bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Current awareness services at Tilburg University
Authors: Roes Hans
Published: February 2008

Library automation in the past twenty years has concentrated on the use of computers in traditional library services. First of all administrative processes were automated; next, the card catalogue was transformed into an Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC). These traditional processes were very much book‐oriented, while in the same period the importance of journals in the scientific process has grown dramatically. To cope with the growing demand for disclosure of articles, mainly outside the library world, abstracting and indexing services (AIS) emerged. However, some characteristics of AISs mean that library users use them less than OPAC. This was one reason why Tilburg University started the Online Contents project in 1989. The aim of this project was to give users information about articles in the journals collection similar to that given for books. This is a service comparable to ISI's well‐known Current Contents, but mapped on the journals collection at Tilburg University.
Networks, libraries and information: priorities for the UK
Authors: Office for Library Networking UK
Published: February 2008

Networking is one of the most important issues currently facing the library and information community. The convergence of computing and communications technology is affecting the creation, management and use of information in ways not witnessed since the introduction of printing with movable type.
Compression and archiving
Authors: Gates Rick , Bang Steve
Published: February 2008

In my last column I talked a little bit about ftp (file transfer protocol). I showed you some hints and tips on how to read directory contents and indexes without having to log off the remote system.
Serials Directory/EBSCO CD‐ROM
Authors: Bell Suzanne S.
Published: February 2008

Ulrich's and EBSCO are two contenders in the directories of serials business who have made their information available on CDROM. Having used the printed versions of both of these directories, as well as the CD version of Ulrich's, I was very interested to see Serials Directory/EBSCO CD‐ROM. Norman Desmarais' review, after beta‐testing the product, was glowing [CD‐ROM Librarian, April 1989, pp. 28–33]; would it look as good three years later?
Walls around the electronic library
Authors: King Hannah
Published: February 2008

This paper, based on an analysis of print and electronic discussions and on experience at ‘the front lines’ in collection development and reference in an American academic health science library, questions the wisdom of permitting visions of the electronic library to drive library budgets and strategic planning. To market these visions, librarians may promise more than they can deliver, given the harsh social and economic realities predicted to intensify over the next several decades. The electrification of the delivery of traditional products and services is inadequate in itself to respond proactively to the needs for new products and services. Identification of new solutions to emerging needs would make long‐range planning efforts more effective. The effort to identify and fulfil needed new roles to librarians and libraries demands new social and organizational concepts, in addition to technical expertise. The paper concludes with a proposed agenda for action.
Hyper‐books and visual‐books in an electronic library
Authors: Landoni Monica , Catenazzi Nadia , Gibb Forbes
Published: February 2008

The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of current developments in the area of electronic books and libraries, and to describe an on‐going research project. Following a discussion of the key terminology used in this field, a number of issues will be investigated: what an electronic library is; how this concept has evolved during the last twenty years; what an electronic book is; and the relationship between an electronic library and an electronic book. As a result of our research we have defined a new concept, the Virtual Electronic Library, and its basic components: the hyper‐book and the visual‐book. These are two forms of electronic books which are built from different sources: paper books and electronic texts respectively. The environments in which such electronic books are produced will also be described.
International connectivity: a survey of attitudes about cultural and national differences encountered in computer‐mediated communication
Authors: Ryan Ruth
Published: February 2008

We live in a multinational world, one with many languages, cultures, races and nationalities; yet, our nations are separated by geographical, political and cultural differences. In recent years, individuals all over the world have discovered com‐puter‐mediated communication (CMC) as a means of connecting with peers, colleagues and family. CMC and the presence of international CMC networks provide a collaborative atmosphere in which researchers in many fields can bridge the cultural and national differences that separate them. From their home or office computers, they link their minds with contemporaries across the city or across the globe. As the messages are sent and received, individuals are identified and recognized by their user‐ID, and differences in nationality, ethnicity, age, gender and physical ability are not known unless divulged.
Quotemaster Plus: database for quotes
Authors: Avarbuch Leonard M.
Published: February 2008

Quotemaster Plus is a computer‐based database of quotations that offers speed and ease of use, running on Macintosh computers. This review was done on a Mac Plus computer with 25 Mb of memory and a 60 Mb hard disk. The package sells for $89 and additional quotation databases are available for $25 each. The vendor is PennComp, 4031 Villanova Street, Houston, TX 77005, USA. Tel: (713)669 0965.
The Second Southern African Online Information Meeting
Authors: Spicer Neville
Published: February 2008

