Re: OCLC

["PHILIP A. METZGER" <pam5@LEHIGH.EDU>]

Terry is quite right. I have not heard that OCLC has any plans to offer access
to individuals, even for a fee. But there is an alternative, called
FirstSearch. You would, as far as I know, still need to have an institutional
affiliation, and a library which has made it available. FirstSearch includes
the OCLC database, but with different search keys, more attuned to
bibliographical research than cataloging. Of particular interest to this
group, I think, is the ability to search on the basis of imprint, i.e. place
of printing or publication (260 $a), Publisher or printer (260 $b), and date
as a qualifier. It's very nice for local printing studies. There are also
other databases as part of this, all using the same protocol.

              + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
              +               Philip A. Metzger               +
              +      Linderman Library, 30 Library Drive      +
              +  Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015-3067  +
              +       Special Collections (610) 758-4506      +
              +     Lehigh University Press (610) 758-3933    +
              +          Fax Spec Coll (610) 974-6471         +
              +            Fax Press (610) 974-2823           +
              +            Internet pam5@lehigh.edu           +
              +        Internet Press inlup@lehigh.edu        +
              + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +