[WEB4LIB] Re: We need an Internet Literary Database

[Roger Rayborn]

At 5:17 AM -0800 3/27/00, Matt Wilcox wrote:
>Maybe Coffman was right.  Wasn't this a big piece of his "earth's larget
>library" idea?  The "profit" motive would be for libraries to provide a
>better service to their users.  And since the users obviously like how
>amazon or barnes and noble give them more than just the basic catalog
>record, it seems like a no-brainer to me (but then people have accused me
>as being a no-brainer :)
>
>--matt
>


Haven't heard "earth's largest library" library mentioned in months.

Last I heard Steve Coffman felt that OCLC (or some other INCOLSA/BCR 
type regional system) was developing just such a "fat record" 
database.  Maybe it is time for libraries to "take back" OCLC and 
give them guidance as to what "we" want instead of them telling us 
what we want.

The new BIP is also a step towards a database of this type.  (as is 
the new Baker & Taylor product)

On the other hand, maybe this could/should have been developed in the 
non-profit world by the Library of Congress.

I suspect in the VERRRRY near future, we will see something 
approaching an "Internet Literary Database".

-- 
Roger A. Rayborn			raybornr at crpl.cedar-rapids.lib.ia.us
Computer Information Services Manager    (319) 398-5123
Cedar Rapids Public Library
500 1st St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa   52404