Vol. 20, No. 8 • September 2000	Newsline

TLC Acquires CARL, Works with CASPR
The Library Corporation (TLC), an automation company, has acquired CARL Corporation, whose technological solutions include PACs, open-system networks, and data transactions for all types of libraries. TLC and CARL have partnered on development projects for several years, and in fact already share office space in Singapore. No purchase price or details were released.

TLC also announced a joint venture with CASPR Library Systems to broaden the distribution of CASPR’s Web-based automation system, librarycom.com. Designed to allow automation service in smaller libraries, librarycom.com allows for MARC cataloging, circulation functions, patron management, and report generation.

Source: The Library Corporation, Inwood, WV, 304/229-0100; http://www.TLCdelivers.com.
 

Facts On File Launches Online Products
Facts On File, Inc. has launched two new lines of online products. Facts On File On-line Databases are interdisciplinary encyclopedias and archives on a wide range of subjects. They are regularly updated and are searchable by keyword.

On Files On-line are the new “e-book” versions of the On-File binder services that have been the backbone of the company’s publishing program for 50 years. Now the best-selling On Files are available either online or on CD-ROM. They carry the full content of the binders.

Source: Facts On File, Inc., New York, 212/967-8800; http://www.fofweb.com.
 

McGraw-Hill’s AccessScience Encyclopedia
McGraw-Hill has released AccessScience: The Online Encyclopedia of Science & Technology, which contains the full text of the printed work of the same name, but also contains entries from the McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms and late-breaking news articles from Science News: The Weekly News Magazine of Science. The online resource, which can be found at http://www.AccessScience.com, will also offer Research Updates written for the McGraw-Hill Yearbook of Science & Technology. There are also Web links and a tool to allow librarians to measure patron use statistics.

Source: McGraw-Hill, New York, 800/262-4729; http://www.mcgraw-hill.com.
 

ingenta Plans to Develop a Unique Portal
ingenta, a global research gateway, announced at the ALA conference that it is developing a unique portal to the full text of books, journals, reports, and statistics from OECD, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The OECD, an international group, is one of the world’s largest and most reliable sources of statistical and economic data. Libraries will be able to pay a single subscription price to access the portal, SourceOECD, and to allow users to read content at their desktops across an entire institution. ingenta, which merged with UnCover this past June, says that SourceOECD will be launched this month with books and periodicals, and that statistical databases are scheduled to be added from November onward.

Source: ingenta, inc., Cambridge, MA, 617/395-4001; http://www.ingenta.com.
 

SIRS Offers Sneak Peeks at Conference
SIRS Mandarin encouraged ALA attendees to check out two new products. SIRS Knowledge Source, an online interface for SIRS Mandarin’s three main reference databases (Researcher, Government Reporter, and Renaissance), allows daily updates of integrated full-text articles from thousands of publications. The company was also offering a sneak preview of SIRS NetSelect, a new guide to some of the Internet’s best resources, according to SIRS. It offers access to high-quality sites that cover vital issues and a format that makes for easy searching, the company says.

Source: SIRS Mandarin, Inc., Boca Raton, FL, 800/232-7477, 561/994-0079; http://www.sirs.com.
 

Several Database Developments for EBSCO
EBSCO Publishing has announced two product upgrades. First, it is developing multi-language versions of its search interface, EBSCOhost, that will serve users who speak Spanish, German, and French. Future plans include accommodations for Chinese, Japanese, and Portuguese. Second, the company has released the SmartLinks feature on its EBSCOhost, EBSCOmed, and Health Source Plus interfaces. SmartLinks allows users to follow an article citation in one database to its full text in another database.

Finally, there is a completely new database in the works, which was previewed at the conference. EBSCO Publishing has been working with ABC-CLIO to create a scholarly history database called World History FullTEXT. It contains over 100 full-text titles that cover a wide range of historical topics.

Source: EBSCO Publishing, Ipswich, MA, 800/653-2726, 978/356-6500; http://www.epnet.com.
 

Questia Online Research Service Makes Its Initial Appearance at ALA
A developing company named Questia Media, Inc. demonstrated an online research service that it plans to roll out in the spring. The Web-based service will hold more than 50,000 scholarly books and journals in full text at launch time. Aimed at college students doing research, Questia will be available 24/7 through the Internet. Anyone can search for free, but to use the tool fully, users will have to subscribe. The company plans to grow the content to include over 250,000 volumes over the next 3 years. The service is being built largely by a team of librarians.

Source: Questia Media, Inc., Houston, 713/358-2500; http://www.questia.com.
 

ProQuest 4.0 and PCI Debut in Exhibit Hall
Bell & Howell’s Information and Learning business unit (formerly UMI) showed off the newest release of its online information research system, ProQuest 4.0, in the conference’s exhibit hall. It features a new intelligent document-linking capability, IntelliDocs, that lets users reach beyond databases to find information in a wide range of selected resources such as the OPAC, encyclopedias, and Web sites. This new functionality is available to ProQuest subscribers as a service enhancement. ProQuest’s user interface and usage reports have also been enhanced.

Bell & Howell introduced another product, Periodicals Contents Index Full Text, which is a growing online resource that’s based on the existing Periodicals Contents Index (PCI), which indexes articles from 1990 back to 1770 in order to facilitate online research of older periodicals information. During PCI Full Text’s first year of development, the company expects to make available the full-page images of 100 journals in the humanities and social sciences, all with links from the index to the new full-text product.

Source: Bell & Howell Information and Learning, Ann Arbor, MI, 800/521-0600; http://www.bellhowell.infolearning.com.
 

Two Announcements from the Gale Group
The Gale Group announced that it has acquired Responsive Database Services (RDS) as part of Thomson’s acquisition of The Dialog Corporation. RDS, which created and distributed online business and social science databases for the public, will become part of Gale in a “seamless transition”; no disruption in service is expected.

