bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electronic current awareness service: a survival tool for the information age?
Authors: Mountifield H.M.
Published: February 2008

Information overload, and the importance/or information users of staying abreast of relevant information, has led to the development of current awareness services. Not only have advances in information technology and telecommunications led to an increased volume of information but they have also made it easier for agencies to produce competing electronic current awareness services. This paper will briefly define an effective electronic current awareness service and highlight some available products and services. It is important that the best products be selected for use by individuals and information services. Evaluation criteria for current awareness products will be identified in the light of specific user needs and requirements for a successful electronic current awareness service.
CDROM: hypes and hopes for the rest of the century
Authors: Jacsó Péter
Published: February 2008

The CDROM industry is surrounded by hype. Many believe that it will be the panacea for information storage and delivery. Others predict that it will disappear as online systems and services become increasingly prevalent. The most‐likely scenario — at least for the rest of the century — is peaceful co‐existence and some convergence of the two technologies. CDROM technology and applications will strive for years to come. This keynote address reviews the most current and the likely future developments in the areas of CDROM database contents, software, hardware and marketing.
Producing your own CDROM on your desktop
Authors: Lategan Dean
Published: February 2008

CDROM has come a long way since its introduction in 1982. It has matured into a feasible technology for storing and distributing enormous amounts of information. Although parallels can be drawn between CDROM and mass storage devices, CDROM is not just another storage device that works with a microcomputer. Its true value is its ability to make large amounts of data accessible at a low cost. Today it is possible to create your own CDROM on your desktop. In this paper I will explain all the possibilities for users to create their own CDROMs on their desktops. I will also discuss the pitfalls when doing so. I will discuss the different hardware available and give a practical demonstration.
The SARDIUS experience
Authors: Schoeman Elna
Published: February 2008

SARDIUS is an acronym for Southern African Research Documentation Information User Service. After compiling several bibliographies at Jan Smuts House Library and publishing a bibliographical journal for some years, a database on CDROM seemed the next logical step. Several factors were favourable towards such a move, for instance a sound stock of bibliographical material on Southern Africa, uniformity in style of already published hardcopy bibliographies and a thesaurus, tailormade for our requirements. However, constraints such as lack of money and technical expertise were delaying progress. When the necessary funds were obtained through a grant from the European Union, the publication of SARDIUS became a reality. The first edition of SARDIUS, published in May 1994 and updated in March 1995, comprises approximately 50 000 records on both the Southern African region as a whole and the eleven individual countries — Angola, Botswana, Losotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The focus is on economic, political and social issues, and the database is intended for academics, researchers, students, librarians, policy makers and all those requiring information on the region. Information is derived from the SAIIA's Bibliographical Series, of which 28 volumes have been published; the SA Update, a Bibliographical Journal, now in its eleventh year; and an ongoing indexing service at Jan Smuts House Library. SARDIUS has been compiled with the aim of providing instant information to references on the Southern African region. Searches are conducted on either authors, keywords from the thesaurus; date or text, singly or in combination. Teething problems do occur but are being eliminated. However, these problems are overshadowed by SARDIUS' considerable advantages: obtaining accurate information instantly, its dynamism and ease of use.
The role of the Internet in facilitating regional linkages in Southern Africa
Authors: Esterhuysen Anriette
Published: February 2008

The thrust of the recent Internet ‘explosion’ in South Africa has mostly been about linking us to the global community. Perhaps the political reincorporation of South Africa into the international community encouraged this tendency. However, this powerful tool has done little to link us to our nearest neighbours. This paper will look at current Internet connectivity in the Southern African region, assess the potential of such connectivity and make suggestions as to how regional connectivity, as well as use of the Internet, can be promoted. I will argue that electronic networking can play a critical role in facilitating closer cooperation in the region and outline how a broad and strategic vision of electronic networking in the region can help realise this role.
Electronic journals: publishing via Internet's World Wide Web
Authors: van Brakel Pieter A.
Published: February 2008

The feasibility of publishing an electronic journal which will be accepted by the scientific community has always been hampered by factors such as a lack of standardisation of data transmission codes, limitations regarding the incorporation of graphics and photographs, as well as the absence of special columns, book reviews, letters to the editor, product reviews and advertisements. Standardised communication protocols such as TCP/IP have brought this dream one step closer to reality. The final step could be an electronic journal published through the World Wide Web (WWW), currently one of the frequently used Internet navigators. Three WWW specifications provide the ideal arena for electronic journal publishing: URL (uniform resource locator), HTTP (hypertext transfer protocol), and HTML (hypertext markup language). These specifications provide a standardised structure for storing, accessing and sending data, including multimedia (even sound and video) files. The possibilities of such a structure for electronic journal publishing are remarkable: full‐text retrieval could not only be by keyword but also by following hypertext links across articles — even to nodes in other computer systems. In this article the possibilities of publishing via the Web will be addressed and some hints for setting up and maintaining a multimedia scholarly journal will be provided.
Development of information and library networks in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe as a part of the global exchange of information 5–9 May 1995, Sofia, Bulgaria
Authors: Stoyanova Nina
Published: February 2008

The conference was organised by the National Centre for Information and Documentation (NACID), Sofia, Bulgaria and the National Library of Sts Cyril and Methodius, Sofia, Bulgaria, and was supported by Unesco.
Publishing your database on CDROM for profit: the FISHLIT and NISC experience
Authors: Crampton Margaret
Published: February 2008

The JLB Smith Institute of Ichthyology Library at Rhodes University in Grahamstown has maintained the FISHLIT bibliographic database since 1985. In 1990 the decision was taken to publish the database on CDROM with NISC (National Information Services Corporation) in Baltimore. FISHLIT was the first South African database to be published by NISC. FISHLIT is now on the CDROMs Fish and Fisheries Worldwide and Aquatic Biology, Aquaculture and Fisheries Resources in an anthology of related databases. The software is user‐friendly and powerful, and advanced compression techniques allow large quantities of data on one disc. This article will show how others can benefit from the advantages of CDROM publishing.
Subject searching for information: what does it mean in today's Internet environment?
Authors: Basili Carta
Published: February 2008

The information available through the Internet continues to proliferate. As it does so, it gains increasing importance and legitimacy throughout the scientific community. Researchers can obtain information from the network just as easily as from a library. The network is thus growing into one of a multiplicity of sources of knowledge of use to the scientific community. Above all, it is about to become an invisible everyday desktop work tool (much in the same way as wordprocessing programs did before it). Hence the increasingly pressing need for systematic, standardised mechanisms to identify, locate and describe the network's information resources.
Issues in multiple use and network pricing for CDROMs
Authors: Rowley Jennifer
Published: February 2008

In order to achieve an appropriate level of revenue, CDROM publishers need to attempt to control access to their databases when they are used in a networked environment. This has led to the creation of interestingly complex pricing strategies for the networked use of CDROM. This article first identifies some of the key issues for pricing of CDROM and then focuses on the issue of network pricing, using as case studies the network pricing strategies for BIOSIS, SilverPlatter, Dialog OnDisc and Reedbase. It is not clear whether the issue of appropriate pricing strategies for CDROM will ultimately be viewed as so intractable that suppliers will seek alternative distribution options.
Links in a tangled Web
Authors: Kruger Peter
Published: February 2008

It seemed like a good test of the Internet — and my knowledge of the World Wide Web. The task was to find out which films were showing in Cambridge over the following days. I remembered seeing a reference to a film guide somewhere on the Web — but the question was where? The World Wide Web is like a room into which people are constantly piling books in a haphazard and random manner. So many items had landed in the ‘What's New’ section since the film guide that I had completely lost track of where I had seen it. After checking a couple of media lists and a few local directories I resorted to posting a request for the information in a local newsgroup. The post was answered straight away. Someone had the information in a database and cut and pasted it into a reply — perhaps without even looking at the address itself. The address threw up an error and the software I was using to access the Web told me the file did not exist.
Electronic document management systems: how to select and implement the right documentation management system for your organisation
Authors: Knowles Rob
Published: February 2008

Aspects covered in this paper include the reasons for adopting electronic document management systems (EDMS) and the benefits to be derived from using this technology. Having identified the importance of document management, the steps required to convince the main stakeholders and ‘influencers’ are described. This paper is intended to help potential users of electronic document management systems in determining the route to take in implementing a system. It highlights some important issues, many of which are often overlooked.
Delivery of library services to distance education students: The BIBDEL Research Project at Dublin City University Library
Authors: Brinkley Monica , OFarrell Jack
Published: February 2008

The BIBDEL: Libraries Without Walls Research Project is described. Details are given of two experiments carried out by researchers at Dublin City University Library as part of this project, to investigate the delivery of library services to distance education students. Each experiment examined a different scenario: delivery of library services directly to the home, and delivery via local study centres or libraries. In addition, scanning and file transfer were tested as methods of document delivery. Findings include that the delivery of library services to remote students is feasible using the current industry standard hardware and software. Scanning is also a viable technical option for document delivery, copyright restrictions being the only bar to its use.
Information superhighways: library & information services and the Internet
Authors: Association Library
Published: February 2008

