_Current_Cites_ Volume 4, no. 4 April 1993 Information Systems Instruction & Support The Library University of California, Berkeley Edited by David F.W. Robison ISSN: 1060-2356 Contributors: Teri Rinne, Vivienne Roumani-Denn, Lisa Rowlison, Mark Takaro, Roy Tennant -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Electronic Publishing Tenopir, Carol. "Electronic Access to Periodicals" Library Journal 118(4) (March 1, 1993):54-55. Tenopir explains the growing popularity of electronic journals, their advantages and impact on libraries. - VR Information Transfer DeLoughry, Thomas J. "Electronic 'Neighborhood' Links Colleges in 14 Pacific-Region Countries" Chronicle of Higher Education (April 14, 1993): A14, A16. Curtis Hardyck, University of California, Berkeley, is responsible for the Pacific Neighborhood Consortium, a project linking 14 countries together. The goal of the project is for institutions in the United States to share library materials, electronic databases, and classroom instruction with Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan and others. - VR Keyhani, Andrea. "The Online Journal of Current Clinical Trials: An Innovation in Electronic Journal Publishing" Database 16(1) (February 1993):14-23. Keyhani describes Current Clinical Trials, the award-winning, first electronic, full-text with graphics, peer reviewed electronic journal. Keyhani describes how the journal was developed, how graphics are handled, and how it is accessed. - VR Schwarzwalder, Robert. "Engineering Information's Bold New Moves" Database (April 1993):103-105. There are now several ways to access Ei, Engineering Information, Inc. both for professional and end-users. Through cooperation with DIALOG, Ei has created Article Express International, a document delivery service for "engineering and technical literature." - VR Stigleman, Sue. "Bibliography Formatting Software: An Update" Database 16(1) (February 1993):24-37. "The bibliography formatting field is now crowded with 52 programs" including Pro-Cite, Endnote, Biblio, each described and listed in this article. - VR Networks and Networking Blau, Andrew. "CPF Airs Issues for K-12 Access to the Internet" Networks & Policy 1(1):3, 6 and in EFFector Online 5(4) (March 19, 1993). An Electronic Frontier Foundation project, the Communications Policy Forum (CPF) met with K-12 stakeholders (educators, service providers, and legal experts) to discuss some of the legal issues surrounding Internet access for this constituency. Despite the fact that "the Internet can enrich the resources available to both teachers and students..." the main topic of conversation at the meeting was the worry that "obscene" materials on the net might be discovered by minors. A sidebar is included that outlines the CPFs recommendations for increasing K-12 access to the Internet. - DR Bowman, C. Mic, Peter B. Danzig, and Michael F. Schwartz. Research Problems for Scalable Internet Resource Discovery. Boulder: University of Colorado, March 1992 (Technical Report CU-CS-643-93)[available via anonymous ftp as a text or PostScript file from cs.colorado.edu in directory /pub/cs/techreports/schwartz as files ASCII/RD.ResearchProblems.txt.Z or PostScript/RD.ResearchProblems.ps.Z]. The authors describe some of the ways that developers of Internet resource discovery tools can address the problems of scaling. There are three areas of growth to contend with in the Internet environment: an increasing user base, an increase in the volume of data, and an increase in the variety of data. These changes will make tools like WAIS, archie, and Gopher untenable in the not-too-distant future. As the authors put it, "Imagine attempting to browse through a Gopher menu system with one million times as many entries as are currently present...." - DR "Computer Professionals Call for Public Debate on New Government Encryption Initiative" (April 16, 1993) posted on CPSR@GWUVM (April 16, 1993). The Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility has filed a series of Freedom of Information Act requests with numerous government agencies involved in telecommunications policy. The request calls for full disclosure of both the technical specifications and implementation plan for the White House's data encryption scheme [see below]. At the heart of the request is concern that the National Security Agency will have too large a role in the creation and implementation of a non-military encryption scheme. - DR DeLoughry, Thomas J. "Campus Officials Pleased but Worried by Clinton Plan for 'Information Superhighway'" Chronicle of Higher Education 39(30) (March 31, 1993):A17-A18. While at the Coalition for Networked Information meeting in March, many campus officials cautiously applauded the Clinton administration's support of national network development. The concern is that the traditional support of educational goals will be lost in the effort to gain the support of businesses. A key area of concern here and in other forums is the proposal to limit access to the NSFNet backbone to data traveling between four (!) supercomputing centers. This would force the regional networks to contract with commercial providers for Internet access. - DR Dern, Daniel P. "Peter Deutsch, 'archie,' and Bunyip Systems" Internet World 4(2) (March 1993):11-16. In an interview with the Editor of Internet World, Deutsch offers a history of the wildly successful archie ftp archive locator system (developed by Alan Emtage and himself), his views on free- market information systems on the Internet, and the plans for the commercial development of archie and other offerings from Bunyip Systems. While charged with heresy by some in the Internet community, Deutsch believes that information and information services are best developed in a free-market system so consumers have more power, and providers can be