Public Access CD-ROMs in Libraries

The aim of this book is to provide librarians who are planning to purchase CD-ROMs or manage their use by the public, with case studies of libraries from the USA, Canada and Europe which have installed CD-ROM workstations in public access areas. This volume should therefore serve as an aid to the planning and decision-making involved. Contributors to the book are drawn from various types of libraries and information centres including public, academic, school and other special libraries. The emphasis is on libraries offering access to commerically produced databaes both bibliographic and non-bibliographic. Libraries which have only one workstation, as well as those offering entire information retrieval centres housing their CD-ROMS are included. Unusual or innovative services, workstations in non-traditional locations, fee-based access, training programmes for staff and patrons and networking arrangements are all discussed.
 
The aim of this book is to provide librarians who are planning to purchase CD-ROMs or manage their use by the public, with case studies of libraries from the USA, Canada and Europe which have installed CD-ROM workstations in public access areas. This volume should therefore serve as an aid to the planning and decision-making involved. Contributors to the book are drawn from various types of libraries and information centres including public, academic, school and other special libraries. The emphasis is on libraries offering access to commerically produced databaes both bibliographic and non-bibliographic. Libraries which have only one workstation, as well as those offering entire information retrieval centres housing their CD-ROMS are included. Unusual or innovative services, workstations in non-traditional locations, fee-based access, training programmes for staff and patrons and networking arrangements are all discussed.