Traces developments in cooperative preservation in microfilming projects from 1930s to mid-1980s. Participation by the Library of Congress, American Library Association, Association of Research Libraries, Council on Library Resources, National Endowment for the Humanities, American Theological Library Association, Research Libraries Group, and…

Presents a historical perspective of videodisc technology and technical examination of Optical Disc Corporation's (ODC) LaserVision system, an audio/video communication system which stores composite signals on videodisc. Also discussed are premastering, mastering, and replication steps in videodisc production; videodisc player design and…

Briefly outlines the history of microreproduction devices and media, their changing role in library environments, and the activities of librarians as users of micrographic materials. The current state of the art and prospects for the future are also discussed, and a reference list is included. (JL)

Survey of the history and current development of information technology covers hardware (economies of scale, communications technology, magnetic and optical forms of storage), and the evolution of systems software ("tool" software, applications software, and nonprocedural languages). The effect of new computer technologies on human…

This article presents a brief history of the videodisc and describes three major current manifestations of this storage medium--read-only, write-once, erasable. The current status of write-once technology, major corporations involved in the field, potential uses for various types of storage media, and software and market trends are highlighted.…

Summarizes the growth of databases, including major milestones, issues, and trends of the past 20 years, during which time the database/online industry had become a large and thriving segment of the information industry. A time line overview of database developments from 1951 to 1985 is appended. (42 references) (EJS)