The Compact Disk‐Circulation System Interface at Tacoma Public Library: Beyond Stand‐alone CD‐ROM

The Tacoma Public Library is developing a CD‐ROM Public Access Catalog that interfaces to another computer system which supports a circulation system. The concept of a CD‐PAC‐to‐circulation system linkage is simple: off‐load the searching to the PC to minimize the load on the circulation system, and limit the circulation system searching for status information on demand. Related searches should be extremely fast and efficient. Since the CD‐PAC is an intelligent device, it can act as a front‐end processor to the circulation system for database searching. The initial index search, record display, and retrieval are done on the PC, and add no load to the circulation system. Once a specific record has been selected, the CD‐PAC sends to the circulation system the minimal unique key that will facilitate the fastest retrieval of circulation data, or that demands the least system overhead. Sidebars discuss the stand‐alone CD‐ROM and the library marketplace, and future technologies.