Library Technology Guides

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Volume 9 Number 12 (December 1989)

The importance of recording standard numbers in local library data bases

Although often regarded as of limited importance in local library system data bases, standard numbers such as LCCNs and ISBNs assume great significance when a local data base is combined with other files of machine-readable bibliographic records. Standard numbers provide convenient keys for the rapid and inexpensive matching and combination of records from different files. When available in local system records, OCLC control numbers also can serve as unique record identifiers and match points.

In any MARC formatted record, the ISBN, if present, will appear in field 020. Such a categorical statement cannot be made with regard to the LCCN, which is actually the library of Congress' "local" system control number. It is recorded in field 001 (the local control number field) in MARC records from the Library of Congress and often appears in this field in IC MARC derived files and products distributed by vendors such as BiblioFile and Marcive. In most other systems the LCCN is recorded in field 010, with 001 reserved for the control number assigned to the record in that system. For example, in the OCLC Online System the OCLC control number is the "local" record control number and, as such, is recorded in 001. When OCLC records are transferred to non-OCLC systems, such as a local library system, the OCLC control number should be retained so that it is available for use in future file matching operations. It is usually moved to the 035 field.

If speed and economy are to be maximized in file matching and combination, it is not enough to record the appropriate control number in the appropriate field; the numbers must be recorded in a consistent format.

Some automated systems enforce formatting consistency by providing input validation routines that alert the operator to an incorrectly formatted number and prevent it from being added to the data base, or automatically reformat the number once it has been keyed. A record from a cataloging support system may be modified on that system or it can be transferred directly to the local system and edited on that system. System support varies with the approach chosen. For instance, if LCCN data is keyed into a 001 field on BiblioFile, the format in which the data is entered is checked and adjusted if necessary. No such support is provided for data keyed into the 010 field of a BiblioFile record, and few local library systems provide data or format validation for any standard number fields. Other cataloging support systems-- GRC's LaserQuest, Gaylord's SuperCat, Utlas' CD-CATSS, etc.--offer different capabilities, as do different automated library systems. However, most automated systems neither check nor manipulate input data, they accept whatever is keyed, and output it unchanged.

Capabilities can also vary according to the system parameters activated by a library. For instance, some libraries that use Bibliophile to feed records into their local automated library systems have complained that the BiblioFile-local system interface does not operate correctly, failing to move ICON data from the 001 field of the BiblioFile record to the 010 field of the local system record. The interface does, in fact, support such a transfer, but the parameters that control the operation are governed by the set-up procedures on BiblioFile.

The standard number(s) in a record must be the numbers that relate to the piece described in the record. It is not uncommon to search for a record for an item and fail to locate an exact match, but come up with a record for a similar item--such as the same work in a different edition. And it is reasonable to use this record as the template from which to derive "original" cataloging. However, in doing so, the control numbers in the record must be changed to those that apply to the item in hand. When the ISBN or ICON for the item cannot be ascertained, these fields should be deleted from the record, as should any OCLC number. Failure to change or delete these numbers will result in invalid record matches in later file combinations.

Appropriate and consistent formatting conventions must be followed if the numbers are to be readily available for machine manipulation and matching. It is not sufficient to key control number data as it appears on the piece in hand. The formatting conventions described in this discussion are those that OCLC requires for tapes submitted for matching against the Online Union Catalog. These requirements are less flexible than those of other tape processing services, and they differ from those suggested by some local automated system vendors. Therefore, records containing standard numbers formatted according to the OCLC guidelines can be readily processed by other services, and can be accommodated in all local automated systems t support the MARC format. Local system vendors' data recording guidelines focus on formatting data for relatively narrow local applications.

The best source of detailed information about recording standard numbers is that provided in the OCLC Tape Loading Guide.

CoBIT marketing TLM

CoBIT (the Council for Bibliographic and Information Technologies), a non-profit corporation, has been formed to market the TLM (The Library Machine) software previously supported by OHIONET, the OCLC-affiliated regional library network in the state of Ohio. The library members of CoBIT negotiated a separation of TLM from OHIONET, so that marketing efforts could be undertaken on a scale larger than statewide.

Former OHIONET staff who worked on the TLM program are now employed by CoBIT, and are continuing their development and software maintenance responsibilities.

TIM is a local library system offering circulation, online catalog, technical services, acquisitions, and serial control modules. TLM runs on Data General Corporation hardware under DC's proprietary AOS/VS operating system.

TLM is currently online at two large metropolitan library systems in Ohio: the Akron-Summit County Public Library with over 200 terminals online running circulation and the online catalog; and the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, with an annual circulation of about five million items. TLM is also running at several smaller libraries in the state.

[Contact: CoBIT, 1500 West Lane Avenue, Columbus, OH 43221; (614) 486-2966.]

Gaylord Information Systems expands

Gaylord Brothers has announced a major expansion of its Information Systems Division. In response to recent sales of its new integrated library system--Galaxy--Gaylord Information Systems has added several experienced library automation professionals to its staff: Charles Farley, a veteran of well over a decade at CLSI, will head its sales and marketing efforts and Sandy Schulman, also formerly of CLSI, will be the Gaylord Information Systems' representative in Philadelphia serving the northeast area. Gaylord also has added two library professionals to its Galaxy support team to keep up with the increasing consulting and training demands necessitated by the new product's sales: Alastair Cameron and Kathryn Palladino.

Since the commencement of limited test marketing this summer, nine Galaxy systems have been selected by libraries of various sizes and types throughout the country. The system complements Gaylord's CD-ROM cataloging system, SuperCAT, introduced last year. SuperCAT has 160 subscribers.

Galaxy uses Digital Equipment Corporation's smallest VAX computer, the 3100. The initial modules will include cataloging, circulation and patron access catalog. Acquisitions and serials control are planned for future releases. The product will be marketed to small and medium size libraries. Sales will include not only hardware and software, but also a complete service and support program, including custom conversion and consulting services, as well as several flexible long-term payment programs. Gaylord Information Systems also is looking for regional distributors as a way of reducing the cost of selling systems which may be priced at as low as $40,000.

[Contact: Gaylord Brothers, Box 4901, Syracuse, NY 13221-4901; (315) 457-5070.]

TINLIB comes to U.S.

Information Made Easy, Ltd. (IME), a British company, has begun marketing its TINlib library automation product in the United States. The complete package includes bibliographic control, acquisitions, serials control, circulation, interlibrary loan, and patron access catalog modules.

Two operating systems are offered, MS-DOS for the single user or up to six devices in a network, and UNIX for larger hardware platforms supporting more than six concurrent users. TINlib uses a proprietary data base management system. The special library market appears to be its initial target. Both turnkey and software only sales will be sought.

TINlib appears to have functionality superior to most PC-based products. The MARC format is supported, and there is online authority control. An OCLC interface is available. The modules are completely integrated, free-text keyword searching, Boolean searching, and word truncation are supported. Sets may be saved, manipulated or subsearched. The menus can be overridden, and the system includes a report generator. SDI (selective dissemination of information) facilities also are included.

Over 500 installations have been made in Europe, with nearly 100 in the U.K. and over 100 in Italy. The planned U.S. price is approximately $15,000 to $25,000 for all modules, depending on the hardware platform. A North American help desk is planned. On-site training will be available.

[Contact: IME, 23 Patten Drive, Little Compton, RI 02837; (401) 635-8398.]

Table of contents access to OPAC

Indiana University of Pennsylvania has been awarded a $40,000 grant to develop a computer-based system for browsing online public access catalogs that would provide better subject access to the collection. The basis for the system is the enrichment of the MARC record by the addition of terms taken from the table of contents of a book. As books are cataloged, these terms are compiled into a thesaurus (as well as being added to the record), which is thus being constantly updated and reflects current usage of terminology in the subject. The terms serve as keywords that are linked to the subject headings and the classification number assigned to the book. This linkage provides a syndetic structure that greatly expands the user's awareness of what subject headings are considered to be related to the initial search term.

