Non-Bibliographic Data-Bases: An Investigation into Their Uses within the Fields of Economics and Business Studies.

This state-of-the-art survey of non-bibliographic databases and their use within the fields of economics and business studies recommends that schools of librarianship and information science incorporate online teaching packages encompassing such databases in their programs. The review, conducted through on-site visits and a questionnaire, focuses on the activities of three major suppliers and identifies the environment in which their databases are used and the information needs of end users. It also discusses user interaction with the systems, training programs for system operators and users, online costs and economics, and the impact of online services. The rapidly expanding use of non-bibliographic databases, and the fact that information accessed from these databases in many cases is not available in print, underline the importance of including these sources in information studies curriculums. (RAA)