Re: HIT>Columbia Library System

[Betsy Rosen <erosen@NCSA.UIUC.EDU>]

>
>To:LMNET
>From:erosen@ncsa.uiuc.edu (Betsy Rosen)
>Subject:Re:HIT>Columbia Library System
>
>>  Our school system has bought the Columbia system.  Because they want a union
>>catalog of the holdings in all of the school the library clerks are manually
>>having to type the data in instead of the schools using retrospective
>>conversion.  It has taken all year to type in one high school.  As an
>>elementary librarian, it will be forever before I get automated at this
>>rate.
>>  Several of the community colleges are on Columbia and don't like it.  They
>>say the support leaves a lot to be desired and the system just isn't user-
>>friendly.  I would really do a lot of research before committing myself to
>>Columbia.  I don't know their phone numbers but you could contact Barbara
>>Mosely at Faulkner Community College, Bay Minette, Alabama or Sandra King at
>>Lurleen Wallace Community College, Andalusia, Alabama, to get their views
>>on Columbia.  My husband, who is a community college librarian here in
>>Birmingham, researched several systems before deciding to go with the Searcy
>>system which is based in Huntsville, Alabama. Please let me know what you
>>find out about Columbia.
>>---------------------------------------------------------------
>>   MADELINE L. BUCHANAN           DEMS105@UABDPO.DPO.UAB.EDU
>>   LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALIST       PHONE (205) 838-7644
>>   BARRETT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
>>   7601 DIVISION AVENUE
>>   BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA  35206
>>---------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>
>>Betsy,
>>  We live in a remote location and found Columbia did not meet our needs
>>and opted for another. They did our retrospective and the first two
>>batches of barcodes they send would not work. Perhaps 1 in five would rub
>>off when applied to a book! We now use Alexandria (Macintosh) and LOVE! it.
>>
>>I felt as a fairly small, remote district they did not care a great deal
>>about us. The manuals were a nightmare. Seldom did I get to a tech
>>support person in less in 10 min. 20+ was the norm. One Fall it would
>>take over 2 hours! or even in one instance, two days after I left a
>>message. They CHARGE for every option and I found it very difficult to
>>import records from vendors.
>>        Good Luck
>>        Larry Parsons
>>Betsy, I am drawing to the close of my first year with Columbia.  I like
>>it a lot.  I miss the MARC editor from Follett's Circ+, but actually I
>>still use it and load the records created ( I don't do a lot of
>>cataloging) into Columbia through their MARC loader.
>>
>>I don't know how to answer the first question because I am not really
>>familiar with Winnebago.  My collection data transferred rather well from
>>Follett, the patron data not at all. Since we are a very small school, I
>>was not too upset at reentering the patron info. The user support to a
>>very small school (250 students) has been very good.  My only complaint
>>is the result of a discrepancy between Follett's proprietary barcodes and
>>the Columbia program, which mean that currently I am not using any
>>barcode reader.  I have gotten very fast though at typing in barcodes.
>>The crunch will come soon, when I want to do inventory.
>>
>> I think that the Columbia system seems very complicated at first, if you
>>are used to a simpler system.  I find it very satisfying, however, as it
>>has features that Follett wouldn't even discuss when I was trying to
>>decide between Catalog+ and switching to Columbia.  They include
>>authority control, foreign language support (accent marks, etc.),
>>customizable message screens, assistance with the 001 field of the MARC
>>record - and on and on.  The tech support people are what really sold me;
>>they are unfailingly friendly, helpful, patient, and, most important,
>>competent.  I log on to the tech support bulletin board at least several
>>times per week.  Wish I could say "come over and take a look."
>>
>>I can't answer the last question either; I am not much of a hardware
>>expert.  I can say that we have had very few problems running a Novell
>>network on a 486-DX (one circulation station and two catalog stations,
>>besides the server).  Feel free to contact me again.  Good luck.
>>
>>Pat Bartoshesky                  Saint Edmond's Academy
>><pbarto@brahms.udel.edu>         2120 Veale Rd.  Wilmington DE 19810-4199
>> 302-475-5370                    FAX: 302-475-2256
>>
>>
>
>>Betsy,
>>In Los Angeles Unified we use ELECTRA which is our version of the
>>Columbia System.  I haven't had any problems with it.  Was able to get up
>>and running quickly, etc.  For the concerns you have try contacting
>>Martha Baron at 213/625-4121.
>>
>>Esther Sinofsky             Library Media Teacher
>>Robert Frost Middle School  Los Angeles Unified School District
>>12314 Bradford Place        Granada Hills, CA 91344
>>818/360-2146
>>"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential
>>is invisible to the eye." -- Antoine de Saint-Exupery
>>
>>
>
>>
>>We've been on columbia for three years and are liking it.  We still have lots
>>to learn, but it seems to be working well.  We did a retrospective conversion
>>with Columbia.  I am checking all the records as there were mistakes made.  It
>>sounds as though others have the same problem.  This is the only system we've
>>used so I don't have much to compare with.  We had lots of support from the
>>company on the 800 number and that has gotten even better.  The manuals are
>>sometimes difficult to understand, but we find that the more we learn, the
>>easier the manual is to read, so that may be our shortcoming and not the
>>manual's.  I'd be glad to try and answer any other questions you might have.
>>Another person you might contact is Sandy Patton, Colorado Springs Public
>>Schools, Media Supervisor, 1036 N. Franklin, Colorado Springs, CO 80903,
>>719-520-2976. I believe she is putting schools under her jurisdiction on
>>COlumbia.
>>
>>
>
>>Sorry I got interrupted by a student and didn't answer your last questions.
>>We
>>find it very user friendly. Some recent updates have helped a lot.  The
>>students seem to have no trouble using the OPAC.  We're a small library -
>>about
>>10,000 in the collection.  We have 3 stations, a 486 on the OPAC, 386 on circ,
>>and 286 on workroom station.  We'd like one more work station.  Once in a
>>while
>>we have a little backup at the circ desk, but not often enough or big enough
>>to
>>justify another checkout station.
>>
>>
>
Elizabeth McClure Rosen
Dr Howard/Kenwood/Westview Elementary  Schools
1117 West Park Street
Champaign, IL 61821
(217)328-0922 (messages only)