bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Digital rights management: a delicate balance between protection and accessibility
Authors: Foroughi Abbas , Albin Marvin , Gillard Sharlett
Published: December 2004

In the wake of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998, Digital Rights Management (DRM) systems are beginning to provide copyright protection for digital content placed online by magazine and book publishers, music companies, software and game producers and business-to-business companies. Creators and providers of digital content are increasingly able to control end users’ use of, and accessibility to, their products, and stand to gain huge profits from this capability. However, as DRM technologies evolve and develop, so does end user concern about restrictions to their access to, and use of, information. The DRM industry must provide a balance between fair compensation for the creators of digital content and the rights of end users to access and use information.
Vertical integration of sciences: an approach to a different view of knowledge organization
Authors: Currás Emilia
Published: December 2004

This article attempts to explain ideas regarding the integration of sciences as a systemic unity of greater complexity than may have been considered before. It is also another way to create a different organization of knowledge. An ascending or descending vertical integration might help in interpreting questions posed by mankind and in providing answers that are urgently required. All aspects of the global ecology, in the widest sense, appear to be threatened, and the problems need to be freshly addressed as solutions are urgently needed. A study of the vertical integration of sciences, with all its complexity, might provide some clues to practical answers.
A study on the estimation of performance of the concept-based information retrieval model for searching the Web
Authors: Noh Young-Hee
Published: December 2004

This paper examines the possibilities of improving the performance of the concept-based information retrieval model on web documents. In order to address this performance issue, an experiment was conducted by applying the concept exploration algorithm in collecting a large number of resources from the Internet and accessing them using keyword retrieval techniques in a large knowledge network. The result of this experiment revealed that the concept-based retrieval technique showed much better performance than other retrieval techniques on randomly selected web documents.
Do structured abstracts take more space? And does it matter?
Authors: Hartley James
Published: December 2004

BACKGROUND: Some journal editors object to implementing structured abstracts because, they say, they take up more space than traditional ones. AIM: The aim of this paper is to present evidence to show that in many cases such extra space is unlikely to affect the overall pagination of a journal. METHOD: The lengths of abstracts were examined for 10 or more articles in each of 15 journals with different page-sizes, and adjusted to see whether or not increasing the traditional or decreasing the structured abstracts would change the overall pagination of the journals. RESULTS: There was no indication that using structured abstracts would affect the pagination of journals with large or medium page-sizes, even when new articles began on the next immediate page. However, structured abstracts would cause problems when new articles follow directly on from each other rather than start on a new page. CONCLUSIONS: Structured abstracts take up more space but, by and large, this does not matter. Other suggestions for saving space in journals are considered.
Social network analysis: a powerful strategy, also for the information sciences
Authors: Otte Evelien , Rousseau Ronald
Published: December 2004

Social network analysis (SNA) is not a formal theory in sociology but rather a strategy for investigating social structures. As it is an idea that can be applied in many fields, we study, in particular, its influence in the information sciences. Information scientists study publication, citation and co-citation networks, collaboration structures and other forms of social interaction networks. Moreover, the Internet represents a social network of an unprecedented scale. In all these studies social network analysis can successfully be applied. SNA is further related to recent theories concerning the free market economy, geography and transport networks. The growth of SNA is documented and a co-author network of SNA is drawn. Centrality measures of the SNA network are calculated.
How much information do search engines disclose on the links to a web page? A longitudinal case study of the ‘cybermetrics’ home page
Authors: Bar-Ilan Judit
Published: December 2004

This study presents the results of an extensive search for links to the home page of the e-journal Cybermetrics. The results show that the search engines do not retrieve all the link pages that are indexed by them. In the specific case, the search engine Google concealed between 48 and 70% of the links to the page each time it was queried, and HotBot concealed between 20 and 39% of the link pages indexed by it. The queries were repeated four times during a one-year period, between January 2001 and January 2002 in order to rule out the possibility of an accidental finding. The other search engines examined also concealed some pages but to a much smaller extent. The findings raise questions about the use of WIF (the Web Impact Factor) as a scientometric indicator based on data retrieved from commercial search engines. The content of the retrieved and concealed pages was characterized using the method of content analysis. The characterization shows that the set of initially retrieved pages, and the set of initially retrieved pages plus the set of concealed pages, are significantly different for Google.
National Information Policy developments worldwide IV: copyright, Freedom of Information and data protection
Authors: Muir Adrienne , Oppenheim Charles
Published: December 2004

