Terminals or "terminal units"Throughout the 1980s, hundreds-of-thousands of organizations invested in local area networks (LANs) to link PCs, printers and other devices throughout work groups or entire buildings. By 1989, there were 1.2 million LANs installed, a figure expected to double by 1994. Now that the LANs are in place, users are seeking connectivity between LANs in other buildings or even across town. Dedicated leased voice-grade or T-l circuits and microwave facilities are among the solutions, but they tend to be expensive. Also, these options only provide a telecommunications channel, rather than network intelligence. An emerging option which supports the same data communications protocols as LANs is MAN--a new technology and acronym that stands for Metropolitan Area Network. A standard, is currently being defined by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.'s (IEEE) 802.6 subcommittee on MANs. The group expects to have a standard out later this year. In order to comply with this planned standard, technology must provide a high-speed, 40 to 50 megabits per second switched data-networking service within at least a 50-mile range. Two MAN developers, AT&T and QPSX Communications, Ltd., of Perth, Australia, are already marketing technology to public network providers. Most of the regional BOCs (Bell Operating Companies) are expected to introduce MAN options.
The service will be targeted initially at LAN-to-LAN and LAN-to-WAN (wide area network) connections. MANs will not only offer high-speed communications, but will reliably transmit high-resolution images. The technology has the capacity to handle voice and video transmission, but these applications will not be offered initially.
Analysts, developers of the service and potential users see MANs as more immediate precursor to broadband Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) offerings and predict that MANs will become a prime mover toward broadband ISDN. With wide-spread ISDN implementation at least five or six years away, MANs make sense today for those needing to extend LAN power beyond a building or campus environment.
Temple University in Philadelphia is scheduled to become the first U.S. organization to use a MAN later this year when the university and Bell Atlantic Corporation conduct a field trial of 802.6 MAN technology. The technology is already in use in Australia where QPSX developed the first functional MAN.
The Metropolitan Area Network to be installed at Temple as Bell Atlantic Corporation's first pilot of a potential new service will not only be the first MAN on a campus but probably the first field trial of the technology in the United States.
Bell Atlantic, the Bell operating company that provides telecommunications services to the mid-Atlantic states, sees an exploding market for MANs based on the projected growth of LANs. Bell Atlantic, along with other Bell operating companies now scheduling laboratory and field trials, expects limited MAN services to become available by early 1991. The cost of the service has yet to be determined, but prices are expected to be competitive with point-to-point T1 services and less than DS3 high-speed services. The pricing structure will be based on bandwidth on demand, as opposed to a leased-circuit type of structure.
Bob Walton appointed new president of CLSIA majority of libraries with automated system contracts more than two years old have guarantees that the hardware configuration can support a minimum number of terminals--sometimes qualified by a "mix" of activity since acquisitions or patron access catalog terminals have a greater impact on computer resources than circulation terminals. Increasingly, vendors have gone to "terminal units" or "terminal load units" as the basis for quoting system capacity. Each terminal is given a weighted value to facilitate rapid calculation. For example, a circulation terminal may have a value of 1.0, an acquisitions terminal a value of 1.5, and a patron access catalog terminal a value of 2.0.
While the use of such weighted values is appropriate in new contracts, some vendors have begun using them in interpreting their commitments to clients with contracts which refer only to terminals. This represents a unilateral alteration of the contract. A number of libraries have unknowingly "accepted" this alteration by adapting the new formula in correspondence with the vendor. In some cases, that has led to a significant reduction in committed system capacity.
Any change in the basis for measuring capacity should be formally done as a written contract amendment. The library should make certain that the new formula does not reduce the committed capacity before the addendum is accepted.
A major source of problem is that libraries add more patron access catalog terminals than any other type after the initial installation is completed. OPAC terminals usually carry the maximum weight. It is not uncommon for the committed capacity to drop as much as 20 percent if a change is accepted without analysis.
Since both parties could reasonably expect future terminal procurement to be skewed toward OPAC terminals, it is reasonable for a library to insist that it will be able to increase the number of terminals to the level initially agreed upon even if 80 percent or more of new terminals are for OPAC.
Vendors generally have been quite reasonable in negotiating a change in formula but only the library has chosen to pursue the issue.
Dynix at ALAA number of key executive announcements of major significance to the future of CLSI were made in early June.
