Going Online, CD‐ROM and the Internet. 10th edition

Citation

Chawner, B. (1999), "Going Online, CD‐ROM and the Internet. 10th edition", Asian Libraries, Vol. 8 No. 5, pp. 179-180. https://doi.org/10.1108/al.1999.8.5.179.6

Bradley has considerable experience in the information industry, and his intention in this book is to give novices an introduction to information retrieval using online and CD‐ROM databases, as well as retrieval via the Internet. This is the 10th edition of a well‐established Aslib title, and the main changes are the addition of sections on the Internet and the inclusion of URLs to direct readers with Internet access to sources of further information.

The book has a similar structure to the previous edition, beginning with general database and information retrieval concepts and then moving on to telecommunications and equipment requirements. General concepts introduced include an introduction to searching and an explanation of the different types of databases (bibliographic, factual, full‐text and statistical), followed by a chapter giving a brief introduction to the Internet.

The search process, including the use of Boolean operators and Internet search engines and directories, is covered in a single chapter. This introduces a number of advanced concepts, for example the use of plug‐ins such as Acrobat Reader, which the novice may find difficult to understand from the relatively brief explanations. A useful chapter, new to this edition, discusses the “information mix” ‐ the searcher, the data, the cost, and the access to the data ‐ and how this can vary with the user’s information needs. A case study at Harris Research, a UK market research company, gives a real‐world example of putting the information mix into practice.

The last half of the book is more technical, covering telecommunications; costs and charging; equipment; choosing database hosts, CD‐ROM publishers and Internet Service Providers; networking (including intranets); downloading and post‐processing; and copyright. Bradley concludes with sources of further advice, a list of suppliers, a glossary and an extensive bibliography of material published largely from 1994 to early 1997. There is an index, but this is mainly the names of databases, database hosts, CD‐ROM publishers, and other commercial services, with only a few of the main concepts included.

Written in an informal style, Going Online, CD‐ROM and the Internet would be very useful for people with little or no prior knowledge of this area. Although concepts are generally explained in non‐technical language, the only illustrations are samples of database records. Some carefully chosen diagrams would make it easier for the intended readers to understand some of the more complex concepts, such as Boolean logic or how the Internet is used to connect to a database host. There is a strong emphasis on the UK, and the lack of information on ways to find local ISPs, for example, limits the book’s practical usefulness in other parts of the world. Nonetheless, it gives a good introduction to the broad and increasingly complex area of information retrieval and is recommended for basic library science collections.