Examining Major Library Management Software Information Technology Essay

Examining Major Library Management Softw be breeding applied science EssayWith the gradual shift from earlier agricultural era to todays info era the users expectations towards subroutine subroutine depository library operate has been changed. Now a days users are intended to get their required information done with(predicate) online. so far they have not enough clip to anticipate manual(a) bibliographical germs of information to hold up the location of the document in the library, they needed. Users are so busy now. Therefore it is necessary for every library information centers to automate their services that are dispatchered to the users of information.2. WHAT IS program library AUTOMATION?Inter content Encyclopedia of Information employ science and library science defines mechanization as the technology concerned with the design and suppuration of process and schema that minimize the necessity of human invention in their unconscious process.The term Librar y Automation in the olden was utilize to refer to the mechanization of the traditional library operations like acquisition, serial control, cataloguing and circulation control. Today it is used to refer computerization of not only traditional library activities just also such related to activities as information organization, information storage, retrieval, use etcAlthough computers play very important role in the automation of libraries, action of telecommunication and reprography technology is also equally important.3. NEED FOR LIBRARY AUTOMATIONThe need for library automation croupe be explained chaseTo facilitate wider and deeper access to informationTo increase the retrievability of the resourcesTo achieve a new level of library managementTo purify the existing services and to introduce new servicesTo improve control over collectionTo have an efficient control over the entire operationTo avoid the duplication of workTo facilitate sharing of the resources among various libraries.Some of the factors that forced the libraries to go for automating the activities areInformation ExplosionSpace SavingTime savingAvailability of information in electronic formCost effectiveness entropy manipulationExploitation of computer readable databases.Therefore it fag end be said that the success of library automation mostly depends upon the nature of the parcel used for the purpose. packet helps in performing each every operations of an automated library information centers so quickly easily.4. WHAT IS LIBRARY MANAGEMENT bundle?An automated library is one where a computer system is applied to manage one or several of the librarys key operations. Such as acquisitions, serials control, cataloging, circulation and the public access catalogue. tool-controlled library system depends on library automation packages are also called Library Management packet (LMS). Library automation package provides centralized management and process automation for political scie nce public, private libraries .Library automation applications provide integration of self-service kiosks and online electronic network portal access for catalog search, content delivery or reservation requests and patron check-out history. They also track and automate notification of overdue books and fines.5. BENEFITS OF USING LMS IN LIBRARYSoftware helps in performing library operations quickly easily and thus saving the time of the users and staff. It also saves the manpower.LMS are interconnected parcel package.LMS are compatible to various hardware systems.It is compatible to national international bibliographic models.Operation in a multi-user environment.Operation in a networked environment.User cozy and menu driven.Least response time.Capable of handling bibliographical, numerical as well as textual data, also variable field. Sub-fields repeatable fields.Provision of data security through pass newsworthiness.Provision for thesaurus and dictum file maintenance.Outpu t facility through card printing bibliographies and on magnetic media (tape diskette etc). urge search through Boolean logic Single term search Multiple term search Truncation search Field directed seek etc.Import/ Export of data through standardised exchange format.Provide powerful scanner capabilities.Display, sort and print records as per user define formats.WWW interfacing.Multimedia compatibility.6. LIBRARY AUTOMATION SOFTWARE PACKAGESThere are hundreds of library automation software packages available at the global level. It is difficult to list them all. Here is a table that shows list of some(prenominal) available software packages designed and developed for the libraries.TABLE 1Sl. No.Name of the softwareDesigning, Developing, market/Distributing Agency/Organizations1CDS/ISIS (DOS), WINISIS(WINDOWS)UNESCO ,in India NISSAT/DSIT acts as the nodal agency2ALICE for Windows ,OASIS for DOSSoft Link Pvt., Australia. Marketed in India by Soft Link Asia3BASISPLUS and TECHLIB PL USInformation Dimensions Inc.