This paper reviews recent developments in three areas of law that affect National Information Policies - copyright, Freedom of Information, and data protection. In the case of copyright, the roles of international agencies such as WIPO and the World Trade Organization, and of the European Union only are considered. These are the bodies that have most influence on developments in the law of copyright worldwide. In the case of the other legal areas, significant developments in major countries in the world are considered. The problems caused by the differences between the USA and the EU approaches to data protection are highlighted, and examples of good practice in Freedom of Information and data protection legislation are highlighted.
The top 100 linked-to pages on UK university web sites: high inlink counts are not usually associated with quality scholarly content
Authors: Thelwall Mike
Published: December 2004

High citation counts are usually indicators of high-quality research, but is the same true for counts of links to academic web pages? The belief that links can be used to indicate quality or utility on the Web in general drives the highly successful search engine Google, lending additional pertinence to this question. The 100 highest linked-to pages on university web sites were obtained from link counts between institutions in the UK, excluding same university links. The results split into two parts. (1) It is discovered that 23 of the original top pages owed their high counts to the automatic inclusion of links in web pages on other sites, usually on one other university site. It is concluded that simple link counts are highly unreliable indicators of the average behaviour of scholars. (2) After excluding these 23 pages only one of the top 100 contained scholarly content equivalent to a journal article, although several were e-journals or databases of academic publications. Aside from the 45 university home pages, the most common targets were collections of external links and home pages of collections of subject-specific information or resources. It is concluded that the most highly linked-to pages are those that facilitate access to a wide range of information, rather than providing specific content. Implications of these two findings for the newly emerging area of cybermetrics are discussed.
A tool for comparative evaluation in an interactive environment
Authors: Jones Susan , Vechtomova Olga , Robertson Stephen
Published: December 2004

IR researchers need to collect comparative data to evaluate the worth of possible system improvements, for example new techniques for query enhancement. However it is sometimes difficult to achieve strict comparability in experiments designed for an interactive environment. We describe a method for merging results from different queries and collecting relevance feedback from users in comparative experiments. The method has been implemented in scripts supporting a Web-based front-end to a probabilistic retrieval system, using a relational database to log results. Its practical use is demonstrated in an investigation of initial query enhancement with collocate terms.
What factors influence the acceptance of decision aids in organizations?
Authors: Cook Roger
Published: December 2004

This study considers what factors influence whether decision-makers in an organization will accept a decision aid. Specifically, the study considered the information gathering and planning systems used to support resource allocation decisions in a higher education college. The main finding was that the aid was accepted due to the college’s ability to sustain an earlier pattern of resource allocation. Also the external funding process left the college with limited choice in how it organized its internal procedures. This combination of an external constraint and the ability to sustain an existing set of choices led to differences of opinion being played down and, as a result, the decision aid continuing to be used despite disagreement with both its structure and the resultant resource allocation.
Reaching the unreached: how can we use information and communication technologies to empower the rural poor in the developing world through enhanced access to relevant information?
Authors: Arunachalam Subbiah
Published: December 2004

Often funding agencies and donor governments face the question should they support information and communication technology (ICT) activities in their development projects. Should the money be invested in computers and communication devices or will it be better spent on food, shelter, health and education? The choice need not be ‘either/or’. If used intelligently and innovatively, ICTs can form an integral component of developmental projects, as is shown by the award-winning Information Village project of the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation. The important point to remember is that one does not have to use technology because it is there, but one uses it if there is a genuine advantage. In any developmental programme, people and their contexts should decide how one goes about implementing developmental interventions. The needs of the people and the best means to satisfy them should determine the whole programme. Often ICT-based developmental projects do not bring in the expected results because of undue emphasis placed on technology. Against this background, the factors that led to the success of the Pondicherry experience are analysed.
Combination of similarity measures for effective spoken document retrieval
Authors: Crestani Fabio
Published: December 2004

