Explores the effects of Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS) on small group communication and decision-making processes. Finds that comparing GDSS, manual, and baseline conditions enables separation of effects resulting from procedural structures from those resulting from computerization. Results support some aspects of the research model and…

Three articles discuss major issues dealing with federal information management and policy currently being debated in the U.S. Congress. Topics discussed include the Government Printing Office Improvement Act of 1990; the Federal Information Resources Management Act of 1989; and modernization of the National Technical Information Service. (43…

Discusses technological developments in information distribution and management in relation to concepts of ownership. A historical overview of the concept of copyright is presented; licensing elements for databases are examined; and implications for gateway systems are explored, including ownership, identification of users, and allowable uses of…

Compares two approaches to document delivery and storage--microform and CD-ROM--in terms of storage capacity, accessibility, production, and cost considerations. Strengths and weaknesses of each medium are noted. It is concluded that libraries should select, integrate, and explore the different features of both technologies. (12 references) (MES)

Discussion of the potential effects of fiber optic-based communication technology on information networks and systems design highlights library automation. Topics discussed include computers and telecommunications systems, the importance of information in national economies, microcomputers, local area networks (LANs), national computer networks,…

Explains virtual reality, including proper and improper uses of the term, and suggests ways that libraries might be affected by it. Highlights include elements of virtual reality systems; possible virtual reality applications, including architecture, the chemical industry, transport planning, armed forces, and entertainment; and the virtual…

Outlines how changing information technologies influence the nature and operation of public programs, the structure and function of public organizations, and the content of public service jobs. Problems in the areas of title structures, recruitment, testing and selection, and civil service processes are discussed. (Author/JOW)

Although modern technology is fundamentally altering the social and political landscape, the information network ends at the front door of most American high schools. Smokestack education, where adults dispense insight to disengaged students, leaves America ill-equipped to compete in the information-based, global economy. Educational institutions…

Argues against the encroachment of information technologies, particularly information machines, upon higher education. Describes the experience at an IBM Corporation presentation on the use of computers in the college classroom. Defines the term "talking head" and shows how this term relates to education. (HB)

Focuses on information ethics in scholarly and professional literature. Computer ethics, cyberethics, and the philosophies of information and information technology are also discussed. The recent use of the term global information ethics, suggesting the unification of many concerns common to information ethics, computer ethics, and cyberethics, is…

Discusses five categories of obstacles to successful technology integration in the classroom: Time, Expertise, Access, Resources, and Support (TEARS). A chart outlines the obstacles and possible solutions. Similarity of obstacles to usage of film in the classroom 50 years ago is noted. (PEN)

A community association in Wales offered an adult course in word and number power that included individual action plans, paired learning, and continual assessment of progress. Emphasis on the use of information technology proved popular and increased participants' confidence and self-esteem. (SK)

Describes the Coalition for Networked Information (CNI) professional-development program that is designed to provide institutional teams of librarians and information technologists with the tools they need to work collaboratively on projects of mutual interest and need. A workshop is described and future development is considered. (Author/LRW)

Describes the National Initiative for a Networked Cultural Heritage (NINCH), a membership coalition of 65 cultural organizations and institutions, including arts, humanities, and information technology communities, committed to successful integrated networking of cultural resources. The NINCH Web site, strategic community-wide meetings,…

Colleges and universities must build and maintain a robust, comprehensive technology infrastructure to provide needed services today and in the future. Significant financial, technical, and human resource challenges inhibit achievement of this infrastructure. Rider University (New Jersey) solved the problem by forming a partnership with Bell…