Hit: Tech: Circulation workstation

[Deborah Stafford <Deborah_Stafford@COMPUSERVE.COM>]

I wanted to target what kind of workstation people used for circulation. =
 I
couldn't see taking
a multimedia station out of general use for just checking materials in an=
d
out. My circ station pretty much only
does circulation. I have a half time helper who is not comfortable with
computers. Other library tasks needing
the computer are done my me. If I am not working with students then I can=

login anywhere in the library and work.
If I am working with students, then I don't need a station. I don't count=

any station in the library as mine.

The responses came in three groups. One posting offered some good
information and advise, so I listed it first. Several others wrote to say=

that they used the fastest machine possible mostly because that station w=
as
also their general work
station. The last set of postings gave information on how to get a statio=
n
configured to be just a circulation
station.

Hope this is useful. I am going to look into getting a dedicated
circulation station.

The "speed" is dependent in large part on how your automation system work=
s.
An old 286 can appear to be be faster than a new Pentium 3, IF  the
circulation action is being saved first to a local file which will
eventually be sent to the network server somehow.

And the speed of your network connection will definitely have an impact o=
n
your service. If your automation system saves everything back to the serv=
er
immediately and you have a slow connection then it doesn't matter how fas=
t
your local workstation is.

And then there is the little matter of the operating system. Windows 9x
uses a whole lot of memory for stuff that your circ workstation doesn't
need, but there just isn't any easy way to kill.

So, my advice is:
  #1 - check your network connection speed. Your circ station should be
plugged into the fastest type of port available on your network.
  #2 - Put as much RAM memory in the workstation as you can use. Win 95
only addresses 126meg but later versions will use more.
  #3 - Don't use a standard Windows 9x install on your circ station. Stri=
p
off everything that you can (like Internet Explorer, the graphics program=
s,
music stuff, etc). Talk to your automation vendor about what size (and
kind) of swapfile you should have set up. =

  #4 - Before you get a new workstation, talk to your automation vendor
about _exactly_ you should have in it to work the fastest/smoothest. And
talk to your Network Administrator about what s/he thinks you should get.=

***5 - Talk to your automation vendor and your Network Administrator abou=
t
whether you can use some other operating system besides Windoze!!! I've
heard good things about LINUX but don't have any personal experience with=

it.
  #6 - When you get a new workstation, don't let them hang any peripheral=
s
on it! No speakers, scanner, or any other kind of techno
do-dad. And don't let them set Windows up "so you can add them later". Th=
e
only do-dad you need is whatever you're using to scan your barcodes, and =
it
probably plugs in between the keyboard and the cpu.
  #7 - You should be able to purchase a computer that exactly fits the
specifications you give them.

This might just raise the cost of computer. we just got 8 Dell's for $600=

each, including monitor and windows 98. you might be able to find one of
the high school techies to 'upgrade' your 486 (new motherboard, processor=

and memory) for 3-500. good luck!

The system we have is Epixtech (formerly  Dynix).  The terminal and
keyboard for checkout are the WYSE brand, specially designed for checkout=
. =

It has special function keys such as Checkin/Checkout; List Holds; Place
Holds, etc.  Those functions could be done on a regular keyboard by
choosing .L or .C, etc., but it sure is helpful to have them available

Lots of companies will build to suite.  Gateway will and MidWest Micro.  =
I
have used Mid west Micro and they will give you exactly what you want.

I'm in a middle school with no help except students.  I do not let them =

check in/out for me.  My computer is my workhorse!  I use it for
circulation  and all other library functions, internet access for myself,=

and  wordprocessing.  I get myself the best I can afford.  Right now I ha=
ve
a  brand new Dell Pentium III with a zip drive I can use for easy backups=

(no  more trading out those floppies!)  It also has a cd-rom drive (which=
 I
 occasionally use) and speakers (which I don't use).  When I upgrade my =

circulation machine, I put the old one out for student use.

My 400+ students are not deprived.  They have 8 multimedia/internet
capable/fully networked computers for their use, three of them comparable=

to mine.  The others are Pentium II's and still quite serviceable.  I als=
o
have an adjacent 28-computer lab with Pentium II's.  All our teachers hav=
e
new Dell's as well, so there is no jealousy involved.

We are an elementary school and everyone in the county uses the same
machines.  We use Dell Optiplex.  We have 5; 1 for processing, 1 for
circulation, 3 for OPACs.  We plan on moving the processing one to the
floor for students and backup circulation.  I have 6 iMacs for student us=
e.
Generally we have a steady flow of students through the library and my
assistant is on the computer almost constantly.

I use one of the fastest I have for circulation.  I know that inputing by=

hand is less accurate than using the barcode reader plus I want all the
work at this computer to be fast.  When I need to help someone because al=
l
the search station are taken, I have a fast machine to help them and myse=
lf
with library tasks.

I'm using a PII 300 MHz machine with cd and speakers. The speakers are
usually off, but once in a while I have need of them. My machine is
basically for my use, so I have a full Athena station there, Word,
Internet, etc. The other 20 machines in the library are either just like
mine (8) or 200 MHz machines. Most have cds, but none have speakers, even=

though they all have built-in sound cards. The reason is simply that the
library is noisy enough without 20 computers also adding to the noise. I
also have turned off all of the sounds that Windows makes when it starts,=

stops, or gets confused.

We have over 250 computers here, and all are networked, so any student ca=
n
access his/her account from any machine. There are a few 133 MHz machines=

floating around, but they are being replaced by newer ones. I suspect tha=
t
within a couple of years my 300 MHz machines will be gone, replaced with
something much faster.

Deborah J. Stafford
Gen. H.H. Arnold High School
Wiesbaden Germany
now proudly on the web at http://www.wies-hs.odedodea.edu
Deborah_Stafford@compuserve.com

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