Re: [IUG] VDX, III and NCIP

[Debbi Schaubman/mlc <schaubmd at mlcnet dot org>]

All,

It is not true that III is not working towards NCIP implementation.  The
MeL Catalog project is currently testing an NCIP implementation involving
our INN-Reach system and a Sirsi Unicorn system.  However, our NCIP
implementation has the Innovative side of the equation as the NCIP message
initiator; that is, our development follows NCIP DCB Profile 3 ("Broker
Application Manages Transaction Application Profile").

My understanding is that this profile won't work for a local Millennium
system that uses VDX (or URSA) as their resource-sharing solution.

We have found Innovative quite willing to work with us on this development
item.  The implementation is completely standards-based (so much so that
when I wanted something to work differently than it does, I was reminded
that this would be outside the standard).

I mention this for several reasons:

a) I've grown tired of hearing that III isn't working on NCIP.  (I have
been in numerous meetings over the last 2 years in which I heard a
automation vendor rep say this -- or heard someone say that their vendor
rep said this.)  As I have a weekly phone meeting devoted to NCIP
implementation, I can guarantee you that they are not ignoring it.
However, they may or may not be working on it in a way that will work for
your resource-sharing system.  This is not because they are not doing the
development work or because they doing it in some non-standards-based
fashion.

b) NCIP comes in many flavors (aka profiles).  It's important to know which
profile your resource-sharing vendor is implementing.  (For the incredibly
masochistic, the base standards document is available at
http://www.niso.org/standards/index.html.  The profiles are available at
http://www.niso.org/standards/resources/Z39-83-ApplProfiles.html.)

c) Our NCIP development was included in our contract and, therefore, the
cost of said development was part of our negotiations with Innovative.  I
suspect that they'd be happy to give a price quote for whatever additional
development would be needed for them to work with a different profile.

I'd suggest contacting III and asking to speak with the Product Manager
handling NCIP.

Hope this is helpful (and doesn't sound too much like a rant!)

Debbi

*****************************************************
Debbi Schaubman
MeL Catalog Project
schaubmd at mlcnet dot org

Michigan Library Consortium
Lansing, MI  48910
Voice: 517-394-2420; 800-530-9019 x113
Fax: 517-394-2096
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