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Current Cities Volume 02 Number 06
_Current_Cites_
Volume 2, no. 6
June 1991
Library Technology Watch Program
University of California, Berkeley
Edited by David F.W. Robison
ISSN: 1060-2356
Contributors:
Teri Rinne, Vivienne Roumani, Lisa Rowlison, Mark Takaro, Roy Tennant
Hyper- and Multimedia
Fersko-Weiss, Henry. "Software: 3-D Reading with the
HypertextEdge" PC Magazine 10(10) (May 28, 1991):241-282. The
most thorough and current review of Hypertext and Hypermedia
packages for the PC. Software writers for the IBM world are
catching up with Apple's pioneering HyperCard and this detailed
review as well as sidebars on general concepts of hypermedia
authoring, provide an excellent source for information about these
packages. The distinction between hypertext and hypermedia
eases as many packages offer linking capabilities to video disk
sources, sound and graphics packages and other applications. These
are clearly the second generation of PC-based hypermedia
applications, displaying some sophisticated capabilities like
Boolean searching, generous indexing and other new features.
Information Transfer
"Double-Sided Document Scanner from Germany" Information Media &
Technology 24(3) (May 1991):95. In the Document Imaging section
we find a description of the MS-Race-DS, a double sided document
scanner produced by a German company, MSMikrofilm GmbH.
"IBM turns up the heat on ImagePlus" Information Media & Technology
24(3) (May 1991):113-118. A detailed description of IBMs
ImagePlus image processing system and its capabilities.
Jul, Erik. "Howard Besser Explores the Development of Image
Databases" OCLC Newsletter 190 (March/April 1991):16-18. Dr.
Besser, Assistant Professor, School of Library and Information
Science, University of Pittsburgh, offers his expert view (20 years
experience with image databases) on digital image technology, its
limitations and its future.
"Paperless Fax" Information Media & Technology 24(3) (May 1991):98.
This newsbrief in the Facsimile section introduces the MetaFax.
Roche, Marilyn. "Ariel: The Document Transmission Workstation"
Posting on ILL-L@UNMVM (May 24, 1991) item #000347. A useful
and detailed explanation of the RLG Document Transmission
Workstation including equipment specifications and current prices.
Networks and Networking
Braunstein, Yale M. "Resolving Conflicts between Information
Ownership and Intellectual Freedom" Library Trends 39(1-2)
(Summer/Fall 1990):126-131. The "tension between information
ownership and intellectual freedom emerges both from the balancing
of economic and political interests and as a result of the underlying
structure of communications and information industries." While not
a new issue, the advent of mass electronic data and information
sharing only adds to this tension. Braunstein investigates some of
the legal and intellectual aspects of this issue.
CREN Board of Trustees, BITNET Network Information Center
(INFO@BITNIC) "Why Continued Membership in CREN is Important"
NetMonth / An Independent Guide to BITNET 38 (July 1991):3-5
(BITLIB@YALEVM). As plans and some implementation of the
NREN/NSFNet progress, it is important that institutions
participating in the national networks understand the ramifications
of membership in the various networks currently available. Those at
CREN (BITNET and CSnet) "believe that it is important to maintain
your CREN membership at least until the NREN exists with access
rules, funding, and usage policies which enable a smooth and
complete transition from current connectivity and capabilities to
the new expanded capabilities we aspire to achieve on the NREN."
The promise of an open-access NREN is not secure. On reserve in
LSL.
Eaton, Nancy L. "Freedom and Equality of Access to Information: The
Lacy Commission Report" Library Trends 39(1-2) (Summer/Fall
1990):111-125. Eaton looks at the impact of the Lacy Commission
Report, which centered "upon dissemination of, and access to,
information," ALAs response, and the ensuing discussion of
information in the electronic age.
Optical Disk Technologies
Flanders, Bruce "General Periodicals Ondisc: UMI's one-stop wonder"
CD-ROM Librarian 6(4) (April 1991):27-32. As the title clearly
indicates, this is a very enthusiastic review of the University
Microfilms, Inc. family of full-
text CD-ROM data-bases. General Periodicals Ondisc links an
abstract and index database to a full-text image database of
complete articles of key publications. The articles appear just as
they do in the original publication-only in black and white-complete
with photographs, charts, graphics and
maps.
