Re: Proposal to deprecate OPAC Record Syntax

Ashley Sanders wrote:

> > 5.Proposal to deprecate OPAC Record Syntax (102) -- Leif Andresen
>
> Shucks -- just as we are starting to use it to get real-time
> circulation info from the contributing libraries for the COPAC
> web interface.

Margaret Merrick wrote:

> >5.Proposal to deprecate OPAC Record Syntax (102) -- Leif Andresen
>
> We were also hoping to use OPAC Record Syntax to get real-time circulation
> status information for our searchable multi-cat OPAC at www.iris.ie. Our
> ILL and library staff would really like to see this information at full
> record level when they view the returned hits.
>
> What replaces OPAC Record Syntax for that specific purpose?

Thank you both for bringing this up. I would not like to see this item discussed
without input from people who have a stake in this, and I don't think either of
you is coming to the meeting.

In answer to the question "What replaces OPAC Record Syntax for that specific
purpose?": the "Z39.50 Holdings Schema"
http://lcweb.loc.gov/z3950/agency/defns/holdings.html, which was developed over
the course of several years by the ZIG and is the product of substantial
intellectual effort. It was developed because the OPAC format was deemed
inadequate.  Nevertheless if people have an investment in the OPAC format, this
is a factor that will be strongly considered; if there are people who plan to
continue to deploy and use the OPAC format that I would certainly oppose the
proposal to deprecate it.

This proposal is motivated by the enthusiasm of the proposer (Leif Andresen) for
the Holdings schema and his desire to see it widely implemented.  Perhaps as an
alternative to deprecating the OPAC definition, we might consider instead adding
a note within that definition, pointing to the Holdings Schema, so that people
who pick up the standard and see the OPAC format will at least be aware that the
newer and more comprehensive definition exists.

--Ray

--
Ray Denenberg
Library of Congress
rden@loc.gov
202-707-5795

Received on Tuesday, 21 November 2000 15:42:13 UTC