In other news, Gale formally launched History Resource Center: U.S., a subscription service designed for libraries, schools, and universities. The company says it’s the first product to integrate history’s original documents, classic references, scholarly journals, newspapers, and magazine articles behind a single interface. Gale marked the launch at ALA at a special luncheon that featured documentary filmmaker Ken Burns.

Source: Gale Group, Farmington Hills, MI, 800/877-GALE, 248/699-4253; http://www.galegroup.com.
 

Sun Rises over Cornell University’s Next-Generation Digital Library Endeavor
Sun Microsystems, Inc. and Cornell University have announced their plans to construct a technology platform that they hope will pioneer the next generation of digital libraries. Also part of the association is Endeavor Information Systems, whose new ENCompass product allows libraries to digitize their collections via a standard commercial package. This alliance between Endeavor’s digitizing tool, Sun’s technology platform, and Cornell’s pioneering digital library initiatives is aiming to serve as an international model for the digital library environment of the 21st century.

Source: Sun Microsystems, Inc., Palo Alto, CA, 650/960-1300; http://www.sun.com.
 

Sirsi Shows iBistro Internet Access Center
Sirsi Corp. introduced iBistro, an Internet access portal for library users that’s designed to help them personalize Web searches and master the plethora of information on the Net.

The portal allows access to many things: title lists, bestsellers, popular Web sites or MARC-cataloged Web sites, Northern Light’s research engine, Z39.50 library catalogs, online databases, other digital libraries, and library announcements. iBistro also enriches a library’s catalog records so that users can see book reviews, tables of contents, cover art, synopses, author notes, etc.

A user can also personalize a MyBistro page that will push preferred information and allow him to view account balances, to place holds, and to renew materials.

Source: Sirsi Corp., Huntsville, AL, 256/704-7000; http://www.sirsi.com.
 

BOOKS ON DEMAND

Taylor & Francis Launches Its New E-Book and Print on Demand Services
Taylor & Francis, whose imprints include Routledge, Psychology Press, Garland, Spon Press, and RoutledgeFalmer, has announced that its new agreement with Versaware, an Internet and digital publishing services company, will enable the company to publish conventional print books in tandem with any of the various digital e-book formats. In addition to new titles, Taylor & Francis intends to have 3,000 backlist titles available before the end of the year, with the remaining 14,000 available during the course of 2001. In addition to all popular e-book formats, the company will simultaneously launch a Print on Demand service.

According to the announcement, Taylor & Francis will make these services available to all Internet retailers with the forthcoming Digital Warehouse, to be powered by Versaware. The Digital Warehouse will provide for real-time sales and fulfillment of all Taylor & Francis titles in multiple formats, allowing the retailer to facilitate the sale, while the electronic fulfillment happens directly from the Digital Warehouse.

Source: Taylor & Francis, Philadelphia, 215/625-8900; http://www.tandf.co.uk.
 

Lightning Source Allies with U.K. Companies
Lightning Source, Inc. has announced that it will be forming a subsidiary in the U.K. and strategic alliances with Bertram Group, a book wholesaler, and Blackwell’s, an information distributor and retail bookseller. According to the announcement, the alliance will result in a sophisticated on-demand printing service that will bring new opportunities for libraries.

By storing content digitally, Lightning Source reports that it can print a made-to-order book in less than 3 minutes and can ship within 24 to 48 hours. Delivery of on-demand titles was to have begun at the end of August. The company expects to open its first full-service U.K. facility by year-end.

Source: Lightning Source, Inc., La Vergne, TN, 615/213-5815; http://www.lightningsource.com.
 

AUTOMATION TOOLS

CASPR Enhances librarycom.com Service
CASPR Library Systems, Inc. has announced that librarycom.com, its Web hosting service for libraries, has been enhanced to become an integrated library system with MARC cataloging, circulation, patron management, and reports functions. Librarians can access the Web site, register, create a library, enter catalog records and patron records, and start circulating. The service is sold on a per-concurrent-seat basis, with the first seat being free. Additional seats can be purchased for as little as $50.

librarycom.com customers are up and running on the same day they sign on, with all library data backed up and secure, CASPR says. Provided as a service, there’s no hardware, software, or networks to buy or maintain. librarycom.com is accessible from any location on the Internet using standard Web browsers.

Source: CASPR Library Systems, Inc., San Jose, CA, 800/852-2777, 408/882-0600; http://www.caspr.com.
 

TLC Unveils CATNOW! for MARC Cataloging, Enhances Other Services
The Library Corporation (TLC) has announced CATNOW!, a Web-based data-entry program that enables quick and easy retrospective conversion and provides an economical method for current cataloging.

According to the announcement, CATNOW! has been specifically designed to assist libraries that implement retrospective conversion using volunteers or untrained staff. It presents an inexpensive, yet effective, tool to perform current cataloging via the Internet, TLC says.

In other TLC news, the new version of its Site•Solution product, designed to enable libraries of all sizes and types to create new, or dramatically enhanced, Web sites, has been released. Among Site•Solution’s enhancements is the ability for a Webmaster to add and remove pages or upload images. Also, the librarian can use a Site Style Tab to quickly change the appearance of a Web site and select from a Predefined Pages feature to utilize pre-formatted Web pages that can be fully edited.

Also, TLC has developed a Java interface for the Library•Solution circulation module, which it expects to make generally available later this year. The new approach frees libraries to utilize any platform—Windows, Mac, UNIX, Linux, or other—for circulation terminals rather than migrate to one platform.

Source: The Library Corporation, Inwood, WV, 800/325-7759; http://www.TLCdelivers.com.
 

EOS Releases the Q Series Version 3.0
Electronic Online Systems (EOS) International has announced the release of version 3.0 of its Q Series library information management and access system, which now supports Z39.50. Q Series 3.0 complies with version 3.0 of the Z39.50 standard and includes support of the Bath Profile level 1 functionality for searching and displaying MARC 21 records.

The new version also features additional system security setup options. Libraries can now set minimum password lengths, determine whether alphanumeric passwords are required, or set passwords to never expire or to expire at a specific date or length of time. New reports provide a list of all valid and invalid Q Series logins during a specific date range as well as listings of which user passwords are set to expire during a given date range.

Source: Electronic Online Systems International, Carlsbad, CA, 800/876-5484, 760/431-8400; http://www.eosintl.com.
 

Follett Introduces New Intranet Search
Follett Software Company, provider of K-12 library automation, has announced plans to introduce new intranet search consolidation technology into its OPAC software solutions, which will make it easier for students to acquire information from multiple information databases in a single search.

The new one-stop search technology will allow students to search multiple information sources at one time using a single interface, determine which information resources to include in their searches, and view one set of results from the combined resources.

Follett is incorporating the new technology into its Catalog Plus, WebCollection Plus, and Union Catalog Plus OPAC software applications.

Source: Follett Software Co., McHenry, IL, 800/323-3397, 815/344-8700; http://www.fsc.follett.com.
 

Surpass Offers New Web Safari Catalog
Surpass Software has announced that it has recently released Web Safari, its Web-based catalog for users of Surpass library automation software. With Web Safari, patrons can access the library’s holdings from any computer connected to the Internet and running a standard Web browser.

Besides being a search tool, Surpass says that Web Safari is an information gateway to the library, which allows patrons to access the facility calendar, read or write book reviews, check the status of their accounts, browse recommended reading lists, read library news and bulletins, and send feedback to the library staff. Users may choose from a simple search option or an advanced search that allows for Boolean searches and various search limiters. Through selection boxes, the user can choose to limit the search results to only items that are currently available (not checked out) or to only materials in a certain category such as paperback, VHS video, easy reader, or DVD.

Web Safari also offers many patron-specific features, such as a Personal Book Bag, a recommended reading list, a list of new materials and popular titles, access to personal account information, and the ability to reserve materials.

Source: Surpass Software, Calhoun, GA, 877/625-2657, 706/625-5399; http://www.surpasssoftware.com.
 

New Version of EBSCONET to Provide Enhanced Searches, Serials Changes News
EBSCO Subscription Services has announced that the newest version of its Web-based subscription service, EBSCONET, is now available. According to the announcement, EBSCONET 4.0 will provide customers with several new features designed to simplify online subscription management.

Regarding the improvements to the interface, all EBSCONET functions can now be accessed from the home page, including searching operations, order and claim maintenance, special reports, option settings, and e-mail links to user support and customer service representatives. A new feature that has been added is the customized EBSCO Bulletin of Serials Changes (EBOSC). This quarterly report provides information about title changes, cancellations, delivery problems, and related serials issues affecting subscription orders. Other new features include the ability to search by language, LCC code, category, and LCC subject; additional sort options for search results; quick searches for titles by number or name; and a settings option to allow users to customize more EBSCONET features.

Source: EBSCO Subscription Services, Birmingham, AL, 205/980-6794; http://www.ebsco.com.
 

SYSTEMS/SECURITY OPTIONS

Veicon Offers Low-Cost Internet Device
Veicon Technology, Inc. has announced V-Link/LIB, a new V-Link Internet access device priced under $500 specifically designed for library patrons. According to the company, V-Link/LIB provides library management with low-maintenance, trouble-free Internet access points where patrons can access their own e-mail accounts and the Internet, and use popular MS Office tools.

Veicon says that unlike PC-based Internet stations, V-Link/LIB terminals require much lower maintenance and provide greater security for both the patrons and the network. Since there is no PC to maintain, troubleshooting usually consists of turning the power off and on. Also, users can access their own AOL, Compuserve, and Internet e-mail accounts and office productivity applications with complete security. Since there’s no disk storage on the device, no user information is stored after the user logs off. Veicon’s technology also wipes all evidence of each user’s private files and passwords off the main server and protects the server from hacker attacks.

The V-Link/LIB device includes a 15-inch display screen, mouse, keyboard, and 10/100baseT network interface. These devices run Microsoft’s thin-client Windows environment.

Source: Veicon Technology, Inc., Beaverton, OR, 503/748-6800; http://www.veicon.com.
 

Sagebrush to Release New Serials Manager
Sagebrush Corp. has announced the scheduled release of Serials Manager, a stand-alone program designed to streamline management of magazines, journals, and other periodicals in all types of libraries. The program, which was scheduled for release in mid-June, enhances management of subscriptions, vendors, receiving, routing, and claims, and also provides a number of reports.

According to the company, Serials Manager has the flexibility to manage any number of subscriptions. Using the program, librarians can create and modify subscription information—including title, publisher, publication pattern, quantity, cost, ISSN, start date, and duration—and information can be added, edited, or deleted when needed.

Because Serials Manager integrates with existing library automation systems through the MARC 21 standard, librarians can import records so patrons can search for and find serials simultaneously with other materials in the library’s online catalog. The program also manages vendor information and receiving functions, and comes with three customizable claim letters.

Serials Manager’s introductory price is $695, which includes 1 year of customer support, and it is available for Windows and Mac.

Source: Sagebrush Corp., Onalaska, WI, 800/533-5430, 608/779-4577; http://www.sagebrushcorp.com.
 

VTLS to Offer RFID Tags and Labels
VTLS, Inc. has announced a partnership with Gemplus, a manufacturer of RFID (Radio Frequency ID) tags and smart labels operating at 13.56 MHz. According to the terms of the agreement, VTLS will incorporate the RFID technology based on Gemplus’ smart labels and hardware into its product offerings. The VTLS/Gemplus solutions have an open architecture, allowing them to be plugged into most library automation systems.

VTLS/Gemplus RFID solutions include book-borrowing stations, hand-held scanners for on-the-shelf inventories, theft-detection gates, and book-return chutes.