Often users of information retrieval systems and document authors use different terms to refer to the same concept. For this simple reason, information retrieval is affected by the ‘term mismatch’ problem. The term mismatch problem does not only have the effect of hindering the retrieval of relevant documents, it also produces bad rankings of relevant documents. A similar problem can be found in spoken document retrieval, where terms misrecognized by the speech recognition process can hinder the retrieval of potentially relevant spoken documents. We will call this problem ‘term misrecognition’, by analogy to the term mismatch problem. This paper presents two classes of retrieval models that attempt to tackle both the term mismatch and the term misrecognition problems at retrieval time using term similarity information. The models use either complete or partial knowledge of semantic and phonetic term similarity, evaluated using statistical methods from the corpus.
Using document classification for displaying search results lists
Authors: Drori Offer , Alon Nir
Published: December 2004

In this paper, four self-developed user interfaces that display document search results using different methods were compared. In order to create the four interfaces, two information elements: document categories and lines from the document were used. A user study compared the four interfaces. It was found that the category addition to the interface was beneficial in both measurable and subjective measures. It was also found that displaying the relevant lines from the document increased the effectiveness and shortened the search time in all cases and tasks. It was found that the participants preferred the interface containing categories and relevant lines to all other interfaces checked. It was also the fastest in the objective time measurement. Another sub-research that was conducted showed that the most important parameter for the users was the confidence level that the answer was accurate, and the least important parameter was the feeling of comfort while conducting a search.
Internet resources and productivity in scientific research in Nigerian universities
Authors: Ehikhamenor Fabian A.
Published: December 2004

This study explores the impact of the Internet on the scientific communication process and the productivity of the scientists in Nigerian universities. It was expected that, besides the direct contribution of the Internet to research through access to vast stores of scientific information, the Internet would increase the number of colleagues a scientist communicates with on a regular basis, and consequently stimulate higher productivity. The results show that, while there is a correlation between the number of contacts maintained by the scientists and their productivity, the Internet contributes little to increasing those contacts or improving productivity.
Developing a specialized directory system by automatically classifying Web documents
Authors: Chung Young Mee , Noh Young-Hee
Published: December 2004

This study developed a specialized directory system using an automatic classification technique. Economics was selected as the subject field for the classification experiments with Web documents. The classification scheme of the directory follows the DDC, and subject terms representing each class number or subject category were selected from the DDC table to construct a representative term dictionary. In collecting and classifying the Web documents, various strategies were tested in order to find the optimal thresholds. In the classification experiments, Web documents in economics were classified into a total of 757 hierarchical subject categories built from the DDC scheme. The first and second experiments using the representative term dictionary resulted in relatively high precision ratios of 77 and 60%, respectively. The third experiment employing a machine learning-based k -nearest neighbours (kNN) classifier in a closed experimental setting achieved a precision ratio of 96%. This implies that it is possible to enhance the classification performance by applying a hybrid method combining a dictionary-based technique and a kNN classifier.
Problems of accessing scholarly publications by Nigerian scientists: a study of the University of Ibadan
Authors: Sangowusi F. O.
Published: December 2004

This study assesses the impact of information technology on scholarly publications and the problems associated with accessing these publications by scientists at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. The study discovered that ICT facilities like the Internet and e-mail have taken root in the academic environment through providing access to scholarly publications. However, the implementation of IT application is still a problem to Nigerian academics because of many factors, ranging from the lack of funds to fluctuations in the supply of electricity. This has indirectly affected the level of usage of ICT in Nigeria by the lecturers and it has hindered access to scholarly publications useful for research. Despite many constraints, the use of information technology is growing among lecturers in Nigerian universities.
Assessment, from an industrial user perspective, of some major competitor information files on pharmaceutical development products
Authors: Mullen A. , Blunck M. , Kalbfleisch E. , Möller E. , Rohbeck H. G.
Published: December 2004

This paper discusses in a critical manner the spectrum of commercially available files - for in-house use - on pharmaceutical development products, which has been expanding rapidly over the past few years. Increasing degrees of sophistication in both the file contents and ways of manipulating the data are becoming more evident. A brief overview of competitor information files of this type, currently being used by PDR (Pharmaceutical Documentation Ring) member companies, is included in this appraisal.

