The phrase "the invisible Web" is something of a misnomer. It conjures up images of a secretive underworld, of material that you aren't quite meant to have access to. In fact, it consists of open source material.' AbstractWhile most users of the World Wide Web rely heavily on the standard range of commercial search engines and metasearching agents, they should be careful to note their limitations and inability to furnish access to material residing in the so-called "invisible Web", which the search engines either cannot or will not index. Although it is felt by many users that the invisible Web is not worth covering, being full of duplication, "spam" and other ephemeral material, the fact remains that some of the best resources available on the Web exists in this form and to overlook it would be to detract from the full value of the Web. Users should seriously consider using the invisible Web on account of: the large size of the resource; the quality of the sites; the fact that a lot of the sites have quite specialized content within very clearly defined subject areas; the fact that it is often possible to tailor the output to meet users' needs; and the fact that here may be the only location on the Web where the information can be found. The major obstacle to using the invisible Web is the intrinsic difficulty in accessing it. Personal recommendation can also be a useful means of being alerted to useful resources on the invisible Web but the main key to success lies in knowing where to look for such information and, having found a useful Web site, rely on it for future use. How big is the Web?Searching the Internet can be a frustrating experience. People tend to rely heavily on the major search engines in order to track down useful resources. But the search engines have their limitations. They only cover a portion of the Web, and there are many more resources which have not been indexed by the search engines that are freely available on the Internet so long as you know where to look.

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Reviews early surveys of the use of online databases and CD-ROM databases by law libraries and uses the results to compile a database list, including: LEXIS; Books on Screen; Context Limited; Internet databases; FT Profile; MAID; Companies House Direct (CHORUS); FT Excel; and Perfect Information. Provides brief descriptions of each database and summarizes forthcoming products, know-how systems, changes within the online and CD-ROM market, delivery methods, costs and pricing structures, account logging, recharging, training, troubleshooting, and help-desk support issues. Contact addresses and details are presented for each of the services described.

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If things seem to be going well, that's because you've forgotten something.' AbstractFollows on from an earlier article (Business Information Review, 16 (4) 1999, pp. 197-202), which described the process used by the Economist Intelligence Unit when choosing a new library management system (LMS) to replace their existing, non-Year 2000 compliant (Y2K) system. Focuses on the issues involved in implementing a new system in terms of project management. Sets out the basic principles of project management, noting that some of the most frequent risks are: failure to finish the project on time; budget overspending; and lack of experience by either the project manager or by members of the project team. Considers the practical details of setting up a project team and sorting out who is going to coordinate the project and presents a number of clearly defined steps to ensure its success.