The proposed system enables browsing and term selection by displaying relevant portions of the thesaurus in the form of maps that show the links among the natural language terms of the thesaurus, the LC subject headings (LCSH), and the LC classification numbers. The classification numbers provide a formal structure for organizing the information, while the LCSH terms enable the user to perceive real differences in focus and purpose of books in a specific classification number. The table of contents terms provide a current usage point of entry that is linked to the controlled vocabulary of the subject headings. These "maps" of a subject heading offer a means of quickly eliminating irrelevant bodies of material.

The principal investigators, a librarian and a professor of computer science, have already developed a small prototype of the online browser with subject and classification maps. This project will scale up the system in order to estimate the complexity involved in a full-size library system and to develop strategies for dealing with large numbers of links (cross references) among records.

OCLC annual report released

OCLC experienced a year of healthy growth according to its 1989/90 Annual Report released last month. The number of participating libraries rose from 9,400 to 10,384, and the number of terminals increased from 8,481 to 10,421. Revenues climbed by 11 percent ($9.4 million) to $94,816 ,500.

Online cataloging activity increased only slightly from 21.9 to 22.1 million. However, OCLC's interlibrary loan activity increased by more than 13 percent, from just under 3.8 to nearly 4.3 million. At the end of 1988/89, there were 80 union lists involving 7,300 libraries and 30 GAC (group access capability) programs involv-ing 3,500 libraries. While more than 100 ACQ350 and SC350 systems were sold during the year, only three LS/2000 systems were sold. Card production dropped by 9 million cards to 106 million.

Cataloging costs

The Editors recently received a letter stating that the $3.00 per title cost-of-cataloging-on-a-bibliographic-utility estimate, that we quote from time to time, is much too high. To support this claim, the writer pointed out that the cost with RLIN is much lower since there are no first-time-use or downloading charges and the cost of searching is only $.55 to $.78 per search. Unfortunately, the writer is wearing blinders. In order to accurately estimate the true cost, a library must look at much more than merely the cost of the search. In the case of RLIN, for example, users must amortize the start-up costs (typically $6,500 to $8,150), include annual fixed costs such as network membership and access fees, equipment maintenance, and telephone line charges (typically $3,180 to $3,440 per year) and add search charges (typically $2.17 to $2.31 per title cataloged since the average copy cataloging transaction requires 2.25 search commands). William Saffady's study of cataloging support system costs (Library Technology Reports, July-August 1989) released this past month documents that the cost of RLIN is a minimum of $3.31 per title plus local labor costs (estimated at $7.28 per title). We noted with interest that while the $3.31 figure compares favorably with those for other bibliographic utilities, it is ten percent higher than the estimate figure we have been using. Saffady's study reminds us once again to approach unusually low cost figures with great caution. If there were a way to catalog a title using a bibliographic utility for substantially less than $3.00, we would be able to make the same cataloging support system recommendation to almost all libraries.

MARC licensing update

The Library of Congress apparently will take time to review its plan to license the MARC data base effective January 1, 1990. While the initial press release issued by LC focused on the reuse of MARC records by foreign vendors and libraries, OCLC estimated that its domestic reusers alone might be required to pay more than $6 million a year in fees. The subsequent storm of protest from domestic reusers throughout the country apparently was the key to the Library's decision to reconsider. It is not clear whether LC will introduce a modified program or will let the idea quietly die.

Meanwhile, for calendar 1990, the Cataloging Distribution Service will be announcing across-the-board price increases in the MARC services to cover the Library's costs plus 10 percent as mandated by Congress.

ISDN explained

We have been asked why we don't report on progress being made in ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) The simple answer is that while the technology is established, its implementation will take a long time to realize--probably the late 1990s for most potential users. ISDN is an international network architecture for voice and data communications that can provide a number of services over a single transmission path. Instead of separate voice, fax, and data circuits between an organization and a telco's central office, a single circuit would handle all types of transmissions concurrently. Multiple circuits would be required only for organizations with activity levels high enough to require the additional capacity.

Despite its name, ISDN is not a network. Rather, it is a concept built on a series of standards for interconnecting digital equipment. The concept is multilayered and fits within the third (network) layer of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model. The standards call for two voice and one data circuit over a single wire heretofore used only for a single voice circuit or voice-grade data circuit. Digitizing all of the transmissions eliminates the need to have separate circuits for separate tasks. Not only would the analog switches be replaced with digital switches, but the devices connected to the circuits would be digital. Digitizing voice as well as data transmission will increase the capacity of each circuit and will dramatically improve quality.

Despite the fact that telcos have been replacing analog switches with digital switches, and that they have made a number of pilot installations of ISDN, progress is slow because the standards are not yet complete, numerous vendors have to support the standards for ISDN to work, and the huge capital investment required to upgrade telephone switches will have to be spread over an entire decade.

While in theory ISDN will simplify the use and management of multiple communication services and reduce communication costs, telephone company rates for ISDN circuits may have to be 50 percent higher than the cost of regular circuits for several years in order to recover the capital investment required. Users will have to replace existing equipment or install conversion devices to achieve compatibility with ISDN. Non-residential users that require multiple circuits because of their large transmission requirements will have to install digital PBXs (Private Branch Exchanges).

In the long term ISDN promises greater quality, reliability, and flexibility. It will be a reality by the end of the century for most libraries. However, for the next few years, it will be just one more technology for most of us to watch. Only those planning to make a major investment in customer premises equipment need to investigate further now so that what they install will be able to accommodate ISDN when it becomes a reality.

PreMARC being upgraded

The Library of Congress has launched an ambitious program to upgrade its PreMARC data base, the records that represent materials not included in the MARC program begun in 1968. PreMARC began with a proposal in 1977 by University Microfilms International and Carrollton Press to microfilm LC's shelflist and produce marketable product; however, the resulting publication was not a commercial success. As a consequence, in 1979 Carrollton Press announced plans to supplement the microform shelflist with a print title index generated from available full-MARC records and from partial non-MARC records to be converted into machine-readable form by Carrollton. Under a subsequent agreement, raw machine-readable data provided by Carrollton was processed through LC's format recognition software to add content designation (tags, indicators, and subfielding) to each record. The effort resulted in the loading of approximately 4.2 million formatted records into LC's PreMARC file, with copies supplied to Carrollton for commercial distribution under the trade name REMARC. While there were no limitations on internal use of the data, external distribution by LC was limited to 15,000 PreMARC records per year until the year 2005. In 1983, Carrollton provided 500,000 additional records, this time without redistribution restrictions, bringing the data base up to 4.7 million.

PreMARC has become a primary file for accessing the Library's older collections. It contains non-MARC entries for books, serials, maps, atlases, music, and sound recordings cataloged through 1983; the unclassified law collection; and film-strips and motion pictures cataloged from 1952 to 1968. There are, however, a considerable number of errors in PreMARC records which seriously affect retrieval. In addition, Carrollton did not convert some 90,000 records because the input source, their microform shelf list product, was illegible.

In 1988, IC undertook an evaluation of the PreMARC file to determine what would need to be done to upgrade it. A three-pronged approach to upgrading the PreMARC file subsequently was approved. This strategy included the following actions:

1. Perform file maintenance at the record level, adding the 90,000 records from legible entries in the Library's Official Catalog and deleting approximately 38,000 readily identifiable duplicate records.
2. In the short term, correct the most serious errors in content designation, call numbers, card numbers, and forms of headings.
3. Over the long term, upgrade each record by systematically comparing the PreMARC file entry and the Official Catalog, validating the data and enhancing it as needed. Name headings would be validated but not be changed to reflect AACR2 form. Subject added entries would be validated and in general would reflect the forms found in the ninth edition of Library of Congress Subject Headings.

