Book Reviews

An Introduction to Online Searching, Tze-chung Li, Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1985.

This text is divided into two parts; the first of which dis- cusses the topic, online searching and its background. Here we find information that tells us the brief history of online, and a description of the search process. The reader is told about the producers and vendors as well as the management consider- ation involved in operating a search service.

The second part gives details on basic searching procedures for the major vendors: DIALOG, SDC and BRS, as well as the most frequently searched producers of public-oriented systems of CompuServe, The Source, and Dow Jones Retrieval Service. In this section we are also given information about downloading onto a microcomputer. The section and the volume ends with a chapter comparing the various services and pointing out their similarities and differences.

The approach is logical and provides an excellent approach to the topic. The author packs a great deal of information in the 277 pages. He tells us a great deal, he unfortunately, doesn’t explain much. For example, on the topic of terminal functions:

“Functionally, terminals fall into three categories: commu- nication, intelligent, and programmable. The communication terminal simply transmits and receives information. The intelli- gent terminal has a limited ability for programming, editing, formatting and data entry. The programmable terminals have soft-ware support, such as personal computers, with capability of connecting to the databases” (page 66).

For a text that labels itself “An Introduction . . .” I find this insufficient information regarding terminal functions. As an in- structor, I know I would have to explain this, and most of the other information in the book. The volume can be used in a classroom situation since it does offer an excellent approach and outline, but would require a great deal of explanation be- fore the beginning searcher would understand it.

The chief problem with this text, as with other texts in the area of online searching, is that by the time the text is available, much of the information contained is out-of-date, and often in error. The changes being made in the field of online searching as well as with each of the systems discussed in Part 2, are made daily. I would wish that each of the vendors and publicly-avail- able produced databases would put a practice file at no charge on their systems so that the would-be searcher could learn that system as it exists rather than reading a description of that sys- tem as it existed a year or two in the past. This would permit those of us who teach in the field to guide students through the search procedures, and permit those who write to supply that type of information that the author gives us in the first part of the volume.

Tillie Krieger School of Library & Information Science Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, LA 70803

The User Friendliness of the Library Catalog. Danny P. Wal- lace. Urbana-Champaign: University of Illinois, Graduate School of Library and Information Science; 1984. (Its Occa- sional Papers, No. 163). 42 pp. Price: $3.00 (ISSN 0276-1769)

This paper offers the reader a tour of some of the literature of catalog use and catalog design from the viewpoint of the cur- rently popular concept of “user friendliness.” The premise be- hind this concept is that almost all systems require some knowl- edge on the part of the user; those in which the amount of knowledge is presumed to be minimal are described as being user-friendly. The trouble with that definition is that it does not accommodate the user’s changing state of knowing; are we speaking of a different concept when the user’s knowledge base changes? Or does the meaning of user friendliness change with increased user competence? To deal with these ambiguities, Wallace enumerates twelve elements of user-friendliness based on a comprehensive summary article dealing with user require- ments in man-computer interactive situations. Rather than evaluating the literature within this twelve-part structure, how- ever, Wallace chose to make his analyses within a more tradi- tional framework although he returns to the twelve elements in his final, concluding section. He states that taking the user’s perspective leads to the need to address a number of topics, in- cluding the fundamental question of “whether a catalog is nec- essary and useful at all.” [p. 51 The other issues dealt with are: the purpose of the catalog; the intended audience; and various technical aspects of the catalog-form, format (content), and arrangement.

Using a different viewpoint will not necessarily produce sur- prising results. But it is instructive to look at familiar literature from a new perspective; at least it forces one to question or sus- pend previously-held “truths.” Some of Wallace’s analyses can be paraphrased as follows:

(a) Libraries with complete (i.e., comprehensive) catalogs are more friendly than libraries without any catalogs-the more complete, the more friendly; and, locally created (customized) catalogs are more friendly than catalogs, in- dexes or bibliographies which have been produced by ex- ternal agencies.

