This paper analyzes and reviews the informatization and modernization process of the National Library from two aspects of reading mode and retrieval means.

From the concepts of the manual retrieval and computer retrieval,this paper expounds the advantages and disadvantages of the manual retrieval and computer retrieval and the relation between the two forms,and holds that the manual retrieval and computer retrieval will co-exist for a long period of time.

This paper introduces the searching model and the searching methods of Scirus,including the basic search,the advanced search,the search results and their processing,and compares Scirus with the general search engine according to its performance and features.

This paper examines the searching model and other features of SCIRUS, a search engine developed by Elsevier Science to facilitate the searching of its own publications and other networked information resources.