Library Systems & Services, Inc., of Rockville, Maryland, and vendor of the MiniMARC stand-alone cataloging support system, has announced several enhanced products and services.
MiniMARC
The company has plans to utilize LaserData disks to replace their current microform index and the floppy disks on which the MARC data base is stored. This enhancement, expected to be available to customers by late in 1984, will require the addition of a videodisk drive and controller to the present hardware package but is not expected to result in any increased operating costs for users.
MiniMARC is the only available stand-alone automated cataloging support system on the market. As such, it provides an alternative to the bibliographic utilities as sources of machine-readable records, while providing the capability to modify records for local use, and to produce machine-readable records and card products.
Currently, MiniMARC provides its customers with LC MARC tapes reformatted to floppy disks for use as a source of bibliographic information. The system functions as a tool for creating adapted local records and for doing original cataloging. It is also potentially attractive for performing retrospective conversions of manual records to machine-readable form.
The basic computer system consists of a central processing unit, a three-drive floppy diskette unit, a CRT display and keyboard, and an optional printer. The disk drive contains the software, data base—read only to prevent erasure—and a blank diskette for storing local records. Under the Laser-Data enhancement, the floppy disk library and disk drive will be replaced by videodisk equipment. Since the entire MARC data base and the MiniMARC indexes can all be contained on a single videodisk, the changeover to the new format will essentially create an online system, eliminating the two-step process currently required to use MiniMARC.
The resource data base is now stored on over 1,300 floppy diskettes in a separate bookcase cabinet, with weekly updates also on diskette. To use the system, the appropriate diskette is identified by searching an index on a cartridge microfilm reader. Search keys include LC card number, author, or title (author and title are inter-filed). Once the appropriate diskette numbers and LC card numbers have been identified from the microfilm, bibliographic records are retrieved from the diskettes. Editing can be done at the terminal or records can be printed for off—line editing.
In the proposed enhancement, all 1,300 floppy diskettes will be replaced by a single videodisk containing both the MARC data base and the MiniMARC indexes. Preliminary design plans call for weekly updates to continue to be sent on floppies, which instead of being shelved would be used to load records into a small Winchester disk attached to the MiniMARC system. A software interface would then allow both the video-disk and the Winchester files to be searched automatically from the terminal, as in an online system, eliminating the need for microfilm lookups. Alternate designs that might eliminate the need for the Winchester are being studied before the final system configuration is determined.
LSSI President Frank Pezzanite believes that this enhancement will retain all the strengths of the MiniMARC system while overcoming the largest drawback—the manual lookup process. With an optional printer, the system can still be used for printing catalog cards, or the diskettes containing the local records can be sent to the vendor for reformatting to magnetic tape for subsequent production of a COM catalog. Interfaces for the transfer of records into any one of several turnkey automated library systems, including CLSI, DataPhase, Geac, VTLS, Sd, and Maggie's Place, will still be available, as will interfaces allowing the transfer of records from other bibliographic sources into MiniMARC.
Initial cost for new customers is expected to be no higher than for the present system, and present customers will be able to upgrade for only the cost of adding the videodisk drive and controller and the Winchester, if used. Current productivity averages of 35 to 40 records per hour, exclusive of bibliographic editing time, could be significantly improved. Libraries will still enjoy the advantage of being able to print out cards immediately if desired, rather than being required to set books aside to wait for cards to be received from a bibliographic utility.
LSSI hopes to keep the cost of the videodisk upgrade for curren MiniMARC customers to between $4,000 and $5,000. For libraries purchasing the complete package, anticipated costs for the laserdisk system are $35,000 for the hardware .(-excluding printer), $5,000 for the software license, and up to $13,000 for the data base. The data base cost is lower if less than the full MARC data base is selected. Background printing capability adds another $7,500 to the price tag. Weekly updates cost $4,620 annually, and average maintenance costs are $440 per month. Lease and lease—purchase arrangements are available.
MiniMARC is currently being used by more than 50 customers across the country. Although medium-sized public libraries were originally among the heaviest users, later purchasers included increasing numbers of processing centers and library systems doing centralized processing. Such users now account for approximately 20 percent of MiniMARC customers, with academic, special, and school libraries comprising another 40 percent of the client base. Pezzanite estimated that as many as 1,200 libraries may actually be acquiring their cataloging through M1niMARC.
MicroMARC
Last month, La Plata, Maryland, received the first installation of LSSI's new product, MicroMARC. LSSI has developed MicroMARC to offer an alternative to the purchase of card set packages from vendors such as Brodart and Baker & Taylor. MicroMARC is targeted at libraries that have thus far been priced out of automated cataloging by the high connect charges for searching bibliographic utilities.
The $500 MicroMARC software package is designed to run on the IBM PC or the Apple personal computer. It enables users to enter search keys— LCCN or author/title/imprint—during daytime hours and store them for overnight retrieval by LSSI. Each night LSSI polls all customers, retrieves search key codes, locates records from the MARC data base, and transmits the records to the user's microcomputer or directly into the library's circulation system. The library then processes the records as desired. This may include modifying records and printing cards and labels. A message function allows LSSI to notify the library of any items for which records were not found.
LSSI sees the advantages of this system as being the minimal hardware and software investment required, and the significant reduction in connect-time needed to use the system. Costs—exclusive of labor—are projected at about $1.00 per title plus connect-time, competitive with the cost of buying card sets from a vendor. Although MicroMARC is not yet being widely marketed, Pezzanite says interest has been strong, particularly from smaller academic libraries and school libraries.
More than Mini
Though long associated almost exclusively with MiniMARC in the minds of members of the library community, Library Systems & Services offers a number of other related services. In addition to MiniMARC and MicroMARC, LSSI has a community organization file management program and is developing a serials tracking service. The company also provides a complete range of library tape processing services. COM catalog production, archival tape processing, and conversion of non-MARC cataloging to MARC format are available. Tape processing currently accounts for about 10 percent of the company's business but represents the fastest growing component of the firm's activities.
Another significant area of LSSI's business is Contract Services, which accounted for approximately 30 percent of revenues in 1983. The company undertakes individual projects such as retrospective conversions on a bid basis. It also subcontracts for specific services. Currently, LSSI is the supplier of all technical services for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Library (FERC).
[Contact: Library Systems & Services Inc., 1395 Piccard Dr., Suite 100, Rockville, MD 20850. (800) 638—8725 or (301) 258—0200.]
