HIT: Alexandria pt. 2

[beth kapp <beth_kapp@acsd.k12.pa.us>]

I have been working with the Hood River County School System to automate
5
elementary and one middle school using Alexandria.

The elementary schools are staffed with instructional aides (2 years of
college, no specific library training), and the middle school has a
librarian
who is assigned to the library about half time and an assistant who is
also
half time in the library. I offer this information to illustrate our need
for
a system which was very user friendly and which could be learned fairly
readily by non-trained library workers, who are intelligent and
dedicated!

We have been very pleased with Alexandria.  The documentation is good,
but a
little challenging for people who have no library background. I have
prepared
for the library workers guide sheets showing step by step how to utilize
the
many features of the system.  We are moving through them slowly, first
having
learned how to import and correct records, make temporary short entry
records, establish circulation policies, set up the circulation system,
and
put the catalog on the LAN in each school.

We are now learning how to use Alexandria to prepare and send orders, to
keep
track of periodicals and enter them into the catalog, etc.

It is possible to use parts of the system and then learn to use many of
the
further features.

The reports features, etc. are very good.

We have been impressed by the ability to export MARC records from the
Alexandria data base, which lets us know we will be able to change to
another
system if we should ever find that needful.

Alexandria will import MARC records  in DOS or Mac forfmats. (Havn't had
any
records in Windows so can't talk about them.)  It is easy to add special
notations, such as Accelerated Reader status (I'm not an AR fan, but some
of
the schools are), build bibiliographies, etc.

Support from Companion has been excellent -- prompt, capable, and
friendly.

Because the program is all one integrated package, we are not in the
position
of having to add modules every time we realize we would like to expand
the
limits of our program.

We have three automation systems in our district at present -- The high
school is part of a regional network of public and special libraries,
using
 Dynix. One middle school and our K-12 school are using Winnebago,
because
they did not want to put Macs in their predominatly windows schools. I
think
this is unfortunate, as it means they cannot share records with the other
schools, but there are politics of personalities and platforms which made
this the best course.
----------------
We switched to Alexandria this fall from Caspr's LibraryWorks which
also runs on a Mac platform.
        I am really pleased with Alexandria.

        What I like about it:

        From the circulation screen information is readily available about
patrons and their overdues.  The circulation screen tells you exactly
what is happening: due date, when checked in, inventoried or not.
It is great for those spur of the moment overnight checkouts . . you
just hit O prior to scanning the items barcode.  Renewals also work well
. . . on Caspr they never did.  I like the options they provide for
overdue notices also.

I read one of the responses which was posted to the list about
multivolumed works.  I'm not sure what that person meant because I
haven't had a problem.

I would like to see them set up their Marc format cataloging a little
differently but over all cataloging is extremely easy to do.

I like the card catalog screens because the options are laid out fairly
completely.  I also like the fact that kids don't have to spell
perfectly to find materials.

bibliographies work well also.

Overall I am really pleased with the system. I would gladly have you
come and visit but it would be a major trip for you.

Also our statewide Media Association convention does have a user's group
for Alexandria.
------------

Beth Kapp, Librarian
Annville-Cleona High School
Annville, PA 17003
beth_kapp@acsd.k12.pa.us