[84] in Information Retrieval
technical issues for the next library system
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Tom Owens)
Tue Apr 21 16:50:42 1992
To: elibdev@MIT.EDU
Date: Tue, 21 Apr 92 16:49:26 EDT
From: Tom Owens <owens@Athena.MIT.EDU>
The libraries are currently working on an opportunity evaluation for
a system to replace the Geac 8000 for library operation functions such
as circulation, acquisitions, cataloguing, serials check-in, and the like.
We might purchase a system which had an attractive online catalogue as well.
As an early, educational phase to the project, we anticipate inviting vendors
to come spend a day meeting with various groups and discussing their systems.
These meetings can be separated into four general categories: library public
service functions (circulation/catalogue), library technical service functions
(acquisitions/cataloguing), administrative (how much does it cost? etc),
and systems issues.
I have been asked to get an idea of the issues that would be raised in the
last category so we can estimate how long might be required for such a meeting.
Let's try to do that in the elibdev group. Here are some issues I thought
of:
1. Hardware/OS/Network platforms for the applications.
2. Availability of application source code and/or APIs.
3. Data Migration from the Geac to the new system.
4. Kerberizing the new system, if necessary.
5. File structure.
6. Adherence to MARC current and future standards.
If you can think of issues to discuss, please raise them in elibdev and
we'll try to create a consensus list.
thanks, Owens
--
Tom Owens
MIT Library Systems Office
617-253-1618
owens@athena.mit.edu
