Abstract: Technological changes are occurring rapidly. As one result, students entering college are bringing very disparate computer skills and attitudes. Some students are reluctant to embrace new technologies; others demand electronic resources for all assignments. By considering the computer access and Internet resources available to elementary school students today, we can only imagine what our users of tomorrow will expect from libraries. Although college students may arrive at our libraries with increased computer skills, their knowledge of electronic information may be lacking. Definitions of information literacy and an overview of information literacy skills are outlined. The Digital Information Literacy program at The University of Texas at Austin, as well as the technological environment and facilities at the institution, serve as a case study for integrating information literacy skills into traditional services and partnerships.

Abstract: Smart Marks, a new software tool from Netscape, is marketed as “Web surfing for people with a life.” This reviewer agrees that it is very useful for those of us who have a hard time keeping track of our bookmarks in Netscape Navigator. SmartMarks allows you to organize your bookmarks into folders, allows you to label and assigri key words to both bookmarks and folders, and monitors your bookmarks for changes in content or location. This last feature makes it an especially useful tool for librarians who have taken on all or part of the responsibility for maintaining a library's home page.

Abstract: With the establishment of the World Wide Web as a standard information tool in academic libraries, there is greater demand for research assistance than ever before. Reference questions involve more teaching time given the number of interfaces clients confront as they navigate the book catalog, electronic databases, and the Web. Librarians require expert knowledge of multiple search strategies at their fingertips as well as the ability to teach others how to apply them effectively. How can instruction librarians use this new medium to serve as a dynamic learning aid to students in the classroom, at the reference desk, in distance education courses, and as a self-directed learning tool? This paper outlines how the Web can function as our latest desktop publishing system, revitalize subject pathfinders and “how-to” guides, and promote the invention of interactive library tutorials. A Web site presenting design ideas accompanies this article at: http://stauffer.queensu.ca/inforef/tutorials/ cla/clahome.htm. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-342-9678.E-mail address: getinfo@ haworth.com ]

Abstract: The World Wide Web (WWW) has a decentralized information environment and a non-linear (hypertext) information structure. This non-linear structure allows users to retrieve information at many different levels but also increases the difficulty of information retrieval. Unlike a well-developed CD-ROM database, the WWW does not have a controlled searching environment and information can be indexed in many different ways. It takes a well planned search strategy to perform an effective search in the labyrinth of the WWW. The SIRO (Systematic Information Retrieval/Organization) model offers a research planning process designed specifically for information seekers in the agricultural disciplines. The intention is to enhance search results and organize retrieved information. This process starts with the identification of the information structure on the WWW, then proceeds by organizing and analyzing information in a visual diagram or a “thinking map.” This process leads searchers to logical sources on th...

Abstract: With the explosion of the World Wide Web, numerous search engines have proliferated online, claiming to be the best, fastest, or most accurate. Though each product is slightly different from the others in its presentation and search architecture, what all are providing is keyword searching of the Web's millions of pages. However, there are circumstances, just like in a library catalog, where an individual may want to perform a known-item search rather than a keyword search. The purpose of this paper was to discover whether known-item searches are possible with some of the Web's most popular search engines, and if the results retrieved using such a search would be satisfactory to a user. The author tested and compared four major Web search engines, using the most sophisticated search techniques available. Thirty-nine sites were selected and searched by title, and ranked according to the relevance and order of the displayed results.

Abstract: SUMMARY It is becoming increasingly important to provide appropriate library instruction for the rising number of Latino students enrolling in higher education. Of particular concern is how librarians can provide effective Internet instruction to Latinos. Latino students' needs and learning styles tend to differ from those of the mainstream population from which the majority of librarians come. These differences have implications for the ways that librarians offer instruction. This paper will discuss cultural issues and varying learning styles that librarians need to be cognizant of when working with a Latino population, and will provide guidelines for shaping instruction for Latinos within an Internet environment.

Abstract: The World Wide Web represents the final step in the evolution of the Internet as a tool worthy for practical applications in instruction. Two particular applications for the Web are discussed in light of projects which have been undertaken in the Helen Topping Architecture and Fine Arts Library at the University of Southern California. First, the World Wide Web may be used as a resource in the library. The Web is a source of content which, like all library resources, must be taught. It should be presented to users along with the same information literacy skills which must accompany any resource. Second, the Web may be used as a publishing tool where the content is created according to the particular instructional need or situation. This usage involves the technology of the Web rather than the content of the Web; this technology is the interface and access capabilities, either local or on a server, provided by the Web browser.

Abstract: The results of selective dissemination of information (SDI) searches are typically printed offline and mailed to the library for distribution. Postprocessing this material-sorting the printouts, gathering and recording statistics, and actually delivering itnrequires substantial effort by staff. With the recent introduction of Internet access to SDI search results at the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the library at Louisiana State University Medical Center in Shreveport (LSUMC-S) was able to computerize much of its SDI postprocessing. Library staff wrote two computer programs which sort SDI results, gather and report statistical data without requiring manual data entry, and allow delivery of search results as either hardcopy or e-mail, as the client prefers. This software also adds value to the final product, by tagging citations which appear in journals to which the library currently subscribes. Automation of SDI postprocessing at the LSUMC-S library has resulted in substantial savings in s...

