This is the approach we're taking with our platform services - in this case the ability to attach arbitrary numbers to an image, so you could easily have several numbers as access points to the same image. Tied with an open bibliographic service you could get all jackets by a particular author or all jackets for a particular subject and so on.

rob


-----Original Message-----
From: Next generation catalogs for libraries on behalf of Diane I. Hillmann
Sent: Fri 15/12/2006 12:32 AM
To: NGC4LIB <at> listserv.nd.edu
Subject: Re: [NGC4LIB] Laundry list for NGC

I think this exchange points up the fallacy that
we'll be able to specify an "ideal" identifier.
My suspicion is that instead we'll have to come
up with a multi-pronged approach whereby whatever
identifying numbers we have available are used,
and the identification systems themselves are
part of the deal and specified unambiguously.  So
I think we might stop searching for something
that is the all encompassing "standard" and
settle for a number with it's numbering system
identified. It's likely that we'll be dealing
with "de facto" standards for a long time to come.

Diane

>Except for the ISBN, the UPC/EAN code isn't always stored in
>bibliographic records created in the US. The numbers that are stored for
>CDs are the publisher numbers ("Philips 422 416-2") and they are not
>entered in a consistent format, unfortunately. UPC/EANs do seem to be
>showing up on newer CD records. So getting a link to CDs is going to
>take some thought. (I looked on Amazon, and CDs seem to be identified
>only by the ASIN, which Amazon assigns when there isn't another reliable
>identifier.)
>
>I imagine that DVDs will be equally difficult.
>
>kc
>
>Lynn Reynish wrote:
>>Hmmmm.... UPC/EAN-code may indeed be an alternative. It would certainly
>>be no worse than an ISBN.
>>
>>Lynn
>>
>>Anders Ringnér wrote:
>>>From: "Lynn Reynish" <lreynish <at> RPL.REGINA.SK.CA>
>>>>This does sound like a great project. However, I will note that ISBN is
>>>>probably not enough if you want to include CDs and DVDs - most of which
>>>>don't have ISBNs. Amazon uses an ASIN for these items but I'm not
>>>>sure if
>>>>there are any widespread standard numbers in use for CDs or DVDs
>>>>outside
>>>>of mainstream Western classical/pop/rock music (which often has a music
>>>>number). ISBNs have their own problems of course - but at least they
>>>>exist
>>>>for a lot of items.
>>>
>>>Would using the UPC/EAN-code be an alternative? If we then converted all
>>>ISBN-10 to ISBN-13, which in fact is identical to the EAN, we'd end up
>>>with
>>>the same style of numbers for all objects, regardless of format (book,
>>>CD,
>>>DVD and so on). All pictures would be stored by their EAN-code.
>>>
>>>/Anders
>>
>>--
>>Lynn Reynish
>>ILS Librarian
>>Regina Public Library
>>lreynish <at> reginalibrary.ca
>>
>
>--
>-----------------------------------
>Karen Coyle / Digital Library Consultant
>kcoyle <at> kcoyle.net http://www.kcoyle.net
>ph.: 510-540-7596
>fx.: 510-848-3913
>mo.: 510-435-8234
>------------------------------------


--
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Diane I. Hillmann
Research Librarian
Cornell University Library
Email: dih1 <at> cornell.edu
Voice: (607) 387-9207
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

 

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