LM_NET: Library Media Networking
On Mon, 16 May 1994, Jim Crook wrote:
> I am very interested in learning which of the large number of library
> automation systems that are in use are satisfactory to the people who use
them
> most. I will be pleased to collate responses and post them for others to
use.
>
> If you have an automated system that includes, as a minimum, OPAC, use of
MARC
> records and is networkable, drop me a note stating the name of the system,
the
> vendor, the platform on which it runs along with favourable or negative
comments
> about such things as ease of use, speed, ease of establishing data base,
look
> and feel, etc.
>
>
> ********************************************************
> This message was sent from the FirstClass Server of the
> North Vancouver School District
> The views expressed in this posting are those of the
> individual author only.
> ********************************************************
Although I was hoping to limit my search by leaning on the experience of
others, such is not possible. It seems that everyone who replies to questions
about automation is very please with the system they have so we don't have
very good comparisons. Replies are listed in alpha order by product name.
Thanks to all who took the time and effor to reply.
> Replies received follow:
CALICO LION
Jim,
I use Calico LION, St. Louis based company, 1 800 367 0416, Paul Daniels,
programmer and owner. It runs on MSDos, but a Mac version is due out
soon. It is key word searchable, user friendly, good tech support,
enhancements tailored to customer's wish list [really nice to know your
input is valued!], runs on a network, has circulation, catalog,
inventory, bar, utilities [nice statistical generation features], and
reasonable in price. Call for a demo video. Good luck
Mary
Mary Jameson / Troy R-III HS Librarian
711 West College
Troy, MO 63379 USA
FAX 314 528 2411 EMAIL mjameson@services.dese.state.mo.us
COLUMBIA
I have been using Columbia from McGraw Hill for over a year and am very
pleased with its versatility and quality. I am also using MicroCat at a
very small library; it is cheap and suitable for their needs. It is
missing all the bells and whistles--can't be customized to the degree that
Columbia can and the authority function is cumbersome and not as
sophisticated as Columbia's. However, it does produce a decent opac; full
keyword searching only. Columbia's opac can be searched keyword or index
or whatever combination you want and all on one screen.
From ctrvax.Vanderbilt.Edu!PATTENK
Dr. Carol Mann Simpson csimpson@tenet.edu
Facilitator - Library Technology 214 882-7450
Mesquite (TX) Independent School District
I have been using Columbia from McGraw Hill for over a year and am very
pleased with its versatility and quality. I am also using MicroCat at a
very small library; it is cheap and suitable for their needs. It is
missing all the bells and whistles--can't be customized to the degree that
Columbia can and the authority function is cumbersome and not as
sophisticated as Columbia's. However, it does produce a decent opac; full
keyword searching only. Columbia's opac can be searched keyword or index
or whatever combination you want and all on one screen.
We're on Columbia, CTB\MacMillan. We are on a Novell network. works just
fine.
From: cln!OJC.Colorado.EDU!A_KUEBBELER
Jim,
I use Columbia Library System and other than a problem caused by
our previously using Follett and their #%@ barcode labels I am delighted.
Please feel free to call me at school for more details.
Pat Bartoshesky Saint Edmond's Academy
<pbarto@brahms.udel.edu> 2120 Veale Rd. Wilmington DE 19810-4199
302-475-5370 FAX: 302-475-2256
Jim,
I have been using Columbia on a Novell network, MS-DOS computers. I have
been happy with the product although the frontend time getting to know it
seemed long. I used Bibliofile LC-MARC for the ReCon and it loaded
beautifully into Columbia. The tech support has been very good in the
year + that we have been using it. At the time we chose it, we spent a
lot of time examining products in both MS-DOS and Macintosh platform and
felt this was the best product for the money. That was 2 years ago. I am
sure others have gotten better, too. One thing I have noticed about
Columbia is that every complaint I have had about it has been corrected
with the next update when it comes out.
Marilyn McCluskey
York High School
York, NE 68467
mmcclusk@esu6.esu6.k12.ne.us
DATA TREK
We use Data Trek district-wide. We use manager series in the schools and
professional series in the union catalog. It is networked both locally
and over a wide area network (MS-DOS and Novell). We are adequately
satisfied with it, and the company works hard for our satisfaction. We
have cat, circ, the MARC record interface, OPAC in all schools and
serials and the AV booking/scheduling module in the secondaries.