Two years ago, in my introduction to the First Southern African Online Information Meeting, I said how thrilled I was to see so many delegates. For the Second Southern African Online Information Meeting, held on 2–4 June 1993 in Pretoria, we had more delegates, more speakers and more exhibitors. Therefore I was particularly pleased again with the response to this event, especially considering the interesting and difficult times in which, as the politicians would say, we find ourselves. I would prefer to believe — and hope — that at least in our own areas of interest we can retain some influence on our current position.
Teaching online searching in a LAN environment
Authors: van Brakel Pieter A.
Published: February 2008

Tertiary programmes for teaching online searching consist typically of the components of an online search system, different categories of databases, overview of database hosts and their search facilities, methods to create search strategies and command languages, to name but a few. Practical experience, an integral component, is gained by searching interactively on one or more database hosts, where the emphasis is on search techniques rather than the intrinsic characteristics of the databases of the specific system. The extent of students' hands‐on experience invariably depends on the teaching unit's budget, which may preclude extensive ‘live’ exposure. However, the technical facilities and shared resources of a local area network (LAN) are likely to have a significant effect on the traditional teaching methods of online searching. It is now possible, in a LAN environment, to integrate the various information retrieval activities, for example creating and searching personal or local databases, utilising these for indexing, abstracting and thesaurus building, searching locally on CDROM databases which simulate the search facilities and command languages of commercial database hosts and, when the need arises, accessing their external ‘online’ counterparts. This article will demonstrate how the limited concept of ‘online searching’ is broadened when a LAN and local databases are utilised in the online teaching process.
CDROM in developing countries: is it a technology for the distribution of information?
Authors: Nkhata Bright W.M.
Published: February 2008

The distribution of information using CDROM technology in developing countries would be regarded as playing a very important role in disseminating information in areas with underdeveloped telecommunication networks. Indeed, through the use of CDROM, numerous institutions in countries such as Malawi have had access to bibliographic and sometimes textual and statistical information from large international databases in the fields of agriculture, education, social sciences, medicine and many others. This, however, is largely an information distribution mechanism for information that is predominantly generated in an environment that is different from that of the developing countries. The result of such a situation is that the information that the developing countries are getting through this type of medium has very low relevance to the needs of these countries, so may not be ideal for solving the needs that these countries face. This situation can change and this paper attempts to present possible remedies.
Worldwide trends in CDROM publishing
Authors: Stoneman Geoffrey
Published: February 2008

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. My paper today is on the subject of worldwide trends in CDROM publishing and I wish to present this within the framework of the industry structure.
Subject authority control in a computerised system: use of CDMARC Subjects in an academic library
Authors: Mbaakanyi D.M. , Ubogu F.N. , Lumande E.
Published: February 2008

Authority control is one of the methods designed to maintain the quality and integrity of the catalogue as a bibliographic tool, bringing together the variant forms of the same material, the same author and the same subject. A controlled subject heading structure makes it possible to effect a comprehensive search, as does name authority control, thereby enabling the patron to receive full information about the actual holdings of the library. The paper discusses the planning for and ultimate use of the CD‐MARC Subjects in the Library of the University of Botswana. The Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) is the controlled vocabulary used in assigning subject headings in the Library. The Library realised the desirability to control the subject heading files in the automated system to ensure integrity of the files and opted to do this using the CD‐MARC Subjects. The structure of the records of the CD‐MARC Subjects was mapped to corresponding fields in the thesaurus structure of our system software, TINlib, and made available to our vendor. The thesaurus structure has provision for references and notes associated with subject headings including use, use for (UF), see also broader terms (BT), see also narrower terms (NT), see also related terms (RT), and scope note. Our approach to references that could lead to blind alleys is to print out each 360 field in the database and enter the headings given as examples as thesaurus terms. These terms would automatically have postings assigned to them. The contents of the relevant records in the CD‐MARC Subjects were to be imported as is without change of punctuation pattern. A profile was subsequently written that enables the downloading of terms that are connected to documents in our database. The additional advantage of this is that the thesaurus will not be overloaded with terms that have no documents attached to them. The profile has been tested and a little refinement was found to be necessary. Ultimately, the effort would allow for consistency in subject control, efficiency of search, improved precision and recall, and a reliable database. Our experience should be useful to others anticipating the use of CD‐MARC Subjects or other CDROM‐based authority control tools.
Making information available to partially sighted and blind clients
Authors: Long C.A.
Published: February 2008

