This report summarizes the proceedings of a conference that brought together 35 librarians, network representatives, and system vendors to exchange information on the training of users of online public access catalogs. Three papers are presented: "Historic Concerns in Library Instruction: Teaching the Card Catalog," by Evan Farber;…

This report describes the Texas State Library Communications Network (TSLCN), which provides interlibrary loan (ILL) services to Texas public, special, and academic libraries. TSLCN is described as a network of ten regional referral centers, operated by means of contracts with major resource center (MRC) libraries, with the entire system under the…

Results from one of a series of cooperative projects to study public access to online catalogs are discussed. This report focuses on a survey of 1,152 users and 1,315 non-users of six computer systems at seven libraries, with library participants including (1) Claremont Colleges Library, which uses the Claremont Total Library System; (2) the…

This paper describes Connect Ed, a program offering graduate and undergraduate courses for credit via computer conferencing. It is noted that these courses are offered in conjunction with the Masters Degree in Media Studies at the New School for Social Research and the Polytechnic Institute, both in New York City. A progress report on Connect Ed's…

Three influences on the outcomes of literature searches undertaken as part of integrative research reviews were examined: (1) the degree of expertise of the searcher; (2) the amount of information available (i.e., keywords, bibliographics, abstracts); and (3) the cognitive characteristics of the searcher. Participants were presented with…

Issues involved in user fees for library services at research libraries are discussed in 29 papers in six sections: (1) general fees for service policies, focusing on library service proposals to the non-University of British Columbia community and including fees to off-campus users at the Universities of Miami and Michigan; (2) effects of fees,…

This report describes the pilot data collections and post-questionnaire interview activities of the Council on Library Resources (CLR)/Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) Online Public Access Project. The background of the project is briefly described, the purpose and adminstration of the post-questionnaire interviews are outlined, and pilot…

Based on a survey of 160 Texas college and university libraries, this study reports on their access to and usage of 3 online information retrieval systems: Bibliographic Retrieval Services (BRS), Lockheed's DIALOG Information Services, and System Development Corporation's ORBIT Information Retrieval System. The study finds that 24 percent of all…

This training manual developed by the Public Access Subcommittee of the Reference Department of Meriam Library (California State University, Chico) provides instructions for using the library's online public catalog by means of a touch terminal which accepts commands in the form of a touch on a particular part of the terminal screen. Author and…

Written when an in-house retrospective conversion project on the monographs collection of an academic library was 80% complete, this paper presents factors for consideration by decision-makers prior to establishing a similar project. Topics considered together with a description of how North Carolina State University (NCSU) handled each, include:…

In order to understand how the database software or online database functioned in the overall curricula, the use of database management (DBMs) systems was studied at eight elementary and middle schools through classroom observation and interviews with teachers and administrators, librarians, and students. Three overall areas were addressed:…

A study of ways in which users conduct subject searches with an online public access catalog (OPAC) was performed at the College Park Campus of the University of Maryland. Both process (search patterns) and product (search results) variables were examined with respect to individual characteristics of 39 volunteers, many of whom were master's level…

This paper follows the evaluation of a system of student performance analyses programs which has advanced from a crude manual system to an easy to use, on-line, interactive system. Recently, emphasis has focused upon the development of a system which requires little computer expertise on the part of the author to obtain a concise, easy to read…

An executive summary (chapter 1) provides an overview of this study to assess the needs and requirements of Educational Radio and Television of Iran (ERTI), and to analyze alternative information systems and services that could be used to facilitate the storage and retrieval of reports, books, films, and tapes in that organization. Chapter 2…

Problems and opportunities resulting from the implementation of the Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, 2nd edition (AACR 2) are examined in 12 essays by a representative sample of librarians at various New York State public, community college, college, and school libraries. Eight papers relate specifically to implementation experiences at these…