What information dissemination studies imply concerning the design of on‐line reference retrieval systems

The use of an on‐line computer system for locating bibliographic citations has been hailed as an important innovation for coping with the “information explosion.” However, on‐line reference retrieval is only one element in a large social system of information dissemination. To have a widespread impact, an on‐line system must compete successfully with a multitude of other sources of references. This paper reviews studies of information dissemination as a basis for determining how on‐line retrieval can best compete. It recommends the functional groups for whom an on‐line system should be designed initially, and suggests the uses for which the system should be designed and the forms of written media that should be included in the system's initial data base. Finally, it presents criteria the system should satisfy to be as widely used and as comprehensive as other reference retrieval methods.