Webjobber(sm): Vendor Management for Web Resources (Gerry McKiernan) ERCELAA@ctrvax.Vanderbilt.Edu 09 Jun 1997 14:50 UTC
Date: Sun, 08 Jun 1997 14:52:08 -0500 (CDT) From: Gerry McKiernan <JL.GJM@ISUMVS.IASTATE.EDU> Subject: WebJobber(sm): Vendor Management for Web Resources WebJobber(sm): Vendor Management for Web Resources My recent posting requesting information and practices relating to the substitution of Web editions of printed Reference works has raised a number of issues relating to this activity. To my surprise, I am finding that many respondents refer primarily to the substitution of a Web subscription for a print (or other electronic) subscription. Others refer to their individual or institutional 'collection' of all types of Internet resources, either as bookmarked collections or as homepage collections only. Few note the formal cataloging of such resources (even Web subscriptions) into their 'local' OPAC. It _seems_ that few have taken the 'leap of faith' to select _and_ catalog non-subscription Web Reference works. With the availability of MARC records generated from the OCLC Intercat project, I suspect that many do, or, are giving the matter serious consideration. The issue of the formal cataloging of non-subscribed (and subscribed) resources highlights an additional issue beyond Web substitution for Reference (as well as non-Reference) works. In view of the ephemeral nature of many Web resources, it appears that many libraries only consider cataloging quality resources, but resources for which they have some control and assurance of access and reliability. This understandable preference has led me to conclude that librarians would welcome a service, not unlike book jobbers or serial vendors, that would provide a library with access to a catalog of authoritative, evaluated, and reliable Web resources. The burden of identification, categorization, maintenance would be lifted from individuals and institutions. The WebJobber(sm) would assume the responsibility for all these activities, including the formal cataloging of the resources. As the resource changes (e.g., URL, title, content), the WebJobber(sm) would notify a subscribing library of these changes, and through automated system magic, provide updates (or replacements) of catalog records for a selected resource. While our individual and collective efforts have greatly facilitated the identification and control of Web resources, I have concluded that there is a need for a commercial, fee-based service to manage these resources. A centralized service would alleviate most of the difficulties that we all recognize and would integrate selection, cataloging and maintenance. We need not reinvent the universe at each of our libraries. I'd very much appreciate any and all thoughts on this proposal (and if a vendor, publisher, or jobber is listening, a seed grant to investigate a prototype [:->]) Regards, Gerry McKiernan Curator, CyberStacks(sm) Iowa State University Ames IA 50011 gerrymnck@iastate.edu http://www.public.iastate.edu/~CYBERSTACKS/ "Let Mikey Do It!"