Robert A. Walton was named president of CLSI, effective July 1, 1990. Walton has over fifteen years of experience as a library automation consultant, faculty member, writer, and librarian.
James A. Hofbauef has been promoted to executive vice president and chief operating officer of CLSI. Hofbauer, a CPA, is currently the chief financial officer and vice president of customer service for Continental Healthcare Systems, Inc., a subsidiary of the Information Handling Services Group, Inc. (CLSI's parent organization).
Susan M. Stearns will continue as CLSI's vice president of customer services, and Barbara K. Britt will continue as vice president of administration. Stearns was a prime mover behind the creation of CLSI's customer advisory board, SAGE. Britt has significantly expanded CLSI's educational and conversion services groups.
Bruce H. Black, an employee of the Information Handling Services Group, Inc., for the last eighteen years, will assume Diane Mayo's responsibilities as vice president of sales. Black has worked in many sales and sales management positions during his tenure at IHS. Most recently, he served as special assistant to the president of CLSI, responsible for customer relations.
In addition, Edward Thayer was promoted to director of system development at CLSI. Carl Fisher, who was acting as president for the past few months, will continue to assist CLSI in a consultant capacity.
Geac Advance acquisitions announcedDynix has clearly moved to the front rank of library automation vendors. Not only was the Dynix exhibit hall booth crowded, but officers of the company reported that sales are well ahead of last year's pace, with projections for sales worldwide now well over $45 million for the 1990 calendar year.
More important, the development pace is quickening. Inventorying and reserve book room are now in general release; media booking and homebound are in beta testing; journal citation is in alpha testing; and information and referral is in prototype. The modules (and sub-modules) will be priced as low as $3,000-$5,000 each.
The IBM 6000 and the MIPS line of RISC machines are now the company's principal hardware platforms; although Digital VAX, Hewlett-Packard, Sequoia, and Sequent are regularly bid in special situations. The Ultimate line continues to be supported.
[Contact: Dynix, 151 East 1700 South, Provo, UT 84601; (801) 375-2770 and Fax (801) 373-1889.]
KeyNOTIS operationalGeac Computer Corporation has announced that the Acquisitions module for the ADVANCE automated library system is ready to be delivered along with ADVANCE Release 2.0 in July 1990. The ADVANCE Acquisitions module features:
- Order Management--search the data base, copy records, create records for consideration, authorize them for ordering and turn them into orders, commit funds for purchase.
- Receiving Management--manually or automatically claim, cancel and reissue orders not filled by vendors; record full or partial receipts.
- Invoicing Activity--invoice the received orders; issue vouchers for payment of materials.
- Vendor Maintenance--provides full vendor maintenance.
- Fund Management--accounting and reporting support for the library's Acquisitions operations.
- General System Reports--a full complement of reports related to ordering, receiving, invoicing, vendor maintenance, fund reports and an ad hoc Customer Report Generator are provided.
The ADVANCE Acquisitions Module is fully integrated with other modules. The Acquisitions record can serve as the initial bibliographic record in the system, can have holds placed against it, and can be upgraded with complete cataloging and holdings information through the Cataloging Module. Editing of MARC records is also provided. Data creation through online keying and transfer of bibliographic data from utilities such as OCLC is supported.
ADVANCE Acquisitions also supports the BISAC standards for the input and output of orders, claims and invoices. Electronic links with vendors are planned with a future release, once book sellers and vendors support the BISAC standard which will be part of the EDI (Electronic Data Interface).
[Contact: Geac Computer Corporation, Suite 300, 11 Allstate Parkway, Markham, Ontario L3R 9T8; (416) 475-0525; Fax (416) 475-3847.]
VTLS MARCUS tested at two sitesKey NOTIS, the turnkey version of NOTIS, is now operational at its first site. Installation is underway at a second site. The pricing of the product is claimed to be competitive with other turnkey products, especially in the 40 to 90 terminal range.
Among the major differences between KeyNOTIS and "Classic NOTIS" are the availability of a single support number for hardware and software maintenance, comprehensive user documentation, and very little batch processing in the new product. The plan is to reflect many of the improvements in the KeyNOTIS product in "Classic" before the end of 1990.
[Contact: NOTIS Systems, Inc., 1007 Church Street, 2nd Floor, Evanston, IL 60201; (312) 866-0150.]
