ELECTRONIC RESOURCES:
Know what you are seeing:
1. Is this a live demo,
connected to a production database at a user institution?
2. How large is the file?
3. Is this a canned demo, in Power Point with saved screens, etc.?
4. If this is a canned demo, when will the product be available?

Interface Questions:
1. Is this a prototype? Or has this been used as a production product?
2. Is this WEB compatible? With Z39.50 compatibility?
3. If this is a standard interface, what software do I need to run it?
Windows '95?
Or another package?
4. How much input does the user have in
customizing the interface for their institutions?
Are Help screens locally written?
Can they be customized?
5. How are updates available? Via FTP?
6. What documentation is available for installation?
7. How much on site training is available?
At what cost?

Telecommunications Questions:
1. If this demo is live, how are you communicating to the host?
2. If over the Internet, what is the response time?
3.What time are you looking at the demo, and what does the vendor predict as a reliable response time?
4. If modem-connected, at what speed?
With what software?
Hardware Questions:
1. What model PC is being used?
2. If state of the art, can your institution upgrade or afford the latest?

Action at the Booth: Try it!
1. Approach the machine as if you were doing so for the first time. Observe: what aspects stand out initially?
2. TRY IT---without explanations, directions, etc.
Observe: how far in the search process do you proceed? How intuitive is the resource? How much effort needs to be expended in preparation of instructional materials?