web interfaces to bibliographic databases-discussion forum at ALA in NY

[PRESTOLA at jmu.edu]

The MARS Local Systems and Services Committee is sponsoring an
open forum discussion at ALA on web interfaces to bibliographic databases,
primarily focusing on indexing/abstracting services and online catalogs. 
The discussion will be held:

SATURDAY,  JULY 5 
11:30am - 12:30pm
Crowne Plaza 407

Please join us!  We also encourage vendor representatives to attend. 
Following is a list of URLs for several online catalog and
indexing/abstracting service sites that we encourage you to browse. 
Even if you don't join us, you may find these sites helpful in evaluating
products and services.  A web page with these sites (and new products as
they are developed) will be available shortly at the Local Systems and
Services homepage at:   http://www.fcla.ufl.edu/RASD/local.html 

ONLINE PUBLIC ACCESS CATALOGS (OPACs)

Peter Scott and Doug Macdonald of the University of Saskatchewan have put
together an excellent guide to web-based online catalogs called "webCATS:
Library Catalogues on the World Wide Web" at:
                http://library.usask.ca/hywebcat/    

Here is a partial list of web-based OPAC vendors that have websites with
information on their product and in many cases, links to libraries using
 their web catalog:

INNOPAC's WebPAC                 
           http://www.iii.com/screens/opacintro.html
DRA's DRA Web                                               
           http://www.dra.com/products/draweb/draweb.HTM
VTLS' Virtua-Web Gateway          
           http://www.vtls.com/gateway.html
Ameritech's WebPac         
           http://www.als.ameritech.com:80/ISC37.HTM
SIRSI's WebCat                           
           http://www.sirsi.com/webcatsites.htm
CARL Corporation's CARLweb   
           http://www.carl.org/carlweb/


INDEXING/ABSTRACTING SERVICES

Some of these companies have demo versions available at their sites as well
as general information on their web-based services. 

OCLC's FirstSearch Web:
        General information is at:                                    
                http://www.oclc.org/oclc/promo/9582fsweb/9582.htm        
        Access to NetFirst database:                                
                http://www.oclc.org/oclc/netfirst/free.htm  
Information Access Company's web version of Infotrac Searchbank  
        Information only:                                               
                http://www.iacnet.com/~lib/pressrel/alamwre.html  
CARL UnCover          
        Information and access at:                                 
                http://www.carl.org/uncover/unchome.html     
Cambridge Scientific Abstracts' IDS
        General information at:         
                http://www.csa.com/ijs-desc.html
        Demo version at:                                               
                http://www.csa.com/demo/demov2-reg.html
Ovid Technologies'Ovid Web Gateway                        
        Information and demo at:                                  
                http://preview.ovid.com/libpreview/start.cgi                       
SilverPlatter's WebSPIRS   (For ERLusers only)
        General information at:                                    
                http://www.silverplatter.com/webspirs.htm
EBSCO's EBSCOhost
        Information at:                   
                http://www.epnet.com/host.html


  
Laurie Preston, chair
RASD MARS Local Systems and Services Committee
prestola at jmu.edu