[13121] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
netLibrary
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Tim Kambitsch)
Mon Mar 6 20:18:44 2000
Date: Fri, 03 Mar 2000 15:37:05 -0500
From: Tim Kambitsch <kambitsch@DAYTON.LIB.OH.US>
To: PACS-L@LISTSERV.UH.EDU
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L@LISTSERV.UH.EDU>
Message-Id: <38C02271.73BD91D3@dayton.lib.oh.us>
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netLibrary is using an interesting tactic for marketing its 1500 title
"Public Library Collection." The are offering a free six month trial to
the 100 largest US public libraries. Some of the titles are dated, but
most are from respectable publishers.
However, there is a catch. They require participants to add cataloging
records to their online catalog as a part of the trial. They assume
that your catalog has a web interface and 856:u click through support.
Even though netLibrary proudly states in its marketing materials that
records for these titles are available in OCLC, cataloging 1500 titles
for a six month trial is probably a several thousand dollar investment
for this "free" trial.
I have some staff hear who are enthusiastic about this trial. I'm
leery. I understand that their content is merely simple html versions
of text files. netLibrary is apparently scanning the hard cover
editions of the titles and using OCR to create their electronic versions
text. I would have hoped that they would get machine-readable versions
from the publisher. Simple HTML versions seem to be an inferior.
I am curious as to what other think about this product in general and
their "not-quite-free" trial in particular?
Tim
kambitsch@dayton.lib.oh.us
