TEES doesn't use Dialog either, because as Spanky says, once it's in print
it's virtually obsolete.  We rely more heavily on internet/gopher/mosaic
databases from the agencies (fedix, molis, feebs, impac, stis, etc),
online/updated systems like Iris and Spin, and some of the weekly
newsletters.

As for calling sponsors...we call the technical contact if it's simply to
request generic information, get copies of guidelines/RFPs etc.  We don't
do techy-talk for the PIs because, as you say, we don't have the technical
expertise to discuss effectively with the technical monitors at the
agencies.  If the discussions are with the contracting folks, that's
another issue.  We'd PREFER to be front-line contact.

 Jean Humphries, Texas Engineering Experiment Station
______________________

>I used the DIALOG system extensively for a while.  I think its best,
>and possibly only, use is as a grazing device for faculty
>    searching for a new sponsor, new research topic, etc.  I
>    never believe anything I read from databases or printed and
>    bound directories.  It's a given that any information that
>    is in these types of collections is from 9 to 18 months old
>    at publication, THEN we keep them on a shelf for while.
>    They are useful as a beginning search tool, butfor the ral
>    skinny I go to the weekly newsletters and the sponsors
>    themselves.
>    I am currently ticking off my researchers by refusing to
>    call the sponsors for them.  My experience is that sponsors
>    see us (in preaward) as clerkish intermediariesand that
>    their preference is to talk with the researcher, who can
>    discuss technical issues, etc.  How do you fell about that?
>    Spanky
>> Here's one for users of the Grants database online through Dialog or its
>> counterpart Dialog onDisc for Grants.
>>
>> Oryx Press supplies the data for these products, and we at Indiana University
>> buy an ascii version of their data that we put onto our Gopher Server.
>>(Sorry
>> access is limited to IU only.)
>>
>> I'm curious as to other people's satisfaction with the quality of the
>> information from these sources.  For example, deadlines for NIH programs are
>> very often wrong, and one NIH program had an unexplainable geographic
>> restriction of New Hampshire.  This same NIH program (a FIRST award from the
>> National Cancer Institute) was listed as a student financial aid program.
>>
>> Their geographic restrictions in general confound me to the point where I
>> ignore the information they provide.
>>
>> What do others think about the quality of these products?
>>
>> -Marcia Zuzolo

Jean N. Humphries
Director, TEES Research Services
Texas Engineering Experiment Station

The Texas A&M University System
308 Wisenbaker Engineering Research Center
College Station, TX 77843-3000

Telephone:  (409) 845-1264
Fax:  (409) 845-9643
Email: xxxxxx@tamu.edu