Describes experiences involved in the development of a private file (software and hardware) at The Pillsbury Company over a period of approximately two decades. Evolution of the file, use of STAIRS (a sophisticated file-management system and search program), sample reports and entries, database structure, and online searching are highlighted. (EJS)

A study to provide information about medical students' prior knowledge of and attitudes toward medical ethics is reported. A questionnaire was administered to 845 entering medical students at the University of Toronto. The results support the need for a course that requires thinking rather than rote memory. (Author/MLW)

This paper analyzes 27 English language published articles and monographic works which present comparisons of the online systems of OCLC and Research Libraries Group (RLIN) and discuss their effect upon library programs. A description of the literature, conflicting perceptions, and system advantages and disadvantages are highlighted. (25…

Trends in online searching are discussed in terms of how end users continue to change role of the librarian and information specialist. Identification and description of end users, user-friendly information retrieval systems, front-end software packages, and current and potential developments in end user searching are covered. Ten readings are…

Describes applications in variety of settings of videodiscs as tools of information retrieval with online databases, identifies underlying technical capabilities, and discusses five operations required to implement any application: coordinating diverse formats; indexing; physically arranging items on disc; designing input, search, and output;…

Examines online search results of sample questions in several databases covering linguistics, cultural anthropology, and physical anthropology in order to determine if and where any overlap in results might occur, and which files have greatest number of relevant hits. Search results by database are given for each subject area. (EJS)

This profile of INFORM, the fee-based service offered by Minneapolis Public Library and Information Center, highlights its background, online search services and frequently used databases, major planning considerations (equipment, user aids, choice of vendor, training), internal operations (billing, purchasing items for clients), marketing, and…

Reports on Seventh International Online Information Meeting sponsored by Learned Information, Ltd., and conference on Information Technology in Library/Information School Curriculum sponsored by British Library, both held in London, December 1983. Participant viewpoints, developments in online systems, teaching of technology in library schools,…

The history of "The Engineering Index" (Ei) and its parent organization, Engineering Information, Inc., is traced from 1884-1984, drawing parallels between the 100-year evolution of Ei and the 75-year development of Special Libraries Association. Ei's future plans for expansion are defined with emphasis given to special librarian's role.…

The Selective Dissemination Project at a regional medical education center followed a two-and-a-half day continuing education program with related bibliographies at one- and three-month intervals, as well as information on finding the articles in the local library. Evaluations of the service by participating physicians and librarians showed that…

This article illustrates similarities between two different types of full-text databases--Superindex, Harvard Business Review/Online--and uses them as arena to demonstrate search and display applications of full-text. The selection of logical operators, full-text search strategies, and keywords and Bibliographic Retrieval Service's Occurrence…

Describes in detail the system by which the American Institute of Physics produces primary journals, a database of secondary information, and secondary information products through multiple use of originally input material in order to realize savings. Uses for the data, work flow, and file structure and conversion are highlighted. (EJS)

Describes library use of Conversion of Serials Project's (CONSER) online national machine-readable database for serials to create online union lists of serials via OCLC's Serial Control Subsystem. Problems in selection of appropriate, accurate, and authenticated records and prospects for the future are discussed. Twenty sources and sample records…

This 62-item bibliography lists library journal articles published in the 1980s which provide an overview of what is happening in the world of bibliographic utilities, i.e., organizations that maintain large online bibliographic databases and provide products and services related to these bases and to its members. Subdivision within bibliography…

The expanding networks of computer hardware, software, and organizations for controlling them and the institutional data bases they access are described. Improvements are making the data sources accessible but raise some new problems for data managers and institutional researchers. (Author/LBH)