At last, you rightly say, we got this functionality back. And in time the system will allow us to develop additional forms - for example, a request to put an item on reserve, and to make it available from outside of Gelman. It is no longer necessary to stand in line at the Circulation Desk to get this information. Records can now be downloaded or e-mailed, for later retrieval and manipulation in word processing software. None of the above comes without significant tradeoffs.
Internet access can be slow.
And it's a very different system, requiring a lot of re-learning. But we think it's a worthwhile investment in our information delivery capabilities. GW is not alone in making the move to this system. Other Washington libraries include the Folger Shakespeare Library, the National Geographic Society, the U.S. Dept. of State, and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Library. And it will never improve.