ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 360 / C &RL News Videocassette kits for instruction in online searching By Stephen Karetzky D irector o f the Library Felician College How the DIALOG, BRS, and WILSONLINE instructional videos compare. Videocassette kits are now available for instruc­ tion in online searching. This article analyzes and evaluates the three videos issued specifically for the purpose of training in three of the major services u tilized in lib r a r ie s — D IA L O G , B RS , and W IL S O N L IN E . Comparisons are made with the other instructional materials and services offered by these companies for online education, such as printed materials and training seminars. DIALOG The “Introduction to Searching D IA LO G ” vide­ otape1 and its accompanying instructional kit were issued in 1987. According to the pamphlet which comes with the $35 video,2 its purpose is to give in­ struction to those who w ant to learn to use the DIA­ LO G information system without attending one of the company’s “System Seminars,” as well as users of the system who have attended the one-day intro­ d u ctory class but wish to review the m aterial 1Half-inch VHS, 45 minutes; D IA LO G Infor­ mation Services, In c., 3460 Hillview A ve., Palo Alto, C A 94304; (800) 3 3 4 -2 5 6 4 , or (415) 858-2700. 1987. $35. 2“Introduction to Searching D IA LO G : Instruc­ tions and P ra ctice E x e rcise s,” D IA L O G , May 1987, 23pp. An announced price increase of $15 for the video was rescinded in early 1988. learned. It claims to present the same m aterial as the D IA LO G System Sem inar, and asserts th at previous knowledge or experience using any search system is not required. The subjects the video aims to cover are intended to enable one to plan and con­ duct searches on D IA LO G , understand the struc­ ture of databases, choose the appropriate database, and utilize basic commands, indexes, proximity operators, and field prefixes and suffixes. The kit pamphlet contains ten search exercises intended for use in conjunction with the video. (The video pauses at three points for those who wish to do the exercises.) F o r this purpose, there are also seven se a rc h w o rk sh eets, as w ell as “Bluesheets” containing D IA LO G ’S brief descrip­ tions of four of its Ontap (ONline Training And Practice) databases: Com pendex, A B I/Inform , Dun’s Market Identifiers, and Ontap Dialindex. These Ontap databases are relatively inexpensive, practice databases containing m aterial which is several years old. Information is provided on how to become a D I­ ALOG customer, and thus be able to do the p rac­ tice exercises. Tem porary passwords for using the Ontap databases can also be obtained. D IA LO G permits its customers to make 25 copies of the video booklet for training purposes. An evaluation card is enclosed with each kit so that the purchaser can in­ form D IA LO G of his or her reactions to it. June 1988 / 361 The “ In tro d u ction to D IA L O G S earch in g” video is narrated by someone who introduces him­ self as Robert Chesney.3 He has a casual air about him: his voice is calm — almost expressionless— and he wears an open white shirt with a blue sweater. He briefly notes what the viewer will learn and de­ scribes what online searching has to offer, particu­ larly with DIALOG. Examples of searches are then given which focus on these subjects: the business as­ pects of aspirin packaging, government approval of Nutrasweet, job satisfaction and flexible work schedules, the cost of living in Hawaii, the use of alcohol fuels by trucks, the market for mechanical dishwashers, and a new product named “Tufsyn.” Through these examples, one learns what a “set” is, how to use logical operators, proximity search codes, and the use of D IA LO G ’S concise descrip­ tions of databases on its Bluesheets. The databases shown include ABI Inform, Dun & Bradstreet, PTS P R O M T , and M an ag em en t C o n ten ts. Clearly, the searches are geared for business infor­ mation professionals. For much of the video, the narrator makes his points or describes an online search while the viewer stares at a video recording of an actual mon­ itor. Unfortunately, this does not work: it is ex­ tremely difficult to see what is on the screen. (The poor quality of this central part of the production was confirmed by viewing a second new video ob­ tained directly from D IA LO G .) The results were far better in those parts of the production where animation was used to represent the characters on a monitor. The unclear, unexciting visuals and the monoto­ nous narration create a tedium which is relieved primarily by the opportunities to do the practice exercises. The small bit of music is insufficient to enliven it. Redoing the “on-screen” visuals would seem to be the easiest way for DIALOG to make this video more useful. D IALO G ’S printed instructional materials are far superior to its major audiovisual production. For example, there is the D IA L O G System Semi­ nar which is used by students at D IA LO G ’S one- day introductory class and can be taken home. One may also simply purchase it directly from DIA­ LOG for only $15. It contains clear explanations of all the m aterial included in the video, but in greater depth. It also has many more search ques­ tions and examples of searches. The D IA L O G Lab W orkbook and R e fe re n c e M anual (September 1986) is supposedly “not intended for use by itself as a self-instructional m anual,” but it can be profit­ ably used for precisely that purpose. It too costs only $15. Brief pamphlets providing clear outlines of DIA­ LOG searching are available free from the corpo­ 3He is not identified, and does not appear in the Directory o f Library and Information Profession­ als, 2 vols., Woodbridge, Conn., Research Publi­ cations, 1988. ration: “DIALOG Basics” (September 1986) and “Pocket Guide to D IA LO G ” (January 1987). At the other end of the spectrum is the most compre­ hensive d escrip tio n of online p ro ce d u re s— S ea rch in g D I A L O G : T h e C o m p lete G u id e — w hich superseded the G u id e to D IA L O G Searching when issued in December 1987. While it may not be the best introduction to the system, it will eventually be referred to by all users, and its precision can prove valuable to beginners who need clarification of a particular point. It includes numerous examples of searches. For $60, one re­ ceives Searching D IA L O G with all the database Bluesheets, as well as the Dialorder Yellowsheets with their instructions for purchasing articles on­ line. BRS BRS issued the first cassette of its three-video training program in 1986, and the rest the follow­ ing year. Each of these 25-minute tapes in the BRS/ SE ARCH Service Video Training Course4 costs $95 if purchased separately; the complete set retails for $245. Unlike the other training videos examined here, BRS is available in Beta and 3/4” U-Matic, as well as ½ ” VHS. (The U-Matic costs $7.50 more per tape.) Each cassette is available for a two-week preview for $25. This fee is applicable towards the price of the tape, if purchased. Each training tape comes with a 40-page work­ book. Both fit together in a rather bulky holder. Additional copies of each workbook can be pur­ chased for $5. The BRS tapes are, collectively, the longest- running of the training videos considered here, and the price of the set is several times that of the DIA­ LO G and W ILSO N LIN E products. This is offset somewhat by the coupon accompanying each cas­ sette, which can be mailed in to receive $25 of free searching. The online time obtained for each cou­ pon must be on one particular day, and it must be chosen in advance. Now that production of all the tapes has been completed, BRS should transfer them all to one video and combine the workbooks. This would be far more convenient for users. Perhaps the com­ pany believes that customers would resist the high price for “only one” video. BRS should also con­ sider lowering its price instead of using the cumber­ some coupon-for-free-time procedure. This product supports the proverb “You get what you pay fo r.” It is the best made of the videos I saw. The narrator of the first cassette (who is off­ screen, incidentally) not only has a particularly pleasant, clear voice, but one which is expressive. Her successor in the second and third installments also does much to make this an effective product. Moreover, the graphics are far superior to those of 4BRS Information Technologies, 1200 Route 7, Latham , NY 12110; (800) 345-4277 or (518) 783- 1161. The tapes were produced by I.A . Associates. 362 / C&RL News the other productions. The videotaped searches are easy to read, and are frequently enhanced by ani­ mation and other techniques. There are close-ups of parts of the screen which help focus the viewer’s attention. The pacing allows one to learn, but not get bogged down. Occasionally there is music in the background, including classical music. At the start of the first video BRS does what it usually does on all its materials related to online searching: it gives its toll-free number to call for in­ formation. This will be especially appreciated by the beginners who are viewing this. The video pro­ vides some background on BRS, as well as telecom­ munication in general, and explains how one goes “online.” It then shows how a young man inter­ ested in learning about the effect of knee injuries conducts a search using Sports D ata Base. E ach of the three videos (labelled “Parts”) con­ tains three lessons numbered consecutively. The early lessons describe such things as operators, stop words, files, and fields, and the basic commands, such as “print” and “off.” Explanations of BRS’ AIDPAGES— the two-page descriptions of each database— as well as of the comprehensive D ata Base Guides, are provided. BRS’ various printed guides are frequently shown on these videos, not merely referred to. This is an effective instructional technique. The second video shows a woman conducting searches. Here, PSYCH Info, an expanded version of Psychological Abstracts, is utilized. The last cas­ sette features a woman conducting a search in a li­ brary setting, as well as a search in a business of­ fice. T h e tr e a tm e n t of eatin g disorders is the subject of a search, as viewers learn about cros, BRS’s index to multiple databases, as well as the other features which have counterparts in DIA­ LO G . The remaining searches in the training program are, not surprisingly, within BRS’s specialty— healthcare. At the end of the video the viewer is en­ couraged to fill out the evaluation form that comes with the kit and mail it to BRS. Excellent print alternatives for learning about the BRS system are also available. The 126-page Introductory Training C ourse Syllabus (1 9 8 7 ), given free at training seminars, can also be pur­ chased for $ 2 5 .5 The comprehensive guide to BRS is the 168-page looseleaf work, BRS/SEARCH Ser­ vice User’s M anual (September 1985). It costs only $35. As with D IA LO G ’S analogous works, these are all clearly written, and can easily be used for self-paced learning. WILSONLINE “ O n lin e S e a rch in g : An In tr o d u c tio n to W IL S O N L IN E ,” is a 32-m inute video which re­ tails for $89. Produced in 1986 by The Visual E d u ­ cation C orporation for the H . W . Wilson C om ­ 5Another publication, the BRS Training W ork­ book‚ is no longer available. p a n y , 6 it is available in ½ " VHS. There is no accompanying workbook. The video aims to introduce viewers to the prin­ ciples of online bibliographic retrieval and the ba­ sic procedures of the W IL S O N L IN E Information System. It includes m aterial on the W IL S E A R C H software program , which enables W ILS O N L IN E search in g th rou gh an easy, m en u -d riv en a p ­ p ro ach . T here are tw o n arrato rs who are fre ­ quently on-screen: John J. Regazzi, Wilson’s vice- p resid en t for c o m p u te r se rv ice s, and R h o d a G aroogian, the com pany’s m anager of training and documentation. In this tape it is not only stated that a wide vari­ ety of people need W IL S O N L IN E , but there is an attem pt to show this. It begins with a scene in what appears to be a college library. An inquirer needs to know about “China’s present population policy.” The place to look, we learn, is the m aterial indexed in Wilson’s Social Sciences Index. The next search shows a student who needs information about di­ vorce, mediation, and reconciliation. Subsequent searches are made about literary figures, as well as about non-academic needs, such as pasta recipes. A teenager is shown conducting a search using W I L ­ SEARCH . Thus, one sees the W ILS O N L IN E In­ formation System being used by the general popu­ lation, as well as by information professionals who are white, black, young, old, male, and female. Moreover, we are told that online searching for in­ formation can be less expensive than using the fa­ miliar printed Wilson indexes. The searches one sees on the screen are not diffi­ cult to read. Through them we learn about the v ar­ ious techniques for utilizing the W IL S O N L IN E system. The basic ones are much like those of D IA­ LO G and BRS: Boolean searching, truncation, ex­ panding, proximity searching, etc. Parts of the production are amateurishly done— almost embarrassingly so. W hen John Regazzi shows Venn diagrams to explain the Boolean prin­ ciples underlying searches, they are hand-draw n, misshapen, and ridiculous. Although some librari­ ans will enjoy seeing Rhoda Garoogian and Re­ gazzi (fellow members of the professional family) on the screen, many might prefer more polished perform ances by individuals who com e across more effectively on video. (Incidentally, in a brief clip one gets to see one of the legendary Wilson in­ dexers working in situ.) Unlike the D IA LO G and BRS videos, there is no accompanying evaluation questionnaire to return to th e co m p an y . In ste a d , W I L S O N L IN E has mailed one to purchasers of its video inquiring about its use and effectiveness. Those who respond 6H .W . Wilson Co. , 950 University A ve., Bronx, NY 10452; (800) 622 -4 0 0 2 , (800) 538-3888 in New York State, and (212) 588-8998. The Visual E d u ca­ tion Corporation is based in Princeton, New Jersey. The video was w ritten and produced by Tyler Wasson. June 1988 / 363 will be informed of the findings. The folder accompanying the video states that the production is an introduction, and that more detailed information, as well as practical exercises, are available in the W IL S O N L IN E Tutorial and the W IL S