SEARCHING THE WORLD WIDE WEB PART III
In part III of Searching the World Wide Web I will briefly tell you about HotBot http://www.hotbot.com. HotBot can search either the World Wide Web or Usnet News. HotBot offers six ways to search for terms: All the words, Any of the words, The exact phrase, The Person, Links to this URL, and The Boolean expression. All the words is similar to performing a Boolean And search. To narrow this type of search use the + or - to include or exclude search terms. Boolean operators will not work with this search. Any of the words is like performing a Boolean Or search. Boolean operators can be used with the Any of the words search option. The exact phrase searches for all of the words in the exact order as they were entered. This type of search can also be performed by enclosing the search phrase in quotations.The person searches for near matches to the name that you have entered. If you enter Jane Doe as the search terms HotBot will also match Doe Jane or Ms. Jane Doe.
Links to this URL will find all sites that contain a link to the URL that was entered.
The Boolean expression allows you to connect search terms using the Boolean operators And, Or, Not, and ( ).
HotBot also offers a number of other search options. Along the left side of the HotBot Web Page you will find a number of green and red tabs labeled: Open All, Modify, Date, Location, and Media Type. Clicking on one of these tabs will display other search options. The Open All will open all of the tabs at once.
The Modify section works a lot like adding a + or - to a search. Modify can be used to require or exclude a word, phrase, or link from the search results.
The Date tab allows a search to limit the search to web pages that have been modified after a selected date.
The Location section allows the searcher to limit the search by CyberPlace or GeoPlace. CyberPlace allows you to limit a search to a domain. For example if you would like to find N3 on the Library Commissions Web Page you could do a search for N3 and type nlc.nebraska.gov into the CyberPlace box. Another way to use the CyberPlace option is to exclude a domain from your search results. To remove all commercial sites from a search you can enter -.com in the CyberPlace box. GeoPlace allows you to select one of nine geographic regions from a list.
The Media Type limitations are useful when you are looking for certain media type. This search allows you to look for images, audio, video or you can enter your own extensions such as .txt.This is a very brief overview of HotBot. To learn more about it I would suggest reading the help pages. If you would like to read more about search engines PC Computing has an article on the Web titled "The Search is Over" by Adam Page at http://www.zdnet.com/pccomp/features/960912/sub2.html.
-Allana NovotnyNebraska Library Commission
INTERNET 2: AN OVERVIEW OF THE NEXT GENERATION OF THE INTERNET
A movement has begun that will affect the way libraries use the Internet. At this point, specific details are sparse but the concept is critical for librarians to be aware of. The project to monitor is called Internet 2, and the Web site to
follow is http://www.internet2.edu. The first beneficiaries of Internet 2 will be the major research libraries. Over the next five years, however, all libraries will experience change as a consequence of the new developments from this project.
Due to the popularity of the Internet for commercial and recreational purposes, the researchers who originated the Net have lost their competitive edge and response time. New technical capabilities are needed to accommodate the demand for multimedia, volume, and speed. Recognizing the dilemma, the information technology officers of the major research universities have created an organization that will seek solutions.
On October 1, 1996, representatives of 34 universities met in Chicago to initiate the project they termed Internet 2 (Deloughry, 11 Oct. 1996). A call for additional members was posted on the Web site. As of January 16, 1997, just prior to its membership meeting in San Francisco, charter membership in the project included 98 universities and 10 affiliates. Affiliate members are companies and organizations, public and private, who share the interests of the university community in this venture. Responsibilities of members include contributing financial support to administer the project; establishing broadband Internet connectivity to support development, testing, and use of applications; and participating in the administration.
As listed in its Web site, the Internet 2 project is managed by a steering committee composed of member representatives. The project director is Mike Roberts of Educom roberts@educom.edu. Working groups include applications, engineering, charter and goals, organization, and search committees.
