OPACs have made life so much easier for genealogists to prepare for visits to libraries so that maximum time can be spent using resources during those visits. I remember being so proud when my first OPAC came online in the late 90s. It was a milestone in my library life that I should have recorded.
You don't know what an OPAC is?
An OPAC is an Online Public Access Catalogue; a library catalogue that one is able to access via a web browser to search for, identify and select library resources from a library collection's database. A dictionary gives this definition "A computerised system to catalogue and organise materials in a library (the kind that contains books). OPACs have replaced card-based catalogues in many libraries. An OPAC is available to library users (public access)."

I already have a list ready for my next visit to The Family History Library in Salt Lake City at Rootstech time next year. On my list is also a newspaper that appears to be available only in one library in Scotland. Hope springs eternal - I may get to Scotland one day to see it.
I'm not sure if these databases are OPACs; I would call them metaOPACs, Worldcat (The world's largest library catalog) is a resource that one can use to find out where in the world a particular resource can be found and, in Australia, a Trove search will give locations of resources.
Do you consult library OPACs prior to your visits?
See all my posts in this series at http://geniaus.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/family-history-through-alphabet.html
1 comment:
Thanks for the reminder of the value of online catalogues. :D
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