Source: VTLS, Inc., Blacksburg, VA, 800/468-8857, 540/557-1200; http://www.vtls.com.
 

InfoExpress Introduces CyberArmor 1.1
InfoExpress has announced a software suite, CyberArmor Suite 1.1, designed to enable organizations to extend policy-based security to remote users connecting from home computers through always-on DSL and cable lines. CyberArmor provides administrators with the configuration and remote management tools needed to protect their otherwise vulnerable PCs from hacker attempts at seizing resources.

CyberArmor features standard pre-configured templates for client configuration; environmentally sensitive policies that adjust depending on whether the user is on the Internet, using the VPN, on the corporate LAN, etc.; enterprise interoperability with VPNs, servers, and enterprise databases; and remote management, auditing, reporting, and updates.

Source: InfoExpress, Los Altos, CA, 650/947-7880; http://www.infoexpress.com.
 

KRONE Introduces New Cabling System
KRONE, Inc. has announced its new TrueNet C6T (proposed Category 6) Structured Cabling system. The TrueNet system is a tightly impedance-matched organization of horizontal cable, patch cords, terminal blocks jacks, and patch panels that have been specifically designed to prevent bandwidth loss on LANs.

According to the company, once installed, optimum system performance is verified using active testing equipment. This equipment provides the end-user with on-site verification of a zero bit error transmission rate throughout the physical layer. For specific network specifications, see the company’s Web site.

KRONE has also announced the availability of TruePatch high-performance patch cords. The company reports that these new cords have patent-pending construction characteristics that ensure the uninterrupted flow of data. They produce a zero bit error data transmission rate when used in conjunction with the TrueNet cabling system, and they can improve network performance in an existing installation.

Source: KRONE, Inc., Englewood, CO, 800/775-5766, 303/790-2619; http://www.kroneamericas.com.
 

DATABASES ON CD

ABC-CLIO Releases New CD Resources
ABC-CLIO has announced the release of two new CD-ROM resources—ResourceLink: 18th Century World History and The Environmental Movement in the United States: An Interactive Encyclopedia.

ResourceLink: 18th Century World History offers primary-source documents, quotes, and images; biographies and reference articles; and maps and statistics. It works on both Windows and Mac platforms. Using simple menu options, text and graphics can be organized in resource files for computer-based presentations, combined with original student text and artwork, printed, or exported.

The Environmental Movement in the United States features primary-source video and audio clips, images, and documents; a hot button to the companion Web site; an image-mapped, interactive timeline; compelling biographies and reference articles; and Windows 95, 98, and NT compatibility.

Source: ABC-CLIO, Santa Barbara, CA, 800/368-6868, 805/968-1911; http://www.abc-clio.com.
 

Foundation Center Releases New CD-ROM Database of Washington, DC, Grant Makers
The Foundation Center has announced its new Guide to Greater Washington D.C. Grantmakers on CD-ROM, which updates the previous print edition of the Guide. Compiled with the assistance of the Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers, this CD-ROM features funders that dispense millions of dollars each year, we well as smaller institutions that limit their giving to the DC area.

The CD-ROM’s search engine allows users to explore over 1,500 grant makers that provide funding support in their geographic areas. This includes 300 funders located outside the DC region, representing more than 30 states. The disc also features a searchable index of over 8,000 trustees, officers, and donors and their affiliations. Users can link to 150 grant-maker Web sites and a Web page with resources of value to local grant seekers.

Source: The Foundation Center, New York, 212/620-4230; http://fdncenter.org.
 

Classroom Connect/LC Compile CD
In cooperation with the Library of Congress (LC), Classroom Connect has announced its American Memory Primary Sources CD-ROM. Together, Classroom Connect and the LC selected from millions of items in the American Memory online collection to create four distinct units of study organized around National Council for the Social Studies themes—identity, power, environment, and culture.

Each unit of American Memory includes a 144-page user’s guide, a CD-ROM that contains 150 to 250 sources with accompanying bibliographic information, and a corresponding Web site that provides easy access to current primary source information. The cost is $69.95 per unit or $225 for the four-unit collection.

Source: Classroom Connect, Foster City, CA, 650/358-1901; http://www.classroom.com.
 

INTERNET GATEWAYS

VTLS Offers New Chameleon Gateway
VTLS, Inc. has announced that it has revamped the programming of the Virtua Web Gateway to empower library users with the tools to design and create a customized gateway display. With the newly named Chameleon Gateway, libraries are no longer limited to a default design and a few configurable buttons. The entire face of the software can be changed to reflect the collections and personality of the specific organization, says VTLS.

Features include a customizable interface, multiple search options, easy-to-read cross references, access to library catalogs worldwide, a cart where users may save records for e-mailing or for later use, multimedia access, and security. The library can make the gateway match the appearance of its own Web site, provide targeted Web sites for particular segments of patrons (children, visually impaired, etc.), and grant or deny access to selected gateway features.

Source: VTLS, Inc., Blacksburg, VA, 800/468-8857, 540/557-1200; http://www.vtls.com.
 

Ei Debuts Its New Engineering Village2
Engineering Information, Inc. (Ei) has announced hat it has introduced Engineering Village2, which provides single interface search capabilities across multiple engineering databases and access to over 5 million engineering abstracts.

Engineering Village2 offers librarians and their clientele seamless access to engineering abstracts, full-text research articles, patents, standards, products, and handbooks. Engineering Village2’s multiple databases include Ei Compendex Web; access to more than 10,000 expert-evaluated Web site abstracts with the same Ei Thesaurus used in Compendex to provide consistent search results; CSSInfo’s database of industry standards and specifications from more than 300 worldwide organizations; U.S. Patent and Trademark office’s Full-Text Patent database (from 1976 to present); and as add-on subscriptions, Thomas Publishing’s SoluSource (an online compendium of 12,000 American manufacturers’ product catalogs) and CRC Press’ ENGnetBASE (an online engineering handbook).