Dr. Carol Mann Simpson csimpson@tenet.edu
Facilitator - Library Technology 214 882-7450
Mesquite (TX) Independent School District
DYNIX
Jim, we have been online with Dynix Scholar since January. We are very
pleased. It runs on a Unix platform on a lan. We have 2 OPACs, 1
cataloguing station and a circ station. Retro was done by their sister
company RLA and the results were excellent for 50/record flat fee. We
especially enjoy the modem support and get answers to any questions within
the hour. Let me know if you have any more questions.
Alicia Astorga aastorga@ccantares.wcupa.edu
Ursuline Academy
1106 Pennsylvania Ave, Wilmington, DE 19806
(302)658-7158
FOLLETT CIRC/CAT PLUS
Hi Jim, I'm in a K,4-6 building and we've been using Follett on a
OmniNet/Plus Link network for six years and I'm satisfied. We're
planning to install a Etherner/Novell LAN this summer and I do not
plan to change automation systems. My students are successful
users, speed is satisfactory, support has been excellent, and I like
the look of the screens. I'll be interested to read your results.
Until I started writing this response I was not planning to
investigate other options, I should.
Maggie
0518wel@informns.k12.mn.us
Jim,
I have used Follett Circulation and Catalog Plus for four years
(automating four libraries during that time.) I really like Follett. It
runs on either platform BUT!!! I have used only the MS-DOS platform and
can't speak to the MAC side at all. It is easy to use -- I have trained
fifth and sixth graders to help with check in and out ALSO parent
volunteers. I have not used volunteers or kids for MARC record work
because I want consistency. I have several collegues who do train parent
volunteers to help with this and find if easy to train.
We just installed the new version called UNISON. We have a few concerns
because it requires more machine power that we have available. To
add/change MARC records you must have at least!!! a 386 and it really
likes a 486. For administrative purposes, we had been using a IBM Model
30 with hard drive. It does not have enought RAM to work with the MARC
records. It does everything else well. We are working through this
problem.
It is networkable with Novell and maybe others but to be honest I don't
know except with Novell. If works well without problems. We have had a
small network with just Card Catalog workstations for several years but
this year we implemented a larger LAN including CD-ROM products and a
remote lab. We have not had any problems (knock on wood) :)
If I can answer any other questions, please feel free to contact me
directly.
lwalters@bigcat.missouri.edu
Hope this helps.
Jim,
We use Follett's Catalog/Circulation Plus. We have not upgraded to
their Alliance system nor do we plan to at the current time. We are very
happy with Follett. The system is easy to use, the students adapt to it
very quickly, and it is adaptable.
David Hollingshead
Gideon #37 School District
dholling@services.dese.state.mo.us
We use Follett's Circ/Cat Plus. Have 3 networked workstations(Novel
ELS Level I). 2 stations are OPACS and the other is for Circulation.
Have a Professional Series File Server(Pro-TB386SX) and a PRO-TA386SX
for the Circulation station. The 2 OPACS are PRO-TA 286 with no
hard disk drive. I use one for inventory. The system is very quick.(
25 hertz). It's been very reliable. I love using it!
Linda Watkins
iu19@jove.acs.unt.edu
GALAXY (GAYLORD)
Our school system uses the Galaxy system created by Gaylord.
It runs on a vax. Our four schools are networked...all have OPACs
listing what is available in each school...we also use their
Cataloging module...Students find the system easy to use and
I personally like very much. We have had some problems
with hardware, but we are using older equipment.
Good luck.
Jim,
I have almost completed a library automation using OASIS,
bought from Softlink, in Queensland, Australia. It is
very popular along the Eastern states of Australia. Support
is excellent from Softlink. The user group is very active
and can offer lots of advice. Circulation, stocktake,
reports, enquiry, inputting data, authority and security
controls are excellent. A self circulation module is a
nice enhancement which allows for the circulation terminal
to be left without worrying about students getting into
the main part of the system. I have had problems with
students borrowing resources in other students names -
this seems to be a problem with staffing and not with the
software. Backup from tape or disk is fine. A power cut
damaged some data and required a recovery of the system.
