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1 – 10 of over 2000
Article
Publication date: 1 January 1977

Donald T. Hawkins and Betty Miller

The coverage of the literature on on‐line retrieval systems by eight major machine‐readable data bases was determined. A search profile executed on these data bases produced 397…

Abstract

The coverage of the literature on on‐line retrieval systems by eight major machine‐readable data bases was determined. A search profile executed on these data bases produced 397 unique references. Ranking the data bases by journal coverage, relevance percentage, and the number of relevant items retrieved only from that data base showed that at least six data bases needed to be searched to obtain a comprehensive bibliography. These six data bases, in order of productivity, are INSPEC, CA Condensates, Social Sciences Citation Index, ERIC, MEDLINE, and BIOSIS. The need for an on‐line data base in library and information science is discussed.

Article
Publication date: 1 February 1975

P. LEGGATE

Mountbatten offers a vivid description of the current‐awareness function using the analogy of a very wide conveyor‐belt, representing the information publishers, on which books…

Abstract

Mountbatten offers a vivid description of the current‐awareness function using the analogy of a very wide conveyor‐belt, representing the information publishers, on which books, periodicals and reports appear at random: ‘The searcher is on a platform just above the belt and as the information material passes underneath he can pick up and read anything that he thinks might be of interest to him. You can imagine his frustration as he realises that for every item he takes time to examine, hundreds of others of possible interest to him have passed by’. Personality and environment will determine whether the individual can find an intelligent compromise between the extremes of neurosis induced by worrying about the material he is missing, or complacency with any system which produces one or two interesting items.

Details

Journal of Documentation, vol. 31 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0022-0418

Article
Publication date: 1 January 1977

First of all, I must apologise for the interval between this VINE and the last. Unfortunately VINE's production cycle is growing longer as automated library systems become more…

Abstract

First of all, I must apologise for the interval between this VINE and the last. Unfortunately VINE's production cycle is growing longer as automated library systems become more complex, and consequently more time‐consuming to write up. Moreover, in this issue I have attempted in certain articles, for instance those on COM bureaux and the Telepen, to adopt a thematic approach to the subject, rather than reporting on individual projects. The process of cross‐checking the details of such articles with all the organisations concerned has been partly responsible for the delay in publishing VINE 17. Nevertheless in the long terms I still hope to increase the frequency with which VINE is published, thereby increasing its currency and decreasing the size of each individual issue.

Details

VINE, vol. 7 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0305-5728

Article
Publication date: 1 April 1980

Linda C. Smith

Over the past decade machine‐readable data bases have grown both in number and variety. In addition to the familiar bibliographic data bases such as MEDLINE and ERIC, one now…

Abstract

Over the past decade machine‐readable data bases have grown both in number and variety. In addition to the familiar bibliographic data bases such as MEDLINE and ERIC, one now finds data bases containing such things as properties (e.g., RTECS ‐ Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances) and full text (e.g., LEXIS, a family of files that contains the full text of court decisions, statutes, regulations, and other legal materials). As data bases increase in importance as information resources, there is a growing need for printed tools which can assist librarians in their identification and use. Available tools fall into three categories: (1) guides issued by data base producers which describe the contents of a given data base and methods of searching (e.g., INSPEC Database Users' Guide); (2) guides produced by online vendors which indicate how data bases can be searched on a particular system (e.g., Lockheed's Guide to DIALOG ‐ Databases); and (3) data base directories which include coverage of data bases produced by many different organizations and processed by a variety of online vendors. The third category is the subject of this comparative review. Readers interested in the first two categories should consult Online Reference Aids: A Directory of Manuals, Guides, and Thesauri published by the California Library Authority for Systems and Services (CLASS). This publication contains information on manuals, guides, and other search aids for over 100 online data bases, including those available through the New York Times Information Bank, National Library of Medicine (NLM), Bibliographic Retrieval Services (BRS), Lockheed DIALOG, and System Development Corporation (SDC) ORBIT. This directory is arranged by data base name, giving ordering and price information for aids available from both data base producers and online vendors. Subject and vendor indexes are also provided.

