This digest discusses advantages and disadvantages of CD-ROM use in libraries and information centers and lists features of three CD-ROM versions of the ERIC database--Dialog OnDisc ERIC, OCLC Search CD450, and SilverPlatter ERIC. Brief descriptions of these products focus on the differences among them, including equipment requirements, search…

This digest discusses advantages and disadvantages of CD-ROM use in libraries and information centers and lists features of three CD-ROM versions of the ERIC database--Dialog OnDisc ERIC, OCLC Search CD450, and SilverPlatter ERIC. Brief descriptions of these products focus on the differences among them, including equipment requirements, search…

Describes six leading numeric databank services and compares them with bibliographic databases in terms of customers' needs, search software, pricing arrangements, and the role of the search specialist. A listing of the locations of the numeric databanks discussed is provided. (CLB)

Discusses the inability of the standard Boolean logic model of information retrieval to deal effectively with the inherent fallibility of retrieval decisions. Recent advances in information retrieval research are reviewed, and their practical potential for overcoming the deficiencies of the Boolean model is examined. (45 references) (Author/CLB)

Uses the example of obtaining an annual report for a special library to demonstrate that the same information is available in different locations, using different technologies, and at different costs. The importance of the management and cost-effective use of new information technologies as one of librarians' primary responsibilities is stressed.…

Discussion of cataloging U.S. government documents collections focuses on a study that examined two methods offered by commercial vendors for matching library holdings against machine-readable cataloging records produced by the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO). A third method, using specific Superintendent of Documents classification numbers,…

Describes features of the three major general business magazines and the online services they are currently associated with: "Business Week," which is available through America Online; "Fortune," available through CompuServe; and "Forbes," which has just become available through CompuServe. Discusses search features…

Discusses searching techniques in print indexes and describes the development of computer-assisted search (CAS) services and CD-ROM systems that focus on education. The ERIC database and other databases for education-related information are described, advantages of online searching are discussed, and the question of who should conduct the search…

This document explains why using the Internet, particularly the World Wide Web, can be a useful method of searching for a job, especially in technical occupations. Most of the websites offer a variety of services, although a few are limited to only one or two. Some are commercial and charge for their services, some do not. For general information…

This two-part study was designed (1) to determine differences in the costs of searching BRS After Dark (BRS AD) and Knowledge Index (KI) generally and across ten selected databases, and (2) to determine whether there is a difference in the citations retrieved when the same search is conducted on the same database in both systems. Study methodology…

Discussion of the online information industry emphasizes the effects of non-price competition on its structure and the firms involved. Q-analysis is applied to data on medical databases and hosts, changes over a three-year period are identified, and an optimum structure for the industry based on economic theory is considered. (Author/LRW)

Provides a guide to online search strategies for information about software packages and software reviews, including descriptions of appropriate databases and search access points for databases. (CLB)

Compares the performance of ABI/INFORM on the DIALOG, NEXIS and DIALCOM systems in terms of documentation, database and system design, convenience, and cost. Examples of searches on the various systems are given. (CLB)

This study tracks the increasing use of the term "information broker" in the professional library literature, and looks at the extent to which the professional literature reflects the increasing trend of information commodification. The content of three online databases was analyzed: LIBRARY LITERATURE, LISA, and ABI/INFORM. Four terms…

Describes the corporate origins, development, and unique features of three World Wide Web search tools. Open Text released LiveLink Search 64 in April 1996. Harvest indexes fewer sites than many competitors but offers powerful searching options. 2ASK is a service that provides links to over 100 Internet indexing tools and rates Web sites and…