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About Copac
Introduction to Copac
Copac is a freely available library catalogue, giving access to the merged online catalogues of many major UK and Irish academic and National libraries, as well as increasing numbers of specialist libraries.
Copac has c.36 million records, representing the merged holdings of:
- members of the Research Libraries UK (RLUK). This includes the catalogues of the British Library, the National Library of Scotland, and the National Library of Wales / Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru.
- increasing numbers of specialist libraries with collections of national research interest, as well as records for specialist collections held in UK academic libraries.
A full list of the contributing libraries, with links to each library web site, is available on our libraries page. We are continuing to add new catalogues and the list of those waiting to be added is available on our forthcoming libraries page.
The Copac website contains service information and support materials. To start searching the Copac catalogue select the 'Search Copac' option on the Home Page.
NOTE: Many libraries still have large card catalogues. This means not all details of a library's stock can be searched online, either via Copac or via the library's own catalogue. For information about which stock is not recorded on a library's online catalogue you need to check the relevant library's web site.
Copac is a Mimas service, based at The University of Manchester. Copac is funded by the JISC and uses records supplied by RLUK.
Copac content
Copac records represent documents dating from c.1100AD onwards, in many languages. Details of a wide range of materials are included and some records include links to the document full-text. More details are available on the Copac content page.
Copac user comments
What Copac users say about the service...
Copac is really the most extraordinary bibliographical tool, and an amazing development in library science... the capacity to identify specific copies with marginalia and so on with specific libraries is a tremendous bonus. My own URL is rich with spoils. In short, love you!
Your Copac is the finest example of Z39.50 on the web. Thank you for such a fine reference system.
I [...] just wanted to let you know I think Copac is wonderful. Each time I use it I love it more, its so reliable, simple to use and very user friendly, unlike so many other electronic databases/products.
Copac is one of my favourite resources - user friendly and helpful in every way...
Copac is one of the best resources to have come on the scene in the past few years: it would be hard to imagine having to do without it.
The consultation of Your catalogue saved me an enormous amount of time
Thank you for providing such a useful service. Your site is succinct, fast and very wide ranging.
You have a magnificent set-up that has changed the lives for overseas researchers into UK material.
Thank you very much for this excellent service
One of our Divinity academics last week told me that he often searches Copac before our own catalogue because there is a higher chance of a hit when he is uncertain of the exact details. He can then refine his search for our catalogue.
Since this is Valentine's Day I'm sending a love letter (not a virus) to whoever wrote the explanations of the z39.50 diagnostic messages.
Just a thank you for making the Copac system available to outsiders.
I usually find Copac incredibly useful & very easy to use
I shd add that Copac is a great and glorious step fwd (even without v3) and you are to be congratulated on making it so easy to use.
extremely useful to plan a research expedition
most useful, especially as search aid for SUBJECT
Copac is a wonderful bibliographical search tool for the more obscure requests which I have to deal with
It is very useful and superior to the British Library's system
It's one of the services I use most often in my work as a subject librarian with both teaching & collection development responsibilities. I'm a fan!
very welcome integration of resources/UK-Irl / which continually improves year by year.
what a wonderful service for all students!!!
You have a fan here. I have used it for a good while now and return to it regularly. A great service. Much appreciated.
Really excellent. For bibliographical information, this is the best online service available.
A splendid service, I use it all the time
I would like to thank you for having an extremely useful catalogue with free access -- your interface is much better than the British Library Public Catalogue's one [...] Many thanks for all your good work -- Copac is a wonderful research tool
Interfaces available
There are four interfaces to Copac. The Web interface (the Web/Z39.50 gateway) is the one used most. However, you can also access Copac via the Z39.50 interface, the OpenURL interface, or the SRW/SRU interface.
Library update details
Catalogue updates are loaded on a regular basis. The Library update page gives details of when records were last added to Copac from each contributing library.
Copac usage statistics
Use of Copac is continuing to increase. Copac usage statistics are available. These provide a summary of service use, as well as offering more detailed usage statistics relating to each interface.
You can check Copac usage statistics for your own institution. This facility is available for all UK academic institutions ie. those with an .ac.uk address.
Staff details
Copac is based on the RLUK database and both of these services are developed and maintained by a team of four staff, plus a service manager.
Accessibility statement
We have tried to make the Copac service, with its supporting web pages, accessible to everyone. If you find you are having difficulties, either in searching Copac or using the website, please let us know and we'll see what we can do to help resolve the problem.
You can contact the Copac Helpdesk at: copac@mimas.ac.uk
Acknowledgements
The Copac service gratefully acknowledges the support of the following organisations:
- Copac is funded by JISC, the Joint Information Systems Committee for UK Higher and Further Education, with additional funding from RLUK, the RIN and the British Library.
- Copac is created using data supplied by members of RLUK, the Consortium of Research Libraries, with contributions from a number of other non-RLUK libraries. A full list of contributors is available on our Libraries page.
- Copac is one of the Mimas services. Mimas is a national data centre providing a range of services to support teaching, learning and research in UK Higher and Further education, as well as participating in development projects in this field.
- Copac is developed and maintained at Manchester Computing, The University of Manchester.
