Based on my research in the fall of 2008, Aquabrowser offers the largest number of OPAC 2.0 features, with VuFind a close second due to better accessibility. Further research into the tasks and costs involved in developing our own modules to bring VuFind up to par with AquaBrowser would allow for utilization of the improved accessibility in VuFind.
OPAC Feature Comparison
Feature
CardCat
LibraryFind
Blacklight
VuFind
Evergreen
WorldCat
Local
Endeca
Aqua
Browser
Primo
Encore
Spell check
+
+
+
?
+
+
+
Images (covers)
+
?
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
Faceting
?
+
+
+
+
?
+
+
+
+
True basic search field
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
Advanced search
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
Relevancy ranking (not just sort)
Reviews (professional)
+
+
+
+
"More like this" suggestions
+
+
?
+
+
User-added tags (internal)
+
?
?
del.icio.us tagging
+
?
Customer-written reviews
+
+
+
+
+
"Email this" link
+
+
+
+
"Text this" link
+
+
RSS feed from search
+
+
+
+
+
Citation creator (various formats)
+
+
+
+
+
?
Saved items or favorites
+
+
+
+
+
Built-in OpenURL resolver
+
+
?
?
+
+
Breadcrumb trail
+
+
+
Incorporate outside content
+
+
+
+
+
+
Accessibility
(Poor, Fair, Good, Excellent)
F
G
G
E
P
F
P
G
E
F
+ = included
? = included but poorly labeled or difficult to access
blank = not included
Features adapted from Casey, M. (2007). "Looking toward catalog 2.0." In N. Courtney (Ed.), Library 2.0 and beyond (pp. 15-24). Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
LibraryFind
Listed strengths:
Built-in OpenURL resolver
2-click find workflow
Ability to locally index collections
Web-based administration
3-tiered caching system (to improve speed of searches)
Customizable user interface
Additional strengths:
Faceting
"Did you mean..."
Resizable text
Improves accessibility
LibraryFind
CardCat interface
More than one blogger for LITA lists LibraryFind as a "Top Tech Trend" at the 2008 Annual Conference.
Drawbacks
"Saved items" option works only in current session. Later version will allow saving.
Citation link very limited
Blacklight
From the website: "Blacklight is an open source OPAC (online public access catalog). That means libraries (or anyone else) can use it to allow people to search and browse their collections online. Blacklight uses Solr to index and search, and it has a highly configurable Ruby on Rails front-end. Currently, Blacklight can index, search, and provide faceted browsing for MaRC records and several kinds of XML documents, including TEI, EAD, and GDMS. Blacklight was developed at the University of Virginia Library and is made public under an Apache 2.0 license."
The project was first registered on 1/5/08, and is in pre-Alpha state, version 0.2, with a demo version online for use.
Features include
Faceting
Tagging using del.icio.us
RSS feed for searches
Plugin for Google Books search
Additional strengths
Improves accessibility
Blacklight interface
CardCat interface
Drawbacks
Fails to meet Section 508 standard when tested using Cynthia Says.
Claims to be compatible with Zotero, but would not work for me
Very early in development
Update, 10/21/08: When evaluated in September 2008 using the FAE, this product scored 75% Pass for Navigation and Orientation.
VuFind
From the website: "VuFind is a library resource portal designed and developed for libraries by libraries. The goal of VuFind is to enable your users to search and browse through all of your library's resources by replacing the traditional OPAC". It is being developed by Villanova University, and is up to Beta version 0.8.2 (stable release) with 60% of production version 1.0 development complete. A catalog driver for SirsiDynix is currently under development.
Can pull in outside information, such as reviews from Amazon, and biographical information from Wikipedia, while keeping the user on your own library's web site
Comments & reviews
Tagging with its own internal system
"Cite this" capability, plus it is downloadable in EndNote format
Favorites
Faceting
Additional Strengths
Improves accessibility
VuFind interface
CardCat interface
Drawbacks
Zotero gives wrong item type in record view for books (as web page). Posted discussion on topic requesting resolution.
Lacks "Did you mean..." option, breadcrumb trail.
Evergreen
From the web site: "Evergreen is an enterprise-class library automation system that helps library patrons find library materials, and helps libraries manage, catalog, and circulate those materials, no matter how large or complex the libraries." The demo version was reviewed on 9/15/08.
Listed strengths:
Stable, even under extreme load.
Robust, and capable of handling a high volume of transactions and simultaneous users.
Flexible, to accomodate the varied needs of libraries.
Secure, to protect our patrons' privacy and data.
User-friendly, to facilitate patron and staff use of the system.
Additional strengths:
Spell check
Simple, clean interface
True basic search field
Reviews are available, appear to require manual linking or entry
Drawbacks:
Lacks compatibility with citation management software such as Zotero
Roadmap has no plans for incorporating Web 2.0 functionality such as tagging, relevancy ranking, RSS feeds, etc.
Poor accessibility
Evergreen
CardCat interface
WorldCat Local
Strengths
Offers interface in 8 foreign languages.
Comments link for feedback or to report problems on every page.
AquaBrowser
