Edited text of the proceedings on the Communications Act conducted by the Library and Information Technology Association (LITA), in which representatives from the library community engaged in dialogue with staff from the House Subcommittee responsible for rewriting the Communications Act. (CWM)

Reviews developments in research on information storage and retrieval, question-answering and natural language interface online systems, and the processes of synthesis and interpretation in intelligent behavior. Problem formulation, information requests, and knowledge representation are discussed in relation to the design and use of retrieval…

A case history is presented that recounts the evolutionary development of a unified evaluation, budgeting, and planning system at Michigan State University. It is a system that is strongly based on the collection and analysis of department, college, and institutional data. (Author/MLW)

Describes a summer course in newspaper management and its stages of (1) familiarization of newspaper operations, (2) data gathering, and (3) analysis and strategies. (RL)

The College of Medicine at the University of Kentucky has designed and implemented a student personnel information system that facilitates storage and retrieval of data concerning admissions candidates, student records and scheduling, and alumni. The system was designed to be run in-house by the clerical staff. (Author/MLW)

It is suggested that the director of personnel should be making maximum use of available computer services. Four concerns of personnel directors are cited: number of government reports required, privacy and security, cost of space for personnel records and files, and the additional decision-making tools required for collective bargaining…

The experience of Indiana University in managing information resources--computing, word processing, telephone services, mail services, microfilming, and duplicating services--in a more integrated fashion is described and strategies to overcome tradition, the fiefdom syndrome, and institutional inertia are detailed. (Author/MSE)

Administrators must not shirk their responsibility for creating management systems that obtain usable information rather than mountains of superfluous data. Areas of concern include policies, procedures, students, faculty, curricula, technicians' role, finances, and facilities. (CT)

Examines the use of information about rural populations for the purposes of rural development with emphases on information needs, population information systems, the exchange of data at the rural level, and data management. Implications and suggested options for government are identified. (FM)

The university librarian at Columbia University discusses the need for a national cooperative strategy for research libraries in the network environment. The advent of widespread computer technology and the impact on research libraries is described. (MP)

For nearly a decade and a half, the California State University and Colleges has operated a distributed processing computing network with interconnected computer installations on all campuses. A new technologically advanced network that will deliver top-quality computing to students, faculty members, and administrators is described. (MLW)

Explores the intended and unintended outcomes of information technology on (1) business and economics, (2) research, and (3) library career preparation. Specific examples of the potential effects of databasing in these areas are provided, and four references are listed. (SW)

Discusses the role of advanced technology in developing new library systems and facilities. Considers the impact of computers on acquisition, reproduction, and availability of material in both general-use libraries and special research facilities, particularly in terms of cost. (JMF)

The proper function of the computer is as a filter to suppress irrelevant data and highlight critical data, to make short-term projections, to display the dynamics of system interactions, and to allow managers and teachers to interact with models of the system. Outlines the components of such a system. (Author/IRT)

The results of a study addressing the problems of the management information system of the State University System of Florida are discussed. It is suggested that a majority of the problems did not reside in software and hardware applications but in general management practices. Recommendations are also included. (SF)