- Copac is a registered trademark of The University of Manchester.
Disclaimer
The Copac service has taken all reasonable care to ensure that the information contained in this website is accurate on the stated date of publication or last modification.
It is possible that the information may be out of date, incomplete or the opinion of the author. It is advisable that you verify any information from this website before relying on it.
The Copac service accepts no responsibility for the consequences of error or for any loss or damage suffered by users of any of the information and material contained on this website or any site you may access through this site.
Copyright
Materials contained on this website are subject to copyright and other proprietary rights.
For content supplied by Nielsen Book Services Ltd:
"Copyright in any bibliographic data and cover images supplied by Nielsen Book Services Limited is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved."
Privacy & Cookies
Date last updated: 10th January 2012
The Copac service has created a Privacy Policy to show our commitment to protect the privacy of our users as well as visitors to our website. This privacy statement covers the website http://copac.ac.uk and the text below explains how we gather and use your information. Please be aware that your use of this site constitutes your acceptance of this policy.
Collection of Information
The Copac service at Mimas is the sole owner of the information collected on http://copac.ac.uk. When you use the Copac service, we collect and track personal information, either by asking you about yourself (e.g. your name, institution, email address) or by recording data such as your Internet Protocol (IP) address.
Personally Identifiable Data You Choose to Provide
If you contact us with a query etc., we will use the personal data that you provide to reply to your message. We may retain a record of users who have contacted us in order to respond properly to questions or concerns and for the purposes of future communications. We will not share this information with any third party unless you have consented to this.
Cookies
Cookies are small files that may be placed on your computer when you visit a web site. Most web browsers allow you to manage cookies - for information about what cookies are and how you can manage and delete them see: visit www.allaboutcookies.org.
Copac uses cookies for a variety of reasons as detailed in the table below. Note that if you stop Copac using cookies some facilities will no longer work.
| Session ID | Your session ID is recorded in a cookie. This ties together all the elements of your session making the search process more efficient. |
| Search form | We use a cookie to record the search form you last used so we can give you this as your default search form next time you use Copac. |
| Survey | For the annual Copac user survey we use a cookie to record whether you have completed the survey, to ensure you do not keep getting the survey prompt each time you go to our home page.
If you complete the survey the cookie expires at the end of the survey period. If you select ‘not today’ the cookie expires 24 hours later. |
| Shibboleth login | Copac users who login will do so via the UK Access Management Federation for Education and Research, utilising Shibboleth. This uses cookies as part of the user identification process, without these you may not be able to login.
The privacy policy of the UK Access Management Federation is available at:
http://www.ukfederation.org.uk/content/Documents/PrivacyPolicy |
| Google Book Search | We display Google Book Search links within Copac, where relevant. To opt-out of this facility you can de-select the Google Book search option on the ‘Settings’ page. We use a cookie to record your preferences in relation to Google Book Search. |
| Google analytics | Cookies set by Google analytics allow us to collect information about usage of Copac in anonymous form. We use this information to help us develop and improve the service; we may include some of the data in reports. Google analytics gives us details about the number of users, where they are from, and what pages they visited.
The Google Analytics privacy policy is available at: http://www.google.co.uk/intl/en/analytics/privacyoverview.html If you wish, you can opt out of being tracked by Google Analytics across all websites, see: http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. |
| AddThis | We use AddThis to offer you range of social network options. Cookies set by AddThis enable some aspects of the service, such as menu personalization. They also provide us with analytics so we can see how the AddThis option is being used (in general terms), information which feeds into our service development.
The AddThis privacy policy is available at: http://www.addthis.com/privacy/privacy-policy/ |
Log Files
Continuous logs are maintained of Copac server activity. Data collected include: tags added to records and searches; record sets downloaded; records added to MyReferences; searches performed; details of email addresses when downloading records by email; IP addresses; browser types; Domain names (DNS); referring/exit pages; platform types; date/time stamps; and number of clicks to analyse trends, administer the site, track users' movements in the aggregate, and gather broad demographic information for aggregate use.
This log information is used in a range of ways, notably:
- Search details in the logs can help us resolve user queries where someone is having search problems.
- The logs are valuable for developing the service, for example, checking failed searches to see if we can identify regular problems for which we can improve our support.
- We use information from the logs for generating usage data and graphs that may be used in reports, for example, reporting on the number of users from different countries.
Use of Information
Any information we collect from users of the Copac service is used to improve our services to you. Statistical information is used to create a better service for users of Copac.
Notification of Changes
If we decide to change our privacy policy over time, we will post those changes to this privacy statement, the homepage, and other places we deem appropriate so our users/visitors are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and under what circumstances, if any, we disclose it. Any changes made will be effective when posted.
Links to Other Websites
This website contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the content and/or privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every website that collects personally identifiable information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this website, ie. http://copac.ac.uk/.
Copac record displays may include material drawn from external services or document specific links to relevant material provided by an external service. In some cases this results in the provision of your computer's IP address and the relevant document identifier (eg. ISBN) to the external service in order to enhance the records with document specific information or links.
Contact Information
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this privacy statement, please contact the Copac Helpdesk. Contact details are available on our Contact page.
Website URL:
http://copac.ac.uk/
