LM_NET: Library Media Networking
Thanks to all who responded! All my responses were positive and I feel I
must share them with you. FYI: Mitinet will be releasing a Windows version
in the fall of 2000. We will definitely be purchasing this product.
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I know of no competitive program. Have used Mitinet with Follett, and it is
a
wonderful program. Totally intuitive, very powerful, with excellent and
knowledgeable tech support. When you call for help you get someone who
really understands you and knows what he is talking about and is patient.
However, there is little need to call. The program is great. I'd recommend
buying it and keeping up with your tech support agreement to get all the
upgrades. A Windows version will be coming out shortly. Use it for
original
cataloging with no hassles or need to remember punctuation, use it for
global
editing of any feature or tag, use it to correct foreign language spellings
and diacritics. It is not compatible with our present library software (and
they are working on it) and I miss it terribly. I totally relied on
Mitinet.
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We have Follett and also Mitinet. I need to tell you upfront that I am VERY
PRO mitinet. At first I liked it because it was an easy way to catalog
materials correctly in MARC format, but now I'm sold on it because it does
catch problems with MARC records. I purchase records when possible from
vendors and also MARCIVE, I've used Z39-50 software to get MARC records from
the Library of Congress and other libraries, I've used Follett's Alliance
Plus
and Brodart's MARC program. It is the policy here that absolutely nothing
goes into Follett before going through Mitinet. It is amazing how many
purchased records will be updated or show up warnings in Mitinet. The great
thing is that Mitinet will correct them or tell you where to look to fix the
record if it has a warning. Does this really matter? Well, one of our
elementary schools was working just fine, then a few years ago after using a
Follett upgrade, none of the records would go back into Follett. The
back-ups
had to be sent back to Follett for clean-up, because some of the MARC
records
were corrupted and basically bad. So, I find it worth a few extra minutes
to
check every record.
I don't use Mitinet just for record clean-up. I also use it to help me
weed materials in my library. True, you can get the same report in
Follett's
latest version, but it isn't as easy. I put in a section in Mitinet, say
500,
and ask it to group the records published before 1990. I print off the list
of titles that should be looked at for accuracy, give the list to a student
volunteer to pull the titles and place on a cart, and then later I re-check
and remove titles from the data-base. In Mitinet I can also group records
and
re-type subject headings, etc. and only type it once--mitinet will make the
changes to all of my records in the group. Easy way to fix Dewey changes,
add
series, subjects, authority check of authors, etc.
I did mention that I purchased it to catalog with. It is so much easier
than Follett's. Mitinet on one screen lists available tags, checks
spelling,
allows you to set up templates, and then while you are cataloging it tells
you
what the field is for, gives an example, and lists the AACR2 rule in case
you
need further information.
I have used Mitinet for years and I have never seen any competition out
there. Some companies offer original cataloging programs like the screen
on
Marcive for example, but I have never seen one so user-friendly or complete
as
Mitinet. My secretary, with no cataloging or library background, was
quickly
and easily trained to use Mitinet. There will be a new windows based
version
of Mitinet coming out in the fall, and I don't know if the cost will raise
then, but if it is anything at all like the current Mitinet, you can't go
wrong purchasing it. Our district bought for each school in our district
and
Jeff Davini, the head of sales, really worked out a nice deal for us. And
our support costs haven't increased one bit since we purchased years
ago--wish
we could say that about Follett. Customer support is easily accessible to,
although we 've seldom had to use them. They also do a nice newsletter that
includes updates on MARC formats, cataloging, tips on using Mitinet, etc.
Sorry this has turned into a full-length book. Simple answer: yes, it
does as it promises; yes, it is worth purchasing.
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You BETCHA'!! It's absolutely the best thing since sliced bread (at
least for cataloging).
I've used it for about 4-5 years now.
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I love Mitinet, I
started using it when I was in graduate school. It will clean up the marc
records that I get on disk from book sellers, I think it will
import/export existing records but I have not done this, also will print
cards for you
********************************************************
I LOVE Mitinet and, as far as I know, there is no other product that does
what
Mitinet does. I use it every day for a variety of things - original
cataloging, correcting of vendor disks, cleaning up records, etc., etc.
There will be a Windows version available in the fall that will be free to
customers who have the DOS version.
********************************************************
Texas has standardized on Mitinet/MARC. It's been a godsend for our state
database project. It works great to clean up technical glitches in MARC
records (well, to mark the problems so a human can correct them) and it has
shown how poor is the quality of the records we get from vendors. The
program is very intuitive, which lots of help menus available. It is still a
DOS program, but a Windows version will be out this coming summer. I dont'
think a Windows interface will help the program - the quick keystrokes are a
lot easier than mousing around.
To my knowledge, there is no free standing program to compete with
Mitinet/MARC, though several automation packages have MARC editors. They
also don't do all the conversions, mass changes, etc. that Mitinet will
do.*********************************************************
Yes, but it takes awhile to get comfortable with it. I don't do it often
enough to say that I'm proficient, so each time I do sit down to do
something on it, I have to go through the instructions again. It isn't
particularly intuitive, so I'd suggest that anyone working with it take
some uninterrupted time to work though it and then do something with it
each day so you don't lose familiarity with it.
*********************************************************
Thank you again for taking time to respond!
Jody H. Turner
Library Manager
Bedford County Public Schools
PO Box 748
Bedford, VA 24523
540-586-1045 Ext. 255
jturner@bedford.k12.va.us
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