Issue 8

CD-ROM Today is a new periodical which emanates from the United States and may be of interest to readers. It is a bi-monthly, glossy magazine focussing on issues related to multimedia and offers an attractive initial subscription rate.

It includes articles issues and CD-ROM technology as well as new software reviews. Articles which I found particularly interesting included A new spin on learning by Sandy Chase and Sharing the wealth by Charles Brannon. The Chase article provided a useful comparison of multimedia CD-ROM encyclopedias Grolier's, Compton's and Encarta, while Brannon explained how to create a CD-ROM network using Windows for Workgroups. Other features include a problem solving column which answers queries such as whether to use CD-ROM with or without caddies or the meaning of seek time in relation to CD-ROM drive statistics. It also provides up-dates on new releases. New releases in this issue included Time almanac 1992 (Mac/MCP) including 1,500 articles from Time 1993 and including the CIA world fact book and CNN Newsroom Global View (DOS) using video to examine world affairs.

The rise of CD-ROM bibliographic databases, such as Austguide has created enormous problems relating to document delivery for teacher-librarians. Connections has published articles describing ways in which teacher-librarians have used networks to overcome this problem. Perhaps teacher-librarians in Australia have been too adaptable and not demanding enough of the CD-ROM publishers. Linda Singer in Middle Schools Targeted by CD-ROM Producers in Information Searcher, vol 5, no 4, 1993, p 28-31 described four new products which provide indexing and full text of selected articles. Such products are available as a matter of course to our colleagues in the United States. Even though the market here is smaller, I believe that there is a market. Perhaps we should lobby the CD-ROM publishers and let them know.

Encyclopedias on CD-ROM in Your Computer, October 1993, p 74-77 also reviewed and compared Compton's, Encarta, Information Finder and Grolier' s. This article provided details of Australian prices and suppliers.

Jan Morrison of Newington College has described the successful implementation of patron self check using the 3-M system in combination with the Urica library automation system. Patron self check, Independence, vol 18, no 2, September 1993, p67.

CD-ROM networking seems to be an area of interest at the moment. Cathy Sheedy, library media specialist, explained all about CD-ROM Networking at Brunswick Senior High School in the Information Searcher, vol.5 no 4, 1993, p 3-7. Her system, using Optinet on a Novell network has been working smoothly for three years. Sheedy discusses possible pitfalls and tips. This issue of Information Searcher also included a review of The Columbia Granger' s World of Poetry CD-ROM. Granger' s in print is well known as the reference tool for poetry. The CD-ROM version sounds extremely useful, providing full-text as well as indexing of poetry from a range of sources.