Thank you to everyone who responded to this survey.  Below are a summary
of the responses.

We received a total of 13 responses to this survey from AUTOCAT and
SERIALST.

1. Can patrons limit searches to specific online formats through the
catalog (e.g., e-books vs. e-journals vs. e-dissertations)?
The majority of responses indicated that some sort of limiting by format
can be done, though the extent of this capability differs from catalog to
catalog.  Two of the libraries could only limit by a single format,
whereas the others had multiple formats available for limiting.

2.How does the catalog allow patrons to search for these formats, for
example, a keyword search, a subject search, a browse function?
Most of the catalogs allowed format limits to every type of search.  Two
stated that format limits could only be done during a keyword search.

3.Do you use the 655 in your catalog?
11 of the 13 libraries stated that they do use the 655 tag to some extent
in their catalogs.  1 of these 11 stated that they change the 655 to a
650.

4.Do you use the 655 for format headings, genre headings, or both?
(of the 11 who use 655) 5 libraries use the 655 for both genre and form
headings, 3 use it for genre headings only, and 1 uses it for form
headings.  2 libraries did not define whether or not the headings they
used were for genre and form.

5.Do you use the 655 to specify different types of online resources?
(of the 11 who use 655) 6 libraries responded that they do not use the 655
to specify different types of online resources, and 4 libraries stated
they did.  1 library did not answer.

6.How does your OPAC allow the 655 tag to be searched? (note: some
libraries gave more than one answer)
(of the 11 who use 655) 5 libraries responded that the 655 can be searched
in a keyword search.  6 catalogs also allow the 655 to be searched as a
subject.  2 libraries stated that it was available as menu choices. 1 did
not answer.

7.How did you determine what terms to use in the 655? (note: some
libraries gave more than one answer)
(of the 11 who use 655) 5 libraries use some sort of existing thesauri
(LCSH, AAT, etc.)  4 stated that they developed their own lists of terms
to use.  Two of the libraries stated that they accept whatever terms are
in the 655 when the records are downloaded from OCLC. 2 did not answer.

8. How does your staff use the 655 in their job duties?
(of the 11 who use 655) Answers to this question varied, depending on how
it was interpreted.  1 library stated that they use the 655 to create
lists of cleanup, exporting, and upgrading. 3 libraries stated that their
technical staff check or enter this tag into the records.  3 others stated
that the tag is used to help patrons.  2 stated that their staff does not
use the 655 at all in their work.  2 did not answer.

Aleta Copeland
Cataloging and Metadata Librarian
University of Nebraska -- Lincoln
University Libraries