Need help with Web - Patron "Gateway"

[Timothy Renick]

Hello,

I just found Web4Lib so please forgive me if this is an "old" or already
explained question.  I looked throught the archives and could not find what
I think I need.

What I want to set up is a Web "gateway" that resolves against a patron
database.  What this would do is when a person selects a specific link on
our homepage, a form would appear asking for a name and id #.  When the
student enters the name and id, it would resolve against our patron database
to see if they are a currently enrolled student.  I am envisioning ftping
the patron d'base from our library system and having it indexed by some
database program.  If they are currently enrolled, they would then be given
a page that has links to licensed products.  Our institution has one main
campus but also many masters degree sites across the U.S. and Europe.  This
system would allow any of our students, even from their homes, to access
products that are licensed to only the university communitee.  

I am about to receive a Windows NT server running Netscape's Web server.
Any ideas or information would be greatly appreciated.  Again, if this has
been discussed before, please point me to where I can find the info';
especially if it is basic information of this topic.

Thanks,