Query - State-wide Projects Like Galileo

[Thomas Dowling]

Susan Fipps wrote:
> 
> We are interested in information from those of you who may have, or are
> planning to set up a project similar to GALILEO, essentially a state-wide
> WWW access site with commercial databases (GeorgiA LIbrary LEarning
Online)
> [located at http://www.galileo.peachnet.edu].  The sites that we want to
> check out include those that:
> 
> 1.  Have a central access point for library patrons across the state or
at
>     least a large group of patrons whose use of commercial databases is
>     offered.
> 
> 2.  The commercial databases offered to the library patrons would include
>     full-text.  Some non-commercial databases are likely to be made
>     available as well.  Z39.50 to WWW gateways are likely to be a part of
the
>     project design.
> 
> 3.  Other features of such projects may include organized web pages of
links
>     to information on the web (e.g., subject heading approach).


OhioLINK is a consortium of over 50 academic library systems (all of Ohio's
state 4- and 2-year institutions, the State Library of Ohio, and a growing
number of private Ohio colleges).  We maintain a union catalog and each
member institution maintains a catalog, all using Innovative Interfaces
software; the system includes, among other things, patron-initiated
circulation across the state network.

We provide access to over 50 databases, including locally loaded databases
under Innovative and Ovid software (including Innovative's WebPAC interface
and the WebOvid WWW<-->Z39.50 gateway), remote databases from OCLC
FirstSearch and RLIN, and full text databases loaded locally under the Open
Text search engine with half-baked interfaces by Yrs Trly.  We are
currently providing remote access to the electronic journals from Academic
Press; within the year we expect to move those onsite and combine them with
the electronic journal collection from at least one other publisher.

I don't know that we have accurate, current figures, but we informally
estimate that our user population is about 500,000 people.  The OhioLINK
home page is at <URL:http://www.ohiolink.edu/>.

Thomas Dowling
Ohio Library and Information Network
tdowling at ohiolink.edu