The introduction to this UNISIST seminar report discusses problems in training present and potential users of scientific and technical information and emphasizes the importance of better recognition and formulation of information needs in order to effectively assess and use available libraries, information systems, and services. Papers presented…

The purpose of this project was to develop a comprehensive system for recording enrollment and accomplishment information about Adult Basic Education (ABE) students for use in preparing state and federal reports. Project goals were: (1) to develop a systematic program of individualized instruments and procedures for functional data gathering on…

This comparative study of three major online bibliographic systems is designed to provide assistance to library administrators in the assessment of the potential impact of such systems upon the operations of their libraries. A side by side arrangement of the text allows an overview of any specific characteristic under consideration. These…

This feasibility study was conducted to (1) estimate the alternative costs in 1980 Canadian dollars of using four bibliographic utilities to accomplish the retrospective conversion (RECON) of eight British Columbia public libraries' manual card catalog files, (2) make recommendations as to which alternative should be selected and how it should be…

Institutional research and the role of information systems are examined and three types of information provided by institutional research offices are discussed: institutional studies, management analyses, and periodic management reports. The varying characteristics of research offices are described and the role of the institutional research office…

A promising recent development in tertiary education involves the application of problem-based learning as a curricular vehicle to develop student talent. Problem-based learning (PBL) is common in professional education, such as in medical, law, and business schools, and is becoming increasingly common in pre-college education. However, it is less…

This study collected Victorian (Australia) public library and public library user Internet connectivity data that: provides a baseline measure of public library Internet connectivity; describes public library type and level of Internet connectivity; details public library branch Internet connectivity; reviews the costs of public library Internet…

There are two main ways in which the practical component of computer science and information systems courses, the computer laboratory class, may be organized. They may be closed laboratories, which are scheduled and staffed in the same way as other classes, or open laboratories where the students come and go as they please. In U.S. universities,…

The development of a computer-based administrative system at the University of Albany--The Dictionary/Directory Facility-- is described. This system is viewed as a dynamic one that can function in an environment characterized by change. (SF)

The World Wide Web has generated a dramatic increase in the availability of electronic journals. Discusses the development of electronic publishing: CD-ROM systems, local data loading, and pre-Web online environments; and outlines remaining obstacles to libraries making the leap from paper to electronic collections: critical mass, aggregation,…

Examines consumer services delivered via the Internet. Discusses social and political factors (regulation, commercial alliances, copyright), specific applications (home banking and shopping, distance education, electronic mail, games, telecommuting), and constraints of data transmission. Since many applications are based on videoconferencing,…

The complexity of Seattle University's decision to replace three separate computerized student information systems with one integrated system was managed with a multicriteria method for evaluating alternatives. The method both managed a large amount of information and reduced people's resistance to change. (MSE)

College alumni associations can use new events management software for effective, innovative event planning. Possible applications are illustrated in the cases of three universities. Information is provided on planning time, budget, hardware and software used, software uses, evidence of event success, and lessons learned. Planning considerations…

Examines studies that evaluate public access systems spanning experiments, field tests, and prototypes, and discusses quality control, cost-effectiveness, and issues for future research. Results suggest that system designers and developers need to be more selective in the type of evaluations they conduct; and there is a need for comparative…

Distance educators need to forge new partnerships with the traditional university and collaborate in creating new systems, academic course software, and supporting networks for information transmission. (Author/AEF)