Describes the development of "Online" magazine, considers the impact it has had on its target audience of online searchers, and discusses changes in the online information field during the last 20 years. Topics include growth of the Internet; price competition; quality of information; and user interfaces. (LRW)

Reports results from the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) E-Metrics study to investigate issues associated with the usage statistics provided by database vendors. Considers standardization of key usage statistics and reporting format and validation of reported statistics; and offers recommendations for libraries and calls for continuous…

Explains portals as tools that gather a variety of electronic information resources, including local library resources, into a single Web page. Highlights include cross-database searching; integration with university portals and course management software; the ARL (Association of Research Libraries) Scholars Portal Initiative; and selected vendors…

Suggests questions that should be asked by those considering the purchase of a library system and identifies sources of information on library systems. Lists of questions that can be asked of online vendors and users to evaluate any system are provided. (12 references) (CLB)

Presents suggestions from online searchers for using online services. Topics discussed include decreasing costs by using less expensive files; modifying searches on Dialog; use of controlled vocabularies and free text; using a variety of databases; the importance of search intermediaries understanding the topic; and patent searching. (LRW)

Describes specific techniques for using the MAP command for business searches on DIALOG that use more than one file. Limits of the MAPping function are discussed, and modification of these techniques for application to other databases and systems is explained. (Four references) (LRW)

The first of two articles describes how a team effort by computing centers and academic libraries could aid faculty in the organization of their personal databases. The second provides an overview of the academic library automation market, identifying vendors active in the market and trends of recent years. (CLB)

Explores the meanings that have been attached to the term "archival" and concludes that librarians participating in the national preservation effort use this term to mean permanent. Permanence is practically defined as storage for upwards of 100 years. Given this definition, the merits of microforms and optical disks as archival storage materials…

Examines the practice and implications of issuing corrections, retractions, and amplifications in online databases. All database producers do not provide mechanisms to accommodate retractions and corrections, and it can be difficult for a searcher to find evidence of error correction. Sidebars illustrate both the lack of and evidence of…

Discusses the use of computer-based telecommunications through the Internet and commercial online services to bring immediacy and individualization to the school curriculum. Topics include integrating telecommunications into the curriculum, basic Internet tools, e-mail, the World Wide Web, and resources on the Internet for curriculum planning.…

Provides critical reviews of four online databases: (1) Quotations Database, available through DIALOG and CompuServe; (2) Consumer Reports, through Prodigy, CompuServe, and Nexis; (3) HealthNet, from CompuServe; and (4) encyclopedias through America Online, CompuServe, GEnie, and DELPHI. Special features of access techniques or content of the…

Discusses the features of America Online, a commercial online service designed primarily for use with a Macintosh computer. Several documentation guides are identified, and a step-by-step tour of the service is provided with samples of various screens in the program. (12 references/notes) (EA)

Provides an overview of 50 bibliographic databases and library cataloging services currently available on CD-ROM. Entries include the name of the database; producer; frequency of updates; period covered; number of items included; subscription price; and a summary of the contents. Addresses of producers are also provided. (MES)

Discusses the need for comprehensive and accurate sources of information for librarians looking for information about online databases or CD-ROMs and compares, examines, and makes recommendations regarding three print and electronic directories--the "Gale Directory of Databases," Bowker's "World Databases," and Waterlow New…

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)