need help on retrospective conversion and OPAC choices

Wien John & Christina 100542.2732 at compuserve.com
Mon Nov 20 17:11:50 EST 1995


I'm sure this question has popped up a hundred times, but I'm going to have to
throw it out anyway.  We're a small (20,000 volume) library with a collection of
older (late 19th-early 20th c.) books, maps and lithographs wanting to convert
our card catalog into MARC records and choose an OPAC which is user-friendly
(preferably windows based and easily put on as a web-site).  
	I contacted OCLC which told me their Microcon service would cost around
$.30 for a hit and anywhere from $1.00 to $8.00 for multiple hits or new record
entry. I haven't sent off a sample of our shelf list yet, so I don't know what
sort of hit rate they'd have but the cost seems high.  We were thinking of
making brief entries ourselves and sending them off to get the full MARC
records, but once again we don't really know the available options.   I'd like
to know of a more cost-effective bibliographic database company which might
better suit our budget (which we're not even sure what it is yet!).  I had heard
about Bibliophile(?) but couldn't find a telephone number. 
 Any input on windows based web oriented OPACs would also be most welcome as
well.
Where can I look at the archives for this list serve?
Thanks for your help!

Lost in Cybraria
John 



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