This paper is an empirical review of some of the problems faced by those with a visual impairment in the computer age, and a summary of the types of technology that can assist in making information available to those with impaired vision. It also provides some contacts for readers who wish to investigate this technology further and some observations on implementing some of the solutions in education.
Virtual landscapes with Vistapro
Authors: Reid Harold T.
Published: February 2008

Information takes many forms. In the information age computers can provide a variety of ways to bring information to a visual platform. Vistapro is a unique program which allows flat topographic maps to be represented as visual landscapes, looking very similar to the actual places being rendered. With the program photographic quality pictures can be formed — there are even maps of Venus and Mars with which to interact. Vistapro 1.0, 3.0 and add‐on peripherals will be dealt with here. Hardware requirements differ with the different upgrades to the program. The program can be used by map librarians, geologists, cartographers and persons looking for creative entertainment.
Barriers to information technology in Latin America and the Caribbean: some options
Authors: Rodríguez Ketty
Published: February 2008

Jorge Sàbato, the Latin American scientist, predicted that ‘either Latin America dominates technology or through other countries technology will dominate Latin America’ (Sagasti 1984). This prediction might serve to point toward one of the objectives to challenge our countries of the Caribbean and Latin America in the coming century. To understand how hard we will have to work to achieve that goal we might look at the barriers to information technology in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Have you got what it takes … and are you using all you could?
Authors: Dyer Hilary
Published: February 2008

Information technology (IT) has been hailed as a great time and paper saver. How far is this true? Are you benefiting as much as you could from the computer on your desk or are you wasting time learning how to use complex software when it would be more cost‐effective to buy in expertise? This paper looks at what, for some, may be novel ways of using a PC and indicates areas where computer use may not be beneficial. The article is geared towards special libraries, but may have wider applications.
The Electronic Library Manager's guide to sociocultural trends
Authors: Raitt David
Published: February 2008

This editorial, which synthesises many different published sources and references, tries to anticipate the world over the next 25 years or so in terms of population growth and increased life expectancy, as well as working conditions and education, and looks at how these will affect society as a whole. The trends are linked with the economy and with the industrial sector and also have implications for the emergence of conflicts in areas where immigration and cultural differences are rampant. Some implications for the library and industry are also given.
French libraries online — electronic Hachette?
Authors: Kessler Jack
Published: February 2008

The French, and increasingly French libraries, are online on the networks. French print publishing is in trouble. Online full text is one of the promising developments in the forefront of network development. Despite some small but stubborn problems such as copyright and pricing, online full text may represent a way out of their problems for the publishers. One new Minitel service and the general direction of the largest French publisher may indicate an impending marriage of the two sets of problems, and of their possibilities.
Personal computer graphic cards
Authors: Falk Howard
Published: February 2008

For PCs that use Windows or display other graphics material, the quality of the display and the speed with which it can be shown will depend largely on the graphics card installed in the computer.
Fog on the Superdata Highway
Authors: Kruger Peter
Published: February 2008

To those living in small rural communities around Lyon in France, the TGV and autoroutes have had little impact other than to take away strips of agricultural land. Rather than bringing the local population the benefits of better communication they have, in some cases, increased their isolation. Local stations are closed down or have reduced services and motorway intersections are deemed unnecessary or impractical for small communities. Left to watch commuters speed past in cars or on trains, those now living in isolated communities are now about to be bypassed by the Superdata Highway. They are not the only ones facing alienation and isolation as workers commute along fibre optic cables to virtual offices.
Availability and use of CDROM products in Nigerian libraries and information centres
Authors: Adeniran Olatunde R. , Adigun Thomas A. , Okoh Mathew I. , Eyitayo O.T.
Published: February 2008

A study was conducted to find out the types of CD products in Nigerian libraries and information centres, and the uses to which they are being put. The study also tried to find out the sources of funding of such products, information about users, hardware configuration, and training facilities available in the country. Of the 157 questionnaires sent out, 85 usable returns (a 54% response rate) were received. The analysis revealed that 44 libraries had at least one PC with only nine of such centres having at least one CDROM workstation. There are 62 copies of 43 CD titles in Nigeria. Information on the discs is classified as bibliographic, full text, statistical, or general information. The subjects they cover in descending numeric order are agriculture, general reference, medicine, science and technology, social sciences, and education. Areas of applications include information retrieval, bibliographic compilations, current awareness services, library acquisition work, and downloading and uploading to local online databases. In general, CD use was minimal in most libraries as opposed to information centres where CD applications were well used by patrons, especially where the mass media was employed to advertise them. Most libraries funded their CD projects with their local budgets. The most frequently used computers are IBM or compatibles. Recommendations are also outlined.
A comparison of pricing strategies for bibliographical databases on CDROM and equivalent printed products
Authors: Rowley Jennifer , Butcher David
Published: February 2008

