This guide discusses the use of the World Wide Web for library reference service. Part 1, "Ready Reference on the Web: Resources for Patrons," contains chapters on searching and meta-searching the Internet, using the Web to find people, news on the Internet, quality reference resources on the Web, Internet sites for kids, free full-text…

The presence of Siberian and Far Eastern libraries on the Internet has become the reality of today. Joining this community, they solve at least two main problems--those of rational use of World Wide Web resources and those of providing access to their own products. There is a system of fixing documentary streams disclosing regional problems. Each…

With the rapid growth of the global information society, the concept of library has evolved to embrace all kinds of information collections, on all kinds of storage media, and using many different access methods. The users of today's information networks and digital libraries, no longer restricted by geographic or spatial boundaries, want to be…

This paper reports the findings from a field study of legal research in a first-tier law school and on the resulting redesign of XLibris, a next-generation e-book. The report first characterizes a work setting in which an e-book was expected to be a useful interface for reading and otherwise using a mix of physical and digital library materials,…

There is a global trend towards extending legal deposit to include digital publications in order to maintain comprehensive national archives. However, including digital publications in legal deposit regulation is not enough to ensure the long-term preservation of these publications. Concepts, principles and practices accepted and understood in the…

This paper considers the processing of digital library queries, consisting of a text component and a structured component in distributed environments. The paper concentrates on the processing of the structured component of a distributed query. A method is proposed to identify the databases that are likely to be useful for processing any given…

This paper discusses digital libraries on the Internet. The resource repository hierarchy, consisting of two major paradigms, search engines (SEs) and digital libraries, is presented. SEs are classified into three categories: basic-SE, directory, and meta-SE. The following six major characteristics of a library are summarized: collection of data…

Predicts that library cooperation, in its developed form, will involve state or regional electronic libraries having the following minimum components: (1) a short record automated system which will record the holdings of each member library, (2) an efficient document delivery system, and (3) a complete bibliographic system. (LLS)

Examines the creation of the Internet Public Library Reference Division in the historical context of librarians' efforts to integrate the use of technologies with reference services. Discussion considers ways that librarians have successfully incorporated new technologies and makes recommendations for use of the Reference Division and Internet…

Details the rationale, evaluation and implementation of use scenarios-structured narrative descriptions of envisioned system use-in the development of the Alexandria Digital Earth Prototype (ADEPT). Discusses the strengths of the scenario approach, obstacles to their use, and lessons learned in the overall development process. (Author/AEF)

Describes work at the University of Virginia library to digitize special collections. Discusses the use of XML (Extensible Markup Language); providing access to original source materials; DTD (Document Type Definition); TEI (Text Encoding Initiative); metadata; XSL (Extensible Style Language); and future possibilities. (LRW)

Traditional output measures for library services do not address the use of electronic resources and services, and national efforts to formulate such measures have failed. Describes the efforts of the Federal State Cooperative System for Public Library Data to identify output measures and the merits of various measures for local use of electronic…

Discusses using the Internet as a resource for professionals working with children with severe disabilities. The use of the World Wide Web and the videoconferencing features of the Internet are highlighted. A brief annotated list of Universal Resource Locators specific to severe disabilities is included. (Author/CR)

Includes 6 articles that discuss the National Digital Information Infrastructure Preservation Program at the Library of Congress; metadata in digital libraries; integrated reference services on the Web. (LRW)

Discusses digital intellectual property rights relating to peer-to-peer networks, using Napster as an example. Suggests anti-piracy solutions to prevent litigation and considers how libraries can develop potential service models using peer-to-peer networks, including the development of personal libraries on the Internet, interlibrary loan,…