Source: Engineering Information, Inc., Hoboken, NJ, 800/221-1044; http://www.ei.org.
 

Open Text Announces myBASIS Interface
Open Text Corp. has announced myBASIS, its new collaborative portal interface. The company reports that myBASIS’ customizable portal framework allows users to organize multiple information sources.

With the interface, library users can define different areas to deliver internal news channels, external news feeds, content subscriptions, and favorite URLs. myBASIS also provides search access to predefined resources like the organization’s Techlib library catalog, any BASIS or Livelink repository, or content from b2bScene.com’s Content Services. Users personalize their own pages according to their individual needs and preferences. The optional development toolkit can be used to configure new content choices for internal and external sources.

Source: Open Text Corp., Dublin, OH, 800/328-8648, 614/761-8083; http://opentext.com.
 

SPARC, ARL, and ACRL Launch Web Site
The Scholarly Publishing & Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC), the Association of Research Libraries, and the Association of College & Research Libraries have announced the launch of the CREATE CHANGE Web resource (http://www.createchange.org), designed to help guide researchers and librarians toward solutions to the scholarly communication crisis.

CREATE CHANGE provides a framework and tools for local action in order to assure a healthy future for research and scholarship. The site contains background information and statistical data and provides an online advocacy kit. It also includes a database of the 100 most expensive journals as well as a listing of SPARC-friendly journals and tips on how scientists and other faculty members can take leadership roles on campus to change the status quo.

Source: Scholarly Publishing & Academic Resources Coalition, Washington, DC, 202/296-2296; http://www.arl.org/sparc.
 

CABI Publishing, ingenta Announce New Subject-Specific Internet Communities
CABI Publishing and ingenta have announced that they have launched two Internet communities as a result of their strategic partnership. The communities, animalscience.com and nutritiongate.com, are aimed at specialists in animal health and nutritional science, respectively.

At the heart of both communities are fully searchable databases derived from the combined CAB ABSTRACTS and CAB HEALTH databases. Initially comprising a 10-year archive, the companies say that the databases will expand soon after launch to include over 25 years of information taken from international research literature. Database records are linked to 650,000 full-text articles available within ingentaJournals, if the user holds subscriptions to those titles. Alternatively there is the facility to order full-text papers from many journals.

Source: CABI Publishing, Oxon, U.K., 011-44-1491-832111; Fax: 011-44-1491-829198; http://www.cabi.org.
 

Baker & Taylor Opens theLibraryPlace.com
Baker & Taylor’s e-commerce venture Informata.com has released its first Internet portal, theLibraryPlace.com. According to the announcement, it will offer its customers a single, efficient electronic marketplace for a wide variety of products and services, from books, music, and movies to furniture, computers, and office supplies.

In addition, theLibraryPlace.com will provide a mix of free online services and information, including industry news, career postings, and new product information, as well as premium paid services for librarians. It will also offer a vendor directory providing a listing of suppliers and consultants.

Source: Baker & Taylor, Inc., Charlotte, NC, 800/775-1800, 704/329-9011; http://www.btol.com.
 

DISC REPLICATION TOOLS

MediaFORM Adds New CD-R Solutions
MediaFORM has announced that it has added four new CD-R production solutions to its product line.

Three of the new automated systems (CD-3701, CD-3703, and CD-3706) offer economical solutions for organizations requiring CD-R duplication. All come with standard 12x/8x selectable recording speed and MediaFORM’s anti-piracy features, including copy protection and watermarking. The company’s fourth product (AP1301i-t) is a flexible, network-enabled print station that accommodates both thermal and inkjet printing needs up to 1,200 dpi.

Source: MediaFORM, Exton, PA, 610/458-9200; http://www.mediaform.com.
 

Fujifilm Introduces CD Labeler 1028
The Document Products Division of Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. has unveiled the new Fujifilm CD Labeler Model 1028, an inkjet labeler that imprints text, logos, graphics, and images on the surface of an optical disc with detail and clarity. Targeted to mid-size institutional users who archive microfilmed documents and other data on optical discs, Model 1028 allows full-color printing of customized, intricate designs at a speed of approximately one disc per minute (in default 600 x 600 dpi print mode).

The Fujifilm CD Labeler Model 1028 is compact in size and weighs only 8.5 pounds. It has an estimated list price of $1,495. As part of a special promotion, Fujifilm is offering a free starter kit for all orders placed until September 30, 2000.

Source: Fujifilm U.S.A., Inc., Elmsford, NY, 800/755-3854; http://www.fujifilm.com.
 
 

WEB/ONLINE DATABASES

MicroPatent Materials Patents on IDS
Cambridge Scientific Abstracts (CSA) has announced that MicroPatent Materials Patents is now available through CSA’s Internet Database Service (IDS). When subscribers search a corresponding materials science database on IDS, MicroPatent Materials Patents will be searched simultaneously. This service joins two other add-on databases offered through IDS—Web Resources Database, offering indexed Web sites in the materials sciences, and Recent References, a current citation database.

MicroPatent Materials Patents contains abstracts of U.S., European, and Patent Cooperation Treaty patents related to the materials sciences. According to the announcement, the over 60,000 records in the database have been specifically selected to complement materials science databases offered on IDS.

Source: Cambridge Scientific Abstracts, Bethesda, MD, 301/961-6761; http://www.csa.com.
 

Derwent and West Group Announce Intellectual Property Databases on Westlaw
Derwent Information, Ltd. and its sister company West Group have announced that they have worked in conjunction to provide Patent Status File (PATSTAT) and LitAlert (LITALERT) databases on Westlaw.

According to the companies, PATSTAT enables efficient and successful searches by patent number, and provides weekly updated coverage of 25 types of post-issue actions that may affect U.S. patents, including extensions, disclaimers, dedications, and requests for reissue and re-examination. Westlaw hypertext links lead researchers to the LITALERT database to check the status of pending litigation affecting clients’ portfolios.