Kesselman, Martin "CD-ROM/Online Update" Wilson Library Bulletin
65(7) (March 1991):94-97. Among the new products Kesselman
discusses is the Kubik Compact Disc Changer Jukebox, which has the
potential to take CD-ROM jukebox technology a giant step forward.
Currently in the prototype phase of development, this jukebox
format has a capacity of 240 discs and includes a multiple server
with up to five Phillips drive mechanisms. It would greatly enhance
access to large CD-ROM sets such as UMI's full-textcollections.
King, Alan "Kicking the tires: the fine art of CD-ROM product
evaluation" Online 15(3) (May 1991):102-104. The author outlines
the basic foundation for planning and executing a CD-ROM product
evaluation during a trial run period offered by the manufacturer.
Quint, Barbara "Controversy over NLM CD-ROM licensing prices" CD-
ROM Librarian 6(4) (April 1991):24-26. This articles discusses the
National Library of Medicine's controversial fee restructuring for
networked CD-ROMs. Annual fees for providing access to CD-ROM
Medline databases through local area networks have jumped from
$100 to many thousands of dollars in some cases. Medical librarians
are outraged and the information community fears that NLMs move
may be precedent-setting.
General
Duggan, Mary Kay. "Copyright of Electronic Information: Issues and
Questions" Online 15(4) (May 1991):20-26. Electronic information is
discussed in relation to the issues of copyright, fair use, and the
protection of intellectual property vs.the free exchange of ideas.
The author anchors these broad topics in everyday reality by citing
specific examples of current uses of CD-ROMs and other electronic
databases.
Seiden, Peggy, ed. Survey of Libraries Providing Locally Mounted
Databases. RASD Occasional Papers, 8. Chicago: American Library
Association, Reference and Adult Services Division, 1991. The
growing phenomenon of libraries mounting additional databases on
their online catalog systems is documented by this survey of U.S. and
Canadian libraries conducted during 1989. Analytic essays
accompany the survey data.
Forthcoming
Connolly, Frank, Steven W. Gilbert and Peter Lyman. "A Bill of Rights
for Electronic Citizens." An edited version of this draft document
(March 13, 1990) will be appearing in the next two issues of EDUCOM
Review. A thoughtful, stimulating, and wide-ranging review of
issues regarding intellectual property, copyright, free scholarly
exchange, and a host of related issues within the environment of a
national research and education network. Definitely a must read for
librarians interested in networking issues.
Farley, Laine, ed. "Strategies for Selecting and Using Library
Resources on the Internet" Reference and Adult Services Division,
Machine-Assisted Reference Section, Direct Patron Access to
Computer-Based Reference
Systems Committee, July 1991. The draft of the MARS Direct Patron
Access Committee's guide to library catalogs on the Internet can
now be FTP'd from: host dla.ucop.edu, directory pub/internet/libcat-
guide.
Kalin, Sally W. and Roy Tennant. "Beyond OPACS...The Wealth of
Information Resources on the Internet." Database 14, no. 4 (August
1991) (in press). Strategies for identifying non-bibliographic
databases on the Internet are described. Issues regarding evaluation,
access problems, ethics, support and training are discussed.
Selected databases are highlighted with brief descriptions and
access instructions.
New Journals Announced
Electronic Networking: Research, Applications, and Policy, edited by
Charles McClure (CMCCLURE@suvm.acs.syr.edu), has been announced
by Meckler Publishing Co. Beginning in the Fall of this year, "the
purpose of the journal is to describe, evaluate, and foster
understanding of the role and applications of electronic networks.
Moreover, the journal intends to promote and encourage the
successful use of electronic networks. The journal will be of
interest to network users, managers, and policy makers in the
academic, computer, communication, library, and government
communities." -- Meckler's press release.
Virtual Reality Report, edited by Sandra Kay Helsel. Published
monthly by Meckler, the purpose of this newsletter is to "report on
the organizing consciousness of an emerging new discipline and its
requisite concepts and technologies." -- Meckler's press release.
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Current Cites 2(6)(June 1991) ISSN: 1060-2356
Copyright (C) 1991 by the Library, University of
California, Berkeley. All rights reserved.
Copying is permitted for noncommercial use by computerized
bulletin board/conference systems, individual scholars, and
libraries. Libraries are authorized to add the journal to their
collections at no cost. This message must appear on copied
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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