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Date:         Thu, 5 Nov 1992 11:13:56 CDT
From:         "Todd W. Schmitzer" <SCHMITZER@SCU.BITNET>
Subject:      Re: OCLC PRISM service via the internet

----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Hello,

        The following is a message sent to me concerning the question
of access to OCLC Prism via the internet.  I think it clarifies
many of the questions.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
CEO document conShort message

Please feel free to post this to PACS-L or any other listservers.
Thank you for your input.


CEO document contents:


There have been a number of questions lately posted to PACS-L and other
listservers about why the OCLC PRISM Service is not available via the Internet.
Many of you have asked for more detailed information about OCLC's Internet
efforts after reading OCLC's Linking Strategy: Internet and NREN, a white paper
published in August.  The purpose of this posting is to help shed some light on
why the OCLC PRISM Service is not available over the Internet and OCLC's plans
for the future.

Currently, Internet policies probably don't prohibit OCLC from making the PRISM
Service available over the Internet.  In the past, OCLC had been told verbally
that the PRISM Service would be viewed as an "administrative" service and not
allowed on the Internet.  Since that time Internet policies have broadened in
scope, although no formal clearance has been given for making the PRISM Service
available over the Internet.

There are technical reasons why the OCLC PRISM Service is not available over
the Internet.  The OCLC PRISM Service operates on a different mainframe
computer than OCLC's Reference Services.  There is an Internet connection to
the mainframe running OCLC Reference Services; there is not a connection to the
mainframe running the OCLC PRISM Service.  OCLC is not restricting access to
the PRISM Service over the Internet; that link does not exist.

There are also a number of other reasons why OCLC has not put this link in
place.  Not all OCLC members have a connection to the Internet.  Moving OCLC
telecommunications to the Internet has a number of implications.  Pricing needs
to be examined closely so that libraries without Internet access are not forced
to pay higher fees because of fewer libraries using OCLC's telecommunications
network.  Response time and availability needs to be studied.  Support
procedures need to be examined.  Reliability of the Internet varies across the
country.

OCLC is planning to field test Internet access to the PRISM Service in 1993.
As far as OCLC is aware, neither WLN nor RLG provide access to production
cataloging services over the Internet.  All of the above issues will be studied
as part of that field test.  I hope this helps clarify OCLC's work with the
Internet.  If you have any more questions concerning the Internet and the OCLC
PRISM Service, please contact your OCLC-affiliated regional network or call
OCLC at 1-800-848-5878.

Dennis Sage
dennis_sage@oclc.org
Access Support Specialist
OCLC
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU