Feature Articles
MONOCLE (p.113-128)
MARC CHAUVEINC
A new processing format, based on MARC II and some of BNB's elaborations of MARC II. It further enlarges MARC II to encompass French cataloging practices and filing arrangements in French catalogs.
SCOPE: A Cost Analysis of an Automated Serials Record System (p.129-140)
MICHAEL E. D. KOENIG, ALEXANDER C. FINLAY, JOANN G. CUSHMAN, AND JAMES M. DETMER
A computerized serials record and control system developed in 1968/69 for the Technical Information Department of Pfizer Inc. is described and subjected to a cost analysis. This cost analysis is conducted in the context of an investment decision, using the concept of net present value, a method not previously used in library literature. The cost analysis reveals a positive net present value and a system life break-even requirement of seven years at a 10% cost of capital. This demonstrates that such an automated system can be economically justifiable in a library of relatively modest size (approx. 1,100 serial and periodical titles). It may be that the break-even point in terms of collection size required for successful automation of serial records is smaller than has been assumed to date.
A MARC II-based Program for Retrieval and Dissemination (p.141-158)
GEORG R. MAUERHOFF AND RICHARD G. SMITH
Subscriptions to the Library of Congress' MARC tapes number approximately sixty. The uses to which the weekly tapes have been put have been minimal in the area of Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI) and current awareness. This paper reviews work that has been performed on batched retrieval/dissemination and provides a description of a highly flexible cooperative SDI system developed by the Library, University of Saskatchewan, and the National Science Library. The system will permit searching over all subject areas represented by the English language monographic literature on MARC.
RECON Pilot Project: A Progress Report, October 1970-May 1971 (p.159-169)
HENRIETTE D. AVRAM AND LENORE S. MARUYAMA
A synopsis of three progress reports on the RECON Pilot Project submitted by the Library of Congress to the Council of Library Resources covering the period October 1970-May 1971. Progress is reported in the following areas: RECON production, foreign language editing test, format recognition, microfilming, input devices, and tasks assigned to the RECON Working Task Force.