The strengths and weaknesses of some of these information resources of importance to pharmaceutical research and development, strategic planning, marketing and other functions within the industrial environment of the health care sector are outlined, using examples. A number of proposals are made for improving the coverage and content of the range of files under discussion, since optimal use of these resources can only be made if certain standards of quality control and indexing are met.
Measuring quality in the production of databases
Authors: Rittberger M. , Rittberger W.
Published: December 2004

Quality, quality control and assurance, and especially quality management are becoming more and more important in using online information services. In this paper, we will focus on the production of online bibliographic databases and discuss possible attributes responsible for the quality of this kind of online database. Starting with the acquisition of the original document, the quality of document analysis in the selection of the document, subject and bibliographical analysis are considered, whereby we give examples of how the quality attributes of the different production steps may be measured. Finally, we describe, as an example, a database recording and production system with its testing routines and reference data
Data protection management in university libraries in the UK
Authors: Davies J. Eric
Published: December 2004

The paper, based on British Library funded research, examines a range of issues relating to data protection management in UK university library and information services. A general description of data protection legislation in the UK is followed by a brief overview of the aspects which involve personal data in libraries. The result of an impact survey of UK university libraries ranging in size are reported in detail and discussed. Institutional experiences are noted, including the penetration of information technology (IT) into library activities, together with the organisation of data protection responsibilities and practice. Almost all institutions are registered under the Data Protection Act 1984 and many have someone specially designated to oversee data protection. There is extensive use of IT in the libraries surveyed, particularly for cataloguing, ordering and circulation, although far fewer have automated reference logs and personnel records. A small number of libraries disclose details of book borrowings. Very few individuals have exercised their right of access to data, and having to pay a fee for doing so does not appear to be a disincentive. Data protection awareness and training issues are examined both subjectively and objectively. Data protection is included at induction training in just under half the responding libraries and at fewer as an ongoing activity. Specialist conferences and seminars do not feature highly. A majority of respondents claim adequate knowledge of data protection for themselves and their staff, though some report it as poor. A checklist of relevant sources illustrates respondents’ reading on the subject and reveals that a significant minority have not consulted anything. Respondents’ perceptions about the legislation and its future development are noted. The vast majority believe that data protection legislation has made no difference to the way that they manage. The legislation is regarded as being evenly balanced between data users and individuals by almost half the respondents, and an equal proportion see it as favouring individuals. Disappointingly few have views on improving and modifying the current legislation. The results are assessed in a concluding commentary which highlights areas of interest and concern, and makes some comparisons with an earlier study in a related area. Given the overall outcome of the survey, the importance of raising awareness and nurturing good practice is stated.
Decision-making by health purchasing organisations in Scotland: the role and influence of evidence from the research literature
Authors: Farmer Jane , Williams Dorothy
Published: December 2004

Evidence-based health care is currently receiving much attention in the health service. The movement is of particular interest to health information professionals, as it is a chance for them to show their skills and achieve credibility after years in the wilderness. However, to what extent is managers’ use of research findings in the purchasing and provision of health care merely so much rhetoric? The research reported here is the first phase of a study which aims to look at the impact of the Scottish Health Purchasing Information Centre (SHPIC) in providing information intended to change purchasing and providing behaviour. This phase of the project involved a survey of Scottish purchasers, which examined use of evidence from research in making purchasing decisions. Findings from the study seem to indicate that, although most are aware of the movement towards evidence-based health care and agree with its ethos, there are several very real barriers to change.
Cyberporn and communication decency
Authors: McMurdo George
Published: December 2004

On 1 February 1996, a US Government statute called the Communications Decency Act (CDA) was passed by Congress, with the intent of controlling Internet pornography and making the Net safe for children by banning ‘indecent’ content. A widely criticised Time magazine cover story on ‘cyberporn’, based on a paper published by the Georgetown Law Journal, had some influence on the preceding political debate, and presents an interesting case study of academic and commercial publishing and journalism. On 11 June 1996, a three-judge court, hearing cases by the American Civil Liberties Union and the American Library Association, decided that the CDA was unconstitutional under First Amendment protection of free speech. Non-legislative solutions to the problems of indecency and censorship are offered by software for filtering Internet content. A Platform for Internet Content Selection (PICS) standard has been developed by the World Wide Web Consortium to include content ratings labels in documents, for identification by browsing and filtering software.
Content and the Web for African development
Authors: Adam Lishan
Published: December 2004

Internet connectivity has brought a new challenge to Africa. There is a growing concern whether use of new information technologies can help African countries to realise development potential or whether that simply speeds up marginalisation. Africa will remain the least connected region for the next few years, due to complex socioeconomic, political and infrastructural difficulties. Local strategic information development and content generation using world Wide Web tools can speed up connectivity and economic development. Strategic vision and adequate knowledge of basic tools and understanding of the steps involved are necessary to develop the African information content that makes communities, institutions and countries competitive. This paper presents an overview of strategies and steps involved in using Internet tools that improve information content in Africa.
International visibility of domestic scientific literature
Authors: Alvarez-Ossorio J. R.P. , Gómez I. , Martín-Sempere M. J.
Published: December 2004

