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I think Michael is on exactly the right lines--library holdings should be able to be plugged into a variety of 'bibliographic' resources--Amazon, Abebooks (probably a better backstock of out of print material than almost any public library) Google etc. Openlibrary.org is another example -still in prototype but with big ambitions. Another point raised by the availability of these services that no libraries should be *paying* for a bibliographic catalologue. After all now they are free! (complete with reviews, bookjackets, suggestions etc). What the library needs from a vendor is not a local OPAC but rather a service to get their holdings added to a variety (not justy one) of the existing free 'catalogues' (so the Amazon 'plug-in' that Michael mentions is a start). But they key (and what *is* worth paying for) is an easy to use *library* fulfilment mechanism that lets a member of the public request and borrow the book. I'd like to go onto Amazon or Abe or Openlibrary.org etc and either key in my credit card to buy the book (new or secondhand) or alongside that have something just as simple to borrow it (for free? home delivery?). The Openlibray.org site gives an example of this. I guess that means some form of *national * library entitlement card/or id. And here, in my view the only sensible national aggregation is a *UK* one. I've just done an article for CILIP Gazette along these lines.....(to be published 27 July). I know the national fulfilment bit raises a lot of political and admin issues but surely from a *user's* perspective it's what we ought to be doing. Maybe doing it for the whole of the UK is too much in one go. (the Irish have manged it but of course Ireland is smaller). Maybe some libraries could work together to get the technology and processes worked out--maybe try out some alternatives in different regions or whatever. Seems to me libraries are doing a lot of great cooperative work (including cross sector stuff) but it's time to raise the game. Ken Ken Chad Consulting. www.kenchadconsulting.com >From: "Stead, Michael" <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: "Stead, Michael" <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: Amazon as primary catalogue >Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2007 15:17:38 +0100 > >There's a free Firefox plugin on the Talis website that inserts library >holdings into Amazon: > >http://www.talis.com/tdn/greasemonkey/amazon-libraries > >It's been available for a year or so. You can insert holdings from a >large selection of UK libraries into Amazon, or you can make your own >subset. You get a little box at the side of the screen, with links to >holdings at the library/ies of your choice. It's all quite seamless and >completely painless. > >It's probably safe to assume that most of us don't have Firefox at work, >but this is a step in the right direction imho... Save the time of the >user and all that. If someone is already looking for books on Amazon, >we can effectively take our stock *to* them, rather than hoping they >come to us afterwards. Provided that they've installed the plugin, >obviously. > >The Amazon interface has many advantages over pretty much any OPAC I've >seen, and I'm a confirmed OPAC nerd. I'm not sure about the older books >problem - with the increasing prevalence of Marketplace sellers and >their secondhand stock, I think it's becoming less of an issue. > >All opinions are my own, etc. > >Michael. > >************************************* >Michael Stead >e-Resources Librarian >Bolton, Trafford and Wigan Libraries >T 01204 338761 >E [log in to unmask] >Winner: Young Librarians of the Future >http://www.lovelibraries.co.uk/librarians.php > > > >-----Original Message----- >From: lis-pub-libs: UK Public Libraries >[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Loz Pycock >Sent: 15 July 2007 21:53 >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: [LIS-PUB-LIBS] Amazon as primary catalogue > >Gareth Osler wrote: > > I listened to an audio mp3 download of the following: > > > > "A Library WOT and SWOT" University of Washington Information School, >Dean > > Emeritus and Professor: Mike Eisenberg > > http://www.ifla.org/VII/s46/conf/SeattleProgram.htm (scroll down page >to > > final day's 'Keynote address') > > > > Eisenberg talked about software that enabled someone to find a book >using > > the Amazon catalogue and then see if their local library had a copy. > > Eisenberg suggested that we drop the traditional online library >catalogue > > and let people use Amazon instead. > > > > > > Gareth Osler > > Livepool > > > > >But what about when people are looking for older books that aren't on >something like Amazon (which is also the main complaint against Tim >Coates and his 'library? That's a funny way to spell 'bookshop'' >attitude)? I'd rather encourage something like 'Whats in London's >Libraries' as people's first port of call for searching for a title and >then seeing which libraries have it. > >-- >- -- >Loz > >"'I'm sorry sir, if I don't probe your anus, the terrorists win.'" >- Noah Schachtman on BoingBoingBoing 11. >"I felt as if I was in a cage." - Paris Hilton on being >in prison, 26/06/07 > > > >This e-mail and any attached files are confidential and may also be legally >privileged. They are intended solely for the intended addressee. If you are >not the addressee please e-mail it back to the sender and then immediately, >permanently delete it. Do not read, print, re-transmit, store or act in >reliance on it. This e-mail may be monitored by Bolton MBC in accordance >with current regulations. > >This footnote also confirms that this e-mail message has been swept for the >presence of computer viruses currently known to the Council. However, the >recipient is responsible for virus-checking before opening this message and >any attachment. > >Unless expressly stated to the contrary, any views expressed in this >message are those of the individual sender and may not necessarily reflect >the views of Bolton MBC. > >http://www.bolton.gov.uk _________________________________________________________________ Tell MSN about your most memorable emails! http://www.emailbritain.co.uk/