Dertouzos on future libraries

[Stephen Bero]

I would like to jump on Joe Schallen's rantwagon concerning the dis-ease of
the user interfaces we are providing our patrons (not to mention our
staff).  Perhaps this issue is the seed of a thread that should sprout on
the diglibns list.

Bill Drew, I understand the solution provided by the Z39.50 protocol in
searching, say, bibliographic databases within the client/server
architecture of the Internet.  I can't see that protocol as a practical
application to various locally networked CD-ROMs, which I read as an
important point of Joe's and Diane Lewis's rant.

And will the coming browser-type interface, as exemplified by the latest
version of MS Internet Explorer, obviate many of these concerns?

Stephen P. Bero
Reference and Technology Resources Librarian
Rolling Meadows Library
3110 Martin Lane
Rolling Meadows, Illinois 60008-2698
Vox 847-259-6050 ext.137
FAX 847-259-5319
WWW http://www.rolling-meadows.lib.il.us/