FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Transcription

1 FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS A library management system & much more designed specifically for you MICRO LIBRARIAN SYSTEMS LIMITED Tel: +44 (0) Fax: +44 (0) info@microlib.co.uk Website: 1

2 CONTENTS Introduction Who Benefits from the Installation of ECLIPSE Cataloguing with ECLIPSE DISCOVERY - Another World in Retrospective Cataloguing Borrowers Circulations Reservations, Fines, Overdues Other Features Statistics Internet / Intranet Enquiries Additional Modules Help Desk Support, Training and the MLS Community Demonstrations Technical Information Installation and Training A Little About Us A LITTLE ABOUT US... OVER 25 YEARS EXPERIENCE DEVELOPING HIGH SPECIFICATION LIBRARY SYSTEMS FOR SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES HAS DEFINITELY TAUGHT US A THING OR TWO Established since 1981 our friendly team at MLS have been working together at the forefront of library automation technology for a long time, being the first to incorporate the Identikit biometric verification technology into our systems and develop hand held mobile solutions with the introduction of Pocket Librarian. We ve always made it our priority to listen carefully to the recommendations and suggestions from our customers, constantly adapting our systems to meet the demanding standards of the educational industry. Over the years we ve successfully developed many high quality library systems specifically designed to meet the challenges and needs of educational establishments. We have a strong understanding of the unique requirements of our market, supporting thousands of users throughout the UK and also Europe, Africa, the Middle East, USA and even as far as Cambodia. We feel the main reasons for the popularity of our systems are their ease of use and the excellent standards of care we offer our users. Without compromising on the functionality we have always managed to produce high quality solutions that are effortlessly straightforward to use, and we are particularly proud of the after sales support network we are able to offer our customers. Our ongoing commitment to product development ensures that we will always have one eye on the future. You can be certain that whatever your future requirements, we will have the best solution for you. 17

3 TECHNICAL INFORMATION INTRODUCTION 16 Whatever you need from your library system whether it s a powerful standalone unit or a sophisticated networking solution, ECLIPSE 2 offers you simplicity, reliability and flexibility with unrivalled scope for expansion. Your ECLIPSE 2 pack will be delivered complete with software installation CDs, a comprehensive user manual, a barcode reader, barcode labels, one years free subscription to Advantage Help Desk and a full site license. The minimum requirement for hardware is a 1Ghz processor with at least 256Mb of RAM and a CD ROM drive, running Windows 2000 or later with USB ports. Access to a printer will be required for reports and reminders. Always refer to our website for confirmation on the latest hardware requirements. INSTALLATION AND TRAINING Installation of ECLIPSE 2 is very straightforward and full instructions are provided with the software, however you could consider our on site training package. At your request one of our experienced trainers will install ECLIPSE 2 for you according to your requirements and then proceed with an all day training session tailored to your particular level of IT experience. Our trainers can also offer you a Quick Start cataloguing service designed to help you get your library up and running fast, in some cases within a week. ECLIPSE 2 is a highly sophisticated yet user friendly management system for secondary school libraries. It is the ease of use which makes ECLIPSE 2 so popular and is one of the main reasons why hundreds of school librarians have already converted from existing systems. The system includes a full network licence. No hidden costs for searching your catalogue from other computers on your network or having more than one issue desk! MLS are able to provide you with case studies covering most scenarios, from schools looking to automate the library for the first time to those considering changing an existing management system to ECLIPSE 2. Whatever your situation, we should be able to provide a case study and provide contact details for librarians in other schools who have been through a similar process. This brochure will hopefully answer a number of the questions you might have about ECLIPSE 2, however our experience shows that there s no substitute for actually seeing the system demonstrated. We would be delighted to arrange for you to visit a local school already using ECLIPSE 2 or for a representative from MLS to visit you. ECLIPSE 2 should be viewed as a school wide resource and not necessarily just as a management system for the library/resource centre. The system will allow you to catalogue any media types including books, text books, websites, hardware, CD s, DVD s, etc. In fact you can build up your own list to suit your own requirements. The network licence for SearchStar will enable you to install it on every PC on your IT network. Students should view SearchStar as their gateway to information in school. Searches will return matching library resources, safe and approved websites, book covers, summaries, author biographies and even video clips of authors talking about their books. 1