Library managers are often concerned to assess the most cost effective means of access to bibliographic data. This article considers comparative prices for bibliographic data on CDROM and in print form. In many instances, CDROM offers added value and easier access to data, but the relative cost is important. Library managers need not only to compare prices but to consider cost effectiveness. Differences between the nature of bibliographic data on CDROM and in a printed bibliography or abstracting and indexing service, and the relative complexities of pricing structures for bibliographic data in both CDROM and print form, both hinder comparisons. Varying policies on network pricing are an added complication when assessing a CDROM service. Some standardisation of aspects of the licensing arrangements would be welcome.
COMPInfo: a prototype hypertext guide to company information sources
Authors: Walters Siân , Cousins Shirley
Published: February 2008

Company information is of considerable importance to the business community, but finding the right information is not easy. There are many possible information sources in a variety of formats which are often difficult to identify and control. Accurate and current guides to information sources are important and a prototype hypertext guide to sources of company information has been developed to examine the feasibility of utilising this technology to overcome some of the limitations of paper‐based guides. COMPInfo has been developed using GUIDE software. The structure of the system and the way in which this attempts to fulfil the requirements of a good company information guide are discussed. The advantages and problems of the prototype are considered, along with areas in which further development of the structure would be beneficial. In spite of its limitations, COMPInfo indicates that hypertext technology could provide a viable solution to the problems of producing an effective guide to the complex field of company information.
Electronic libraries — visions of the future
Authors: Barker Philip
Published: February 2008

Throughout their history, libraries have played many important roles within the context of knowledge archival, information retrieval and knowledge dissemination. Today, libraries fulfil very many technical, social and educational roles. Indeed, for many people ‘the library’ provides the only source of educational resource after conventional formal education has ceased. This paper discusses the basic functions of library systems and the roles that they must undertake within modern societies. The potential of new technologies and media reform within library systems is then discussed and, depending upon the extent of uptake of these new technologies, four future types of library system are identified: polymedia, electronic, digital and virtual. Each of these types of library system is described, their distinguishing features identified and the implications of such systems then discussed.
Multimedia — myth or reality?
Authors: Townsend John
Published: February 2008

Multimedia technology has been the object of hype for a number of years now. But what is it really? Is it a viable commercial solution or simply a fringe technology with no real benefit to the average end‐user? The glossy description of multimedia is that it is the mix of sound and vision just like television — but it's more than that, because it is interactive and it has great appeal in its application as a method for companies to produce top‐notch, all‐singing, all‐dancing presentations: taking graphics, voice, music and video and manipulating them to provide three‐dimensional PC‐generated business shows. This technology is incredible but its promise has yet to be realised.
Sonar Bookends: Index Generation
Authors: Canganelli Patrick
Published: February 2008

While it is true that some wordprocessors have the capability to produce their own indices, Sonar Bookends offers the advantage that users do not have to mark words and phrases in the source document in order to produce an index. Sonar Bookends can generate a simple index using words as they appear in the document to be indexed. Indexes can also be built from a word/phrase list supplied by the user in the form of an ASCII file. In addition, proper noun indexes can be built by Sonar Bookends, based on rules of capitalization and punctuation. The package can mix and match any of these types of indices to produce a custom‐designed index.
The future of libraries in the face of the Internet
Authors: Raitt David
Published: February 2008

Two or three weeks ago, I was asked to contribute a couple of hundred words to a column which was publishing personal opinions of topical issues of interest to the profession. The question upon which I was asked to air my views was, ‘Will librarians still be around in 2024, and if so what are they likely to be doing?’
The ELINOR Electronic Library System
Authors: Zhao Dian G.
Published: February 2008

The ELINOR electronic library system is a well integrated, fully functioning system implemented at De Montfort University in 1993. The system currently contains the full contents of some 35 000‐page course materials assisting the teaching and learning of one undergraduate course. The core software for the system is PixTex/EFS, a free text retrieval system with well integrated imaging functions. A usage statistics collection and management subsystem and a printing control subsystem were developed in‐house later for copyright management and other management purposes. This paper presents the various aspects of the ELINOR electronic library system including its database, browsing, searching, printing, document capturing, managing, architecture, the user aspect, and the pros and cons of the system.
Information technology and the third industrial revolution
Authors: Fitzsimmons Joe
Published: February 2008

