reviews 200 College & Research Libraries March 2002 seeking a basic understanding of intellec- tual property law.—Colleen Lougen, Mount Saint Mary College. Lancaster, F. W., and Amy Warner. Intel- ligent Technologies in Library and Infor- mation Service Applications. Medford, N.J.: Information Today (ASIS Mono- graph Series), 2000. Published for the American Society for Information Sci- ence and Technology. 214p. $31.60 (members); $39.50 (nonmembers) (ISBN 1573871036). LC 05-53951. Ambivalence would seem to be an apt descriptor for Intelligent Technologies in Library and Information Service Applications by F. W. Lancaster and Amy Warner. The book is a review of the literature on arti- ficial intelligence (AI) “and related tech- nologies,” with an eye “on what can be applied today and what one might rea- sonably expect to be applicable to library and information services in the near fu- ture.” Professors Lancaster and Warner bring substantial experience and perspec- tive to the effort. Lancaster, professor emeritus at the University of Illinois, is well known in the fields of information transfer, bibliometrics, bibliographic or- ganization, and the evaluation of library and information services. Warner is a the- saurus designer with Argus Associates and a former associate professor at the University of Michigan. Her expertise is in digital library and search engine de- sign and evaluation. To give away the ending, their answer to the question, To what extent can libraries apply AI today or in the near future? is, essentially, very little. Lancaster and Warner define AI opera- tionally: “those who work in the field seek to develop computer systems capable of doing some of the things that humans now do better.” This involves the capacity to exhibit humanlike characteristics, includ- ing reasoning and learning from experi- ence. The goal is to deploy systems that can supplement human expertise in de- fined task areas. A useful taxonomy by Ralph Alberico and Mary Micco (Expert Systems for Reference and Information Re- trieval [Meckler, 1990]) is used to organize the discussion. AI moves outward from symbolic processing through four major techniques—pattern matching, search, knowledge representation, and infer- ence—and is applied to a variety of areas. Expert systems, an application area asso- ciated largely with inference, receives most of the attention, partly because of its ubiq- uity, but also due to the fact that “all imple- mentations of AI within the library field itself are of the expert system type.” Clas- sically defined expert systems consist of three components: a knowledge base, an inference engine, and a user interface. As the “intermediary” between database and user, the inference engine is the distin- guishing component of an expert system: “it operates on the knowledge in the knowledge base, frequently through a se- ries of pre-established rules, in order to interact with the user, presenting ques- tions, reminders, recommendations and suggested answers or solutions.” The authors move briskly from defini- tions into the literature. In four chapters, they travel from library literature through “Applications Closely Related to Library Problems,” and “Applications from Other Fields” to “General Technologies.” They conclude with a discussion of this literature’s applicability to libraries and information services. Four appendices outline methodology, sources for further investigation, and, interestingly, reprints of decision tools for evaluating the appli- cability of expert systems for particular tasks. Their method involved searches in the appropriate databases, followed by survey questions and phone and/or e- mail contact with authors. Chapter one surveys expert systems applied to cataloging, subject indexing, collection-building, and reference. It re- views a large number of projects, includ- ing quite a few at name-brand institutions. A pattern emerges—an interesting appli- cation area is identified, a system is prototyped, it shows some promise. Then, it is abandoned because results do not quite compare with human labor, the ef- fort to maintain the knowledge base be- Book Reviews 201 comes more trouble than it is worth, or the researcher moves on. Consider the conclu- sions of the designers of an expert system for selection of main and added entries at the University of Linkoping in 1989: An operational expert system for cataloging is technically feasible but would not be cost-effective for most libraries at present. In order to per- form as well as an expert human cataloger, an expert system would require computer resources far be- yond the means of libraries in gen- eral. Although technology has come a long way since then, more recent analysts at the Library of Congress reached similar conclusions. Overall, the authors con- clude that library “systems that have pro- gressed to an ‘operational’ state …are al- most nonexistent.” If libraries have not developed success- ful AI technologies, perhaps we can draw on systems developed in other areas. Four closely related applications are discussed in chapter two: text processing, agents, interfaces, and data mining. Intelligent