Electronic Library

Index

Volume 13 Number 5 1995

The Electronic Library
Volume13, No.5; October 1995
ISSN: 0264-0473

Guest Editorial
The digital library: dos, don'ts and developments
  by Colin Steele...............................................435-437
Abstract: The term 'digital library' now seems to have become an
encompassing term for what was once known as the 'virtual' or the
'electronic' library.  In a stimulating essay on 'Information Specialists
of the Future', given at the impressive (in terms of contributions) Essen
Symposium on the Information Superhighway: The Role of Librarians,
Information Scientists and Intermediaries (Essen, Universitatsbiblithek,
1995) Shell Corral wondered if the profession is 'suffering from some sort
of identity crisis' in definitional terms.

                             News
The electronic library scene....................................439-440
ISI and IBM Global Network agreement............................440
Library and information management systems......................440-441
Contracts/installations.........................................441-442
Glad tidings from Gabriel.......................................442
Local and CDROM databases.......................................442-443
Online and Internet resources...................................443-445
Protect your Windows with WinShield.............................444
Hardware and software...........................................445-446

                             Article
Application of CDROM technology in the multimedia library of La Villette
Centre for Science and Industry
  by Homa Malek.................................................447-452
Abstract: The Centre for Science and Industry in Paris, which is one of the
most attractive high-tech science museums in Europe, hosts a unique
multimedia library holding some 330,000 documents in scientific and
technological fields (books, periodicals, films, educational software,
cassettes and CDROMs) with an average of 4000 users per day.  Ever since
its opening to the public in 1986, the library has been fully automated
with an integrated system and presently it operates under GEAC GLIS
(running on a GEAC 9000 computer) for acquisition, cataloguing, OPAC and
circulation.  The OPAC is also available on videotex (French minitel).
  After a brief review of the background of CDROM installation in French
public libraries, the particular case of the use of CDROMs at la Villete
Library is discussed.  CDROMs made available to the public are
differentiated from those used by the staff, mainly for cataloguing and
reference purposes.  Other than cost, problems related to the design of
hardware and software configuration, as well as the importance of testing
pilot products, are analysed.  Finally, future developments including the
replacement of the existing hardware, upgrading of the software and the
necessity of systematic evaluation of CDROM usage by patrons are discussed.

                             Article
Publishing your database on CDROM for profit: the FISHLIT and NISC
experience
  by Margaret Crampton..........................................453-458
Abstract: The JLB Smith Institute of Ichthyology Library at Rhodes
University in Grahamstown has maintained the FISHLIT bibliographic database
since 1985.  In 1990 the decision was taken to publish the database on
CDROM with NISC (National Information Services Corporation) in Baltimore.
FISHLIT was the first South African database to be published by NISC.
  FISHLIT is now on the CDROMs Fish and Fisheries Worldwide and Aquatic
Biology, Aquaculture and Fisheries Resources in an anthology of related
databases.  The software is user-friendly and powerful, and advanced
compression techniques allow large quantities of data on one disc.  This
article will show how others can benefit from the advantages of CDROM
publishing.

                             Article
Subject searching for information: what does it mean in today's Internet
environment?
  by Carla Basili...............................................459-466
Abstract: The information available through the Internet continues to
proliferate.  As it does so, it gains increasing importance and legitimacy
throughout the scientific community.  Researchers can obtain information
from the network just as easily as from a library.  The network is thus
growing into one of a multiplicity of sources of knowledge of use to the
scientific community.  Above all, it is about to become an invisible
everyday desktop work tool (much in the same way as wordprocessing
programs did before it).
  Hence the increasingly pressing need for systematic, standardised
mechanisms to identify, locate and describe the network's information
resources.

                             Article
Cataloguing Internet resources: the library approach
  by Vianne T. Sha..............................................467-476
Abstract: Many approaches have been taken by different groups to collect,
organise, archive, disseminate and preserve electronic resources on
Internet.  Some projects, such as WebCrawler, Lycos, etc., purport to index
or organise the electronic resources automatically.  Another approach, led
by the Clearinghouse for Subject-Oriented Internet Resource Guides,
involves human intelligence to identify and compile Internet resources by
subjects for public access.  The third category is the traditional library
cataloguing approach.  This paper demonstrates the benefits of the MARC
formats, the importance of the integration of information resources, and
the guarantee of public access as the major reasons for using the
traditional cataloguing approach to organise Internet resources.  Since
cataloguing the Internet is a huge project, and various groups are involved
in this process, the roles of each related group are discussed.

