RE: ZNG dicussion

Hi,

I have seen some statements about what libraries need. I happen to be a 
librarian. We are using Z39.50 to give integrated access to scientific 
information sources. Some suppliers have very good Z39.50 implementations, 
some implementations are OK but don't offer the full search functionality 
that is available via their proprietary user interface and a significant 
amount of the information suppliers doesn't support Z39.50 at all. My hope 
is that ZNG will be appealing to those suppliers that don't offer Z39.50 
support (or that support Z39.50 sub-optimally).
Remember the case of the National Library of Medicine. They stopped with 
Z39.50, but replaced this with XML over HTTP (for PubMed). 

The real problem of academic libraries is that their role is overtaking by 
the publishers and other information suppliers. These third parties try to 
attrack our users to their own Web sites (libraries are only practical as 
an easy of getting money).

Thomas Place


--
Thomas W. Place (t.w.place@kub.nl)
Library, Tilburg University, PO Box 90153, 5000 LE Tilburg, the Netherlands
phone: +31 13 466 2474; fax: +31 13 466 3370; home: +31 13 4630041

Received on Friday, 28 September 2001 05:41:25 UTC