The third industrial revolution, fueled by the combined powers of information technology, is changing not only the way we work but also our perceptions, definitions and insights into the world. Society will emerge from the third industrial revolution as a global village. Technology and information providers will empower people to find, retrieve, share and use data in ways that enrich their lives.
The Electronic Library Manager's guide to systems similarity
Authors: Raitt David
Published: February 2008

Some two and a half years ago I was transferred internally within my organisation. One day I was a librarian and information scientist, the next I was a system and programmatics engineer. Just like that, as Tommy Cooper would say! My work changed — no longer did I run (virtually single‐handed) a library and information service for a large technology‐oriented establishment; instead I attended meetings on conceptually designing future spacecraft and space‐borne services. I had to get involved with system engineering tools and other subjects I didn't know so much about. But because of my education and training and interests, I managed to provide the other staff in my division with much needed information which had previously remained latent to them. As I was not really an engineer, despite my title, my colleagues knew I could not effectively design a satellite — but equally well, they knew that I could come up with ideas for uses and services, and I could synthesise and analyse any kind of information they might require. I was also more free to start studies of my own on topics like mapping the knowledge and information resources of the organisation. My title may have changed (I was no longer the Head of the Library and Information Services) but my experience and knowledge and ideas were still required — welcomed, even — in a different kind of information context. It is this that I want to talk about in this Editorial, because it shows that the same problems and issues which we face in librarianship and information science are the same as those faced by others who do not consider themselves as having anything to do with our brand of information.
End‐users searching the online catalogue: the influence of domain and system knowledge on search patterns
Authors: Kiestra  , Stokmans M.J.W. , Kamphuis J.
Published: February 2008

In order to test the impact of system and domain knowledge on search behaviour in an online catalogue, an experiment was set up in a university library where students from three specialisation areas performed a number of search tasks in the online catalogue. The subjects differed in the amount of domain and system knowledge. In two sessions the subjects performed searches inside and outside their ‘own’ domain. During the first session all subjects had little system knowledge. After the first session, half of the group received instruction in catalogue use and the other half did not. To observe whether the induced differences in system knowledge had effects on the search performance, a second session was carried out. Subjects' search behaviour was videotaped and their comments recorded (they were encouraged to think aloud). Results show the the amount of system knowledge had a significant effect on search time as well as on the number of search patterns observed. Regarding domain knowledge, only one out of the six analyses concerning search time or the amount of patterns yielded a significant effect. A possible explanation for this result could be the questionable validity of the criteria used to distinguish between known and unknown domains. The difference in knowledge regarding familiar and unfamiliar domains is not as large as had been expected. The notion of end‐users displaying habitual modes of behaviour is given considerable support by the data. This is reflected by the limited number of patterns observed.
PORIDGE: postmodern rhizomatics in digitally generated environments — do we need a metatheory for W3?
Authors: Wallmannsberger Josef
Published: February 2008

The World Wide Web (W3) has proved to be an important step towards realising truly integrated information ecologies. The radical openness of the Web model of information processing poses a number of fundamental problems that cannot be tackled in a technology‐oriented framework alone. What is at stake, it will be argued, is a large scale restructuring of information processing environments affecting both information providers and end‐users. The basic strategy of the Web, the global HTML (hypertext mark‐up language)‐based hypertext, will be discussed with particular reference to methodological implications in text‐oriented fields. The central claim will be the importance of the Web as a generator for new leading metaphors of globally networked information processing.
Standardising hypermedia format for literary studies
Authors: Bhushan Sharma Chandra
Published: February 2008

This paper suggests a standard format for creating hypermedia software. Teachers and students of literature have taken up the use of hypermedia technology enthusiastically and so we are rapidly arriving at a situation where a mushrooming of software for language and literature teaching will be faced. We will arrive much sooner at a situation where searching for an appropriate software would be as difficult as finding an appropriate article today. Technology is expected to optimise information to maximise knowledge: the confusion created by Gutenburg's invention is because duplication cannot be avoided. The suggested format is based on the major pillars of literary criticism — author centred, text centred and reader centred—and develops from the word to the work level. The findings have been demonstrated in the form of Technocriticism, a hypermedia program created on HyperCard.
Networked document imaging software: guidelines to providing widespread access to information
Authors: Quinn Richard A.
Published: February 2008