                             Article
Application of Micro-CDS/ISIS and HEURISKO for the preparation of CDROMs
  by Gabriel Stergiou and Stefka Kaloyanova.....................477-482
Abstract: This paper discusses the experience gained in the application of
Micro-CDS/ISIS as authoring software and HEURISKO as a user search
interface for in-house production of CDROMs at FAO.  It identifies the
functions requiring improvement and some additional features that would
make retrieval more user-friendly.  Most of these improvements, taking also
into consideration feedback from users, were subsequently implemented
resulting in a new version of HEURISKO.
  The paper supports the suitability of Micro-CDS/ISIS and the new HEURISKO
for low-cost production and distribution of CDROMs, particularly for small
and medium size databases.  It invites sharing of experience with other
CDROM producers using *p-5Xthe same software in view of the further
improvement of HEURISKO.  Although the forthcoming Micro-CDS/ISIS Windows
version will provide an alternative user search interface, HEURISKO will
still be needed for DOS users.

                        Brief Communication
Issues in multiple use and network pricing for CDROMs
  by Jennifer Rowley............................................483-488
Abstract: In order to achieve an appropriate level of revenue, CDROM
publishers need to attempt to control access to their databases when they
are used in a networked environment.  This has led to the creation of
interestingly complex pricing strategies for the networked use of CDROM.
This article first identifies some of the key issues for pricing of CDROM
and then focuses on the issue of network pricing, using as case studies the
network pricing strategies for BIOSIS, SilverPlatter, Dialog OnDisc and
Reedbase.  It is not clear whether the issue of appropriate pricing
strategies for CDROM will ultimately be viewed as so intractable that
suppliers will seek alternative distribution options.

                             Article
Online imaging database serves film and television industries
  by Chuck Hearst...............................................489-491
Abstract: As well as making products that come in little yellow boxes,
Eastman Kodak is also a software developer.  One of it software products is
the Eastman Exchange, a database that lets film and television
professionals access remotely images and information that they need to plan
shoots.  The Eastman Exchange presently consists of location images and
data provided by US and international film commissions, but will soon be
expanded to include images and information about props, costumes, talent,
audio recordings, photo stills and video clips.  The database engine and
interface have been designed to be highly adaptable: they can be customised
to support any application involving the cataloguing of images for remote
access and display.

                        Industry Musings
Links in a tangled Web
  by Peter Kruger...............................................492-493
Abstract: It seemed like a good test of the Internet - and my knowledge of
the World Wide Web.  The task was to find out which films were showing in
Cambridge over the following days.  I remembered seeing a reference to a
film guide somewhere on the Web - but the question was where? The World
Wide Web is like a room into which people are constantly piling books in a
haphazard and random manner.  So many items had landed in the 'What's New'
section since the film guide that I had completely lost track of where I
had seen it.  After checking a couple of media lists and a few local
directories I resorted to posting a request for the information in a local
news group.  The post was answered straight away.  Someone had the
information in a database and cut and pasted it into a reply - perhaps
without even looking at the address itself.  The address threw up an error
and the software I was using to access the Web told me the file did not
exist.

The Information Society.........................................494-497
Abstract: Continuing our review of initiatives and projects that will help
the growth of the Information Society.  If you know of such a project, or
are involved in one that you would like to see here, please contact the
Managing Editor, Ben Jeapes, at the publisher's address or by e-mail at
tel@learned.co.uk

New on the Net..................................................498-504
Abstract: We list the newly announced Net resources that have caught our
eye in the last couple of months as being useful to the electronic
librarian.  If you know of any sites which you feel should be added, please
e-mail tel@learned.co.uk

Book Review
Internet Connections: A Librarian's Guide to DIAL-UP ACCESS and USE
  by Nick J. Vincelli...........................................505-506

Calendar........................................................507-514

Transcribed by Emma McCulloch
22nd November 1995

Submitted by: cijs27  (cijs27@ccsun.strath.ac.uk)
               Wed, 22 Nov 1995 16:36:12 +0000 (GMT)