Areas of Interest

• Application of Technology to Libraries and Information Management
• Automation and Computerization
• Communications Technologies
• Computer Programming
• Database Design or Management
• Development and Assessment of Computer Networks and Databases
• Distance Education
• Information Systems: Analysis, Design or Evaluation
• Online Searching and Computerized Information Retrieval
• World Wide Web and Internet applications

Description of Research Activities

• Development of World Wide Web interfaces for bibliographic databases
  

  Many useful bibliographic databases are available only on a local scale because of hardware and software incompatibilities. The aim of this project is to develop methods for providing access to such databases through the World Wide Web.

• Search interfaces using thesauri stored in relational databases
  

  The goal is to develop tools which can facilitate information retrieval for those who are not well served by mainstream information systems. Thesauri developed for specialized areas and points of view will be maintained in relational databases, with associated search programs which support navigation of the thesaurus and provide linkages to standard classification systems. The initial efforts are directed toward providing linkages from feminist thesauri to the Dewey Decimal Classification, with search access through a local search program or via the World Wide Web.

• Using student projects to solve real problems
  

  Library school students produce much valuable and innovative work, most of which is not made available to the library community. This project is aimed at making student projects available on the World Wide Web, and studying the use of those projects in libraries and other information management environments.

Recently Published Work

• Olson, Hope A., and Dennis B. Ward. (forthcoming). Feminist locales in Dewey's landscape: Mapping a marginalized knowledge domain. Accepted for publication in the proceedings of the 6th International Study Conference on Classification Research: Knowledge Organization for Information Retrieval. The Hague: International Federation for Information and Documentation.
• Olson, Hope A., and Dennis B. Ward. (1997). Ghettoes and diaspora in classification: Communicating across the limits. In Bernd Frohmann (ed.), Communication and information in context: Society, technology, and the professions. Proceedings of the 25th Annual Conference/Association canadienne des sciences de l'information: Travaux du 25e congrŠs annuel, (pp.19-31). Toronto, ON: Canadian Association for Information Science.
• Ward, Dennis B. (1997). A collection of term papers describing applications of current computer technology in libraries, created by the students in LIS 598 and made available on the World Wide Web at http://www.slis.ualberta.ca/598/
• Olson, H.& Ward. D. (Eds.) (1995). Connectedness: Information, Systems, People, Organizations - Canadian Association for Information Science: Proceedings of the 23rd Annual Conference/Association Canadienne des sciences de l'information: Travaux du 23e congres annuel. Edmonton, AB: School of Library and Information Studies, University of Alberta. Also available on the World Wide Web at http://www.ualberta.ca/dept/slis/cais
• Ward, Dennis. (1995). Subject guides to Internet Resources, prepared by students in LIS 538 and made available on the World Wide Web at www.ualberta.ca/~slis/guides/guides.html
• Namdev. P.K., Thompson, B.G., Ward, D.B., & Gray, M.R. (1992). Effects of glucose fluctuations on synchrony in fed-batch fermentation of Saccharomyces cerevisiaee. Biotechol. Prog., 8, 501-507.

Course that Dr. Ward teaches

• LIS 506--Introduction to Automation and Bibliographic Information
• LIS 538--Automation in Libraries and Information Centres

Degrees held

• B.Sc. (Honours in Physics), M.Sc. (Computing Science), M.L.S., Ph.D. (Astronomy).

Contact information

• If you would like more information about Dr. Ward's research interests or the classes that he teaches, please contact him by e-mail or at 492-4729.