LITALERT is a litigation alert service with documents indexed by title, plaintiff, defendant, court, and case number in one convenient listing. It is updated weekly.

Source: Derwent Information, Ltd., London, 011-44-171-344-2800; Fax: 011-44-171-344-2972; http://www.derwent.com.
 

Ovid Adds Journals to Journals@Ovid, Activates Its OpenLinks Linking Solution
Ovid Technologies, Inc. has announced that it has added medical and nursing journals to its aggregated Journals@Ovid full-text database, bringing the total number of journals in the database to 363.

The new titles are AIDS Patient Care & STDs, published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.; Critical Care Nursing, Family and Community Health, Holistic Nursing Practice, and The Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing, published by Aspen Publishers, Inc.; Current Opinion in Endocrinology & Diabetes, Current Opinion in Gastroenterology, and Current Opinion in Organ Transplantation, published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Hospitals and Health Networks, from Health Forum, Inc.; The Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of London; The Milbank Quarterly, published by Blackwell Publishers; Endocrinology, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Molecular Endocrinology, from the Endocrine Society; and Seminars in Neurology, from Thieme Publishers.

In other news from Ovid, the company has released its Ovid OpenLinks external full-text linking solution, for purchase by Ovid institutional bibliographic database subscribers. OpenLinks is a software add-on for Ovid Web Gateway version 4.1.0 that enables users to link from search results in the Ovid bibliographic databases to full-text journal articles located on remote publishers’ Web sites.

Source: Ovid Technologies, Inc., New York, 800/950-2035, 212/563-3006; http://www.ovid.com.
 

See SierraHome’s GenealogyDatabase.com
SierraHome’s Generations brand and Heritage Quest have announced that GenealogyDatabase.com, comprising a large collection of genealogy data and the only online collection of fully digitized U.S. Census images from 1790 to 1920, will be available this fall.

Annotations of genealogical significance have been added to various Census pages by professional researchers to share their knowledge after having worked closely with these records over the last 10 years. Users will also be able to post their own annotations and personal notes to the Census manuscript on individual pages. According to the announcement, GenealogyDatabase.com is the most current Census information available and one of the largest collections of primary source documents.

Source: SierraHome, Bellevue, WA, 425/649-9800; http://www.sierra.com.
 

Facts On File Releases Online World Atlas
Facts On File has announced its new product, The World Atlas On-line (ISBN: 0-8160-4379-5, $198), which provides more than 500 clear, reproducible maps of more than 200 nations, territories, regions, continents, states, and provinces.

Based on the Maps On File product, the cartography has been entirely redesigned for Internet use. Each country map includes major cities, all borders labeled with the names of neighboring nations, major rivers and geographical features, a North indicator, a scale of miles and kilometers, and more. Outline maps can also be generated; regional and world maps are included. Each country map is accompanied by a summary of the nation’s history and government, as well as information and statistics on life expectancy, climate, language, population, per capita GDP, and religion.

Other features include a master menu list of all countries, the ability to generate physical feature menus, a point-and-click world map, keyword search of the entire database, and help screens.

Source: Facts On File, Inc., New York, 212/967-8800; http://www.fofweb.com.
 

IDEAL Adds Journals from Harcourt
Academic Press has announced that by 2001, IDEAL will offer more than 150 journals from Harcourt Health Sciences, with titles published by W.B. Saunders, Churchill Livingstone, Mosby, and Bailliere Tindall.

Currently IDEAL publishes 62 Harcourt Health Sciences journals, including 33 titles from Churchill Livingstone, 23 from W.B. Saunders, and six from Bailliere Tindall. New W.B. Saunders titles to be added include Intensive and Critical Care Nursing, International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia, and Journal of Comparative Pathology.

Source: Academic Press, San Diego, 619/231-6616; http://www.academicpress.com.
 

CAS Now Covers Preprints on the Web
Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS), producer of a compendium of chemistry-related information, has announced that it has begun to abstract and index preprints, a new class of research report distributed on the Web in advance of or in lieu of formal publication.

CAS reports that it will monitor preprint servers in chemistry-related fields and will begin indexing preprints posted in 2000. Abstracts and indexing preprints will appear in CHEMICAL ABSTRACTS, CAplus, and associated databases. The information will be accessible through all CAS electronic search services, including SciFinder, SciFinder Scholar, STN International, STN Express, STN Easy, STN on the Web, and CA on CD.

CAS will process preprints as it does articles in traditionally published journals. CAS document analysts, who are themselves scientists, will summarize the content in concise abstracts and will provide detailed indexing to lead researchers to relevant studies. Preprints will be distinguished from journal articles and other documents by a special field code.

Source: Chemical Abstracts Service, Columbus, OH, 800/753-4227, 614/447-3731; http://www.cas.org.
 

EBSCO Creates Two Full-Text Databases
EBSCO Publishing has announced the release of its new databases, BioMedical FullTEXT Collection and Health Business FullTEXT Elite, which offer in-depth access to an array of clinical and nonclinical information. They are available as part of EBSCOmed.

BioMedical FullTEXT Collection is a compilation of nearly 550 full titles including The Lancet, British Medical Journal, Pediatrics, and Southern Medical Journal. This database can be searched independently, but also allows users to link from citations in other databases (MEDLINE, PsycFIRST, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and others) to full-text records within the database.

Health Business FullTEXT Elite provides journal content detailing healthcare administration and other nonclinical aspects of healthcare institution management. This database contains full text from nearly 500 journals, including Health Facilities Management, Marketing Health Services, and American Journal of Law & Medicine.

Source: EBSCO Publishing, Ipswich, MA, 800/653-2726, 978/356-6500; http://www.epnet.com.
 

Foundation Center Expands Online Service
The Foundation Center has announced that based on the success of its first Web-based funding research service, The Foundation Directory Online, it has launched its new funding research tool, The Foundation Directory Online Plus, available at the organization’s Web site.