I believe the product is selling in Europe now.
INNOVATION 45
Joan McKay, AME School, Weston, ACT, Australia.
Joan@cs.anu.edu.au
Jim. I would have responded sooner, but it's a busy time of year as I'm
sure you know. Our automated library system is Innovation -45, produced
and marketed by Scribe Software located in Scottsdale, AZ. We love it.
We network it in our library, integrated also into our Novell network are
our CD-Rom products using a Meridian tower. It runs on DOS platform. The
program is soon available using Windows format. They are great people to
work with. Kurt Parks and Peggy Ark are the people to talk to.
1-800-443-7890.
Barb Stover
bknelson@csn.org
MACSCHOOL LIBRARY
Jim -- our district has been using the Library portion of MacSchool for
the last few years with no problems. The software is by Chancery and the
platform is Macintosh.
For details, contact our Resource Centre Librarian (Anne Symons) at this
address: asymons@cln.etc.bc.ca
Gerry Clare, Teacher-Librarian gclare@cln.etc.bc.ca
Peace River South School District
British Columbia, Canada.
Is it June yet?
MANDARIN
Hello -
We at Midwood High School in Brooklyn, New York use MANDARIN. It runs on
MS-DOS machines; runs on a network; is MARC and MICROLIF compatible;
possesses integrated modules for catalog and circulation.
We are satisfied with it. You will find others on LM_NET also using it
especially in the NYC suberbs and other parts of New York State.
The company which produces MANDARIN is Media Flex. They are a Canadian
company based in Montreal.
Hope this is of help.
Priscilla Balch Midwood HS Library priscilla.balch@nycps.nycenet.edu
We at Midwood High School in Brooklyn, New York use MANDARIN. It runs on
MS-DOS machines; runs on a network; is MARC and MICROLIF compatible;
possesses integrated modules for catalog and circulation.
We are satisfied with it. You will find others on LM_NET also using it
especially in the NYC suberbs and other parts of New York State.
The company which produces MANDARIN is Media Flex. They are a Canadian
company based in Montreal.
Hope this is of help.
Priscilla Balch Midwood HS Library priscilla.balch@nycps.nycenet.edu
Jim,
Without any hesitation, I offer my recommendation for the Mandarin Library
Management System. My Library was automated almost 4 years ago with this
system. It has all of the criteria that you are looking for and more. Its
tech support could not be more helpful. And the response of the entire Media
Flex staff, from President on down, to the needs of the clients is most
admirable. I function as main system operator but my staff has found it easy
to manage too. Records are easily entered and amended.
Students and staff find it user friendly.
We are running it on an IBM system, token ring architecture, novel software
interfaced with IBM's ICLAS menu.
The vendor, MediaFlex, is located in Montreal, Canada, and Lake Champlain, NY.
Good luck,
SURPASS
I have been using Surpass since 1987. We are now in version 3.01 and I've
been with them since version 1. It is supplied by Educational Solutions
2136 12th Suite 4B
Rockford, IL 61104
(815)968-9595
Fax815-968-9383
Surpass does everything any other automation system does and much more.
Circulation and inventory control, on-line catalog, completely networkable,
MARC record capability, batch file dumps in MARC format, global search and
replace (for those silly subject heading and dewey number changes). But,
since it was written especially for the school environment it has some added
conveniences. You can set the number of books allowed any grade, for example
6th grade can check out 3 books, 12th, 6. It also has an 8-level password
system, and a keyboard lock for security. The catalog allows for the
tradition subject, author, title search and also keywork boolean searching
with a very simple screen where the student can "fill-in -the-blanks". I use
the latter as a non-threatening way to teach boolean searches before allow
students to go on-line.
In a addition to all the expected fixtures are some neat bells and whistles.
For example, a map of the library, which has a flashing curser where the
book is located! In addition, students can write short reviews of a book
they have read and have it entered in the card catalog. The students love to
see their names in print and the teachers love the training it gives them in
writing.