text processing involves text retrieval, transla- tion, or manipulation based on patterns. Classic AI text processing built on rule- based structures has given way to statisti- cal analysis of large volumes of digital text. However, outcomes, we learn, are mixed. For example, machine translation of vary- ing quality is a going concern on the Web. On the other hand, “relatively crude Bool- ean search methods” still outperform ex- pert systems when working with large volumes of data, such as multimillion bib- liographic record databases. Intelligent Internet-related agents and interfaces represent one of the more im- portant areas of AI for librarians to moni- tor because they offer potential means for managing and navigating resources in the digital library. Agents watch, search, or analyze input from the Web and may display limited learning capabilities. For librarians, the most interesting projects are probably those “designed to simplify access to information retrieval systems.” Interfaces range in complexity from those that have some knowledge of external da- tabases to those capable of adapting to user behavior patterns. Interfaces de- signed to “handle query formulation for multiple bibliographic databases” would seem to work up to a point but do not achieve better results than an expert (e.g., a reference librarian). Again, it is noted that very few systems have actually reached the production stage. In this arena, “conventional interface technol- ogy, which may be developed far more cheaply than expert system,” can outper- form the intelligent tools. Chapter three looks at applications somewhat further afield for librarians, focusing on help desk, medical diagno- sis, and decision-critiquing systems. Of particular interest are observations that case-based reasoning—an approach that focuses on past solutions to a problem— is more cost-effective than rule-based knowledge systems and that the results of thirty years’ work in medical diagno- sis are relatively disappointing. The dis- cussion of general technologies in chap- ter four focuses on some interesting tests with speech technology—voice interpre- tation and generation (generation is easier than interpretation)—and tools for sound and image retrieval. The concluding chapter returns from the generalized world of AI to the library environment. The relationship between AI, the Internet, and practical solutions to operational problems is nicely framed in an analysis of a 1995 report from the American Association for Artificial Intel- ligence on AI and the National Informa- tion Infrastructure. Lancaster and Warner consider the report “primarily a wish list.” There follows a brief sketch of the digital library. Techniques for wide-area, cross-platform searching, profile match- ing, digital rights management, and use evaluation would seem to be the priori- ties for digital library managers. Systems using conventional software tools would seem to be more cost-effective than expert systems. The bottom line for Lancaster 202 College & Research Libraries March 2002 and Warner is that “the library commu- nity should not be overly optimistic con- cerning the immediate potential value of these technologies.” Intelligent Technologies can serve as a useful gateway for librarians interested in application of AI and expert systems. As intellectual technology continues to evolve, intelligent software will certainly have a place in the digital library, but questions about pace, cost, and alterna- tives abound. Although there is no doubt of a continual replenishing of the AI lit- erature in the computer science disci- plines, a search of the Library Literature database using the authors’ search strat- egy turned up only six new citations on the topic in the past year. Their caution- ary tone seems appropriate.—Rick Moul, Western North Carolina Library Network. Lazzaro, Joseph J. Adaptive Technologies for Learning & Work Environments, 2nd ed. Chicago: ALA (ALA Editions), 2001. 204p. $48, alk. paper (ISBN 0838908047). LC 2001-035284; $35, CD-ROM (ISBN 0838908144). Substantially revised from the 1993 first edition, the second edition of Adaptive Tech- nologies for Learning & Work Environments addresses the assistive technology needs of the learning disabled in addition to the needs of people with sensory, physical, and speech disabilities. Slimmed down from 251 to 204 pages, the second edition has eliminated the illustrations and individual product descriptions contained in the ear- lier edition. In their place are general over- views of categories of adaptive technolo- gies, with specific product and vendor in- formation located in five disability-specific appendixes. The work is divided into ten chapters. The first chapter provides an overview, in lay terms, of personal computer hard- ware. The necessity for the inclusion of a chapter on these basics is validated by statistics indicating that only one-quarter of people with disabilities own comput- ers and only one-tenth ever use the Internet. Chapter two is a general introduction to using keyboard and platform-specific, built-in accessibility features instead of a mouse to operate a