Web access to databases

[Stephen M. Jones]

U Md Baltimore County is working toward switching from cdrom access to
commercial databases (e.g., Silverplatter) to web access to these
databases.  Questions we would appreciate others' experience with:

1.  Limiting workstation access to a given set of databases
We are considering setting up a proxy server configuration so that the
workstations involved would only be able to access a given group of
databases.  Any comments regarding the feasibility of doing this or
about effecting a better approach, or both, will be appreciated.

2.  Sophistication of web search engines
It is generally our experience that the web incarnations of search
engines are less robust than their cdrom counterparts;
eventually/gradually this will change, of course.  But in the meantime,
do significant numbers of patrons notice this?  UMBC is primarily an
undergrad institution, but with fairly strong leanings toward the
sciences (computers, engineering, biology).

Many thanks.

Steve Jones
Mgr, Library Computing Services
University of Maryland Baltimore County