Why has the rise of the Internet--which drastically reduces the cost of distributing information--coincided with drastic increases in the prices that academic libraries pay for access to scholarly journals? This study argues that libraries are trapped in a collective action dilemma as defined by economist Mancur Olson in "The Logic of…

This directory of the major bibliographic databases that are offered by more than one vendor lists the producer, subject, vendor, maximum and minimum online charges, online hit charge, and offline print charge. The pricing systems of nine vendors are described. The directory appears every February and August in "Online Review." (EM)

The history of DIALOG, Mead Data Central, and other vendors of online business databases is surveyed to illustrate their use of classic business strategy by balancing consolidation of assets and differentiation of products. A discussion of pricing strategies is also included. (EM)

Describes EasyNet, a gateway system to multiple online vendors. It allows occasional access without learning each system's commands or contracting with each vendor, with either the searcher selecting the database or letting the system select one. Costs are described and various special option plans for specific types of libraries are explained.…

Discusses new pricing models for some online services and considers the possibilities for the traditional online database market. Topics include multimedia music databases, including copyright implications; other retail-oriented databases; and paying for free databases with advertising. (LRW)

Discusses Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) that converts existing telephone lines into digital circuits which transmit data at 256Kbps to 7 Mbps. Describes ADSL, unique features of "Megabit Services" and initial deployment, costs, and impact on library services (extra bandwidth for Internet services, multimedia or other…

This booklet describes online searching using Materials Information, a metallurgy and metals science information service of the Institute of Metals in London and ASM International in Cleveland, Ohio, which is available through the major online vendors. Described in detail are online searching, online databases, costs, online hosts or vendors,…

Six prominent consultants consider the technical dimensions of retrospective conversion, the appropriate standards to employ, the proper relationship of conversion activities to the entire automation project, and several options available for converting a bibliographic database into machine-readable format: online or batch shared cataloging…

Describes factors to consider when doing business research on the World Wide Web. Highlights include cost, variety of information and viewpoints, timeliness of information, ease of use, time used in searching, quality and value, online vendors and online services, ownership and copyright, and an appendix that annotates 16 Web sites. (LRW)

Two tables compare projected costs of online versus offline retrieval of citations from 50 databases using BRS and DIALOG. Data include database; databank; cost of access per hour; cost of 15-minute search with no retrieval; and cost of 15-minute search plus cost of 10 and 30 online or offline citations. (CLB)

Discusses taking content online and payment models online based on sessions at the 1996 Internet World International conference in London (England). Highlights include publishers' decisions to reproduce materials on the World Wide Web; designing Web sites; guidelines for online content; online pricing; and the pros and cons of charging online…

Describes the availability of databases held on DIALOG, ESA-IRS, and DATA-STAR. Database overlap among the systems, prices, database contents, and data transmission costs are addressed; and results of a search of the ENVIROLINE database on each system are presented. The appendix lists subjects referenced on each system and compares database…

Examines whether pricing Internet goods and services can adapt in real time to variations in the demand for different goods and services, so that revenue to the publishers and providers is increased. Establishes that presenting two test prices to 20 or 25 customers each will generate data which permit achievement of a high proportion of the…

Describes the results of a study that tested the customer service responses from 11 companies selling online information including online hosts, database producers, and World Wide Web search engine companies. Highlights include content-oriented issues, costs, training, human interaction, and the use of technology to save time and increase…

Examines the strength of Data-Star, a European database service, in the following categories: company-specific information; market research and investment bank reports; international newspapers and journals; and legal aspects of trade with the European community. Five tables detailing findings are included, and pricing and special features are…