Readerware appears to be an individual / home / small library catalog system. I
have one for my home library---not Readerware, but CueCat which is about the same.
It requires little to no knowledge of cataloging and allows the extreme book
collector to "play librarian" by cataloging everything they own using ISBN
information ---no MARC records to correct or LC Subject Headings to understand
here.
I believe there are limitations to the system even though there are some
similarities to the larger systems---it will generate reports of overdues, but I
wouldn't recommend it for large libraries. I think there are a number of
differences, but those may be hard to understand for those who don't understand why
librarians / libraries need those "extra" things in a circ / cat system.
Your "new school board member" is probably a book collector and owns one of these
for his home library---which is fine. However, I would remind your principal that
there are more things involved in an online cataloging / circulation system than an
ISBN number and pretty pictures of the book covers on the catalog screen. (I love
how everyone thinks they understand how librarians "do" their jobs----now they want
to recommend circ / cat systems!) In fact, I would certainly compare the two
systems and make specific notations of the limitations.
If you want to test-drive the system, you can download a trial and compare it to
your own system (Follett / Winnebago) to make specific comparisons that you can
write about / speak about when you make your final comments.
The download is available here: http://www.readerware.com/rwFeat.html
It's under Free Trial.
Good luck!
~Shonda
Shonda Brisco, MLIS
US / Technology Librarian
Fort Worth Country Day School
Fort Worth, TX
"Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible and suddenly you are doing
the impossible."
~St. Francis of Assisi
sbrisco@fwcds.org
http://www.fwcds.org/campus/libraries/default.asp
>>> John Grainger <jgrainger@WEBRYDERS.NET> 01/02/06 7:50 AM >>>
Hello folks and welcome back. Over the holidays, my principal was approached by a
new school board member about why we were not using Readerware rather than spending
thousands of dollars on systems like Winnebago or Follett. Is anyone familiar with
Readerware? I've been asked to prepare a response. Thanks in advance. John
John Grainger
Librarian
Hinsdale High School
Hinsdale NH 03451
jgrainger@webryders.net
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