Five files were generated from the Public Libraries Survey for fiscal year 1995: (1) the Public Library Data File, including data for the universe of 8,981 public libraries identified by state library agencies; (2) the Public Library State Summary/State Characteristics File, including data aggregated at the state-level for the 50 states and the…

Five files were gathered from the Public Libraries Survey (PLS) for fiscal year (FY) 1996: (1) the Public Library Data File, including data for the universe of 8,946 public libraries identified by state library agencies; (2) the Public Library State Summary/State Characteristics File, including data aggregated at the state level for the 50 states…

Introduces the multicharacter trie as an index structure that can improve the time needed for retrieving full-text materials stored on CD-ROMs. The advantages of this structure compared to other structures are described, and experimental results comparing it to the widely used B+ tree and other structures used for full-text retrieval are…

Compares pricing of seven CD-ROM-based public access catalog systems for libraries of diverse sizes and groupings. Other features of the systems are outlined in the broad areas of database preparation, indexing, database updates, hardware, information retrieval, library controlled elements, interlibrary loan, reports, user support, future…

The State Library Agencies (STLA) Survey is conducted annually and is the product of a cooperative effort between the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA), the U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS), and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). This fourth Survey in the series provides state…

Analyzes the currency of the information found on SilverPlatter's Medline CD-ROM. Results show that the currency of information can vary tremendously. Priority level, periodicity, and prior database were found to have a low but highly significant influence on currency. Six tables and nine figures show results. (Author/AEF)

Describes compression methods for components of full-text systems such as text databases on CD-ROM. Topics discussed include storage media; structures for full-text retrieval, including indexes, inverted files, and bitmaps; compression tools; memory requirements during retrieval; and ranking and information retrieval. (Contains 53 references.)…

Presents the results of a comparative evaluation of four CD-ROM retrieval software packages using the Revised Richards-Brown CD-ROM Software Evaluation Model. CD Answer, SPIRS, KAware2, and ROMware are evaluated, and results indicate that SPIRS and CD Answer are the favored packages. (LRW)

Explores the 1988 "Books in Print Plus" (BIP Plus) CD-ROM database to determine broad characteristics of material currently in print in U.S. book trade in terms of publication year; price; language; and audience, grade level, and illustration. Accuracy and potential of BIP Plus as a tool for generating data and testing hypotheses…

Reports results of a comparison of the Academic Index on CD-ROM and four indexes on the OPAC (online public access catalog) at Brooklyn College (New York): General Science Index, Humanities Index, Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature, and Social Science Index. Coverage of the "New York Times" was found to be important. (LRW)

Describes the Collection Analysis CD (CACD) developed by Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) and the Amigos Bibliographic Council to help libraries, especially academic libraries, analyze their book collections. Use of the CACD for pointing out gaps in the collection and areas of overlaps with other libraries is described, and sample reports and…

Describes the partnership between the public and private sectors in developing and marketing the ERIC database in CD-ROM format. Particular emphasis is given to the marketing research and protocols of partnership that were developed. (Author/CLB)

Discusses studies of CD-ROM life span done by 3M and the Federal Special Interest Group for CD-ROM Application and Technology (SIGCAT) and concludes that CD-ROMs have long life spans. A table presents test results, and industry specifications for CD-ROM discs and drivers are examined. (EA)

Describes the WHDB (World Trade Database), an Austrian information service that provides worldwide commodity trade statistics. Results of a survey of available data sources that examined contents, user-friendliness, costs, retrieval language, service, and performance are presented; and online and CD-ROM databases are compared. (nine references)…

Summarizes the findings of a recent study on the indexing practices used in the Library and Information Science Abstracts (LISA) database. Descriptors, or indexing terms, from the thesaurus are analyzed; searching implications are discussed; and the relationship between the classification code and the descriptors is examined. (Contains 21…