3.1015 Telnetting: responses and queries (175)

Willard McCarty (MCCARTY@vm.epas.utoronto.ca)
Wed, 7 Feb 90 20:50:05 EST

Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 3, No. 1015. Wednesday, 7 Feb 1990.


(1) Date: Tue, 6 Feb 90 22:20:18 EST (51 lines)
From: amsler@flash.bellcore.com (Robert A Amsler)
Subject: Why telnet to a distant library catalog

(2) Date: 7 February 1990 08:57:57 CST (30 lines)
From: "Michael Sperberg-McQueen 312 996-2477 -2981" <U35395@UICVM>
Subject: library conversion

(3) Date: Wed, 7 Feb 90 12:59 EST (16 lines)
From: "Tom Benson 814-238-5277" <T3B@PSUVM>
Subject: Contacting MIRLYN

(4) Date: 07 Feb 90 15:23 EST (14 lines)
From: Jim Cahalan <JMCAHAL@IUPCP6.BITNET>
Subject: Telnet how-to?

(5) Date: Wed, 7 Feb 90 12:10 EST (29 lines)
From: FMOFFETT@OBERLIN
Subject: Response to discussion group referred to me by colleague

(1) --------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 6 Feb 90 22:20:18 EST
From: amsler@flash.bellcore.com (Robert A Amsler)
Subject: Why telnet to a distant library catalog

I think I see a pattern in the responses. For some types of
searches, one finds a lot of possibly useful material--but then has
to verify its utility by looking at the works in person;
This mode of work seems to be associated with historical scholars.
And in these cases people find remote telnet access to another library's
catalog somewhat infuriating, i.e. ``I haven't got enough to do
as it is--you expect me to worry about works I can't look at now too!''

However for OTHER types of searches one can't find anything relevant
and in these cases the widest possible casting of the net (pun there)
is needed to catch whatever exists anywhere. Acquiring two or three
new works which one never knew existed isn't at all
difficult--finding out that they exist can be exceedingly difficult.
Thus remote access to a far-off library catalog with the chance of
something new being found can be very useful. This user might typify
their problem area as one in which there just aren't more than a
handful of works known or one in which there is no known book that
deals exclusively with the subject, i.e. ``Look, I think I already
know the name of every work on this topic, and it will only take
a few seconds to check, so if there is the slightest chance there is
something I don't know of I'd take it.''

Additionally, there are other uses for such a system.

(a) checking the status of a field by determining the number of
works on its subject.

(b) a check of what call numbers go along with a given subject, esp.
in another classification system than the one used in one's own
library.

(c) looking for citations to new words for building a dictionary
in the title keywords.

(d) answering quick questions about what date a work was written,
what an author's full name is, what publisher publishes works
in a given subject area.

(e) assessing the capabilities of a different library system interface
to point out to one's local computer support staff what to add or
not to do in bringing up a local system

(f) transcripting bibliographic records for other uses




(2) --------------------------------------------------------------39----
Date: 7 February 1990 08:57:57 CST
From: "Michael Sperberg-McQueen 312 996-2477 -2981" <U35395@UICVM>
Subject: library conversion

Matthew Gilmore describes a library which has closed its card catalog
without having completed a retrospective conversion of its holdings as
having done a "botched job" of automation. While I agree with Marian
Sperberg-McQueen that having to consult multiple catalogs for a single
library is a drag, this condemnation (it happens to be the library I
serve in my small way as a computer programmer) makes me a bit
defensive.

Does M.G. regard the automation process as having been botched at all
the schools which have closed their card catalogs? Many of them,
including all the really large ones I know of, have not yet completed a
retrospective conversion, and those that did closed the card catalog
long before the retrospective projects ever finished. How many research
libraries did *not* close their pre-AACR2 card catalog when they moved
to AACR2? Stanford, Princeton, the Library of Congress -- all botchers?

If closing an old catalog before it has been completely converted to a
new form is a "botched job", then clearly it is not UIC but the majority
of the Anglo-American library community which M.G. regards as having
botched things. This is not an unheard-of opinion, but it's not quite
what I heard him say.

Sorry if this sounds a bit tetchy, but MG's dig caught me fairly square
in the ribs.

Michael Sperberg-McQueen
(3) --------------------------------------------------------------24----
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 90 12:59 EST
From: "Tom Benson 814-238-5277" <T3B@PSUVM>
Subject: Contacting MIRLYN

Because I'd find it useful to consult the Wilson files on
the University of Michigan system, I tried logging on to
the MIRLYN system (at 35.1.1.6). Logging in went through
properly, but my screen filled with garbage. Local consultants
tell me that it is because I am using a VT100 emulator (YTERM)
to log on to my university's mainframe in CMS, from an IBM PC.
Does anyone know of a way to get MIRLYN to talk without this
problem? Thanks.

Tom Benson
Penn State University
T3B@PSUVM
(4) --------------------------------------------------------------21----
Date: 07 Feb 90 15:23 EST
From: Jim Cahalan <JMCAHAL@IUPCP6.BITNET>
Subject: Telnet how-to?

The several postings singing the praises of Telnet convince me that it's
worth looking into. May I bashfully ask for advice for the uninitiated?
How does one access Telnet? Can one do it from one's home computer over
BITNET? Or does one have to do it through one's home library that is
already hooked up to Telnet? Clarifications (and specific directions,
if feasible) for the layperson would be appreciated. Thanks,

Jim Cahalan, Graduate Literature <JMCAHAL@IUP.BITNET>
English Dept., 111 Leonard, Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Indiana, PA 15705-1094 Phone: (412) 357-2264
(5) --------------------------------------------------------------33----
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 90 12:10 EST
From: FMOFFETT@OBERLIN
Subject: Response to discussion group referred to me by colleague


Subject " Why do you want telnet access to library catalogues?

Marian Sperberg-McQueen largely answers her own question by speculating that
telnet access to other university catalogues extends the opportunities
offered by such databases as OCLC and RLN to verify bibliographic
information, to discover additional items, to ascertain access, and to
expedite action on interlibrary loan requests.

But what she herself describes as a "diatribe" on the subject of card
catalogs is frankly puzzling to me, and seems to reflect a locally bad
experience. I don't recognize the difficulties she describes, and suspect
she needs to spend some time schmoozing with a good reference librarian at
UIC in order to improve her search strategies. At the least she might
disabuse herself of the notion that librarians operate under some naive
illusion about how easy it is for users to search online databases
independently, that they regard "online catalogs" as nirvana (!), that by
providing access to new library search tools librarians think they have
"relieved themselves of responsibility for service," etc. etc.

Did anyone else appreciate the irony of an e-mail call for the return of the
card catalog? Wow!

William A. Moffett, Director of Libraries and President, ACRL
FMOFFETT@OBERLIN