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Among members of the U.S. Internet community, there probably is no single issue causing more debate than the commercialization of this “network of networks.” Few will dispute that the Internet is a valuable resource, but it is equally clear that its value is not limited to its traditional set of users — those in the research and education (R&E) community. As a result of its success, demand for access to the Internet comes from many sectors, and there is every indication that the fastest growing segment of U.S. Internet users are members of the business community.

In September 1990, the U.S. Department of Education's Library Technology and Cooperation Grants Program awarded a three‐year grant to the Florida Center for Library Automation (FCLA), an agency of the Florida State University System, to develop software adhering to the ANSI Z39.50 Information Retrieval protocol standard. The Z39.50 software was to operate over the Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) communications protocols and be integrated with FCLA's NOTIS system, which is shared by all nine state universities in Florida. In order to test the correctness of its Z39.50 software, FCLA sought out other library software developers who would be willing to develop Z39.50 systems of their own. As part of this process, FCLA helped to found the Z39.50 Implementors' Group (ZIG), which has since gone on to improve the standard and promote Z39.50 implementations throughout much of the North American library systems marketplace. Early on in the project, it became apparent that TCP/IP would be a more heavily used communications vehicle for Z39.50 messages than OSI. FCLA expanded its design to include TCP/IP and, by the end of the grant in September 1993, will have a working Z39.50 system that can communicate over both OSI and TCP/IP networks.

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.

The need for effective directories of networked information resources becomes more critical as these resources—online library catalogs, file archives, online journal article repositories, and information servers—proliferate, and as demand grows for intelligent tools to navigate and use such information resources. The existing approaches are based primarily on print‐oriented directories, but print‐oriented directories will not scale to support the future services that will help network users navigate tens of thousands of resources. The paper first explores the “user” perspective in various usage scenarios for employing a database of descriptive information to navigate or access networked information resources. It then considers specific data elements that will be required in a description of these networked information resources. Classification of networked information resources will ultimately rely on large‐scale prototypes, coupled with a new generation of advanced information‐seeking tools, and within the reality of economics.

The rapid advances in computer networking technology in the late 1980s have led to a corresponding increase in locations wishing to participate in computer networks. As more sites adopt a common communication protocol and connect to local networks that may themselves be connected into a national network, opportunities abound for information sharing and collaborative research. A major roadblock to experiencing the benefits of this connectivity, however, is the difficulty of knowing what information is available on computers throughout the network. Several approaches are being explored to provide access to this “virtual library.” A combination of library and computer networking skills will be necessary to design appropriate tools that will allow all users to participate in the developing networked information environment.

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.

The OCLC Network and its associated information processing facilities constitute the largest and most extensive network of its kind in the world. This article presents a technical overview of the existing OCLC telecommunications network, its use, and operation. It includes discussion of: the scope and magnitude of the network and its applications; its technical attributes, traffic, and facilities characteristics; its user types and demographics; the architecture and implementation of the network and its supporting OCLC computer systems; the terminals and workstations utilized; the protocols employed; other networks supported; gateways and linkages supported; costs incurred; diagnostic, maintenance, and operating goals and procedures; vendor service relationships; availability and performance levels achieved; and related network engineering and implementation.

Complete texts of many journals are now available for online searching. Most of these full text databases have been made available on the same or similar search systems that provide access to bibliographic information. The systems use inverted files that retain limited context information (e.g., paragraphs and location of words within paragraphs). The retrieval techniques used are simply those that were developed earlier for bibliographic databases. Retrieval relies on Boolean logic, word stem searching with truncation, and word proximity specification. Minor adjustments have been made for the display of full text databases, allowing words resulting in retrieval to be displayed in context; but changes have not been made in retrieval techniques. This is due to the reliance on search systems that provide access to many types of databases, all of which are by‐products of improved techniques for creating printed publications.

As information technologies continue to evolve, reference librarians need to stay abreast of the growing number of state, regional, national, and international information networks currently available.

Bangkok, City of Angels, City of Sin, the Venice of the Orient, the place where after one night the world is supposedly your oyster. The huge variety of delicious, delectable exotic fruits; the many different kinds of evocatively scented orchids and other flowers; the vivid blues and yellows and pinks of silk blouses and dresses; the hot, spicy tasty soups and food; the smiles of everyone who looked your way; the dazzling, be‐jewelled, golden library in the Royal Palace (oh for a job there!). Bangkok — (I gloss over the traffic; the mosquitoes; the heavy downpours steamily dispersing the heat of the sun ) — the place chosen for the venue of the First Pacific Conference on New Information Technology for Library and Information Professionals held from 16–18 June 1987.