computer. It addresses the Windows, Macintosh, and Unix plat- forms. Chapters three through seven dis- cuss technologies designed to assist indi- viduals with visual, hearing, motor, speech, and learning disabilities, respec- tively. Braille displays, visual indicator software, word-prediction software, touch screens, adapted switches, and speech-synthesis systems are some of the many adaptive technologies described that enable the disabled to use comput- ers on the job, at home, in the library, or at school. A few non-computer-related assistive devices, such as handheld mag- nifiers and text telephones, also are dis- cussed. Adaptive technology is not one-size-fits-all, nor is it plug-and-play. The necessity for building a solid foun- dation for adaptive technology in univer- sities, libraries, and other public facilities is described in chapter eight. This entails having an evaluation by an assistive tech- nology specialist prior to purchasing equipment and in providing training and technical support. Chapter nine is an overview on making intranets and the Internet accessible. Those needing more information on accessibility may want to consult chapter two of Barbara Mates’s Adaptive Technology for the Internet: Mak- ing Electronic Resources Accessible to All (ALA, 2000) or Michael Paciello’s Web Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities Index to advertisers Academic Press 163 ATLA 104 Annual Reviews 124 Archival Products 170 BIOSIS 150 Faxon cover 3 Haworth Press 138 ISI 110 Library Technologies 107 OCLC cover 2 Optical Society of America 103 Primary Source Microfilm cover 4 << /ASCII85EncodePages false /AllowTransparency false /AutoPositionEPSFiles true /AutoRotatePages /All /Binding /Left /CalGrayProfile (Dot Gain 20%) /CalRGBProfile (sRGB IEC61966-2.1) /CalCMYKProfile (U.S. Web Coated \050SWOP\051 v2) /sRGBProfile (sRGB IEC61966-2.1) /CannotEmbedFontPolicy /Warning /CompatibilityLevel 1.3 /CompressObjects /Tags /CompressPages true /ConvertImagesToIndexed true /PassThroughJPEGImages true /CreateJobTicket false /DefaultRenderingIntent /Default /DetectBlends true /DetectCurves 0.0000 /ColorConversionStrategy /CMYK /DoThumbnails false /EmbedAllFonts true /EmbedOpenType false /ParseICCProfilesInComments true /EmbedJobOptions true /DSCReportingLevel 0 /EmitDSCWarnings false /EndPage -1 /ImageMemory 1048576 /LockDistillerParams false /MaxSubsetPct 1 /Optimize true /OPM 1 /ParseDSCComments true /ParseDSCCommentsForDocInfo true /PreserveCopyPage true /PreserveDICMYKValues true /PreserveEPSInfo true /PreserveFlatness false /PreserveHalftoneInfo true /PreserveOPIComments false /PreserveOverprintSettings true /StartPage 1 /SubsetFonts false /TransferFunctionInfo /Apply /UCRandBGInfo /Preserve /UsePrologue false /ColorSettingsFile () /AlwaysEmbed [ true ] /NeverEmbed [ true ] /AntiAliasColorImages false /CropColorImages false /ColorImageMinResolution 151 /ColorImageMinResolutionPolicy /OK /DownsampleColorImages true /ColorImageDownsampleType /Bicubic /ColorImageResolution 300 /ColorImageDepth -1 /ColorImageMinDownsampleDepth 1 /ColorImageDownsampleThreshold 1.10000 /EncodeColorImages true /ColorImageFilter /DCTEncode /AutoFilterColorImages true /ColorImageAutoFilterStrategy /JPEG /ColorACSImageDict << /QFactor 0.15 /HSamples [1 1 1 1] /VSamples [1 1 1 1] >> /ColorImageDict << /QFactor 0.15 /HSamples [1 1 1 1] /VSamples [1 1 1 1] >> /JPEG2000ColorACSImageDict << /TileWidth 256 /TileHeight 256 /Quality 30 >> /JPEG2000ColorImageDict << /TileWidth 256 /TileHeight 256 /Quality 30 >> /AntiAliasGrayImages false /CropGrayImages false /GrayImageMinResolution 151 /GrayImageMinResolutionPolicy /OK /DownsampleGrayImages true /GrayImageDownsampleType /Bicubic /GrayImageResolution 300 /GrayImageDepth -1 /GrayImageMinDownsampleDepth 2 /GrayImageDownsampleThreshold 1.10000 /EncodeGrayImages true /GrayImageFilter /DCTEncode /AutoFilterGrayImages true /GrayImageAutoFilterStrategy /JPEG /GrayACSImageDict << /QFactor 0.15 /HSamples [1 1 1 1] /VSamples [1 1 1 1] >> /GrayImageDict << /QFactor 0.15 /HSamples [1 1 1 1] /VSamples [1 1 1 1] >> /JPEG2000GrayACSImageDict << /TileWidth 256 /TileHeight 256 /Quality 30 >> /JPEG2000GrayImageDict << /TileWidth 256 /TileHeight 256 /Quality 30 >> /AntiAliasMonoImages false /CropMonoImages false /MonoImageMinResolution 600 /MonoImageMinResolutionPolicy /OK /DownsampleMonoImages true /MonoImageDownsampleType /Bicubic /MonoImageResolution 1200 /MonoImageDepth -1 /MonoImageDownsampleThreshold 1.16667 /EncodeMonoImages true /MonoImageFilter /CCITTFaxEncode /MonoImageDict << /K -1 >> /AllowPSXObjects false /CheckCompliance [ /None ] /PDFX1aCheck false /PDFX3Check false /PDFXCompliantPDFOnly false /PDFXNoTrimBoxError true /PDFXTrimBoxToMediaBoxOffset [ 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000 ] /PDFXSetBleedBoxToMediaBox true /PDFXBleedBoxToTrimBoxOffset [ 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000 ] /PDFXOutputIntentProfile () /PDFXOutputConditionIdentifier () /PDFXOutputCondition () /PDFXRegistryName () /PDFXTrapped /False /CreateJDFFile false /Description << /ENU (IPC Print Services, Inc. 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