FWD: British Library's new OPAC

[Suzanne Eggleston <suzanne.eggleston@YALE.EDU>]

An announcement of wide interest, although it emphasizes the music
components of the catalogue.

>Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2001 10:58:57 -0000
>
>
>Introducing the British Library's New Free Online Catalogue blpc.bl.uk
>======================================================================
>
>The British Library Public Catalogue (BLPC) went live on Monday 29 January
>2001. BLPC is the most recent product of the Library's drive to make its
>holdings more accessible and builds on the success of the OPAC 97 service
>which attracted more than 2 million 'hits' each month. 
>
>The British Library Public Catalogue marks several advances on OPAC 97. The
>feature which is of particular interest to the music community, however, is
>the addition of the retrospective music catalogue, which contains all of the
>material listed in the Catalogue of Printed Music to 1980 [CPM]. The Current
>Music Catalogue [CMC] of post-1980 publications was already available on
>OPAC97. Hence now BLPC provides free access to the catalogues of the entire
>printed music reference collection in the British Library.
>
>Please note that since the retrospective music file has been closed for some
>time, pre-1980 material catalogued since its closure will appear in CMC. For
>example, CMC contains many entries for popular vocal and instrumental music
>published 1900-1980.
>
>BLPC is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
>Help desk availability:  0900 - 1700, Mon - Fri
>Help desk contact:        Tel + 44 (0) 1937 546430   Fax + 44 (0) 1937
>546586
>Email:			  blpc@bl.uk
>
>Further information on BLPC and related services is available from John
>Lowery, The British Library, Boston Spa, Wetherby, West Yorkshire LS23 7BQ,
>telephone + 44 (0) 1937 546551 email john.lowery@bl.uk
>
>Other catalogues of British Library material of interest to musicians may
>also be found at 
>
>Manuscript music	http://molcat.bl.uk
>Sound recordings	http://cadensa.bl.uk
>Books & Journals	http://blpc.bl.uk
>Newspapers		http://prodigi.bl.uk/nlcat/
>
>Please consult the British Library website at http://www.bl.uk/ for fuller
>details of the British Library's catalogues, collections and services. In
>particular, users might find useful the facility to download order forms for
>photographic copies which may be faxed or posted to British Library
>Reproductions. Copies are permissible subject to prepayment and compliance
>with UK copyright legislation.
>
>============================================================================
>=====================
>Richard Chesser
>Curator of Printed Music & Deputy Head
>Music Collections
>British Library
>96 Euston Road
>London
>NW1 2DB
>
>tel + 44 (0) 020 7412 7529			
>fax + 44 (0) 020 7412 7751			
>email richard.chesser@bl.uk		
>