OPAC Review

1
OPAC Review

• Catalog functions
• Inventory and control
• Locating known items
• Discovery tool

2
Catalog as Discovery Tool

• Criticisms
• Amazon
• Google
• GoogleZon for libraries
• Aquabrowser
• Library Thing
• Scriblio (WPopac)
• WorldCat Local
• III Encore

3
Aquabrowser

• Black Gold Cooperative Library System (San Luis
  Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties)
• http//bgaqua.blackgold.org/
• Visual Search
• Faceted Browse
• Spell Check

4
Library Thing

• Recommendations
• Tags
• Ratings
• Find similar titles
• Los Gatos Public Library
• http//www.losgatosca.gov/index.asp?NID42

5
Scriblio

• Comments
• RSS
• Plymouth State University (NH)
• http//www.plymouth.edu/library/read/223702

6
WorldCat Local

• Peninsula Library System
• http//plsinfo.worldcat.org/
• Google box
• Relevance Ranking
• Faceted Browse
• FRBR

7
III Encore

• Scottsdale Public Library (AZ)
• http//encore.scottsdaleaz.gov/iii/encore/app
• Google-like box
• Faceted Browse
• Tags

8
Searching

• Keyword searching searching databases for words
  that appear anywhere in record or text
• Phrase searching keywords in specific order
• Field searching searching in specific indexes
  such as author, titles etc.
• Federated searching searching across multiple
  databases with a single search

9
Federated Searching

• http//search3.webfeat.org/sfpladvsearch.html

10
Authentication

• Links from OPAC to licensed resources must allow
  remote users to authenticate
• IP recognition proxy server
• Referring URL recognition

11
More Search Terminology

• Boolean operators Logical connectors for
  keyword searching (AND, OR, NOT)
• Metadata data that describes documents, used
  for online retrieval

12
Full-text Searching

• Does the OPAC allow full-text searching?

13
Resource Sharing

• Check local library
• Check other branches
• Check consortium partners if there are any
  consortial borrowing
• Request ILL interlibrary loan
• Take advantage of universal borrowing at a nearby
  library

14
Local Library

• How do you check your local library?
• Use the OPAC
• CCSF

15
Other Branches

• How do you check other locations or branches at
  your library?
• Use the OPAC
• How do you get the desired material delivered to
  your branch?
• Hold/Request process
• CCSF

16
Consortial Borrowing

• How do you check consortial partner libraries?
• In a shared catalog environment such as PLS, use
  the OPAC and the Request/Hold function.
• Other systems require another level of searching.
  Try Link from SFPL, an example of Direct
  Consortial Borrowing

17
Interlibrary Loan

• How do you request an ILL?
• Some libraries allow online submissions, others
  require a paper form.
• http//sfpl.org/librarylocations/main/illbookstop.
  htm
• Some libraries use an ILS ILL module
• Some libraries allow unmediated requests

18
Universal Borrowing

• California has a system of universal borrowing.
• Participating public libraries get reimbursed by
  the State for lending to California residents who
  live in other jurisdictions.
• How do you find the nearest public library with
  an item you want?
• California Libraries Catalog CalCat union
  catalog for California

19
Other Terminology

• Ariel software for document transmission,
  faster and clearer than a FAX without the phone
  call
• Consortium an organization of separate
  libraries that share resourcesor develop joint
  purchasing agreements
• Document delivery delivery of requested
  documents such as articles or book chapters

20
ILL Terms

• net lenders large libraries tend to lend more
  than they borrow
• net borrowers smaller libraries tend to borrow
  more than they lend
• Other factors
• Depth of collections
• ILL policies

21
ILL Services

• OCLC largest in the US
• WorldCat - CalCat

22
Mediation

• Unmediated saves staff time and delivers
  self-service for patrons. Parameters can be set
  to automatically reject specific classes of
  requests.
• Mediated allows more human control requires
  more staff time. Requires patron to work through
  staff.

23
Class Web Page

• http//fog.ccsf.edu/acosta/56.htm