Diane I. Hillmann wrote:
>>
> There's another problem with OCLC's focus on protecting it's current
> business model, and that's the lack of effort being made in looking at
> what libraries will need to make the leap into a world not based on MARC
> and the traditional ILS. Not only has OCLC been silent on what it
> intends to do about RDA, but without that, how can it figure out what
> services its members will need to make the change?
>
OCLC could, in fact, use the technology from Pica. They own it 100%.
It has been operational in Europe for many years and can be regarded
a mature development.
OCLC's lack of openness, both in terms of "open access" and in the
sense of making their plans open knowledge, is irritating.
There can be no doubt that RDA will happen only to the extent that
LC and OCLC adopt and implement it. Vendors will have to play along too,
of course, and the later they get the necessary information, the worse
will be the options and opportunities for libraries.
It is, IOW, high time that OCLC and LC put their cards on the table.
They have a tremendous responsibility for the potential of libraries.
B.Eversberg
Received on Wed Apr 15 2009 - 11:01:22 EDT