Library Technology Guides

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Volume 14 Number 07 (July 1994)

Dynix and NOTIS Systems consolidate as Ameritech Library Services

Since Dynix and NOTIS were already wholly owned subsidiaries of Ameritech, the announcement last month that the two companies had been consolidated into a single entity with Dynix president Paul Sybrowsky as President, was not a great surprise. The new company, Ameritech Library Services, will be organized around a Library Systems group and an Information Services group.

The Library Systems group will consist of four divisions focusing on sales and support of automated library management systems for different types of libraries. Those divisions are: public library division (Dynix); academic library division (NOTIS); special library division (Marquis); and school library division (Scholar). Each division will continue to operate out of its respective offices. Customers outside the United States will be served by the existing international offices. The consolidation follows by only a few months the combination of sales efforts for the academic library market under NOTIS so that potential customers would not be confused by the availability of three products: Dynix, Dynix Marquis, and NOTIS Horizon.

The Information Services group will consolidate products and services that deliver information content. This group includes Vista providing access services and document delivery for information databases; Internet and Z39.50 access products such as WinGopher and WinPAC; Retro Link Associates (RLA) for retrospective conversion and database services; and GeneSys for distribution of genealogical databases.

The reorganization led to a change in title and the departure of Jane Burke as President of NOTIS. Burke has been replaced by Maribeth Ward, a long-term employee of NOTIS Systems, with the new title of Vice President of the Academic Division of Ameritech Library Services.

George Bateman, Vice President of Sales, is responsible for overseeing sales and sales support for all divisions except schools. K-12 sales will continue with Scholar under the direction of Vice President Bernadette Razevska. Roger Sloan has been named Executive Vice President to oversee financial and administrative areas for the newly structured company.

The timing of the announcement, coming just before the American Library Association's Annual Meeting, has been attributed to the fact that NOTIS Horizon, the new client/server product being developed by NOTIS, was much less complete than expected. Rather than being available this summer, it would have taken nine or more months to complete the products sufficiently to deliver and install it. Rather than keep 30 customers waiting, and delaying a general roll-out, the decision was to merge the best of the Dynix Marquis and NOTIS Horizon products into a new product using the design requirements developed in consultation with NOTIS customers. Dynix Marquis, which is a relatively mature client/server product, has had its greatest success in the special library market, but it has recently been sold to several academic libraries. The addition of functionality to more fully meet the needs of the academic library market may take up to three months.

Having recently examined both Dynix Marquis and NOTIS Horizon as part of his research for a Library Technology Reports-sponsored study on client/server products, the contributing editor's view is that the move is a good one. It did not make sense for Ameritech to commit development efforts to two client/server products, especially at a time when the market for this type of system is still developing. Either Dynix Marquis or NOTIS Horizon could have been developed to serve the needs of both the academic and special library markets—the two markets which have demonstrated the greatest interest in the technology. Had NOTIS Horizon been closer to completion, the choice of Dynix Marquis would have been more difficult.

Despite the wisdom of the move, the timing was unfortunate. The rumors at the ALA Annual Conference were numerous and often ridiculous. One person was repeatedly heard to say that three customers had already cancelled their contracts and committed to another vendor. After 16 years in academic library administration, the contributing editor can't believe a library director can cancel one contract and commit to another in 24 to 72 hours. Decisions like this involve many people.

Obviously, things will have to be sorted out and Ameritech will undoubtedly suffer a setback as the result of discontinuing development of NOTIS Horizon, reducing the independence of NOTIS, and terminating Jane Burke. Some contracts will be cancelled, although not as quickly as the rumors at ALA suggested, and there will be greater caution in the market for the next several months. On the other hand, the damage would have been even greater had the delivery of NOTIS Horizon been delayed well into 1995.

If, by September 1994, Ameritech can roll-out a new client/server product based on Dynix Marquis which conforms to the NOTIS Horizon design requirements, 1995 could be a good year for the product and the company.

[Contact: Ameritech Library Services, 400 Dynix Drive, Provo, UT 84604; (801) 223-5200 or (800) 288-8020; Fax (801) 223-5202.]

WinGopher becomes part of WinPAC access products

One of the decisions made by Ameritech in its reorganization of its library automation companies was to separate its WinGopher product from NOTIS, thus making it possible to market it more widely. The new marketing unit will be known as WinPAC Access Products.

