> Is the LC server the "definitive" Z39.50 database? If I suck down a record > from there, send it to my database, add more information, etc., etc., how > does it get back to the LC? Does it? Would the way I'd contribute be > to simply run and promote my own Z39.50 server?
I guess you could say LC has the definitive Z39.50 databasee, since they do so much original cataloging. OCLC also has a huge database (WorldCAT) which is incredible because of the holdings data it contains (records which tell you what libraries have a particular title). Z39.50 is a mechanism for *discovery* only. If you want to run your own Z39.50 server you might want to check out IndexData's SimleServer [1]. Since your email I've been revisiting an idea related to Dan Chudnov's Docster [2] concept, which Jeremy Frumkin extended a bit [can't find his project anymore]. The variant I am interested in is a personal library manager (basically a mini catalog of your own books/vidoes/cds) with a twist. When you bought a book you could type the ISBN in, and it would go out and grab your bibliographic data, stuff it in a local database. You could then mark the book as currently being read, when you finished it you could attach a review to it, and of course you could search across your entire collection. The twist would be that the application would be able to share its database, reviews, and current reading list with peers. This would allow you to locate an item nearby from one of your friends if you want to take a look at it, and also to see what your friends are reading right now. //Ed [1] http://www.oss4lib.org/readings/docster.php [2] http://www.indexdata.dk/simpleserver/
