This is the third in a series of annual reports summarizing the activities and accomplishments of the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) program, which is funded and managed by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement in the U.S. Department of Education. One of the highlights of 1989 was the establishment of ACCESS ERIC, the first new ERIC system component in over 20 years. Among its first tasks were the development of extensive reference and referral files of organizations that collect and distribute education-related materials, and the compilation of a worldwide catalog of institutions that can provide ERIC searches or documents to clients. Also established in 1989 were four "adjunct" ERIC Clearinghouses in the fields of literacy education, U.S./Japan studies, art education, and compensatory education. These clearinghouses have expanded the scope of the ERIC database, increased coverage and publications in these areas, and diversified the sources of ERIC funding. ERIC also expanded its international collaborative efforts, working with education associations throughout the world to facilitate greater access to and dissemination of educational resources. Looking toward the future, ERIC has begun to develop prototypes that will provide immediate access on compact disc to the full text of the most significant documents and journal articles cited in the ERIC database. This report includes a profile and an overview of the ERIC system and reports on the ERIC clearinghouses, the ERIC Processing and Reference Facility, ACCESS ERIC, and the ERIC Document Reproduction Service, as well as examples of ERIC system initiatives during the year. Two tables and a statistical report are attached. (SD)
