The application of function descriptors to the development of an information system typology


sometimes incorrect ordering information. Most common 
was the exclusion of price or publisher, although these 
omissions did not seem to complicate verification unduly. 
Misspelled author names, one incorrect author, and errors 
in title citation were also discovered on the order form. The 
misspellings were obvious, but the correct forms of the 
names could not have been established easily without on- 
line access to the full bibliographic record in each case. The 
one incorrect author also appeared with an incomplete title 
citation, and it was not until the book was actually received 
a t  the library that the OCW record could be classified as a 
“find.” Serious, too, was the pair of orders which seemed 
to differ only in the government document number. 

It is quite clear that verification of titles through OCLC 
serves to eliminate duplicate orders, improve speed of 
acquisitions, and ensure the correct receipt of items. In this 
connection it is also worth noting that OCLC’s use of trun- 
cated search keys greatly facilitates the process by minimiz- 
ing the effect of all mistakes, certainly including those that 
may have been made during the preparation of order forms. 

Conclusion 

The results of this pilot study indicate that technical in- 
formation centers a n d  special libraries can benefit substan- 
tially from participation in OCLC. Moreover, i t  seems clear 

that some problem areas are truly universal in scope, and 
that organizations working in such areas should be free t o  
cooperate through computer-based networks without re- 
gard for such relatively artificial constraints a s  provincial, 
state, and even international borders. 

References 

1 .  

2 .  

3. 

4. 

5. 

6 .  

7 .  

8 .  

Reid, M.T. “Effectiveness of the OCLC Data Base for Acquisi- 
tions Verification.” Journal of Academic Librarianship. 2:236- 
237; 1977. 
Morita, LT.; Gapen, D.K. “A Cost Analysis of the Ohio College 
Library Center On-Line Shared Cataloging System in the Ohio 
State University Libraries.” Library Resources and Technical 
Services. 21:286-302; 1977. 
Meyer, R.W.; Panetta, R .  ‘Two Shared Cataloging Data Bases: 
A Comparison.” College& Research Libraries. 38:19-24; 1917. 
Plotnik, A. “OCLC for You-and Me?” American Libraries. 
258-267;May 1976. 
‘The Impact of OCLC.” American Libraries. 268-215; May 
1976. 
Markuson, B.E. “The Ohio College Library Center System: A 
Study o f  Factors Affecting the Adaptation o f  Libraries to On- 
Line Networks.” Library Technology Reports. 11-132; J a n -  
uary 1976. 
Martin, S.K. Library Networks, 1976-77. White Plains, NY: 
Knowledge Industry Publications; 1976: 36. 
Private communication with INCOLSA Staff, February 1 3 ,  
1978. 

Errata 

The Application of Function Descriptors to the Development of an 
Information System Typology 

E. Burton Swanson 
Graduate School of Management, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90024 

[Article appeared in the Journal of the American Society f o r  Information Science. 28:259-267 (1977)] 

The word “topology” was inadvertently inserted in place of “typology” in the title of the above paper on the lead page 
of the article and in the table of contents for that issue. 

256 JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE-September 1978