Discusses a survey conducted by "Online Review" and the responses to the questionnaire by 7,000 individual users of online services. Information collected on the 497 organizations represented includes their nature, size and interest area, equipment and services used, future plans of online users, and the profile of typical terminal…

Outlines the operations of the computer search service at the University of Ottawa, including the clientele served and the nature of the service as a research adjunct to reference; publicity and statistics; physical layout; and systems and databases available for online searching. An annotated list of available databases is appended. (FM)

This paper describes the provision of end-user search services in the libraries of the University of Ottawa using BRS/After Dark. It is noted that the service--Online After Six--is available during the evening hours to university faculty, students, and staff and to the general public. Program planning stages, service regulations, fees charged, and…

Finding that the promotion of a national information industry can best be pursued through the planning and establishment of a national teledocumentation network, this study (based on the experiences of Spain) offers a model that may be of interest to UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) member states wishing to…

Describes an experimental "reference desk" on the American pattern in the Mulla Sadra Library of Pahlavi University. Results showed that the role of the reference librarian in the traditional societies needs to be more concerned with education of the library user and public relations than in the Western nations. (VT)

Surveys the impact of computers and related technology on reference work in Australia highlighting online information retrieval and related databases; Australian Information Network; coverage of Australian material in local and foreign databases; Australian Bibliographic Network; electronic mail; Australian Consortium for Social and Political…

This paper discusses one person's experience with the library and research services of the Australian Federal Parliament. The first section describes the multiple functions and roles of politicians, as well as their various information needs, e.g., the need for information on bills, for overseas travel, for writing speeches, and to develop special…

Introduces four models of data library development for meeting information needs for machine-readable data files--University of Florida facility, University of British Columbia Data Library, Data and Program Library Service at University of Wisconsin, and online numeric Kentucky Economic Information System at University of Kentucky. Four…

Discussion of the organization of the University of British Columbia Data Library jointly operated by the University Library and Computing Center covers historical development, collections policy, composition of the collection, technical services, user services, and current issues. Six references are cited. (EJS)

Compares the rapid development of online bibliographic information retrieval systems with that of videotex, still in its experimental stages. Examples of equipment used and services offered in Canada are given. (Author/JJD)

Ten online databases were evaluated for their scope, extent of coverage, timeliness, degree of relevance, and overlap using queries dealing with welfare and corrective services. Ten tables of statistical information are included. (JJD)

Forty-two searchers with varying degrees of experience in searching online bibliographic retrieval systems queried the ERIC database using DIALOG. The results were measured with variables which related to the search outcome (cost effectiveness, precision, and recall) and the search process. (JJD)

Discusses the amount of instruction that is part of reference service, based on experiences with the University of New Brunswick's LIVE (Library Information in a Virtual Environment) digital reference service. Concludes that digital reference instruction is not a substitute for more formal library instruction programs that include information…

Describes the Term Paper Clinic (TPC), a project in which students in a library reference class at the University of British Columbia offered reference assistance to other students. Appendixes include approaches and sources for the TPC search; instructions for the TPC search; a student library research guide; a report on user evaluations; and the…

Results of this study of the utilization pattern of adult public library users in Nigeria showed that the majority are students preparing for examinations who read their own books, do not borrow from the library, and are unaware of the existence of reference or audiovisual materials. The need for change is stressed. (Contains 14 references.) (EAM)