Chatbots have experienced significant growth over the past decade, with a proliferation of new applications across various domains. Previous studies also demonstrate the trend of new technologies, especially artificial intelligence, being adopted in libraries. The purpose of this study is to determine the current research priorities and findings…

Describes two systems--Wide Area Information Servers (WAIS) and Rosebud--that provide protocol-based mechanisms for accessing remote full-text information servers. Design constraints, human interface design, and implementation are examined for five interfaces to these systems developed to run on the Macintosh or Unix terminals. Sample screen…

Presents Dr. Ben Shneiderman and Dr. James Hendler debate on what the future Web should look like; how do we get there; to what extent should the Web mimic human behavior; during the closing session of the American Society for Information Science and Technology (ASIST) Annual Meeting, (Washington, DC, November 3-8, 2001). (JMK)

Discussion of human-computer interfaces focuses on the use of graphical and direct manipulation approaches to improve the user interface. Topics discussed include information seeking; computerized search capabilities, including full-text string searches, index searches, and hypertext; Boolean expressions; dynamic or direct manipulation queries;…

Provides a synopsis of a session that addressed the interaction between users of information retrieval systems and intermediaries, including presentations on (1) the role of face-work; (2) user-intermediary-computer interaction; (3) issues of democracy in interpersonal interaction; and (4) a conversation-analytic approach to the pre-online search…

This paper explores interactivity, and considers what should be done to create a mass market for interactive media. It is suggested that one way to do so is to examine the video game phenomenon, and a model of interactivity is proposed. The model, a "home interactive theater," would involve interaction in the telling of a story, with the…

Reviews current systems designed to help end-users search online databases without the assistance of an intermediary and describes a prototype system which emulates the Deco (the text storage and retrieval system used by Unilever) interface on Dialog and Data-Star. Initial trials of the prototype system are reported. (15 references) (MES)

Examines the implications of incorporating user-centered design within information systems design practices. Highlights include a definition of user-centered design based on human-computer interface; questions asked about users, including outcome, process, and task variables; and three criteria for when to use this approach in information systems…

Presents the reflections of a designer of visual interfaces for online public access catalogs regarding the importance of a historical perspective for design practices. Topics discussed include cognitive psychology research; conventions for organizing information; and the ongoing process of changes in media. (LRW)

Discusses effective communication with interactive video and suggests possible barriers. Topics addressed include identifying the user; the need for standards; algorithms; the rapid development of hardware; navigation in interactive media; and interactivity with the user. (LRW)

Explores the fundamentals of browsing as a basis for the creation of an intelligent computer system to assist with the online retrieval of information, and describes a prototype system. The discussion covers various browsing retrieval strategies used and user reactions to the prototype. (Seven references) (Author/CLB)

Describes the inability of traditional subject index terms to represent relational information among concepts, and the development of frame based knowledge representation methods that provide relational semantic representations of documents and user queries. The discussion covers research in user interfaces and automatic document classifications,…

Describes the experiences of the University of Southern California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Biomedical Library in testing MEDLINE on CD-ROM. Preparations for testing are discussed, as well as patron response to the system, measured by evaluation forms, and implications for libraries providing new technological tools for patrons. (MES)

FRED (a Front End for Databases) was conceived to alleviate data access difficulties posed by the heterogeneous nature of online databases. A hardware/software layer interposed between users and databases, it consists of three subsystems: user-interface, database-interface, and knowledge base. Architectural alternatives for this database machine…

Proposes a conceptual reference architecture for information retrieval systems and discusses functional capabilities of a hypertext environment, based on the proposed architecture, for interaction with large textual databases. Functions of the prototype system HYPERLINE are described, and an example of a user session is provided. (17 references)…