LM_NET: Library Media Networking
- Subject: Automation Software - Alexandria for Windows
- From: James Whitt <jrwhitt@HIWAAY.NET>
- Date: Wed, 12 May 1999 20:11:14 -0500
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> Since I frequently see questions regarding the various automation =
systems on the Listserv, I thought I would let you know how happy we are =
with the Alexandria for Windows automation system. We have been using =
the system for one school year now. We are running it on a Pentium =
Windows NT Server (not dedicated) and Pentium Windows NT Workstations. =
We had no serious problems switching from our Follett Unison system. =
The technical support people were very patient and helpful with the =
minor problems we did run into - I really appreciated the fact that =
live people answered the telephone every time and there was no long =
wait. I was able to use my existing Follett barcodes, and tech support =
walked me through the steps involved in transfering my patron database =
into Alexandria so I didn't have to enter them manually. Some of the =
features that are my favorites are (1) Wish List - with just a stroke or =
two of computer keys I can add books to my wish list when teachers make =
a request for a book we don't have. No more notes on little slips of =
paper to get lost, and filling requests is much more accurate and ording =
is a cinch. When books come in I can see at a glance who requested it =
and let them know we have it. (2) Periodicals component as part of a =
system - Alesandria is the only automation sytem we looked at that =
contained a periodical component (we seriously considered Athena and the =
new Follett Windows programs). Every time I check in a magazine I am =
grateful for this feature. Periodicals are no longer step children to =
the books - they can be fully integrated into the collection. (3) The =
Kid's Catalog - We are a K-12 school, and having this choice available =
forstudents is wonderful. Our students have had no problem at all =
adapting to the Alexandria catalog. The younger ones love the Kid's =
Catalog. Other features that I like include being able to print my own =
barcodes without any added software expense. The cataloging component =
allows flexibility, but there is less chance of cluttering the database =
with mistakes and less typing involved. The map of the library helping =
patrons to find the l ocation of books is nice. You can easily run all =
types of reports - etc., etc. Let me just say that Alexandria for =
Windows is the best system I know of for automating a library. It has =
more features than any other system I have seen, and although it is a =
sophisticated "state of the art" program, it is not difficult to set up, =
learn or use. In short, we are happy with our choice, and recommend it =
to others.
Madolyn Whitt
Media Specialist
Elkmont School
Elkmont, Alabama 35620=20
e-mail: jrwhitt@hiwaay.net
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<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>> Since I frequently see =
questions regarding=20
the various automation systems on the Listserv, I thought I would let =
you know=20
how happy we are with the Alexandria for Windows automation =
system. We=20
have been using the system for one school year now. We are running =
it on a=20
Pentium Windows NT Server (not dedicated) and Pentium Windows NT=20
Workstations. We had no serious problems switching from our =
Follett Unison=20
system. The technical support people were very patient and helpful =
with=20
the minor problems we did run into - I really appreciated the fact =
that=20
live people answered the telephone every time and there was no long =
wait. =20
I was able to use my existing Follett barcodes, and tech support walked =
me=20
through the steps involved in transfering my patron database into =
Alexandria so=20
I didn't have to enter them manually. Some of the features that =
are my=20
favorites are (1) Wish List - with just a stroke or two of computer keys =
I can=20
add books to my wish list when teachers make a request for a book we =
don't=20
have. No more notes on little slips of paper to get lost, and =
filling=20
requests is much more accurate and ording is a cinch. When books =
come in I=20
can see at a glance who requested it and let them know we have it. =
(2)=20
Periodicals component as part of a system - Alesandria is the only =
automation=20
sytem we looked at that contained a periodical component (we seriously=20
considered Athena and the new Follett Windows programs). Every =
time I=20
check in a magazine I am grateful for this feature. Periodicals =
are no=20
longer step children to the books - they can be fully integrated into =
the=20
collection. (3) The Kid's Catalog - We are a K-12 school, and =
having this=20
choice available forstudents is wonderful. Our students have had =
no=20
problem at all adapting to the Alexandria catalog. The younger =
ones love=20
the Kid's Catalog. Other features that I like include being able =
to print=20
my own barcodes without any added software expense. The cataloging =
component allows flexibility, but there is less chance of cluttering the =
database with mistakes and less typing involved. The map of the =
library=20
helping patrons to find the l ocation of books is nice. You can =
easily run=20
all types of reports - etc., etc. Let me just say that Alexandria =
for=20
Windows is the best system I know of for automating a library. It =
has more=20
features than any other system I have seen, and although it is a =
sophisticated=20
"state of the art" program, it is not difficult to set up, =
learn or=20
use. In short, we are happy with our choice, and recommend it to=20
others.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Madolyn Whitt</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Media Specialist</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Elkmont School</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Elkmont, Alabama 35620 =
<BR></FONT>e-mail: <A=20
href=3D"mailto:jrwhitt@hiwaay.net">jrwhitt@hiwaay.net</A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2><BR></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></BODY></HTML>
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