ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries


349

Bibliographic Utilities

Patricia T. Rine 
Head, Cataloging D epartm ent 

University o f  Cincinnati 
Libraries

B ibliographic utility is a new term used to de­
scribe the big three nonprofit library networks: 
O C LC , In c., RLIN  (Research Libraries Informa­
tion Network), and W LN  (Washington Library 
Network), which maintain large on-line biblio­
graphic files and specialize in providing com ­
puterized bibliographic products and services to 
lib raries and o th er inform ation ag encies. T h e 
capability for searching for specific bibliographic 
records, the provision and sharing of catalog data 
through input of new records, the adaptation or 
modification o f existing records for individual li­
braries, and the production of catalogs in various 
form ats a re s e r v ic e s  p ro v id ed  by all th r e e  
utilities, but the manner in which each service is 
provided differs from utility to utility. Each also 
provides its own unique services.

O C LC , In c., currently serves more than 1,900 
libraries, either individually or through various 
library networks such as O H IO N E T, SO LIN ET , 
A M IG O S , F A U L , e t c . T h rou g h  the O C L C  
shared cataloging system, a library may obtain 
in d iv id u a liz ed  ca ta lo g in g  rec o rd s in card  or 
magnetic tape form, but the individual record is 
not retained in the O C L C  on-line data base of 
master records; so it cannot be made accessible 
later for an individual library’s catalog system. 
T h e  library symbols o f each library using the 
m aster record for cataloging are linked to that 
record, thus providing a type o f union catalog of 
holdings for its m embers. O C L C  now provides 
interlibrary loan and serials check-in services; it 
plans to begin experimenting with an acquisition 
system, perhaps as soon as next year. O C LC  has 
no authority system but does plan to have the 
Library of Congress’ machine-readable name au­
thority file available for searching by the end of 
this year. O C LC  has author/title and title but no 
subject searching capability.

RLIN  began as Stanford University’s processing 
system for its own libraries under the name of 
B A L L O T S, then began to allow other libraries 
access to the system. Recently the entire system 
was taken over by the Research Libraries Group, 
when Stanford joined that group, and now serves 
as its processing facility. R L IN ’s cataloging sub­
system is available to some 150 other libraries; 
acquisitions and in-process systems are currently 
available to Stanford libraries only. R LIN  pro­
vides catalog cards to its members; it also stores 
participating libraries’ individual catalog records 
for on-line access. Various libraries’ records for

the same title are not linked to a single biblio­
graphic master record such as is done by O C LC ; 
so there is no union catalog capability as yet. 
R L IN  provides searching by author/title, title, 
keyword, and subject; an authority control system 
is being planned.

W LN  began as a netw ork o f approxim ately 
thirty Washington libraries but now provides ser­
vices to 120 libraries, including some in Alaska, 
Idaho, and Oregon and one in C an berra, Au­
stralia. Additionally, W L N  offers its computer 
program software to other libraries or networks 
that have their own computer facilities and want 
to duplicate (not join) W LN . W LN has an on-line 
union catalog and can also produce Computer 
Output Microform (COM) catalogs for its librar­
ies. It has an authority control system for 1.8 mil­
lion authors and su bject entries, with links b e ­
tween ALA and AACR 2 forms of entry. An ac­
quisition system is in operation on a limited basis 
only and a circulation system is being planned. 
Author/title, title, and subject searching are pos­
sible.

R LIN  and W LN  have recently agreed to ex­
change magnetic tape bibliographic information in 
their data bases. Eventually they hope to be able 
to develop on-line exchange of information. Joint 
develoment of serials, authority file, acquisitions, 
and interlib rary  loan programs are also being 
planned. G iven the nu m ber o f very large re ­
sea rch  lib ra r y  m e m b e rs , o n ce th e  kinks are 
worked out, this interutility cooperation and pos­
sible linkup will provide formidable competition 
to O C L C , In c ., and put R L IN -W L N  into the 
national bibliographic system sweepstakes.

E d ito rs Note: C & R L  News is reprinting “Biblio­
graphic Utilities” fr o m  the University o f  Cincin­
nati L ib raries Newsletter. ■■

Calendar of ACRL Events

January 2 0 -2 6 , 1980— ALA Midwinter M eet­
ing, Chicago.

Ju n e  2 4 - 2 8 , 1 980— A C R L  Rare Books and 
M an u scrip ts S e c tio n , In te r n a tio n a l Rare 
Books Conference, Boston.

June 2 6 -2 8 , 1980— A C R L Preconference on 
D esigning Staff Development Programs in 
Academic Libraries, New York City.

June 2 7 -2 8 , 1980— E R IC  Users Preconference 
for Academic Librarians, New York City.

June 2 8 -Ju ly  4, 1980— ALA Annual Confer­
ence, New York City.