There are other online directories of libraries available, but lib-web-cats is indispensable if you need to find libraries using a particular integrated library system (ILS). Their advanced search page is very powerful, letting you narrow your search by geography, library type, ILS, and more.
This tool is maintained by Marshall Breeding, who is hoping to expand it even further, as his post on Web4Lib states:
As part of the work that I do in following trends in library automation, I maintain the lib-web-cats database of libraries. I’m currently interested in gathering more data about what link resolvers, federated search/metasearch applications, electronic resource management modules, and alternative catalogs are currently being used in libraries, in addition to the current and previous ILS’s.
I’ve recently extended lib-web-cats to add fields for these other automation components and would very much appreciate it if Web4Lib members would visit the database and update it for their libraries. I’m especially interested in recording open source options being used by libraries in addition to the commercially provided ones.
Once you find your library in the database, there will be a “details” link that displays the information that I have so far. You can use the “Update this Entry” button to enter additional information. Drop me a note off-list if you have any difficulties.
The information you provide will help me in the research that I do for the articles that I write on library automation, but is also freely available for anyone else that’s interested.
I appreciate your help.
-marshall
