Abstract

Discovery services constitute an element of innovation and modernization for university and research libraries. In recent years their presence has become strong in Spain, with the new generation of these systems, commonly referred to as web-scale discovery services, although it is more meaningful to categorize them as index-based discovery services. The multinational companies ProQuest and Ebsco are especially competing in the dissemination of this model, as they integrate information retrieval software with the bibliographic databases they distribute. The reasons for the success of these services are evaluated, with their advantages and disadvantages, as well as the research lines they are generating.

Abstract

Various types of OPAC help provided by academic and public libraries in Spain and the United States are examined. The results of this investigation are reported, by geographic distribution, library type, and catalog software. The study identifies the most relevant trends in relation to online help systems.

Abstract

Innovative Interfaces Inc., III, maker of the Innopac Millennium integrated system for public libraries, has introduced new products that are primarily related to user access to opac and to library services via handheld devices (cellphone, PDA, etc.). There are also new tools to strengthen and facilitate user participation through opac and to provide more flexibility in service delivery and communication between the user community and library personnel.