The term ‘information superhighways’ has vastly increased in currency in the last 12 months. Like many such terms, it may have been used by politicians and the media to mean whatever they want it to mean, but there is no doubt that its currency in the language presages a major development in access to information and resources. The first significant step on the way to the realisation of information superhighways is the increasing use, for many different purposes, of the Internet.
E‐books and e‐zines
Authors: Falk Howard
Published: February 2008

Let us think of an electronic book (e‐book) as a set of textual and related materials that can be accessed through a computer. Like conventional books, e‐books are written by authors (multimedia authors, that is) and processed by editors. E‐books are usually packaged in the form of CDROM discs. Software allows users to access sequences of e‐book materials which may include all the materials in the e‐book, or only some of those materials. The sequence order and content of these materials may be controlled by the user. One of the most striking characteristics of e‐books is that, in addition to conventional materials, they can include sounds and video sequences. During the past few years, thousands of newly‐published e‐books have appeared each year. In 1995 about 4000 new titles are expected.
Security issues on the Internet
Authors: Bar‐IIan Judit
Published: February 2008

In this paper we discuss some basic notions of modern cryptography: public key systems and digital signatures. We show how theoretical modern cryptography can come to the rescue of the Internet, offering solutions to its security problems.
The Internet: Which future for organised knowledge, Frankenstein or Pygmalion? Part 1
Authors: Floridi Luciano
Published: February 2008

This paper is the first half of an invited paper given by the author to the international conference, promoted by the UNESCO Philosophy Forum, to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the organisation (Paris, 14–17 March 1995). The second half, which deals with a slightly different theme, is published as a Brief Communication later in this issue.
Document delivery and full text from OCLC
Authors: Noble Rick
Published: February 2008

OCLC offers its online users access to documents and full text in a variety of formats. This article focuses on the document delivery options offered by OCLC within FirstSearch, its end‐user online service. It also features NetFirst, a database from OCLC designed to direct users to quality resources on the Internet, as well as Electronic Journals Online. OCLC's Electronic Journals Online programme offers users access to the full text of a variety of STM journals, complete with full colour images, math‐sci notation, tables, charts, figures and hypertext links to references in bibliographic databases. A sidebar discusses the highlights of some recent OCLC market research on document delivery in academic, public and special libraries in the United States.
Digital library projects: Where they are now — Part two
Authors: Jeapes Ben
Published: February 2008

In our last issue we looked at three of the six digital library projects in America that are receiving $24.4m of federal funding, intended ‘to dramatically advance the means to collect, store and organise information in digital forms, and make it available for searching, retrieval and processing via communications networks in user‐friendly ways.’ The three we covered were the University of California, Berkeley; the University of California, Santa Barbara; and the University of Michigan. In this issue we round off this study with a look at the remaining three.
Internet software sources
Authors: Falk Howard
Published: February 2008

Software is available for downloading from many Internet sources. This article lists and describes World Wide Web, FTP and Gopher sites where software is available, as well as software newsgroups that Internet e‐mail users can join.
Internet health information sources
Authors: Stevens Caroline A. , Morris Anne , Sargent Goff
Published: February 2008

A study has been carried out into sources of consumer health information available in the UK, with particular emphasis on the use of electronic sources of health information As part of this latter aim, the research has entailed an investigation of the Internet to identify the types of health information available. This paper discusses briefly the sources of health information that are available to the public, focusing on electronic information sources, and then presents the results from the search of the Internet for health information. (The links presented were correct at the time of going to press but, as with the nature of the Internet, some links may change.) The facilities available on the Internet which were used to guide the search are presented. Twenty major health information sites were identified and examples of the types of subjects presented at each site are given. The information found is judged for its suitability for the consumer or professional. In conclusion, the usefulness of the Internet as a health information source is considered.
Information strategy stands the test of time
Authors: Blanton Janice M.
Published: February 2008