INLEX and UNISYS exhibit marc edit stationsVTLS, closely associated with Hewlett-Packard since its founding, has ported its automated library system package to IBM hardware. The new product is known as MARCUS. It is an integrated library automation solution that runs on the IBM 370 architecture mainframe computers. The range of computers begins with the 9370 Series and continues through 3090 machines. MARCUS is unique in that it operates under the VM operating system (VM/SP, VM/IS, VM/XA), and that it uses the SQL/DS relational data base management system.
Currently, MARCUS is undergoing beta tests at two locations. A large community college system is testing the software on an IBM 4341 running VM/IS. They have been testing software functionality since November, and began performance testing in the spring. A large state university became the second beta test site at the end of January. VTLS, Inc., converted a small portion of the university's existing data into USMARC format, then indexed and loaded the data at VTLS offices in Blacksburg. The data was placed on the university's IBM 3084 computer running under VM/XA. Both the community college and the university will test functionality first, then test performance.
VTLS, Inc., hopes to complete beta testing by summer, and with continued cooperation from IBM, to have the new library software installed and in production mode very soon.
[Contact: VTLS, Inc., 1800 Kraft Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24060; (703) 231-3605; Fax (703) 231-3648.]
Circ/Security device from 3MOne of the major exhibit emphases at the ALA Conference were MARC Edit Stations. In addition to the prominence of established products from companies such as CLSI, there were new introductions--notably those of INLEX and UNISYS.
Complete with windows and pop-up menus, the new INLEX MARC editor allows an operator to easily edit MARC records in the INLEX data base. One also can import records from other sources, such as OCLC or RYAN, edit them, and load them into the INLEX data base.
The editor runs on a PC and is easy to learn and use. Both numeric and mnemonic labels are displayed for each tag, making it unnecessary to memorize them. A help function is included. Screen editing techniques provide full cursor movement with character inserts and deletes as needed.
INLEX's editor contains an automatic transfer mechanism that moves a record to and from the central data base. The operator selects a record for editing, and it immediately appears in MARC format, ready to edit. When one has finished editing, the save key is pressed to load and reindex the record.
The screen can be split into two windows to display another bibliographic or authority record. The copy facility provides for transfer of all or part of one record into another--a perfect vehicle for adding authorized headings or performing 'close copy' cataloging. The editor also allows spine or pocket labels to be printed in any format or style.
The Unisys PALS MARC Editor--also PC-based--gives libraries the option of creating original MARC records or extracting records from outside bibliographic sources. It also lets one edit data already stored on the system.
This MARC editor gives the operator several options in selecting external cataloging data, including OCLC, RLIN, LCMARC, and BiblioFile.
By saving the records on disk and transferring them to the PALS MARC Editor, the operator can make necessary changes, additions, and deletions. The editor automatically saves the updates in MARC format. One can edit locally and transfer all changes to the mainframe in one update.
In editing mode, the editor displays the entire MARC record. Using built-in tags, indicators, and sub-field prompts, you can easily move across the entire MARC record. The system clipboard lets one save tags for copying and re-use. The PALS MARC Editor also produces spine, pocket, and card labels for identifying materials.
[Contact: Inlex, Inc., P.O. Box 1349, Monterey, CA 93942, Attn: Pat Barkalow Eby; (408) 646-8600; or Unisys Corporation, P.O. Box 500, MS/E-140, Blue Bell, PA 19424; (215) 542-4350; Fax (215) 542-6230.]
AVIAC report3M displayed a prototype of a combination laser scanner and library security sensor at the ALA Conference. The device allows an operator to scan a label on the outside of a book and to sensitize or desensitize a target inside the book--all in one motion. The unit uses a standard RS-232 interface, thus making it possible to connect to any local library system. The combination unit is expected to cost no more than separate components. Product release is expected before the end of 1990.
[Contact: 3M Library Security Systems, Building 225-414-14, 3M Center, St. Paul, MN 55144-1000; (612) 792-1072, ext. 111 or (800) 328-1684, ext. 111.]
Faxon transmits data using ANSI X12 standardsAVIAC, the informal trade group of library automation vendors, met on June 25th to hear a number of reports on standards development and to consider positions on issues of concern to the industry. The group learned that NISO Subcommittee LL on Circulation Systems soon will be balloting on standards for patron and transaction record formats. Another ballot on the Common Command Language (NISO Z39.58) also is scheduled for later this summer. In the area of online transmission of orders and claims to vendors, a movement away from the Z39.2 standard to X12 was reported. A vote on this matter is expected no later than January 1991.
The group voted to retain the acronym "AVIAC," but to change its name from the Automation Vendor Interface Advisory Committee to the Automation Vendor Information and Advisory Committee.
The group also voted to request that NISO develop a standard item record format because the holdings standard are not enough to accommodate multiple copy holdings, especially when multiple libraries are included in a single data base. There also was agreement to ask the MARC Office to address the issue of digitized sound (voice and music) and images stored in automated library systems. Finally, the group voted to ask NISO to determine what role it might play in assuring consistency between BISAC (book industry) and SISAC (serials industry) standards, and in assuring the involvement of the library automation industry in standards development which affects library systems.
AVIAC had expected to hear from the Library of Congress regarding MARC certification. However, the report has been delayed and will now be distributed by mail later this summer.
Mandarin updateThe Faxon Company announced that it successfully transmitted changes of subscriber addresses to the Royal Society of Chemistry in Cambridge, England, in a standard ANSI X12 communications session. This marks a first in the serials publishing community for standard Electronic Data Interchange (EDI).
The Royal Society of Chemistry is one of six publishers who have joined Faxon in exchanging four sets of documents in ANSI X12. The other publishers are Kluwer, Pergamon, the National Research Council of Canada, Wiley, and Plenum. All six should be using standard EDI with Faxon within two months. The other documents to be exchanged within this period are claims, claims responses, and cancellations.
It is likely that NISO will migrate all current and draft library materials acquisitions EDI standards to ANSI X12. This will require the recasting of the NISO standards for monographic and serial orders, claims, and cancellations, as well as dispatch data.
[Contact: The Faxon Company, 15 Southwest Park, Westwood, MA 02090, Attn: Ellen Koup or Ten Harrison; (617) 329-3350; Fax (617) 329-9875.]
Brodart produces largest catalog on CDThere is considerable confusion about which PC-based automated library products support the MARC format. Many vendors claim their systems are MARC-compatible or MARC-like, but true compatibility involves taking in, retaining, and outputting a MARC record with all tags intact. We recently were asked to verify the capability of the Mandarin product. We contacted Media Flex on June 1, 1990, and determined that as of late 1989, a "MARC export option" became available to customers willing to commit an extra 1 MB (1 Megabyte) of disk storage for each 1,000 bibliographic records. The full MARC records are retained with tags and can be output that way.
The present Mandarin product is limited to circulation and patron access catalog modules, but acquisitions and serials control modules are planned--with release scheduled for the second half of 1991. Prices have not yet been set. The base price of the two available modules remains at $2,500, with the network version priced at $3,000.
[Contact: Media Flex, Inc., P.O. Box 1107, Champlain, NY 12919 (518) 298-2970.]
OCLC adds productsBrodart recently has produced one of the two largest public access catalogs on compact disc: CAVALIR, the union data base for the Commonwealth of Virginia. It contains 3.3 million unique titles, almost as many as the state of Wisconsin's WISCAT. Due to the division of the data base by publication date, one copy of the CAVALIR catalog is contained on five discs by publication date. This facilitates use of the data base on workstations with one CD-ROM drive. WISCAT is on four disks because it is not divided.
This 11th edition of CAVALIR is being distributed to 220 libraries across the state. Its five disks replace a microfiche catalog of 10,026 fiches weighing in at 52 pounds per set. CAVALIR is used primarily as an interlibrary loan tool, although some libraries use it for cataloging. With the CD-ROM version, staff and patrons are able to limit a search by region or individual library for the first time. The data base was created from several sources including OCLC, Auto-Graphics, VTLS, Inlex and TCC.
[Contact: Brodart Automation Company, 5000 Arch Street, Williamsport, PA 17705; (800) 233-8467.]
Novell dominates LAN marketOCLC has announced the addition of the ERIC data base to EPIC, the online search system which includes subject, keyword, and phrase searching access to OCLC's Online Union Catalog and other bibliographic data bases. ERIC will cost $37.50 to $75.00 per year, plus connect time, telecommunications and service charges. Connect time will be $19.80 per hour, telecommunications will range from $1.98 to $9.60 per hour, and service charges are $1.00 per month per saved search.
