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The Promenade image retrieval system is described in terms of its design, development and architecture. Design, development and implementation issues are discussed in terms of efficiency and effectiveness. A preliminary usability study is presented and the data respiting from the preliminary study are analysed and discussed. Efficiency in terms of response time due to network delays, database processing, application processing and image characteristics and display is discussed. Response time results from 40 queries made to the image database are presented and discussed. The results of these studies demonstrate where improvements in the system need to be made in order to improve usability and response time.

The implementation of hierarchic agglomerative methods of cluster anlaysis for large datasets is very demanding of computational resources when implemented on conventional computers. The ICL Distributed Array Processor (DAP) allows many of the scanning and matching operations required in clustering to be carried out in parallel. Experiments are described using the single linkage and Ward's hierarchical agglomerative clustering methods on both real and simulated datasets. Clustering runs on the DAP are compared with the most efficient algorithms currently available implemented on an IBM 3083 BX. The DAP is found to be 2.9–7.9 times as fast as the IBM, the exact degree of speed‐up depending on the size of the dataset, the clustering method, and the serial clustering algorithm that is used. An analysis of the cycle times of the two machines is presented which suggests that further, very substantial speed‐ups could be obtained from array processors of this type if they were to be based on more powerful processing elements.

Recent initiatives in digital library research have suggested new models for the creation and organisation of digital information and its dissemination to virtual communities. PEN‐DOR (the Pennsylvania Education Network Digital Object Repository) is a digital library designed to provide access to the collective experience of teachers, students and administrators in public schools in building lesson plans and using curriculum materials. Using the WWW as a platform, PEN‐DOR incorporates current research in digital libraries to provide K‐12 educators with access to multimedia resources and tools to create new lesson plans and presentations, and to modify existing ones. Design problems addressed by the project include the design of a distributed, object‐oriented database architecture, the description and cataloguing of multimedia objects, and issues related to usability and training for a geographically scattered user community. Two critical aspects of the organisation of this digital library are the development of a method for the persistent identification of resources, and the design of a record structure based on recent developments in metadata. Resource identification has been achieved by adopting a system‐wide approach with an upgrade path to the emerging URN standards. In designing a record structure, the PEN‐DOR project has elected to use the GEM (Gateway to Educational Materials) metadata standard developed as part of the GEM union catalogue project. Content for the database is solicited from project partners, government agencies and educational resources Web sites, as well as from participating teachers. Once incorporated in the repository, materials can be organised in frameworks that form the basis for lessons, tutorials and presentations. As frameworks are developed, used, critiqueed and modified, they will form a community memory of past experience. Supported by the state’s Link‐to‐Learn programme, the system will function as a resource for educators throughout Pennsylvania.

This chapter reviews published studies of the use of pictorial information. Examining image user studies surfaces several research questions often addressed by this body of work, as well as some frequently encountered problems. These questions and problems organize this survey of the literature. Image user studies were included in two valuable reviews of digital image research and development, published by Christie Stephenson and Corinne Jörgensen in 1999 (Jörgensen, 1999; Stephenson, 1999). This overview considers research since that time, focusing on assessment that was not targeted at a single system or service. While attempting to incorporate some interesting research from the information and educational technology communities, this discussion of image delivery as an aspect of digital library development limits coverage of those important literatures.

A conference report of the first Asia‐Pacific Conference on Library & Information Education and Practice conference hosted by the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Library and Information Science education was the focus and preparing librarians for the twenty‐first century. The purpose is to educate practicing librarians and information scientists about directions in the profession and how to incorporate this message into the practice of librarianship.

Different presentations highlighted new approaches and methods to approach new ways of thinking about service and expectations in the library community.

Gaining insight into current trends in library education. As library environments experience great change, with more emphasis on technology, it is imperative to train librarians with new competencies.

Combining library education and practice is key to being relevant to developments in library science education and retaining the science and technology as key components in the training of librarians.

Of interest to regional librarians as well as librarians worldwide interested in how this region is preparing the next generation of librarians to practice with new skills, technology applications and to meet expectations.

The New York Public Library (NYPL) has become the first institution to link its internal network with the new OCLC telecommunications network using the X.25 Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) standard. The telecommunications link will connect NYPL research libraries and branch libraries to the OCLC system for cataloging and resource sharing.

This paper describes the simulation of a nearest neighbour searching algorithm for document retrieval using a pool of microprocessors. The documents in a database are organised in a multi‐dimensional binary search tree, and the algorithm identifies the nearest neighbour for a query by a backtracking search of this tree. Three techniques are described which allow parallel searching of the tree. A PASCAL‐based, general purpose simulation system is used to simulate these techniques, using a pool of Transputer‐like microprocessors with three standard document test collections. The degree of speed‐up and processor utilisation obtained is shown to be strongly dependent upon the characteristics of the documents and queries used. The results support the use of pooled microprocessor systems for searching applications in information retrieval.

The World Wide Web's search engines are the main tools for indexing and retrieval of Internet resources today. Comparison and evaluation of their performance is of great importance for system developers and information professionals, as well as end‐users, for the improvement and development of better tools. The paper describes categories and special features of Web‐based databases and compares them with traditional databases. It then presents a review of the literature on the testing and evaluation of Web‐based search engines. Different methodologies and measures used in previous studies are described and their findings are summarised. The paper presents some evaluative comments on previous studies and suggests areas for future investigation, particularly evaluation of Web‐based search engines from the end‐user's perspective.