On-line Reference Tools for the Hard Sciences

public policy areas; and (3) it can relate sets of data files to those of similar focus that have been described previously. If those functions are enough to justify its conhnued publication, then the newsletter can go on for some time in the future However, it is important to raise the possibility that the print medium is now an out-dated mode of communication in the field of data reference. On-line systems at individual archives and projects whereby archives exchange data descriptor tapes certainly hold the promise of a much improved data reference system. Networking and other developments, such as improved cataloguing of machine-readable data files, also offer interesting