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Paula Berinstein (pberinstein@worldnet.att.net) is Principal of Berinstein Research. Comments? Email letters to the Editor at editor@onlineinc.com. Another terrific resource representing our tax dollars at work is the National Archives search [...]

Communications to the author should be addressed to Paula Berinstein, Berinstein Research, P.O. Box 1305, Woodland Hills, CA 91365; 818/865-0523; Fax 8181865-1543; pberinstein@worldnet.att.net. How would you describe the picture in [...]

Information professionals who read Through the Looking Glass as a kind will survive well in today's digital world. After all, we've been on the other side before -- with Alice […]

Communications to the author should be addressed to Paula Berinstein, Berinstein Research, P0. Box 1305, Woodland Hills, CA 91365; 818/865-0523; Fax 818/865-1543; pberinstein@worldnet.att.net. One of the great things about living [...]

A reader of my book, Finding Images Online, recently wrote to corn plain that a Web site I'd listed as royalty-free wasn't free at all. The site's owner was actually [...]

This article presents a case study devised to illustrate how to evaluate information and find statistics of online book sales. It is no secret that the book industry has been undergoing an upheaval. From the invasion of the chain bookstores to the advent of online bookselling and now the promise or threat of the Google Print initiative. A brief overview of the book industry identifies the major players which includes, authors, literary agents, publishers, distributors, wholesalers, booksellers and other retailers, associates, consumers, and libraries. Publishers' revenues was proven to have been rising, while unit sales of books have been falling slowly. Higher book prices have probably driven the increase in publisher revenues. If prices are not responsible, then other revenue streams must be making up the difference. The online channel has been gaining market share. Overall used book sales have been dropping, while those in the online channel have been rising. Sales of used books have cannibalized those of new books somewhat while affording new opportunities for publisher and author revenues. The book-buying population has been aging and shrinking. The study had produced both good and bad news for the industry. The industry was hardly collapsing, but it was changing. Unit sales were falling in the face of increased availability, indicating a glut.

Focuses on Web-based image search engines. Features of an ideal image search engine; Details on how image search engines operate; Details on the capabilities of image search engines; Identification of some of these image search engines; Benefits from using search engines that incorporate human interaction.

Presents information on the ten top sources for statistics on the Internet and how to find and use them. What are statistics; How to locate statistics on the Web; Top ten sources for statistics on the Web; E-mail addresses of these sources. INSETS: The top ten sources for statistics;Five search tips for finding statistics online.

Presents information on the online service, Ovid Technologies Full Text Collections, which offers online access to both the full text and graphics of biomedical journals. Listing of sources used for the site; Requirements for using the system; How the system operates.

Presents information on a feature of LEXIS-NEXIS which offers images containing information that is vital for various functions. System requirements for these images; Description of a trademark; How to search for images.

Informs on how science came to the rescue of southern Californians after the January 1994 Northridge, California earthquake. How Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams look for victims trapped in buildings; Their use of electronic sound and seismic sensors and fiber-optic cables that carry a light source and remote camera into the rubble; How MAXIFORCE(R) airbags, from PARATECH(R) Inc., are used to shore up buildings.

Praises the valuable contributions of amateur astronomers to knowledge about the stars. David Levy, co-discoverer of the comet Shoemaker-Levy 9; Amateurs' research on variable stars, plotting dust storms on Mars, and other topics; Their observations of auroras and meteors.

Tells how the television show `Star Trek: the Next Generation' is being used in schools to teach science. Sixth-grade teacher Randall Landers' use of the episode `Force of Nature' to discuss ozone hole-type theories; How the program's visuals illuminate mathematical concepts; The traveling exhibit `Star Trek: Federation Science'; Resources.

Looks at an experiment by the Casper, Wyoming school district to learn if virtual reality (VR) can enhance learning. Computer specialist John Russell; How the students have used VR in the classroom; Next year's VR project.

Interviews Rob Staehle, NASA's preproject manager for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Pluto Fast Flyby mission. Two tiny spacecraft will be launched to Pluto before its atmosphere collapses-sometime between 2005 and 2015. Staehle's involvement with the Pluto mission; Pluto's exploration; Anticipation of findings.

Discusses the importance of communication after a natural disaster and explains how people used cellular phones, beepers and computer networks to reach each other after the Northridge earthquake. The new television station, Recovery Channel on Air, created by FEMA; Information that it broadcast via cable; The reassurance its 24-hour presence provided; How FEMA building inspectors used palmtop computers after the quake.