bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
1996 in focus
Authors: Jeapes Ben
Published: February 2008

A delight and a curse of editing The Electronic Library is the sheer variety of topics covered, and the fact that we have no way of knowing what is coming in from our authors. TEL is primarily an academic, information‐disseminating journal whose articles are for the most part unsolicited — while some features are requested or researched in‐house, for the bulk of our material we rely on submissions from authors who feel that their work is important and that they have something to say. We are now in our fourteenth year and so far they have never let us down.
Experimentation with electronic document delivery in the BIBDEL Project at the University of Central Lancashire
Authors: Wynne Peter M.
Published: February 2008

The author describes how the University of Central Lancashire has chosen to make electronic document delivery available to remote users in accordance with the requirements of the European Commission research project BIBDEL. Details are given of the information technology resources deployed to offer this service and the difficulties experienced in doing so. The library management issues contingent on offering the service operationally are then explored; among which the current imprecision of copyright legislation is held to be the most important.
The virtual reference librarian: Using desktop videoconferencing for distance reference
Authors: Pagell Ruth A
Published: February 2008

Desktop videoconferencing, bringing together computing, multimedia and telecommunications, is one of many new technologies competing for our attention. Videoconferencing is being used in corporations as a substitute for business travel and in academic institutions as the basis for distance learning. The Center for Business Information and the Goizueta Business School at Emory University beta tested desktop videoconferencing as a means to deliver a distance reference service, including consultation, documentation, and training and sharing of CDROM databases. This paper provides a brief overview of the technology, describes the Emory beta tests, and discusses evaluative factors necessary for the success of desk videoconferencing in a library or information centre.
Electronic resources for Chinese studies in a global context
Authors: Zhou Peter
Published: February 2008

This paper is a study of the current trends and conditions of electronic resources for Chinese studies, based on a recent survey on the Internet of 29 Chinese libraries in North America and eight Chinese libraries in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The survey discussed current electronic resources for Chinese studies, with a union list of major Chinese language databases currently used in libraries in Asia and the US. Current views on the use and development of electronic resources for Chinese studies were summarised.
Optimising information services: How businesses and organisations deal with the critical success factors content, reach and information technology
Authors: Hermans P.J.
Published: February 2008

Twinfo itself is not a publisher but for more than 20 years has occupied itself with new developments in the publishing process. It has gained expertise in the field of online technology (terminal emulation and client/server), CDROM, interactive television and other interactive media forms via governmental bodies that in practice are often acting as publishers, and via publishers wanting to open up new markets.
The information superhighway and the Information Society: An association view
Authors: Goedegebuure Ben
Published: February 2008

Almost daily we are bombarded in the press about the ‘information superhighway’ and the ‘Information Society’ — how they will change our lives and our work, and what new services we can expect in the future. Discussions range from the dangers to life as we know it to the glorious Information Society that is to come, where we can work from our homes, order everything we need and where we never need to leave the house again. Whatever the Information Society will bring, it is certain that there will be an effect — indeed a great effect — on the general public and the information professions of the future.
SGML: A librarian's perception
Authors: Corthouts Jan , Philips Richard
Published: February 2008

SGML, or Standard Generalised Markup Language, is an international standard (ISO 8879) allowing the logical structure of electronic documents to be represented rigorously and independent of applications. This article does not discuss the actual standard, but rather proposes a strategy libraries can consider when implementing SGML applications on top of existing products, or when embedding these in innovative end‐user services. Experiences of SGML within the VUBIS‐Antwerpen Library Network (Belgium) are discussed VUBIS‐Antwerpen has adopted SGML as a key standard for the exploitation of its bibliographical data (union catalogues, document ordering online contents, current awareness, publishing on the World Wide Web). With the move towards electronic publication and distribution of documents, SGML tends to become a crucial standard for digital libraries. Projects such as TEI, ELSA, DECOMATE and ELVYN now focus on access to and delivery of full‐text electronic documents, using SGML to manipulate, process and transform the document for the purposes of full‐text searching or hypertext navigation.
Tools for the Internet — Channelling the information tidal wave
Authors: Cooke Stephen , Kauppila Andrea
Published: February 2008

InTEXT Systems delivers software products and technologies for content‐based routing, retrieval, development and presentation for mission‐critical workgroup, Internet and World Wide Web applications. The organisation is backed by over 12 years of focused research and development in the areas of intelligent analysis, routing and retrieval. The tools described in this article are already in use by companies such as American Express, Wollongong, Pacific Bell, State of California and Uniplex software. A complete object‐oriented toolset covering all areas of online text management brings significant benefits to developers, through greatly reduced programming effort, and to end‐users, with intelligent interfaces helping them to cut through the information overload.
Government Web pages: the lights are on but nobody is home
Authors: Johnson Julie
Published: February 2008

This article sets out the writer's impressions gleaned from an extensive examination of the homepages mounted on the World Wide Web by governments and government agencies. The writer is critical of the quality of the information made available and identifies some possible explanations for the perceived shortcomings of the homepages. A rush to establish a Net presence has encouraged agencies to mount pages without having clearly defined their intended audience. Much of the information is in the form of ‘HTMLised’ documents originally created for other purposes. Frequently these are accessed from pages structured from the point of view of the agency, without reference to the perceptions and needs of the users of the information. In order to overcome these shortcomings, the writer proposes a more rigorous evaluation of Web publishing projects which are led by information professionals and others involved in the direct delivery of information services, with a smaller role for IT personnel than is currently the case.
A change is as bad as a rest
Authors: Kruger Peter
Published: February 2008

Change within our lives … Change is an important feature of the natural world. Everything is in a state of flux. The simplest organisms mutate. Social structures alter, periodically fragmenting and reassembling in alternative forms. By failing to evolve, an organism lays itself open to threats which exist within a modified environment. However there is, working in opposition to a natural desire for change, an equally strong desire for stability and continuity. How often do we hear the expression ‘what we need now is a period of stability’? Politicians call for it, as do economists and industrialists.
PDAs: Palm‐size computing power
Authors: Falk Howard
Published: February 2008

PDAs — Personal Digital Assistants — are pocket‐size computing devices that are capable of performing tasks similar to those of personal computers. The basic strength of PDAs is that they are conveniently portable. This strength is enhanced by adding communication capabilities to these devices. Most PDAs are capable of transferring files to personal computers over cable connections, or via infrared links, or both. Some PDAs are able to communicate over telephone lines, using built‐in or plugged‐in modems. A few are able to operate over radio‐frequency wireless links in much the same way as paging devices.
Vale Expert Systems
Authors: Jeapes Ben
Published: February 2008

Expert Systems, one of this publication's sister journals, has been sold by our publisher Learned Information to Blackwells. This will mean nothing to most of TEL's readers, as the crossover readership was never very high. It's a more personal event for me as it was the first journal for which I was made Managing Editor, and I like to think that I had a hand in turning it into the desirable property it became from Blackwells' point of view.
Integrated online software for libraries: An overview of today's best‐selling IOLS. Options from the US perspective
Authors: Cibbarelli Pamela
Published: February 2008

Based on the sales figures reported to Library Journal's annual survey of the library automation marketplace, Ameritech Inc., Geac Computers Inc., Sirsi Corporation, IME Systems Inc. and Innovative Interfaces Inc. dominated the sales of minicomputer‐based integrated online library systems (IOLS) software in 1995. Data Trek, Inmagic, Follett Software Corporation, Winnebago Software Corporation and COMPanion dominated the microcomputer‐based IOLS software sales for the same period.
The acquisitions module: Stepchild of the IOLS
Authors: Kraft Ned O.
Published: February 2008

The article questions whether integrated online library systems effectively serve all the needs of libraries and encourage the development of each module to its fullest potential. It suggests that the needs of Acquisitions Departments are not, in most cases, being met, and that a devotion to integration might in the long run be counterproductive.
The use of recordable CDROMs as an electronic archiving medium for librarians
Authors: Helfet Jon
Published: February 2008

Libraries should not adopt a neutral or complacent attitude to their archive information, but should see it as an essential element in their ability to establish themselves as competitive providers of information. Conventional archive storage methods are unlikely to be entirely satisfactory, for a variety of reasons mentioned in the main text. Recordable compact discs (CDROMs), on the other hand, offer numerous clear benefits as electronic archiving media. The article concludes with an example of the technical specifications of an increasingly popular form of document management software used in conjunction with recordable CDs.
Findings from a research project: Commercial CDROM titles in Italian university libraries
Authors: Paci A.M. , Cavallini M.
Published: February 2008

1.1. Libraries and CDROMs: a survey CDROMs are now in widespread use in libraries, especially academic libraries. CDROMs have yet to achieve the fabulous market success once predicted for them, but their number has grown significantly in the context of electronic publishing. Twenty percent of the world's electronic products are, in fact, in the CDROM medium. Moving on to the type of information recorded, the annual growth rate of fulltext databases increased from 58% in 1985 to 490% in 1993 precisely because of the increased availability of this particular storage medium (Williams 1994).
Imagine the possibilities: Library networking in Australia
Authors: Winzenried Arthur
Published: February 2008

Australia is set outside the usually perceived information technology development areas of Europe and North America. Despite this its technology needs are the same as in any other developed country. By reason of its relative isolation, a number of local solutions to needs have been found Lilydale Adventist Academy (LAA) has chosen to build a single platform network, utilising readily available software where possible but integrating it with a fully multimedia library/data system. This has necessitated some very flexible software adaptation, as well as some fairly creative thinking regarding development of the total system and the way it meshes with school functions and connected sister schools. An integrated multimedia electronic library system has so far proved an ideal solution to the challenges of LAA. We also see a fully integrated multimedia system as the way of the future and are presently developing a seamless front end which totally integrates the Internet with our existing materials. Administration difficulties and perhaps a touch of conservatism will see these innovations develop faster at several other sites using the same library software, but the principles remain the same. The key to the system as it is being developed at each site is very much user‐oriented: what does the customer want? how can we provide it in the most available and cost effective manner? The entire process is an attempt to provide data for users in the most useable form, utilising the best of available technology, without letting that technology become an end in itself.
The connection between library use and use of campus computer applications
Authors: Vander Meer Patricia , Poole Howard , Van Valey Thomas
Published: February 2008

In the last decade, the academic library has been transformed into an environment which is heavily reliant on computers. At the same time, usage of academic computer applications elsewhere on campus has increased. This study was conducted to determine if there is a relationship between student use of a university library and student use of computers. Results of this study are reported, and implications for academic libraries in areas such as user education, information technology support and library/computer centre cooperation are discussed.
Consumer health information provision in the Trent region
Authors: Stevens Caroline A. , Morris Anne , Rolinson Janet
Published: February 2008

This paper reports the findings of a part of a larger study investigating the sources of consumer health information (CHI) available to the public, with particular emphasis on the use of electronic sources of health information. During the investigation discussions were held with managers and information officers of CHI services to examine provision. Detailed here are examples of the services provided by the Trent region. In consideration of the study's emphasis on the use of electronic sources of health information, the availability of electronic public access community information systems as sources of health information within the Trent region of the UK is discussed, and examples of such local government‐run systems are reviewed.
Echo across the Web: A local newspaper on the Internet
Authors: Sargent G.
Published: February 2008

The Internet, and in particular the World Wide Web, is growing at a remarkable rate. It is already a significant channel for information distribution and looks set to become a universal medium. A demonstration of how a local newspaper might use this medium was developed for inclusion in a seminar, taking advantage of the fact that most local newspapers already use electronic means of text and graphic manipulation in their production. This paper describes the process from the point at which articles and graphics were supplied electronically by the UK's Loughborough Echo through to their inclusion in Web pages, and their eventual display via a Web browser to readers on the Internet. It looks critically at how this process might be embedded in the normal production of a local newspaper and discusses the likely content, readership, publishers' motivation and the future of such a process.
Make way for the unwashed and unworthy
Authors: Duffy Robert A.
Published: February 2008

The Los Angeles Dodgers have a World Wide Web site. On its face, this news may not strike you as particularly significant, especially if you're not a fan of the predominantly New World (cum Asian‐Pacific) sport of baseball. But for this observer of the digital media universe, the recent debut of the Dodger Web space (http://www.dodgers.com) resonates with an unintended symbolism that has little to do with the sports scene per se. It's a most instructive site to visit, because it illustrates a spate of new influences from popular and commercial culture that, thanks to the Web, are poised to bluster in rather boisterously on the staid realms of online knowledge and information management.
Moderation in all things?
Authors: Kruger Peter
Published: February 2008

Not a brave new interactive age Interactive systems become difficult when everyone starts joining in — this is a major problem as the whole point of interaction is participation on the part of the user. As with many high tech products, interactive systems would work a lot better if there were no real users. The Internet in general and the World Wide Web in particular have created a vehicle for an array of interactive games, written works and plays, all of which users or viewers can either participate in or contribute to. In addition there are forums, newsgroups and chat rooms. A few years ago some believed that we were on the threshold of a brave new interactive age where everything from our newspaper to our car would ask us what we wanted to do or where we wanted to go today. Networks would bring people together, enabling them to pool ideas and resources which would then be applied to a range of problems.
The times we live in
Authors: Raitt David
Published: February 2008

Like the people who populate it, the world has a complex nature. For this editorial I was going to proffer some thoughts on the exciting/interesting times in which we are living. I was going to talk about the learning society and how the European Commission's White Paper on Education and Training identified three driving forces of change. I was going to note the exuberant abundance of wonderful sites on the World Wide Web where we could find many useful snippets of information. I was going to mention some of the marvellous events and happenings taking place now, in our lifetime, which would open our eyes to new possibilities.
The CD‐word: Reflections on user behaviours and user service
Authors: Worley Joan
Published: February 2008

When our library purchased its first CDROM index, I fell in love. User‐friendly cumulated indexing, in a sexy package — a librarian's dream come true! The bloom isn't entirely off the rose — I remain enamoured of new access technologies — but I have had a few further thoughts. This article will review some of the ramifications of the implementation of new technologies in libraries, the sea change in user behaviour and, briefly, implications for library instruction and other public services.
An island of treasure in the Net: UKOLN's Treasure Island Web site
Authors: Benn Susan
Published: February 2008

UKOLN (the UK Office of Library and Information Networking) has created a Web resource based on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel Treasure Island in order to explore how a children's library can integrate the Internet into its services. The site is at http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/treasure. Visitors to the site can learn more about the book, contribute book reviews, design a pirate and wander around a virtual Treasure Island.
Silent revolution in the library: Electronic media replace printed products
Authors: Gretz Marianne , Stadler Peter , Thomas Martin
Published: February 2008

The official pharmacopoeias in the central library of Boehringer Mannheim, a research‐based German pharmaceutical company, are taken as an example to demonstrate the switch from printed versions to electronic media. Preparatory work, practical procedure and results of this action are shown. Motives for the switch, economic questions and the consequences for all persons involved are described.
Working with the Web
Authors: Falk Howard
Published: February 2008

A library serves many functions but one of the most important, perhaps the central function, has been to make a wide variety of knowledge and literature locally available. In the past we have always treated electronic technology as a means to enhance library functions. Today a somewhat different perspective may be emerging in which we may begin to see electronic technology starting to encroach on this central library function.
Living books and dynamic electronic libraries
Authors: Barker Philip
Published: February 2008

Libraries have become an established part of our scientific and social cultures. They provide an essential mechanism for storing, preserving and sharing documentary records of various types of human endeavour. Undoubtedly, the properties of a library are strongly influenced by the types of information that it contains and the various media used to store this information. Over the last few decades we have seen the emergence of new information handling technologies. These have significantly influenced the basic nature of conventional paper‐based libraries and have created a need for new types of ‘electronic library’. This paper discusses some of the changes that have taken place within library systems as a consequence of the emergence of new computer‐based technologies. Some case studies are presented which outline various developments within our laboratory relating to the creation of living books and dynamic electronic libraries.
The market prospects for consumer online services in Europe
Authors: White Martin
Published: February 2008

The development of online services targeted at the consumer mass market in the USA and in Europe is described. The factors that are affecting the rate of growth of these services in Europe are identified and from this analysis it is concluded that it is very unlikely that the demand for these services is going to grow as rapidly in Europe as has been the case in the USA. The impact of the closure of the Europe Online service is discussed.
Focus Interview
Authors: Mahon Barry
Published: February 2008

(The European Association of Information Services: http://www.vito.be/eusidic/homepage.htm>) retires at the end of this year. In keeping with this issue's Focus theme of ‘the changing face of information’ we asked him about the changes and events he had seen in his five years in the position. What have been the main changes in the information world in your time at Eusidic? And the highlights?
Using scripts to automate online library activities
Authors: Kairis Rob
Published: February 2008

This article discusses the use of telecommunications scripts in automating online library functions. The pros and cons of developing scripts for replacing manual keyboard entry are investigated. In addition, the concept of creating more complicated, decision‐making, ‘intelligent scripts’ is explored. Sample applications designed at Kent State University, in conjunction with the university's migration from NOTIS to Innovative Interfaces, are described. Implications concerning library processes and conventions for effective script design are also presented.
Beyond the cyber‐billboard
Authors: Duffy Bob
Published: February 2008

You don't need to be a rocket scientist or a Unix programmer to realise that the World Wide Web is an invaluable platform for global outreach. Virtually any enterprise — public or private, non‐profit or for‐profit, large or small — can make use of it to great advantage.
The automated library systems market
Authors: Murray David J.
Published: February 2008

I started working in this industry over 17 years ago and have spent the majority of that time working for commercial companies specialised in library automation. In the past few years it has been interesting to watch how libraries have evolved into becoming information centres. Libraries in some countries around the world still have a long way to go whilst in others they have not arrived at their ultimate destination — the provision of a Total Information Access service to their users. It is of no consequence what terminology is used: their ultimate goal is to provide instant access to information of any kind or nature, in any format, from anywhere around the globe.
Focus Interview
Authors: Iljon Ariane
Published: February 2008

Behind the EU's Libraries Programme is Unit XIII/E‐4: head of the Unit, and hence very influential in the way that Europe's libraries will develop in the future, is Mrs Ariane Iljon. Here Mrs Iljon describes her view of the future of libraries and the library of the future.
World Wide Web search and retrieval
Authors: Falk Howard
Published: February 2008

The World Wide Web is like a huge country, dotted with hundreds of thousands of sites, and each site contains some information. Despite the size of this country, transportation from any site to another requires only a mouse click and under the right conditions takes just a few moments.
Libraries and the World Wide Web
Authors: Nieuwenhuysen Paul , Vanouplines Patrick
Published: February 2008

This guest editorial forms a brief introduction to an issue of The Electronic Library which focuses on libraries and the World Wide Web. To start with, the basics and state of the art of the World Wide Web are outlined in general. Then, the high and increasingly important impact of the Web on libraries is discussed.
Selecting Internet resources: Experience at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) Library
Authors: Fung Yip Kim
Published: February 2008

Beginning in May 1995, HKUST Library adopted a whole library approach to work on the Library World Wide Web project. All professional librarians in the library were assigned to one of the four Web groups. This paper reports the work and experience of the Selection of Internet Resources Group, including its composition, project goal, selection guidelines, selection process, the selected resources, problems encountered and achievements.
Marketing leisure services over the Web in a county council
Authors: Murray I.R. , Sargent G.F.
Published: February 2008

This paper describes the provision of a feasibility study for the development of a county leisure information service for a shire county in England, and discusses how the structural and political issues that arise are likely to be generic to any service of this type. Analysis is given of the current provision of leisure and tourist information systems, both on traditional forms of media and on the World Wide Web. A solution is proposed that enables the Local Authority and other information providers to avoid unnecessary duplication of existing databases. The argument is developed that existing leisure services must become integrated with Web developments if they are to reach potential customers, who are defined as belonging to two separate categories — county residents and visitors. Recommendations are made that would enable the target audience to be reached by establishing a Leisure Information Web System to reach audiences who maybe anywhere on the Net; and to develop Web kiosks, for use in public places, which may operate offline. The paper also discusses the possible managerial and financial implications of running this service.
Geographic information systems: How a World Wide Web presence can improve their availability
Authors: van Brakel Pieter A. , Pienaar Martie
Published: February 2008

Geographic information systems (GIS) are increasingly being used for effective accessibility to spatial data. A GIS comprises much more than the mere storage of data: spatial data of the earth is being manipulated to create new information, perform complex spatial analyses, and generate maps and reports. An automated GIS system consists of an integrated digital database containing information about geographic features (points, lines and areas); the hardware, software and people used in the analysis of the features (geographic coordinate data); and a description of features (attribute data). It also provides the ability to query, manipulate and analyse the data. However, certain problems exist in the way access is gained to geographic data. Currently geographic data sets (e.g. maps) are scattered across South Africa and the world, with no standardised method of accessing them. Data needed by a specific GIS system must be ‘ordered’ or downloaded from a remote site. No centralised index to existing geographic data exists. The results from a specific GIS analysis are not necessarily directly available to others. When downloading and thus duplicating a set of complex data from an external site, with the purpose of further manipulation, the copy gradually becomes less current when compared to the original data set. In this paper it is argued that most of these problems can be addressed effectively by making GIS data and information available via the Internet's World Wide Web. By creating hypertext links between different GIS sites, data sets could be shared between sites: a type of online atlas system with a task‐oriented user interface geared towards map creation and fact extraction could be developed. A number of experimental interfaces between GIS application software and the Web have already been developed: these and other approaches are discussed.
Publishers, publishing and the Internet: How journal publishing will survive and prosper in the electronic age
Authors: Cox John E.
Published: February 2008

The role of the publishing process in adding value to, and disseminating, scholarship and research is independent of the means of output. It comprises the preparation and packaging of information in a form easily accessible by the user. It includes the technical processes of editing, peer review and revision, publication and marketing. The publishing process must continue to provide a guarantee of quality that is recognised throughout the academic community. The emerging importance of the Internet does not change that role in principle but it does have considerable impact on how publishers function in the future: 1. Publishers need to supplement existing skills with the acquisition of new skills in developing multimedia material and facilitating interaction between scholars without detracting from the authority of the definitive publication; 2. Publishers will become custodians of intellectual property rather than producers of printed artefacts. They must add more value to the literature by exploiting different media for different purposes or user requirements; 3. Publishers will have to acquire much more hands‐on knowledge of, and navigation through, the laws of copyright and contract, especially in respect of the international legal aspects of electronic publishing; 4. Publishers will work more closely in partnership with universities and the research community in order to deliver electronic information effectively and easily to end‐users. Printed and electronic editions of the journal literature will complement each other; their respective strengths and weaknesses will be analysed in this paper. Journals will become interest groups in which papers will be placed. New definitions of ‘publication’, ‘journal’ and ‘literature’ will be required.
Planning, implementing and managing CD‐ROM services in developing countries
Authors: Kanamugire Athanase B.
Published: February 2008

This paper discusses some issues and challenges which library information systems in developing countries have faced in planning, implementing and managing CD‐ROM services. It focuses on the measures taken to solve these challenges in terms of planning, funding, hardware, software, database selection, installation, staff and user training, publicity, use policies and procedures, document non‐availability and evaluation. The paper concludes that the implementation of CD‐ROM in developing countries will continue growing, and that users will increasingly become more sophisticated and will keep demanding better CD‐ROM resources and services. In order to cope with these demands, institutions involved in implementing CD‐ROM services will continue pursuing the current trend of adopting resourceful, creative and innovative approaches in tackling the challenges posed by the implementation of CD‐ROM. Finally the paper recommends, among other things, that it is crucial to develop a new vision based on a thorough needs assessment to guide library information systems in planning, implementing and developing user‐oriented CD‐ROM. It is also strongly recommended that a partnership approach between library information systems and relevant departments (like information technology departments), funding organisations, CD‐ROM publishers and vendors is crucial for developing sustainable CD‐ROM services.
Z39.50 applications in a medical school
Authors: Besson Alain , Chapman Bob , Cheney Kate
Published: February 2008

After nearly a decade in the making, the Z39.50 protocol is quickly finding its place in many library systems, giving libraries the opportunity to link applications in ways hitherto not possible.
Library automation vendors: Today's perspective
Authors: Cibbarelli Pamela R.
Published: February 2008

This is a time of intense product development for almost all library automation vendors. Development efforts are focused primarily on four areas:
Individually tailored tables of contents via BM‐SwetScan on the Boehringer Mannheim network
Authors: Gretz Marianne , Stadler Peter , Mernke Ernst , Thomas Martin
Published: February 2008

For some months the central library of Boehringer Mannheim GmbH, a research‐based pharmaceutical company in Germany, has been disseminating tables of contents in electronic form. These electronic tables of contents are generated from the current scientific journal literature. At present the library supplies contents pages of roughly 440 journals to 240 internal clients. This service has been designed as a means of rapid distribution of individually tailored information from the topical scientific literature. The tables of contents are delivered to the clients' electronic mailboxes via the electronic mail system. We describe the situation before the introduction of this service, the motives for switching to this service, and the librarian and technical work necessary in the preliminary stages. Moreover, the paper shows the realisation of the project, the problems occurring during the phase of introduction and the acceptance by the users.
COPAC: New research library union catalogue
Authors: Cousins Shirley
Published: February 2008

COPAC is a new union OPAC which provides free access to the information contained in the main online catalogues of a number of important academic research library collections. At the moment records are contributed by the university libraries of Cambridge, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Leeds, Oxford and Trinity College Dublin. All these libraries are members of the Consortium of University Research Libraries (CURL). At the time of writing, records from the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine and London University Library (Senate House) are being loaded and the online databases of the remaining twelve CURL member libraries will be added in due course.
Dewey for Windows
Authors: Will Leonard , Will Sheena
Published: February 2008

The Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) is the leading general classification scheme for libraries and it is now increasingly being used for electronic resources, both as standalone products and on the Internet. It is therefore to be expected that it should itself be available in electronic form and this CD provides it, with flexible and powerful tools for finding and building numbers.
Creating communication: blending two traditions of information at the UK Home Office
Authors: Griffiths Peter
Published: February 2008

