Describes the usability study that was designed at Hampshire College (Massachusetts) to see whether students were successfully using the library's Web site, particularly for reference services. Emphasizes the need for retesting and discusses results of the usability testing, including an increase in Web site hits and database searches. (LRW)

Reports results from the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) E-Metrics study to investigate issues associated with the usage statistics provided by database vendors. Considers standardization of key usage statistics and reporting format and validation of reported statistics; and offers recommendations for libraries and calls for continuous…

Within the framework of a bi-national project, between the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and four Israeli universities, a prototype database of programs and courses in health informatics was implemented. Examined Web sites particularly for courses offered via distance education and discusses results of a content analysis. (Author/LRW)

Illustrates the practical results of the five classification proposals presented in this volume. Each classification model has been applied to a common sample of colleges. Authors review the key implications of this collective exercise. Argues that local constructs demand a more sophisticated database at the national level. (Contains six tables.)…

Describes the stresses experienced by international student services personnel in dealing with the more stringent data requirements regarding the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) in the wake of September 11. (EV)

Patent information has never been so available, at such low cost, to so many people. Describes patent databases accessible on the Web (Micropatent, Source Translation and Optimization Questel-Orbit QPAT, Internet Patents/Community of Science, and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office), lists their strengths and weaknesses, and recommends the best…

Describes the Konstanz Hypertext System which offers a domain-specific developmental environment for the construction of large hypertexts. Highlights include the integration of external information, and three examples: resource discovery of online databases, management of electronic mail, and the compilation of an electronic journal issue.…

Discusses the World Intellectual Property Organization's proposed Treaty on Intellectual Property in Respect of Databases and suggests that because it disagrees with United States copyright law and the First Amendment, it should be rejected. Topics include public interests and individual property rights; journalists' reporting; and the fair use…

A multidisciplinary faculty in Ontario created a database and curriculum guide on aging with a preexisting disability. The materials resulted from a survey of 41 health/social science educators who indicated a need for such materials as life expectancy increases. (SK)

Describes NARIC (National Rehabilitation Information Center) that serves as a library of information related to disability and rehabilitation issues, primarily for the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR); and the ABLEDATA project which produces resource packets and maintains an informational database of…

Describes several projects aimed at building the Information Commons, including: Knowledge Conservancy plans to create a database of all freely available digitized content; the Universal Library, a project with the long-term goal of providing free, online access to all books; and several projects of the Creative Commons intended to build a robust…

Provides an overview of journal evaluation indicators, highlighting strengths and weaknesses and their range of applicability. Topics include the definition of a quality journal; different notions of impact factors; citation models; electronic journals; ranking journals; possible biases in citation databases; and using the journal impact in…

Presents a new method to improve the performance of query processing in a spatial database. Experiments demonstrated that performance of database systems can be improved because both the number of objects accessed and number of objects requiring detailed inspection are much less than those in the previous approach. (AEF)

Describes an exploration system for large image databases. The system, which consists of three stages, allows user to interpret and annotate an image in the context in which that image appears, dramatically reducing the time taken to annotate a large collection of images. Includes 25 figures and two tables. (AEF)

Explains portals as tools that gather a variety of electronic information resources, including local library resources, into a single Web page. Highlights include cross-database searching; integration with university portals and course management software; the ARL (Association of Research Libraries) Scholars Portal Initiative; and selected vendors…