paid. As for universal access he says that after we secure funds for development and maintenance, "We can then seek to provide universality through grants and subsidies if we as a society decide (as I hope we do) that everyone should have access to the cornucopia." - DR Dillon, Martin, et al. Assessing Information on the Internet: Toward Providing Library Services for Computer- Mediated Communication: Results of an OCLC Research Project. Dublin, Ohio: OCLC, 1993. Available from OCLC for $20 or free via anonymous ftp from ftp.rsch.oclc.org as a PostScript file in directory /pub/internet_resources_project/report. This interesting report covers three main topics: a survey of the mass of materials on the Internet, a study involving the cataloging of 100 networked electronic texts using USMARC standards, and recommendations for extending the USMARC format to include fields for access information for electronic, networked resources. The report itself is 39 pages and includes numerous charts and graphs describing the types of material available at ftp sites. There are also a number of appendices, including an excellent bibliography. - DR Fidelman, Miles. "More Info on ALOT/CCN/SDIN" posted on PACS- L@UHUPVM1 (March 18, 1993). Fidelman describes the work of two grass-roots community networking projects: The Center for Civic Networking and its Sustainable Development Information Network project which has received an award of a number of public-access computers from the Apple Library of Tomorrow. - DR "Leading Telco CEOs Jointly Support Clinton-Gore Technology Initiative" (March 23, 1993) posted on PACS-L@UHUPVM1 (April 7, 1993). In a press release signed by the CEOs of the leading US telecommunications companies, support is offered for the Clinton-Gore technology initiative as outlined in the paper "Technology for America's Economic Growth, A New Direction to Build Economic Strength." Specifically, and not surprisingly, they support an increased role for private investors in the national networks, and a shift of government funds to specific areas that address societal needs and away from general subsidies which have inhibited commercial progress. - DR Polly, Jean Armour. "NREN for All: Insurmountable Opportunity" Library Journal 118(2) (February 1, 1993):38-41 [also available via anonymous ftp from Project Gutenberg at mrcnext.cso.uiuc.edu as file etext/etext93/nren210.txt]. Polly, a former public librarian who now works for NYSERNet, Inc., provides a realistic look at what Internet/NREN access for all might mean. Is it worth it? Should public libraries participate? Hint: in the end, Polly says, "Yes." - DR Quarterman, John. "Recent Internet Books" RFC 1432 [available via anonymous ftp from nnsc.nsf.net with pathname rfc/rfc1432.txt.]. Quarterman describes 27 recent books about the Internet in a clear and concise format. Especially helpful is a section providing contact information for the publishers. - DR Roberts, Michael M. "Information Highways and the NREN" EDUCOM Review 28(2) (March/April 1992):10-12 [also available via anonymous ftp from educom.edu in directory /pub/Review as file EDUCOM-Review-Mar93-Roberts]. Roberts describes the proposition of private development of the public network in an era of decreasing federal budgets. Also included is a list of National Information Infrastructure design goals as developed the EDUCOMs networking task force. - DR Schwartz, Michael F., et al. "A Comparison of Internet Resource Discovery Approaches" Computing Systems 5(4) (Fall 1992):461-493 [previously published in WAIS-discussion Digest 56 (October 22, 1992)]. Schwartz and his co-authors (Alan Emtage, Brewster Kahle, and B. Clifford Neuman) present a taxonomy and analysis of Internet resource discovery tools. They include an overview of resource discovery systems (WHOIS, X.500, archie, Prospero, WWW, WAIS, Knowbots (tm), Netfind, and Gopher) and apply their taxonomy to these systems for analytic purposes. Lastly, they summarize their findings and discuss the implications for the further development and integration of resource discovery tools. - DR Smith, Jane. "CNIDR: Coordinating Internet User Tools" Internet World 4(2) (March 1993):8-10. Smith, Assistant Director of CNIDR (pronounced "snider"), describes both the work of the Clearinghouse for Networked Information Discovery and Retrieval as well as the six tools of discovery currently used on a wide scale (archie, Gopher, veronica, WAIS, WWW, and hytelnet). CNIDR promotes the use and further development of NIDR tools by providing pointers to access to and information on the tools as well as a coordinating function between development groups. In describing the tools here, Smith focuses on the current developments (including commercialization of archie and WAIS) and how these tools are being used in concert. Also included is information on how on can benefit from the work of the Clearinghouse. - DR "Statement by the Press Secretary [White House Crypto Statement]" (April 16, 1993) posted on CPSR@GWUVM (April 16, 1993). The White House announces its proposal to create a relatively inexpensive data and voice encryption standard that would be required of governmental organizations and voluntary for other. This proposal is aimed at settling a long-running dispute between privacy advocates [see above] and law enforcement officials who want access to encrypted communications. At the heart of the proposal is a government-developed "clipper chip" which is intended to be easily and cheaply added to telephones and other data communications devices by their manufacturers. Encryption keys will stored by the US Attorney General in a secure database only accessible by court order. - DR Steele, Shari. "EFF Organizes Coalition to Oppose Wiretap Proposal" Networks & Policy 1(1):4, 7, 10. Steele describes the proposals by the FBI to remain