Comments on: The impending demise of the local OPAC http://litablog.org/2006/10/the-impending-demise-of-the-local-opac/ Library and Information Technology Association Wed, 09 May 2012 13:58:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Jeffrey Beall http://litablog.org/2006/10/the-impending-demise-of-the-local-opac/comment-page-1/#comment-25615 Jeffrey Beall Fri, 03 Nov 2006 20:14:57 +0000 http://litablog.org/2006/10/28/the-impending-demise-of-the-local-opac/#comment-25615 I think it's important to point out that the author, who wants libraries to abandon their OPACs and replace them with OCLC's WorldCat Beta, serves on the OCLC Member's Council. People who predict the future will happen in a certain way have an interest in it happening that way, and this case is no different. There is no "impending demise of the OPAC." OPACs still fulfill a vital needs for libraries. They are not perfect, but they are much better than WorldCat (the Web version), which is plagued by dirty data, duplicate records, and primitive search functionality. Libraries have individually invested many millions of dollars in their print, non-print, and online collections. These collections are worthy of an effective, locally-managed discovery tool. Today's OPACs meet this need sufficiently well. I think it’s important to point out that the author, who wants libraries to abandon their OPACs and replace them with OCLC’s WorldCat Beta, serves on the OCLC Member’s Council. People who predict the future will happen in a certain way have an interest in it happening that way, and this case is no different.

There is no “impending demise of the OPAC.” OPACs still fulfill a vital needs for libraries. They are not perfect, but they are much better than WorldCat (the Web version), which is plagued by dirty data, duplicate records, and primitive search functionality. Libraries have individually invested many millions of dollars in their print, non-print, and online collections. These collections are worthy of an effective, locally-managed discovery tool. Today’s OPACs meet this need sufficiently well.

]]> By: LITA Blog » Blog Archive » Putting All The Pieces Together - Cyberinfrastructure http://litablog.org/2006/10/the-impending-demise-of-the-local-opac/comment-page-1/#comment-25163 LITA Blog » Blog Archive » Putting All The Pieces Together - Cyberinfrastructure Sat, 28 Oct 2006 21:55:53 +0000 http://litablog.org/2006/10/28/the-impending-demise-of-the-local-opac/#comment-25163 [...] An example of this mindset in action might be collaborating statewide on agreed metadata, or consortium catalogs. I felt like a lot of this session tied back into yesterday’s Death of the OPAC topic. It also fits well with the basic idea of economies of scale. [...] [...] An example of this mindset in action might be collaborating statewide on agreed metadata, or consortium catalogs. I felt like a lot of this session tied back into yesterday’s Death of the OPAC topic. It also fits well with the basic idea of economies of scale. [...]

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