RESOURCES AND SERVICES THROUGH INTERNET 

It may be stated that the Internet is a massive, searchable, dynamic widely available, distributed, multi-platform information system having a great potential of resources. The resources available on Internet are changing constantly, Therefore, any list is liable to be out of date. However, a brief review of the types of databases and services is furnished in this section to enable you to have an idle a of Internet resources and services. There are a number of different types of use of the Internet. Some of them are listed below: 

1. E-mail: allowing users to send messages or files to each other;  
2. News: to inform users of available information    
3. Remote log in: allowing users to log in to remote sites; 
4. FTP (file transfer protocol): which allows users to access and retrieve files at remote sites. 

The information services available at remote sites include: 

1. Listservs and discussion groups on a variety of topics. Participants have the opportunity to exchange current information and conduct dialogue, of these some listservs are of particular interest to information professionals; 
2. Subject databases, specially from academic institutions in different subject specialties; 
3. Community information:. Different communities are providing access often through their public libraries, to information such as the library catalogues, demographic, and tourist information, etc., 
4. Government resources: All governments both national and local are providing information through their own Websites; 
5. Library Catalogues: a large number of libraries are making their catalogues available through Internet; 
6. Commercial resources: Commercial information databases; 
7. Bulletin boards: (i.e.) electronic equivalent of news letters; 
8. Shopping and other commercial transactions: Internet has a number of significant shopping mails; 
9. Document delivery: A number of big libraries and document delivery services are also making available document search and. delivery service through the Internet. 

A number of these services offer access to database records or documents. These documents may be divided into categories or collections on the basis of the following characteristics: 

1. Storage location 
2. Data type Format 
3. Method of transfer 
4. Size or length 
5. Subject matter or topic 
6. Depth of coverage
7. Frequency of update and currency 
8. Language Originator 
9. Audience 

It may be mentioned here that there are a number of directories of Internet resources. One of the most valuable directories is Bulletin Board for Libraries (BUBL). BUBL is an information service designed to support Library and Information Science professionals. Among a wide range of services, it includes directories of resources, users and lists current contents of LIS journals and electronic journals and texts.