Library Technology Guides

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Volume 5 Number 08 (August 1985)

Videodiscs and CD-ROM at ALA

As presaged in the previous issue of LSN a number of vendors demonstrated new videodisc and CD-ROM products at the American Library Association meeting in Chicago.

Academic American Encyclopedia

After previews at ALA, Grolier Electronic Publishing Inc. chose the National Computer Conference to announce the release of two optical media products, both based on the electronic version of the Academic American Encyclopedia (AAE) that it offers for online searching on remote data base systems.

One of these products, KnowledgeDisc, uses the videodisc as the publication medium to store video images of textual materials. Unlike so many recent videodisc publishing ventures, the data is not machine-readable or searchable, but a video image of printed text. The required frames are accessed using a menu-like index to identify the image to be displayed. The disc contains only text screens; no illustrations or diagrams are included. The disc is played on a standard videodisc player with random access capabilities and the text is displayed on a standard television screen. A frame reference line which displays at the top of the screen assists the reader in scanning to the required frame. The technology used in formatting the text for the disc was developed by Activenture Corporation of Monterey, California. When displayed on a 24-inch screen, the text is easily read and quite legible. The single-sided KnowledgeDisc has a suggested list price of $89.95.

Grolier's second product-a compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM) version of the AAE-has not been given a distinctive product name. The single-sided CD-ROM stores the text of the AAE in machine-readable and machine-searchable form. When mounted on a CD-ROM drive attached to a personal computer, the disc and its accompanying software (distributed on floppy disk) give the user a choice of two access modes. The encyclopedia may be searched in the same way as the KnowledgeDisc using a menu-like table of contents, or the text may be searched by keywords. Boolean search techniques can be employed in the machine-searching of the file. The production system will include truncation capabilities and proximity operators. The CD-ROM version of the APIS is expected to be available for purchase in October, at a suggested retail price of $199 for the compact disk and the associated access software. The disc may be played on any CD-ROM drive (not a CD audio player) and the software is compatible with most personal computers. This product was also developed with the assistance of Activenture.

[Contact: Grolier Electronic Publishing, Inc., 95 Madison Avenue, New York, NY (212) 696-9750.]

Ingrams LaserSearch

Ingram demonstrated a prototype of its CD-ROM-based LaserSearch book acquisitions system which is expected to be made available to libraries in January 1986. The CD-ROM contains a data base of information on some 1.3 million English language books in print and those recently out of print. The data base was compiled from Ingram's files and the Library Corporation's Any Book data base. The disc also includes a file of publisher's names and addresses. The software being developed to support LaserSearch will include routines for searching the bibliographic files (by author, title, keyword, publisher, ISBN, LCCN and Ingrain Title Code) and publisher files; generating orders in hardcopy or machine-readable form; an electronic mail capability for transmitting orders to Ingram and receiving status reports on the availability of materials ordered; and software for records management, fund accounting, and budgetary control functions. Libraries which use the system will have the ability to transmit orders for ten or more items direct to Ingram via a modem and a toll free telephone line. Orders may also be produced in hardcopy form. Libraries may also choose to produce hardcopy orders directed to publishers rather than ordering through the jobber. The system requires an IBM PC XT, a printer, and a CD- ROM drive. A modem will be needed if a library wishes to use the electronic transmission facility. If purchased through Ingram the CD-ROM player is expected to cost $1,500 and a subscription to the LaserSearch data base and the associated software (distributed on floppy disk) is expected to cost $600 per annum. It is intended that the data base will be reissued quarterly.

During the ALA Conference, Ingram was also publicizing an agreement it has reached with Marcive for the supply of cataloging data-in card or machine-readable form-for materials ordered from Ingram.

[Contact: Ingram Book Company, 347 Reedwood Drive, Nashville, TN 37217.]

Mini REMARC

Library Systems & Services Inc. demonstrated a new videodisc product, a machine-readable file of abbreviated REMARC records designed to be used with LSSI's MINI MARC hardware and software to facilitate the identification and ordering of Carrollton Press' machine-readable REMARC records for Library of Congress pre-11968 cataloging.

