Online catalogues in North America: an overview
Program: electronic library and information systems
ISSN: 0033-0337
Article publication date: 1 February 1986
Abstract
OPACs currently in operation in North America fall into three categories: (1) turnkey systems (e.g. CLSI and Geac); (2) marketed, locally developed systems (e.g. NOTIS, VTLS); and (3) home‐grown systems (e.g. LCS at Ohio State University). Significant developments centre around linking systems, authority control, telecommunications, and the provision of information not usually found in traditional library catalogues. The paper includes an interesting differentiation of and discussion on linked systems versus integrated systems with good arguments for the former, plus examples. OPACs have become increasingly common in the past two years, although they are mostly still seen as replacing the card catalogue, but with greater search capabilities, and possible connections to circulation or status information. A few are becoming gateways to more specialised information about stock and status, and to more general information on other libraries' holdings. Even fewer, as yet, include information about non‐book material or have access to external databases. The true power of the online catalogue is seen as a lens for exploring a much larger bibliographic universe than any one library could ever hope to contain.
Citation
Gray Potter, W. (1986), "Online catalogues in North America: an overview", Program: electronic library and information systems, Vol. 20 No. 2, pp. 120-130. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb046931
Publisher
:MCB UP Ltd
Copyright © 1986, MCB UP Limited