An indicator to quantify the international diffusion of domestic literature is proposed. It is based on the proportion of articles from a comprehensive domestic database covered by international specialised databases, and is applied to the fields of Physics and Chemistry. The trend to publish abroad in both fields is also introduced. These two indicators are studied for different Spanish sectors: university, research council and industry.
Information, knowledge and research
Authors: Johanson Graeme
Published: December 2004

It is often assumed that disciplines with a practical bent lack theoretical structure. Traditionally, the strengths of the professions involved in the information chain are identified primarily by reference to applied skills. Yet these professions, which include information managers, are not merely marginal adjuncts which service the research process and the generation of new knowledge. Daily, they work and think within an intellectual paradigm which encourages observation of, and participation in, all paradigms and a keen appreciation of the delineation of disciplinary territories. This paper intends to provoke debate.
Benchmarking development needs in the LIS sector
Authors: Garrod Penny , Kinnell Margaret
Published: December 2004

This paper is based on the findings of recent research into the application of benchmarking in the library and information sector. It examines the needs of the information professions vis-à-vis benchmarking.

Until recently, benchmarking has been confined largely to international corporations, but interest is now extending to the public sector and to smaller businesses. British Library funded research found a growing interest in the use of benchmarking techniques in the library and information services (LIS) sector, but little consensus on what it involves or how best to do it. In order to further this interest in benchmarking, and put benchmarking into practice, LIS managers need guidelines on benchmarking. These might usefully include the publication of case studies, which would provide practical examples of the application of benchmarking in a variety of LIS environments. A definition of benchmarking and a model or approach which is relevant to the information sector are also needed.

The important issue of training for quality-related activities (such as benchmarking) also needs to be addressed. If quality initiatives are to succeed, all LIS staff need to understand the rationale behind these activities, as well as to acquire and apply the necessary knowledge and skills. This paper explores some of the approaches to training and assesses the literature on training for quality.
An approach to image retrieval based on shape
Authors: Lu Guojun
Published: December 2004

In a content-based image retrieval system, it is necessary to find a metric to index shapes of objects in the images. The metric should be unique to each shape, regardless of size and orientation. A similarity measure is also needed which should reflect the perceptual similarity, i.e. the perceptual similar shapes should have high similarity values. Chain codes have been used for shape description in previous works, but chain codes are non-invariant to shape size and orientation. In this paper, a method is introduced to eliminate the inherent non-invariance of chain codes to obtain unique chain codes for shapes. The shape index is derived from this unique chain code representation. The shape distance and similarity measures based on the shape indexes are then discussed. The indexing and retrieval procedures discussed in this paper should be applicable to large image databases.
Information transfer and cognitive mismatch: a Popperian model for studies of public understanding
Authors: Abbott R.
Published: December 2004

Studies of public understanding, which include specific areas of study such as the public understanding of science, intuitive physics, nutritional myths and misunderstandings, and the ‘mental mapping’ of geographical space are seen as falling into a general model of information transfer, using Popper’s notion of three Worlds. The deficiencies and distortions of understanding that these studies reveal can be perceived as defects in information transfer from Worlds 1 and 3 to World 2. It is proposed that more detailed cognitive profiling could identify these problem areas, thus enabling remedial measures to be taken to ensure better information transfer to the public for specific ventures, such as the promotion of healthcare, education or advertising.
The information policy agenda in East Asia
Authors: Moore Nick
Published: December 2004

The goals of information policy are remarkably similar throughout the world. The mechanisms chosen to achieve these goals, however, differ widely. In the West, the mechanisms are determined by the prevailing free-market economic and political philosophy. They depend on the profit motive, competition and deregulation. In East Asia, a different policy agenda is emerging - the emphasis is on partnership between the State and the private sector, with the State taking the lead in the formulation of policy and in financing investment in the infrastructure. Competition is managed and regulated.

