[Web4lib] First library gophers?

[John Fereira]

K.G. Schneider wrote:
> I'm trying to pinpoint when the first library gophers became available. I
> know gopher launched in the spring of 1991; I'm trying to construct a
> reasonable chronology for some popular library services. I looked at
> PACS-L... what a blast through the past... but really couldn't get a good
> feel for the answer. 
>   
While it wasn't the first library related gopher server we (Albert R. 
Mann Library, Cornell) had one running in 1993 to server up reports and 
datasets for the Economic Statistics Service agency of the USDA.  The 
system was updated to a web site a couple of years later and including 
one additional agency (Nass Agricultural Statistics Service), and 
shortly after the World Agricultural Outlook Board was added.

When I first started at the library I was involved in an update to the 
system, partially to convert the backend database from mSQL to the 
recently released MySQL.

A vew of years ago I developed a system for a fourth USDA agency which 
archived and distributed (via email) reports for the Agricultural 
Marketing Service.

In a few weeks I'll be releasing a new MannUsda system here which 
integrates all of the agencies reports and datasets and add historical 
reports to the archive (via scanned documents) going back as far as 
1916.  The combined patron database will migrated about 18,000 users and 
will deliver over 300,000 reports a month via email.