Building the Infrastructure of Resource Sharing: Union Catalogs, Distributed Search, and Cross-Database Linkage

EFFECTIVE R SOURCE SHARING PRESUPPOSES an infrastructure which permits users to locate materials of interest in both print and electonic formats. TWO approaches for providing this are union catalogs and Z39.50-based distributed search systems. The advantages and limitations of each approach are considered, paying particular attention to a realistic assessment of 239.50 implementations. This article argues that the two approaches should be considered complementary rather than competitive. Technologies to create linkage between the bibliographic apparatus of catalogs and abstracting and indexing databases and primary content in electronic form, such as the new Serial Item and Contribution Identifier (SICI) standard are also discussed as key elements in the infrastructure to support resource sharing.