Discusses online searching and the characteristics that make librarians good searchers. Topics include curiosity; creativity; enjoying the research process; research methodology to help in decision making; information sources other than the Web, including print sources and commercial databases; Boolean logic; and job opportunities for searchers.…

Describes metasearch tools and explains their value in helping library media centers improve students' Web searches. Discusses Boolean queries and the emphasis on speed at the expense of comprehensiveness; and compares four metasearch tools, including the number of search engines consulted, user control, and databases included. (LRW)

Discussion of the information-seeking behavior of humanists focuses on a study that investigated the efficacy of following bibliographic references from documents already known. Topics include the nature of humanities research; vocabulary control and indexing; subject-based literature searches; seed documents; relevance; retrieval based on…

Describes a study conducted at the Utah State University library that investigated electronic database awareness and use by 856 administrators and teaching faculty. Responses to a survey revealed the need for greater publicity regarding new electronic acquisitions, training opportunities, and methods of remote access. (Author/LRW)

Examines why many information professionals are still resisting the Internet as a legitimate resources and how the Internet will affect the future of search engines. Highlights include: user perspectives on Internet searches; search engine preferences; vendor perspectives on Web-based databases; electronic journals; the Internet versus…

The Simple Index Method overcomes the difficulties in building a core list for serials in interdisciplinary fields by using multiple indexes which cover various aspects of the subject. Collection-development librarians can develop a core list when standard bibliographies or specific indexing and abstracting tools are lacking and can tailor that…

E-journal, printed journal, and database usage data from polls conducted during 1998-2000 at one research university show increased use of e-journals and decreased use of printed journals by faculty and graduate students as availability of e-journals. The majority of frequent users of all three resources were from departments in the sciences.…

Analyzes the discourse completion data collected through Japanese English-as-a-foreign-language learners with reference to four speech functions--thanking, apology, request, and offering. Compares Japanese learners' expressions with expressions obtained by native speakers of English stored in the London-Lund corpus of Spoken English. (Author/VWL)

Describes a study that investigated the effects of search tools and learner cognitive styles on performance in searches for information within a hypermedia database. Students in a university English-as-a-Second-Language program were assigned to one of four treatment groups, and results show a significant interaction between search tool and…

The design of medical school curriculum information systems for use by faculty, students, and staff is explored. A system is explained to contain the objectives, content, and/or educational activities that compose the curriculum. Three distinct system designs are discussed: a curriculum database (most helpful for administrators), a curriculum…

Describes a case study which explored the extent to which CD-ROM products can support the information needs in developing countries; assessed the economics of a system of CD-ROM databases supplemented by an online system; and investigated the breakeven analysis of the costs of searching CD-ROM versus online. (Contains 34 references.) (LRW)

This article is designed to help environmental educators guide their students to a more realistic approach to developing their career options. The materials presented include both periodicals and telephone job-banks that list career vacancies and books that describe environmental education career options and explain how to prepare for them.…

When used in managing college student records, electronic data interchange allows electronic student records to be fed directly into a receiving institution's database instead of being sent by mail. Although the process offers many clear advantages, one important question that must be addressed is how students' privacy will be protected under a…

The World Wide Web can provide direct market research data inexpensively or can target the appropriate professional online database and narrow the search. This article discusses the Web presence of research and investment firms, financial pages, trade associations, and electronic publications containing market research data. It lists Uniform…

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)