4 2 LIBRARIAN Raise the profile of the library through technology (fingerprint recognition, etc) A management system specifically designed for secondary school libraries Extremely intuitive, user-friendly interface Online cataloguing of new resources Extensive reporting package including inspections report Customisable picture based searching for SearchStar Extensive global editing facilities for maintaining your catalogue Fantastic support including user groups Includes its own information literacy set SearchStar & the Curriculum HEADTEACHER Reports specifically designed for inspections Track reading progress across gender, ethnicity etc Raise the profile of the school and library through technology A system that allows you to track all school resources including text books WHO BENEFITS FROM THE TEACHERS Integrate information literacy skills into lesson plans Improved usage and awareness of available resources for planning projects Manage departmental resources such as text books NEW INTAKE / YR 7 S Most primary schools in the UK that have an automated library use our Junior Librarian system. Year 7 students joining your school will therefore have an instant familiarity with SearchStar, reducing the training requirement at library induction. HELP DESK SUPPORT, TRAINING AND THE MLS COMMUNITY... What really sets MLS apart from our competitors is our strong and supportive after sales network. When you purchase ECLIPSE 2 you immediately gain access to a fantastic technical support team, the option of dedicated and professional training and a developing network and community of existing users and helpful organisations. DEDICATED HELP AND SUPPORT Our friendly dedicated Help Desk team are always on hand to offer clear, step by step expert advice and assistance by phone, fax or whenever you need us. Whether you have a technical query that requires a speedy solution, or if you simply need some help with using the software we will ensure your query is answered quickly and effectively every time. Subscription to Advantage Help Desk is free as standard for the first year and includes: Unlimited advice and support from our friendly dedicated experts Free ECLIPSE 2 software updates Access to the User Area of our website where you can get the latest news and downloads. Free replacement barcode reader (when your barcode reader is beyond repair) DEMONSTRATIONS Access to our online shop where you can purchase MLS products and services at discounted rates. Subscription to Discovery Online (online cataloguing, book covers, Meet the Author Interviews etc.) Free additional barcode labels Although we normally attend all the major library exhibitions, we strongly recommend an on-site demonstration to fully appreciate the potential of ECLIPSE 2. To arrange a demonstration please contact our sales team on Alternatively, with so many schools already using ECLIPSE 2, we could arrange for you to visit a local school or send you one of our case studies to read. 15

5 ADDITIONAL MODULES INSTALLATION OF ECLIPSE 2? 14 These modules are a selection of those available to further enhance the capabilities of ECLIPSE 2. These are not included in the main package as some are specific to certain types of libraries and resource centres. IDENTIKIT Fingerprint recognition for borrowers. No more lost or damaged reader cards or lending of cards between borrowers! LABELPRINT Print new or replacement barcode labels for your resources and borrowers. LabelPrint will also print Dewey spine labels. SELF ISSUE Allow your borrowers to serve themselves when the library is unsupervised. POCKET LIBRARIAN A Library Management System you can take anywhere with you! Pocket Librarian is a suite of programs designed for Pocket PC with an integrated laser scanner. Programs include Attendance (can be used to monitor attendance), StockScan (for stocktaking), Mobile Library (issue, return and renew resources away from your library) and QuickStart (cataloguing large volumes of new books). IT / NETWORK MANAGER Full network license Easy to install and maintain MSI s already built including RM CC3 Optional web based version of SearchStar Fully web based.net version available if preferred Integration with main school MIS for student data Software Licenses module Excellent technical support Websites database for safe searching of the internet BURSAR Cost effective asset tracking tool for all school resources Asset value reports Monitor effective use of school resources and plan future purchasing Competitive annual support costs Competitive conversion and implementation costs STUDENTS Multiple search options to help develop information literacy skills Integration of school resources and websites all in one place Write book reviews and read reviews from other students Floorplan to show location of resources Reserve resources and manage their own accounts A chance to Meet the Author with video clips of authors talking about their books 3

