The Online Public Access Catalogue at the Cité des Sciences Médiathèque in Paris

Abstract

1983 saw the birth of the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie at La Villette in Paris and with it a multimedia library. The library currently holds some 300,000 documents as well as thousands of films, slides and computer programs. Entirely automated, the library uses two systems: MEDICIS for its acquisitions and cataloguing and GEAC for the circulation and online public access catalogue (OPAC). This is the first OPAC in France and is also accessible through the French Minitel videotex network. The library is divided into adult, children and research sections and also has an educational software area as well as a specially equipped room for the visually handicapped. This article describes the library and its catalogue, stock and services and notes the reactions and habits of users.

Citation

Witt, M. (1990), "The Online Public Access Catalogue at the Cité des Sciences Médiathèque in Paris", The Electronic Library, Vol. 8 No. 1, pp. 36-44. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb044941