The unexpectedly rapid expansion of the Internet in Eastern and Central Europe is having a significant effect on institutions of higher education, still suffering from decades of isolation. The benefits include global access to information and cost-effective communications. A number of international efforts are under way to expand Internet access,…

Describes the development of the Louisiana Online University Information System (LOUIS) that was designed to improve user services and make more effective use of collections. Topics include library cooperation, higher education and academic libraries, the Louisiana Academic Library Network, systems support (including training), future…

Discusses interlibrary loan issues including costs and fees, staff and training, net-borrowing and net-lending, copyright, and document delivery. Describes the following strategies: monitoring activities, resource sharing/consortia, networking protocols, communicating and sharing ideas, and policies and procedures. (Author/AEF)

Illuminates the nature and direction of social comparison research using a sample of 168 Dutch individuals. Some of the findings revealed uncertainty and frustration related to a need for social comparison, a desire more for information than affiliation about similar others, and the influence of health problems in evaluating one's situation. (RJM)

Documents a graduate-level teacher-education program's initial effort to introduce telecommunications to inservice educators, to determine support and technological needs, and to inform policy for future practice. The major obstacles were lack of time, access to equipment, and resources for implementation. (AEF)

Distance educators need to forge new partnerships with the traditional university and collaborate in creating new systems, academic course software, and supporting networks for information transmission. (Author/AEF)

Discusses the evolution of electronic publishing from the early 1960s when computers were used merely to produce conventional printed products to the present move toward networked scholarly publishing. Highlights include library development, periodicals on the Internet, online journals versus paper journals, problems, and the future of…

Explains the need for quality educational technology in elementary and secondary schools, describes the potential that telecommunications network technology holds for revitalizing American education, and outlines major federal programs that provide policy guidance and funding assistance relating to the National Information Infrastructure. A list…

An overview of the development of CD-ROMs is presented. Aspects covered include changes in coverage, the use of CD-ROMs in libraries and information units, changes in search interfaces and growth in end-user searching, changes in CD-ROM publishers, and hardware and networking developments. (Author)

Analyzes the decision to network a collection of microcomputers into a local area network (LAN) based on cost factors. A mathematical model of the decision-making process is proposed that identifies an indifference point where the choice between a network and a stand-alone environment is equally attractive. (10 references) (LRW)

Discussion of CD-ROM as an alternative to online searching for academic libraries focuses on a comparison between online and CD-ROM costs at the University of Natal (South Africa) library. Other factors examined include funding methods; user fees; staff involvement; user training; user access, including search intermediaries and networking; and…

Describes the Cleveland Free-Net, an information networking project of Case Western Reserve University and the Community Telecomputing Laboratory that provides electronic access to resources such as library catalog and reference services, government information, and health information to Cleveland's citizens. (EA)

Outlines the features and drawbacks of Wide Area Information Servers (WAIS). Praises the ease of use for end users and the variety of documents and other information available, but cautions users about searching problems resulting from the use of relevance ranking schemes. Calls for greater librarian involvement. (EA)

Presents brief descriptions of 46 software programs designed to (1) help writers collaborate over a network; (2) help writers invent; (3) allow comment after critical reading; (4) help writers write research papers; (5) help writers analyze style/mechanics/usage; (6) offer on-line reference guides; (7) author multimedia courseware; and (8) assess…

In tomorrow's research library, students and researchers will be able to find and retrieve a variety of materials without leaving their computer workstations. Traditional library facilities will be augmented by "virtual libraries" with primarily electronic, not physical, access to collections. This trend will require redefinition of services and…