Abstract: The emergence of the Internet has dramatically changed information access capabilities through computers. Tools and resources available on the Internet affect library services in various ways. Many health science librarians are using Internet resources to meet the information needs of health care providers and themselves. This study examines different applications of the Internet components in medical library settings with a special emphasis on reference services. It also discusses the role of the Internet in fulfilling National Network of Libraries of Medicine's (NN/LM) objectives and analyzes the merit and demerits of using the Internet as a reference tool in health sciences libraries.

Abstract: The Government Documents department at Stony Brook was traditionally allotted only one classroom session to introduce undergraduate students to the intricacies of researching federal legislative histories. This paper describes a first attempt to create a Web page that guides students through the essential steps of a legislative history search and provides explanations of unfamiliar terms, the library location of needed items and direct links to important legislative sites (such as THOMAS and GPO Access). The article also surveys other, similar and related Web pages that have recently been developed on the World Wide Web.

Abstract: The loading of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) database on the Internet has set off a chain reaction with other patent database publishers. Patent information has never been so accessible, at such low cost, to so many people as now. This new accessibility has spawned a new set of questions about the Internet patent databases, such as, what are their uses, and what are the differences? Librarians who do not specialize in patent searching might have reservations about doing patent searches. This article describe? the different patent databases on the Internet, lists their strengths and weakness, and recommends the best free patent databases.

Abstract: SUMMARY The reference collections of most research libraries contain a readily identifiable collection of standard paper sources used in locating tests and test-related materials for education and psychology. Yet currently there is no electronic equivalent, no set of Internet resources that has been identified as constituting an online literature on tests and measurements. This study attempts to investigate what resources are now available on the Internet for tests and measurements, and identifies the most useful ones. In order to keep the study manageable, the emphasis is on resources for psychological testing, with some educational psychology materials included as well. Whenever possible, evaluative summaries of these resources have been included.

Abstract: Library Web pages serve a multitude of purposes, from informing patrons of library hours and class sessions, to providing access to the online catalog, to pointing users towards interest-based resources of particular merit. Web pages can also be used to instruct patrons. In this article, we describe a law Web page that was designed to help teach students and others, as well as to provide access to selected law resources. Some of the benefits of this instructional subject-specific Web page are its user-friendliness, its flexibility, its ability to provide a cognitive structure and to promote critical thinking, and its wide availability.

Abstract: The World Wide Web provides libraries with an opportunity to overcome some of the long-standing problems associated with bibliographic access to manuscript and archival materials. The University of Delaware and University of Arizona libraries are using the Web to improve access to two Congressional Archives collections: Senator John J. Williams and Representative Morris K. Udall. Electronic finding aids have been developed to provide global access to information about the contents of the collections. These finding aids are further senhanced with navigational aids, searching capability, images, and full text from the collection. This article discusses the creation of the electronic finding aid, the content and structure of these two World Wide Web Congressional Archives collections, the inclusion of non-traditional formats such as images and audio files, and the creation of links to other relevant resources located on the Web.

Abstract: SUMMARY Establishing meaningful connections to faculty is a continuing challenge for academic librarians. One library's efforts at faculty outreach received unexpected assistance from the Internet, when faculty and student curiosity about this resource created opportunities for new library staff to build connections to faculty and establish their credibility on campus. In the process, the library made progress towards meeting another challenge: determining the role of the Internet in the library. Internet instruction is now integrated with library instruction and is available to faculty and students in a variety of formats.

Abstract: This article reviews and analyzes the current state of Web access to technical report literature. Besides locating sites for bibliographically identifying technical reports, it also looks at the ways the full-text of technical reports are being distributed. Where appropriate, it compares the electronic bibliographic control products with their print or formerly print equivalents. Most widely available at this point are federal government reports and computer science technical reports. Information on coping with the various file formats found at the sites is also provided. URLs to the various technical report sites and to sites dealing with the software applications needed to access the reports are included.

Abstract: Most existing systems of automated reference information files are microcomputer-based. The advent of the World Wide Web has created a new and rich environment for advancing these files into cyberspace. The major attractions of building a Web-based reference information system are: (a) software is virtually “free,” (b) required training is minimal, (c) systems can be accessed by a variety of platforms, and (d) reference librarians around the world are able to share their expertise. The discussion is in the context of the evolution of reference information file systems. A prototype is described to show how to construct a basic Web-based system.

Abstract: Today's instruction and reference librarians face new challenges as the gatekeepers to information. The information explosion requires that we create strategies for our customers to navigate through a maze of material. This paper describes a reference tool developed at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory to meet the information needs of our researchers and offers practical advice to other librarians interested in providing a similar service.

Abstract: In this age of increasing electronic instruction in academic libraries, the University of Toledo’s Carlson Library, like many other academic libraries, is trying to come of age. The library’s instruction program has traditionally used a paper-based instructional format. However, with the introduction of the library’s OPAC, CD-ROMs, the Internet, and OhioLINK in recent years, we are faced with a number of challenges which this paper will discuss. The main challenge is that we are trying to teach electronic resources without a mediated classroom in the library. We need to bridge the gap between the paper-based instruction program and electronic resources because our current teaching methods do not always allow for patron interaction with the technology. Increasingly, instruction is having to take place at the Information Desk, where there are time constraints and library users are unclear about the kinds of information they want or which electronic resources they need. Adapting to these new and growing resources and developing the skills needed to teach them are among the important challenges librarians at Carlson Library face. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-342-9678.E-mail address: getinfo@haworth.com ]