Library Technology Guides

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Volume 6 Number 11 (November 1986)

Electronic technology and serials publishing

The editors recently have read and heard a number of predictions about the emergence of serials publishing on optical media. The scenario is that hardcopy of current publications and microform of backfiles will be replaced by the new technology. While the editors agree that electronic technology will catch up with serials publishing, or vice versa, the consensus is that the excitement is unwarranted since it will be several years before serials publishing on optical media becomes common. At least four factors must be in place before it will be practical to displace hardcopy and microform as the primary and secondary publishing media. The following factors, which are to a great extent interdependent, include: maturity of the electronic technology, economics, market acceptance, a commitment on the part of publishers.

Technology takes time to mature and while this process is going on it is difficult to make a choice. In the case of electronic media, the current choices include digital videodisc, CD-ROM, and optical digital disk, but others could be introduced at any time. Potential electronic publishers appear to have a sense of the characteristics of each technology but not necessarily of their strengths and weaknesses for particular applications.

Because they can be maintained online by their publishers, online bibliographic data bases have the capacity for being kept highly current. However, few of them exist in full text. The full text of serial publications has been offered on line in experimental products only. On line access has been considered to be a rather expensive solution when users require the full text of publications. Rising telecommunications costs are expected to increase concern further over this application.

As recently as two years ago, digitally encoded videodiscs were thought to be the answer for electronic delivery of data bases, including full text files of serials. This is the technology used in MiniMARC, a standalone cataloging support system. Despite the fact that, after making a master disc containing up to 4 billion characters of information, it is possible to produce copies for as little as $1.50 per disc, the technology has not caught on because the disc drives and related hardware for accessing information on the discs has remained expensive. Unlike the CD-ROM, which was adapted from a successful mass market consumer medium, the digitally encoded videodisc is based on an analog videodisc medium which is now dead in the commercial marketplace and the training applications of the analog videodisc are not extensive enough to create a significant hardware market. Nevertheless, the technology continues to have the advantage of being able to attach disc drives to almost any type of computer.

Compact disc technology, like the videodisc, involves creating a master and / replicating copies; however, due to its smaller dimensions the maximum data storage capacity, 600 million characters, is only 15 percent of that of a videodisc. As increasing numbers of consumer models of compact audio disc drives become available in discount stores for $200 to $250, we can expect that the price of models supporting the related CD-ROM discs which accommodate machine-readable data will fall to well below $1,000 each. (SilverPlatter Information Services of Wellesly Hills, Massachusetts, a publisher of data bases on CD-ROM already sells such a player for $660.) This is likelybecause it is not necessary to substantially modify a CD audio player in order to make it into a drive for CD-ROM applications.

The recent wave of enthusiasm about CD-ROM warrants a brief review of its major drawbacks. CD-ROM technology is oriented to a single user. A data base on CD-ROM cannot be utilized with a minicomputer or mainframe computer so that a number of users can concurrently access p that same data base. Instead, the CD-ROM drive is attached as a peripheral to a single personal computer. If a ni.mter of people need concurrent access, there must be multiple data subscriptions and multiple systems consisting of drive, interface, search software, display screen, keyboard, and printer (if printing capabilities are needed).

Another constraint is that CD-ROM disc production facilities remain fairly limited. There currently is only one operational facility in the U.S., although five more are in various stages of construction. The focus of most of these facilities, however, is production of compact discs for the audio marketplace. Those who are seeking to press CD-ROM find that the preprocessing work is undertaken in the United States, but the actual pressing almost always is performed in Japan. The turnaround time is often four, six, or even eight weeks. The Grolier Electronic Encyclopedia and the BiblioFile cataloging support system currently use, this CD-ROM technology. There also are more than 50 pilot projects involving bibliographic data bases as varied as Medline, Compendex, and the PAIS Bulletin. The Electronic Encyclopedia, despite being on the market for some time, is not a commercial success. BiblioFile has been issued in several editions and has had sales of more than one hundred copies. Based on current sales, none of the rest can yet be considered viable products. Without more evidence of commercial success serials publishers are likely to remain on the sidelines.

The latest technology to enter the arena is the optical digital disk, a true computer peripheral, hence the spelling of "disk" with a "k." Rather than mastering a disk, the disk is written in much the same manner as a floppy or magnetic disk. It differs from other computer media in that the storage capacity is measured in the billions of characters (comparable to the digital videodisc), and that the data is permanently encoded. Several concurrent users can access the same disk. An organization which does small-scale publishing of a few dozen copies may find this to be a more suitable medium than digital videodisc or CD-ROM. The technology is so new, however, that it is difficult to obtain equipment and media for evaluation.

It is understandable that there is uncertainty about which technology represents the best solution for an electronic publisher. Of them all, it would appear, at the present time, that CD-ROM technology has the largest number of enthusiasts, though its position may be challenged within the next two years by the emerging optical digital disc technology.

A number of the publishers are of the opinion that the market for serials on CD-ROM, or any other kind of electronic technology, is an after-market. That is, they envision the electronic product as augmenting rather than replacing the print product. The big question for them is the size of the market. There is still fear that while the technology is attractive, its economics may not be favorable. It appears that many publishers are going to do just enough to stay immediately behind the market leaders rather than be in the forefront where the risks are greatest.

The economics from the user's or library's point of view is clearer. For the individual or the library to install CD-ROM, for example, requires an investment of up to $1,000 for a disk drive. The cost of an interface between that CD-ROM drive and a personal computer is another $1,000 to $1,900. The search software typically costs between $1,000 and $2,500. The personal computer may cost as much as $3,500. A typical single-user "workstation," therefore, may represent a capital investment of nearly $8,000. Obviously as prices of the various components fall, this initial investment may drop considerably.

A very significant concern that may not be obvious to casual data base shoppers is the fact that the CD-ROMs from SilverPlatter, Digital Equipment Corporation, and The Library Corporation are not able to function on the same drive, with the same interface, or the same search software. As a result, a user must make a large investment to support the product of each individual vendor without the option of being able to switch from one data base publisher to another.

Although these illustrations are not examples of specific serials products, they are bibliographic data bases which represent the earliest efforts regarding CD-ROM electronic publishing. Nevertheless, they illustrate the existing problems faced by serials applications in terms of the size of total investment and the limited utility of that investment.

Much of the problem with regard to market acceptance is related to the fact that no standards are yet in place. Standards do not exist for online data bases, digitally encoded videodiscs, and optical digital disks. There are standards for physically encoding information on CD-ROM, but there are none for the interface between CD-ROM and the personal micro, or for the search software. Some of these standards are in development, but NISO (National Information Standards Organization) standards take two or three years to develop, primarily because of the consensus-building characteristic of this activity.

Some participants in the process contend that because of the technologies' relative immaturity, it is not yet a good idea to establish standards. For example, CD-ROM technology is slow in terms of data retrieval time, and some people fear that if we move too soon to standardize that slow speed, the result may retard technological improvements.

Another constraint is the small installed base of equipment. There have been numerous estimates made, the most generous of which has concluded that there are approximately 400 installed CD-ROM players (including demonstration models) , most of which are in libraries. As many as 150 of these have been installed by a single supplier, The Library Corporation, the producer of BiblioFile. The base of installed systems must increase enormously before libraries will become comfortable in purchasing the equipment and publishers will feel that this market has sufficient profit potential.

There are several aspects to publisher acceptance of the new technologies. The first is a marketing concern: will the new product contribute to the bottom line? This issue is broader than mere product performance. If a publisher has a successful product (print, online, or both) and subsequently releases a new optical-based product, will the market for the existing product(s) be cannibalized by the new medium? Furthermore, if the original product(s) is displaced, will the new market be broad enough to generate equal or higher profits than were realized before?

