CyberStacks(sm) is a prototype demonstration service created to facilitate access to selected Internet and World Wide Web (WWW) resources in science and technology through a comprehensive application of the Library of Congress Classification Schedules, a well-established structure and scheme that has been used by research libraries for organizing information sources for generations.

CyberStacks(sm) was initiated as a project to demonstrate and explore the use of such a scheme to facilitate access to selected WWW resourcs by current staff and potential clientele of the Science and Technology Section of the Reference and Instructional Services of the Iowa State University Library, Ames, Iowa.

The overall concept of CyberStacks(sm) was developed by Gerry McKiernan, Coordinator of the Science and Technology Section, Reference and Instructional Services Department. The general outline for CyberStacks(sm) was implemented by Anthony (Andy) Ames, a graduate student in technical writing and business communications assigned to the Science and Technology Section, under the direction of Gerry McKiernan. During the implementation of the CyberStacks(sm) framework, Andy Ames added significant features which have greatly enhanced the original idea.

During December 1995, Gerry McKiernan undertook a complete renovation of the CyberStacks(sm) facility using the Tables function in Netscape. He subsequently relocated categories from CyberStacks(sm) original location and concurrently directed Andy Ames to do the same for the Technology (T) class.

Gerry McKiernan and Andy Ames systematically reviewed a number of WWW sites with icon collections and selected those that were most associated with the categories of its current classfication scheme. These were then evaluated and incorporated into the outline for each of the main classes for Science (Q), Medicine (R), Agriculture (S), Technology (T), Military Science (U) and Naval Science (V) in later December 1995 and early January 1996.

The identification and selection of Internet and WWW resources for CyberStacks(sm) have been made by Gerry McKiernan as part of an integral part of his professional position within the Science and Technology Section. This ongoing review was significantly supplemented by an intensive review undertaken in December 1995.

The description and incorporation of resources into CyberStacks(sm) scheme has been undertaken by Gerry McKiernan as part of an on-going research project. A significant portion of this research has required a major committment of personal and extracurricular professional time.

Access to CyberStacks(sm) is made possible through a personal home page of Gerry McKiernan. The availability and maintenance of the home page server at the Iowa State University is provided by the Iowa State University Computation Center as a service to university students, staff and faculty.

Accesss to CyberStacks(sm) or the availability of networked information through CyberStacks(sm) does not constitute an endorsement by Iowa State University, the Iowa State University Computation Center or the Iowa State University Library, nor the Library of Congress.

During this phase of its development, access to Cyberstacks(sm) has been encouraged to solicit comment and critical feedback from a community of potential users. As much of CyberStacks(sm) is currently Under Construction, it would be premature to point to it any level, or to consider it a functioning service at this time.

Gerry McKiernan
Coordinator, Science and Technology Section
Reference and Instructional Services Department
Iowa State University
152 Parks
Ames IA 50011

gerrymck@iastate.edu