The decentralised information strategy upon which the International Nuclear Information System (INIS) was established has stood the test of time. INIS celebrated its 25th anniversary during 1995. One of the world's early international computerised systems, INIS was born in 1970 with its mission to produce and disseminate a database containing records of the world's literature on the peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology, and full text of non‐conventional (grey) literature. Since that time, the INIS Database has grown to over 1.8 million bibliographic records and abstracts. It continues to increase by approximately 85 000 records each year. Additionally, INIS generates full‐text microfiche of approximately 20 000 non‐conventional literature documents each year as well as a number of other information products and services. As of 1976, INIS could be considered the world's most comprehensive abstracting and indexing service in the field of atomic energy. Ninety‐four Member States (countries) and 17 cooperating international organisations currently participate in INIS. A decentralised operational philosophy is at the core of the information strategies of the organisation. INIS is, in effect, an international information cooperative made up of members who are the contributors as well as the benefactors of the system. Participants get a return on their information investment: member countries who publish and therefore contribute a few records have access to the collective 85 000 records submitted annually by all members, as well as to the full database. One of the major advantages of decentralisation is that it tends to stimulate the establishment and improvement of an international information infrastructure, as well as the transfer of modern information technology. Systems such as INIS, which capitalise on information technology transfer, information skills development and the use of standards for information management and exchange, have contributed to paving the way for the global information highway envisioned today. The INIS decentralised global information management strategy has stood the test of time and will be critical in the future information industry. INIS will embrace the changes necessary to remain in the forefront of the information society.
World Watch
Authors: Raitt David
Published: February 2008

World Watch is a nifty little software package for Windows which displays world and regional maps showing cities and the local time for various locations selected by the user. In addition, a dynamic illuminated pattern in the centre of the map shows those areas of the world currently experiencing daylight. The pattern highlights the progress of seasons, displays sunrise and sunset as they happen and automatically adjusts to summer or daylight saving time. World Watch also doubles as a very nice screen saver which utilises all the functions of the program. The package contains a 3.5″ disk and user manual (pretty good), and installing the program is simplicity itself — simply insert the diskette and follow instructions, and in an instant the program is ready for use and/or customisation. There is the possibility to use small fonts (as opposed to the Windows system fonts), though these fonts are not mentioned in the manual. Besides how to operate and customise World Watch, the user manual also provides some technical information on how the program works, a glossary of terms, and the coordinates and time relative to GMT of the cities included in the package.
CD‐MARC bibliographic databases as an alternative to other information sources: cataloguers' evaluation of the use of LC CD‐MARC at Kenneth Dike Library, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Authors: Ojedokun Ayoku A.
Published: February 2008

The Library of Congress (LC) compact disc machine‐readable catalogue (CD‐MARC) was recently acquired by the Kenneth Dike Library, University of Ibadan. Its use by the cataloguing librarians was evaluated in terms of efficiency (effect on cataloguing lime) and effectiveness (effect on monthly output) when compared with using other information sources such as microfiches, cataloguing‐in‐publication (CIP) data and printed sources — LC subject headings, LC National Union Catalogue, LC monographic series, etc. The positive influence of the new technology was evident as there were reductions in cataloguing time and increases in monthly output of items catalogued.
Information technology implementations in libraries and information centres in Malaysia: Impact and pitfalls
Authors: Abdullah Yaacob Raja , Hanafiah Harun Mohd.
Published: February 2008

Library automation, online access, electronic data interchange, document delivery, CDROMs, multimedia, the Internet and standards are some of the issues that concern libraries and information centres. Evidence shows a positive environment for implementing information technology for both decision‐makers and the IT industry in Malaysia. The application of IT, including the increasing use of Internet and the virtual library concept, has changed users' perceptions and information‐seeking behaviour. It has had a number of impacts on both management and users. Positive government attitudes and the allocation of funds for technological development have enabled an increasing number of libraries to embark on all kinds of IT, all of which have enhanced information storage, retrieval, dissemination and resource sharing. The Tun Abdul Razak Library joined the race by using the only available local software package, and now it is moving fast towards advanced IT applications. This paper attempts to investigate the impact of new technologies on the management of libraries, as well as training in the use of the system. User education is an area that is being undertaken seriously by libraries and information centres. The development in IT and the anticipated setting up of the networking systems are regarded as revolutionary in terms of the actual as well the potential impact on the library management and services.
Experiences with ExtraMED, an electronic full‐text biomedical journal collection on CDROM
Authors: Schoonbaert Dirk
Published: February 2008

