This paper describes the evolution and development of an intelligent information system, i.e., a knowledge base for steel structures being undertaken as part of the Technical Information Center for Steel Structures at Lehigh University's Center of Advanced Technology for Large Structural Systems (ATLSS). The initial development of the Technical Information Center is discussed, and the decisions on hardware and software made in the first year are reviewed. In particular, the factors instrumental in the selection of Turbo Prolog as the programming language are detailed. The computer-based bibliographic database designed during the first year of the project and now under development is described, and lessons from the experience and their impact on the future direction of the project are discussed. Projected future activities--including testing of the bibliographic system, expansion of that system into a complete knowledge based system, and conversion of the system to an optical disc (CD-ROM) storage format--and potential research questions associated with developing and using intelligent information systems are also discussed. (EW)