Hi, Patti,
in any effort to network any indexing/abstracting product, the question is
"where" the database is meant to "reside". What is the relationship between
your NCR UNIX machine and your library's online catalog? How are the end users
meant to access the product? Dealing with any large databases, the best
route is generally through your campus-wide computing center and main library's
systems office.
Although here at the Citadel, we do not use UNIX for anything campus-wide, our
online scenario might give you some ideas: We have a VAX system and Atlas-DRA
library software. All Wilson databases we load on the VAX. The Wilson
indeces to not have "their own" retrieval software. Therefore, our computer
gurus have to go through several steps to get them loaded: index the product(s)
based on the database fields in order to elevate the product(s) from a state of
unassorted raw data, load the latest shipment on the VAX, and run an interface
between our library's catalog software and the vendor-supplied database. Since
I'm the head of Acquisitions here, not myself directly involved in the
intricate "machine aspects", and have observed cyberaspects through osmosis due
to personal interest in computers, I do not know whether DRA supplied this
interface as part of the software contract or whether our computer gurus
designed it themselves.
My advice for a battleplan:
-- your lack of received support from Wilson is, unfortunately,
common. Database vendors do not render software support;
they see their role as limited to selling the information.
-- decide on the "most supported" server, software, hardware on
your campus.
-- be aware of university-wide computing resources, computer staff and
and their functions, anything you can find out about local and
wide-are networkinf capabilities on your campus. To include
machinery, servers, software, realms of responsibility/workflow
issues between the university-wide systems people and your
systems librarian's office.
--> Such research may lead you to a better option than your UNIX
machine, especially if no one can seem to make it work.
--> be aware of any software "residing" on your UNIX machine.
--> find out what level & depth of user support is available
through suppliers of software which you have.
--> does NCR give you any technical support ? Find out !!
(hardware or software)
If nothing more,
your NCR could provide some information on appropriate
software needed to make the Wilson database(s) work, and also
whether any of the needed software resides on your machine.
In general, it seems logical to involve your university's computer center and
the general campus library's systems librarian, since it is they who want to
network the product. It is new to me that the general library would come to
the law library for help in loading a general indexing product. If your
library has higher-end machines than the main library, the general library
would possibly not profit from the envisioned network access -- thus some
bigger-picture workflow questions of database maintenance, who has what
machines, who performs what tasks, etc, need to be addressed.
Good luck!
Antje
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In-reply-to: Your message dated "Wed, 14 Feb 1996 12:36:51 -0600 (CST)"
>Our general campus library has a subscription to Readers' Guide Abstracts
>which we are trying to load on a NCR Unix machine. The files are rather
>large. Our support from the H.W. Wilson Company has not enabled us to get
>the tapes loaded. Would be interested in other people's solutions,
>experiences, and/or suggestions. Is there a person that you have talked
>to who has been especially helpful at Wilson? Did someone at your
>computer center figure out how to get the tapes loaded? Thanks for any
>help you might be able to give.
> Patti Monk
> Associate Director
> Oklahoma City University Law Library
> pmonk@lec.okcu.edu
> (405)521-5344
> (405)521-5172 fax
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