The best part of this system is the technical support. When you call the 800
number you get Danny. Daniel Humphress is the programer who is responsible
for Surpass. He does not have to look up the answer or consult his
supervisor, he knows his own program. He is always so friendly and helpful,
even when the questions are dumb ones. Also, he maintains a bulletin board
for the Surpass users. Therefore, upgrades on Surpass are frequent and
instantaneous. If he gets request from several librarians for a new feature,
he designs it, puts it on the bulletin board, and we download it. I will
download the latest innovation Monday.
Finally, he offers the ultimate security blanket. If you have "Carbon Copy
Plus" software, he can come into your computer and fix any problem that can't
be ironed out by talking to him by phone. I have only had to use it once and
felt just like Whoopee Goldberg in "Jumping Jack Flash".
All in all, I can recommend Surpass highly. I know of one librarian whose
district went to another program. She went all the way to the top to get an
exemption for her library. We Surpass users would all rather "fight than
switch".
Nancy Reed
St. Mary High School/Middle School
Paducah, KY 42003
Nupper@aol.com
WINNEBAGO:
We've used Winnebago for four years and are very satisfied with their
service and the program in general. There is one small problem they are
working on, but in comparison to what I hear from others, we have it
easy. We network nine workstations, one circ station, one office editing
station and a CBIS tower with five applications of CD-ROM. We use Novell
and Ethernet. Any further tech questions should probably be referred to
Fr. Rob Moslosky, Director of Computer Operations--moslosky@netcom.com.,
but I'd be happy to answer the catalogue/reference/media teaching end of
it. We use full MARC records, which Winnebago did retrospective for in
1990, and use MARCive from Texas for current records.
Lois Roberts Bishop O'Dowd HS Library Oakland, CA lrobert@eis.caltate.edu
I have four Winnebago systems and we are extremely satisfied with the system
and the support. We create our own MARC records with LaserQuest at the central
office. For barcodes, we use a local imaging company, but can run our own bar
codes as needed for small batch adds. We started all four schools on Apple
Winnebago, but have since graduated to an MS DOS platform with Novell 3.12.
We
can hang a CD ROM server from the file server with Novell but it did take some
local expertise to make it all work together.
Roger Whaley
New Albany-Floyd County Schools
New Albany, IN (the sunny side of Louisville)
cl6007011@ucs.indiana,edu
At Bishop Watterson High School (Catholic Diocese of Columbus, OH) we have
Winnebago. So do 5-6 other schools in the Diocese. Each arrived at its
decision independently. This probably cost us money but let us feel powerful.
We all love it. We all have it on a network running from 1-5 OPACs. All are
DOS based platforms. It is extremely user friendly, and the manual, which is
revised with each update (we are now on our second in less than a year), is a
model of clarity. They could probably teach a two year old to program a VCR.
They are true to their 2-hour promise in follow-up for customer support. Our
circulation has increased almost 30% because the kids find so much more and
they find it so easily. We have had to do very little teaching - indeed we
have almost had to post NO PARKING signs by the terminals, because they just
keep sitting and searching. Are there problems? Sure. If you are real picky
about the consistency of MARC records - which are not consistent to begin with
-
you can spend a lot of time editing. But they are responsive to concerns,
have
excellent workshops, and we have had lots of fun. We also put it in in the
middle of a year, and the transition was almost seamless. If you have
further
questions, please write.
Kari Inglis/Bishop Watterson High School/99 E. Cooke Rd./Columbus/OH 43214
kbw_inglis@mec.ohio.gov
Milton Hershey School
P.O. Box 830
Hershey, PA 17033
717-5202810
We have an OPAC and circ system - Winnebago.
System currently networked to library work stations. Projected network for
August 94 will be to classrooms within Senior Program and during the 94/95
school year to student residences on campus.
PleaseD with system. Can run in multi-platform formats, however, we run on
Macintosh as primary.
Contact me if you desire more info.
Lisa Walters Media Technologist e-mail: lwalters@bigcat.missouri.edu
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This message was sent from the FirstClass Server of the
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The views expressed in this posting are those of the
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