Another issue relating to acceptance is the publishers' attitude toward new technologies. Attendance at meetings of publishers (including those of scholarly journals) in the past year has indicated that their outlook results from their having entered the publishing business through a love of the printed word. There is personal resistance on the part of many publishers, especially smaller ones, to the idea of electronic publishing. To the extent that electronic publishing will be undertaken, for many it will be a function of survival rather than a first choice of publishing format.

In conclusion, the future is unclear. What is clear, though, is that over the next several years, and possibly well into the next decade, any displacement of hard-copy and microform serials by the emerging media will be through gradual evolution.

Automation inventory available

There was a 22 percent increase in the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) members reporting the use of integrated online catalogs between 1985 and 1986, according to the newly published Automation Inventory of Research Libraries 1986. The number of libraries reporting integrated local cataloging systems increased 19 percent, and those reporting integrated acquisitions systems increased 18 percent. These and other trends reported in the 1986 edition are based on the responses of 113 ARL institutions to an automation survey conducted by the ARL Office of Management Studies last summer.

The 1986 edition contains expanded and updated information beyond what was presented in the 1985 version concerning the use of technology by ARL members. It includes additional counts and sorted listings of activities and status. A new section was added for library comments, and two additional functions, reference and materials booking, were included in the survey. Finally, the data base format was modified to create a more readable presentation of vendors. The Inventory was developed in 1984 in response to the needs of ARL library directors requesting timely, comparable information about the extent and nature of automation within the research library community. The purpose of the resulting data base is to report aggregate trends, as well as to aid in planning and other management purposes. Over the past two years, the Inventory has been used in developing budget proposals, requests for proposals, and timetables for integrating automation. Institutionally, libraries use the Inventory to seek out colleagues to contact for comparative information, to analyze trend. for research and planning efforts, to identify bellweather institutions, or to locate libraries with specific hardware and software in order to prepare RFPs or work with vendors.

In recognition that library technology is rapidly changing, the ARL office updates the Inventory on a continuing basis. Libraries may contact the office for searches which will include more current information or more specific details. There is a fee for this service. The Automation Inventory of Research Libraries 1986 (September 1986, 164 pp., ISBN 0-9l8006-52-x) is available for $40 ($20 for ARL members) , prepaid, from library distributors or from ARL/OMS. Refer to publication No. PB10. If ordering outside the U.S., add $5 for postage and handling.

[Contact: OMS Publication Department, Office of Management Studies/ARL, 1527 New Hampshire Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20036; (202) 232-2466.]

Philadelphia's last branch goes online

September 30, marked the completion of the five year automation conversion and implementation project of the Free Library of Philadelphia. The Free Library now supports 270 circulation, reference, and public access terminals on its CLSI system.

Integrated online functions include circulation, public access catalog, cataloging, and book acquisition. The Library has a data base of 853,000 titles, 3.29 million copies, and 653,000 registered patrons. Current online circulation is 4.3 million items annually and the Library prints 492,000 borrower cards, overdue notices and other patron communications on the system each year, and, in addition, management reports produced for internal distribution. The newly added book acquisitions system will be handling nearly 500,000 items acquired each year.

Conversion activity at the Free Library combined manual linking of holdings to data base records and use of "smart" or custom labels for materials in the Central Library. Retrospective conversion of its manual card files was completed in 1982 at OCLC headquarters.

The Free Library is presently working on development of a machine-readable authority file, in preparation for an enhanced online catalog, and is implementing a Perline serials control system. Film and video booking operations are expected to be automated in 1988.

University of Nevada to link campuses statewide

The University of Nevada has embarked on an ambitious plan to link the computer networks of its 14 campuses.

Under the auspices of the University of Nevada System (UNS) office, the new network will use broadband cable for local connections and T1 or microwave technology between campuses, according to Richard Belaustegui, director of systems telecommunications for UNS. The University has plans to use the network for applications such as video, security, information and research retrieval, interactive graphics and eventually, full voice communication. The plan also calls for the linking of the local automated library systems serving the northern and southern parts of the state. The network will take six years to complete.

The core of the project will be a network of broadband cabling at each of the University sites. Thus far, only two sites have installed these broadband cabling systems. Sytek Inc., Mountain View, California, has installed more than $200,000 worth of its LocalNet 230 broadband local area network at the University of Nevada-Reno (UNR) and University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV). According to Belaustegui, the other campuses have yet to choose vendors for their local area network (LAN) plans.

The project began as the result of a $60,000 UNS Board of Regents study designed to improve statewide communications for faculty, administration and students. Broadband was chosen because it offers the versatility colleges need for a growing number of applications other than data transmission.

To date, UNR has installed a 400-node LocalNet 20 network in 12 of its buildings. By May, 10 more buildings will be equipped. A 16-node LocalNet 20 pilot is currently operating at UNLV, where students are using terminals to communicate with asynchronous hosts.

According to Phil Edholm, Sytek district sales manager, the plan is a unique application. "In universities, you usually see just one system or network tied together," he said.

The college computer networks are already joined with terminal switching equipment and twisted-pair cabling from Gandalf Data Inc., which was installed in the late l960s. Mainframes between campuses communicate using a direct leased line because the Candalf equipment is limited to transmission speeds of 9.6 KB per second. This equipment will be slowly phased out. The replacing Sytek products are capable of speeds up to 19.2 12 per second. With broadband cable. the university will be able to add new services on each campus without installing additional cable locally.

"We had no trouble with Gandalf," Belaustegui said. "But we wanted to jump into some new technology that would give us five to 10 years of capability. We don't see any hard and fast standards in LANs, but we wanted to support a common design."

The Sytek network is only one aspect of the broadband functions, but a good starting point, he said. UNR is using a broadband channel to provide campus security by attaching surveillance cameras and other security apparatus to the cable. The recommendation by UNS will prompt each campus to convert from twisted pair to broadband cable and install LANs as part of the plan. Each site must pay for its own installation, and it will take time to convince each to start the project. "There's no opposition to the broadband plan," Belaustegui said. "But for each campus it's a matter of priority."

UNS still has to choose a transmission scheme to carry signals between campuses. Belaustegui explained that UNS may either select T1 or microwave, but that the prices still must be negotiated. UNS also has not determined who will pay for the link between campuses. Once this is decided, the final phase of the project will be to educate each campus on what applications can bc used with broadband cable.

Change in field 010 for marc distribution service-name authorities

LC soon will be making several changes to the way it distributes field 010 (LC Authority Record Control Number) in the MARC Distribution Service--Name Authorities subscription service. These changes involve the following:

Subfield #a (LC authority record control number) no longer will always be present in the field. In most instances it will be present only if it was input in a Name Authority Cooperative (NACO) record contributed to LC via the Linked Systems Project.

Data in subfields #a and #z (cancelled,' invalid LC authority record control number) will be structured so that they conform with LC practice in the 001 field. Each number will have the prefix left justified with blank fill, the serial number right justified with zero fill, and no hyphen. Each number will end with a trailing blank.

With these changes, LC's handling of field 010 in name authority and subject authority records will be the same.

[Contact: Customer Services Section, Cataloging Distribution Service, Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20541; (202) 287-6171.]

NOTIS and Faxon announce new user interfaces

NOTIS and The Faxon Company have announced a series of cooperative efforts to facilitate the exchange of ordering, invoice, and claims information. The new services will electronically link users of the NOTIS acquisitions/fund accounting system with Faxon's LINX network. A tape interface will allow Faxon subscription invoicing information to be loaded directly into NOTIS's acquisition system for local manipulation, eliminating redundant posting of large serial invoice. In addition, NOTIS users will be able to transmit electronically their order and claim information into Faxon's LINX network and directly to publishers who participate in Faxon's PUBLINX service. Libraries will benefit from speedier processing, as well as having immediate access to information about the current status of their orders and claims.

[Contact: Mary Ellen Clapper, Manager, Library/vendor Interface Services, F.W. Faxon Co., 15 Southwest Park, Westwood, MA 02090; (800) 225-6055.]

MicroLinx successfully tested on WLN

The Western Library Network (WLN) has tested Faxon's serials control MicroLinx system in its member libraries. After testing and evaluation by staff members, WLN pronounced the MicroLinx system both easy to learn and efficient, thus apparently meeting the criteria that the network had established for serials checkin systems. Access is via the WLN-PC, a modified IBM-PC, which has a special keyboard and which supports 640 KB memory expansion and either 10 or 20 MB disk drives. The micro can act both as a bibliographic terminal accessing the WIN network and as a standalone microcomputer for a number of library activities. Two member libraries already have begun MicroLinx check-in installation. During testing it was determined that WLN's MARC serials records can be downloaded automatically into MicroLinx files using Faxon's MicroLinx Bibliographic Interface software.

In a related development, Faxon and WIN have tested dial-up access (using a WLN-PC) to Faxon's DataLinx data base. Plans for future development include testing the capability of transmitting DataLinx information to Microtinx files on a WLN-PC.

[Contact: Bruce Zeigman, Western Library Network, Washington State Library, Mail Stop AJ-11, Olympia, WA 98504; (206) 459- 6538.]

Key caps for sale

A common problem with terminal keyboards is that the characters on the keys do not reflect what the keys actually do. Inexpensive stick-on labels quickly wear off. One solution is purchasing a kit of both die-cut plastic overlays cut to the size of the key tops and rub-on letters. Such kits, offered by Hoolean Corporation, supplies keys for IBM, DEC and Apple equipment, and applications including emulations, word processing, accounting/ spreadsheets, non-English language and more. Customizing is available. The cost of the kits is a function of the keyboard, but prices range from $20-$30 generally.

[Contact: Hoolean Corporation, P.O. Box 201, Cornville, AZ 86325; (602) 634-7515.]

PCSG board increases PC and PC/XT speed

Now available from the Personal Computer Support Group (PCSG) is the Breakthru 286, an expansion board that increases the throughput speed of IBM PCs and PC/XT5. The board fits into half a slot. Breakthru 286 replaces the CPU of the PC or PC/XT with an 80286 microprocessor. The 8-MHz 80286 used is faster than the 6-MHz 80286 found in the standard PC AT. Breakthru 286 also has a 16 KB of cache memory. It can cache a single byte, or an entire word, at a time. The board is priced at $595.

[Contact: Personal Computer Support Group, Dallas, TX 75229; (214) 351-0564.]

Federal Express drops ZapMail

Federal Express will discontinue its ZapMail facsimile service in mid-November 1986 after investing more than $340 million in the program. The decision was made because the service remained unprofitable after two full years of operation. The company's president said the technology met every expectation, and customers were pleased, but there just were not enough customers. only 16,000 ZapMail orders were handled daily, as against more than 250,000 Overnight Letters. Federal Express had hoped to convert more than 20 percent of the Overnight Letter business to telefacsimile. Federal Express will offer the ZapMailers, specially built Nippon Electric Company (NEC) facsimile machines, to its customers at attractive prices.

Telefacsimile directory expanded

The second edition of the Directory of Telefacsimile Sites in Libraries in the U.S. and Canada, compiled by C. Lee Jones and published by the Fred Meyer Charitable Trust, is now available from CBR Consulting Services, Inc., for $11.50. Since the first edition was released last spring, the Directory has more than doubled in size from 182 sites to more than 450, and the prospect for growth continues unabated. The Directory is organized in a slightly different fashion in this edition, still alphabetically by state, but then alphabetically by institution within each state. Three indexes have been added: one by state and city, including institution and fax number; one by institution, including fax phone number, contact person and contact phone number; and one by fax phone number. Some of these index entries provide less useful information than the full entry itself.

According to the editor, the Directory will no longer by supported by the Fred Meyer Charitable Trust since the technology is now well enough established for future publication through normal publishing channels. The compiler intends to continue publishing the Directory at relatively frequent intervals and would appreciate updated information, new data, etc.

[Contact: CBR Consulting Services, Inc., P.O. Box 248, Buchanan Dam, TX 78609-0248.

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