(b) Catalogs designed for individuals are more friendly than catalogs designed for groups; the more heterogeneous the group, the less friendly is any specific group-targeted cat- alog.

(c) Catalogs designed within a framework of explicitly-stated purposes (with a specific audience in mind) are more friendly than catalogs designed within some vague, grand plan.

(d) Catalogs that facilitate scanning are friendlier than those that do not.

It is imperative to note, at this point, that none of these are stated as proven facts, but rather, as hypotheses based on state- ments of librarians and users.

Unfortunately, Wallace is unable to sustain this approach and resorts to a more traditional treatment of the literature dealing with form, format and arrangement. The second half of

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE-January 1986 47

the naner covers the tonics of “arrangement of the catalog,” L I

“content of catalog records,” “natureif catalog entries,” and “arrangement of alphabetical entries.” The issues associated with each are: Arrangement: Dictionary versus divided; alphabetical versus classified. Content: Amount and type of information per entry; number and type of entries per document; headings to be used; arrange- ment of entries. Nature: Entry points (i.e., number of access points). Entry Arrangement: Truly alphabetical versus modified.

It was far more difficult to understand what specific hypoth- eses were suggested in these sections of the paper. The issues are not as clearly defined as in the first half of the paper nor are the topics mutually exclusive. It is also difficult to understand how the user perceives these problems, especially since much of the literature cited represents the catalog maker’s point of view. One can even question whether users are aware of these issues except in a most intuitive way. Since the research on user per- ception is so sparse in these areas, it is tempting (and conve- nient) to revert to more familiar grounds, but that is not very useful. In fact, a close inspection of some of the issues will show that the problems are actually economic ones. Clearly some al- ternative approach will be needed to make these topics amena- ble to a user-friendly thesis. An example is offered; other ap- proaches may be better:

Catalog records are surrogrates to a collection of materials intended to be read or viewed. The record is a description of that material. Depending on intended use, the nature of this description may vary. From the literature, we get the impres- sion that the most friendly record is the one that provides nei- ther too much nor too little data. The profession has not been able to establish what this medium length record should con- tain, but clearly that has been the nature of the debate.

Having arrived at some concensus about the content of the record, the next question is how to present the record for easy use by the seeker. One method is to present each record in a sequential order and to provide an index; the index may be by author (personal and corporate), by titles, by subject (topical or categorical), or by a combination of these. The sequence could be determined simply by the accident of acquisition-such as a machine-readable file found in a large bibliographic service (e.g., OCLC, RLG/RLIN, UTLAS or WLN)-or we can ar- range the entries by some field that is part of the record. The result would be a single (main) entry with one or more indexes. Card catalog designers have elected to use a different approach; for each potential index entry we have regenerated the unit en- try, added the index term or phrase and interfiled the two type of entries (the catalog record and the index entries). The hy- pothesis, then, is that this integrated approach is more friendly than individual files with indexes to the single entry. This seems to be consistent with the user-friendly thesis because the searcher does not have to move from an index to the entry; the entry is part of the index record!

The next question concerns the issue of the vocabulary of the index. What terms might a user know and how might we con- nect the user’s terminology with the system’s terminology when there is disagreement. (One can also see the need to connect the system’s method of categorizing-in classified catalogs-with the user’s categories.) Again, we can hypothesize that system vocabularies that are closest to the user’s are more friendly (and system classes or categories that coincide with the user’s are also friendlier).

These are some of the conclusions one might reach in a user- based analysis; some appear in Wallace’s summation and some do not. To this reviewer it seems that Wallace moved from a user’s perspective to the maker’s perspective as he became more involved with the technical literature.

The research and forensic literature of catalog use and de-

sign is sufficiently large to have generated a substantial body of secondary literature. Wallace has added an interesting study to the latter. Although there are occasional inferences to economic factors that influence decision-making in the creation of library catalogs, this paper basically deals only with the issues relevant to the design of a usable (friendlier) product. Extending this approach to some of the more recent studies that were not in- cluded (without explanation for their omission) and to the sub- stantial work done on the electronic catalog (which the author specifically excluded), would seem to be a logical and beneficial follow-up.

