[WEB4LIB] Choosing a vendor Longish

[Bess Moffitt]

WEB4LIB I could use some advice on integrated library systems, or at least
those aspects that you deal with.
I have been mulling over this request  inspired by the question about Sirsi
Unicorn related listserv, but for a different reason.
We are current users of an older version of GLAS without a web OPAC, one of
our major reasons for upgrading or switching.

For the past several months I have been reviewing proposals for a new
integrated library system for a large private law firm.
There are many ways to gather data, such as reviews of systems in Pam
Cibarelli's articles for Computers in Libraries, etc..  The software is
constantly changing, so that older articles are quickly out of date.

I have spoken to local librarians using the software who have similar needs
to ours, and visited other libraries.

In some cases I have been able to join the listservs for user groups of
specific vendors, some inside and some outside of their sponsorship.
Although the questions asked and answered tend to be very specific, it is
helpful to get a feeling of user's attitudes.  A large outpouring of
discontent with a product gave rise to more thorough investigation on my
behalf.

I have seen numerous demos, both live and Placeware-like, I have asked
catalogers on Auto-cat, but I have not put out any feelers to WEB4LIB.

Some vendors are now at the stage of letting us use trial software.

While trying to focus on SQL based systems with full MARC compatibility, I
have gone a little off track with some good products. We want a forward
looking product in terms of the technology and the ability to integrate the
look to our library Intranet.
So the question is, does anyone have any comments or recommendations about
relevant aspects of the following products?  I would appreciate your
opinions.

My current list includes:

EOS.Web from EOS
Liberty3 from Softlink America
M2L form MINISIS
Millennium for Innovative Interfaces
SydneyPlus from ILS
Virtua from VTLS

Thanks for reading this long message. I will summarize for the list, if
there is interest.

Bess Reynolds Moffitt
Technical Services Librarian
bess.moffitt at cwt.com
Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, LLP
New York, NY








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