6 4 CATALOGUING WITH ECLIPSE 2 WHAT IF WE ALREADY HAVE OUR RESOURCES CATALOGUED? If your library is already automated, we can transfer the data from your existing system into ECLIPSE 2. Our developers are experts in data conversion and we have probably already converted data from the system you are using. You should also be able to use your existing barcode readers and ECLIPSE 2 will recognise the barcode labels in your resources. You will be kept up to date throughout the conversion process to ensure that everything is accurately converted, and that you are able to hit the ground running with your new system. WHAT IF WE ARE AUTOMATING FOR THE FIRST TIME? If you are automating for the first time, your main concern will be the time involved to computerise your stock. DISCOVERY, our online cataloguing database, will take care of this for you. The QuickStart module within Pocket Librarian (see additional modules) will allow you to catalogue books at an even quicker rate. IF YOU LIKE THE BOOK, WHY NOT TAKE THE QUIZ... ECLIPSE 2 is fully compatible with Accelerated Reader from Renaissance Learning. Accelerated Reader is the world's most popular reading management software and is used in over 70,000 schools worldwide. With over 8,000 quizzes available, those you own can easily be linked to the books in your library, enhancing the reading experience by allowing your pupils to take a quiz on their favourite book. The program also allows you to report on quizzes that are available for books you might not have in stock. Each book is given a reading level and the reports generated help you guide your pupils' reading and improve their literacy skills. To find out more, visit IMAGINE BEGINNING YOUR RESEARCH WITH A SIMPLE REFERENCE TO SPACE... Resources can be reserved remotely and students are able to check their own accounts and write reviews about resources they have borrowed. Whether you are planning year 7 induction or a science project for year 9, our Information Literacy Pack is the ideal resource for teaching students how to use the OPAC as part of the research process. At their fingertips your earthbound students can explore the solar system and beyond. Their space exploration could begin with a flight through space aided by books containing images showing the position of the Earth, Sun and the planets. Their journey and knowledge could be enhanced with detailed photographs and information on the geographical features of all the planets, and star maps showing the beautiful night time sky. They could move on to an educational DVD showing the movement of the planets around the sun, and learn about gravitational force and its effects. The voyage may take their discovery further when they find innumerable facts about the satellites and probes observing our solar system and beyond. They can be one click away from a website that could launch them into space virtually! Your students will be wide awake on the Sea of Tranquillity, inspired by their investigations. 13

7 ENQUIRIES WITH SEARCHSTAR A SIMPLE SEARCH CAN BECOME A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY... Children of all abilities will find searching for resources a colourful and exciting experience. Simple picture based searching allows less able children to use SearchStar with ease. The default simple search option allows children to perform a search by typing in all or part of a word relating to the resource they are looking for. This can be anything including part of the title, author, subject, keyword or even the classification number. The advanced search option allows children to be more specific in their investigation, introducing pupils to Boolean logic to limit the extent of their searches. 12 Searches performed in SearchStar will match books, websites and other media and content and will provide a map to show where the relevant resources are located in the library. At the click of a button your pupils can gain access to fabulous full colour book images, helpful book summaries, inspiring author interviews and fascinating biographies. They can even watch video clips of their favourite authors introducing their books in their own words with the exciting 'Meet The Author' feature provided by DISCOVERY Online. D I S C O V ER Y ANOTHER WORLD IN R ETR O S PEC TI V E CATALOGUING One of the most important aspects of library automation is the ease with which you can deal with cataloguing. Naturally you will want to have your new system up and running as soon as possible, as well as dealing with all the other day to day aspects of library life. The thought of spending months, or even years typing in all your stock may well be the factor which influences your choice of system. DISCOVERY is an online cataloguing database supplied as part of the ECLIPSE 2 package, and will make an immeasurable difference to the time taken in cataloguing your existing and new stock. DISCOVERY contains the bibliographic records of millions of publications in and out of print. It also includes hundreds of thousands of book cover images and book summaries, as well as author biographies, award data and even video clips of authors talking about their books, allowing students to Meet the Author. 5

8 HOW DOES DISCOVERY WORK? Simply type or barcode scan the ISBN of the book you are cataloguing. The computer will search our online database and display the bibliographic details on screen. The records contain not only the title and author of the book, but in most cases a suggested Dewey classification and some subject keywords as well as series entry, publisher, year of publication, media type and price. Multiple copies of the same item can be added quickly using the 'Copy' function. CAN I LINK EXTERNAL MEDIA TYPES TO MY RECORDS? The Multimedia option in catalogue allows you to link images, documents, presentations and even movie clips to your existing records. These items are instantly available. The 'Links' function will allow you to tie websites and other resources together. Linked resources will be accessible from the record card of each item in SearchStar. INTERNET / INTRANET WHAT ABOUT THE WEB? As the internet becomes an increasingly vital tool for research, ECLIPSE 2 will ensure that linking information on the internet to your existing resources is as easy as it gets. The websites database allows you to build up a list of useful safe websites as you find them or alternatively to import website data in MARC format such as WebLinks from the Carel Press. At the same time as accessing websites from within ECLIPSE 2, we are able to offer a number of options to enable you to integrate ECLIPSE 2 and SearchStar into your intranet and to allow access via the web. Our WebOPAC offers all the normal features of SearchStar but it is designed to run on a web server using IIS. MLSLibraries.net offers the same but uses a hosted copy of your catalogue instead of your live data. 6 If you would prefer everything to be web based then please contact our sales team for details of ECLIPSE.NET. This version offers advantages such as integration with VLE s and is designed to better support a thin client architecture. 11

