The impact of Z39.50 on library catalogues: OPACs on the world-wide web

This dissertation examines the Z39.50 protocol and its effects on library catalogues. Chapter two focuses on the protocol, what it is, what it does and explores current projects involving the protocol. Chapter three examines the way subject searching takes place on a Z39.50 gateway, using three universities as examples. These university libraries were chosen as they still used both telnet and web platforms. The three university libraries: Loughborough University, U.K., Monash University, Australia, and Stanford University, U.S.A. are very different in size, subject speciality and location, and all three have web access to their catalogues. In order to compare both types of catalogue access on all three university systems, certain topics were considered important, the main ones being: interface/display, search points (including searches) and navigation around the system. In chapter five conclusions are drawn from the dissertation suggesting that the introduction of access to library catalogues via the World-Wide Web produces some negative aspects along with many positive.