What if you went to the public library and you were only allowed to check out books from one shelf — and all the books had to be in the same category? Such limited access would prohibit you from finding, and using, the information you needed.
Modem speeds move higher
Authors: Falk Howard
Published: February 2008

If you think your 9600 bit per second (bps) modem is fast, you should be aware that modems operating at 14 400 bps are now available for under $150, and that vendors are beginning to offer modems that can operate at 28 800 bps.
The International Online Information Meeting, December 1994
Authors: Raitt David
Published: February 2008

Besides being the Editor of The Electronic Library, I am also the Chairman of the International Online Information Meetings held in London each December. I thought it might be useful to give an overview of a couple of sessions at the December 1994 Meeting which should be of interest to electronic library managers everywhere. The 1994 Meeting was the biggest yet with some 12 500 attendees (more man the previous highest record) and 300 exhibitors covering the whole spectrum of library, information and publishing science and technology.
(Semi) automatic capturing of bibliographic information from journal contents pages for inclusion in online library catalogues: the RIDDLE Project
Authors: Harrison A.D. , Roos F.A. , Thomas R.E.
Published: February 2008

This article describes the aims and background of the RIDDLE project, which was funded by the Libraries Programme of the Commission of the European Communities' (CEC's) Telematics Research and Technological Development Programme. RIDDLE (Rapid Information Display and Dissemination in a Library Environment) started in February 1993 and ended in December 1994. A subsequent article will deal with the technical side of the project in more detail. Further information is available via World Wide Web at the following sites:
The frozen library: a model for twenty‐first century libraries
Authors: Webb T.D.
Published: February 2008

Far from being ‘paperless’, libraries of the 21st century will not wholly convert from print to electronic formats, as many have predicted. Instead, libraries of the future will combine information in many formats, print and non‐print, and partition their collections into various electronic, computerised, media and print formats: in effect ‘freezing’ portions of the collection in their most appropriate formats based on the content and usage of the materials, in somewhat the same way as libraries of the late 20th century ‘froze’ their catalogues during their retrospective conversion projects. As part of the coming climatic adaptation, a new and important occupation of future libraries will be the design, construction and maintenance of unique, value‐added databases to hold information that is immediately pertinent to the specific needs of the library's patrons. In this new type of librarianship, the lines separating librarian, researcher and publisher will become flexible in order to capture information needed immediately by library users.
SGML in publishing — why use the standard?
Authors: Dorward Andrew
Published: February 2008

As database techniques are becoming more widely used in publishing and as publishers seek to utilise the growing possibilities of multimedia, there is a growing awareness of the possibilities offered by Standard Generalised Markup language (SGML) as a neutral format for safeguarding content independent of proprietary hardware and software. Pindar is a service company with over ten years' experience in working with different IT projects utilising the standard and its associated tools. Three current case studies, involving technical documentation and reference publishing, demonstrate how and why SGML is becoming useful for document management outside the traditional areas of the aerospace and defence industries, where it was first developed.
Choosing the best backup method
Authors: Falk Howard
Published: February 2008

One of the most horrifying computer experiences a user can encounter is the destruction of files due to system malfunction or operator error. Even a relatively small computer file, containing only a few thousand bytes, may represent many hours of manual and intellectual labour. Larger files may form the foundation for the daily operations of an individual or of an entire library.
Payment services for global online systems including Internet
Authors: Seebeck Bill
Published: February 2008

I am the Managing Director of Grant/Seebeck International, an online consulting company based in the United States. I am pleased today to be the Chairperson of a session on electronic payment services. For the last three days you have had a wonderful time going about looking at the stands and seeing what is happening in the online business and in the Internet. You have seen a lot of great products, but today we hope to answer a question. At the end of a great meal and a great feast you are always presented with a bill, and the question is, how am I going to pay for what I have just seen? Our panel is going to try to answer that question. We have a distinguished panel. All of us have been around the online business for a very long time. We have been here since it was a little business in which we had to convince people, publishers, information providers that they could actually make money in the electronic information business. A lot of people back in the late 70s and early 80s believed that the electronic information business was a business in which they would not make money, and so these people have been around since then. I am happy to introduce to you our panel.
Not forgetting words
Authors: Kruger Peter
Published: February 2008

