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ISSN 1443-0568 | no. 38 | April 1999


Kinetica news

KineticaWeb service launched

The KineticaWeb service was launched in `pilot mode' on 17 March, and Kinetica cataloguing commenced on 12 April. These two events were the culmination of a project that started in January 1997. As expected, the commencement of service put a higher load on the system than we had been able to simulate during testing, and some instability in KineticaWeb was the result. With Kinetica now in its post implementation phase, work continues to improve response time, to adjust KineticaWeb screen displays and to settle routines for working with Kinetica. A number of software revisions have already been installed to eliminate early problems.

The first user signed onto the KineticaWeb service at 7.41 am on 17 March, and by 9.45 am we had reached the limit of the number of available search sessions, with no more people able to sign on. In view of this, we brought the system down briefly, to increase the number of sessions that can run simultaneously. This initial level of interest in using KineticaWeb has extended into use of the cataloguing client, which also shows an extremely satisfactory level of use.

The Kinetica cataloguing client has been distributed to almost 200 libraries for over 700 staff members. It will be used by cataloguers in most instances, but some libraries value its powerful searching ability enough to employ it in reader service work. In addition to those libraries using the Kinetica client to input original cataloguing, many libraries are adding and amending holdings through KineticaWeb. Downline loading of bibliographic records is working smoothly, with the National Library and Kinetica customers establishing routines for use of the new service.

KineticaWeb provides access to both the Wade-Giles and the Pinyin databases of the Australian National Chinese Japanese and Korean Service for bibliographic data. Work is in progress to provide access to the CJK service's location information. Kinetica-Web also provides access to the Research Libraries Group's RLIN databases. The RLIN databases contain bibliographic records for material not available on the Australian National Bibliographic Database and offer access to the Library of Congress Name and Subject Authority files, thereby making KineticaWeb a particularly valuable resource for cataloguers.

Information about improvements and alterations to Kinetica services is distributed initially via the electronic discussion list, Kinetica-l. Those interested in these developments should join the list; information about how to join is on the NLA Web site.

National Library staff members prepare for Kinetica

National Library staff members prepare for Kinetica: Pam Dunlop, manager, Cataloguing, (second right) trains staff from the Special Collections areas and Document Supply Service in the use of the Kinetica client to create catalogue records.

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Please address any comments and enquiries to The Editor, Gateways: lkirwan@nla.gov.au

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