LDAP and client data

[Karen Harker]

I'm just starting to investigate the potential role of LDAP in managing
client data. I would like to know opinions and experiences with using
LDAP in some form or fashion to help manage information about individual
clients.  The problem needing addressed is that we have many
repositories of client data, each used for a specific process or service
(i.e. ILS (circulate books), ILL (manage ILL requests), accounting
system (manage fees), etc.).  

With what little I've learned, I envision LDAP would be the central
repository of basic client data (i.e. name, barcode, phone number,
etc.). It could then be tapped by other systems which would use it for
system-specific tasks.  

Is this a reasonable application of LDAP?  Am I missing some vital
constraint/limitation?  Have others been doing this for years?

Thanks for your input.



Karen R. Harker, MLS
UT Southwestern Medical Library
5323 Harry Hines Blvd.
Dallas, TX  75390-9049
214-648-8946
http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/library/