance support, called online performance support systems (OPSS), that help increase productivity and efficiency. Changes in information-related, organization-related, and learning-related factors in corporations are considered; OPSS components are explained, including user-centered design; and…

Applies theories about organizational information processing to better understand the influences on method of access and on effects of using online information. Explores the extent to which organizational differences also influence these variables, what the positive and negative outcomes from using online commercial databases are, and how those…

Conversion of government publication records from an existing machine-readable file using the CODOC format resulted in fewer data entry revisions and the overcoming of three obstacles: incompatible database record formats, reformatting of all CODOC files, and addition of diacritics to CODOC files. Methodology and techniques are discussed for other…

Proposes that methods intended to assist in information retrieval be grouped together and that the group be called "informed retrieval," a process which uses feedback from an information system to improve retrieval results. It is suggested that an integrated framework be developed that includes authority control and informed retrieval as…

Discusses environmental science and environmental education in Canada and describes sources of environmental information currently available. Highlights include environmental databases; environmental information online, including indexing and abstracting services as well as full-text coverage; and the growing amount of environmental information on…

Description of community online systems focuses on a Freenet in Illinois called P.A.T.H. (Public Access to Heartland). Highlights include patron use; discussion groups and bulletin boards; electronic mail; reference questions; Freenet's place in public libraries; and sample reference questions answered by Freenet information providers. (five…