The Foundation Directory Online Plus service combines the previous database with a searchable grants file of more than 100,000 grants awarded by approximately 1,000 top U.S. foundations. According to the announcement, Foundation Center staff will be updating the information quarterly.

Flexible subscription options are offered to accommodate nonprofit organizations at different levels. Monthly subscriptions start at $29.95, and annual subscriptions are $295. Special rates are available for multiple-user subscriptions.

Source: The Foundation Center, New York, 212/620-4230; http://fdncenter.org.
 

WilsonWeb to Offer Standard Catalogs
H.W. Wilson has announced that the Wilson Standard Catalogs will soon all be available as searchable Internet databases, beginning with Children’s Catalog.

According to the announcement, Wilson Standard Catalogs provide annotated entries for thousands of books and other resources, offering data valuable for collection development and maintenance, selection and purchasing, readers advisory, and general reference.

Coverage for Children’s Catalog reflects that of the print resource Children’s Catalog, 17th edition, including its four annual supplements. An 18th print edition is due next year, and the electronic edition (updated annually) will draw from that content, as well as all subsequent print editions.

Source: H.W. Wilson, Bronx, NY, 800/367-6770, 718/588-8400; http://www.hwwilson.com.
 

FIZ Karlsruhe Adds Databases to STN
FIZ Karlsruhe, the European Service Center of STN International, an online service for scientific and technical information, has announced that it has extended its bioscience and pharmacology clusters with the following databases:

BIOTECHNO provides international coverage of scientific and technological biotechnology literature. ESBIOBASE offers coverage of the entire spectrum of biological research worldwide. IMSDIRECTORY contains profiles for the most significant pharmaceutical companies and subsidiaries of multinationals operating within the world’s main healthcare markets. IMSDRUGCONF is a directory of worldwide medical and pharmaceutical meetings and conferences. IMSPROFILES examines the internal makeup of more than 100 pharmaceutical companies worldwide on an annual basis.

Source: FIZ Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe, Germany, 011-49-7247-808-513; Fax: 011-49-7247-808-131; http://www.fiz-karlsruhe.de.
 

SilverPlatter to Host FRANCIS Database
SilverPlatter Information, Inc. has announced plans to make the FRANCIS database available via Internet, intranet, and CD-ROM subscriptions. FRANCIS, a broad-coverage humanities and social sciences database, is published by INIST, a unit of the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS).

FRANCIS is international in scope and covers topics from 1984 to the present. This multidisciplinary database contains abstracts for 80 percent of the references and is strong in religion, art history, literature, psychology, philosophy, education, linguistics, archeology, information science, and sociology. The abstracts are in English or in French, and the descriptors are in both languages.

Source: SilverPlatter Information, Inc., Norwood, MA, 781/769-2599; http://www.silverplatter.com.
 

Primark Releases PiranhaWeb Product
Primark Corp. has announced the release of PiranhaWeb, an Internet product for professionals who search, screen, and extract information from multiple databases.

PiranhaWeb allows users to search and screen across Primark’s financial databases, such as A-T Financial, I/B/E/S, Disclosure, and Worldscope. Data from other suppliers can be used as well, such as Compustat, IDC, and SEC. According to the announcement, data can be easily retrieved and manipulated in a number of formats. Users have access to over 250 reports and charts covering everything from peer comparisons to company fundamentals.

PiranhaWeb also links to Global Access, Primark’s online research tool offering a repository of financial information on U.S. and international companies, allowing users access to over 5 million online, real-time documents.

Source: Primark Corp., Waltham, MA, 781/466-6611; http:/www.primark.com.
 

EDGAR Online Has Redesigned Web Site
EDGAR Online, Inc., an Internet provider of business, financial, and competitive information derived from U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) data, has announced that it has redesigned its Web site, adding new continuously updating content, improving navigation, and making many of its features easier to use.

New features include live content on the home page continuously updated throughout the day, with the latest SEC news and filings; new navigation that displays search tools at a glance on every page, including Full Text Search and one-click access into IPO Headlines, Filings, and Pricings on IPO Express; and a This Week’s Filings section, which organizes SEC news of the week by topics.

Source: EDGAR Online, Inc., Norwalk, CT, 800/416-6651, 203/852-5666; http://www.edgar-online.com.
 

CABI Publishing Launches CABDirect
CABI Publishing has announced the launch of its new Internet product, CABDirect at http://www.cabdirect.org.

CABDirect is an applied life science tool developed specifically for use by academic and research institutions around the world. It was created by merging the CAB ABSTRACTS and CAB HEALTH databases.

This research tool allows users to link seamlessly into ingentaJournals to view full-text articles or to order full text by electronic document delivery.

Source: CABI Publishing, Oxon, U.K., 011-44-1491-832111; Fax: 011-44-1491-829198; http://www.cabi.org.
 

Greenwood’s American Slavery Uses Internet Technology to Connect to the Past
Greenwood Electronic Media has announced the launch of American Slavery: A Composite Autobiography (http://www.slavenarratives.com), an authoritative collection of American slave narratives available on the Web. American Slavery not only contains page after page of first-hand slave narratives, originally recorded for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) project beginning in 1936, but has also added the ability to organize and search through these primary documents by name, county and state of servitude, age when interviewed, year of birth, name of master, and more.

With Greenwood’s American Slavery, Web users will have access to every one of the 2,300-plus original WPA documents in one place. Users will also be able to use simple search options to sort through the collection. Additionally, the site will feature a daily news wire delivering stories of interest and an up-to-date Webliography.

Available pricing options are a permanent, one-time purchase, starting at $900 for institutions, or school year (9-month) access, starting at $400 for institutions. Or contact Greenwood to get a 30-day free trial.

Source: Greenwood Electronic Media, Westport, CT, 203/226-3571; http://www.greenwood.com.
 