ExtraMED is an electronic full‐text library distributed on CDROM, incorporating over 200 biomedical and health‐related journals. Unlike Adonis, for example, ExtraMED does not specialise in high‐impact journals, but focuses on local or regional biomedical journals from developing countries, most of which are not indexed by the major indexing services. Especially for specialties such as tropical or traditional medicine, this constitutes a valuable source of additional information. Also, as a bibliographic database ExtraMED is a worthwhile supplement to MEDLINE, but obviously not an equivalent alternative. The annual subscription fee is £2000 and includes 12 monthly CDROMs. Each disc contains about 8000 pages, so ExtraMED provides an estimated 100 000 pages a year. The practical advantages of this type of electronic document delivery are discussed, as well as the actual coverage and relevance. Though ExtraMED is certainly a laudable initiative, there are ample indications that the producers may have underestimated the problems of its practical realisation. The project suffers considerable delay, and as only six CDROMs were published in over 20 months, the contents still present a somewhat chaotic picture with lots of gaps. Fortunately things are getting gradually better. The retrieval software is generally adequate and includes a few remarkable features such as powerful truncation, proximity searching and automatic synonym look‐up. Display and printing capabilities are good though somewhat cumbersome in the latter case.
Critical bio‐mass
Authors: Kruger Peter
Published: February 2008

Do models which can be used to predict the behaviour and performance of manufacturing companies fail when we apply them to organisations whose main product is information? If they do, how will this impact on strategy planning and investment decisions? As suggested in previous articles, companies can be likened to naturally occurring structures such as plants and animals. They have a finite life and the need for evolutionary development means that, sooner or later, these structures must be replaced by others better suited to surviving in a changed environment. Those companies which do survive beyond their natural life span usually do so in name only.
Electronic publishing and publishing
Authors: de Kemp Arnoud
Published: February 2008

The first journals appeared in 1665: Le Journal des Scavans in Paris and Philosophical Transactions in London. They were the first publications with quality control, introducing concepts like approbation and imprimatur. Today we can see approximately 70 000 regular primary publications. Catalogues from subscription agencies like Swets, EBSCO and Blackwell list over 300 000 serial titles. Little has been done to improve accessibility and retrievability; book catalogues, whether printed on paper or electronically as OPACs (Online Public Access Catalogues), are still based on rather simple cataloguing rules. Journal literature is abstracted and indexed by so‐called secondary or A&I services: one of the most practical tools to access new articles in primary journals is Current Contents. There is no longer a library that can acquire all relevant publications, not even the Library of Congress (USA), the British Library (UK) or the National Diet Library (Japan). The number of publications seems to double every 15 years, and it would be interesting to correlate the number of active members of learned societies and the number of publications offered and accepted over the years. The only effective answer to this increasing problem seems to be the introduction of electronic publishing and communication over networks.
Internet‐based reference services and community libraries: A need for new models and strategies
Authors: Devine Sean , Woods Daniel
Published: February 2008

The explosive growth in client/server technology, and the availability and popularity of Internet‐based navigational tools and access services, present today's reference library with a broad and much publicised array of opportunities to expand the quality of its services and even, in some cases, the scope of its mission. The paper proposes, however, that this sudden rate of change in the underlying technological infrastructure has surpassed the ability of most libraries to identify, let alone assimilate, these opportunities properly. The paper examines emerging Internet‐based strategies for community libraries, and suggests the need for a new set of information access models in the areas of patron access and control; rights and usage tracking; cost‐recovery on World Wide Web‐based services; Internet‐based ILL; self‐service for the remote patron; and community marketing via the Web.
RUSLANet — A new generation library system project in Russia
Authors: Plemnek Alexander , Sokolova Natalia
Published: February 2008

This paper is about advanced library information systems in Russia. The urgent need is obvious in Russia for library systems based on open standards and Internet technology, and for integrating library systems in common library information space. The Regional University and Science Library Advanced Network in the north‐west of Russia (RUSLANet) Project is an initiative of St Petersburg State Technical University, aimed at joining the collections of university libraries and providing access to them via the Internet. The paper discusses briefly the concept of the RUSLANet Project, ways of implementing it, its position today, and plans for the near future.
An automated method of transmitting article requests
Authors: Alloro Giovanna , Ugolini Donatella
Published: February 2008

The rapid retrieval of citations on a demand basis followed by instant availability of the full documents are high priority procedures for biomedical researchers. This paper describes the opportunities provided by some LAN software to automate repetitive tasks in order to manage the document delivery process better.
Computer‐based vertical files
Authors: Falk Howard
Published: February 2008

