Presents a method for using the amount of semantic information in search-query terms as a weighting factor in constructing a fuzzy relation of resemblance between retrieved items in information retrieval online. Two tables, two figures, and a reference list accompany the text. (Author/JL)

Describes a method for identifying frequently cited business- and management-related journals using the DIALOG Information Service and discusses the relevance of this method to the selection of publications for a basic collection on business and management. Tables listing the frequently cited periodicals and the databases consulted in the study…

This bibliography provides citations to 74 articles which compare either single databases across different systems or different databases to each other. All articles included were published after 1976 in Database, Online, Online Review, or the Bulletin of the Medical Library Association. A subject index is provided. (EJS)

Available databases of potential interest to researchers in education are described. The advantages of online access, basic access modes, and guidelines for computer literature searches are presented, with alternative strategies for structuring literature searches. (Author/CM)

Discusses the rise of drug information centers in hospitals and medical centers, highlighting staffing, functions, typical categories of questions received by centers, and sources used. An appendix of drug information sources included in texts, updated services, journals, and computer databases is provided. Thirteen references are listed. (EJS)

Provides a generalized overview of the problems that software buyers are likely to encounter and could overcome. Experiences of Online, Inc., in purchasing programs, using software documentation or manuals, and problems with software, provide examples. (EJS)

Discusses paragraph qualification, a search strategy used to retrieve information from computerized databases. Positive and negative paragraph qualification, after-the-fact qualification, multifile searching, and free text searching are described, using examples from the Bibliographic Retrieval Services (BRS)/Search System. (EJS)

Reports on educational information services developed by the Bibliographic Retrieval Services (BRS)/Education Service Group (ESG): School Practices Information Network (SPIN) and School Practices Information File (SPIF). Background and history of the services, a description of each service, and illustrative material are provided. (EJS)

The Boreal Institute for Northern Studies was established in 1960 at the University of Alberta with the major objective of "acquisition and dissemination of knowledge of the North," accomplished by a threefold programme: development of an information centre, provision of training and instruction, and implementation and encouragement of…

Describes the meaning of the term multimedia database and presents a model of its potential role in aiding message creation for the purposes of communicating educational material using many parallel channels. Some of the problems associated with the implementation of such systems are outlined. Seventeen references are listed. (Author/LLS)

Describes a study conducted at the Drexel University Library assessing the ability of the ERIC and Library and Information Science Abstracts (LISA) databases to support the research needs of library science students. A list of search topics and strategies is appended. (Author/LLS)

Describes the nature and function of source and reference databases in the geosciences and discusses current trends in the development of such databases. A 32-item reference list and a directory listing geoscience databases from around the world (including information on organizational sponsors and online accessibility) accompany the text. (JL)

Summarizes the first phase of a federally funded study of 157 clearinghouses that store data on human services. Factors addressed include the tasks of a clearinghouse, its potential for overlap, its relationship to its parent organization, the types of product and services it provides, and how it uses its database. (FM)

Describes an online library catalog in which bibliographic references have been compiled by simply transcribing the descriptive data found on the title page and elsewhere on the documents, and discusses the wider implications of the use of natural language descriptions without modifications. Eleven references are listed. (FM)

Discusses how historians can use computer searches to obtain bibliographic information. Historical databases which allow online searches are described. Sample searches are used to illustrate the characteristics of and processes involved in computer searching. (AM)