Factiva Introduces Publishing Solution
Factiva has announced that it has unveiled Factiva Publisher. Part of a suite of content integration tools, the new product integrates Factiva’s global content into an organization’s intranet.

Factiva Publisher offers a global content set of nearly 5,000 external information sources, including The Wall Street Journal, and Dow Jones and Reuters news wires, as well as other content published in 12 different languages and stock quotes from 10 exchanges around the world. It uses more than 1,300 XML-based Factiva Intelligent Indexing codes to tailor information from the various sources. With the Editorial Interface, an organization has complete control of what is being posted to the corporate intranet. Articles can be tagged as “hot” and annotated with relevant commentary. The Administration Interface allows a content manager to monitor and measure usage.

Source: Factiva, Princeton, NJ, 800/369-7466, 609/520-4636; http://www.factiva.com.
 

Ex Libris and EBSCO Link Seamlessly
SFX, recently acquired by Ex Libris (USA), Inc., has announced that it now offers a solution that permits context-sensitive linking between Web resources. Under the terms of an agreement between Ex Libris and EBSCO Publishing, two-way linking will be enabled between the Ex Libris SFX Linking server and EBSCOhost, EBSCO’s online search system.

First, EBSCOhost customers who also license the SFX server can link directly from EBSCOhost search results via SFX to an extended range of resources and services. Also, users of EBSCOhost and other information sources can link through the SFX server to full text in EBSCOhost databases as well as e-journal content available through EBSCO Online.

SFX technology allows libraries to combine electronic resources from several different systems to function as a cohesive, one-stop reference system.

Source: Ex Libris (USA), Inc., Chicago, 877/527-1689, 773/404-5527; http://www.exlibris-usa.com.
 

APA Launches Internet-Based PsycSCAN
The American Psychological Association (APA) has developed an Internet-based solution for health professionals who need access to the latest research in experimental and clinical psychopharmacology, including studies on drug therapy for physical and mental disorders and psychoactive substances. Available by subscription on APA’s Web site, PsycSCAN: Psychopharmacology is a searchable online collection of abstracts drawn from APA’s PsycINFO database. Covering literature published in journals, book chapters, books, and technical reports from 1972 to present, PsycSCAN is designed to meet the information needs of all researchers and practitioners whose work involves the psychological aspects of therapeutic drugs or psychoactive substances. More than 68,000 records are currently online; approximately 3,500 to 4,000 records are expected to be added each year, through monthly updates.

Source: American Psychological Association, Washington, DC, 202/336-5500; http://www.apa.org.
 

BOOKS

Cornell University Librarians Author New Text on Digitizing Cultural Resources
Cornell University preservation librarians Anne R. Kenney and Oya Y. Rieger have created a self-help reference guide called Moving Theory into Practice (Research Libraries Group, ISBN: 0-9700225-0-6, $80) specifically for librarians in charge of converting large collections into digitized images.

The guide covers all aspects of digital conversion, from decision making to sound practices to turning projects into sustainable digital programs. Contributions from more than 50 experts inform the text, and Kenney and Rieger provide guidance highlighting major issues, pertinent research trends, and relevant emerging technologies and techniques.

Source: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 607/255-4206; http://www.cornell.edu.
 

O’Reilly Publishes New Books of Interest
O’Reilly & Associates, Inc. has announced the publication of several new books, some of which are of special interest to librarians.

Building Internet Firewalls, second edition (ISBN: 1-56592-871-7, $44.95), by Elizabeth D. Zwicky, Simon Cooper, and D. Brent Chapman, is a practical and detailed guide that provides step-by-step explanations of how to design and install firewalls, and how to configure Internet services to work with a firewall. It features a complete list of resources, including the location of many publicly available firewall construction tools.

Linux Network Administrator’s Guide, second edition (ISBN: 1-56592-400-2, $34.95), by Olaf Kirch and Terry Dawson, is a comprehensive introduction to networking on Linux. This new edition covers firewalls, masquerading, accounting, Novell support, and INN. Original material on serial connections, UUCP, routing and DNS, Mail and News, SLIP and PPP, NFS, and NIS has been thoroughly updated.

Cascading Style Sheets: The Definitive Guide (ISBN: 1-56592-622-6, $34.95), by Eric A. Meyer, offers a complete, detailed review of CSS1 properties and other aspects of CSS1. The guide also shows how to avoid common mistakes in interpretation.

Source: O’Reilly & Associates, Inc., Sebastopol, CA, 800/998-9938, 707/829-0515; http://www.oreilly.com.
 

Libraries Unlimited Introduces Title on Library Services and Distance Learning
Libraries Unlimited has announced Library Services for Open and Distance Learning: The Third Annotated Bibliography, by Alexander L. Slade and Marie A. Kascus (ISBN: 1-56308-745-6; $75, $90 outside North America). According to the announcement, this work helps keep readers abreast of the immense changes taking place in the field of education and the issues they raise for libraries.

The authors cover all types of materials from around the world, ranging from brief news items to major research reports and dissertations. This edition marks a transition in the literature on library services for distance learning and points to a future where remote access to information resources will be a prominent issue in the delivery of all library services. Special emphasis is given to Web-based distance education. Access is provided through four indexes (author, geographical, institution, and subject), and the indexes are cumulative from the previous two editions.

Source: Libraries Unlimited, Englewood, CO, 800/237-6124; http://www.lu.com.
 

netLibrary to Offer ALA Titles as E-Books
ALA Editions, the imprint of the American Library Association (ALA), has announced that a selection of its titles will be made available as e-books through netLibrary, a provider of e-books and Internet-based content-management services.

A starting collection of more than 50 ALA Editions titles will be made available through netLibrary later this year. E-book versions of ALA Editions publications will be able to be searched, previewed, borrowed, and returned over the Internet.

Source: ALA Editions, Chicago, 800/545-2433; http://www.ala.org/editions.