Details

Reference Services Review, vol. 8 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0090-7324

Article
Publication date: 1 February 1977

For a number of reasons, I have decided to begin this issue of VINE with an editorial. In the first place, as many of you will already know, at the end of June I gave up my post…

Abstract

For a number of reasons, I have decided to begin this issue of VINE with an editorial. In the first place, as many of you will already know, at the end of June I gave up my post as Information Officer for Library Automation in order to become an Assistant Librarian in the Applied Sciences Library of University College, Cardiff. Since the Information Officer for Library Automation is ex officio editor of VINE, this means that I will also be handing over responsibility for this publication to my successor, when he or she is appointed. Unfortunately, there will be a hiatus before my successor can take over, so that for a short while, I will continue to edit VINE. However, because of my commitments in Cardiff, I will be unable to provide news of recent developments in U.K. library automation as I formerly did. Thus, in this issue of VINE and the next, I will concentrate on descriptions of automated library systems which I visited whilst on a study tour of North America in April and May of this year. Once my successor takes over, VINE will revert to being a source of up‐to‐date information about automation in specifically U.K. libraries.

Details

VINE, vol. 7 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0305-5728

Article
Publication date: 1 April 1981

Michael Middleton

The extent of bibliographic database development in Australia is summarised with reference to all of the publicly available machine‐readable files. An analysis is made of the…

Abstract

The extent of bibliographic database development in Australia is summarised with reference to all of the publicly available machine‐readable files. An analysis is made of the telecommunications network development that has enhanced access to the data. Particular reference is made to the bibliographic services of CSIRONET, AUSINET and the Health Communications Network.

Details

Program, vol. 15 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0033-0337

Article
Publication date: 1 March 1973

P.H. VICKERS

In the course of the survey covered by this paper, cost data were collected by visiting eighteen operational computer‐based systems in Europe and the U.S.A., using a structured…

44

Abstract

In the course of the survey covered by this paper, cost data were collected by visiting eighteen operational computer‐based systems in Europe and the U.S.A., using a structured cost analysis scheme. The sample included database producers and self‐contained systems that both create, and provide services from, a data base. From the data obtained, unit costs have been derived for most operations, and the factors contributing to variations in the figures are discussed. Analysis of the data has shown that costs are affected more significantly by factors such as system management, salary variations, and productivity of staff, than by technical factors such as depth of indexing, data preparation methods, or computer programming. The total operating budgets of most of the systems have also been analysed to show the overall pattern of cost distribution, including overheads.

Details

Journal of Documentation, vol. 29 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0022-0418

Article
Publication date: 1 February 1977

Ariane Iljon

The present situation concerning the use of different languages in data bases is outlined. It is somewhat analogous to that in the field of publishing, as English is the…

Abstract

The present situation concerning the use of different languages in data bases is outlined. It is somewhat analogous to that in the field of publishing, as English is the predominant carrier language used. Nevertheless, a number of monolingual data bases offer multilingual features, and there exist a few multi‐lingual data bases. This is already an indication that new tendencies are at work.

Details

Online Review, vol. 1 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0309-314X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 August 1999

William H. Walters

This paper describes a set of collection development strategies for use in the identification, evaluation and selection of numeric data resources. It addresses three primary…

1337

Abstract

This paper describes a set of collection development strategies for use in the identification, evaluation and selection of numeric data resources. It addresses three primary issues: the delineation of collecting scope and organisational role; the identification of potentially relevant data resources; and the evaluation of those resources in accordance with objective, systematic criteria. The policies outlined here can be applied to both print and digital resources, including machine‐readable data files, reference books, graphs and charts, genetic sequence data, and geospatial (GIS) files. The paper concludes with a discussion of unresolved issues in the acquisition and archiving of numeric data files.

Details

Journal of Documentation, vol. 55 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0022-0418

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 February 1975

VINE is a Very Informal Newsletter produced three times a year by the Information Officer for Library Automation and financed by the British Library Research & Development…

29

Abstract

VINE is a Very Informal Newsletter produced three times a year by the Information Officer for Library Automation and financed by the British Library Research & Development Department. It is issued free of charge on request to interested librarians, systems staff and library college lecturers. VINE'S objective is to provide an up‐to‐date picture of work being done in U.K. library automation which has not been reported elsewhere.

Details

VINE, vol. 5 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0305-5728

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