Provides current descriptions of some of the major directories that link to library catalogs on the World Wide Web. Highlights include LibWeb; Hytelnet; WebCats; WWW Library Directory; and techniques for finding new library OPAC (online public access catalog) directories. (LRW)

Asserts that despite growing awareness of frontline public service concerns in accommodating Spanish speakers, little care is invested in the technical processing side of the library's responsibility to Spanish speakers. Examines the usefulness and accessibility of online public access catalogs for monolingual Spanish readers, focusing on records…

This third in a series of research reports on the topic of bibliographic relationships highlights linking devices used in library catalogs that connect bibliographic records for related items. Devices examined include catalog entries, i.e., main entry headings, analytical entries, cross-references, and added entries; uniform titles; and other…

Describes minimal-level, or provisional, authority records that are constructed from headings in bibliographic records as part of a computer validation process. Two types of references that can be generated automatically for authority records are explained: (1) those based on other data in the bibliographic record, and (2) those derived from the…

This experiment searches an online library catalog employing author surnames, plus one or two title words of books in citations of eight scholarly works whose authors selected the title words as being recallable. Results of searches yielded a single-screen miniature catalog (minicat) 99% of the time. (Author/LRW)

Describes a study that examined the feasibility of using machine links in an online catalog based on the presence of an OCLC control number, International Standard Serial Number (ISSN), or Library of Congress control number (LCCN) to link successive-entry serial bibliographic records that result from serial title changes. (Contains nine…

Discusses MARC records and describes a HyperCard script that translates MARC records from a communications format into an easy-to-read tagged format. An appendix lists a script from a HyperCard program called "The MARC Reader," and it is suggested that it could represent the beginning of an automated catalog. (two references) (LRW)

Considers the value of information contained within a library's online public access catalog. Assesses the value of MARC records; authority records; indexes; location and status information; and value for an individual. (LRW)

Discusses the need for accurate documentation of museum holdings and the feasibility of using online library catalogs as models for automated cataloging in museums. The description of museum computer projects covers problems that have impeded automation in the past and the current status of several projects. (34 references) (CLB)

Describes resources available through INTERNET that are of interest to librarians, including electronic newsletters and serials, online library catalogs, bulletin boards, remote access to software or text files, utilities to help navigate the network, sources for learning more about the INTERNET, discussion list guides, and INTERNET library…

Discusses cataloging methods for online catalogs concerning the retrieval of works contained in collections and anthologies. Contents notes, separate added entries for each item, and the use of analytics are considered, and it is suggested that the use of analytics may be the best solution. (Author/LRW)

There are several ways to connect to library catalogs on the Internet: telneting, links via home pages, and online directories. This article discusses Hytelnet and Libgopher, online directories which list available catalogs and make telnet connections to them. Hytelnet is a good resource for OPAC statistics and Libgopher provides keyword…

Discussion of online help systems in online public access catalogs (OPACs) focuses on a study that evaluated the online help system for the NOTIS (Northwestern Online Total Integrated System) OPAC. Features of the system reviewed include online functions; training features; general interface features; access points; and message content and display…

Discusses the composition of bibliographic record displays and their impact on library catalog use, and describes a study of 38 MARC fields and subfields in 122 Web-based catalogs to determine whether they are included in default single-record displays. Suggests directions for future research. (Author/LRW)

Discusses the concept of main entry in MARC bibliographic records based on the definition in the revised second edition of the "Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules." Access points versus entries are considered; differences between card catalog and online catalog environments are examined; and primary access is suggested as an appropriate…