WinGopher, the desktop graphical interface package, gives PC users, at all levels of computer experience, everything they need to easily connect to and navigate the Internet. NOTIS Systems was the first vendor to develop a graphical user interface for the Internet. WinGopher, released in November 1993, is a Microsoft Windows based front end to Gopher, the University of Minnesota's Internet protocol product. There are over 1,400 Gopher servers worldwide, offering a vast array of information from the complete NAFTA treaty to the Commerce Business Daily. NOTIS Systems' WinGopher makes navigating the Internet much simpler with its point and click features, graphical user interface, and enhanced bookmark feature. WinGopher supports Archive, VERONICA, and WAIS searching as well as binary and character file transfer.

WinGopher integrates into the PC user's Windows environment. Transferred files are displayed using programs resident on the user's machine. WinGopher contains programs that will display large text files and image files. Bundled sound and video viewers can be used to render multimedia files. In addition, WinGopher also contains a Telnet application to reach Internet sites that do not currently support the Gopher protocol.

WinGopher Complete is a bundled package which provides even more support to libraries with limited experience with the Internet. It includes all software to automatically connect a PC to the Internet, including the graphical interface application (WinGopher), as well as the tools necessary to link users to the Internet. To simplify the start up process for new Internet users, thirty minutes free service with an access provider is also included in the package. In addition to a graphical interface, WinGopher Complete includes a TCP/IP networking application (protocol stack) developed by a major software provider. This WinSock compatible application provides all the software users need to communicate over the phone line to the Internet. WinGopher Complete also includes a toll-free connection to the Internet through a leading access provider.

Users simply install the bundled package and follow step-by-step instructions. Once WinGopher Complete is installed, users are immediately introduced to a server offered by NOTIS Systems. The server acts as a roadmap by pointing new Internet users to popular Gopher servers.

Requirements include a PC 386 or higher, MS DOS 5.0 or higher, Windows 3.1, and, a modem. WinGopher Complete is priced at $129.00. Users with an existing Internet connection can still benefit from using the graphical interface, WinGopher, priced separately at $69.00.

WinGopher (standalone) and WinGopher Complete are fully supported. Telephone installation assistance is available for all registered WinGopher users. In addition, there is a LISTSERV bulletin board and e-mail.

[Contact: WinPAC Access Products, 1007 Church Street, 2nd floor, Evanston, IL 80201-3622; (800) 556-6847.]

IBM introduces new RS/6000s

IBM has introduced several new servers to its RS/6000 line—already the broadest line used in library automation. The first is a compact mid-range server, the RS/6000 Model C10. The machine is based on the fastest available PowerPC 601 chip, IBM's response to the Pentium chip. Also newly introduced are the RS/6000 Models 380 and 390, low-end servers which use the POWER2 chip. Another POWER2-based server, the Model 59H, is the most powerful uniprocessor (one processor only) server IBM has produced in its RISC line of machines.

IBM has also announced that two new disk storage products and a variety of existing disk and tape storage products can be attached to RS/6000 workstations and servers via advanced industry-standard connections. These connections are IBM's new SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) controllers known as the SCSI-2 Fast/Wide Adapter/A and the SCSI-2 Differential Fast/Wide Adapter/A. The new storage products, which provide additional capacity options, are the IBM 7134 High Density SCSI Disk Subsystem and the IBM 7204 External Disk Drive Model 315.

The IBM 7134 High Density SCSI Disk Subsystem provides from 4GB to 28GB of storage in a drawer—more than three times the maximum amount of storage that can be accommodated in the same physical space by the IBM 9334 SCSI expansion Unit Models 010 and Oil. The 7134 is attached to the RS/System 6000 via the new SCSI-2 Differential Fast/Wide Adapter/A. The 3.5-inch disk drives used in the 7134 each have a capacity of 2GB. They use IBM's second-generation magneto-resistive (MR) head technology, which provides real densities in excess of 500 megabits per square inch.

The 7134 subsystem's base configuration with 4GB is priced at $14,200, and the fully configures subsystem with 28GB has a price of $60,200.

The IBM 7024 External Disk Drive Model 315 is an external standalone drive with 2GB capacity that provides additional storage beyond that offered internally in the RS/6000. It is a low-cost alternative to other externally attached storage units available for use with the P5/6000 and is intended for customers who do not need the additional storage capacity and expand-ability of the 9334 SCSI Expansion Unit or the 7134 High Density SCSI Disk Subsystem. The Model 315 is connected to the P5/6000 via the SCSI-2 Differential Fast/Wide Adapter A. Using this interface, the Model 315's maximum data transfer rate of 20MB! sec is double that of the IBM 7204 Model 215, a drive currently used by customers with the same storage capacity requirements.

The 7204 Model 315 is priced at $41,050.

[Contact: International Business Machine Corporation, IBM United States, 1133 Weschester Avenue, White Plains, NY 10604; Gregory T. Golden at (914) 642-5463 or Steven Malkiewicz at (914) 642-5449 for RS/6000, and Carol Keslar at (408) 256-9451 or Lisa Ritter at (213) 930-0811 for disk storage.]

Frame relay as a telecommunications option

Frame relay is a relatively new telecommunication technique extremely well suited to library transactions, which ten to be short bursts of data rather than large file transfers. Frame relay is a less costly alternative to dedicated 56K and/or Tl lines for large libraries and consortia. In many areas of North America a 56K Frame Relay line costs no more than the highest speed analog line. It often is half the cost of a dedicated 56K digital line. Frame Relay, therefore, can provide substantial ongoing savings, although the “pay-back period” may be several years because the initial capital outlay will be greater.

Frame relay is a form of statistical multiplexing, through which multiple users or organizations can share bandwidth on a single circuit. Rather than having to match multiplexors with modems at each end of the circuit, the central site equipment remains substantially the same, even as remote sites are reconfigured or new sites are added.

At the central site, a single high-speed circuit from the telco leads to a CSU/DSU (Channel Service Unit/Data Service Unit) and then to a router connected to the host CPU or server. Each remote site is wired with category 5 unshielded twisted pair (10BaseT) cable, a CSU/DSU, and a router. As remote sites are added, they will require similar wiring and equipment, but no changes are required at the central site.

Before specifying frame relay, a library or consortium should determine that frame relay is available in their area. If so, vendors should be asked to offer frame relay as an option. Frame relay should not be mandated, however, because it is not always the best solution.

Texas State Library implements Geac's Z39.50

The Texas State Library has joined a growing number of state libraries in the implementation of Z39.50 connectivity. Both Z39.50 client and server have been installed on the Library's Geac PLUS integrated library system. It has already used the client to access and search the library databases of the University of Colorado, Pennsylvania State University, and the Library of Congress. Libraries throughout Texas will be encouraged to access and search the Texas State Library's database using Z39.50 clients on their systems. A number of Texas libraries already have Z39.50 client capability in their systems, or it is provided in their contracts.

[Contact: Geac Computers, Inc., 320 Nevada Street, Newtonville, MA 02160; (617) 965-6310; Fax (617) 969-1928; or Geac Computer Corporation Ltd., Suite 300, 11 Allstate Parkway, Markham, Ontario L3R 9T8 Canada; (416) 475-0525; Fax (416) 475-3847.]

VTLS Z39.50 client now interfaces with NCSA Mosaic for MS Windows

VTLS, Inc., has announced that it now has a World Wide Web (WWW) server and has developed a means for its VTLS Z39.50 client to interface with WWW browsers such as NCSA Mosaic for MS Windows. The interface means that Mosaic users who have the VTLS Z39.50 client on their workstations will be able to search the client by simply clicking on a hyperlink in the WWW browser. A simple change in Mosaic's configuration is all that's required to implement the interface. The Interface gives users the advantage of creating WWW hypermedia links to Z39.50 servers, which can then be incorporated into WWW hypertext documents.

As a standalone product, the VTLS Z39.50 client lets users search for and access bibliographic records residing on any database server, regardless of its hardware or software configuration, as long as the server's retriever software complies with the Z39.50 standard. Since no commands are required, first-time users can navigate the client aided only by screen icons and menus. Users can type in any word or combination of words to perform a variety of searches on a remote server and can assign up to six attributes to a search item in order to narrow the search field. Further, with the Z39.50 client, users can view multiple result sets simultaneously.

[Contact: VTLS, Inc., 1800 Kraft Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24060; (703) 231-3605; Fax (703) 231-3648.]

LC's ALA exhibits show wide range of products

The Library of Congress exhibition booth at the Annual Meeting of the American Library Association (ALA) in Miami Beach offered visitors the chance to see a wide range of products. Of greatest interest was the Library's World Wide Web (WWW) server, featuring text and images of five major LC exhibitions: “Selections from the African-American Mosaic”, “Rome Reborn: The Vatican Library and Renaissance Culture”, “1492: An Ongoing Voyage”, “Scrolls from the Dead Sea: The Ancient Library of Qumran and Modern Scholarship”, and “Revelations from the Russian Archives”.

Also being demonstrated was LOCIS (Library of Congress Information System) on Internet. LOCIS offers, in addition to the Library's online catalog (books, microforms, serials, music, visual materials, manuscripts, etc.), status of federal legislation, copyright files and information about products of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. The address to telnet (connect) to LOCIS is bocis.loc.gov.