Libraries have two options for using the REMARC videodisc. Those with MINI MARC systems and a current subscription to the MINI MARC videodisc can "borrow" the REMARC disc from LSSI and mount it on their systems. Libraries which are not MINI MARC customers can rent the hardware, software, and videodisc data base from Carrollton Press for $1,000 a month. Whichever approach is chosen, the actual use of the system is the same. Libraries use the standard MINI MARC search strategies described in the July 1985 issue of LSN (Vol. V, No. 7) to search for the required REMARC record. An abbreviated form of the record is displayed to enable the operator to verify that it is indeed a match. The operator records the local data to be added to the record and this, together with the control number of the REMARC record, is stored on floppy disk. The disks are then dispatched to Carrollton Press for retrieval of the full REMARC record. The local data is merged with the REMARC record and output to tape.

The price a library pays for REMARC records retrieved through these price- lures varies. Regular MINI MARC users ire charged $.50 per record retrieved )ut libraries that rent the system from Carrollton Press pay only $.30 per record retrieved.

[Contact: Carrollton Press, Inc., 1611 Kent Street, Arlington, VA 22209, 800) 368-3008 and Library Systems & Services, Inc., 1395 Piccard Drive, Suite 100, Rockville, MD 20850, (301) 258-0200.]

Popular Files on SilverPlatter

International Standard Information Systems (ISIS), the information services division of IMLAC Corporation, displayed a number of popular data bases as CD-ROM publications under its SilverPlatter trademark at ALA. ISIS describes its approach as a complete information distribution service that emphasizes information dissemination. Technology is treated only as a support mechanism. The SilverPlatter service offers familiar data bases, such as those currently available online, on a fixed subscription basis. The data bases and associated indexing are published on CD-ROM and distributed to subscribers periodically. When an institution first subscribes to a SilverPlatter service it is supplied with a microcomputer workstation with CD-ROM player, documentation, and support.

The company acts as the CD-ROM publisher for the data base producers and also supplies the search software which is recorded on the CD-ROM disk with the data files. This approach differs from the practice of other CD-ROM publishers which have, to date, distributed their applications software separately on floppy disk.

The SilverPlatter retrieval software supports keyword searching of both controlled vocabulary and freetext fields with Boolean operators, and truncation and proximity capabilities. It also offers a menu approach for inexperienced users, and provides data base-specific help and instruction routines. Users can browse the indexes and the software supports a variety of display and printing options.

Data bases from five producers were displayed on prototype discs, with the availability of production systems slated for early to mid-1986. The files represented on the SilverPlatter discs were: the Educational Resources Information Center's (ERIC) Resources in Education (RIE) and Current Index to Journals in Education (CIJE); EMBASE from Elsevier Science Publishers; the PATS Bulletin and PAIS Foreign Language Index; PsycLIT, a new data base developed by the PsycINFO Department of the American Psychological Association; and LISA, the Library and Information Science data base from the Library Association of Great Britain.

[Contact: IMLAC Corporation, 150 A Street, Needham, MA 02194, (617) 449- 0708 and: User Education Office, EMBASE, Elsevier Science Publishing Company, Inc., 52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017, (212) 916-1160; ERIC Database on SilverPlatter Compact Disc, c/o ORI Inc., Information Systems Division, 4833 Rugby Avenue, -Suite 301, Bethesda,MD 20814, (301) 656-9723; LISA Editor, Library Association, 7 Ridgemont Street, London WC1E ThE, England (01) 636-7543; Public Affairs Information Service Inc., 11 West 40th Street, New York, NY 10018- 2693, (212) 736-6629; Psychological Abstracts Information Services, 1400 North Uhle Street, Arlington, VA 22201, (800) 336-4980.]

Le Pac Patron Access Catalog

Brodart demonstrated a CD-ROM-based local public access catalog system dubbed "Le Pac." The concept entails the publication of a library's catalog data on a CD-ROM disc and the mounting of the disc on an IBM PC workstation. The file is accessed using software developed by Brodart which provides title, author and subject access. Publication of a library's catalog data on a CD-ROM disc is said to cost "about the same as a COM catalog."

The demonstration system shown at ALA featured a specially designed 10-key pad in place of the standard keyboard- the user can search the file using only these keys-and a split screen display with instructions on the left and displays on the right. The company is also developing a more sophisticated version of the system for experienced users. This version will offer a full keyboard and a full screen display, and will support the range of keyword and other search options provided by Brodart's online catalog system.

Brodart spokespersons estimate that the hardware required to support Le an IBM PC or lookalike, a keyboard, screen, and CD-ROM player-will be available for approximately $2,000. [Contact: Brodart, Library Automation Division, 500 Arch Street, Williainsport, PA 17705, (800) 233-8467.]

Software Encyclopedia

Bowker gave low-key demonstrations of a videodisc version of its Software Encyclopedia. Produced with LaserData technology, the disc contains a machine-readable version of the hardcopy publication. At the time of the demonstrations, the retrieval software was still in the process of being developed. [Contact: R. R. Bowker Co., 205 E. 42nd Street, New York, NY 10164, (212) 916- 1844.]

Faxon Shows LC Serials on CD-ROM

The Faxon Company demonstrated a CD--ROM disc containing the 250,000+ Library of Congress MARC records for serials. The disc is part of a prototype system being developed to provide a source of machine- readable records for users of the company's MicroLinx standalone serials control system due to be released in October 1985. While marketing details are not yet finalized, a spokesperson indicated that Faxon would probably make the disc and CD-ROM drive available to MicroLinx purchasers on a rental basis to provide a source of machine-readable records for libraries setting up their serial control systems.

[Contact: The Faxon Company, 15 Southwest Park, Westwood, MA 02090, (617) 329-335O.]

LC Pilot Project

The Library of Congress is currently exploring the use of CD-ROM or videodisc as a distribution medium for MARC data. The Library's Cataloging Distribution Service is in the process of awarding a contract to explore design issues for a three-year Disc Distribution Pilot Project. The pilot project will begin after the completion of the design study.

[Contact: Office of the Chief, Cataloging Distribution Service, Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20541, (202) 287-6120.]

Geac's ODD

Geac demonstrated an operational optical digital disk subsystem at ALA. The optical digital disk technology is the write-once, non-replicable technology being promoted as a mass storage medium for machine-readable data and the storage of digitized image data. The application demonstrated by Geac was that of document scanning and digitized image storage-the application currently being tested by the Library of Congress for the storage of images of journal pages.

In addition to being a major vendor of turnkey automated library systems, Geac Computers International Inc. designs and manufactures its own line of computer hardware. It is the sole Canadian distributor of the Thomson-CSF Gigadisc, the optical digital disk used in the demonstration system.

[Contact: Geac Computers International Inc., 350 Steelcase Road West, Markham, Ontario, Canada L3R lB3, (416) 475-0525.]

National computer conference following ALA

Chicago had no sooner recovered from the ALA meeting than it was the site of an even larger gathering-the National Computer Conference. Although numerically the exhibits at NCC were dominated by electrical power protection devices and microcomputer and micro-to- mainframe networking systems, numerous vendors featured optical digital disk, CD-ROM, and videodisc hardware.

Given the number of CD-ROM products demonstrated at ALA, it is interesting to note that most vendors showing CD-ROM drives at NCC were promoting the sale of "evaluation" drives-at prices ranging from $1,500 to $5,000. The vendors, which included Hitachi, Denon, and Philips, spoke in terms of being able to deliver the drives in quantity by the beginning of 1986, at prices of between $400 and $1,000 per drive for quantities of 1,000 or more. Despite the apparent lack of ready availability of CD-ROM drives, at least one library-oriented vendor-the Library Corporation, whose BiblioFile product was described in the previous issue of LSN-is currently delivering drives to its customers.

Toshiba demonstrated a dual purpose drive/player capable of reading audio data from a compact audio disc and digital data from a CD-ROM. The company expects to ship the player in commercial quantities in Spring of 1986.

The NCC exhibits focused on hardware and software; there were few examples of applications using the optical technologies. Grolier showed its Academic Amencan Encyclopedia and an exhibit in the Philips booth demonstrated the ability of the CD-ROM medium to carry a mixture of digitized audio, video and machine-readable data. A spokesperson for Video- tools-a Carlsbad, California company that specializes in multimedia use of the CD-indicated that a dedicated compact disk such as can store 600 MB of character encoded data, can carry up to 34 hours of telephone-quality audio or 5,000 frames of video images. The application also featured the use of Battelle's BASIS software for the formatting, indexing and retrieval of machine-readable data for CD-ROM applications.

Several companies displayed optical digital disk drives for mass storage of computer data. These exhibits were similar to that mounted at ALA by Geac. Of interest to those concerned that this write-once technology is too limited for large scale market penetration, were the several companies which also showed erasable optical digital disks. In most cases these displays consisted of only a sample disk-operational drives for recording and reading the media were not in evidence. All of the vendors queried as to the availability of a fully operational erasable optical disk system admitted that these were not expected before 1987. Even the system being publicized most heavily- the 3.5-inch erasable thermo-magneto-optic disk developed by Verbatim Corporation, a Kodak subsidiary-was being described with a handout headed "Proposed 1987 Specifications."

