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- I will be using the format
-
- <a href=isbn:0-13-484080-1> Carl Malamud's "Stacks" </a>
-
- to handle references to books. The hope (such as it is) is that
- a browser will be able to take the isbn magic cookie and feed it
- into a library on-line catalog and get a meaningful result back.
-
- If there has been an SGML coding proposed or in use for MARC format
- records that would be the appropriate way to return the results.
- I don't have MARC details on-line, but that's OK since most library
- on-line catalogs don't yet give you access to raw cards.
-
- Until there's an isbn-to-www gateway they're still quite useful
- as absolute reference markers, easy to get the full cataloging
- information that way.
-
- Similar treatment is expected for issn (serials) numbers. In some
- distant far-off future electronic serials and electronic documents
- will get card catalog entries for them if they're suitably permanent
- and distinctive to warrant them. Until then there are plenty of books
- out there that I'd like to have pointers to.
-
- Bonus points if you can deliver fully formed hypertext to the
- desktop based on the isbn number :-)
-
- --Ed
-
-