Like Wired, Ray Gun is one of those magazines which doesn't fit easily in any one place on me newsagents' shelves — shifting each month to a new section as the shopkeeper tries to work out whether it is a pop, leisure or even an arts publication. Claiming to be the ‘Bible of Music and Style’, Ray Gun also heralds the ‘End of Print’. Inside, each article consists of text which is either blended into or superimposed on pictures. Disjointed paragraphs in a variety of typefaces — some of which are barely readable — are produced in a collage format. The overall effect is one of a desktop publishing system which has crashed, sending its contents to the laser printer in a random format. Despite the content being difficult to read it can be assumed — as it has reached issue 23 — that the magazine itself is read. Ray Gun's prediction of the end of print betrays its own belief in having discovered something new and exciting. Exciting it may be, but throughout the eighties artists in Europe, in particular Wulf Rheinshagen of Germany, were producing work which now looks strikingly similar to the magazine pages designed by David Carson.
Combining printing, scanning, faxing, and copying
Authors: Falk Howard
Published: February 2008

Perhaps you have noticed that, ever since fax and scanning came into common use with personal computers, there has been a certain overlapping of functions. The functions I'm talking about are printing, scanning, faxing and copying. Most personal computers now have laser printers attached. Many also have fax modems and a smaller number of PC systems have scanners. At the same time, many PC users also have separate fax machines and copiers.
CeBIT brings forward tomorrow:
Authors: Bailey Robert
Published: February 2008

Convergence is a buzzword increasingly used to describe the development trends seen in the various sectors that make up the information technology industry. Participants in this industry are seen as new age architects of an epoch‐making era where not only telecommunications but also entertainment technologies converge into computer products. In turn, these seem destined to impact on every sphere of life: commerce, education, communication, medicine and consumer electronics. Martin Bangemann, the European Union's Industrial Affairs, IT and Telecommunications Commissioner, believes that ‘the new information society is reshaping most of the basic aspects of our economy and society. Several technologies have now reached the state where their applications will deeply affect our lives.’ Hannover's vast annual CeBIT show displays solutions to just about every task that can be supported by a computer. There are other major IT events in Europe, such as SMAU, which is held in Milan in September, but CeBIT's scale is unmatched. This year some 6000 companies from 57 countries exhibited in 21 halls covering 314 000 square metres of space. CeBIT's success reflects the size of Europe's markets for IT products which were valued at $95 billion in 1994.
Libraries: once and future
Authors: Helstien Brian A.
Published: February 2008

In a recent article in The New Yorker, Nicholson Baker laments the demise of the paper card catalogue as a ‘paroxysm of shortsightedness and anti‐intellectualism’ on the part of over‐zealous librarians, wrecking destruction ‘in a class with the burning of the library at Alexandria.’ Baker's poignant plea on behalf of the venerable catalogue fails to acknowledge or even mention the numerous benefits and advantages gained by libraries with online catalogues. In this article, Brian Helstien responds to Baker's piece focusing on four issues not discussed by Baker — authority control, collection preservation, collection access and collection costs. Vastly improved authority control is a major benefit of library automation, allowing library staff members to create and maintain large bibliographic databases efficiently and effectively, with more ease and accuracy than was possible with paper catalogues. Technology and automation are providing essential methods to fighting the ongoing deterioration of acidic collections and preserving the very scholarly materials indexed in catalogues. Without such technology, libraries (and scholars) can expect to lose large parts of their collections over relatively short periods of time. Rising collection costs faced by libraries is another issue not addressed by Baker. The use of technology such as online catalogues by libraries is one way libraries are fighting the rising costs of acquiring materials and providing access to these materials; without the technology, libraries and the scholars that use them will acquire fewer materials at a higher cost. Baker's viewpoint evokes nostalgia, but ultimately fails to recognise the real issues faced by libraries of today.
The role of online information systems in non‐government organisations — MISANET
Authors: Badal Sean
Published: February 2008

I know that the Information Superhighway is overtyped and over here, but I would be keen to look at the role that information technology, and specifically online systems, are playing in allowing a wide variety of organisations, both in South Africa and regionally, to communicate effectively with each other and thereby bypassing the traditional (and very often constrictive) media that previously controlled the dissemination of information. It seems that non‐government organisations (NGOs), despite their budgetary constraints, are ahead of other organisations in implementing effective and imaginative information technology solutions to their communication problems. Organisations like Planact, Sangonet and so on have managed to set up effective e‐mail and database systems that allow them to keep in touch with their members. MISANET is an interesting case study. It is an ambitious plan to network all the independent newspapers and media organisations in Southern Africa. The project is being run under the auspices of MISA — the Media Institute of Southern Africa, an NGO that acts as a watchdog for press freedom in Africa. The aim of the project was initially to provide a means of digital exchange for photographic images but it has mushroomed into a fully‐fledged electronic information exchange system with a wide gamut of services — from e‐mail to databases. MISANET plans to make use of the existing networks that are in place in some of the countries in the area as well as set up new ones, to create a blanket computer network system that will allow newspapers to be online constantly to each other. The service will initially rely on existing Internet connections like Uninet, the Internet provider in universities in South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Swaziland. The resources of a number of local NGOs will also be pooled to provide greater connectivity. These include MANGO in Harare, Zangonet in Zambia and Worknet in South Africa.
Electronic communication in Africa — the promotion of animal health information dissemination
Authors: van der Westhuizen Erica E. , Stan Miller E.
Published: February 2008

