The world of electronic technology is opening up vast new opportunities for learning, gathering, and sharing information. This guide is for teachers and students in grades 4-8 to learn how to use electronic tools to conduct research to find information at school or around the world. The guide includes introductory pages for each topic, student…

Currently available World Wide Web search engines determine a site's qualification as a response to a search request by matching keywords in the request to keywords representing the site. The returned sites are given a score and ranked according to the match on keywords. Many of these retrieved sites can be irrelevant to the user's true…

In 1990 a committee was formed to develop a list of information skills that could be used by New Hampshire library media professionals to help them develop plans for integrating such skills within their schools. Information skills are processes needed to access, evaluate, organize, communicate, and apply information efficiently and effectively.…

The need for establishing an overall plan for preparing the dissertation is established in this handbook, and specific suggestions are offered to doctoral candidates in all fields. Guidelines are presented on: how to choose an advisor and a dissertation committee, predissertation development activities, selection of a topic, preparation of the…

In compiling the final report of Wisconsin's ERIC on-line Information Retrieval Demonstration and Research Project, an extensive review of research on information science, user needs and perceptions, and information use and saturation was seen as a vital first step. Such knowledge might help explain the successes and failures of the Project, which…

The virtual Canadian union catalog (vCuc) project is a project among Canadian libraries to use Z39.50 (an information protocol standard) for searching distributed individual library catalogs and union catalogs. This paper summarizes the major technical, vendor, bibliographic data, and administrative issues that must be resolved before the…

This article examines the impact of end-users on the information profession and looks ahead to what the future holds. It examines three waves of end-users that emerged with new search technologies: (1) full-text, natural language online systems; (2) CD-ROMs; and (3) the Internet. In the 1980s, when full-text online systems such as Textline, NEXIS,…

Discusses the role of school media specialists in teaching students to navigate information resources available through online systems. Highlights include database searching; use of the Internet; multimedia workstations; integrated learning systems; teaching library skills; authoring software; and teacher utilities. (two references) (LRW)

Describes the thinking and research involved in implementing an electronic reference service to Raritan Valley Community College's Library Web Page. Discusses implementation of a jargon-free "Ask a Librarian" service with well-defined procedures and a plan for advertising the service. Ideas incorporated in the procedures and plans are…

This practicum was designed to increase the effective use of technology by language arts students in middle schools involved in independent research activities. Technology was made available to students in the classroom and in the library to use as a resource to investigate and research topics. Seventh grade students (n=57) were given instruction…

This study evaluates two databases, "Historical Abstracts" and REESWeb, to determine their effectiveness in supporting academic social science research. While many performance evaluations gather quantitative data from isolated query and response transactions, this study is a qualitative evaluation of the databases in the context of…

This practicum was designed to provide better access to current information for the students and staff in a middle school. The printed materials in the school's media center were outdated, in scarce supply, or had inadequate subject coverage. Electronic databases were available for online searching and information retrieval, but students did not…

Electronic databases have grown tremendously in both number and popularity since their development during the 1960s. Access to electronic databases in academic libraries was originally offered primarily through mediated search services by trained librarians; however, the advent of CD-ROM and end-user interfaces for online databases has shifted the…

Integrating the use of technology-based library resources into the curriculum is necessary for students to acquire vital information-seeking skills. Learning to select and use electronic information sources found on CD-ROM, mainframe computers, and via the Internet enables students to function better in today's information society. This paper…

This plan describes the status of multi-library cooperation and resource sharing in Idaho and outlines possible ways of developing an infrastructure which supports those activities. The end result will be regional multi-type library organizations with well-developed governance structures which support resource sharing activities locally,…