Describes various facets of MERTS (Migrant Education Record Transfer System), including the Skills Inventory System. The system tracks migrant children's learning progress through a nationwide computerized information bank. Examines advantages, teacher involvement, student transition, and the system's future. Examples of the system's use in…

Describes features of a new type of chemical database which provides the ability to search for substances sharing particular structural characteristics. Search concepts are examined in detail, and menu selection of "screens," system commands, and interpretation of results (which appear in the form of chemical bond structures) are…

Presents a brief description of 10 current videodisc projects being conducted in the United States as examples of educational applications of this technology. Issues and problems associated with the videodisc are discussed as they relate to various projects. (JEG)

Describes a study undertaken at the Mary Couts Library of Texas Christian University that determined whether subscription costs of Science Citation Index and Social Science Citation Index were greater than the cost of offering free computer searches of these indexes. User satisfaction was also measured. The evaluation form is included. (Author/JD)

Advocates an American Declaration for the information age to guide development of the information industry. The information revolution is discussed in terms of technological advancement, copyright issues, international policy, and telecommunications. Information is compared to money as a universal commodity. (SW)

Discusses issues regarding training for computer-based reference services, including who is to be trained and who is responsible for training, and summarizes the training offered to date by search service suppliers, database suppliers, library schools, and extension programs. Available training materials are also considered. (Author/FM)

Describes on-line services provided by the Educational Materials Laboratory of the Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools for students and school staff desiring access to the ERIC data base, as well as a network operation for county residents. (CMV)

The utility of the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) system is criticized, based upon (1) difficulties in computerized retrieval of literature on evaluation; (2) the fact that few items listed in a bibliography on evaluation (RIE: ED 166 244) were included in the ERIC data base. (See also RIE: ED 160 664). (GDC)

Niles Township School District 219, Skokie, Illinois, has rebuilt its personnel and payroll program. The new system provides a data bank for storage of any and all information required by both the personnel and payroll departments on each district employee. (Author/MLF)

Computer technology and data banks are making manual storage systems outdated; yet it is difficult for libraries to obtain funding for automated retrieval equipment. Five suggestions to meet funding needs are offered. The effect on publishers of the projected decrease in book use is also noted. (SW)

Research results with industrial and academic users and nonusers of computer-readable bibliographic data bases indicate that prior information "style," satisfaction with more traditional information resources, and attitudinal predisposition to the possible utility of on-line search services have some small effect on subsequent usage of on-line…

Describes the development and implementation of a plan at Baylor College of Medicine for providing computer support for both the administrative and scientific/ research needs of the Baylor community. The cost-effectiveness of this plan is also examined. (Author/CMV)

Illustrates an approach for providing networked access to licensed databases over the Internet by positioning the library between patron and vendor. Describes how the gateway systems and database connection servers work and discusses how treatment of security has evolved with the introduction of the World Wide Web. Outlines plans to reimplement…

Freedom from the necessity for technical understanding of online technology allows librarians to focus on the human factors in online interaction. This article discusses estimates of Web use, need for user assistance, alternative sources of information, information overload and relevance, Internet identities, pornography and library policy, and…

Compares and evaluates the differences between OCLC's dial-up and World Wide Web FirstSearch access methods and their interfaces with the underlying databases. Also examines NetFirst, OCLC's new Internet catalog, the only Internet tracking database from a "traditional" database service. (Author/PEN)