Discusses information and communication technology in South African academic libraries in the context of the post-apartheid period which consists of a technologically sophisticated sector and an underdeveloped Third World Sector. Topics include academic library consortia; connectivity; information literacy; human resource development; and…

Discusses the increasing number of student with disabilities that are attending higher education institutions and participating in distance learning programs, focusing on the role that libraries can play in assuring access to electronic resources. Highlights include the digital divide; legal issues; universal design; accessible design; and…

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…

Describes microcomputer-based networks which have been implemented at Vanderbilt University's library to support technical services workstations that use NOTIS, catalog with OCLC, and transfer OCLC records to the NOTIS database using GTO (Generic Transfer and Overlay). It is noted that the network configurations can serve as models for other…

Discussion of digital library projects at Rutgers University focuses on publishing bibliographic databases on the Web to provide access to information sources not likely to be published elsewhere. Describes the reusable technology platform concept, bibliographic platform architecture, metadata approach, data entry, and managing the process.…

Describes the University of Michigan Digital Library Program, a collaborative enterprise that has built digital content and an information infrastructure for the campus community. Discusses initial planning; program goals and strategy; the information gateway; project-based program strategy; principles of digital library development; partnerships…

Describes the creation of the Knowledge Navigation Center (KNC) in the Graduate Library at University of Michigan. The planning group identified five main specialty areas: GIS; imaging and multimedia; text; distance learning/interactive technologies; and Internet tools. (Author/AEF)

Reviews library automation efforts in West Virginia. Topics include information equity and rural areas, library systems and resource sharing, statewide connectivity, a higher education telecomputing network that has expanded to include elementary and secondary school libraries, multitype library cooperation and staff training, and academic library…

Discusses new services that academic librarians are offering to users involving digital data, such as geographic information systems laboratories and electronic text centers. Suggests that human factors, such as management, organizational climate among the staff, and the development of a user community will determine the success or failure of the…

Provides a brief historical background of electronic journals and delineates both positive and negative aspects of the technology for academic libraries. Topics include accessibility; subscription costs; multimedia capabilities; technological, sociocultural, and economic barriers; refereeing, or peer review; copyright and licensing; selection and…

Describes a project that demonstrates subject searching in an experimental online catalog based on academic library databases that were enhanced with search trees; compares the retrieval effectiveness of search trees with random subject searching approaches; evaluates system and retrieval effectiveness; and discusses proposed research. (Contains…

Discusses Oregon library automation projects, including Internet connectivity and a statewide multitype library network; a bibliographic information system with college and university libraries, including a union catalog; a Portland Area Library System that connects multitype libraries; and library staff training for the Internet. (LRW)

Provides an overview of library automation and connectivity projects in Texas that are proceeding with awareness of ethnic, economic, and technological diversity. Topics include a statewide electronic library that incorporates government information and Internet access; school library shared resources; academic library resource sharing; multitype…

Presents results of survey of procedures to handle the circulation of unbound periodicals in 232 public and academic libraries using four major turnkey automated circulation systems. Methods used are described (use of machine-readable symbol attached to issue) and procedures developed at the Eastern Washington University Library are explained in…

Provides a history of the automation efforts at former East German libraries that have made their resources available for the first time. Highlights include World Wide Web home page addresses; library problems, including censorship; automation guidelines, funding, and cooperation; online catalogs; and specific examples of university libraries'…