Book reviews
| Date | 01 June 1997 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb045604 |
| Pages | 510-517 |
| Published date | 01 June 1997 |
| Author | Ian Tilsed,Simon Tanner,Mae Keary,Anne Goulding,Paul Sturges,Fytton Rowland,Philip Barker |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Library & information science |
BOOK
REVIEWS
UKOLUG Quick Guide to CD-ROM
Networking
Phil
Bradley,
1996, UKOLUG, ii+
134
pp.,
ISBN
1-870254-09-0
At first
glance,
this A4 size guide looks very much like
the UKOLUG newsletter, sharing as it does the same
cover
design.
However, this book is one of a number
of publications from the group aimed at users of
online and CD-ROM resources, and builds upon two
previous UKOLUG guides to CD-ROMs.
The book is divided into four
sections.
The first,
enti-
tled 'Networking Principles', is the work of Phil
Bradley, with the exception of one
chapter.
Whilst the
text assumes a little understanding of CD-ROM
tech-
nology, it is written in an informal style that introduces
topics gradually and
clearly.
The constituent parts of
a CD-ROM network are explained, before Bradley
explores the differing methods of networking. The
author then applies his considerable experience to
the task of actually buying the
system,
before tackling
management issues, common problems and
solu-
tions,
and
expansion.
The seventh chapter is a useful
summary of licensing issues for those new to the
area,
with a concise explanation of the various
licence approaches of CD-ROM publishers. The
penultimate chapter of this section is written
by
Terry
Hanson,
who revisits the place of the CD-ROM in an
electronic information service strategy, building on
earlier publications in the Library Association
Record This is an excellent chapter that places the
CD-ROM in the wider context of information provision
and dares to assess current practice critically.
Bradley closes the section with a short look at the
future of CD-ROM technology.
The second, brief section is a list of CD-ROM
prod-
ucts commonly available in the United Kingdom. As
the author points out, it is far from an exhaustive list
but it offers a useful snapshot of the UK
market.
The
section closes with the addresses of the various sup-
pliers.
The third and largest section is given over to seven
case studies, 'designed to illustrate some of the
dif-
ferent elements of networking that have been
referred to elsewhere in the publication'. Accounts of
networking solutions in a school and several univer-
sities (both in the UK and other countries) sit along-
side an appraisal of CD-ROM networking in the US.
The last and perhaps most notable case study of this
section,
by Jonathan
Hill,
tackles the often neglected
subject of printers and CD-ROM networks. Inevitably,
given the various different authors, some case
stud-
ies read better than others. Some give background
information and discuss organisational issues, whilst
others concentrate more on the technical description
of systems. Only one or two of the accounts place
their CD-ROM network in the wider context of their
institutional information strategy.
The book ends with three
appendices.
The first cov-
ers Internet resources and the second is the exten-
sive FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) list from the
listserv CDROMLAN. The final appendix is a brief
glossary.
This guide is exactly as the title suggests — a quick
guide.
It is not for the 'techies', who would be frus-
trated by the lack of system detail and the somewhat
basic line diagrams. It is more aimed at the librarian
or information manager who are considering their
first CD-ROM
network.
To
those I would recommend
this book as a worthwhile starting point.
Ian
Tilsed
Computing Development Officer
University
of
Exeter Library
Towards A Worldwide Library: A Ten
Year Forecast. 19th International
Essen Symposium, 23-26 September
1996
Ahmed
H.
Helal & Joachim
W.
Weiss (Eds.),
1997, Essen University
Library,
Essen
(Publications of Essen University
Library;
21),
xliv + 291 pp., ISBN 3-922602-22-3
The millennium tends to skew our vision of the
future.
It is as if we are climbing to a peak and at the
new millennium the other side will be a vertical
precipice or green open fields, depending on your
disposition.
This
is one of the difficulties faced by the
speakers in presenting papers to give a ten year
forecast towards a worldwide library. Thus, each of
the papers give a good view of where we are now
and the foundations for the future that will undoubt-
edly be built upon are explained, but the forecasting
is very low key. The overall themes are related to
management strategy, infrastructure and informa-
tion technology viewed from a high
level.
The
papers
are presented by
an
authoritative international spec-
trum of speakers and are all in English. The
Proceedings come with a detailed preface, a good
four page index, an agenda and a list of participants
in country order.
The papers presented split fairly evenly into half on
professional or management issues and half of a
more technical
nature.
The future for the profession
and the management issues all revolve around
themes of change, chaos and challenges. There
was not much new ground unearthed here, as the
unified view was that having vision and a new
flexi-
ble approach to strategic planning was the solution
to the challenges of the future. The highlight is the
paper by Ray Lester on the 'Need to Add
Value'
with
a superb graphical model in which 'content matters'.
It is a great paper where the librarian is given tools
to fight against tangible threats in a real 'mouse that
roared'
theme. It is well worth getting the
Proceedings just for this article alone.
"The librarian
is given
tools to
fight against
tangible threats
in a
real
'mouse
that
roared'
theme"
510 The Electronic Library,
Vol.
15,
No.
6, December 1997
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