ABSTRACT
Prior to 1970, however, little public use was made of computerized online information retrieval systems. Online information retrieval systems provide rapid access to a broad range of information at a low cost. However, as most searching is done through the large systems, they are the primary focus of this text. Search service vendors usually receive databases from the database producers on magnetic tapes which are then loaded into the vendor's computer system. The searcher turns the computer terminal on, makes a telephone call to the telecommunications network, and requests the appropriate search system computer. Searchers know that it is easier to learn the mechanics of three systems to obtain access to several hundred databases than it is to learn a different set of search protocol for each database to be searched. The information retrieval market has even expanded to home users.