The Project's Purpose
The Internet 2 project will build on the legacy and prior success of NSFnet and the regional networks. The focus at this time is to accelerate the next stage of Internet development for higher education. According to William H. Graves (Sept./Oct. 1996), chief technology officer at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, by the year 2000 most colleges and universities will need the capacity to perform tasks like these:
- Support desktop and room-based video teleconferencing
- Support high-volume video streaming from distant video servers
- Incorporate and integrate voice traffic
- Insert large-capacity interinstitutional projects into the fabric at will in response to the needs of research projects and network experiments
- Interconnect enterprise networks that are in various stages of migration from router-based topologies to virtual switched topologies
- Control costs and pricing/allocation models from within the enterprise
In order to meet these demands, the members of Internet 2 will create a new generation of applications based on the capabilities of broadband networks. Features such as media integration, interactivity, and real-time collaboration are necessary to support national research objectives, distance education, digital libraries, and related efforts. The project will be conducted in phases over the next three to five years. Within the first 18 months, beta versions of a number of applications will most likely be in operation among the Internet 2 participating universities. Initial capabilities will be limited to contributing members, including research universities, a number of federal agencies, and many of the leading computer and telecommunications companies. New developments will gradually migrate to all levels of educational use and to the broader Internet community, both nationally and internationally. Thus, as applications and infrastructure evolve, they will be adapted for general use.
Costs and Funding
According to Internet 2 project information, member institution expenses of all kinds may reach $500,000 per year over the next several years. A substantial fraction of this amount may be covered by networking and related budgets already in place, depending on individual institutional circumstances. An additional commitment of up to $25,000 per year is required to defray the central administrative and member support expenses of the project. Affiliate members are also expected to provide financial support, with dues of $10,000 established for 1997.
On October 10, 1996, President Clinton announced that the federal government will participate in Internet 2 through the programs of its major research agencies. A number of federal agencies have a stake in developing Internet 2 because their missions are dependant on fast information flow. The following agencies are in line for funding: National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Defense Department's Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the National Institutes of Health. In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Commerce Department will be involved. As much as $100 million could be contributed by the federal government in the fiscal 1998 budget, and during his campaign the president said that he would request $500 million over five years (Wilson, 25 Oct. 1996).
One way that the government is supporting the project is through the NSF High Performance Connections initiative. The National Science Foundation (NSF) has selected 43 institutions to access its Very-High-Speed Backbone Network Service, or BNS. Operating under a five-year agreement with MCI Telecommunications Corporation, the network transmits data at a rate of 155 megabits per second, about three times the speed of the fastest portions of the Internet. In 1997, the network should be capable of carrying 622 megabits per second. This high-speed capability is necessary for researchers who work with complex computer models, exchange multimedia files, collaborate live over the network, and control sophisticated scientific equipment at remote locations. An article about these elite scientists and their Internet usage has even made The New York Times (Shapley, Jan. 27, 1997). According to a report in The Chronicle of Higher Education, the bulk of the new network "will provide reliable, day-to-day service for researchers working on scientific visualizations, digital libraries, and other projects" (Deloughry, 6 Sept. 1996).
For the most part, the funding and partnerships for Internet 2 will parallel those of previous joint networking efforts, of which the NSFnet project is a very successful example. Industry partners will work with campus-based and regional university teams to create the advanced network services that are necessary to meet the requirements of broadband, networked applications.
Funding for Internet 2 will include both financial and in-kind services and products of various types that will be necessary for the project. Since most of the project effort will occur on or near university campuses, it is anticipated that the majority of funding from government research agencies and industry partners will be in the form of grants to the participating universities.
Implications for Non-Members
In many ways the members of Internet 2 are an elite group; the majority of colleges and universities will not be included in these pioneering efforts. Academic, public, and special libraries will be dependent upon the products that will be developed in the next few years. There is pressure, risk, and great time and expense involved in such an endeavor. One reporter stated the situation accordingly: "The next generation of the Internet will take years to develop, and no one knows for certain what technologies will be used or be best suited for campuses five years from now, when the project might be nearing completion." (Wilson, 1 Nov. 1996).
While watching and waiting, nonmembers also need an action plan. One key partnership for libraries is with information technology. The solutions coming out of the Internet 2 project will be technology-based. Librarians need to be involved at all levels in communicating their visions to the researchers and information scientists who are creating technological breakthroughs.
