The EIN (Educational Information Network) is a non-profit operation which coordinates the sharing of educational computing resources. It is administered by EDUCOM and funded jointly by the U. S. Office of Education and the National Science Foundation. EIN maintains a group of contact personnel at member institutions to serve as a liaison between the institution and EIN. Through these persons items of software are offered for distribution. EIN also publishes a catalog of the software which is available through the network. The four-volume catalog contains an alphabetical listing of the participating EIN members that are represented in the catalog by program descriptions; descriptions of each computer facility listed and its general pricing algorithm; abstracts of available programs, subdivided into 13 areas of application; three indexes--by EIN number by descriptive title, and by keyword; and complete descriptions of programs, including user instructions, samples of input and output, and cost estimates. This first volume contains a description of EIN, facilities descriptions, abstracts, and indexes. Volumes two through four contain the complete program descriptions. (JY)