The World Discovers Cataloging: A Conceptual Introduction to Digital Libraries, Metadata and Implications for Library Administrations. By Roger Brisson (a preprint is available at the author's homepage ).
Summary. As a powerful and radically new information medium, the World Wide Web has been embraced by libraries, as information centers par excellence, for its potential to address patron needs effectively. Because of the Web's rapid growth, librarians and other information professionals are developing a variety of solutions to bring the explosion of Web resources under control. While paradigmatic transformations like that taking place in the information industry today have become a tang ble reality, inforination professionals are recognizing that only through the strategic redefining of the essential functions of libraries- selection, acquisition, organization, and access- will the transformative power of such change be harnessed most effectively. This paper attempts to characterize the conceptual 'playing field' of the current transforinations taking place, and in so doing proposes a structural model of the relationship that libraries should develop to Internet-based resources. The tandem concepts of digital libraries and metadata are key components of this model, and the intent is to anchor them firmly within the organizational and managerial context of library administration. How we mentally structure and 'visualize' a library's role in the unfolding digital revolution is critical to the future of libraries as institutions. In visualizing this role, librarians should focus on the library's traditional functions and to rethink these functions in the new digital environment. The two concepts hold the potential for fully integrating the essential functions of the library into the digital environment, and strategically centering the library for the critical role it should play in the coming digital society of the 2l't century.

Looking Through Users' Eyes: What do Graduate Students Need to Know about Internet Resources via the Library Catalog? By Jimmie Lundgren (jimlund@mail.uflib.ufl.edu) and Betsy Simpson (betsys@mail.uflib.ufl.edu)
Summary. A survey completed by graduate students at the University of Florida expressed their views of the usefulness of typical elements of description for Internet resources appropriate to their work or studies. The students indicated most support for inclusion of title, primary author, Internet address and summary. Other elements found very useful were subject, level of information, titles of related works in print, date created, date updated, access limits, additional authors, recommended software, system requirements, size of file, edition, frequency, and if graphics are included. Overall, they showed a desire for full level descriptions of Internet resources.

NEWS FROM THE FIELD   By Gerry McKiernan, Editor

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