Search results

Describes the history of the Freshwater Biological Association and its Library. Notes that the library produces a current awareness bulletin listing over 750 freshwater ecology papers each month, an annual bibliography of papers on British freshwaters and undertakes manual and on‐line retrospective information enquiries. Concludes that these flexible national and international networks of information exchange and collaboration survive despite an ever changing spectrum of political philosophies.

Details the three objectives of New Library World as (1) raising awareness within the international library and information community of the potential for change and innovation; (2) assisting policy and decision making; and (3) reporting on research and assisting in the planning of future research. Journal coverage includes the views of users; provision for the information needs of changing populations; discussions on socio‐political factors; technology; publishing; the education environment; library and information services; research; and professionals. These will be covered in articles, communications and reviews.

A new, fully‐searchable database of complete facsimile US patents (with all structures and drawings) on CD‐ROM is offered, under the name Patentlmages, by MicroPatent. The service is designed for large‐scale users of patent information, including libraries (public or private). Patents can be accessed via 12 search‐fields and it is possible to zoom in on drawings, to see double‐page spreads on the screen, and to print, if required, with a laser printer. The disks are provided two weeks after the US patents are published which, if this timing can be maintained, is a speedy service.

Royal Commonwealth Society Library Appeal Founded in 1868, the library comprises 500,000 books, manuscripts, pamphlets and catalogues and is the most complete history of colonial British life. The Society, however, is short of funds and the library is threatened with being broken up and sold. An independent charitable trust has been set up to acquire and save it and the appeal it launched at the end of September 1992 has until the end of March 1993 to raise the necessary £3 million. If the appeal is successful, the library will be moved to Cambridge University, which has promised that it will provide easy access for users and that the contents will not be split up or sold.

FEE OR FREE? The debate continues! The issue of Inform for July/August 1993, No. 156, published by the Institute of Information Scientists is largely devoted to the question of whether it is right to charge for information services. It contains short articles on charging at AEA Technology, Winfrith; the Wiltshire Library and Museum Service; and a series of hints on charging; finishing with a bibliography derived from recent library literature. There is also a short but pithy editorial by Sheila Webber, the Inform editor. Bring yourself up‐to‐date on the question and maybe also send Inform your views, as requested.

YOUR VERY OWN CD‐ROM CD‐ROM disks can hold a great deal of information, 600Mb in fact, and there is now no shortage of available titles on almost any subject under the sun, and the great advantage is that, once information is in this form, it can be readily searched. Now a company called Pressed For Time has developed a method of direct‐to‐disk mastering which enables anyone to have their own material converted to any of the regular CD‐ROM formats as a single disk or in short runs. The company, at St John's Innovation Centre, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB4 4WS (0223 426949; Fax: 0223 420015), can also supply replication tapes for long run production. Text or audio‐visual material must be supplied in any magnetic format such as hard disk, floppy disk or tapes. As a rough idea of costs 100Mb can be loaded for £180 with £50 extra for each additional 100Mb, excluding VAT and carriage. It would be wise, however, to consult the firm about one's own material because there would be discounts for regular work, etc. This new method of search‐storage would be excellent for some library material as, for example, local records which could then be used safely and much more efficiently. The company prides itself on working rapidly and is able, in appropriate cases, to offer even a while‐you‐wait service.

Centre for research in library and information management (Cerlim), university of central Lancashire. The Library of the University of Central Lancashire has developed a national reputation for research in the field of library and information management in recent years. This success was formally recognized in the Research Assessment Exercise carried out by the Universities Funding Council during 1992. A strategic decision has now been taken to expand research in this area by creating a Centre for Research in Library and Information Management (CERLIM).

Provides an outline of the UNIverse project, describing its major objectives, its origins, its evolution and its developed form. Agrees with the findings of the Library Programme in the 4th Framework that live trials of emergent technologies are the single most critical success factor in validating scenarios. Describes the organization of the User Group Interest Groups, formed to carry out these trials.

Tuesday, 7 September 1993 and I am experiencing the different levels of investment by British Rail on its West Coast and East Coast routes as I travel from the North‐West of England to the University of Hertfordshire at Hatfield for the ninth International Library Technology Fair (renamed from this year as Libtech International). Catching up with the Times Higher Education Supplement of 20 August on the train I am pleasantly surprised to see a note about Libtech '93 and Hans Geleijnse's guest lecture on page 20.

Describes the development and activities of BIASLIC, the Britain and Ireland Association of Aquatic Science Libraries, including the formation of EURASLIC, the European Association of Aquatic Sciences Libraries and Information Centres, and the provision of UK input into the Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts (AFSA). BIASLIC maintains links with several international agencies as well as providing its members with a support network and a collective voice. At a recent conference, concern was voiced about changes in the structure and funding of aquatic science research and the adverse effect this is having on library staffing. BIASLIC’s new Web site aims to become a focal point for disseminating information about its activities and about developments in the UK and Irish information sector.