CHECK THESE OUT!

The first three items, below, can help demystify the Internet and some of its basic concepts, and provide a vocabulary.

Hughes, Kevin. "Entering the World Wide Web: A Guide to Cyberspace." Indiana Media Journal 17 (Spring 1995): 1-35.

Contains clear, easy-to-understand descriptions and illustrations of the Internet, the World Wide Web, Mosaic, HTML markup language, and URLs (Uniform Resource Locators), and a glossary of terms keyed to pages in the article. First published in May 1994 and reprinted here, but definitely not "too old."

MacDonald, Randall M. "Using Internet Resources to Enhance School Media Center Services." School Library Media Quarterly 23 (1995): 265-269.

Focusing on strategies for providing Internet access in the school media center, MacDonald describes gopher, FTP, Usenet newsgroups, listservs, and the World Wide Web. Lists a number of education- related gophers, FTP sites, Usenet groups, and listservs.

English, Jim and Josh Margulies. "Expanding Library Horizons Through Use of the Internet: Growth of the Internet, Past and Future." Computers in Libraries 15(September 1995): 41-45.

A good overview of the Internet and its applications for processing and communicating information. The authors describe what the computer is doing in such applications as Telnet, File Transfer Protocol (ftp), client/server architecture, gopher, World Wide Web, HTML, and search engines. They assume some knowledge of computer jargon, but you can get the basics without understanding every word, particularly if you look at the illustrations.

The following articles offer some advice on ways to cope:

Cisler, Steve. "Promoting the Internet in Your Library" Library Journal . 120 (June 15, 1995): 26, 28.

Ideas for getting started on and promoting access to the Internet, showing successes in public libraries and the Apple Library. Included are ideas for discussions, instruction and classes, vendor showcases, and informal activities.

Craumer, Patricia. "The New Information Future: Where Are Libraries Going with Information, and Where Is Information Taking Libraries?" Public Libraries 34 (July/Aug. 1995): 208-211

Although not about instruction, this overview of ways new information technologies will affect public libraries and how public libraries will interface with home and business information services presents many issues very clearly. Also see the one page verso column by Allan Pratt on page 207 of the same issue, entitled "Information Highway or Irrelevant Byway?"

Ensor, Pat. "Organizing the Web: A Contradiction in Terms?" Technicalities 15 (Sept. 1995): 1, 6-7.

One librarian's view about ways to organize information from the World Wide Web in ways that are useful to information seekers.

Glogoff, Stuart, with a sidebar by Abbie J. Basile. "Library Instruction in the Electronic Library: The University of Arizona's Electronic Library Education Centers." RSR 23.2 (1995): 7-12, 39.

Describes the planning process for developing two electronic classrooms for teaching the Internet, OPACs, electronic indexes, and electronic journals, at the University of Arizona. Includes information about equipment configuration, software, upgrading equipment, and costs, and a troubleshooting checklist. Abbie Basile's sidebar describing Internet sources for information about electronic classrooms adds additional value.

Tooey, Mary Joan. "Planning an Internet Curriculum." Medical Reference Services Quarterly . 14.2 (1995) 85-89.

Briefly describes a model internet curriculum for a medical school library developed by a cooperative group from the library and the computer center.