James Krikelas School of Library and Information Studies University of Wisconsin

Information and Misinformation: An Investigation of the No- tions of Information, Misinformation, Informing, and Misin- forming. Christopher John Fox, Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press; 1983; 223 pp.

The concept of information is among the most important of our time, yet its meaning is unclear. What is this mysterious thing called information which we use to label systems, mental processes, and even the current age of civilization? This is the thorny and longstanding question that Fox examines. The answer that he reaches has interesting implications for the infor- mation sciences, both on a theoretical and a practical level.

Fox’s basic premise is that an adequate definition of informa- tion must encompass the various common uses of the term. He reviews previous definitions of information, which have ranged from Fairthorne’s view that information is a bogus concept akin to phlogiston, to precise definitions in a narrow domain such as Shannon’s. Using the technique of analytic philosophy, Fox argues that none of these definitions captures the meaning of in- formation as we use it in ordinary speech.

The author argues persuasively that a definition which does capture our ordinary use of “information” is that information is propositions, i.e. descriptive statements about the world. This result strongly indicates that the voluminous research that has been done in philosophy, mathematics, and other fields, on the nature and expression of propositions, has direct relevance to the foundations of computer and information science. Fox’s results also have practical consequences for the ways information should be represented and manipulated in systems.

If information is propositions, then an adequate formalism for expressing information in a way useful for computation will most likely be one allowing the expression and manipulation of propositions. This is not the case with current information retrie- val systems, which are term based. For example, the logical state- ments and production rules used in expert systems should be more useful for representing the information in a document than a listing of the terms in a document. As an illustration of this, consider a document consisting of the sentence, “John loves Mary”. In an information retrieval system, whether boolean or probabalistic, the information will be represented by the words, “John”, “loves”, and “Mary” losing the semantic links between the words. The same document could be represented in a logical language, such as PROLOG, as “loves(John,Mary)” with no such semantic loss.

This book is an important addition to the literature of the in- formation sciences. The author does a good job of explaining the

Received March 15, 1985.

48 JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE-January 1986

methodology he uses, and thus this book can and should be read by anyone interested in the foundations of the information sci- ences, information systems, or artificial intelligence.

William B. Frakes AT& T Bell Laboratories Hobndel. N.J. 07733

Measuring Productivity: Trends and Comparisons from the Fit International Productivity Symposium. New York: UNIPUB; 1984: pp. xiv+290, $46.50.

The book presents the papers which were given at the Inter- national Productivity Symposium held in Tokyo, Japan, in May 1983 under the sponsorship of the Japan Productivity Center.

The nine chapters of the book were written by six professors, two economists, one member of the Employers’ Association, and one productiv’iSy measurement specialist. These chapters covered such topics as productivity measurement and analysis, measure- ment of capital output, white-collar productivity, international comparisons of productivity, total factor productivity, and an econometric analysis of productivity improvements in Japan.

The motto which runs through the book is that true productiv- ity improvement and business revitalization can be achieved only when balanced and coordinated efforts and progress are made in both ‘hard’ factors, such as the introduction of new technology and advanced production equipment, and ‘soft’ human elements of business, such as labor-management relations and manage- ment organization.

As with nearly all conference proceedings, the range in the quality of the papers is very large. For example, some chapters have no references to support the statements while others have an excess of 30 references to support their thesis. Some of the chap- ter contributions are original writings while others are reprinted from published sources. Some chapters present the completion of otherwise available data while other chapters present new origi- nal research. ’

The weakness of most books on productivity is that they con- centrate on measurement rather than improvement of productiv- ity. The current book is no exception. Yet, it is the improvement rather than measurement of productivity which affects the stan- dard of living. One could, of course, argue that in order to assess an improvement, first a baseline measurement must be estab- lished. This may be a sound argument but then this should be done scientifically, so that the variables contributing to produc- tivity are clearly identified both from theoretical construct valida- tion studies and from correlational data. The presentation of this needed information is most scarce in the book.

