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Bowker Adds New Features to OPAC-Enrichment Tool

Bowker (www.bowker.com), a business unit of ProQuest, has added new features to its OPAC-enrichment tool Syndetics that make it easier for library users to choose catalog titles and get ideas for new titles that match their interests. Syndetics, used by librarians for its ability to enhance the bibliographic content found in library online catalogs, now enables libraries to provide video clips, book reviews from The New York Times, and searchable fiction profiles to their users through their OPACs. 

Syndetics integrates more than 11 million content enrichment elements that can enhance just about any library online catalog. Syndetics users' OPACs will now include book reviews from The New York Times and Searchable Fiction Profiles will integrate reader's advisory within the catalog. Users can discover their next books by linking through character profiles, genre, topics, setting, and time period related to their favorite titles. More than 100,000 book profiles are available, primarily across fiction, but also for nonfiction and children's books. Finally, DVD selection becomes more compelling with integrated video trailers for more than 35,000 U.S. and international movies and television shows.

Syndetics offers a wealth of descriptive information and cover images relating to videos, DVDs, CDs, and all types of books from juvenile chapter books to conference proceedings. Much of this data can't be found from any other source. Various elements of content are added weekly for more than 100,000 new titles each year. The new elements launch on the heels of the new Syndetics Plus, which includes a simple, easy-to-use widget that automatically integrates data into a library's catalog and allows customization of Syndetics content to neatly match the look and feel of the OPAC.

Source: Bowker