JimDay.Pasa@Xerox.COM (Jim Day) (04/07/88)
The comments about the electronic card catalog at the local (where?) public library were very interesting, although it sounds more like the system used by the Los Angeles County Library than anything I have seen at the Los Angeles Public Library. But I must admit that I haven't visited my local branch of the Los Angeles Public Library for over a month. I agree that the system you describe is reasonably convenient for looking up a specific title, but not so convenient for browsing. I believe it to be a computerized version of an older Los Angeles County Library catalog system based on microfilm reader technology. I found the microfilm system rather slow and cumbersome and, if memory serves me rightly, the film was updated only once a year, although there were supplementary hardcopy updates at more frequent intervals. I find the electronic card catalog system used by the Pasadena and Glendale public libraries to be more convenient for browsing. The Glendale library has fewer public terminals than the Pasadena library and the waiting time for a free terminal at the Glendale library seems to be longer than at the Pasadena library, but I have no data to substantiate this. One disadvantage of an electronic card catalog is the lack of a backup when the timesharing system crashes. The reliability of such systems is quite good, but they do crash once in a while. It would be nice if electronic card catalogs had dial-up ports that patrons could access via their home computers, although I expect that such ports would be busy most of the time. Jim
DANTE@EDWARDS-2060.ARPA (Mike Dante) (04/07/88)
In reference to what Jim Day says: My confusion. I hadn't realized that there is both a LA County Library and a LA Public Library. I live in Lancaster (the high desert) so I don't ever get "down below" to visit libraries on the other side of the mountains. But even without looking, I am sure you are correct and we are in the LA County Library system. I only have a vague notion of what is in our system - a bunch of libraries down below, I guess. As far as I can recall we still kept the physical card catalogs during the microfilm era, which would explain why I have no memory of a queue at that time. I really like your idea of dial-up ports. The statistics on their use would be very interesting. I believe they would be quite useful. Apropos the discussion on computer literacy, dial-up ports would be restricted to the already literate while the terminals in the library are used by many who have no other contact with computers. I take this system as evidence in support of the view expressed in the discussion that within a generation the question of computer literacy will be a non-question. Humans are amazingly flexible and soon take for granted almost anything we are confronted with. Just consider the differences between what was normal just a hundred years ago compared to now. I suspect that there were people then discussing the gap that was sure to develop between those mechnically adept who could become machine literate and those who were doomed to a second class existence restricted to horse powered transportation. I predict that it won't be too long before the computer guru will have a similar position in society that an auto mechanic or TV repairman does today. The ordinary person will use computers with as much nonchalance as he uses a walkman today. And as little comprehension of how it works and as little interest in finding out. Mike
sanders@vax1.acs.udel.edu (Robert M Sanders) (04/10/88)
Here at U of D our library has an electronic card catalog system.
Except for a fair bit of down time while it was being set up, I haven't
noticed any problems. A couple of days ago I received word that we
could access the DELCAT system via the main port selector, the same way
we'd dial up to vax1. One thing I do appreciate, the library keep the
old manual card catalog. Just in case there is a power failure, or
system crash, the night before a paper is due.....
Robsac@well.UUCP (Steve Cisler) (04/12/88)
As former automation manager for a new library circulation system in Northern California, I was interested in the previous comments about online catalogs. I gave a presentation at American Library Association about using micros for terminal emulation in online public access catalogs. This includes dialup mode and connecting within the library. Of the 100 people inthe audience, about 45 came from libraries where people could dial in and access their system. Most were academic libraries (MELVYL in the U. of California system is the most famous example) but some were public libraries. In this area Sunnyvale and Mountain View, CA will provide free dialup access to any caller. More and more will be providing that. I was working on providing other databases as well: community information and eventually computer conferencing (Usenet, picospan, cosy, p-net, or caucus) for the general public. But with tight budgets, I think you won't see more than bibliographic data online for a while. But do let your needs be known to the libraries, and I'd like to hear more comments from comp. society readers/posters about what online services would be useful to you. Steve Cisler 625 Barnacle Way Suisun, CA 94585.
NU09ss54@ndsuvm1.BITNET (Brian Dall) (04/12/88)
We use an electronic card catalog system here at North Dakota State
University, and we do have dial-up ports into the system. The system
is quite large, and holds the records for several (I think 17) college
and university libraries in the region.
The system is all keyboard-driven, and seems to be somewhat differently
organized than the LA system you describe. We do have a BROWSE command
which works very well. It shows you the number of entries under each
heading and you can scroll forward and backward easily, selecting the
subjects you want.
I have used a system several years ago at the Duluth, MN, public library
(part of the Arrowhead Library System) that used a touch screen, and
had an awkward browse system, somewhat similar to what you describe I
think.
I don't have any stats on the dial-up usage for our system here
at NDSU, but I think I can get them. I'll post again when I get more
information. If you have any specific questions you want answered, be
sure to send e-mail so that I can look up the information.
take care,
- Brian Dall