The next generation of Internet technology will inevitably have an impact on local infrastructure and workstations, which translates into a budget impact. As the evolution takes place, administrators need to be informed of budget requirements. The same strategies that helped libraries get where they are today will be required to move ahead: networking, partnerships, grants, annual upgrades. Those who are positioned to be the experimenters and early adopters have opportunities and challenges. Internet 2 will benefit libraries, so plan accordingly.
Internet 2 Goals
- Demonstrate new applications that can dramatically enhance researchers' ability to collaborate and conduct experiments.
- Demonstrate enhanced delivery of education and other services (e.g., health care, environmental monitoring) by taking advantage of "virtual proximity" created by an advanced communications infrastructure.
- Support development and adoption of advanced applications by providing middleware and development tools.
- Facilitate development, deployment, and operation of an affordable communications infrastructure, capable of supporting differentiated quality of service based on applications requirements of the R&E community.
- Promote experimentation with the next generation of communications technologies.
- Coordinate adoption of agreed working standards and common practices among participating institutions to ensure end-to-end quality of service and interoperability.
- Catalyze partnerships with governmental and private sector organizations.
- Encourage transfer of technology from Internet 2 to the rest of the Internet.
- Study impact of new infrastructure, services, and applications on higher education and the Internet community in general.
References
Deloughry, Thomas J. "Computing Officials at 34 Universities Seek to Create a Network for Higher Education." The Chronicle of Higher Education (11 Oct. 1996): A29-30.
Deloughry, Thomas J. "Science Foundation Giving 43 Colleges Access to Its New, High-Speed Computer Network." The Chronicle of Higher Education (6 Sept. 1996): A37.
Graves, William H. "We Need Internet II." Educom Review 31, 5 (Sept./Oct. 1996): 28-31.
"Internet II" Network Envisioned by Academics." Library Journal 121, 18 (Nov. 1, 1996): 21.
Roberts, Michael M. "Internet II: The Next Generation University Network." Educom Review 31, 6 (Nov./Dec. 1996): 60.
Shapley, Deborah. "Now Playing in Limited Release: Internet, the Next Generation." The New York Times (Jan. 27, 1996): D1.
Wilson, David L. "Campus Computing Officials Plan the Next Generation of Networks." The Chronicle of Higher Education (1 Nov. 1996): A25-26.
Wilson, David L. "Clinton's New Internet Proposal Could Involve Half a Dozen Agencies." The Chronicle of Higher Education (25 Oct. 1996): A29-30.
-This article by Laverna Saunders-McMaster, Ed.D has been reprinted from the March 1997 issue of Computers in Libraries magazine with the permission of Information Today, Inc., 143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055, 609/654-6266. Ms. Saunders-McMaster is dean of the library, instructional, and learning support at Salem State College, Salem, Massachusetts. She can be reached by e-mail at saunders@noblenet.org.
COLLECTION MANAGEMENT
WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW IN COLLECTION ASSESSMENT
Several new developments in collection assessment practice are leading the way for libraries to achieve more effective management of their collections. More efficient tools and the sharing of data collection techniques make it possible for assessing libraries to get greater results for the time invested in assessing their collections. The sharing of collection management practices, especially assessment practices, is taking place in global communication among libraries. Some of the most active areas are Australia, New Zealand, Alaska, Washington State, Oregon, Nebraska, New England, Mexico, South America, Scotland, Belgium, Bermuda, Canada, and Siberia. It is tempting to wonder if a library tour package of conspectus libraries may be offered by some enterprising collection management librarian in the near future. Collection assessment: the world tour!
ALA Midwinter meetings heard several announcements of new activities. Dr. Dora Biblarz, Arizona State University, has completed the Spanish language translation of the WLN Manual which will be published in 1997. The new English language WLN Handbook will be published in time for ALA San Francisco and WLN is accepting prepublication orders. Some main editorial features of the new manuals are the efforts to simplify assessment instructions, to include consideration of all formats, to bridge the cultural and language differences between library practice in different countries, and to include practical assessment methods for all types and sizes of libraries.
The revised collection depth indicators which assign numerical codes to the collection levels were approved by the Research Libraries Group (RLG) and adopted by the WLN Users Group at their Midwinter meeting in Washington, DC. The revisions were compiled by Dr. Anthony Ferguson at Columbia University. The collection depth indicators are included in the new WLN Handbook. Updated preservation indicators and new fiction depth indicators will also be included.
