FOR COLLEGES, CORPORATE LIBRARIES AND SCHOOL LIBRARY SERVICES. A new exciting solution for you

Transcription

1 FOR COLLEGES, CORPORATE LIBRARIES AND SCHOOL LIBRARY SERVICES A new exciting solution for you 1

2 CONTENTS Cataloguing with ECLIPSE PRO What if we already have our resources catalogued? What if we are automating for the first time? DISCOVERY - another world in retrospective cataloguing How does DISCOVERY work? Can I link external media types to my records? Borrowers Can I import borrower and group details? Circulations Messages Calendar Statistics/Reports Can we Create and Issue Project Boxes? Internet/Intranet What about the Web? Acquisitions Ordering & Budget Control Additional Modules Identikit WebOPAC LabelPrint Pocket Librarian Serials & Periodicals Demonstrations Reservations, Fines, Overdues Other Features Views Data Tidy Quick Replace Technical Requirements Networking Client PC's Backups Help Desk Support

3 CATALOGUING WITH ECLIPSE PRO ECLIPSE PRO is designed to allow you to catalogue everything in your Library/Resource Centre. This includes books, videos, audio tapes, pamphlets, CD s, DVD s, posters etc. In fact, you can build your own list of media types to suit your own requirements. Using SQL Server, ECLIPSE PRO is able to cope with collections running into hundred s of thousands, even millions of items. 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 PRO. 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 PRO 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 retrospective 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 a much quicker rate. 1

4 DISCOVERY ANOTHER WORLD IN RETROSPECTIVE 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 a cataloguing database supplied as part of the ECLIPSE PRO package and will make an immeasurable difference to the time taken in cataloguing your stock. DISCOVERY contains the bibliographic records of millions of publications in and out of print. DISCOVERY also includes hundred s of thousands of book cover images and summaries. HOW DOES DISCOVERY WORK? 2 Simply type or barcode scan the ISBN of the book you are cataloguing; the computer will search our DISCOVERY 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.

5 All the bibliographic information can be edited or augmented on screen if necessary and then stored. When searching for resources using our WebOPAC, borrowers will also have access to book cover images and summaries where available courtesy of DISCOVERY Online. 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 the WebOPAC. 3

6 BORROWERS CAN I IMPORT BORROWER AND GROUP DETAILS? In schools and colleges, data can easily be imported from your existing M.I.S. Alternatively, if a list of borrowers and groups can be produced in the correct format, our programmers will convert the data for you. It is possible to manually add groups and borrowers where required. Each borrower s record card will give an instant view of the items currently out on loan, plus the loans history or any reservations. The same level of detail is easily available on the Group record card, giving an instant view of resources out to a particular school, department or client. Borrowing allowance can be set for a whole group or individually by borrower and allocated as a total figure or broken down by each media type available. It is also possible to allocate group allowances by date range (e.g. a different allowance for each term). 4

7 CIRCULATIONS Issuing a resource involves opening the borrowers account. This is done by scanning in their barcoded PIN, typing in their surname or using Identikit (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. MESSAGES A facility is given on each reader 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. 5

8 RESERVATIONS, FINES, OVERDUES Items can be reserved remotely by borrowers using our WebOPAC or using the Circulate module in ECLIPSE PRO. The system can be configured to automatically print a reservation slip when the item is returned. It is also possible to clients to inform them that the item they have reserved is now available. 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. Reminders can be sent for fines as well as overdues. Current loans and overdues can be accessed via several different options, allowing viewing or printing of loans lists. Reminders can be edited to suit your own requirements and printed or ed to groups or individual borrowers. OTHER FEATURES VIEWS 6 Pre-set 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. Views lets you save common searches for use again at a later date and also create shortcuts to searches for use in the OPAC.