Suppose you had a vertical file and wanted to convert it to a computer‐based file. What would you need? In a computer‐based vertical file system, documents such as pages of text, booklets, newspaper clippings and photographs are stored in files that can be accessed by computer. A scanner is used to enter documents into the system. The documents are indexed by manual indexing, automatic full‐text indexing or both, and they are kept in computer disk storage. Document management software is used for indexing and document retrieval. Vertical file users can view stored documents on a computer screen, copy page images to a floppy disk, or print the images.
The LE Club Project: A synergy of systems for the ‘Learning Environment’
Authors: Joy Finbarr
Published: February 2008

Since June 1995, the library automation company Fretwell‐Downing (FD) has been collaborating with a group of Further Education (FE) colleges on a project to explore the use of online distance learning techniques and how these might best be applied by this sector. Working under the name of the LE Club (Learning Environment Club), this initiative sits at the intersection of the administration, authoring, mediation, delivery, learning and tracking processes and as such raises a host of strategic, technological, political and implementation issues. Through integrating elements from previous (and ongoing) EU funded projects such as DALI (Document and Libraries Integration), RENAISSANCE (Integration of High Performance Services for Interactive Vocational Training for European Regeneration) and ICW (Integrated Co‐operative Workspace), together with components from FD's Library Automation package, OLIB, FD is in the process of defining an application framework for the Learning Environment. This paper reviews issues in delivering distance learning while outlining the specific architecture and methodologies employed in the LE project. The implications of such initiatives on libraries and library systems and the changing ‘learning environments’ in which they exist are also briefly considered.
Sheffield's Learning Centre: More than a library for the twenty‐first century
Authors: Jeapes Ben
Published: February 2008

When is a library not a library? When it's a Learning Centre. Sheffield Hallam University has integrated several former departments, including the library and others such as the Learning and Teaching Institute, into the Learning Centre, a new department headed by the former university librarian Graham Bulpitt. The name, Mr Bulpitt says, was chosen to emphasise that it was more than a replacement for the existing library. The Learning Centre is ‘an integrated environment which anticipates changes in teaching and learning, and developments in information technology.’
An overview of electronic document request and delivery research
Authors: Price Sandra P. , Morris Anne , Eric Davies J.
Published: February 2008

This paper presents an overview of past and present research projects associated with electronic document delivery. The paper briefly outlines the Follet Report and introduces the UK's Electronics Libraries Programme, including the recently funded Focused Investigation of Document Delivery (FIDDO) project at Loughborough University. Four research areas have been identified as follows: resource sharing projects; network communication projects; electronic scanning projects and electronic document delivery systems. Conclusions highlight the major impact that technological developments are currently having on this area, the need for librarians to reassess their role in the information chain, and the need for delivery systems capable of handling different formats and a wider coverage of material to satisfy requests.
Libraries, copyright and the electronic environment
Authors: Risher Carol
Published: February 2008

The new electronic environment is coming like a speeding train or a tidal wave — inevitable and unstoppable. It is coming, but it is not yet here. Hence, the dominant technology has not yet been determined. Publishers have not yet decided which products will be available only in electronic form, which will remain only in print, and which will appear in multiple forms. They are exploring new products and services to determine which their customers prefer. Libraries are also being forced by the electronic environment to make new decisions. They must consider which new media products to add to their collections and in what formats, and the impact on existing holdings. They are concerned about what they can legally do with the products they acquire and what uses can be made of available technology to provide new forms of customer service.
Over the rainbow
Authors: Duffy Bob
Published: February 2008

‘Toto, something tells me we're not in Kansas anymore.’ So says young Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland), opening her farmhouse door in MGM's The Wizard of Oz (1939). Said farmhouse, carried off into the sky by a tornado, has just landed with a jarring thud. But not back in dull and dusty Kansas USA, the sepia‐toned realm we've experienced for the first twenty minutes of the movie. Dorothy has opened her front door on an entirely new landscape, a stunning Technicolor Eden.
Electronic journals
Authors: Khalil Mounir , Jayatilleke Raja , Jeapes Ben
Published: February 2008

In May this year at the 17th National Online Meeting in New York the main authors presented a paper (Khalil & Jayatilleke 1996) on ‘The use of electronic journals in libraries’. More recently they conducted a survey to elicit information from and the reactions of end‐users about mis comparatively new medium by posting a questionnaire on a number of listservs, including ASIS‐L, BUSLIB‐L, LIBADMIN‐L and SERIALST‐L.
Brave.Net.World: the Internet as a disinformation superhighway?
Authors: Floridi Luciano
Published: February 2008

1. Overture: the problem Nobody could seriously doubt that the unidirectional mass media can be very powerful instruments of disinformation. History has already witnessed too many horrible events for us to allow ourselves the luxury of such futile speculation any longer. What we might do instead is to turn our attention to the brave new world of the Internet, and ask whether the problem of disinformation might soon afflict the new interactive media as well. Suppose that in years to come there will still be a significant dissimilarity between passive (one way, or ‘W’) and interactive (two way, or ‘WW’) media. The management of information online is going to affect many aspects of our life with increasing regularity, and the following three questions will become crucial:
An overview of commercial electronic document delivery suppliers and services
Authors: Price Sandra P. , Morris Anne , Eric Davies J.
Published: February 2008

There has been a proliferation in commercial electronic document delivery services. Over the past few years this consistent growth, combined with enhancements to existing services, has made it difficult for librarians to keep abreast of the latest developments and service availability. This paper presents an overview of document delivery services and suppliers, and provides discussion on the various types currently available. The paper is further divided into non‐collection‐based services, collection‐based services and specialised collection‐based services. Detailed information about particular services has been collated and presented in tabular form: this includes information regarding cost, delivery time, subject field and full contact details.
Writing the book on virtual business
Authors: Duffy Bob
Published: February 2008

‘Earth's largest bookstore’, as its proprietors term it, is accessible only through the World Wide Web.
Learn by wire: managing network access to learning materials
Authors: Eric Davies J.
Published: February 2008

The development of information technology (IT) networks in the delivery of a range of material to learners in higher education is explored. Factors which influence the application of IT are described and learner characteristics and needs are enumerated. The range of learning material appropriate to, and the mechanisms for, IT delivery are examined. Some examples of provision are noted. Strategic issues and the strengths and weaknesses of networked access are analysed. Prospects for developing systems and the requirements are discussed. The results of a small scale survey of provision in academic institutions are reported and discussed in a second part of the paper.
‘E’ for exposed? E‐mail and privacy issues
Authors: Gannon‐Leary Pat
Published: February 2008

In March 1996, American Libraries featured a piece about a librarian at the University of California/Irvine whose supervisor intercepted her e‐mail while she was absent on medical leave. As a result of this, UC's Office for Academic Computing began a review of e‐mail privacy on the nine‐campus system. This article and UC's reaction prompted my research into this topic.
The information crisis that flattens social barriers
Authors: Owen Tim
Published: February 2008

Will we ever truly have an information society? Superficially the answer seems to be ‘Yes’. Information has a higher profile in the media than ever before. It's almost impossible to live in an advanced society these days without knowing at least something about the Internet and its capabilities. Decision makers are increasingly recognising that information is what makes for competitiveness in business, efficiency in administration.
China's chemical information online service: Chl2Net
Authors: Naiyan Yu , Zhong Li , Zhuo Chen , Lixin Luo , Min Liu
Published: February 2008

The Chemical Integrated Information Service Network (Chl2Net) is a comprehensive information service system which includes chemical, technical, economic, market, news and management information based on computer and modern communication technology, and built by the China National Chemical Information Centre (CNCIC). This system provides varied services for users both at home and abroad through an online service, a hotline call service, a consulting service and publishing service.
The changing role of a professional society library
Authors: Lees Nigel
Published: February 2008

The Library and Information Centre (LIC) of the Royal Society of Chemistry has undergone much change in the past three years. This paper is based on the experiences of that period and describes some of the activities involved in changing a professional and learned society library into a business centre. The principal change has been the development of a priced information service called the Chemical Industry Enquiry Service (CIES). CIES serves non‐members of the Society from within the chemical industry. LIC staff, not used to running a priced enquiry service, have had to face many changes, not least in the development of a pricing policy. Increasingly, electronic sources of information are being made available in the LIC and are being used to answer technical and business enquiries. Online searching and CD‐ROM databases are now being joined by other resources such as the Internet and RSC electronic journals. Greater emphasis has also been placed on general marketing and promotional activities, in order to raise the profile of the LIC as well as generate revenue from specific services.
How the Web is changing the business of business information
Authors: Crane Dennis J.
Published: February 2008

Much is being written about the change introduced by the Internet and World Wide Web. The Web has changed the business information business; the Web can save the business information business. That may sound a radical view from an established information company like UMI: I'd like to explain why I believe the Web will truly move the business of providing business information to the next level.
High speed connection to the Internet
Authors: Falk Howard
Published: February 2008

If you have used a personal computer to try to retrieve information from the Internet, you know that the process can be slow and frustrating. One of the main reasons for delay is often slow communications between your computer and the Internet. The typical Internet‐connected computer uses a modem that runs at 9.6, 14.4 or 28.8 kilobits per second (kbps) to send and receive information over an ordinary telephone line. A slow modem creates an information bottleneck.
Librarians in projects
Authors: Stjernvall Gunnel
Published: February 2008

Librarians get involved. During a Spring conference in Sweden, organised by TLS, the Swedish equivalent of the Special Library Association, one conclusion everybody seemed to agree on was that librarians must get involved in corporate projects.
Conceptual models for network literacy
Authors: Devlin Brendan
Published: February 2008

Cognitive science indicates that users of any system create internal representations of it to enable them to structure knowledge. Conceptual models which include appropriate components, actions and interactions of a system provide students with a conceptual framework for accelerating learning. Such models have proved successful as pedagogical tools in other domains. The author describes a conceptual model of information retrieval within which is embedded a model of the Internet. The use of these models should help students form mature mental models so that they perceive information retrieval as a process and are able to make informed choices of when to use the Internet, and to decide on suitable search strategies for different question types.
The database, the network and the digital community: The new dynamics of information processing
Authors: Worlock David R.
Published: February 2008

As we stand on the threshold of a new millennium, it is tempting to speculate wildly about the impact of information technology on our information processing society. These millennial changes, historically, have ushered in great periods of optimism and it is typical of our century that today's optimism should be a technology optimism. We tend to believe that everything information technology can accomplish will be accomplished. Many believe that the pulling power of the technology is such that it will influence or even fundamentally alter underlying traits of human behaviour, redefining work, travel and leisure into new frameworks of activity governed by the digital paradigm.
Scientific preprints online: An overview
Authors: Canessa Enrique
Published: February 2008

This paper briefly focuses on the implementation of the ICTP Scientific Preprints Repository Online and on the recent Web service for a One‐Shot World Wide Preprints Search. Reviewed here are the strategies adopted and the effective results attained after a trial period of more than two years.
New technological horizons and opportunities for LIS
Authors: Hyams Elspeth
Published: February 2008

The Library & Information Systems Technology conference LIST '97 took place for the first time in September 1997 at the University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK, aimed at chief librarians, information centre managers, senior executives and corporate information providers who are affected by the issues raised by the use of technology in library and information work. On 11 September Elspeth Hyams, Director of the Institute of Information Scientists (http://www.iis.org.uk/), gave this talk on what the information professional must do to survive in the future. The talk was given as part of the topic stream ‘Networking the next millennium's libraries’. LIST '97 was organised by Infologistix: its home page is http://www.infologistix.co.uk/infologistix/list97.htm.
The Community Office: A logical extension of the electronic library
Authors: Price Michael
Published: February 2008

The Crickhowell Innovations Forum seeks to develop the concept of the Community Office as an intelligent human interface to encourage the personal, business and domestic telematic acumen of the individual, set against the background of the sustainable development of local communities within the context of a Local Agenda 21 project. The focus will be: to create a human interface to serve metropolitan, urban and rural locations that decreases the cognitive load of users and addresses the problem of potential information overload; and to extend existing and developing multimedia library services and systems as a new paradigm which enables information access in the widest sense.
Information providers: A growth area
Authors: Winzenried Arthur
Published: February 2008

In recent times there have been occasions when information providers have voiced concerns regarding their permanency. Modem technology appears to be threatening their existence. ‘Why employ an expensive information professional when I can simply connect my employees directly to the Internet and they can get the facts for themselves?’ And there are places where this is happening. However, I would suggest, on the basis of some considerable research, that this development is limited and likely to be of short duration. As soon as the first time and motion studies are carried out on this situation, it will be realised that it is very wasteful to allow specialists in a particular field to search for data they need via the Internet, when Internet specialists could do it faster and more reliably. By its very nature the Internet is vast, somewhat confusing to the less experienced and often very, very distracting.
The Internet in India: An update
Authors: Subba Rao S.
Published: February 2008

The Internet has existed in India for about 18 months. An attempt has been made here to give information about India's Internet service providers and information infrastructure, and to group the Internet information sources originating from India into various categories: viz. art, business, campus wide information systems, companies and organisations, data and software, directories, discussion lists/forums, electronic journals, e‐mail based infoservers, entertainment, investment, medical, multimedia, multipurpose, online information, religion and tourism. The paper also discusses the Internet in the social and commercial context of India and concludes with India's rapid response in providing its resources over the Net to establish its presence, the growth of Web sites, privatisation of access, and PC penetration in the SOHO and home segment.