June Pinnell-Stevens, Fairbanks North Star Borough Public Library, completed the revisions of the LC conspectus structure which were approved by the WLN Users Group. These revisions will be the basis of a new version of the software to be released this year. Version 6.2 was mailed to conspectus users in January 1997. Programmers at WLN are also working on software changes that will create calculating fields in the Management Information File. By using the calculating fields with the acquisitions and circulation information in this file, librarians will be able to track and report purchasing and use data directly from their assessment software without first translating the data into some type of spreadsheet format. Dewey Decimal Classification 21st edition is the basis of a major revision of the Dewey conspectus. A software version which incorporates DDC 21st updates is scheduled for release in 1997.
These new developments are particularly exciting for small or medium-sized public and school libraries. The largest number of libraries are of this size, so much of the developmental activity is taking place now with the tools and techniques that small and medium-sized libraries can use. Tools now are better adapted for one person or a small staff to use, and the results are flexible-meaning there are many possibilities for customizing the reporting obtained from assessment data. The sharing process is itself encouraging as more libraries use assessment results in resource sharing and cooperative collection management activities.
The most innovative project afoot is the web interface for the Australian Conspectus database. On March 25, 1997, the Server Team at the Australian National Library released their objectives for web access of the Australian Conspectus database. The Internet accessed site, to be completed by September 1997, will provide access to line reports at division, category, and subject level for individual libraries; access to comparison reports among libraries at division and category levels; and subject access to library assessment records by keyword search and browsing. This means the assessment information in the conspectus database that is essential for resource sharing can be accessed among contributing libraries in resource sharing groups, even across challenging geographical separations. For results of this project stay tuned to the future at Web Site http://www.nla.gov.au/.
For more information about collection management and assessment contact Burns Davis, 402-471-2694 or 800-307-2665, e-mail: [obsolete].
-Burns Davis Nebraska Library Commission
OCLC
MLC ILL COUPONS TO EXPIRE IN 1997
The Michigan Library Consortium (MLC) discontinued selling ILL Coupons in July 1995. Please redeem your old MLC ILL Coupons as soon as possible by mailing them to Janet LaCross, Michigan Library Consortium, 6810 South Cedar Street Suite 8, Lansing, MI 48911. All MLC ILL Coupons will expire on December 31, 1997.
When returning MLC ILL Coupons, please include name and address of library to receive the check.
INTERLIBRARY LOAN ENHANCEMENTS
OCLC is pleased to announce that due to the comments and suggestions of OCLC ILL users we will be adding an "AFFILIATIONS" field to the OCLC ILL Workform. This field can be used to list those Resource Sharing, Library Network or other ILL Affiliations your library may have. You can list reciprocal groups such as "LVIS," Network ILL protocol groups such as SOLINE, Group Access Groups, State, Regional, and local groups. The field will follow BORROWING NOTES and have a maximum of 500 characters. The addition of the AFFILIATIONS field brings the total number of new ILL Workform Fields to 12:
Patron ID, Status, Dept, Phone, E-Mail, Fax, Address, Notes
Source
Direct Notes
Locations
Affiliations
Also OCLC has made a change to the three new Patron fields previously announced. The fields:
PATRON ID
Patron STATUS
Patron DEPT
will only display to the Borrowing library. This is to ensure the complete patron confidentiality that many of you stated was important.
We hope to be able to announce when these new will be available in the near future.
-Myrtle Myers
OCLC/Resource Sharing
SEARCHING FOR BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORDS DISTRIBUTED
OCLC distributed "Searching for Bibliographic Records," which supersedes "Guide to Searching the Online Union Catalog." New tabs, new binder label, and a Quick Reference accompany each copy.
Users should DISCARD "Guide to Searching the Online Union Catalog" and relabel the binder. OCLC created "Searching" using the Information Mapping method of documentation development. Mapping groups information in small, manageable units so that users can find information quickly. In addition, chapters 1 and 2 were rewritten for new users who need a broad overview of searching OCLC systems and services.
-OCLC, edited.
