MERLIN for the cataloguer

MERLIN is the British Library's advanced computer system. A new MARC-type format has been devised to take advantage of recent developments in computer technology. Records are split up into meaningful elements which are stored separately. Catalogue entries consist of a set of pointers pointing to the elements. MERLIN supports shared cataloguing but allows libraries to have their own private views of any element or group of elements. Standardization is easier to achieve as the structure of MERLIN is designed to make use of authority files. Automatic conversion is possible between the MERLIN format and existing formats

Professional librarianship: always preparing for the future

The Context Statement is Part One of my submission for my thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctorate in Professional Studies by Public Works. It is presented to be read in conjunction with Part Two of this submission, which contains publications which represent the public works. The Context Statement is written in line with the requirements of Middlesex University regulations for doctoral awards and the chapters are structured in relation to these requirements. The submitted works were not initially written for submission as part of a D. Prof. The Context Statement has stimulated me to bring together a description of the reflective practice which has been inherent in the development of my public works, both those selected for special treatment in Chapter 2 and those described throughout the context statement. In chapter 1 I place my work in context, beginning with my interest in libraries which then became specialised in the library automation field. In section 2, as mentioned I introduce four public works which are in the case of the first three represented by publications. Chapter 3 is a justification for the Doctorate in Professional Studies by Public Works, outlining the place of reflection and reflective practices throughout the development of these public works. In Chapter 4 I return to the themes of International Librarianship, General Librarianship, Library Automation and Standardization which permeate my public works, before drawing my conclusions on the importance not only of reflection but of innovation in my public works

Digital libraries and the future of the library profession

To argue that unique contemporary cultural shifts are leading to a new form of librarianship that can be characterised as "postmodern" in nature, and that this form of professional specialism will be increasingly influential in the decades to come

Next-Generation Field Guides

To conserve species, we must first identify them. Field researchers, land managers, educators, and citizen scientists need up-to-date and accessible tools to identify organisms, organize data, and share observations. Emerging technologies complement traditional, book-form field guides by providing users with a wealth of multimedia data. We review technical innovations of next-generation field guides, including Web-based and stand-alone applications, interactive multiple-access keys, visual-recognition software adapted to identify organisms, species checklists that can be customized to particular sites, online communities in which people share species observations, and the use of crowdsourced data to refine machine-based identification algorithms. Next-generation field guides are user friendly; permit quality control and the revision of data; are scalable to accommodate burgeoning data; protect content and privacy while allowing broad public access; and are adaptable to ever-changing platforms and browsers. These tools have great potential to engage new audiences while fostering rigorous science and an appreciation for nature.Organismic and Evolutionary Biolog

A database system for promotional literature for publishers

The aim of this thesis is to design a database system which could easily be used by a publishing company to store data concerning the products it publishes and to enable such data to be used in the regular processes of the production of lists of books and periodicals of certain promotional requirements. In our approach we have used a relational model which is based on the mathematical theory of relations. This has certain advantages over systems designed using tree or plex structures for as the database grows it will avoid causing upheaval with the logical representation of data and application programs and provides a basis for a high level retrieval language. The query language is designed to answer quickly all enquiries to the database and is based on principles and techniques developed from menu construction. The requirements of the promotional information produced by a typical publishing house are analysed and a model set up which tests the theories we have developed. In addition, the security aspect of the database has been studied and checks incorporated into the systems to ensure the authority of the personnel using the system and to provide a permanent record of all legal and illegal entries for management information

Special Libraries, Winter 1986

Volume 77, Issue 1https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/sla_sl_1986/1000/thumbnail.jp