Library 2.0 Gang 06/08: Bolt-on OPACs

Originally posted on 10th June 2008 on the Talis Library 2.0 Gang Podcast.

Against the background of Web 2.0 and Library 2.0, we have seen the emergence of complementary, or bolt-on, products for Library Systems. Gradually we are seeing a moving away from the tradition of libraries purchasing absolutely everything from their ILS vendor.

It is now becoming normal for libraries to purchase URL Resolvers, Electronic Resource Management software, and Federated Search products from 3rd parties. This trend is becoming most prevalent in the area of search and discovery interfaces, these ‘Bolt-on OPACs’ being available from both commercial and open source providers.

Our guest Taco Ekkel is Director of Development for Medialab Solutions, the Amsterdam based company who produced Aquabrowser, the first commercial example of a complementary OPAC. He is joined by Gang members Matt Goldner, Betsy Graham, Andrew Nagy, Marshall Breeding, and Carl Grant, to discuss where these products are going and what was learnt from Aquabrowser.

Access 2006 :: Tito Sierra - Improving the Catalogue Interface using Endeca

Talk given at the Access 2006 conference on October 12, 2006.

MP3 (25:14)

Tito Sierra is a Digital Technologies Development Librarian at North Carolina State University Libraries. Before NC State, he worked as a Program Manager and Web Developer at Amazon.com. He has a BA in Government from Harvard University and a MS in Information Management from Syracuse University.

Access 2006 :: Peter Binkley - Faceted Search with Solr

Talk given at the Access 2006 conference on October 13, 2006.

MP3 (9:59)

Peter Binkley is the Digital Initiatives Technology Librarian at the University of Alberta where he is currently responsible for, among other things, the Peel Prairies Portal digitization project. He has also worked at the Alberta Library as a TAL Online Developer where he was the first developer of the virtual union catalogue TAL Online. He holds an MLIS from University of Western Ontario and a Ph.D., M.A., B.A. in Medieval Studies from the University of Toronto.