These two approaches accommodate different economic, social and political conditions. The evidence seems to suggest that the policy-driven agenda of East Asia is likely to be more successful than the market-driven approach of the West.
Web graphics for the lazy
Authors: McMurdo George
Published: December 2004

The development of the ability to incorporate pictures into screen displays may well have been the main factor in making the World Wide Web what is commonly described as the Internet’s ‘killer application’. While the production of computer graphic images can require specialised skills and equipment, much can be achieved with basic computer literacy and standard hardware. Some fundamental graphic art software operations are described, including conversion to the most common Internet graphics interchange format (GIF) and Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPG or JPEG) file formats. Public domain sources of graphics, icons and clip-art are also noted. Hypertext mark-up language (HTML) features related to image display are discussed. Some more advanced uses of Web graphics include clickable image-maps, and animated images. An emerging portable network graphics (PNG) standard seems likely to replace some existing file formats, for both technical and legal reasons.
The training of library and information staff in the handling of online electronic journals
Authors: Meadows Jack , Yates-Mercer Penny , McVey Dennis
Published: December 2004

Most online electronic journals have hitherto been made available without an explicit charge and typically have been accessed directly by readers. The rapidly growing commitment of commercial publishers to producing online journals involves the payment of substantial subscriptions and is likely to emphasise the role of the library as an intermediary between publishers and readers for electronic journals. The present study reports on the establishment of an experimental electronic journal for training purposes, and the initial use made of it, and of two commercial electronic journals, by library and information students at Loughborough University and the City University, London. There appear to be few problems in terms of handling contents, but considerably greater difficulties in terms of navigating through electronic journals and using their capabilities. The implication of these results for the training of library and information staff is discussed briefly.
The TREC experiments and their impact on Europe
Authors: Smeaton Alan F. , Harman Donna
Published: December 2004

Information retrieval (IR) research on text collections has concentrated on improving the effectiveness of the indexing and retrieval operations. For the most part, the evaluation of IR systems has been carried out on relatively small collections of documents, queries and relevance assessments. In 1992, the first of a series of evaluation exercises called TREC (Text REtrieval Conference) was launched in the USA and these exercises have continued annually since then. What makes TREC notable in IR research is that the document collections used are huge, compared to previous ones, and the groups participating in this collaborative evaluation represent a ‘who is who’ of IR research across the world. In this paper, we present an overview of TREC, the way it operates and the specialist ‘tracks’ it supports. We then concentrate on European involvement in TREC, examining the participants and the emergence of European TREC-like exercises.
Health information: a role for public access systems?
Authors: Stevens Caroline A. , Morris Anne , Sargent Goff
Published: December 2004

The results of a survey designed to identify electronic, public access, community information systems are reported and the degree to which such systems provide consumer health information is determined. The extent and nature of this information is compared with the requirements of government guidelines, and the suitability of these systems as a major source of consumer health information, both now and in the future, is examined.
The information superhighway: a review of some determining factors
Authors: Cawkell Tony
Published: December 2004

It has been suggested that consumer services will be the major information highway driving force. The social and political factors likely to influence the rate of progress are discussed and so are the major consumer entertainment and information applications. Many are based on interactive television. System requirements for ‘movies on demand’ are receiving special attention, particularly in university research departments; work in progress is reviewed. It is concluded that successful services offered at a price leading to mass demand will be slow in arriving.
Rights and responsibilities in the digital age: problems with stronger copyright in an information society
Authors: Eisenschitz Tamara , Turner Paul
Published: December 2004

Developments in copyright have always been related to technological change. With each technological advance facilitating easier multiple copying, right holders have lobbied successfully for further extensions in copyright protection. As copyright has been strengthened, governments have been left to maintain the balance by providing for exceptions. The evolution of digital technologies has placed this balance under even greater stress. Digitalisation has extended the ability for easy multiple copying (without any degradation in quality) and combined it with ease of manipulability and transmittability across the globe.

The European Commission’s 1995 Green Paper has made proposals for copyright in this new context. However, it has failed adequately to reflect the broader social and cultural dimensions of the problems it has identified. While addressing issues of industry and informational convergence, it has neglected the interrelationships of these changes with citizenship. A consequence of this has been proposals that, if implemented, will produce a dramatic imbalance in copyright with detrimental impacts on the whole of the information society. If information is to become as central to our economic ‘well being’, as is claimed, then there is an even greater need for vigilance in maintaining this balance. A recent example of how the Commission tends to handle such rights can be seen in the database Directive. The problems this raises for users are examined.