OCLC CATALOGING MICRO ENHANCER FOR WINDOWS NOW IN DEVELOPMENT
OCLC is currently working on the Microsoft Windows-based version of CAT ME Plus, and we expect to introduce the new product during the second half of 1997. A partial list of new functionality includes an interactive connection to OCLC Cataloging to retrieve full records from the online directly within the Cataloging Micro Enhancer software, access to OCLC System News (formerly PRISM News), access to the system logon greeting after batch processing, ability to batch replace on a local record to have the master record in WorldCat (the OCLC Online Union Catalog), ability to use an authority local file for storage, editing, and exporting of authority records, and LAN compatibility. And that is just a partial list! Watch for more updates on functionality in the future.The new Cataloging Micro Enhancer will be a 32-bit product compatible with Windows 95 or Windows NT (version 3.51 or higher). The product will not be compatible with Windows 3.1 or 3.11. Plan ahead now to upgrade your version of Windows if needed. OCLC has recently announced a Windows 95 upgrade package to help you with your upgrade. Please contact your OCLC-affiliated Regional Network for more information on this package.
To run Windows 95, Microsoft requires a minimum 486/25 Mhz-based system, 8 megabytes (MB) of memory, 40 MB of available hard disk space, VGA or higher-resolution display, and a Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device. Please note that these are minimum requirements for Windows 95.
To run Windows NT, Microsoft requires a minimum 486/25 Mhz or Pentium-based system, 12 MB of memory, 110 MB of available hard disk space, access to a CD-ROM drive, VGA or higher-resolution display, and a Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device. Please note that these are minimum requirements for Windows NT.
Additionally, the Cataloging Micro Enhancer will require 30 MB of available hard disk space reserved for the program.
For optimum system performance of quicker response time, larger files, and the ability to run multiple applications at once, OCLC recommends running the Cataloging Micro Enhancer on a system more powerful than these minimum requirements. If purchasing new equipment, you should purchase the best equipment you can afford.
OCLC has also announced the 1997 Workstation Replacement Program to help libraries upgrade old equipment. Please contact your OCLC-affiliated Regional Network for more information on this program.
Watch for more updates on the Cataloging Micro Enhancer in the coming months.
-David Whitehair
OCLC Collections & Technical Services Division
OCLC TO OFFER WINDOWS 95 UPGRADE
OCLC will offer a Windows 95 upgrade package (SOF7799 Windows 95 Upgrade CD) for $65. This upgrade is only available in the CD format and will not be offered in a diskette version. In order to install the update you will be required to have the first install diskette from your current Windows package. Please confirm that you have this diskette before you order the upgrade. You may order the upgrade CD through NEBASE by contacting Jeannette Powell at 402-471-7740 or 800-307-2665, e-mail:
Jeannette Powell
. You may also order directly from OCLC on their Web Site at
http://www.oclc.org/oclc/forms/docsof.htm. You will be billed through your NEBASE account.
1997 WORKSTATION REPLACEMENT PROGRAM
The 1997 Workstation Replacement Program has been approved by the OCLC Board of Trustees. Effective immediately, OCLC will provide $750 credit on the purchase of OCLC workstations, and this credit is retroactive to orders received since January. Note: The 1997 program does NOT require that you return your old equipment.
To place an order, contact Jeannette Powell at 402-471-7740 or 800-307-2665, e-mail Jeannette Powell .
-Diana Boone
Nebraska Library Commission
CALL FOR PAPERS: THE OCLC SYSTEMS AND SERVICES JOURNAL
The OCLC Systems and Services (S&S) Journal publishes a range of contributions including news, tips, comment, advice, suggestions, as well as traditionally structured research articles, covering the broad field of IT in libraries and of course OCLC systems and services in particular.
The editorial board would like to invite contributions on any of the above topics. If you have an idea, shortcut, helpful hint, discussion point or problem that you feel would be usefully shared with other OCLC systems and services users, please contact the editor, John Peters, e-mail: jpeters@mcb.co.uk.
You can see the journal online at: http://www.mcb.co.uk/liblink/oclc/jourhome.htm.
Please do share your thoughts and ideas. OCLC S&S is a refereed journal, meaning that all substantial articles will be peer reviewed. We can promise fair and fast comment, and relatively short lead-times to publication for pieces accepted for the journal.
Again, please address any contributions or comments to the editor, John Peters, e-mail:
jpeters@mcb.co.uk or jpeters@cadvision.com
or compuserve 101742,2332.
Representing:
BCG International, strategy, quality, sustainable development consultancy
XEC International, development for high-potential managers
MCB University Press, multi-medial scholarly business publishing
International Management Centres, action learning graduate business school
Address: 1010 Suncastle Dr.SE, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2X 2X2 Fax: 403-254-5492.
NEBASE ANNUAL MEETING
The 1997 NEBASE Annual Meeting will be held on June 20 at the Nebraska Center for Continuing Education on the East Campus of the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. Keynote speaker, Craig Summerhill, Coalition for Network Information (CNI) will speak of his work on Internet 2: "What It Is, Where We Are, Where It's Going." Rod Wagner, Director of the Nebraska Library Commission, will give attendees an update on the activities of the Universal Service Task Force of which he is a member. OCLC staff will be on hand to describe new OCLC services and provide updates on old services. Finally, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in Interest Groups in FirstSearch, Electronic Collections Online, Cataloging Electronic Resources, and the NEBASE Batchload Project. To register contact Jeannette Powell 402-471-7740 or 800-307-2665, e-mail: Jeannette Powell
.
NEBASE Workshops
To register for any of these workshops, contact Jeannette Powell, 402-471-7740 or 800-307-2665, e-mail:
Jeannette Powell
, fax: 402-471-2083.
OCLC Authority File: An Introduction
August 1, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., Nebraska Library Commission, Heron Room.
An introductory workshop on the content and use of the OCLC Name and Subject Authority File. Topics: the purpose of Authority Control, searching the OCLC Authority File, structure of an authority record, fixed and variable fields, exporting authority records to your local system or applying authority file data to a card catalog, and a discussion of outsourcing local databases to Authority Control vendors. Audience: Cataloging staff who are new to using Authority Files or wanting a refresher. Prerequisites: Previous experience with searching the OCLC Online Union Catalog would be helpful. What to Bring: A copy of the OCLC Authorities User Guide, 2nd ed. and authority questions for hands-on. CE Credit=5.
OCLC Cataloging II: Serials
October 3, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., Nebraska Library Commission, Heron Room.
Description: An introduction to cataloging serials, focusing on the cataloging rules, MARC fields, and OCLC input standards important to serials. Topics: what is and is not a serial, standard bibliographic description, assigning access points including names, series, and subject headings, uniform titles as they apply to serials, brief introduction to reprints, newspapers, microforms, and electronic journals, and additional cataloging tools such as the OCLC Authority File and Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, 2nd ed. revised (AACR2r). Audience: Cataloging staff who are new to cataloging serials on the OCLC system or wanting a refresher. Prerequisites: Previous experience with searching the OCLC Online Union Catalog would be helpful and OCLC Cataloging I or equivalent experience. What to Bring: A copy of the Bibliographic Formats and Standards, 2nd ed., OCLC MARC Code List, AACR2r (optional), and serials with cataloging questions for discussion. CE Credit=5.
OCLC Cataloging II: Sound Recordings
October 17, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., Nebraska Library Commission, Heron Room.
An introduction to cataloging sound recordings, both musical and spoken-word focusing on the cataloging rules, MARC fields, and OCLC input standards important to sound recordings. Topics: standard bibliographic description, assigning access points including names, series, and subject headings, accompanying materials, brief introduction to uniform titles as they apply to sound recordings, and an introduction to additional cataloging tools such as the OCLC Authority File and Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, 2nd ed. revised (AACR2r). Audience: Cataloging staff who are new to cataloging sound recordings on the OCLC system or wanting a refresher. Prerequisites: Previous experience with searching the OCLC Online Union Catalog would be helpful and OCLC Cataloging I or equivalent experience. What to Bring: A copy of the Bibliographic Formats and Standards, 2nd ed., OCLC MARC Code List, AACR2r (optional), and sound recordings with cataloging questions for discussion. CE Credit=5.