I recently had occasion to look back into the archives of Her Majesty's Treasury. A memorandum there notes that:
Buttoning down the content explosion
Authors: Duffy Bob
Published: February 2008

The ‘single biggest problem’ on the World Wide Web, Netscape wunderkind Marc Andreessen tells The Washington Post, is ‘information overload’. The implication: how is the user supposed to home in on exactly the right info when the Web harbours such vast volumes of unruly content?
Flatbed colour scanners
Authors: Falk Howard
Published: February 2008

Most pages of text or graphical materials in a library are black‐and‐white and most of the work that a scanner will do involves black‐and‐white images. Yet, it makes sense to buy a scanner capable of processing colour images. The difference in cost between a colour scanner and a black‐and‐white unit is relatively small, and the colour scanner allows colour pages to be converted into computer images whenever needed. In response to the demand by computer users for the ability to handle colour, new models of scanning equipment are almost all equipped to do so.
Distributed expertise: Remote reference service on a metropolitan area network
Authors: Davenport Elisabeth , Procter Rob , Goldenberg Ana
Published: February 2008

What is the nature of reference work in the digital library? What is the role of the reference librarian where many users serve themselves by means of BIDS and other free‐at‐point‐of‐use services which emulate the Bath original (e.g. MIDAS in Manchester and EDINA in Edinburgh)? How is the concept of the ‘reference desk’ to be defined where points of presence for both users and librarians are distributed? Can assumptions based on specialist roles and fixed locations migrate to the world of virtual reference work? An Edinburgh‐based research project is exploring these issues in the context of the enhanced regional communications now available through EaStMAN (Edinburgh and Stirling Metropolitan Area Network). A major goal is for local HE institutions to explore the possibilities afforded for collaborative reference work. The project team have completed preliminary work with the BIOSIS Abstracts service hosted by the EDINA consortium. In this paper, we present the results of an investigation of the experiences of users and the work patterns of librarians and relate these to the design rationale of a prototype Web‐based network reference consultation support system. Our focus here is on typologies of user problems and expert response across various media and genres of interaction. A pilot service is scheduled to start in the autumn of 1997 and we plan to report on its use at a later date.
New ways of delivering information
Authors: Trasenster Mark
Published: February 2008

Knowledge is power, but access to the right information at the right time is what empowers the individual. This paper is about the emerging ways that news and business intelligence can reach managers both inside and outside their offices.
Building local networks with hubs
Authors: Falk Howard
Published: February 2008

Libraries typically use multiple personal computers. There may be a computer for accessing the Internet, a computer for playing CD‐ROMs, several computers (or workstations) to allow patrons to access the library's catalogue, and other computers used to process acquisitions, check out and receive items on loan, and perform administrative tasks.
The Webmaster: A new player in the information centre's online team
Authors: van der Walt Pieter W. , van Brakel Pieter A.
Published: February 2008

In the pre‐Web days, in fact not more than two years ago, there was no mention of the word or even a job description for what we know today as the Webmaster. The phenomenal and even unexpected growth of the Internet, but specifically the World Wide Web, created the need for a completely new and unique staff member in an organisation with very specialised interests and skills. It soon became clear that practical knowledge of new skills such as HTML formatting and Web server installation and maintenance were imperative for an organisation that wants to stay ahead of its competitors. Today, the main assignment of a Webmaster is to design, implement and maintain an effective World Wide Web site. To be able to do this the Webmaster must acquire knowledge of diverse fields such as network configuration, interface and graphical design, software development, business strategy, writing, editing, marketing and project management. Furthermore, both the growth rate of the Web and its impact on enterprise are responsible for the fact that the task description of the Webmaster is under constant transformation. Instead of being only responsible for HTML formatting, programming and Web site maintenance, Webmasters have become an integral part of a larger Web site team and have to manage other specialised tasks such as being an editor, graphic artist and programmer. The Webmaster has in certain instances become an important part of the team responsible for the entire business strategy of an enterprise, because many Web sites are now being used for their marketing and supporting activities. However, with online database vendors such as KR Dialog, DataStar, Medline and LEXIS‐NEXIS also moving into the Web environment, a few of which have already implemented Web‐based interfaces to assist in the online search process, the Webmaster's responsibilities might extend to that of supporting information professionals and their online search activities as well. Hence the goal and position of the Webmaster will be discussed in an effort to indicate how the Webmaster can play a role in enhancing the online search process.
From a local and closed to an international and virtual library: A case report
Authors: Andersson Per‐Olov , Olsson Per
Published: February 2008