This paper examines the basic principles underpinning copyright in the context of the European Commission proposals. An historical perspective highlights the growth of copyright and the arguments that continue to be employed by right holders to push for more protection. The paper illustrates that, to safeguard information access in the digital realm any further, extensions in copyright must be balanced with reciprocal exceptions. The paper ends with some suggestions for possible future exceptions in the digital domain. The major concern is that copying may well be forbidden in digital environments without a proper consideration of the relationship between copying, information use and knowledge generation.
Information skills for an electronic world: training doctoral research students
Authors: Barry Christine A.
Published: December 2004

The electronic library/Internet intensifies the need for information skills in academic research, in three categories: judgement; knowledge and operation of resources; linguistic/logical skills. There is a corresponding quantum leap in the information skills training requirement. Strategies for training within the doctoral supervision process are outlined. Qualitative data, from the Information Access project, on current practice among supervisors suggest that to train researchers successfully: (i) recognition of the size of the problem is required; (ii) a different model of library skills training needs to be adopted; (iii) the developmental nature of training needs to be recognised; (iv) research supervisors have an important role to play along-side librarians; (v) explicit discussion of metacognitive aspects of these skills is necessary; (vi) national and local institutions need to formulate training policy; (vii) supervisors themselves need training and support; (viii) academics and students need to take responsibility for their learning in this area.
Effective intra-organizational information exchange
Authors: Barua Anitesh , Ravindran Suryanarayanan , Whinston Andrew B.
Published: December 2004

Advanced information technologies (ITs) have prompted many organizations to invest in distributed computing systems and to decentralize the management of information. However, today’s organization requires effective information-exchange to bridge costly information gaps between different decision-makers or teams controlling isolated databases. Networking technologies and groupware applications have the potential to facilitate collaboration, but cannot guarantee information sharing. It is unrealistic to expect that technology alone can induce unwilling managers to part with privately held information. While an economic perspective would recommend contracts or transfer pricing as solutions to the problem, we suggest harnessing the power of organizational culture in promoting effective information flows across the organization. Using a game theoretic approach, we show how elements of organizational culture, involving the values of permanence, trust, teamwork and credibility, combined with appropriate reward systems and parity in IT capabilities, can help to achieve organizationally desirable information-exchange by aligning individual and organizational goals.
A study of the European information services markets
Authors: Schwuchow W. , Graumann S. , Bredemeier W.
Published: December 2004

Based on the methodological approach developed by a team of the DGD (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Dokumentation, Frankfurt am Main, Germany) in 1994, a study of the supply and markets of electronic information services (EISs) was conducted in 1995/96 in the seventeen countries of the European Economic Area (Member States of the European Union, plus Norway and Iceland). The surveys in the seventeen countries were conducted by national institutes, using the common ‘DGD methodology’ and coordinated by a team of the DGD and the PSI (Policy Studies Institute) in London. Two different approaches are followed in this Member States Study (MSSTUDY):(1) a ‘market approach’ (measuring the expenditures for EISs for professional purposes in the seventeen countries);(2) a ‘supplier approach’ (measuring the worldwide revenues of suppliers of EISs) for professional purposes from the seventeen countries).

This paper presents some main results of the MSSTUDY, taking into consideration the methodological problems in gathering the data from the supply and demand sides of these markets and aggregating these data to a European picture.
The field of information policy: 1. Fundamental concepts
Authors: Browne Mairéad
Published: December 2004

This paper begins the task of laying the conceptual foundations for a value-critical and paradigm-critical approach to information policy argued in a 1996 Journal of Information Science article by Ian Rowlands as necessary for advancement of the field as an area of scholarship. It commences with a brief overview of the history and contemporary context of national information policy before moving to an analysis of three fundamental concepts in information policy: (i) information, (ii) policy and (iii) information policy. The paper concludes that there is a significant lack of clarity in the information policy field regarding the meaning of these concepts. There are, however, frameworks in information studies and public policy studies which can be brought together to provide input for development of an intellectually rigorous field of information policy. Some of these frameworks and how they might be applied to information policy are described. A second paper in the series is foreshadowed with an indication that it will compare the scope of information policy and policy studies research and explore methodologies for value-critical and paradigm-critical approaches to information policy.
Ontologies
Authors: Vickery B. C.
Published: December 2004

