The Cal State Long Beach University Library is doing away with the nearly 20-year-old COAST on-line catalog system. The NOTIS-based system will be replaced with Innovative Interfaces Inc.'s new software, INNOPAC.

The new catalog system will retain the COAST name, but feature enhanced searching options.

The new INNOPAC system is scheduled to be partially up and running by the start of the spring 1998 semester.

The conversion is tentatively set to be finished by next summer.

Only a few terminals will be available initially. Once the process is begun, all of the old terminals will be shut down and disconnected.

The INNOPAC catalog is already in use in over half of the university libraries throughout the California State University system and in over 600 university and public libraries throughout the world. The new system presents a user-friendly, JAVA-based program.

Henry DuBois, acting associate library director, said that the NOTIS software currently in use in the library has become obsolete.

"State of the art library catalogs now run on a client-server based system, like the INNOPAC system, rather than through a remote, or main-frame system like NOTIS," DuBois said.

The INNOPAC system will offer users the ability to check for books by instructor and course.

The new system will also provide alphabetical variations of items being searched for.

Students will be able to view their library account records and will also be able to reserve books through the Internet.

Tables of contents for listed books will be available as well as page numbers. Students will also be able to access INNOPAC catalogs around the CSU system.

Overall, the up-grade will cost the library nearly $500,000. This figure includes estimates for installing completely new and other necessary software.

Roughly 60 percent of the total cost of the transition has been allocated by the university through roll-over of funding provided by the California Lottery.

A part of the remaining cost is being covered by not renewing the NOTIS contract.

"Money that we would usually spend on renewing our contracts is instead now going to pay for this transition," DuBois said. "We'll have to scratch a little, but we'll get this done."

The old COAST terminals will not be compatible with the new system once the switch is initiated.

DuBois says the Library does not expect that ther will be any lines of students waiting to use the new terminals, despite the small number of terminals that will initially be available.

Workshops familiarizing people with the new COAST will be held in order to help the transition flow more smoothly.

The INNOPAC system is available for preview on the world wide web at: www.iii.com.