Serial subscription agencies At ALA

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.]

Data Phase update

Despite the recent sale of its ALIS III, Datashare, and Eastwind products to UTLAS, DataPhase plans to stay in business with the ALIS II turnkey automated library system, says President Ron Zazzara. "The Tandem-based ALIS III product was a drain on the company's human and financial resources, but ALIS Il-which is configured on Data General technology-can be profitable." The company will seek to bring all of its 47 ALIS II customers up to release 5.0 by the end of 1985 and will try to complete acceptance testing by early 1986. Over $4 million in payments would be due DataPhase if all of the acceptance tests were passed. The company plans no new sales efforts until early 1986.

The "completed product" as envisioned by Data Phase will not include serials control because this feature is said to be included in only 10 percent of the Alas II contracts. The company has not decided what consideration will be offered the libraries which are entitled to serials control. Release 5.0 is represented to include comprehensive acquisitions, circulation and patron access catalog modules. Authority control is part of the package.

The company is conducting a series of benchmark tests to resolve questions about the capacity of its systems. As late as 1981 it was believed that a mid-size mini such as the Data General 5/140 could support up to 60 terminals. The actual number is now believed to be lower, but no reliable data has been available.

The Editors of LSN contacted one-fourth of the ALIS II customers and have determined that a large number intend to retain their ALIS II systems rather than seeking to migrate to a system from a different vendor. One option being given serious consideration by some of these libraries is the purchase and installation of OCLC's LS/2000 software which will also run on Data General hardware. It can be purchased as a software package at a price that is approximately $20,000 more than what it costs for the software when it is purchased as part of a turnkey system. The average total cost of such a change would be approximately $60,000 and would include the reloading and reindexing of files-a task which might require two or three months for some libraries.

[Contact: Data Phase Systems Inc., 9000 West 67th Street, Second Floor, Shawnee Mission, KS 66202, (913) 262-5100.]

EMILS/3000 now INLEX/3000

Electric Memory Inc. recently announced the sale of its EMILS/3000 library automation system to a new company, INLEX, Inc. The product, designed for use on Hewlett-Packard hardware, will now be known as INLEX (Integrated Library Executive) 3000. All members of the library products development team from Electric Memory have joined the new company which, with financial backing from Canadian investors, intends to continue to expand and enhance the library system. INLEX, Inc. will assume all support for existing Electric Memory library customers. INLEX/ 3000 currently offers modules for data base creation and maintenance, cataloging, circulation and public access catalog. The system has multilingual and multi- institutional capabilities and can accommodate the MARC format. Modules slated for future development include acquisitions, serials control and materials booking.

INLEX plans to expand its marketing effort which is targeted at libraries with 80,000 and 240,000 bibliographic records and requirements for up to 100 terminals.

[Contact: INLEX, Inc., P.O. Box 1349, 656 Munras Avenue, Monterey, CA 94930 (408) 646-9666.]

Materials booking for the HP 3000

VIS Consultants Inc. offers a media booking system for libraries and media centers wishing to implement this function Hewlett-Packard hardware. The Media Manager/3000 system is currently in use in a number of school districts and in several library consortia. It offers inventory control, booking features, sophisticated online searching, and remote access. The system will also produce camera ready copy for media catalogs.

[Contact: VIS Consultants Inc., 2000 Century Plaza, Columbia, MD 21044, (301) 997-1116.]

Eyring marketing Carl

The Eyring Research Institute, Inc.--owner of Dynix, Inc., a company that is rapidly establishing itself as a major vendor of turnkey automated library systems--has established another library automation-oriented company, Eyring Library Systems. The new company will market the CARL system developed by the Colorado Alliance of Research Libraries.

The CARL software, designed for use on Tandem Non Stop hardware, is currently being used in CARL's six-institution network to support a bibliographic file of some 1.5 million records. Data base creation and maintenance, circulation, and public access catalog functions are operational, and the system handles full MARC records. Eyring plans to market the system to large academic research libraries and major public libraries. It sees particular strengths in the system's public access catalog capabilities, and the reliability offered by the Tandem hardware. An article on CARL appeared in the March 1985 issue of Colorado Libraries (Vol. 11, No. 1).

[Eyring has also been awarded the contract to develop Maggie's Place III for the Pikes Peak Library District in Colorado.]

[Contact: Eyring Library Systems, 5280 South 320 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84107 (801) 263-9200.]

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