The paper discusses the emergence of the term ‘ontology’ in knowledge engineering (and now in information science). A definition of the term as currently used is given: an explicit specification of a ‘world’ that is to be represented in a computer system. The background that has led to the emergence of this concept is sketched, and examples of ontologies are provided. The process of building an ontology is discussed, and the uses of such tools in knowledge engineering. There is a concluding commentary comparing ontologies with similar tools used in information science.
Analysis of user need in image archives
Authors: Armitage Linda H. , Enser Peter G.B.
Published: December 2004

This paper describes a project in which an analysis was undertaken of user queries addressed to seven libraries which manage archives of widely varying still and moving image material. The sampling procedure is described, in which queries obtained from each library were broadly categorised by image content, identification and accessibility. Attention is focused on the image content requests, for which a categorisation based on facet analysis is developed. The analytical tool which is used for this purpose is based on a schema already well established for the analysis of levels of meaning in images.

The project demonstrates the possibility of formulating a general categorisation of requests which seek widely different still and moving image material. The paper concludes with observations on the potential value of embedding such a schema within the user interface of unmediated-query visual information retrieval systems.
Database tomography for information retrieval
Authors: Kostoff Ronald N. , Eberhart Henry J. , Toothman Darrell Ray
Published: December 2004

Database tomography is an information extraction and analysis system which operates on textual databases. Its primary use to date has been to identify pervasive technical thrusts and themes, and the interrelationships among these themes and sub-themes, which are intrinsic to large textual databases. Its two main algorithmic components are multiword phrase frequency analysis and phrase proximity analysis. This paper shows how database tomography can be used to enhance information retrieval from large textual databases through the newly developed process of simulated nucleation. The principles of simulated nucleation are presented, and the advantages for information retrieval are delineated. An application is described of developing, from Science Citation Index and Engineering Compendex, a database of journal articles focused on near-Earth space science and technology.
Mutual funds information on the Internet
Authors: Roque Enrique Sotto , Pascual Joaquín López
Published: December 2004

Mutual funds are gaining more attention in the investment industry market, for one simple reason: they are better than other financial products. There are thousands of funds, with different investment targets, money, bonds, real estate, commodities, etc. This flood of options creates a lot of confusion and makes a fund selection difficult. Mutual funds companies and brokers require as many participants as possible to boost their business, and they spend a lot of money on publications to educate potential investors in the advantages of mutual funds.

The Internet is becoming an excellent medium to commercialise mutual funds. Information can reach any person online at little cost. With the World Wide Web, mutual funds groups can provide updated information about their products and, at the same time, other companies offer tools to evaluate funds performances.

These resources are rapidly changing the fund industry, where, very soon, investors will be able to buy participation in funds families using the Internet.
The literature of the information profession in anglophone Africa: characteristics, trends and future directions
Authors: Aina L. O. , Mabawonku I. M.
Published: December 2004

Eighty articles published in African Journal of Library, Archives and Information Science were analysed with respect to characteristics of the authors, research trends and citation patterns. The study revealed a majority of the papers to be single-authored (81.25%). Most of the authors had a Master’s degree (71.29%), while a significant proportion (24.75%) held PhDs. Seventy-five per cent of the authors were trained in Nigeria, the UK and the USA. Most of the papers were on librarianship (77.5%). Archives and information science accounted for 11.25% and 10% respectively. Only 1.25% of the papers were on publishing. Most of the journals consulted by the authors were published in the USA, the UK, Nigeria and South Africa. The four countries accounted for 82.35%.
The DANIS database system: integrating bibliographic and factual information using CDS/ISIS software and the common communication format
Authors: Smet Egbert De , Nieuwenhuysen Paul
Published: December 2004

This article presents the Danube Information System (DANIS), which is a database containing records on documents, persons, organisations, projects, events and standards relevant to the management of the Environmental Programme on the Danube River Basin. In the first part, the background ideas for an integrated bibliographic/factual system based on the CDS/ISIS software and the common communication format (CCF) are briefly discussed, along with the development activities of the system, such as training workshops and expert meetings. A brief account of the present state of the art of the project, including the actual management set-up and Internet presence, concludes this part. In the second part, some technical aspects of DANIS are highlighted, such as the enrichment of the sytem by the data entry and searching interfaces and the technical solutions introduced to cope with the integrated approach in both indexing and display formats.