Allen Kent was a pioneer in many aspects of library and information science (LIS), and yet, as this author reads Kent's 1977 article, there is not much in it that has become ancient, irrelevant history. The questions he discusses are still alive in the discipline in 2014, whether it is called LIS (library and information science), information…

Offers advice to librarians considering doctoral study in library and information science. Highlights include the difference between academic and professional degrees and how to select a school, choose a specialty, and evaluate the quality of a program. (EM)

An analysis of publication types and the use of citations in studies of library and information science (LIS) program quality suggests that publication types should be differentiated, that book publication is important, and that the role of humanities-oriented faculty may be lost without attention to book production. Presents a formula for LIS…

Examines several points in the cycle of publication of scientific research results--informal presentations, conference presentations, technical report literature, journal articles, abstracts, scientific reviews, treatises, textbooks--and recommends search strategies for locating needed references in a library. Eight references are listed. (EJS)

The Getty Information Institute conducted a two-year study of online searching by 27 humanities scholars using DIALOG. Discusses results and recommends that library services: provide interdisciplinary information for humanities scholars; recognize that online searching in humanities may be harder than in sciences; expect wide preferences for…

This selective review covers user studies done from the standpoints of both the library and the user. Use of catalogs, reference services, circulation, browsing and library facilities are included as are information-gathering habits of scientists and the general public. Studies of whole information systems and the methodology and philosophy of…

Articulates key elements in the "invisible substrate" of information science. Emphasizes information science's role as a meta-science--conducting research and developing theory around documentary products of other disciplines and activities. Suggests that mental activities of information science center around "representation" and "organization" of…

Presents a model for the design of online catalog subject access based on three principles: the uncertainty of subject indexing, the need for greater variety in searcher's queries, and the complexity of the search process. The proposed system is based on existing Library of Congress subject cataloging. (EM)

Discusses indexing and access to digital resources, especially on the Internet. Topics include subject searching versus indexing; multiple terms of access; folk classification; basic level terms; folk access; Bradford's Law; Zipfian distributions; vocabulary scalability; the Resnikoff-Dolby 30:1 Rule; domain-specific indexing; and implications for…

This third report from a project conducted by the Getty Art History Information Program presents results of interviews conducted with visiting scholars regarding their experiences searching DIALOG databases, the role the searching took in their research, and their attitudes about the future of online searching in the humanities. (LRW)

Reports a study that analyzed natural language search statements constructed by 22 Getty Visiting Scholars as they researched humanities topics on DIALOG. Results show a greater use of names, geographical areas, chronological periods, and discipline terms than scientists use, with implications for the design of humanities online systems and…

Seventeen idea tactics to aid information specialists in furthering a reference search are defined as parts of total search strategies, and are grouped into idea generation and pattern breaking modes. Problems in testing such tactics are discussed. (FM)