Provides an introduction to the technical aspects of digital audiotape and compares it to other computer storage devices such as optical data disks and magnetic tape cartridges in terms of capacity, transfer rate, and cost. The current development of digital audiotape standards is also discussed. (five references) (CLB)

Discusses problems with college student drinking, describes campus education and prevention efforts, and presents results of an evaluation of an interactive CD-ROM addressing harm reduction for alcohol use that show student learning about alcohol as measured by self-report was generally in the desired direction. (Contains 46 references.)…

The World Wide Web has generated a dramatic increase in the availability of electronic journals. Discusses the development of electronic publishing: CD-ROM systems, local data loading, and pre-Web online environments; and outlines remaining obstacles to libraries making the leap from paper to electronic collections: critical mass, aggregation,…

Presents a guide for selecting an optional disc system. Highlights include storage hierarchy; standards; data life cycles; security; implementing an optical jukebox system; optimizing the system; performance; quality and reliability; software; cost of online versus near-line; and growing opportunities. Sidebars provide additional information on…

Describes an approximate document ranking process that uses a compact array of in-memory, low-precision approximations for document length. Combined with another rule for reducing the memory required by partial similarity accumulators, the approximation heuristic allows the ranking of large document collections using less than one byte of memory…

Discusses the dual nature of EIPs (electronic information products), which display characteristics of both tangible products and intangible services. Differences between products, services, and EIPs are summarized in table form, and several advantages of and reasons for purchasing CD (compact disc) products are presented. (MES)

Describes jukeboxes that are currently available for use by libraries to control the security and safety of CD-ROMs. Nine manufacturers are listed, and the alternative of installing an array in which each CD-ROM is in its own drive is explained. (LRW)

Describes the technology involved in codecs (compression/decompression products) that are used by CD-ROM producers to compress video to CD-ROM data transfer rates for multimedia materials. The performance of codecs is evaluated both for quality and for ease of use, and recommendations are offered. (LRW)

Examines issues of CD-ROM networking for companies; identifies cost savings and focuses on administrative and technical problems. Highlights include slower access speed, technical design deficiencies, inconsistency in search engines and user interfaces, installation problems, drive letter selections, designs that work for LAN access, questions to…

Because the publication of census data on CD-ROM has expanded the capabilities of users, librarians need to consider issues involved in providing census and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) services, selecting GIS software, and providing user support. (JMV)

Discusses literature available on CD-ROMs, including children's literature, beginning writer packages, literary CD-ROMs, and literary companions. Asserts that the multimedia aspects of CD-ROM technology facilitate depth of understanding of the literature. Includes a sidebar with CD-ROM publisher contact information. (JKP)

Presents an access method for temporal data called the Snapshot Index that reconstructs a past state of a time-evolving collection of objects. Previous approaches to temporal access methods are reviewed, and migrating data to write-once optical disks are discussed. (Author/LRW)

Profiles 25 database distribution and production companies, all of which responded to a 1997 survey with information on 54 separate online, Web-based, or CD-ROM systems. Highlights increased competition, distribution formats, Web versions versus local area networks, full-text delivery, and pricing policies. Tables present a sampling of customers…

Offers a model for choosing among CD-ROM, end user access, mediated online searching, or locally mounted files as alternatives for extending online catalogs and replacing printed indexes. Estimates of demand and comparisons of costs made at Trinity and Clemson Universities provide a quantitative framework for selection. (Contains four references.)…

Discussion of the application of CD-ROM technology for online public access catalogs (OPACs) covers: (1) the production process; (2) costs; (3) advantages and disadvantages of using CD-ROM; (4) current CD-ROM applications; and (5) future developments. (5 references) (MES)