One of the main challenges faced by libraries is to present their services and holdings to patrons in a truly professional and user‐friendly way. The standard library software available does not usually adapt to new technology as quickly as library users and staff would like. However, such limitations need not be accepted. By thinking in terms of small‐scale, incremental development and by using general computer software, an ambitious library can create a technologically up‐to‐date information browsing instrument even though finances and resources are limited. This paper describes the strategic and technological steps involved in such a process.
The New Zealand Digital Library: Collections and experience
Authors: Witten Ian H. , McNab Rodger
Published: February 2008

The New Zealand Digital Library project aims to develop the underlying technology for digital libraries and make it available for others to use to create their own collections. We have built a large number of demonstration collections. Because our policy is to avoid manual processing of material, full‐text indexing and — to a lesser degree — automatically created browsing structures provide the primary point of access to the material. As well as conventional textual collections, we are experimenting with collections of musical and audio material. This article describes the library structure and present and planned collections, and summarises our experiences in the project.
When computers lose power
Authors: Falk Howard
Published: February 2008

You have just entered two pages of carefully‐composed material into your word processor when the lights in your office dim and the computer screen goes dark. A few minutes later, the lights come back on again and you restart your computer. As it grinds through its start‐up procedures you wonder whether it will behave normally or leave you with a serious repair problem. This time you are lucky and your normal applications are available. However, when you open your word processor and look at the file you were entering, you find that your last two pages are missing.
IT path from East to West
Authors: Stoyanova Nina
Published: February 2008

Moving from a small Eastern European country to North America (Canada) while working in the IT industry gave me an exciting experience and an opportunity to think about the differences and similarities in the industry between the two countries. I have a degree in computer engineering from an Eastern European university and more than 15 years of experience in the IT industry there, and now almost one year of working experience in two high‐tech companies in Canada. Maybe one year is not enough for deep analysis and conclusions but I think that the first impressions are often quite interesting. While a whole book could be written on the different aspects of technological development and implementation, education and training, people's attitudes and so on, here I have tried to touch only on some areas which I felt were most important for me.
The near future trend: Combining Web access and local CD networks. Experience and a few suggestions
Authors: Ma Wei
Published: February 2008

This paper discusses the complementary nature of two media, Web access and CD networks, with emphasis on three points: (1) combining Web access and CD networks — their importance and feasibility; (2) the benefits and necessity of considering the community network environment as a whole, rather than focusing on the particular library; (3) the need for flexibility in considering new technologies. There is not a unique model for each library to implement. As well as introducing a few new products, the paper describes the experience at the Occidental College Library (Los Angeles, California, USA) to indicate the possibility of building such a network; the possibility of sharing a network and network file server; and the workload/flow between the Computer Centre and the library, and between the student worker and the library CD network administrator.
Biomedical journals and the World Wide Web
Authors: Schoonbaert Dirk
Published: February 2008

Now that the World Wide Web has changed previously arcane electronic publishing into a popular everyday phenomenon, fulfilling the exciting promises of many years, a global electronic resource for the health sciences becomes technically feasible. Though recent evolutions have inspired prophecies on the imminent death of printed biomedical journals, the latter have now themselves joined the electronic platform. Since 1995, a respectable portion of the traditional top journals have started offering new channels of access that do not differ essentially from their paper formats. These electronic versions feature attractive additional value such as extra (multimedia) contents and improved retrieval and (hyper)linking capabilities. While many were originally partial versions, mainly figuring as eye‐catchers, increasingly more full‐text editions are appearing on the Worldwide Web. Compared to exclusively electronic journals or reprint archives, traditional journals migrating to the Internet have certain strategic advantages such as an aura of intellectual trust‐worthiness (based on peer review) and considerable social acclaim (based on citation records, amongst other things). As such, their impact is now increasingly being extended into cyberspace and the rumours of the death of the biomedical journal appear to be greatly exaggerated— or at least premature.
Push and the politics of the Internet
Authors: Herther Nancy K.
Published: February 2008

We are in the midst of a major technology shift. The Internet holds the promise of radically changing not only the medium of future information, from paper to computer screens, but the structure of many of our most important institutions as well.
Indexing the Nordic countries
Authors: Ardö Anders
Published: February 2008

What was the aim in building a Nordic search engine? The goals were to build a system that: