WorldCat Local at the Univ. of Washington Libraries
- “...The new search catalog, WorldCat, is AMAZING compared to the old University of Washington library search. It's one of those things I wished we had, and then, all the sudden, it was there. Bravo!"—User, quoted in LTR 44:6, p. 39
"The impact on delivery has been impressive, with users requesting and getting far more materials than when we had separate silos for discovery and delivery," states the Abstract in the sixth issue of Library Technology Reports this year, "WorldCat Local at the University of Washington."
Written by three UW librarians who were integral to the WorldCat Local project at UW Libraries—Jennifer Ward, Pam Mofjeld, and Steve Shadle—this LTR issue provides an overview of the UW Libraries' WorldCat Local development, usability testing methods and exercises, and implementation.
August 2008
In Smart Libraries Newsletter This MonthLibrary systems: Into the great, wide open...
The last few months, open-source software — and how various library systems are migrating to using it for library systems and services — has garnered front-page coverage in SLN.
In August, Marshall Breeding reports on how one proprietary product developer and library vendor, Ex Libris, is utilizing an open application approach — within proprietary products — to provide an option for libraries without open-source software programming and development tools and resources.
"This arms races of openness benefits libraries to the extent that it results in more options and flexibility in their automation strategies," states Breeding. "The open-source movement and programs such as Ex Libris' open platform strategy provide competing alternatives with similar goals."
Read more in “Ex Libris Sets Strategic Course on Open Systems” by Breeding this month's issue of Smart Libraries Newsletter.
Also in SLN in August by Tom Peters
- "ChiliFresh Adds Reader Reviews to Your Online Catalog"
- A Look into "Look Lively," Google's public beta version of its 3-D virtual world launched in July
