Date: Thu, 6 Feb 1992 22:14:50 CST From: "Charles Bailey, University of Houston" <LIB3@UHUPVM1> Subject: Call for Papers THE PUBLIC-ACCESS COMPUTER SYSTEMS REVIEW Overview of the Journal The Public-Access Computer Systems Review (PACS Review) is a refereed electronic journal about end-user computer systems in libraries. It covers topics such as CD-ROM databases, electronic publishing, expert systems, hypertext programs, microcomputer labs, locally-mounted databases, network-based information resources, and online catalogs. It is published by the University of Houston Libraries. ONLINE gave the PACS Review its highest rating, "Excellent," in a review in the January 1991 issue. The PACS Review, which was established in January 1990, is distributed at no charge on BITNET, Internet, and other computer networks. Charles W. Bailey, Jr., University of Houston Libraries, is the founding Editor-in-Chief of the journal; Leslie Pearse, OCLC, is the Associate Editor, Columns; Dana Rooks, University of Houston Libraries, is the Associate Editor, Communications; and Roy Tennant, University of California, Berkeley is the Associate Editor, Reviews. The journal has a sixteen-member Editorial Board. The following individuals serve on the Board: Ralph Alberico, University of Texas, Austin George H. Brett II, University of North Carolina General Administration Steve Cisler, Apple Walt Crawford, Research Libraries Group Lorcan Dempsey, University of Bath Nancy Evans, Pennsylvania State University, Ogontz Charles Hildreth, READ Ltd. Ronald Larsen, University of Maryland Clifford Lynch, Division of Library Automation, University of California David R. McDonald, Tufts University R. Bruce Miller, University of California, San Diego Paul Evan Peters, Coalition for Networked Information Mike Ridley, University of Waterloo Peggy Seiden, Pennsylvania State University, New Kensington Peter Stone, University of Sussex John E. Ulmschneider, North Carolina State University The Communications section contains descriptions of public-access computer systems, discussions of important current issues, symposia, technical findings, and short research reports. Papers for the Communications section are selected by the Editor-in-Chief and the Associate Editor, Communications. The minimum length for an article is approximately 2,000 words; the maximum length of an article is determined in consultation with the author. The PACS Review announced a new section of the journal, Refereed Articles, in November 1991. This section contains substantive papers on research or theory. They are peer reviewed by Editorial Board members. The PACS Review uses a double-blind review procedure where the reviewer does not know the author's name and vice versa. The review process typically takes from two to four weeks. The PACS Review also includes regular columns as well as reviews of books, network resources, and software. The PACS Review is published on an irregular basis. Issues may contain a single article or multiple articles. As an electronic journal with a flexible publication strategy, the PACS Review typically has a faster turnaround time than equivalent print journals. The PACS Review is copyrighted; however, copying is permitted for noncommercial use by computer conferences, individual scholars, and libraries. Authors retain the copyright to their articles, and they give the University of Houston the nonexclusive right to publish the articles in the journal and in future publications. Libraries are authorized to add the journal to their collections at no cost. The journal is cataloged on OCLC and RLIN; its ISSN is 1048-6542. The Library and Information Technology Association, a division of the American Library Association, has signed a contract to publish the first volume of the PACS Review as a printed book. Distribution of the Journal The PACS Review is associated with the moderated PACS-L list, which serves over 3,600 users in 36 countries. PACS-L was founded in June 1989 by Charles W. Bailey, Jr.; it is currently moderated by Dana Rooks (LIBL@UHUPVM1) and Jill Hackenberg (LIBJ@JETSON.UH.EDU). PACS-L users have an automatic subscription to the journal. To join PACS-L, send the following e-mail message to LISTSERV@UHUPVM1 or LISTSERV@UHUPVM1.UH.EDU: SUBSCRIBE PACS-L First Name Last Name. A second moderated list, PACS-P@UHUPVM1, was established in January 1991 for libraries and other users who want to receive the PACS Review and other PACS-L publications, but who do not want do receive messages from PACS-L users. The PACS-P list serves over 100 users in ten countries. To join PACS-P, send the following e-mail message to LISTSERV@UHUPVM1 or LISTSERV@UHUPVM1.UH.EDU: SUBSCRIBE PACS-P First Name Last Name. Instructions to Authors The PACS Review uses The Chicago Manual of Style (thirteenth edition, revised) reference format (style "A"). Please number footnotes sequentially (do not use the author-date system). If in doubt about how to format a reference, please consult Kate L. Turabian's A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (fifth edition). See the "Further Information" section for a sample citation for a journal article. The PACS Review utilizes numbered sections (e.g., "1.0 Introduction"). Overall, keep the format of the manuscript as simple as possible. Manuscripts should be single-spaced. Use a line length of 65 characters. Do not underline or italicize text. Minimize the use of illustrations and tables. All accepted manuscripts will be edited as required for clarity and length. Authors can submit their manuscripts by e-mail or file transfer. Send the manuscript as an ASCII file via BITNET or Internet. If this is not feasible, submit the manuscript as an ASCII file or a WordPerfect file on a 1.2 MB or 1.44 MB IBM floppy disk. Send articles to the Editor-in-Chief: Charles W. Bailey, Jr. Assistant Director for Systems University Libraries University of Houston Houston, TX 77204-2091 LIB3@UHUPVM1 (BITNET) or LIB3@UHUPVM1.UH.EDU (Internet) Send reviews to the Associate Editor, Reviews: Roy Tennant Public Service Automated Systems Coordinator The Library 130 Doe University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, CA 94720 rtennant@library.berkeley.edu Retrieving Back Issues PACS Review articles are stored as individual files on the list server, and a table of contents message for each issue is sent out to all PACS-L and PACS-P users. After looking over the table of contents message, users can retrieve article files of interest. To retrieve the table of contents file for an issue of the PACS Review, send an e-mail message to LISTSERV@UHUPVM1 or LISTSERV@UHUPVM1.UH.EDU that contains the appropriate command based on the issue's volume and number: GET CONTENTS PRV1N1 F=MAIL GET CONTENTS PRV1N2 F=MAIL GET CONTENTS PRV1N3 F=MAIL GET CONTENTS PRV2N1 F=MAIL GET CONTENTS PRV2N2 F=MAIL To retrieve an annual index file for a volume of The Public-Access Computer Systems Review, send an e-mail message to LISTSERV@UHUPVM1 that contains the appropriate command based on the volume's number: GET INDEX PRV1 F=MAIL There are no restrictions on who can access these files. You do not need to be a PACS-L or PACS-P user to do so. The above commands will result in the file being sent as an e-mail message. If you prefer to receive it via a file transfer, omit "F=MAIL" from the command. Further Information For a description of the early days of the PACS Review, see: Charles W. Bailey, Jr., "Electronic (Online) Publishing in Action . . . The Public-Access Computer Systems Review and Other Electronic Serials," ONLINE 15 (January 1991): 28-35. For further information, contact Charles W. Bailey, Jr., Editor-in- Chief, The Public-Access Computer Systems Review, University Libraries, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204-2091, (713) 749-4241, BITNET: LIB3@UHUPVM1, Internet: LIB3@UHUPVM1.UH.EDU.