Examines the information practices and strategies used by interdisciplinary scientists in research libraries. Highlights include gathering and disseminating knowledge outside their core knowledge domains through personal networks, conferences, and the literature; intermediaries who help transfer knowledge and information from unfamiliar subject…

Describes a study conducted at Jacksonville State University (Alabama) that compared the ERIC print index, "Resources in Education" (RIE), to the ERIC index in CD-ROM format. Accuracy of results, time savings, and user satisfaction are discussed, and copies of the questionnaire and survey are appended. (Author/LRW)

Discusses results of a survey of gender factors in library resource use at Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria (Africa). Highlights include reasons for library use, how library materials are located, materials consulted, relevance of library materials to information needs, frequency of use, and factors inhibiting effective use of the library.…

Includes five articles that examine key trends in the development of the public Web: size and growth, internationalization, and metadata usage; Flexible Extensible Digital Object and Repository Architecture (Fedora) for use in digital libraries; developments in the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI); the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna…

Reports an analysis of American Chemical Society electronic journal downloads at Cornell University (Ithaca, New York) by individual IP (Internet Protocol) addresses. Highlights include usage statistics to evaluate library journal subscriptions; understanding scientists' reading behavior; individual use of articles and of journals; and the…

Examines the short-term effects of online availability on the use of print chemistry journals based on a study at Duke University Chemistry Library. Discusses results that showed a diminished use of the print collection and considers implications for collection management in scientific and technical libraries. (Author/LRW)

A Netherlands study concluded that user-oriented information systems should provide freedom to browse as well as ease and speed in finding information; inexpensive service; up-to-date topical information for online services and large quantities of slowly changing information for offline services; and choices between several information services,…

Discusses the use of the Internet by teachers, students, and school librarians. Statistics reported include use at home and at school, use by students with librarians, use by students with teachers, use of research or reference materials, search engine use, specific Web sites used, supervision methods and filtering software, and commercial…

A multimethod exploration of undergraduates' high-speed Internet use in residence halls took a uses-and-gratifications approach and revealed Internet use as integral to students' lives. Students' negative comments about Internet distractions from academic work led to identification of an individual difference variable, internal locus of control of…

In conjunction with the American Society for Information Science and Technology's (ASIST) annual meeting in fall 2001, the Special Interest Group on Information Needs, Seeking, and Use (SIG USE) sponsored a research symposium on "Effective Methods for Studying Information Seeking and Use." This article briefly reviews six articles presented at the…

Describes a study that investigated the relationship between an institution's academic library performance measures and undergraduates' library use and educational outcomes. Discusses results of regression analyses and suggests that the most important implication of this study is the creation of a new model of academic library quality. (Author/LRW)

Considers the evolution of information architectures as a field of professional education. Topics include the need for an interdisciplinary approach; balancing practical skills with theoretical concepts; and key content areas, including information organization, graphic design, computer science, user and usability studies, and communication.…

A study of the dependency of persons on soup kitchens in Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Westchester County (New York) identified who uses these kitchens, the extent to which they are dependent on them, what other food programs they use, what their perceived need from other services is, and dependency differences of subgroups. (JS)

Surveys children's access to media sources and assesses their diversity of content. Finds that children have access to numerous old and new media, since most live in households that receive cable television and own VCRs. Suggests broadcasting and videocassettes offer little diversity in children's content, while cable enhances programing choices.…

Examines whether the special features of VCRs lead to transformations in families, or whether preexisting family relationships and media orientations determine the uses of VCRs. Finds that VCRs mainly augment and extend family television patterns, and suggests that VCR use is both a cause and a symptom of family conflicts. (KEH)