Please feel free to post this announcement to any other appropriate lists
and individuals.  Ann Okerson/Association of Research Libraries

11 May 1991

ARL to Produce Directory of Electronic Publications

As part of its keen commitment to promote networked academic
journals and other serials, the Association of Research
Libraries (ARL) plans to publish a directory of electronic
journals, newsletters, and scholarly discussion
lists/interest groups.  These represent publications which
are created and distributed principally for Bitnet, Internet,
and any affiliated academic networks, largely for free.

The directory will be available at the end of June.  It will
contain some 30 journal listings, about twice that number of
newsletters, and over 1000 scholarly lists.  Its length is
anticipated to be close to 200 pages.  Preliminary pricing
estimates are approximately $10 - $12  to members and double
that for non-members.  A final price and release date will be
advertised in early June.

Editor of the journals/newsletters section is Michael
Strangelove, University of Ottawa.   Strangelove's list will
be available through via the Ottawa University network
sometime in June.  Editor of the scholarly discussion
lists/interest groups section is Diane Kovacs, Kent State
University Libraries.  For some months, she has maintained
such listings as adjunct files to networked lists such as
HUMANIST, ARACHNET, Lstown, and Libref-L.   Each electronic
"serial" will be described and clear directions about hot to
subscribe, send submissions, and access retrospectively will
be provided.  To ensure that the reader is given accurate and
up-to-date information, entires have been supplied or
verified by the editors themselves.  The listings are
compiled with the intention of providing the uninitiated
networker with clear directions on how to navigate the
sometimes puzzling world of electronic scholarship.

ARL is producing the printed directory because of calls
virtually daily requesting such information.  If there is
indeed sufficient demand for the work, the directories will
be updated and sold regularly.  For those who prefer to
retrieve electronically, the directory will point to the free
and continuously up-to-date networked sources for this
information, with complete access instructions.

The ARL is tentatively exploring options for funding to
catalog/classify these materials, both to facilitate
networked and paper access by subject and to
"institutionalize" and "legitimize" new types of "serials."
This effort would relate to activities of the Coalition for
Networked Information (CNI) in identifying and maintaining
directories of networked access and resources and to the work
of individuals and institutions concerned with standards
development for networked products and publications.  For
further information, to indicate your interest, or to place
an order, contact:

ARLHQ@UMDC.Bitnet (e-mail)
Ann Okerson or Christine Klein
Association of Research Libraries
1527 New Hampshire Avenue, NW
Washington, DC  20036
202-232-2466 (phone)
202-462-7849 (fax)