"In this current phase of library automation, all eyes are focused on developing and deploying Web-based interfaces better suited to meet the expectations of the current generation of Web-savvy users," notes Marshall Breeding in the "Introduction" to "Next-Generation Library Catalogs," the fourth issue of Library Technology Reports in 2007.

"Over the course of the last year, a number of libraries have made bold moves to introduce new catalogs cast in a mold apart from their previous offerings. Library automation vendors have launched development efforts to create new catalogs and interfaces more in tune with today’s expectations," Breeding adds.

In this issue of LTR, Breeding covers the terminology associated with the "next-generation" catalog situation as well as such areas as: federated searching and other features expected in the "next-generation" interfaces (such as faceted navigation, relevancy, the "did you mean?" feature, and RSS).

Also in this issue of Library Technology Reports, Breeding reports on the next-generation interfaces including: AquaBrowser (from Medialab Solutions); Endeca’s search engine for library catalogs; Encore (from Innovative Interfaces); Primo (from Ex Libris); WorldCatLocal (from OCLC); Polaris (from Polaris Library Systems); open-source software-based interfaces Evergreen and Koha; as well as LibraryThing, the social-networking, personal library cataloging software.