9 STATISTICS BORROWERS 10 Librarians are often asked for a variety of statistics by inspectors or management. ECLIPSE 2 can produce both charts and graphs of statistics relating to the Catalogue, Circulations and Enrolment. These give detailed breakdowns of both stock and borrowing patterns between any given dates. As each borrower s gender is stored on Enrolment, patterns of borrowing between male and female readers in fiction and nonfiction can be accessed at any time. Reports can also be generated by ethnicity, and the system even has reports specifically designed for school inspections and self evaluation. The inspectors were very impressed by the way in which we are able to provide detailed statistics and monitor use of the library by gender, year group, ethnicity and individual progress in numbers of books borrowed. This is due to the excellent reports developed by Eclipse, which I use on a regular basis. I really appreciate the team s response to the needs of school librarians. Helen Pallett Djanogly City Academy Current Loans Reservations Past Loans CAN I IMPORT BORROWER AND GROUP DETAILS? Pupil data can easily be imported from your school management information system. This process can be repeated annually (or more often as required) to update groups, add new intake and remove leavers. It is also possible to manually add groups and borrowers and remove leavers as required. Alternatively, it is possible to have a dynamic link between your main school MIS and ECLIPSE 2 using the emerge School technology. emerge School works with all the main school management information systems (SIMS.net, Facility CMIS, RM Integris & Phoenix) and can be scheduled to automatically update your borrower data without any manual intervention. For more information about emerge School please visit our website. Each borrower s record card will give an instant view of the items currently out on loan, plus the loans history or any current reservations. Borrowing allowances can be set for a whole group or individually by borrower. 7

10 8 CIRCULATIONS Issuing a resource involves opening the borrower s account in Circulate. This is done by scanning in their barcoded PIN, typing in their surname or PIN number or using the optional Identikit module (biometric fingerprint recognition). Any current loans will be shown in the table, overdue items being red. The reservations tab will alert you if any of the books reserved by an individual are now available in the library. Once details of the Account are on screen scanning the barcode label will issue the item to that account for the stated loan period. If the item scanned is already on loan the system will automatically return it. Reservations can be made within this window, and past loans can also be viewed and printed. If you operate a returns box these can be dealt with quickly by using the Multi Return feature. The system will even tell you if today happens to be the borrower s birthday! MESSAGES A facility is given on each borrower s account to leave messages regarding, for example, things left in the library, library duties, telephone calls to make, etc. The message screen opens as soon as the reader account is accessed. CALENDAR Holidays and days when the library is closed can be filled in easily on a calendar, which will then make the necessary adjustments to loans, overdues and fines. RESERVATIONS, FINES, OVERDUES Items can be reserved by borrowers in the SearchStar OPAC. The system can also be configured to automatically print a reservation slip when the item is returned. A list of current reservations can be displayed at any time. An overall fine rate can be set or individual fine rates assigned to specific items. As the item is returned, a prompt is given for the fine payable, which can be paid in full or part, stored for later payment or waived altogether. An accounting system keeps track of all paid and owing fines. Current loans and overdues can be accessed via several different options, allowing viewing or printing of loans lists, or editing and printing of individual or group reminders to readers. It is also possible to reminders directly to readers. Another first from MLS is the ability to send SMS text messages to the mobile phones of your borrowers regarding overdues. OTHER FEATURES VIEWS Preset layouts can be selected or new ones created in the Views option, to display your data in a different format. Fields, colours, fonts and column widths can all be changed as well as the criteria for the data being displayed. QUICK REPLACE Extensive search and replace facilities can be used to make global changes to the database without having to edit each record individually. Keywords can be edited or deleted globally and also checked against the current list when cataloguing new stock. DATA TIDY Records can be universally tidied in respect of mixed case and punctuation. ADD KEYWORDS Allows you to quickly and easily add multiple new keywords to groups of catalogue records. 9