Page 160 - DLIS105_REFERENCE_SOURCES_AND_SERVICES

Unit 14: Development of Abstracting Services

(d) Serial control: Provision of monitoring multiple issue of a serial, provision of grace Notes
period for receiving the serial, provision of renewal, overdue alert, entering the
abstract of a serial.
(e) OPAC: Provision of reservation through OPAC, provision of searching OPAC from
outside the library, provision of searching the OPAC and web simultaneously (Meta
search) using a single word search.
(f) Library administration: The software should allow generating different reports i.e.,
collection statistics, circulation statistics and also should be helpful to create your
own specialized report to meet your specialized need.
(g) Enhanced MARC data: Many software allow to catalogue website, e-Books, AV
resources in addition to the library resources. These websites are added by the library
media specialist manually.
(h) Updating: Does the library automation system company from their own site help to
install, upgrade (web-based updates), and patches or simply to help you with a
particular function.
(i) New technologies:
– Provision of handling in catalogue item
– Provision of internet connectivity, e-mail connectivity.
– Scope of integration of the software with other school department.
– Provision of accessing the software from computer outside of the school walls via
a web browser.
– Does the library software keep pace with global technology, web enhancement,
online information, virtual services, etc?
– The latest softwares are now a days hosted by a vendor by an Application Service
Provider (ASP) or by the school web server. This is an advantage, here cataloguer
can work from remote location and OPAC can be accessed from both home and
school, 24 hours a day.
– Can other applications besides library software run on the workstation?
– Can the software make it easy to switch between the OPAC and writing station
because there are times when you like that your public OPAC station to function
as writing station and there are other times when you like the writing station to
become functionsal as OPAC.
5. Security:
(a) Provision of user id /barcode etc.
(b) Provision of access restriction to certain records/fields.
(c) Is there any provision for students and staff to log in and log off on their own.
(d) How new modification/new version of the software to be obtain by the librarian?
(e) Power out feature: Is there any power out feature included? There should be a manual
hand scanner available to check material in and out that can easily be connected to
the compute system once its back up and running.
(f) Future exist cost: In near future if you want to switch over to another packages then
the cost involved in such cases should also be consider.

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