Announcing CyberStacks(sm)

[Gerry McKiernan]

      Announcing CyberStacks(sm), A Demonstration Prototype
       Virtual Science and Technology Reference Collection

     While there have been noteworthy efforts to facilitate the
efficient identification of relevant Internet and World Wide Web
(WWW) information and data sources in the fields of science and
technology, users continue to be confronted with the cumbersome
task of effectively identifying, selecting, evaluating and using
Internet Reference resources that best meet their information
needs. To address this situation, I have created CyberStacks(sm)
- a browsable classified and categorized selected collection with
an appropriate level of specificity and description that I
believe offers the value-added structure and organization which
can facilitate the identification and use of selected Internet
and WWW resources in these, and other, subject areas.

     The URL for CyberStacks(sm) is

           <http://www.public.iastate.edu/~gerrymck/>

     As a short-term goal, I plan to identify and incorporate
selected resources that may be categorized within the Science (Q)
outline of the Library of Congress classification scheme, the
system that I have adopted for the CyberStacks(sm) service. I
would greatly appreciate receiving the title, URL and a _brief_
description of other Reference resources that may be classified
in this group, as well as similar information for resources that
cover other science and technology disciplines.

     Within the CyberStacks(sm) main homepage, I have hypertexted
a 'virtual paper' where I have critiqued other efforts and
documented the theories, philosophies and observations which I
believe support the organizational approach adopted by
CyberStacks(sm).

     As I am greatly interested in refining the development of
CyberStacks(sm) in this stage of its development, I ask that my
colleagues critically review the overall scheme as well as any
the other issues that this approach raises. I would also greatly
appreciate comments on the working 'virtual paper' found
throughout the base homepage.

     I believe that the CyberStacks(sm) database has the
potential of serving many clientele within many organizations. To
realize its potential, the service will require the cooperation
and collaboration of a variety of subject specialists from these
organizations, who have the expertise and knowledge of Internet
resources in the broad and specific subject areas covered by
CyberStacks(sm). I strongly encourage individuals and
organizations to participate in the development of
CyberStacks(sm) and describe the levels of participation from
within its homepage.

     As CyberStacks(sm) is a prototype demonstration project,
it would be premature to point to the service at this time. It is
my hope that with the appropriate level of support, a fully
functioning service can be established by July 1, 1996.

Gerry McKiernan
Coordinator, Science and Technology Section
Reference and Instructional Services
Iowa State University
152 Parks
Ames IA 50011

gerrymck at iastate.edu

                              "The Future is Now"