LM_NET: Library Media Networking

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At 02:40 PM 10/2/00 -0400, you wrote:
>Is anyone else experiencing the problems we are experiencing with our
>on-line services, as Grolier's and Electric Library and static IP numbers?
>Our school district changes Internet Service Providers and are no longer
>able to provide static IP numbers for every computer. That is a problem with
>our on-line service providers who need that. Has anyone else run into this
>problem? How did you solve it?

There are three ways I can think of to access online databases for
schools/libraries:

1) IP Recognition - my favorite, works really well to tell the vendor,
"Turn on IP numbers 206.53.110.*". This is easy to set up, but no way for
patrons to use the database from home.
2) RPA - Remote Patron Authentication - That's a brand name available if
you use Dynix or Horizon... but the idea's being worked on by a couple
other vendors... you set up a page on your web site that has links to
scripts for each of the vendors databases... the script then 'talks' with
your ILS to confirm that the person using the system is a valid patron
(through entering their library card number) and passes them on to the
vendor's database site. The nice thing is that this can check to make sure
the person is a valid patron and they can login from home.
3) Login/password - icky, having to issue individual logins and passwords
for each patron quickly becomes unwieldy and using only one login/password
is even worse as folks start using it from home when they shouldn't be, etc.

...brig


--
Brig C. McCoy           | IT Section Manager
Wichita Public Library  | 316 261-8500
223 South Main Street   | Dynix 180
Wichita, KS 67202       | SunOS 5.6 Ultra Enterprise 450

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