Follett Unsion Don'ts...

[Chris Hart <hartc@OSCEOLA.K12.FL.US>]

It's been a while since I've posted to the list, but I just didn't want
anyone to go through the same problems that we have had at our school.  And
I love our Follett Unison system, but I do get frustrated sometimes:-)

I'd like to get your feedback on how your cataloging stations are setup
using Follett's Unison Platform (ie. DOS/Windows).

1.  Do you ever have more than one person cataloging at a time?  If so how
many?

2.  What happens to your system while cataloging if you work at a school that
    gets hit by lightening all of the time and your power goes out
periodically?

3.  Do you have your cataloging stations hooked up to a UPS (Un-interuptable
    Power Supply)?

4.  Do you own a Macintosh with a DOS compatible card that is able to access
    your Follett Unison System?

5.  Have you ever tried to catalog using your Mac with a DOS card?

        Well just to let you know why I stated the questions above.  We
have had to rebuild our MARC database numerous times in the past year and a
half to two years, due to one of the questions stated above.  We converted
our reference collection pretty much manually when switching from Dalton:-(
to Follett, mainly due to the fact that Gale did not produce microlif disks
when we originally purchased our materials from them when the school was
built.  This ment that we often times had up to three of us cataloging at
one time.  Upon calling Follett the only real answer I could get was:
"well try having three people catalog and if your database gets corrupt
then you will know that you can't have that many at one time cataloging."
Does anyone out there know the answer to this question?

        Next item.  We are almost always cataloging items throughout the
day and of course the power will go out for one reason, or another.  What
other program do you own that is on your computer that requires you to buy
a UPS for to keep the database from getting corrupt?  Is this the case with
other automation systems.  Our school is out in the middle of a gigantic
cow pasture and we are the tallest building around for miles:-(

        Next item.  Do you own a Mac with a DOS compatible card in it?
DON'T use it to catalog any items using your Follett Unison system.  I
guess I'm stretching the limits with our system, but I don't think so.  I
tried this and got 6 items cataloged and then the database got corrupted:-(
Another 2 to 3 day process to fix everything:-(  I called Follett
immeadiatley after this happened and they explained to me that they were
not supporting what I was trying to do.  Okay I can accept that, but why
don't they post it somewhere on their web site, so that other people don't
make the same mistake?  Maybe someone from Follett is listening in on the
list and will post it:-)

Let me know what you think.  Please email me personally and I will post a
HIT listing all of the reponses.

Thanks,

Chris Hart
hartc@osceola.k12.fl.us
Library Information Specialist
Poinciana High School
Kissimmee, FL

Web Site:  http://www.phs.osceola.k12.fl.us