Some of the data presented in the book conforms with the sub- jective impression one gets in visiting Japan. For example, agri- culture in Japan is hardly mechanized due to the small farm sizes; thus, the output per man-hour in USA farms is six times higher than in Japan. There are no differences in mining productivity between the two countries. Output per man-hour is still over20% higher in the USA than in Japan.

Overall, the book is a good addition to the library of those who are interested and concerned with productivity measurement issues.

Gavriel Salvendy Purdue University WestLafayette. Indiana 47907

Received March 7, 1985.

Professional Competencies-Technology and the Librarian. Linda C. Smith, Ed. [Clinic on Library Applications of Data Processing, 20th annual]. (Champaign, Illinois: Graduate School of Library and Information Science, 1983). (ISBN-O- 87485-070-X)

In the spring of 1983 Professor Linda C. Smith organized an important conference on the human side of library automation with attention to professional competencies required to make effective use of new information technologies. This volume, is- sued under her editorship, is of equal importance. In the intro- duction Smith notes that her intention is to encourage consider- ation of how best to develop our human resources to make effective use of technology for human ends.

Outstanding papers include Kathryn Luther Henderson’s detailed review of the technological impact on technical ser- vices. Henderson based her observations on job announcements and correspondence with librarians engaged in technical ser- vices to identify two key areas of competency: general, techni- cal, and bibliographic; and managerial. Her documentation is wide-ranging and compels the reader to pursue additional ma- terial. In another thoughtful paper, Danuta A. Nitecki reviews the competencies required of public services librarians. She identifies these competencies, discusses the impact of new tech- nologies on public services, and assesses the effect of online technologies.

The competencies required in different library types are ex- amined by Richard T. Sweeney (public), Carolyn M. Gray (aca- demic), and Hillis L. Griffin (special). Education in its training mode is treated by Linda Baskin and Mima Spencer who delin- eate specific guidelines for in-service. The philosophical aspects of education are discussed by Evelyn H. Daniel who describes three models for change in library and science education.

Julie Carroll Virgo characterizes the role of the professional association in the development of professional competence with examples of different approaches-highlighting innovative practice; setting educational standards; providing an environ- ment where leadership and group skills can be developed; pro- viding opportunities for information exchange; disseminating information; and providing continuing education. Jo An S. Se- gal argues for a values clarification process as the secret of com- petencies. She observes that values such as cooperation, hu- manism and ethical behavior are the foremost qualities needed by librarians in cooperating for the use of library technology.

The impact of automation on personnel is a subject of grow- ing concern in the library and information science professions. JASZS readers, most of whom faced new technologies at day-one on the job may wonder what the fuss is about, but many infor- mation workers in traditional settings are just beginning to ex- perience the impact of job redesign and realignment of the or- ganizational setting. Smith’s volume is a cogent analysis of librarianship on the brink of full-scale automation. The selec- tion of a mix of front-line veterans and scholars as contributors combine to present an intelligent and useful introduction to this important area of concern. Recommended for all information organizations involved in any degree of automation.

Kathleen M. Heim School of Library and Znformation Science Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, LA 70803

Atypical Careers and Innovative Services in Library and Infor- mation Science. Walter C. Allen and Lawrence W. S. Auld, eds. [issued as Library Trends 32 (Winter 1984)] Champaign,

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE-January 1986 49

Illinois: University of Illinois, Graduate School of Library and Information Science. (ISSN 0024-2594). Available from Jour- nals Department, University of Illinois Press, 54 E. Gregory Drive, Box 5081, Station A, Champaign, Illinois 61820 for $6.00.

