3.148 MLA bibliography, cont. (72)

Willard McCarty (MCCARTY@VM.EPAS.UTORONTO.CA)
Tue, 20 Jun 89 18:31:57 EDT


Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 3, No. 148. Tuesday, 20 Jun 1989.


(1) Date: Tue, 20 Jun 89 12:09 EDT (42 lines)
From: Ivy Anderson <ANDERSON@brandeis.bitnet>
Subject: MLA Bibliography, cont.

(2) Date: Tue, 20 Jun 89 13:23:09 EDT (10 lines)
From: cbf%faulhaber.Berkeley.EDU@jade.berkeley.edu (Charles Faulhaber)
Subject: Re: 3.142 MLA bibliography, cont. (97)

(1) --------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 20 Jun 89 12:09 EDT
From: Ivy Anderson <ANDERSON@brandeis.bitnet>
Subject: MLA Bibliography, cont.

I have followed the discussion of the use of the MLA Bibliography with
interest. Those of us in libraries are quite concerned with finding
solutions to the issues surrounding access to electronic databases. I agree
with the responses to Charles Faulhaber's original statement which suggest
an institutional rather than individual solution in the form of
networking. It is good to know that MLA is considering direct distribution
of the tapes. Presumably, one would still need to supply the search
engine (which is what Dialog and Wilson do), and the standard ones such as
BRS On Site can still be quite costly, especially for a smaller institution.
Some folks are attempting to integrate this type of access with their
electronic library catalogs, using the same interface for both -- Arizona State
University is doing this with a wide variety of databases, including several
Wilson indexes (I don't know if the MLA Bibliography is among them) using
software from the Colorado Alliance of Research Libraries.

As far as CD-ROM goes, this is no longer simply a standalone
application. There are at least two networking products which allow you to
distribute CD-ROM databases over a PC-based local area network; we have
installed one of these at Brandeis. But getting this from the PC LAN to
the campus LAN hasn't happened yet, and the database vendors are just
starting to develop site licensing fees. Any help that we can
get from MLA and other quarters in convincing vendors to keep these prices
low would be very beneficial, as many of us are stretching already strapped
budgets and resorting to outside funding to support CD-ROM purchases.

Institutional solutions can also address the problem of downloading.
A number of libraries have fairly well-developed programs to assist users
with downloading techniques, and there is some standard software to "massage"
citations. At Brandeis we have talked about offering this kind of service,
but the demand hasn't been forcefully demostrated. However, it may be a
chicken-and-egg type of problem; people don't turn to you for solutions
they don't think you can provide. Charles Faulhaber's comments certainly
suggest that the need is there: do others agree?

The premise here is that the need for access and data manipulation that
has been expressed is a very general one, and institutional solutions are
an appropriate response. The burgeoning collaborations between libraries
and computing centers on academic campuses should bear fruit in this area.
(2) --------------------------------------------------------------21----
Date: Tue, 20 Jun 89 13:23:09 EDT
From: cbf%faulhaber.Berkeley.EDU@jade.berkeley.edu (Charles Faulhaber)
Subject: Re: 3.142 MLA bibliography, cont. (97)

I wasn't suggesting that MLA try to get CD-ROM manufacturers to
make a cheaper (or more user-friendly) machine, but rather that
some sort of agreement be reached to offer CD-ROM players to
MLA members at a discount, i.e., make it a package such that
technically naive users can get the whole thing from one source
at a reasonably price.