O N L IN E G uide and D ocum entation. In fact, the form er, which comprises part of the latter publication, is no longer available as a separate item. The W IL S O N L IN E G uide and D o cu m en ta ­ tion (1 9 8 4 ,1 9 8 6 ) ‚ is thus the m ajor source for infor­ mation concerning the operation of this search sys­ t e m. W i t h i n its l a r g e t h r e e - r i n g b in d er a re descriptions of the various databases, procedures for searching, and search exercises and examples. Well organized and clearly w ritten, it can certainly be used for tutorials or self-instruction. However, this comprehensive guide costs $55; hopefully, the Tutorial will be reissued. There is a “Wilson Quick R eferen ce G u id e” p a m p h le t (F e b ru a ry 1 9 8 7 ) a v a ila b le , w h ich is free. T h e 4 7 - p a g e “ W I L - SEARCH Guide” (October 1986) is free with the purchase of the W IL S E A R C H software. Conclusion The prim ary training videos produced by three of th e m a j o r i n f o r m a t i o n serv ices used by libraries— D IA LO G , BRS, and W IL S O N L IN E — vary greatly in quality and price. A decision about whether to utilize them should be made in the con­ text of the alternative means of accomplishing the same goal: education for online searching. Unlike their video products, the printed documentation is­ sued by all three companies is uniformly excellent. E ach has a one-volume, comprehensive guide to the search system costing from $35 to $55. These manuals are precisely and clearly written. The cost of the special instructional manuals of D IA LO G and BRS are $15 and $25, respectively. The detailed , printed descriptions of all the databases available from D IA LO G and BRS fill two bookshelves in their three-ring binders. F o r the former, the set costs more than $ 1 ,0 0 0 ; for the la t­ ter, about $500. (D IA LO G has many more d ata­ bases than BRS, and its database descriptions tend to be longer.) W hile these are extrem ely useful when conducting searches, full sets are certainly not needed for instructional purposes. Another alternative to the videos are the one- day, introductory training sessions offered by these companies. The charge for these are $125 for D IA ­ L O G , $110 for BRS, and $60 for W IL S O N L IN E . One gets to keep the training manuals utilized there, and one frequently receives free search time back at the user’s library. Some who attend these seminars consider them excellent, well-planned introductions, while others find them to be m ere oral recitations of the printed m a te ria l h an d ed out th e re . T h e free p r a c tic e search tim e available on the day of training is thought to be very useful by some. Others are frus­ trated when they find themselves crowded around an insufficient number of “dumb” terminals aw ait­ ing their turn for some hands-on practice. These training sessions are not readily available outside of large urban areas, so the prim ary finan­ cial cost here m ay well be travel to the class site and Memory tickler for procrastinators Yes, fellow procrastinators, even though the deadline for submitting program proposals for the 1989 National Conference is upon us, you still have time to organize your ideas for a possi­ ble panel presentation, discussion group ses­ sion, idea brief, or poster session. As you recall, our conference theme, “Building on the First C en tu ry,” is a topic which has infinite program possibilities. The A C R L Research Committee has identified many topics which interest our membership. If you are having a difficult time selecting a topic, perhaps one of these will be the one for you: Assessment of effectiveness, evaluation of li­ braries, library systems, and services compose an evaluative category which has become top priority with m any of us. A variety of personnel issues such as staff development, or salary stud­ ies based on training, sex and experience are topics to be investigated. Reports on collection m anagem ent, circulation systems, m an age­ ment of theft and vandalism, shelving of collec­ tions and user studies are welcomed. N aturally, autom ation is on everyone’s agenda in some form with emphasis on online systems, online education issues, online searching and C D - ROM capabilities. Also, the following topics deserve your consideration: preservation; the history of books and bookmaking, printing and publishing; and the history of library education in the U.S. and in other countries. Finally, fees and freedom of access are timely topics of inter­ est to many. The preceding is by no means the definitive list. Now that your mind is reeling with great ideas, there are a few other im portant things that you need to know. Programs m ay be either 30 or 60 minutes in length. Presenters must a t­ tend the conference at their own expense. Addi­ tional information will be sent upon receipt of a program proposal. Program proposals should include a 2 0 0 -word description of the program , the tentative title, and nam e, mailing address and work phone number of the contact person. The deadline for submitting a program pro­ posal is July 3 1 , 1988. Send proposals to Jordan Scepanski, A C R L P rogram , University Library and Learning Resources, California State Uni­ versity, Long B each, 1250 Bellflower Boule­ v ard , Long B each , CA 9 0 8 4 0 .