Two articles explore the category of "sensitive but unclassified" information that is being used by the federal government. The policy directive which defined this category and its application by government departments are described, and concerns about freedom of information are discussed. (CLB)

Summarizes the results of a study of the feasibility of establishing a worldwide information service to meet the increasing needs of architects, architectural planners, and environmental planners. The study was co-sponsored by UNESCO, the Spanish Ministry of Housing, and the International Union of Architects. (JL)

Describes a number of initiatives by the U.S. national security community that might restrict or monitor public access to sensitive but unclassified information. The current status of the initiatives, and their possible impact on freedom of information in a democratic society are discussed. (27 references) (Author/CLB)

Discusses molecular databases and the role that government and private companies play in their administration and development. Highlights include copyright and patent issues relating to public databases and the information contained in them; data quality; data structures and technological questions; the international organization of molecular…

Providing researchers, especially those in the social sciences, with access to publicly collected microdata furthers research while advancing public policy goals in a democratic society. However, while technological improvements have eased remote access to these databases and enabled computer using researchers to perform sophisticated statistical…

Analyzes the utility of policy principles advanced by professional associations for public access to government information. The National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS), the Information Industry Association (IIA), and the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) urge the adoption of principles for the dissemination of public…

Argues that making agricultural information produced by the federal government in electronic formats available through private vendors may lead to inequitable access for its users and challenges the federal government's role in the dissemination of agricultural information. An information public for agricultural information is defined, and…

An open forum was held to let concerned parties comment on the report, "Provision of Federal Government Publications in Electronic Format to Depository Libraries," and to solicit suggestions for possible pilot projects that could test the feasibility of the proposal. More than 150 agency representatives, congressional staffers,…

Includes five articles covering privacy issues surrounding the use of government data by the private commercial sector to profile individuals or households for marketing purposes. The creation of a privacy protection commission, Bureau of the Census measures to protect privacy, and the need for legislation, regulation, and enforcement are…

This paper, which was presented to National Aeronautics and Space Administration librarians as part of a telecommunications conference, describes features of the proposed National Research and Education Network (NREN). First, NREN's predecessor, the National Science Foundation network (the current NSFnet/Internet system), is discussed and the…

Discusses the reasons behind the trend of distribution of public domain statistics by private, commercial agencies in the United States and Great Britain, identifies marketable materials and marketing strategies, and explores possible disadvantages in terms of the public good and the possibility that governments will no longer collect statistical…

Examines current OCLC practices and future possibilities under the leadership of K. Wayne Smith. Topics discussed include the changing roles of libraries, business, and government; the electronic information future; network possibilities, including the NREN (National Research and Education Network); future collaborations; online databases; and…

Describes the development and current uses of computerized databases of information about individuals by the government and private agencies, especially credit bureaus, and discusses three major categories of abusive information practices that threaten personal privacy: information collection, information dissemination, and information management…

Discusses problems that have impeded the use of learning technologies in education, including costs, training educators, and the confusion of networks and databases. Greater involvement by the federal government is suggested as a solution; federal help in the past is described; and legislation currently proposed is explained. (LRW)

This paper addresses the need for a national comprehensive data collection system to guide policy on special education faculty supply and demand. It discusses current information about special education leadership personnel, the historical roots of leadership training, and the influence of federal grant programs. Topics to be included in such a…