List of Tables

xii

List of Figures

xiv

Acknowledgments

xv

Introduction

1

Chapter 1: The World Wide Web:A General Introduction

9

Early Development of the World Wide Web

10

Environmental Factors Contributing to the Growth of the Web

16

Technological Features and Capabilities of the Web

18

The Use of the World Wide Web in the United States

21

The Use of the World Wide Web in American Libraries

24

Perceptions of the World Wide Web

29

The Internet/Web as a Digital Library or Publisher

31

The Internet/Web as an Electronic Mail or Communication Medium

32

The Internet/Web as an Electronic Marketplace

33