Networked electronic information systems at the University of Houston Libraries: The IRIS project and beyond

In 1989, the University of Houston Libraries began a two‐year project to build an experimental Intelligent Reference Information System (IRIS). The IRIS project established a ten‐workstation CD‐ROM network that provided access to 19 CD‐ROM databases, developed an expert system to recommend reference sources, and conducted three research studies. In 1992, the Libraries initiated a new project to replace the IRIS network infrastructure, expand the number of network workstations, increase the number of networked CD‐ROM databases, offer remote access to CD‐ROMs, and provide access to new types of network resources, such as electronic serials and OPACs on the Internet. The Libraries also began a related project to develop a new version of the expert system.