Results of data analysis on 470 journal titles illustrate complexity of the fuzzy set theory modeling process, which consists of three factors--number of missing issues, citations, circulations--and its limitations in making journal binding decisions. Procedures of research, data collection, and data analysis are discussed. Matrices are included.…

Describes FOCES (Foster Care Expert System), a prototype expert system for choosing foster care placements for children which integrates information retrieval techniques with artificial intelligence. The use of prototypes and queries in Prolog routines, extended Boolean matching, and vector correlation are explained, as well as evaluation by…

The third of a series, this article describes prototype experiments which place human decision makers in an interactive decision-making situation, presents results typical of those thus far observed in the prototype experiments, and describes preliminary analysis of the data. Three references are listed. (FM)

Discusses the financial pressures libraries face as the number and cost of serials escalate while funding is reduced. Presents a case study of a small library that eliminated physical subscriptions to journals and enhanced its service to include CD-ROM technology after ranking journals according to a cost benefit analysis. (Author/LRW)

Reports results of experiments examining credibility of meta-information. Information provided by organizations of varying levels of credibility was used in decision making tasks. Effects were examined when there (1) was ample time and (2) were severe time constraints. Results confirmed that both source credibility and time influenced decisions,…

Describes experiments relating information to decision making. The experiments were developed to validate previously suggested conceptual model of information flow and its relation to decision making and to establish specific values for significant parameters involved. Background and summary of recent research and experimental design and research…

The approach to designing decision support systems for academic library management which is described explores online retrieval of profiles of user productivity, resource utilization, and resource availability. Database models, implementation considerations, database management systems, a sample application, and supplementing manager's judgement…

Reports on study that used set of measures for characterizing performance with different databases and set of hypotheses for predicting search difficulties based on cognitive processes involved in decision-making aspects of information search. Highlights include confidence assessment, system design criteria, transparency, metatransparency, and…

Presents a set of methods and results for characterizing decision making while searching online databases. The discussion compares these results to studies of decision making in other contexts, and examines the role of user uncertainty and expectations, as well as implications of the findings for database design and user training. (37 references)…

Describes a computerized decision support system based on circulation data that was developed to assist the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library in materials acquisition budgeting and other library management decision making. The budget allocation model is explained, and implementation and testing of the decision support system is described.…

Describes the design and development of a prototype expert system called ONLINE-EXPERT that helps users select online databases and vendors that meet users' needs. Search strategies are discussed; knowledge acquisition and knowledge bases are described; and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), a decision analysis technique that ranks databases,…

Three articles describe a series of observations and experiments that examined the user context of questions in information retrieval, the structure and classification of questions, cognitive traits and decision-making searchers, and different searches of the same question. (71 references) (Author/CLB)