Comments on: OPACs (everyone together now) SUCK http://wanderingeyre.com/2006/06/21/opacs-everyone-together-now-suck/ A bibliophile's musings on books, libraries, the world, life, and anything else that comes to mind Sat, 22 Nov 2008 04:56:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Creative Librarian » Yes, OPACs suck. Now what? http://wanderingeyre.com/2006/06/21/opacs-everyone-together-now-suck/#comment-2321 Creative Librarian » Yes, OPACs suck. Now what? Thu, 22 Jun 2006 20:03:22 +0000 http://wanderingeyre.com/2006/06/21/opacs-everyone-together-now-suck/#comment-2321 [...] A Wandering Eyre » OPACs (everyone together now) SUCK [...] [...] A Wandering Eyre » OPACs (everyone together now) SUCK [...]

]]> By: joshua m. neff http://wanderingeyre.com/2006/06/21/opacs-everyone-together-now-suck/#comment-2311 joshua m. neff Wed, 21 Jun 2006 19:57:44 +0000 http://wanderingeyre.com/2006/06/21/opacs-everyone-together-now-suck/#comment-2311 I'm starting to think that the whole idea of an OPAC is kind of wonky. I think what we're generally talking about it two different things: what patrons want and need inside a library building, and what patrons want and needs at a distance. Inside the library, what patrons want to know is, as you say, "Where is what I want right now? If it's not here, how soon can I get it?" Outside the library, I think patrons want to go to a library website and find out "what services the library has available to me, including getting what I need to where I want to pick it up, as soon as I can get it." And librarians owe vendors absolutely nothing. In a free market economy, it's the vendors responsibility to remain competitive. Give us what we want and need, and give us a reason to pay good money for it, and we'll sign right up. I’m starting to think that the whole idea of an OPAC is kind of wonky. I think what we’re generally talking about it two different things: what patrons want and need inside a library building, and what patrons want and needs at a distance. Inside the library, what patrons want to know is, as you say, “Where is what I want right now? If it’s not here, how soon can I get it?” Outside the library, I think patrons want to go to a library website and find out “what services the library has available to me, including getting what I need to where I want to pick it up, as soon as I can get it.”

And librarians owe vendors absolutely nothing. In a free market economy, it’s the vendors responsibility to remain competitive. Give us what we want and need, and give us a reason to pay good money for it, and we’ll sign right up.

]]> By: Angel http://wanderingeyre.com/2006/06/21/opacs-everyone-together-now-suck/#comment-2308 Angel Wed, 21 Jun 2006 18:00:42 +0000 http://wanderingeyre.com/2006/06/21/opacs-everyone-together-now-suck/#comment-2308 For the amounts of money they charge, not to mention the lack of competition in the field, they should be more than able to quit whining over a little "abuse" and take the heat. It's their customers complaining. They should get a clue and listen in and act accordingly. For the amounts of money they charge, not to mention the lack of competition in the field, they should be more than able to quit whining over a little “abuse” and take the heat. It’s their customers complaining. They should get a clue and listen in and act accordingly.

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