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Presents the Internet paradox of an information surfeit causing intelligence impoverishment, “information pollution”. Reviews some methods and literature associated with information retrieval in an academic environment. Elucidates a “Virtual Reality” solution, based on expert software and fuzzy logic. Poses related questions, concerned with socio‐technical aspects.

This special issue of Electronic Networking: Research, Applications and Policy focuses on the issues of networked information retrieval and on specific tools for successfully retrieving networked information. These topics are discussed widely on electronic lists on a daily basis. Networked Information Retrieval (NIR) is widely seen in the literature of information and library science as well as computing journals. NIR issues and tools are crucial to the future of information technologies. These are all different venues with various voices. This special issue is designed to provide a coherent and comprehensive discussion of these topics, a moderated forum if you will. But even as this special issue is completed, the topics, policy issues, and research questions regarding NIR are growing and expanding rapidly.

The rapid advances in computer networking technology in the late 1980s have led to a corresponding increase in locations wishing to participate in computer networks. As more sites adopt a common communication protocol and connect to local networks that may themselves be connected into a national network, opportunities abound for information sharing and collaborative research. A major roadblock to experiencing the benefits of this connectivity, however, is the difficulty of knowing what information is available on computers throughout the network. Several approaches are being explored to provide access to this “virtual library.” A combination of library and computer networking skills will be necessary to design appropriate tools that will allow all users to participate in the developing networked information environment.

While Gutenberg's invention is likely to endure for some time, it is indisputable that the prominence of print is diminishing. The recently published Mellon report University Libraries and Scholarly Communication highlights the symbiosis between the humanities and the print medium. It maintains that electronic media will ultimately change the nature of the humanities and spawn a new kind of discourse with fundamentally different features. The report asserts that the shift from print to electronic media, which began in the late twentieth century, will have widespread consequences on the intellectual experience of modern society, reaching beyond print and libraries.

This article summarizes a study that identified and described federal information inventory/locator systems. Such locator systems provide an important means of accessing a range of government information not previously available to the public or other government officials. Overall, the study's goal was to improve access to and use of U.S. government information. The study produced a final report describing study efforts, identifying issues and conclusions, and recommending the design of an networked‐based government‐wide information inventory/locator system (GIILS) (Volume I), the Federal Locator Database (FLD) — a machine‐readable database of descriptive information on some 250 federal databases, of which fifty‐three met the study's criteria as a locator, and a user's guide to that database (Volume II includes a machine‐readable version of the database and the user guide and codebook). The study recommends that the U.S. Office of Management and Budget develop a policy framework requiring agencies to design and maintain machine‐readable locators, meeting certain requirements and standards and that these be accessible over the Internet/NREN.

An important factor affecting the successful commercialization of the Internet will be cooperation and open exchange of ideas regarding a range of networking issues. The Commercial Internet Exchange Association (CIX), a recently organized trade association, is actively pursuing a number of initiatives to assist its members' transition into this commerical Internet environment. Such cooperative efforts are essential for the future success of the commercial Internet.

If you've been keeping up with what's going on in the world of electronic networking, you're probably aware that both the library and the publishing communities are becoming more involved in this arena.

Mr. Robert Bernays, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health, speaking at Leeds on October loth, at a meeting convened by the Lord Mayor in support of the National Health Campaign, said that the object of the campaign was nothing less than to improve the health, and with it the happiness—for the two were inseparable—of the whole nation. The growth of the social services had been remarkable. In 1900 the total expenditure was some £30,000,000, while at the present time it was over £400,000,000, of which three‐quarters was met from rates and taxes. It was natural to ask ourselves whether we were getting the fullest possible value for the financial sacrifices we were making. Remarkable as were the statistics of health improvement, it was idle to suggest that a great deal more could not be done. The campaign was being conducted to ensure that everyone should know the facilities available, where and when and how they could be obtained, and that they were open to all who would take advantage of them. We were endeavouring to overcome any inertia and lack of interest which still existed, and, if possible, to eradicate the fear which, in many cases, kept people from obtaining early advice and treatment. He felt sure that these objects could be attained if we could get the full co‐operation of the ordinary citizen, and particularly of the wife and mother. We were already assured of the active co‐operation of all those concerned in the provision of the various facilities including doctors, nurses, teachers and others who were so closely in touch with the homes of the people. Though the present campaign was being waged to encourage the greater use of existing health services, it must not be supposed that plans were not also being actively pursued for their further expansion. His first task, for instance, in the new session would be to assist Sir Kingsley Wood in the passage of yet another National Insurance Bill which would fill up the gap in medical attendance and supervision which at present existed between the time when a boy or girl left school at 14 and entered at 16 into insurable employment. These were two critical years of development and that they should be brought within the framework of health insurance was an urgent reform. Another line of progress that was being actively pursued was the possibilities of improved nutrition, the greater knowledge of the right type of food. The Government were most carefully examining the recently published report of the Mixed Committee on Nutrition presided over at Geneva by Lord Astor. As the spokesman of H.M. Government at this year's Assembly on the League Committee that discussed nutrition, Mr. Bernays was able to state with the full authority of the Government that we regarded that report at once as a challenge and an opportunity. That these were not just words was demonstrated by our Milk in Schools Scheme, instituted in 1934. Under that scheme more than 2¾ million children in public elementary school, or more than half the number of children on the register of these schools, were receiving a daily ration of milk at a reduced rate or in necessitous cases free. One of the objects of this campaign was to induce yet more parents and children to take advantage of that scheme. Following on the report of the National Advisory Committee on Nutrition some months ago, maternity and child welfare authorities had been urged to review their arrangements for the supply of milk and food to expectant mothers and young children so as to ensure that those in need of additional nourishment were able to secure it. In the present session of Parliament the Government hoped also to bring forward proposals for securing, in co‐operation with the industry, a reduction in the price of milk to local authorities who would thus be in a position to extend their present schemes and so secure increased consumption among this class. Thus it could be seen that this health campaign was no standstill arrangement. In the phraseology of the motor trade, we were commending to the nation the 1937 model of our health services, but we were not slackening an instant in our efforts to ensure that the 1938 model and that of subsequent years was an increasing improvement on what we were able to offer now.

This research proposes and evaluates hypotheses about patterns of communication in a multi‐party, multi‐issue negotiation. Data were from 36 four‐person groups. We found that the majority of groups initiated negotiations with a distributive phase and ended with an integrative phase—strong support for Morley and Stephenson's (1979) rational model of negotiation. We identified transitions between both strategic orientations (integration, distribution) and strategic functions (action, information), but found that the first transition was more likely to result in a change of orientation than of function and that negotiators were more likely to change either orientation or function (single transition) than to change both aspects of the negotiation simultaneously (double transition). Finally, we determined that negotiators used process and closure strategies to interrupt distributive phases and redirect negotiations to an integrative phase.