CPS ILL software - the virtual catalog

[Ernest Perez]

We librarians still have to deal with the nitty gritty of the print
format, for the foreseeable future. ILL has been going on for a long
time, as a labor-intensive, difficult, process. It's been expensive
primarily because of all that work. "How about if we could handle it
automagically, over the Web?" you might ask....

List readers may be interested in looking at a demonstration of the
"virtual catalog" and centralized ILL site approach now evolving within
several library groupings. This particular system uses a Web Form
frontend, and is based on software developed by the CPS Systems company.
In the U.S., the system is currently installed in the state of Maryland,
is just coming up in California's North Bay Cooperative Library System,
and a pilot system is currently being implemented in the state of
Oregon.

CPS Systems has a Web site with details of their system concept,
description of the projects, and a demonstration of the software host.
The concept is similar to the approach currently being developed by
OCLC. The CPS site at <http://www.cps-us.com/>.

The demo is not a tutorial or walk-thru; you simply use the system. 
It's only a demo site link, so don't worry about accidentally making
real requests. Enter any character string for "patron id," and go ahead
and request any items you wish to "borrow." Don't worry about executing
real transactions. You can select from 16 library OPACs available, both
Z39.50 and non-Z39.50. Expect a bit longer response time than a single
OPAC...there's a simultaneous search of all requested sites,
translation, and presentation reformatting, all going on at once.

These kind of systems should make a great impact in ILL transaction
labor and in the amount of ILL transactions. For example, consider the
amount of added "ILL" going on in today's regional systems which use a
common OPAC.

Hope this is of interest,

-ernest

Ernest Perez//Oregon State Library//perez at opac.state.or.us//503-378-4243
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Those who do not read are no better off than those who cannot read.


---------quoted from their web site---------------

"The CPS Interlibrary Loan System, Interloan, is intended to provide a
facility for all libraries in a defined region to locate items and
submit, fill, and manage item requests with another library. 

The system integrates the processes of : Item location, Requesting and
Circulation 

The item location process will be facilitated by a user interface that
allows users to issue searching requests simultaneously to multiple
OPACs. This will provide the user with an easy and effective method of
locating items in any of the regions on-line systems. The results of
the search (e.g. bibliographic data) will be automatically entered into
the item request. 

The item request process can support a variety of workflows that include
automatically generated requests as well as direct reserves placed in
Interloan also easily integrates with the check out and check in
circulation functions at both the lending and borrowing libraries to
reduce or eliminate costly and time consuming staff functions."