[12455] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
Z39.50 Question
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Public-Access Computer Systems For)
Fri Sep 25 20:10:28 1998
Date: Fri, 25 Sep 1998 17:57:55 -0500
From: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <LIBPACS@UHUPVM1.UH.EDU>
To: PACS-L@LISTSERV.UH.EDU
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L@LISTSERV.UH.EDU>
2 Messages, 78 Lines
*-----
From: zendog <zendog@incolsa.palni.edu>
Subject: RE: Question
This may be helpful if I understand your question correctly:
Your online catalog may be searched along with the catalogs of other
libraries from terminals on the Internet using a common interface if your
OPAC is Z39.50 compliant and the OPAC is Internet accessible. Some OPAC's
can not be accessed over the Internet and some that are, are not Z39.50
compliant. (These can be searched individually using a proprietary
interface.) If it is important to you that your catalog be searchable
with a Z39.50 search engine your OPAC should be Z39.50 compliant. (This
is particularly important if you think you will be involved in some
networking activity like cooperative ILL, etc.) Some OPAC vendors
provide Internet accessibility and Z39.50 compliance as extra cost
modules.
Retrospective conversion is a different problem. Conversion may mean
entry into machine readable form or it may mean conversion to MARC
format. You should INSIST on MARC format! OPAC's come and go.
Sometime in the future you will get a new OPAC that will support Z39.50
or some future equivalent. Your cataloging data will always be good as
long as it is high quality MARC format.
MJ
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum
> [mailto:PACS-L@LISTSERV.UH.EDU]On Behalf Of Patricia L. Gitomer
> Sent: Thursday, September 24, 1998 4:41 PM
> To: PACS-L@LISTSERV.UH.EDU
> Subject: Question
>
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Hi,
>
> Our Special Research and Development Library is undergoing a
> retrospective
> conversion and then automating.
>
> Is Z39.5 important if it is pc based? Is it a good time to find a
> vendor
> when a retrospective conversion vendor is found?
>
> Does anyone have any good ideas for special vendors who are state
> of the art and give technical support?
>
> Thank you for your assistance.
>
*-----
From: rjarvis@mla.com.au
Subject: Re:Question
Z39.50 is important if you want to connect to other libraries to do
inter-library loans electronically and search any databases which may be
connected to the service.
Are you converting from paper records or are you simply wanting to
convert records from an existing PC system? I am currently in the
process of evaluating the following databases and understand they are
all capable of record conversion.
Glas System from EOSI
DB/Textware from Trimagic
Athena from Nicholls Technologies
Unilinc
Alice for Windows from Softlink
Horizon from Ameritech
Regards
Ruth Jarvis
Librarian
Meat and Livestock Australia