There are few veterinary libraries or information centres in sub‐Saharan Africa, on average one to two per country. This scarcity makes cooperation all the more vital. For successful cooperation, effective communication structures are a prerequisite. These structures are not only necessary for library staff but for the faculty members they serve as well, in their communication with colleagues in related research fields or veterinary extension projects. (1) The steps taken by the Veterinary Science Library of the University of Pretoria to promote electronic communication in particular, in order to render a more effective information service to its clients and others beyond South Africa's borders are described namely: — the use of the Internet listserv VETLIB‐L; — the use of the non‐university networks SANGONET and HealthLink mainly for community outreach projects; — making the University of Pretoria Academic Information Service's own network, ROMINFO, available to non‐university persons via dial‐in facilities; — the creation of a unique electronic forum facility by the Faculty of Veterinary Science and the Library in conjunction with the CSIR's NIBS, called VETAFRICA, mainly for practising veterinarians needing information. (2) Veterinary lecturer involvement in teaching and research is increasingly dependent on Veterinary Computer‐Mediated Communications (VC‐MC), in Africa and globally. A sampling of some of the dynamically expanding information sources globally available to online veterinary teams and animal health workers, as well as a starter list of contact details of currently available online veterinary faculties, libraries and institutions in Southern Africa, is provided.
The Corporate Memory concept
Authors: Adams Sandy
Published: February 2008

Organisations are flooded with information of all kinds, generated electronically and otherwise. Increased use of computers and networks, and access to global networks compound the problem, while inadequate management results in an ever‐increasing loss of time and information. Experts claim that each manager wastes an average of four weeks per year just in searching for documents, which translates to a conservative cost of R25 000 per executive per year. It is even estimated that 7.5% of documents are lost forever. So the information professional is faced with an increasingly important challenge, namely to manage this diverse and rapidly growing collection effectively. Several approaches have been suggested to manage the intellectual assets in an organisation: for example, using shared file servers to store the online objects, or storing copies of documents in image format, or using PC‐based file‐finding software. These approaches have advantages and shortcomings. We propose an integrated solution which we call the Corporate Memory to maintain all active and historical information that is worth sharing, managing and preserving, which may even include information that is usually intangible, such as the ideas and experience of staff. Our approach involves handling each Corporate Memory object, be it physical or electronic, in the way most suited to the type of object. We propose the use of specialised tools, such as MS Word, which already exist throughout an organisation for data capture and object storage. These tools should be linked to a central hub of information, responsible for indexing and managing the objects, which allows for a high level of control as well as offering a single point of access to the objects. To be effective, the system must handle diverse data, cope with ever‐changing requirements and answer unpredictable requests. Managing the Corporate Memory is essentially an information task and not a computing task. It is not only logical but also critical that this should be left in the hands of information experts.
Electronic journal distribution: a prototype study
Authors: Kimberley Robert
Published: February 2008

This paper discusses issues relating to the electronic distribution of journals, in the context of the Electronic Library Project of the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI). The aim of the Project is to investigate a number of variables relating to electronic journal distribution, including not merely technical but also non‐technical issues such as financial, copyright and social aspects. ISI, together with IBM, has begun to develop a prototype electronic document storage management and distribution system for the electronic library. The prototype will be installed at test sites in the USA and Europe starting in August 1995. Test sites will include both academic and corporate users. IBM's client/server design will enable ISI to manage a very large database (both bibliographic and full‐text), while allowing users to view the information on PCs running widely‐used operating systems. The interface used during the test will be Lotus Notes. The paper describes how users will search the Current Contents database, and the system will deliver full images of journal articles direct to the researcher's desktop over the subscriber's LAN. The images will be available for viewing or printing immediately, if the library has purchased an electronic subscription to the journal in question; otherwise, the article may be obtained from the site's library or a document delivery supplier.