The increasing complexity of evaluating information retrieval (IR) systems is discussed in terms of contributing factors and research methods. Examples are provided from experiments with weighted searching on a front-end system, information-seeking behavior and online catalogs, and the OKAPI experimental retrieval system. (21 references) (LAE)

Discusses information agencies and issues that affect the dissemination and accessibility of Canadian government information, including the Canada Communication Group, depository libraries, the National Library, bibliographic control of government information, the Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information, Statistics Canada,…

Discussion of computer-mediated communication (CMC) describes the SIPP (Survey of Income and Program Participation) ACCESS project, which provides access to statistical data through electronic networks; summarizes research on use of CMC by scientists; profiles communication by social scientists in the SIPP ACCESS network; and offers policy…

Provides detailed instructions for setting up general purpose CD-ROM workstations using IBM compatible microcomputers and tells how to make CD-ROM disks available to the general user. Use of standardized hardware and software, utility programs, DOS batch files, a shell program, and a hypertext program at the University of Idaho Library are…

Presents the results of research into the automatic selection of Library of Congress Classification numbers based on the titles and subject headings in MARC records from a test database at the University of California at Berkeley Library School library. Classification clustering and matching techniques are described. (44 references) (LRW)

Reviews 10 federal government bulletin boards that provide information on consumer publications and consumer affairs, agriculture, economics, diseases and research programs, AIDS information, labor-related information, educational statistics and publications, and nuclear power plants. Instructions are provided for accessing the bulletin boards,…

Reviews the use of spatial data and information technology by environmental managers and emergency responders. Discussion includes environmental legislation, the Toxic Chemical Release Inventory (TRI) database, public access to environmental information, information standardization problems, emergency response software development and a case study…

Maintains that an expanding amount of information about the United Nations is available through on-line databases, CD-ROMs, and diskettes. Presents a review of information resources: (1) online databases; (2) diskettes; and (3) CD-ROMs. Includes a chart of 28 United Nations database addresses on the Internet as of August 1994. (CFR)

Discusses how to look for jobs via the Internet and online databases. Highlights include Internet sources for job information, including lists, gopher servers, online "Chronicle of Higher Education," College-Wide Information Systems (CWIS), and "America's Job Bank"; options without Internet access; where to list a resume; and…

Describes an investigation of tools, techniques, and methods for the evaluation of interactive library catalogs, with emphasis on diagnostic methods and on use of the catalog in the wider context of user information-seeking behavior. A front-end system (Olive) developed to test various enhancements of traditional transaction lodging as a…

Discusses the human-computer interface as it relates to information technology and retrieval. Principles of interface design are examined, including visual display features and help messages; information retrieval applications are described, including online searching, CD-ROM, online public access catalogs (OPACs), and full-text databases; and…

Discusses possible changes that may occur in higher education in the coming years in methods of teaching and learning history. The use of new technology to update current teaching methods and student assignments is described, including the use of machine-readable records and databases together with optical disks and hypermedia for visual images.…

This evaluation of means of accessing data on the U.S. Census Bureau CD-ROM Test Disc 2 describes computer hardware configurations considered in determining the most efficient method of manipulating the data, and mentions software options. Two dBASE configurations are compared, and it is concluded that the 80386 is essential for efficient…

Describes the Centennial History Project, a local history project at the East Chicago Public Library that encourages its diverse populations to collect information about their social, economic, and political history to be added to the permanent archives. Materials in the collection are described, including letters, ethnic costumes, and oral…

Describes the Dewey Online Retrieval System (DORS), which was developed at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), to experiment with classification-based search strategies in online catalogs. Classification structures in automated information retrieval are discussed; and specifications for a classification retrieval interface are…