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This study was designed to be a state-of-the-art survey and investigation of intelligent "front end" design approaches and software for improving subject access and subject searching in today's large online bibliographic retrieval systems and online public access catalogs (OPACS). The report begins with an illustrated overview of retrieval features and subject searching in current second-generation OPACs, which is followed by a discussion of the problems and shortcomings of conventional OPACs and online information retrieval systems, especially with regard to subject access and retrieval methods. A summary discussion of perspectives, models, and design contributions from the information retrieval research and experimentation community is then presented, and an illustrated review and analysis of intelligent interfaces and retrieval methods is provided. The discussion facilitates a refined grouping of the issues into four major areas: (1) ease of use, orientation, and presentation factors; (2) vocabulary control and correlation factors; (3) more effective system-guided or automatic query formulation and retrieval techniques; and (4) meaningful engagement of the searcher in relevance assessments, query modification/expansion, and provision of smart navigational, exploration facilities. A summary of recommended design principles and achievements in intelligent interface and retrieval system design concludes the report. A checklist of features of second-generation OPACs and a list of OPAC and retrieval systems and software investigated for the study are appended. (51 references) (MES)

1Boy Crusoe

By Allan Eric

Also published as" A Yankee Crusoe" . A 15 year old hard working and studious farm boy finds the lure of adventure on the seas as a merchant seaman more than he can resist. This is his story. " I was born in a little town in the State of Maine, near the close of the Civil War. My boyhood life did not differ materially from that of the average farmer's son in the remote country districts of New England--except, perhaps, that I read more and thought more. Hard work on the rugged soil, two terms each year in the little yellow country schoolhouse, a day's fishing now and then filled the early years of my life full to over-flowing. " What he gets is enough excitement and adventure to overflow his wildest dreams. How he experiences disaster and uses his wits and knowledge to overcome every problem makes for a great read. - Summary by Phil Chenevert