9 DATA TIDY Records can be universally tidied in respect of mixed case and punctuation etc. 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. STATISTICS/REPORTS ECLIPSE PRO can produce both charts and graphs of statistics relating to the Catalogue, Circulations and Borrowers. The reporting module is extremely sophisticated and even allows searching within a report. All reports can be exported in common formats (Word, PDF etc.) and customised reports can be written as part of the annual Help Desk subscription. 7

10 CAN WE CREATE AND ISSUE PROJECT BOXES? Both permanent and temporary projects can easily be created in ECLIPSE PRO. Once created, a box can be issued to a borrower with the scan of a single barcode in Circulate. Boxes can be given a genre and a classification if required. Borrowers can reserve boxes in advance. Reservations can be made against permanent boxes and also by subject, which allows you to select the resources to be included in a temporary box at the time it is to be issued as opposed to having to store boxes in advance. This way you can continue to make individual items available for loan until shortly before the project box is required. Once a resource is allocated to a box it will become unavailable for loan as an individual item. Boxes are normally returned using a Check In facility to ensure all the individual items that made up the box have been returned. Items that are missing will remain on loan to the borrower and can be chased in the normal way. 8

11 INTERNET / INTRANET WHAT ABOUT THE WEB? As the Web becomes an increasingly vital tool for research, ECLIPSE PRO will ensure that linking information on the Web to your existing resources is as easy as it gets. At the same time as accessing websites from within ECLIPSE PRO, you will also be able to access your catalogue from outside your institution via our WebOPAC or with MLSLibraries.net. This exciting new website not only allows you to search via the internet but also brings together the catalogues of all our users. Both options also make Public Library and other catalogues available at the click of a button. Borrowers will be able to reserve books online and write book reviews. 9

12 ACQUISITIONS Some libraries offer material for actual sale as an agent for suppliers. Books are selected for purchase by the school from an exhibition or mobile collection. This is shown as an Orders database which can be searched, printed, flagged etc. as normal. ORDERING & BUDGET CONTROL This module will enable you to electronically order new or replace old stock in your own catalogue and keep accurate control of your own budget at the same time as placing orders for clients from an exhibition collection. The Pocket Librarian module can be used in conjunction with this to make it easier for schools to capture the details of the resources they are ordering. Once completed, the data is downloaded into their order and the order processed as normal. ADDITIONAL MODULES 10 These modules are a selection of those available to further enhance the capabilities of ECLIPSE PRO. These are not included in the main package as some a specific to certain types of libraries and resource centres.

13 IDENTIKIT Fingerprint recognition for borrowers. No more lost or damaged readers cards or lending of cards between borrowers! WEBOPAC A searchable copy of your catalogue available on your Intranet or the Internet. Available in a number of interfaces including SearchStar to tie in with our SearchStar and the Curriculum Information Literacy pack. LABELPRINT Print new or replacement barcode labels for your resources and borrowers. LabelPrint will also print Dewey spine labels. 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 StockScan (for stocktaking), Mobile Library (issue, return and renew resources away from your library), Book Shop (recording items for purchase from exhibition collections) and QuickStart (cataloguing large volumes of new books). SERIALS & PERIODICALS This module deals with the ordering, receipt and circulation of serials as well as cataloguing. When cataloguing, it is possible to index articles and use keywording. All items catalogued are then made available through the WebOPAC. 11

14 DEMONSTRATIONS Although we normally attend all the major library exhibitions, we strongly recommend an onsite demonstration to full appreciate the potential of ECLIPSE PRO. To arrange a demonstration, please contact our sales team on TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS NETWORKING ECLIPSE PRO is designed to be used as a multi-user application running over a network. It can be run on both Local Area Networks (LANs) and Wide Area Networks (WANs). The demands on the fileserver are not high and it may be shared with other applications. The server should be operating Windows NT, 2000 or 2003 server with SQL Server 2000 installed. The WebOPAC will require Windows 2000 (SP4) or greater with IIS on the web server. CLIENT PC S 12 A typical specification might be: Windows 2000 (SP4) or XP. Pentium 1Ghz processor with a minimum of 256 Mb memory. A CD-ROM drive will be required to install ECLIPSE PRO. USB ports will be required for Identikit and bar code readers. A Windows-compatible printer will also be required.

15 Client machines being used to access the WebOPAC can be of a lower specification but will require Internet Explore 6 or greater. As the WebOPAC runs in a standard web browser, you should be able to use MACS and other operating systems to search your catalogue. BACKUPS A cartridge tape streamer is recommended for backups. NB: The above information is only a guideline and may subject to change over a period of time. Please refer to our website for up-to-date information. HELP DESK SUPPORT Your annual Help Desk subscription will include support via the telephone, or fax, free software upgrades and access to DISCOVERY Online. 13

16 MICRO LIBRARIAN SYSTEMS LIMITED Tel: +44 (0) Fax: +44 (0) E.mail: Website: