Provides guidance to academic librarians for making cost-effective and appropriate purchase and networking decisions for electronic bibliographic database products. Topics include user needs, user and program demographics, academic computing and network support, delivery options, and considerations for the future. (Author/LRW)

This overview of the use of technology in Missouri libraries describes the statewide bibliographic union database; elementary and secondary school projects using the Internet; full-text magazine database; remote electronic access; state depository program for digitizing resources; networks; electronic publishing; interlibrary loan; public and…

This festschrift contains 17 papers on the impact of CD-ROM technology: (1) "CD-ROM and Access to Information in the South" (Abdelaziz Abid); (2) "CD-ROM and Bridging of Cultural and Technological Gaps in Developing Countries" (Shmuel Sever); (3) "Electronic Publishing Developments and Opportunities from OCLC" (Janet…

In 1988 the State of Missouri became involved in a project to develop a statewide bibliographic database in which a CD-PAC (a library catalog contained on CD-ROM) of the machine-readable records available from all types of libraries was produced. This study was conducted to assess the impact of the Missouri Statewide Bibliographic Database (MCAT),…

Libraries exist for the benefit of the mind, but they have practical problems coping with the acquisition, storage, and handling of the documents and records with which they deal. Any change in technology that would have a significant effect on the methods available for these procedures could have important consequences for library service. The…

Recent forms of technology which have essentially altered the types of services that libraries can provide are discussed in five articles. The areas covered include the problematic aspects of automating reference services, a successful goal oriented approach to automating reference services, and the impact of new technologies on school media…

This book includes basic information to locate and compare available options for library automation based on various criteria such as hardware requirements, operating systems, components and applications, and price, and provides the necessary contact information to allow further investigation. The major part of the directory lists 211 software…

This manual is written for any library planning to introduce a new or replacement automated system. It focuses on planning for an integrated system that computerizes a multiplicity of library functions using one common database. This second edition contains a new section on the preparation of a technology strategic plan, a section on developing…

Outlines the various steps involved in the process of modernizing the information storage and retrieval systems within the library of the Northwest Frontier Province Agricultural University (NWFP AU) in Peshawar, Pakistan. Implementation of services for faculty, students, and provincial agricultural scientists is discussed, and staff training is…

It is generally accepted in the library world that an automated catalog means more accessible data for patrons, greater productivity for librarians, and an improvement in the sharing of bibliographic data among libraries. While the desirability of automation is not a controversial issue, some aspects of automating remain problematic. This article…

Electronic databases have grown tremendously in both number and popularity since their development during the 1960s. Access to electronic databases in academic libraries was originally offered primarily through mediated search services by trained librarians; however, the advent of CD-ROM and end-user interfaces for online databases has shifted the…

The Central Libraries Automated Network (CLAN) of Nevada is a cooperative system which shares circulation, cataloging, and acquisitions systems and numerous online databases. Its mission is to provide public access to information and efficient library administration through shared computer systems, databases, and telecommunications. This document…

This overview of information technology in Pennsylvania discusses Internet access in public libraries; technology infrastructure; strategic partnerships; future possibilities; distance learning for small, rural, and/or poor school districts; an electronic communication network; a computer bulletin board for teachers; and a database for school,…

This book addresses the problem of when a library has limited catalog access, and explores various technological methods to expand the catalog beyond its traditional boundaries. Fourteen chapters describe catalog projects in individual libraries: (1) "Enhancing Access to Information: Building Catalogs for the Future" (David A. Tyckoson);…

The library at Phoenix College developed the Controversial Issues Files (CIF), a "home made" card file containing references pertinent to specific ongoing assignments. Although the CIF had proven itself to be an excellent resource tool for beginning researchers, it was cumbersome to maintain in the card format, and was limited to very…