Three articles analyze the following aspects of the world information economy: (1) the role of the Soviet Union's information system--VINITI--in the implementation of the State STI (Scientific and Technical Information) system; (2) Britain's information policies; and (3) Europe's expanding market for information technology. (MAB)

Discusses the National Engineering Education System (NEEDS), which provides a fully networked multimedia database, electronic classrooms, and authoring studios for the development of self-paced and collaborative learning environments for engineering education. Topics addressed include program goals; activities, including curriculum, recruitment,…

Demonstrates a means for estimating the number of retrieved items using well-established selective dissemination of information (SDI) profiles in the SCI, INSPEC, ISMEC, CAS, and PASCAL databases. A correlation between individual database size and number of retrieved documents in technical fields is also examined. (17 references) (LAE)

Describes the activities of SURFnet BV, a research network that provides information and communication services in higher education and scientific or industrial research in The Netherlands. Topics discussed include standardization; user services, including electronic mail; costs of using SURFnet; user support services; and the role of libraries in…

This special section includes eight articles that address issues concerning library buildings. Highlights include information technologies; industry standards; design; management issues, including organizational climate; long-range, or strategic, planning, including models and political issues; friends of library groups; technology in reference…

Evidence-based health care, in which practitioners use technology to access medical databases in solving clinical problems, is seen as a major step in improving clinical diagnosis and treatment. Role-modeling, practice, and teaching of evidence-based health care require new skills of clinical teachers in addition to traditional teaching skills.…

Presents the results of a study of CD-ROM database use by 100 university students. The students' age, level of study, course of study, and reasons for nonuse are reported. Implications of the study, and suggestions for promoting CD-ROM use and involving faculty in raising awareness are presented. (eight references) (KRN)

Discusses subject searching problems in online library catalogs; explains advanced information retrieval (IR) techniques; and describes experiments conducted on a test collection database, CHESHIRE (California Hybrid Extended SMART for Hypertext and Information Retrieval Experimentation), which was created to evaluate IR techniques in online…

Describes analyses of 3 searches conducted in an academic library by 11 novice users of full-text databases. The study examined affective search behavior, search strategies, and searcher assessments of retrieved material. Results of interviews, transaction log analysis, and audiotape recordings of search sessions are discussed, and further…

The Memex Research Institute (MRI), an independent nonprofit research and development organization, has created an electronic library program of shared research and development to make the collective vision of Vannevar Bush's "memex" more concrete. Program is working toward the creation of large, publicly available indexed electronic image…

A study used hypertext to analyze links between 45 learning/instructional theories, 18 concepts, and 17 learning domains in the Theory into Practice (TIP) database. Results suggest that there is less overlap in theories of learning and instruction than commonly assumed. Use of this kind of tool for research and practice is discussed. (MSE)

Discusses problems that have impeded the use of learning technologies in education, including costs, training educators, and the confusion of networks and databases. Greater involvement by the federal government is suggested as a solution; federal help in the past is described; and legislation currently proposed is explained. (LRW)

This disc version is the fifth edition of the "Ethnographic Bibliography of North America," the classic print source of anthropological literature on Native Americans from Human Relations Area Files, Inc. It contains nearly 60,000 citations. Using the files and some shortcomings are reviewed. (SLD)

Discusses copyright issues for librarians that have arisen because of technological advances. Topics discussed include changes in the electronic information environment; legal aspects of copyright enforcement; research patterns and electronic use; multimedia; electronic information networks; local databases; license agreements; printing;…

A survey of America's 244 largest school districts, with responses from 215, showed that 28 percent are actively procuring at least 1 of 3 major administrative information systems: financial, human resources, or student information. Describes the installation and use of a new information infrastructure in a Maryland school district. (MLF)