Faxon Company
Mention has already been made of the prototype CD-ROM file of LC MARC serial records shown by the Faxon Company at ALA. The company announced a number of other developments at the meeting, including an interface to support the tape transfer of invoice information from Faxon to Innovative Interfaces' INNOVACQ acquisitions system, and tape interfaces for the transfer of libraries' serials holdings data from Faxon's SC-10 check-in system to OCLC's LS/2000 and Carlyle's online public access catalog. Machine-readable invoice information has also been successfully transferred by floppy disc to the in-house system of the UCLA Biomedical Library.
Although Faxon's MicroLinx standalone serial control system was still being demonstrated only in prototype mode, the company announced pricing estimates for the software which is scheduled for release in Fall. The price listed for the check-in software is $3,500 plus a start-up fee of $300. Annual maintenance is priced at $800. Software prices for additional stations in a multiuser configuration are $1,500 per unit. Pre-release and quantity discounts are available. MicroLinx will run on the IBM PC, NT and AT.
The MicroLinx prototype on display at the meeting demonstrated a unique capability-the use of a barcode reader for the automatic retrieval of the check-in record for journals imprinted with UPC barcodes or the issue-specific barcode currently being developed by SISAC.
EBSCO Subscription Services
EBSCO Subscription Services also announced facilities for the transfer of machine-readable invoice data to libraries. The system utilizes floppy disks and is designed to be used with the IBM PC and compatible personal computers and standard data base management software. EBSCO provides the capability as a free service to its customers.
McGregor Magazine Agency
A British subscription agency-The Dawson Group whose standalone serial control system was described in LSN Vol. V, No. 6--announced its acquisition of the Mount Morris, Illinois McGregor Magazine Agency. The McGregor Subscription Service Inc. will remain in Mount Morris and it is expected that Dawson will selectively replicate its in-house automated system for subscription services and serials control in that location. The company is also expected to consider marketing its stand-alone serials control system in the U.S.
Swets
Swets, a Netherlands subscription agency, equipped its booth with a demonstration version of the multifunction integrated automated library system- SAILS-that it has been developing for a number of years. The system, which Swets says will be marketed only when it has been fully tested, contains modules for data base creation and maintenance, acquisitions, fund accounting, cataloging, authority control, circulation, online catalog, and serials control. It is undergoing alpha testing at University College, Dublin, Ireland, and the company is negotiating a beta site in the United States. The software will operate on IBM main frames and the minicomputers such as the DEC VAX.
Blackwell
Blackwell and CLSI have announced finalization of an agreement whereby CLSI will market Blackwell's Perline/Bookline serials and monograph control system as part of the integrated LIBS 100 automated library system.
[Contact: The Faxon Company, 15 Southwest Park, Westwood, MA 02090, (617) 3293350; EBSCO Subscription Services, P.O. Box 1943, Birmingham, AL 35201, (205) 991-6600; The McGregor Subscription Service Inc., 2 South Seminary, Mount Morris, IL 61054, (815) 734-4183, Swets North America Inc., P.O. Box 517, Berwyn, PA 19312, (215) 644-4944, Blackwell Library Services, Inc., 310 E. Shore Road, Great Neck, NY 11023, (516) 466-5418.]