Also being added is Book Data, a data base which provides publication, price and table-of-contents information on currently available books from primarily European publishers. The charges for Book Data are the same as for ERIC, except the connect hour charges are $45.00 per connect hour.
Another new product is SharePAC, a joint venture between OCLC and Auto-Graphics. The product combines the functions of Auto-Graphics' IMPACT CD-ROM-based public access catalog (including a union catalog shared by several libraries) with OCLC's ILL Subsystem. Three levels of searching are available: browsing, keyword and Boolean. Five levels of scoping are offered for searching, such as all libraries sharing the catalog, a subset of libraries, all of a single library's holdings, etc. When something is not found on the CD-ROM, a link to OCLC's ILL Subsystem provides access to the holdings of 10,000 libraries worldwide. Share-PAC allows the creation, saving, retrieving, and editing of ILL workforms off-line before they are uploaded to the ILL Subsystem.
[Contact: Any OCLC affiliated regional network or OCLC, 6565 Frantz Road, Dublin, OH 43017-0702; (614) 764-6000; Fax (614) 764- 6096; or Auto-Graphics, Inc., 3201 Temple Avenue, Pomona, CA 91768-3200; (714) 595- 7204 or (800) 325-7961; Fax (714) 595- 3506.]
OIS '90 scheduledThe leading suppliers of LAN (local area network) operating systems are Novell (57 percent), IBM (16 percent) , 3 COM (9 percent), and Banyan (5 percent), reports Sentry Market Research's 1990 Software Market Survey. Thirty-six other vendors share the rest of the market. Reasons given for Novell's dominance in the market were speed of operation, a wide variety of network protocols (including TCP/ IP) , and good customer support.
Online broadens scope and nameThe 10th Annual Optical Information System (OIS) Conference and Exhibition will take place at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City, just outside Washington, D.C., from September 10th through 13th. The emphasis this year will be on optical storage (including WORM) rather than on optical publishing (generally CD-ROM).
Each of six half-day preconference workshops is priced at $125. The program sessions are $90 to $125 each depending on the number of sessions attended. Admission to exhibits is free, and does not require attendance at the Conference.
[Contact: Meckler Conference Management, 11 Ferry Lane West, Westport, CT 06880; (203) 226-6967.]
CD-ROM workstation maintenanceThe twelve year old Online Conference has broadened its scope to include extensive coverage of CD-ROM. Therefore, the name has been changed to Online/CD-ROM '90.
The main conference will be November 5-7, 1990. Preconference will be on November 4th (Sunday). The site is the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C.
Registration for the full conference is $335, with single day registration $160. Preconference sessions range from $95 to $165 in price.
[Contact: Online/CD-ROM'90, 11 Tannery Lane, Weston, CT 06883, Attn: Tasha Heinrichs; (203) 227-8466; Fax (203) 222- 0122.]
Brodart has recently sent the follow-ing advice to its customers with CD-ROM equipment--we add our strong endorsement:
Workstation: The area around the unit and the unit itself should be kept free of dust. Weekly cleanings are recommended. If you use a furniture polish or cleaner, spray the cloth away from the unit, rather than using the spray directly on the unit. Use a MiniVac to vacuum the unit, concen-trating on the keyboard, and all ventila-tion slots and openings (this includes printers and other peripherals). Carefully move the computer to clean underneath it. Use antistatic screenwipes to clean the video display screen. Sponges or cleaning cloth should be wrung almost dry with a lint-free cloth.
Floppy Disk Drive Head: Floppy disk drive heads should be cleaned monthly. Use a head cleaner (available at computer stores) or a cotton swab barely moistened with isopropyl alcohol.
CD-ROM Drive Lens: The lens in the CD-ROM drive should be cleaned weekly. Use a lens cleaning kit (available at computer or music stores).
Compact Disc: Compact discs should be cleaned weekly with a disc cleaning kit (available at computer or music stores) Do not clean the disc with water, solvents, silicon cloths, antistatic sprays, or any record cleaner sprays. In between cleanings, use a clean soft dry cloth to removL dirt, dust, oil or fingerprints.
Publisher | Library Systems Newsletter was published by the American Library Association. |
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Editor-in-Chief: | Howard S. White |
Contributing Editor: | Richard W. Boss |
ISSN: | 0277-0288 |
Publication Period | 1981-2000 |
Business model | Available on Library Technology Guides with permission of the American Library Association. |
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