Discussion of library anxiety focuses on a study of 493 university students that examined factors that predict library anxiety. A stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that age, sex, year of study, native language, grade point average, employment status, frequency of library visits, and reason for using the library were significant…

A review of statistics on CD-ROM usage on the Southern Illinois University at Carbondale's library network revealed patron difficulty in utilizing electronic indexes. Appropriate database selection and searching problems are identified, and introductory workshops on electronic library resources are suggested to assist students in making better…

Describes a study that examined the use of children's books in a public library and a school library to determine whether there were differences in types and subjects of books circulated, and whether a relationship existed between the school district curriculum and circulation of nonfiction subjects. The implications for cooperative collection…

This study of the differences in spousal perceptions of videocassette recorder (VCR) use in families with children examined parent-child negotiation of access and content, family viewing interaction, and gender differences. The use of Q-data analysis techniques is described, and three basic types of VCR usage are identified--child-centered,…

Discussion of self-efficacy as a predictor of acceptance of innovative practices focuses on a study of early childhood administrators in Illinois and their use of microcomputers for administrative and instructional purposes. Dependent and independent variables are described, including gender differences, attitudes about computer technology, and…

Describes study that was designed to explore whether elementary students of different ages could effectively use selected electronic information services. The performances of students in grades two-three and grades four-six in using an online encyclopedia are compared, examples of searches are presented, and suggestions for further research are…

Reports on a study investigating the effect of direct and unrestricted access to the Internet on a group of high school teachers. Topics include how and when teachers elected to use the Internet; barriers to usage; factors that influenced continued use; and the transitions related to Internet use. (50 references) (KRN)

Results are reported from a study that investigated the extent to which academic library end users conducted multiple search sessions with online public access catalogs or CD-ROM databases at different stages of their information seeking related to a research project. Implications for training, retrieval systems design, and further research are…

Identifies problems that undergraduate searchers encountered in a search of the ERIC database on CD-ROM. Results of participant observation, questionnaires, and interviews are reported; a taxonomy of user problems is proposed that includes syntactic errors and semantic errors; and recommendations for menu selection systems, online help, and…

Describes a HyperCard program developed at the University of Denver library to provide computer-assisted reference service for business information as well as instructions for using the online catalog and a database of journal articles. Examples of menu screens are included, and usage of the program is examined. (five references) (LRW)

Describes the Adonis project, a CD-ROM database of biomedical journal articles that was designed to investigate ways in which publishers could maintain the income they received from publishing scientific journals. User studies are described that were conducted at University College London to evaluate user satisfaction with Adonis searches. (five…

Discusses the role of interactive multimedia in museums; describes the development and design at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History of a multimedia program on water conservation; analyzes the effect of the presence of audio on the users' completion of the program; and discusses evaluation of the program. (10 references) (LRW)

Describes the development of California Institute of Technology Libraries' local database of articles from science and engineering journals and its integrated document request and delivery feature. It is noted that not all journals received by the libraries are in the database, backfiles are limited, and coverage is not comprehensive. (five…

Describes methods being used to evaluate the impact of the Integrated Information Center (IIC) on users at the University of Minnesota. The model underlying the evaluation is explained, and three methods used to assess the IIC are discussed: survey questionnaires, interviews, and longitudinal evaluation. (Contains 14 references.) (LRW)

Describes LM-NET, a listserv discussion group designed primarily for school library media specialists. The listserv's background, growth, uses, users, and future developments are covered. Special features include instructions for accessing past discussions. Sidebars present sample LM-NET messages and subscription and retrieval information. (KRN)