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Uses the experience of Western Michigan University to consider ways of eliminating deliberate misuse of public library systems. Outlines the use of Fortes 101, an Integrity Kiosk, WinBatch and WinU covering both cost and staff resources. Covers the changes made as the university introduces Windows 95 to its network.

In an article published in the May 1997 issue of College and Research Libraries Merri Beth Lavagnino traced the history of the systems librarian and systems department in academic libraries. She identified four evolutionary stages, where Stage One was no automation and Stage Four was characterized by the effects of networking and distributed computing. Lavagnino ended her article by predicting the emergence of a fifth stage. However, she pointed out it was too early to describe that stage. This paper examines the growth of automation at two university libraries, with particular attention to the four stages described by Lavagnino. The authors then attempt to provide a more complete description of Stage Five. It seems to be an outgrowth of the distributed computing and networking components of Stage Four. New factors include a growth in digitized resources, integration of systems, and developments in client/server technology, especially as they relate to the World Wide Web. Finally, Stage Five libraries seem to have made changes in the organizational structure, reflecting a need for a technical person at the upper management level.

A special track, sponsored by OCLC Micro magazine, has been added to the annual Computers in Libraries Conferences. Convened by Dan Marmion, editor of OCLC Micro, the track has been planned by Dave Brunell, executive director of Bibliographical Center for Research (BCR).

The 16,000‐record inventory of some 19,000 stolen books confiscated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and used as evidence in the recent trial of Stephen Blumberg has been mounted on the EPIC service, OCLC's online reference system. The database, which contains a bibliographic description and a list of holdings for each recovered item, helps libraries determine whether any of the stolen materials are from their collections.

The FirstSearch Catalog, OCLC's new online reference service designed for library patrons, won the Computers in Libraries Information Product/Service (CLIPS) Award for 1992 (see Figure 1). A panel of five library professionals selected FirstSearch as the most innovative and effective information product or service of the year. The judges felt that FirstSearch deserved the award because it is designed for library patrons, it is very easy to use, and it is backed by OCLC's long‐standing reputation for reliability.

The Online Journal of Current Clinical Trials, the world's first peer‐reviewed medical journal distributed by computer, began publication on July 1. OJCCT is a joint venture of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and OCLC. AAAS developed the editorial content and focus of the journal, and OCLC developed its programming and technology.

If you've been keeping up with what's going on in the world of electronic networking, you're probably aware that both the library and the publishing communities are becoming more involved in this arena.

The New York Public Library (NYPL) has become the first institution to link its internal network with the new OCLC telecommunications network using the X.25 Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) standard. The telecommunications link will connect NYPL research libraries and branch libraries to the OCLC system for cataloging and resource sharing.

French Libraries Sign Retrospective Conversion Contract with OCLC OCLC will convert to machine‐readable form more than 600,000 bibliographic records for six French academic libraries. The records will also be loaded into the PANCATALOGUE, France's national union catalog of monographs.

OCLC has recently installed searching enhancements to its PRISM service online authority file. The new features include: