> I think it is also important to point out that this project is focused on
> the back-end nature of the library environment in a modular and services
> manner. Public user interface is merely one module, and not necessarily in
> scope of this design project; requirements of interoperability for user
> interfaces probably are, such as the efforts of the DLF ILS Discovery
> Interface Task Force.
Frankly, if the only thing that comes out of OLE and DLF efforts is
widespread recognition in the library community that interfaces
between systems are so essential that products that lack the
capability to interoperate should be avoided except for under certain
circumstances, it will be a quantum leap forward.
Identifying requirements is important, but I hope that neither project
makes the mistake of overspecifying these requirements. As a
discipline, we have a tendency to make this mistake. The result has
been needlessly complicated, poorly understood, and inconsistently
implemented standards that frustrate librarians, vendors, and IT
people alike.
More importantly, enumerating too much confines us to our needs as we
understand them today at the expense of being able to adapt to the
future.
kyle
Received on Thu Sep 25 2008 - 09:25:20 EDT