— M ary E llen R u tled ge E ls b ern d ‚ Publicity C h a ir, A C R L National C o n feren ce C om m ittee. 364 / C &RL News the hotel bill for an overnight stay. Approaching the companies to send a trainer to your library will thus be the most economical approach in some cases. D IA LO G charges $1,285 to send an instruc­ tor for one day, and allows up to twelve students in the class. BRS will do the same if there are a mini­ mum of eight trainees paying $110 each. An on-site teacher from W ILSO N LIN E can be had for $600. There is no limit on the number of trainees allowed by the Bronx-based enterprise, although the com­ pany would like to instruct at least ten students. The aforementioned charges cover everything, in­ cluding instructional materials. Online terminals must be provided by the sponsoring institution. As with other products and services purchased by libraries, the availability and the price's of these wares and services are not constant, and special package deals are sometimes offered. The informa­ tion one receives in brochures dates quickly. Unfor­ tunately, there seem to be more problems in suc­ cessfully placing orders with these companies than with the vendors librarians usually deal with. Those providing information, or taking orders, at the other end of the 800 numbers too often seem misinformed or confused about company offer­ ings. Calling back to check the information re­ ceived with another employee is often wise. Unfor­ tunately, requesting to speak to someone in a position of authority is sometimes necessary. In sum, there are several different ways of learn­ ing to do online searching. While the printed in­ structional materials and the documentation for D IA LO G , BRS, and W ILSO N LIN E are excellent, the videos they have produced vary greatly in qual­ ity. W ILSO N LIN E’s can be effectively used to in­ terest neophytes in the system and assist in their in­ struction. The BRS series of tapes and workbooks can be utilized as the center of a brief course of study. Those interested in using D IA LO G ’S video should view it before committing themselves. ACRL executive summary Professional development The W estern European Specialists Section (WESS) held A C RL’s first overseas conference in Florence, Italy, on April 4 -8 . The conference at­ tracted 170 participants from 20 countries; almost half were from outside the United States. The ses­ sions featured speakers and panelist from the North American and European library and book publish­ ing communities. Social events were spectacularly held in one Renaissance setting after another. For m ore d etails, see C la ire D u d ley ’s rep ort on pp. 355-57. The Community and Junior College Libraries Section (CJCLS) held A C RL’s first teleconference, and it too was a great success. Beamed by satellite to more than 320 sites in 47 states, the program, which focused on CD-ROM technology, reached Donald Simpson‚ President of the C enter fo r Research Libraries‚ and A C R L President Joanne Euster, at the N L W reception. more than 4,000 individuals (see photo next page). The section is now planning a sequel. President Joanne Euster addressed a group of ACRL members in the Chicago area at a National Library Week reception held at ALA headquarters on April 18. Her talk, “Creative Leadership in Aca­ demic Libraries: Everyone’s Responsibility,” gave the audience much to talk about as they mingled with ALA staff at the reception. Joanne also led a workshop on academic status at the ACRL Mississippi Chapter meeting and ad­ dressed a five-state conference in LaCrosse, W is­ consin, at the end of April on “Creative Leadership in Academic Libraries: Everyone’s Responsibil­ ity.” Enhancing service capability ACRL signed a contract with Nancy Van House (UC-Berkeley) for the writing of an Output M ea­ sures Manual. Work has begun on the pilot testing of these measures. A fact sheet on the project is available from the ALA Public Information Office. Beverly Lynch, chair of the ACRL Historically Black College and University Library Project Plan­ ning Committee, appeared before the ALA Execu­ tive Board to present the National Endowment for the Humanities funding proposal. It had been sub­ mitted contingent upon their approval, which they granted. Advocacy and liaison Legislative Day, April 19, included a large dele­ gation of academic librarians, thanks to the work of Legislative Committee chair, Hal Shill.