Papers that were to be presented at the twenty-eighth Annual Allerton Institute (which was cancelled due to low registration) are gathered in this issue of Library Trends by the Institute’s organizers, Walter C. Allen and Lawrence W. S. Auld. Cancel- lation of the Institute was not for lack of interest but most likely due to employers’ disinclination to support travel to a program that would examine and delineate techniques for institutional- ized librarians to “make the break”.

In their lucid introduction, Allen and Auld present the need for the profession to address the role of informational profes- sionals working outside of institutional constraints in order to provide an added dimension to the realm of direct services to clients. the editors have brought together an array of papers that survey many aspects of information services delivered with- out benefit of organizational support.

The introductory paper by Toni Carbo Bearman, Executive Director of the National Commission of Libraries and Informa- tion Science, which has also appeared in Nancy M. Viggiano’s Readings in Technology. sketches seven broad areas of change that have taken place in the roles of information professionals over the last two decades. These areas, discussed by Bearman in a brief five-page essay, are the information professional’s role as an integral part of the information transfer change; the need to harness technology and management tools; the shift to individ- ual-oriented information services; the need for new directions in education; the changing image of the information professional; the need for an ethical commitment; and increased interna- tional awareness. Several of these areas (such as ethical com- mitment) are so barely touched upon that more questions are raised than answered-how, for instance, can the censorship is- sue be viewed as a recent concern? Bearman’s comments are most interesting on the information transfer change.

Library Consultant, Raymond M. Holt, describes the life of a consultant in clear strokes beginning with a discussion of req- uisite character traits; tact, sincerity and honesty, patience and understanding, self-discipline, ability to create/innovate, per- ceptive and intuitive capacity, commitment and self-esteem, sense of humor, love of people, and persistence. He delineates education and experience required and outlines additional qualifications of specialized knowledge, financial resources, ad- equate time, good health, ability to write, communication skills, objectivity, perceptive, keeping an open mind, and flexi- bility on the home front. The need for special skills are dis-

cussed and key areas of consulting activity summarized: auto- mation, video services, public relations, personnel, library management, library systems, collections and buildings. Holt ends with the business side of a consultant’s life and makes it clear that a savvy business sense is required. All in all, this is a cogent and highly informative introduction to the consultant’s career. The fundamentals of establishing a business, which re- inforce comments made by Holt, are clearly presented in an- other essay by Lynda Nash Leach and James A. Leach.

Judith Ann Houk, free-lance librarian, provides a witty in- terlude with a set of observations on free-lancing and Beth Horner, professional storyteller, describes the problems and challenges faced by the free-lancer who maintains institutional employment.

Alice Norton describes public relations as an atypical career in library management and identifies four trends: increased li- brary cooperation, additional of staff specialists to libraries; adoption of marketing practices; use of consultants and outside firms. She characterizes public relations careers in and out of libraries and sees the specialty as a life-long career opportunity. The article is well documented.

Forensic engineering information services are described by Aline Fairbanks with detail and thoroughness. The opportuni- ties in the online industry are thoughtfully outlined by Linda Panovich-Sachs.

F. W. Lancaster considers the implications for library and information science education of deinstitutionalization and forecasts an increase in the need for information specialists. He pleads for a shift of focus of professional concern away from the library toward the skilled information professional. Gerald R. Shields views the “atypical” career as soon to become typical in his essay on new alternatives.

The issue ends with a tightly-woven two-page essay by Patri- cia E. Lowrey on bibliographic sources for further reading. Al- though this set of papers is not as replete with literature reviews as most issues of Library Trends, it does provide baseline infor- mation on many aspects of careers outside of traditional struc- tures. In spite of the uneveness of the papers, the issue is well worth the price and should be purchased by every librarian and information science education program’s placement service. It should also provide a fertile discussion matter for classes on the role of librarians in society.

Kathleen M. Heim School of Library and Information Science Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, LA 70803

50 JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE-January 1966