For those who want an easier method of searching LC's online catalog, a PC-based graphic interface called ACCESS is available to libraries which have the necessary hardware and software configuration to use a mouse (instead of having to remember a series of commands) to find the proper record quickly.

LC MARVEL (Machine-Assisted Realization of the ,Virtual Electronic Library), the Library's campus-wide information system, was also on view. MARVEL combines the vast amounts of information available about the Library with easy access to diverse electronic resources over the Internet. To access LC MARVEL telnet to marvel.boc.gov and log in as marvel. Connection is also possible through a local Gopher client or another Gopher server by pointing to marvel.boc.gov, port 70. It also is possible to connect to LOCIS from MARVEL.

For libraries which don't have access to the Internet, there is News Service, a dial-up information service that requires only a PC and modem for connection. The phone number is (202) 707-3854. All files are downloadable. To access the News Service, set modem parameters at “2400” for the baud rate, “none” for parity, “8” for data bits, “1” for the stop bit, “full” for duplex, “Kermit” for the protocol, and “VT102” for the terminal.

The Cataloging Distribution Service demonstrated several of its newest products. Cataloger's Desktop, provides fingertip access electronically to the Library of Congress' nine most popular cataloging tools on one CD-ROM disc. Cataloger's Desktop, a Windows-based CD-ROM product, is a new cataloging tool created by the Library of Congress using Folio software. The publications are: LC Rule Interpretations, Subject Cataloging Manual Subject Headings, Subject Cataloging Manual:Classification, USMARC Concise Formats, USMARC Authority Data and all of the USMARC Code Lists. The user-friendly software included with the product allows catalogers to find relevant rules through a variety of approaches. Users can locate citations through a table of contents viewer or from Boolean, phrase and proximity searches, as well as from index references. Hypertext links allow users to move from relevant sections of one publication to another with a single key stroke. Catalogers also will be able to customize their own copies of the product. Each user will have a personal file initialized by a password that can include personalized notes, highlighting, bookmarks, and hypertext links. The notes can be reapplied to each quarterly update of the product without having to file new pages or manually transfer important information. Cataloger's Desktop is designed to be LAN-friendly in installation and use. There is a modest charge for each additional simultaneous user. Price for single user: $870 in North America; $875 elsewhere. Each additional user: $160.

[Contact: The Library of Congress, Cataloging Distribution Service at (202) 707-6100; Fax (202) 707-1334.]

Sirsi showcases GUI at ALA

SIRSI showcased a new graphical user interface (GUI) for use in a Windows environment at the ALA Annual Meeting. Like SIRSI's character client, the GUI client allows all user interaction to be handled within the PC. This reduces the load on the host computer. All data formatting, local edit checking of user's input, and keyboard mapping are handled by SIRSI's client software. Additionally, both SIRSI's character clients and GUI clients support locally attached peripherals and color monitors. Both clients offer full screen editors. Network support is provided by both clients for many Ethernet cards using BAPI, NETCI, Novell, or the PC/TCP kernel from FTP Corporation.

The mouse can be used to point-and-click to the desired field or icon. Information can be “dragged” from one field and “dropped” into others. The GUI client also allows the user to perform multiple tasks simultaneously in different windows. For example, the user can implement policy changes in one window while editing a bibliographic record in another. However, the GUI enhancement also retains features of SIRSI's character clients, such as tabbing from field to field and the use of specially configured command keys. To add the GUI client, SIRSI customers will not have to replace their existing clients since the GUI client will be available as a price upgrade. Initially available for Microsoft Windows, by the end of 1994, SIRSI will also offer a GUI upgrade for customers who use Macintosh and UNIX workstations. Single unit and site licensing prices are available.

The Windows GUI client requires a 486 or Pentium PC With Microsoft Windows 3.1 and 4MB RAM. GUI workstations can connect to the host computer via a serial port or network using Microsoft Windows Sockets (WINSOCK).

[Contact: SIRSI Corporation, 689 Discovery Drive, Huntsville, AL 35806; (205) 922-9825; Fax (205) 922-9818.]

Sirsi offers information desk

SIRSI has announced that an online Information Desk is now offered as a fully-dynamic, integrated part of the UNICORN/STILAS online patron access catalog. The Information Desk is presented as an option on the online patron access catalog menu. Initially offered as a separate module with UNICORN Version 5.0, released in Summer 1992, the Information Desk is now fully integrated and provided at no additional cost to new and existing patrons.

A library may use the Information Desk to post library hours, library services, library news, instructions on using the library, responses to patron suggestions, lists of new books, meetings and programs. The library can use a MARC-based format or custom format for the information. Since the Information Desk is fully integrated with the UNICORN catalog, new book lists are automatically updated when new materials are cataloged.

[Contact: SIRSI Corporation, 689 Discovery Drive, Huntsville, AL 35806; (205) 922-9825; Fax (205) 922-9818.]

EBSCO invoices available through Internet

EBSCO customers who receive electronic invoices can now retrieve invoice data from EBSCO via the Internet. The service allows customers to retrieve their invoice and the EBSCO invoice conversion program through Internet FTP. Once the invoice data and conversion program are loaded onto a PC, customers can select desired invoice fields to load into automated library system software or spreadsheet and database programs such as dBase, Lotus 1-2-3 or Advanced Revelation for further manipulation. In order to access the invoice data, customers must have Internet FTP client software and an e-mail address.

The service is compatible with many automated library systems. A list of these systems can be obtained from any EBSCO Regional Office.

[Contact: User Services, EBSCO Industries, Inc., P.O. Box 1953, Birmingham, AL 35201; (205) 991-1161, or via e-mail to USRSVC@EBSCO.COM.]

TLC introduces staff work timer

Total Library Computerization (TLC) ‘s newest module—WORK TIMER—tracks the time library staffers spend on specific projects. For work assignments including those requested by other professional staff, TLC tracks the actual time spent, converts time into dollars at any rate per hour for any or all library staffers and reports time and dollar totals by requester, account to be charged (if any), project, online service used, or any combination of fields.

WORK TIMER can be used to keep track of how much time staff spent on any person's request, how long staff spent on a special project, how much time was spent doing research online for those services which do not supply connect time figures for separate accounts.

The new TLC module is just one more example of how vendors are developing features which further extend automation into other areas of library administration.

[Contact: On Point, Inc., 2606 36th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20007; (202) 338-8914.]

Carl offers outsourcing

CARL Corporation has established a new division specializing in outsourcing services for libraries. Named the CARL Computing and Database Services Division, the unit will offer full service facilities management, Internet and gateway access to a number of commercial and other third-party databases, and the mounting of catalogs on the Internet using CARL's search engine. The Vice President in charge of the new division is Amy Miller, formerly with Yankee Book Peddler.

[Contact: CARL Corporation, 3801 E. Florida Avenue, Bldg. D, Suite 300, Denver, CO 80210; (303) 758-3030; Fax (303) 758-0606.]

Gaylord introduces MARC-based I&R module

Gaylord Information Systems has added a MARC-based Information & Referral (I&R) or community information module to Galaxy. Records may be organized by individual, organization, program, service, or event.

To save library staff time, Gaylord has developed an easy to use diskette which the library makes available to community groups to key their own information. The diskette is returned to the library and downloaded into Galaxy becoming immediately retrievable in the community information section of the OPAC. The library may preview the information before downloading to Galaxy.

Gaylord's Data Conversion group offers conversion services for existing Community Information files whether they are currently in non-MARC machine-readable format or written form. Price quotations are available upon request.

[Contact: Gaylord Information Systems, P.O. Box 4901, Syracuse, NY 13221-4901; (800) 962-9580 or (315) 457-5070; Fax (315) 457-4760.]

Spanish-language Kid's and Everybody's Catalog

The San Antonio Public Library has selected the CARL System for automation. The system scheduled to be operational by late fall, will connect 500 terminals at the Central Library, 17 branches, two book mobiles, and the Hertzberg Circus Museum. The installation will include new central site computer hardware supporting the PAC, Circulation, bibliographic maintenance, serials and acquisitions, electronic mail, Internet access, the Kid's Catalog and Everybody' s Catalog.

CARL and the San Antonio Public Library have a joint development agreement to create a Spanish language version of the Kid's Catalog and Everybody's Catalog.

[Contact: CARL Corporation, 3801 E. Florida Avenue, Bldg. D, Suite 300, Denver, CO 80210; (303) 758-3030; Fax (303) 758-0606.]

MARCorp expands GUI offerings

MARCorp has introduced a Microsoft Windows Graphical User Interface (GUI) for its Voyager acquisitions and serials modules. Voyager's MS Windows-based Cataloging, OPAC, and Circulation modules were already available.

[Contact: MARCorp, 2000 Alameda de las Pulgas, Suite 202, San Mateo, CA 94403; (415) 3452500; Fax (415) 349-3874.]

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