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Current Cities Volume 01 Number 03
_Current_Cites_
Volume 1, no. 3
October 1990
Library Technology Watch Program
University of California, Berkeley
Edited by David F.W. Robison
ISSN: 1060-2356
Contributors:
Mark Mentges, Teri Rinne, Vivienne Roumani, Lisa Rowlison, Roy Tennant
Optical Disc Technology
Dreiss, Jack L. "CD-ROM: Potential and Pitfalls." CD-ROM
Professional 3(5) (September 1990):70-73. This article is a
summary from the Arthur Andersen White Paper entitled, "CD-ROM:
Confronting the Potential Dilemma." The article outlines past
pitfalls of the new technology (lack of standards, fear of
obsolescence, expense) and factors that will fuel growth in the
future. The authors assert that CD-ROM is much more than a passing
fancy and predict that it will be the hot information technology of
the early 1990s, and its effect will be nothing less than
revolutionary.
Rosen, Linda. "CD-ROM Report: A Guide to the emerging optical
technologies." Database 13(5) (October 1990):116-119. The author
sets out to "demystify new electronic and optical technologies and
to provide information on the current and future availability of
actual products." The technologies covered include CD-ROM, CD-I,
CD-IV, CD-ROM XA, DVI, and WORM. The author concludes with the
prediction that CD-ROM will continue to be the most widely used of
the optical technologies in the information industry, while the
newer technologies will go straight to the consumer.
Stewart, Linda, ed. Public Access CD-ROMs in Libraries: Case
Studies. Westport, CT: Meckler Corporation, 1990. This recently
published work presents case studies of libraries which have
installed CD-ROM workstations in public access areas. Its primary
aim is to aid in the planning and decision-making regarding the
purchase and management of CD-ROM. The case studies are grouped
into two parts: the first part presents case studies grouped into two
sections by type of library while the second part concentrates on
particular aspects of implementation (e.g. networking, remote
access).
Tenopir, Carol. "CD-ROM Manifesto." Library Journal 115(14):195-
97. In her monthly column, Tenopir provides the text of the CD-ROM
Manifesto presented at the National Online Meeting in New York this
May by the Corporate Librarians Group of New York. The document
calls for progress in the design, production, marketing, and support
of CD-ROM products, especially in relation to standards, interfaces,
and networking.
Expert Systems
Bailey, Charles W. Jr. and Kathleen Gunning. "The Intelligent
Reference Information System." CD-ROM Librarian 5(8) (September
1990):10-19. One of the limitations of expert systems has been the
inability to link them either with other expert systems or with
other computer products. This limitation is clearly being overcome
with the IRIS Project which takes the power of expert systems in
combination with CD-ROM technology to develop improved reference
services. Interesting reading especially now that our libraries offer
multiple CD-ROM database services.
Davis, Randall, ed. "Expert Systems: How Far Can They Go?" AI
MAGAZINE 10(1) (Spring 1989):61-63.This panel from the
International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence presents
some of the limitations and areas of future development of expert
systems. The philosophic nature of the article is its main attraction,
as it presents an excellent introduction to the question of whether
expert systems can really ever be "experts."
Johntston, Mark and John Weckert. "Selection Advisor: An Expert
System for Collection Development." Information Technology &
Libraries 9(3) (September 1990):219-225. This article discusses the
development of an expert system to be used in COLLECTION
DEVELOPMENT. Slightly technical, but not dauntingly so. This
application of expert systems is interesting for at least two
reasons: its ability to "archive" selection decisions, and its ability
to lend consistency to the overall selection process.
Networks and Networking
Bailey, Charles W. Jr. "The Public-Access Computer Systems Forum:
A Computer Conference on BITNET." Library Software Review 9(2)
(Mar/Apr 1990):71-74. Your ticket to having e-mail every day! The
Public-Access Computer Systems Forum (PACS-L) is a fun and
interesting discussion of library technology issues with
participants from around the globe. This article (by the moderator
of the "list") gives the basics of joining (and leaving) the conference.
