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Discusses the telecommunications infrastructure of the USA and issues surrounding its restructuring. Describes the role and impact of broadband Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) in applications development and the societal implications of this change. Points out that global development of broadband technologies makes personal access to multimedia applications possible and promotes new information‐sharing partnerships. Argues for an holistic, ethical approach to future development of ISDN.

This article provides a broad overview of telecommunications and network‐related technologies. Topics covered include identification and review of network elements, analog and digital signals, synchronous and asynchronous transmission formats, transmission media and equipment, transmission techniques and characteristics, multiplexing, network types, access technologies, network architectures and topologies, local‐area network technologies and attributes, protocols and protocol issues, gateways, internetworking, local networking alternatives, equipment certification, and various aspects of network management. It is intended to provide the practicing professional in the field of library and information science with a broad, up‐to‐date technical review that might serve to support and facilitate further investigation of current developments in networks and networking. Although the broad range of topics is not treated in depth, numerous references are provided for further investigation.

Corporate planners will soon need answers to the questions of whether their communications strategies should include the use of the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), and, if so, what they can do to prepare for it.

We are witnessing an explosion of digital information, some of it in unstructured repositories, some in still primitive digital libraries. This trend is certain to accelerate as the National Information Infrastructure (NII) and Global Information Infrastructure (GII) become a reality. Several digital library projects in the USA and abroad are in progress, with the goal of developing the enabling technologies for creating a single, integrated and “universal” library, composed of the large numbers of individual heterogeneous repositories. These include materials in personal information collections, collections in conventional libraries, and large data collections shared by scientists, engineers and other researchers. Six US institutions received funding for Digital Library Initiatives in the fall of 1994. In addition, the Library of Congress (LC) has a National Digital Library Project under way that is funded, in part, by private corporations and foundations to make some of its large text and image collections accessible via computer networks. Focuses on projects at Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Illinois and the Library of Congress, including how these initiatives will affect the way image and text archives are organized as we enter the next century, and their implications for the international community. Addresses the following issues: how can we encourage global intellectual access and p articipation by our citizenry? How does one locate (“navigate”) information of interest in a very large, distributed and possibly disconnected collection of libraries and archives around the world? And how can we protect the intellectual property of authors and publishers and detect violations in this new information environment?

Geac Computers, Inc. is now in its twenty‐fourth year as a library system supplier. For the past year and a half, Geac has been combining the resources of recently acquired CLSI with its own to create a “new” Geac, a company focused on developing advanced information systems and superior service programs to meet the needs of libraries for the future. Geac's sole product development and design goal is to provide libraries with the most advanced technology available to enable them to manage and deliver information from a variety of sources worldwide. The measured transition to client/server architecture from the current centralized character‐based design is an example of Geac's adaptation of the latest technology to meet the needs of libraries. Networking is an important component of Geac's systems for the future. As more information becomes available in electronic formats via a variety of networks, it is important that Geac systems provide fast, easy, transparent access to it. The ultimate objective of Geac's client/server and network development is to provide fast, easy access to all types of data, wherever it resides.

Meckler Publishing has announced the acquisition of Micro Software Reports and Micro Software Evaluations from Nolan Information Management Services of Torrance, California. Alan M. Meckler, President of Meckler Publishing, stated that “Micro Software Reports is the world's largest and most comprehensive index to microcomputer software with specific library applications”. He went on to say that “the publication indexes 110 library and computer oriented journals concentrating on information that includes pricing, installation locations and complete system descriptions”.

Presents a case study of how over the last six years a large, traditional corporation simultaneously created new service markets and established a dominant position in the competitive information and communication technology field in Japan. The corporation accepted a new organizational body that has an entrepreneurial spirit and consists of different types of personnel, then continuously promoted emergent strategies. At the same time, in an attempt to implement strategic innovation the company integrated the above strategies with deliberate strategies practised by the existing line organizational body. Through a case study, discusses the factors for success and the problems encountered in the course of achieving strategic innovation in the communications field, i.e. the creation of a new market through the creation of strategic communities based on cooperation between different organizations.

Analyses the evolution of China’s telephone and cable systems, in terms of the public interest, discussing current bureaucratic conflicts and policy debates over convergence, and construction of an independent broadband cable network. Looks in depth at China’s problems and the different problems for its citizens with regard to poverty levels and access to the Web.

How can managers start to change the beliefs and direction of a large organization? What is the role which team learning tools can play in making such changes possible? Illustrates the difficulties in implementing a market strategy for the introduction of ISDN‐Integrated Services Digital Networks. BT′s opportunity cut across the conventional organization boundaries and challenged many of the mental models which typified current thinking. Demonstrates how a system of team learning based on the “Marlow Model” can build new, more holistic models of the marketplace. From this kernel of understanding, the challenge of influencing the direction of the organization at large began to emerge. Shares both the pitfalls and the successes to help others who may be considering setting out on similar programmes.

This article reviews the telecommunications environment and infrastructure, discusses the major forces influencing change within this environment, and suggests certain likely outcomes, as seen by the author, that will have significant influences on the future telecommunications infrastructure. This information is then used as the basis for assessing likely impacts on various aspects of library and information systems, their providers and users. Specifically discussed are impacts foreseen for: 1) national online information providers; 2) local online information providers; 3) local and long‐distance telephone companies as providers of information; and 4) users of information. Impacts on library and information system‐related endeavors are seen to be generally unfavorable in the near term, with information delivery costs seen to rise significantly in the next three to five years. A more favorable prognosis, however, is seen for the longer term.