tapped in to the communications network in the age of digital telephony and rapidly changing technology (defeated last year, sure to reappear this one). The FBI wants every service provider to assist in their efforts to engage in wire-tapping and would fine those companies that use technologies that are secure from such monitoring. - DR "Steve Jackson Games Wins Lawsuit Against U.S. Secret Service" EFFector Online 5(4) (March 19, 1993). In what the Electronic Frontier Foundation hopes will be a precedent setting case, a federal judge ruled that e-mail and bulletin board system postings are Constitutionally protected speech. - DR Weitzner, Daniel J. "Rep. Markey Endorses EFF's Open Platform Proposal" Networks & Policy 1(1):1, 3, 8-9. Weitzner describes the Electronic Frontier Foundation's Open Platform Proposal which aims to "make voice, data and video services accessible to everyone, in the near term, and at low cost." While optical fiber in every home and office may be a long term goal, the EFF believes that a near-term solution is ISDN. The goal of the platform is to encourage telephone carriers to create and interoperative open ISDN services. - DR White House Electronic Publications and Public Access EMail: Frequently Asked Questions. Version dated April 7, 1993 posted on PACS-L@UHUPVM1.BITNET (April 12, 1993 ). This document, which is updated periodically and reposted around the net, comes from the White House e-mail account on Compuserve. Included in this FAQ are instructions for accessing White House press releases, policy papers and other documents electronically via WAIS, Gopher, and BBS. Also included is the address for sending e-mail to the White House. Please be advised that the White House e-mail system is under construction and responses, for the time being, will be via US mail and may take some time. - DR Optical Disc Technologies Guglielmo, Connie. "Photo CD: The Big Picture" MacUser 9(5) (May 1993):177-183. Guglielmo provides an intelligent and understandable explanation of Kodak's Photo CD technology, refreshingly devoid of the usual hype and hoopla surrounding the product. - TR Kesselman, Martin. "CD-ROM Trends" Wilson Library Bulletin 67(6) (February 1993):70-72. Kesselman provides a CD-ROM industry update. The column includes descriptions of two new networking options being offered by SilverPlatter, multimedia encyclopedias, CD-R (CD-Recordable) technology, and the CD-ROM version of Newsweek magazine called Newsweek Interactive. - TR Shuler, John A. "A Tale of Two Federal Offices" CD-ROM World 8(3) (April 1993):73-76. Shuler shows how CD-ROM technology has liberated government agencies from the need to design large central computer systems. The Department of State's Office of Public Affairs (OPA) and the National Library of Medicine's (NLM) National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) are profiled. - TR General Kountz, John. "Tomorrow's Libraries: More than a Modular Telephone Jack, Less than a Complete Revolution" Library Hi-Tech 10(4) (1992):39-50. Kountz presents a provocative view of the library of the future. The author advocates converting the library into an electronic information distribution center that can support users regardless of physical location. Fundamental to Kountz's vision of information delivery is the tablet computer, which he predicts will be an inexpensive ($150-$300), mass market commodity by the year 2000. - TR Wilson, David L. An Evangelist for Technology Wins Many Converts in Humanities. The Chronicle of Higher Education (April 14, 1993):A14, A17, A18. Forthcoming Bauwens, Michel. "The Cybrarians Manifesto: Towards a new organisational model for corporate libraries?" Business Information Review (April 1993). Baumen argues that the organization of the traditional corporate library and its process of collecting and disseminating information has been made obsolete by technology. As information becomes less dependent on location, and industries require information on a more timely basis and in formats that are readily usable, cybrarians must take the place of librarians. Baumen also believes that this model will created a better job for the information professional by focusing on the most professional aspects of the job and thereby "free[ing] our creative capabilities even more and become real agents of constant innovation." - DR Engle, Mary E., et al. Internet Connections: A Librarian's Guide to Dial-Up Access and Use. LITA Monograph 3. American Library Association, c1993. To be published May 1993 and available at the 1993 Annual Convention of the American Library Association. Engle and her colleagues have collected a wide array of helpful information on the Internet and its resources and services. Especially helpful is the inclusion of a section on getting your own connection through a service provider with a list of dial-up access providers. Also included are lists of helpful electronic journals, discussion lists, and network resource discovery tools. - DR ------------------------------------------------------------------- Current Cites 4(4) (April 1993) ISSN: 1060-2356 Copyright (C) 1993 by the Library, University of California, Berkeley. All rights reserved. All product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Mention of a product in this publication does not necessarily imply endorsement of the product. Copying is permitted for noncommercial use by computerized bulletin board/conference systems, individual scholars, and libraries. Libraries are authorized to add the journal to their collections at no cost. This message must appear on copied material. All commercial use requires permission from the editor, who may be reached in the following ways: drobison@library.berkeley.edu // drobison@ucblibra // (510)643-9494 -------------------------------------------------------------------