This journal chronicles a sample of the papers and presentations delivered during previous annual meetings of the Maryland Association for Institutional Research on the fifth anniversary of that association. A first paper, one from the first annual meeting in 1987 titled "Environmental Scanning: Assessing Local Business Training Needs" (Craig A. Clagett and Robin B. Huntington), presents an introduction to environmental scanning and the lessons and findings of a collaborative business needs assessment. The second paper, "Student Outcomes Performance Accountability Reports: A Prototype" (Craig A. Clagett) reviews how Maryland's community colleges have responded to the evolving accountability concerns connected with student outcomes with a focus on Prince George's Community College. The third paper, "Accountability and Assessment in Maryland Higher Education" (Shaila R. Aery), discusses a new form of accountability-student achievement as opposed to financial stewardship-and levels of responsibility for assessment. The fourth paper, "Taxographic Space: A Radically Different Paradigm for Information Management" (David A. Webb), describes information management on a taxographic space model rather than the tree paradigm. The fifth paper is by Robin B. Huntington and is titled "Selecting Tools for Institutional Research". It presents an overview of the kinds of computer software useful in institutional research. The sixth article, "When an Institutional Researcher Needs a Statistical Package - And More" (Merrill R. Pritchett) presents a researcher's description of the benefits of using a statistical software package, SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). The final paper is "Staff Attitudes Toward Outcome Assessment" by Martha A. Matlick. It presents the results of a survey of attitudes and preferences toward outcomes assessment of over 400 staff in Maryland's public, undergraduate institutions. (JB)