LC put the PreMARC input/update application into operation in 1988, enabling staff to input new records and edit existing records on the PreMARC file online. The PreMARC file upgrade is expected to continue for at least 16 years. The result should be a file which is adequate for both cataloging and reference purposes. If all goes as planned, it will become available for distribution after 2005.

Fax trends

Fax machine sales are expected to total some $2 billion this year. An industry that big stimulates "industry watching." The consensus among those watching fax is that within three years, plain paper machines will displace the other types, and within five years, transmission speeds will increase by as much as 100 percent, resolution will improve, and color fax will become available.

California fax grants

The California State Library has awarded grants to 93 libraries to purchase telefacsimile machines. The awards are contingent on the recipients agreeing to share resources by fax without charge for a period of at least one year. The State Library also will supply a directory of all of the institutions installing fax equipment. The more than $235,000 required to underwrite the program comes from LSCA Title III funds.

Videotex continues to struggle

Despite the major investments computer companies, publishers, and telephone companies have made in videotex, the results of pilot projects continue to be discouraging. The latest to drop out is Pacific Telesis Group. The company has announced that it is abandoning plans for a videotex gateway in San Francisco because the number of customers with PCs and modems, and the number of potential information providers, is too small to justify the investment and therefore is unlikely to generate a profit.

CD-ROM software market continues to grow

CD-ROM revenues continue to grow, with projections for 1989 sales of readers and CD-ROM publications expected to reach over $637 million or approximately double those of 1988. Some 300,000 readers are expected to be sold in 1989, bringing the total to 471,000 worldwide, of which 211,000 are used to retrieve commercially published information. The estimated number of titles inprint exceeds 300. Another 300 titles not included in this figure have been produced primarily for in-house use.

Revenues are expected to increase by another 85 percent in 1990, with approximately three-fourths of the revenue from CD-ROM publications and one-fourth from readers. The figures are based on surveying done by InfoTech, a market research firm, and published in a report entitled Optical Publishing Industry Assessment 2--CD-ROM 1986-90. The 1989 edition of the Industry Assessment is available now, and is priced at $300.

[Contact: Optical Publishing Association, 1880 MacKenzie Drive, Suite 111, Columbus, OH 43220; (614) 442-1955.]

Automated compact storage system planned

The California State University at Northridge has launched a $16 million project to expand its existing library. One of the prominent features of the addition will be an automated storage and retrieval system named Leviathan II. The system will store some 950,000 volumes in bins along six long aisles. When a patron requests a book at a computer terminal, a mechanical retrieval device will bring the appropriate bin to a workstation at a public service desk where staff will sign the wanted material out to the patron. The Library plans to store up to half of its collection in Leviathan II. If successful, the system may be replicated at other California State campuses. Plans are to use the Geac system already installed in the Library as the patron access device. While the mechanical portions of the system are similar to those installed in Europe, the interface with a local library system's patron access catalog is believed to be unique.

CLSI to sponsor Negroponte presentation

CLSI, Inc., has announced the fourth in its series of technology forums addressing key issues and future trends in information science and management. The seminar, "Information Technology in the 1990s," is scheduled for the Midwinter conference of the American Library Association (ALA), January 8, 1990, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., in Chicago and will feature Nicholas Negroponte, noted futurist and Professor of Media Technology and Director of the Media Laboratory at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Negroponte will discuss the direction technology will take in this century's last decade and its impact on the library community.

CLSI's forum is open to all conference attendees. For information about the exact location, stop by the CLSI booth.

[Contact: CLSI, Inc., 320 Nevada Street, Newtonville, MA 02160; (617) 965-6310.]

SLA to meet in Pittsburgh

The theme for the Special Library Association's 1990 Conference will be "The Information Professional: An Unparalleled Resource." The emphasis will be the role of the information professional in an expanding technological world. The Conference will be held in Pittsburgh from June 9-14, 1990. Advance registration fees are $115 for members and $140 for non-members.

[Contact: Special Libraries Association, 1700 Eighteenth Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20009; (202) 234-4700.]

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