Kesselman, Martin. "European Online Services." Wilson Library
Bulletin 65(1) (September, 1990):82-84, 134. Describes what the
author has found in his research of European online catalogs and
databases, and what further information he plans to disseminate.
These resources remain largely untapped in North America and
include such databases as: BLC (BLAIS-LINE), DIMDI (FRG), Pergamon
Financial Data Services, and others.
Kirk, Thomas and Thomas Michalak. "The Coalition for Networked
Information." C&RL News 51(8) (September, 1990):751-753. This
article describes the newly formed Coalition (of which Berkeley is a
founding member) and its opening meeting. CNI is formally named
The Coalition for Networked Information to Advance Scholarship and
Intellectual Productivity. Member organizations include: ARL,
CAUSE, EDUCOM, and ACRL.
Nielsen, Brian. "Finding it on the Internet: the Next Challenge for
Librarianship." Database 13(5) (October, 1990):105-107. A short
discussion of the Internet and its relationship to libraries in the
present and the future. This article also brings up the salient issues
of "ownership" and cataloging with respect to online catalogs,
databases, and electronic material.
Hyper- and Multimedia
Halbert, Martin. "Multimedia: The Agony and the Ecstasy for
Information Professionals." CD-ROM Professional 3(5)(Sept 1990):6-
9. This article addresses both the promise and problems of
interactive multimedia: the range of possibilities of the new
technology is promising but is also the source of problems in that
the lack of standards will delay and confuse the adoption of the
technology. Nevertheless, the author encourages librarians and
computer center professionals to become familiar with the
strengths and weaknesses of competing standards in multimedia.
Information Transfer
Brock, Dee. "Using Technology to Deliver Education." ASIS Bulletin
(August/September 1990):9-11. Discusses the relevance of "distant
education" in the nineties.
Froehlich, Fritz E. and K. Leon Montgomery. "The Emergence of
Telecommunications as a Discipline." ASIS Bulletin (June/July
1990):6-7. An editorial introducing the next three articles
discussing the impact of telecommunications on information and
library systems systems.
Hawkins, Phillip B. "Tools of the Trade: A Look at the Niscan/GS
Scanner." Computer Currents (September 11-24 1990):46-48.
Jacob, M.E.L. "Libraries and National Library Networks." ASIS Bulletin
(June/July 1990):8-9.
Kinney, Thomas. "Telecommunications Strategies for Academic
Libraries." ASIS Bulletin (June/July 1990):12-13.
Lunin, Lois F. "Integrating Images with the Information System."
ASIS Bulletin (June/July 1990):21-22.
Saffo, Paul. "The Collision of PC and Fax." Computer Currents
(September 25-October 8 1990):62-64.
Stigleman, Sue. "Text Management Software." Public-Access
Computer Systems Review 1(1) (1990):5-22.
Vrenios, Alex and Rita Wright."TexLib: A Texas Library of Online
Business Research Data." Library Software Review (May/June
1990):144-146. This paper describes how a business library was
able to offer its users larger quantities of data that are both timely
and accurate without staff increase.
Welsch, Erwin K. and Ellen Schultz. "Developing Gateways to Online
Information Utilities." Library Software Review (March-April
1990):83-90. This paper suggests that instead of using commercial
programs, local systems can be developed that utilize many gateway
features, at less cost and more system specific.
General Quint, Barbara. "Online Pricing Breakthroughs." Wilson
Library Bulletin 65(1) (September, 1990):85-88. Discusses changes
in pricing of online information and strategies for encouraging more
competitive pricing.
News Bits
Turner, Judith Axler. "Apple Announces New Program for Higher-
Education Software." The Chronicle of Higher Education (0ctober 3,
1990):A24.
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Current Cites 1(3) (October 1990) ISSN: 1060-2356
Copyright (C) 1992 by the Library, University of
California, Berkeley. All rights reserved.
Copying is permitted for noncommercial use by computerized
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material. All commercial use requires permission from the editor,
who may be reached in the following ways:
drobison@library.berkeley.edu // drobison@ucblibra // (510)642-7600
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