(IDI), USA and NIC, New Delhi4somebodyINFLBNET center, Ahamedabad5LibsysLibsys corporation, New Delhi6KohaKatipo communications Limited of Wellington, New Zealand7VIRTUAILSVTLS Inc, Virginia, USA8LAMPJointly by Netherlands Library Association ,Pakistan Library Association and UNESCO9LIBSUITSOFT-AID Computer Ltd., Pune10LIBRISFrontier Information Technology Pvt. Ltd, Hyderabad11WINSANJAYBy DESIDOC under a NISSAT project12NG-TLMS.NETDeveloped in Germany by enchant Group13AUTOLIBBy Autolib Software System, Chennai14E-GRANTHALYABy NIC, Bangalore15GRANTHALYANISCAIR16NEWGENLIBBy coaction of Kesavan Institute of Information and Knowledge Management(KIIKM), Hyderabad and Venus Solutions Pvt. Ltd.17NEXLIBNEX Evolve Logic Solution Pvt. Ltd.18 trim backAlgorhythems Consultants Pvt. Ltd., Pune19LIBMANDatapro Consultancy Service,Pune20MaitrayeeCMC Ltd., Kolkata21MINISISNirmal Institute of Computer Expertise, Tiruchirapalli22TULIPTata Unisys, Noida23NILISAsmita Cons ultant Ltd.,Mumbai24EASYLIBEasylib Corporation, Bangalore25TROODONComtek service Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi6.1 SOUL A SEMI COMMERCIAL SOFTWARESOUL (Software for University Libraries) provided by INFLIBNET center, Ahmedabad, INDIA. This software is intended to be provided to all the university libraries, which have been covered under INFLIBNET for which a separate agreement exit have to be signed by each library. For former(a)s who are interested in using this software, oddly public funded organizations, separate modalities are being worked out including pricing, promote, cultivation etc. Hardly a court in comparison to other commercial software is given by the libraries. That is why SOUL software is a semi commercial software. The software was designed to automate all house keeping operations in Library. The software is suitable not only for the academic libraries, but also for all types sizes of libraries, veritable(a) school libraries.6.2 LIBSYS A PROPRIETARY SOFTWARELibsys is a proprietary software. The term proprietary is derived from the Latin word proprietas meaning property. Proprietary software is computer software licensed under exclusive legal bring out up of its owner. The purchaser, or licensee, is given the right to use the software under certain conditions, but restricted from other uses, such as modification, further distribution, or reverse engineering. LIBSYS is developed by Libsys Corporation, New Delhi. Libsys is a complete, comprehensive, integrated system that manages all aspects of all kind of libraries i.e. public, national, higher education and research libraries.6.3 KOHA AN OPEN SOURCE SOFTWAREKOHA is a full featured Integrated Library System. It is an open source software. There is no damage for the license you have the freedom to modify the reaping to adapt it to your needs. Like other open source software KOHA also provide the original source code used to create it so that users can modify it to make it work better for them. KO HA developed initially in New Zealand by Katipo Communications with Horowhenua Library Trust in1999. Koha is using now by so many libraries around the world, including academic, public, school, special libraries of Australia, Africa, Canada, USA, France, India and off course New Zealand.7. COMPARISONS BETWEEN THESE THREE KINDS OF SOFTWAREThis paper gives emphasize on a proportional study among these 3 types of software. Each one has unique features regarding to its server, web server, computer architecture, client, price, standard subscribe, training provided to the customers etc. The following Table 2 Shows the comparisons between these.TABLE 2Sl. No.FEATURESOULLIBSYSKOHA1ArchitectureClient-server based architecture, only OPAC is web based. found on client-server model and TCP/IP for communication and networking.Based on a client-server architecture.2ServerWindows-NT/ Windows2000 server (operating system) MS-SQL server 7.0/ Advance server 2000(RDBMS) personal web server or Window s NT IIS with option pack 4.0 installed or Windows 2000 as server for web opac college chance variable windows-98/ ME/NT/2000/XP/2003(operating system).UNIX, LINUX Pentium machine with SCO Unix/Unix Ware SunSparc with solaris Alpha with OSF/1 RS/6000 with AIX HP-9000 with IRIX Windows NT/2000/XP Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP/ 2003(operating system)Windows/Linux3ClientStandard Windows (95/98/NT/2000/XP)Standard Windows (95/98/NT/2000/XP) Web Enabled (JSP implementation) Unix Workstations X-Windows Workstations (Xterm) VT220 compatible terminals Thin Java clients.Windows/Linux4Web serverIISApache, IISApache, IIS.5graphical user interfaceBased on GUI browsers.Based on GUI browsers.Based on GUI browsers.6Character Encoding Unicode for Language Computing run onISCIIUNICODEUNICODE7Standard supportSupport internationally known standards such as MARC 21, CCF, AACR2, LCSH.MARC 21 and AACR2R(selected authority fields)a)Industry standards Z39.50, UNIMARC, ISO2709, MARC21b)Technical standards the OPAC is valid XHTML, and respects the standards o handinessc) web standards recommended by the WWW Consortium.8DatabaseMSSQL, MYSQLSoftware can be used with either SQL Server, ORACLE, or MySQL as a back-end RDBMS with ODBC compatibility.Koha uses a dual database design that utilizes the strengths of the two major industry-standard database types (text-based and RDBMS). This design feature ensures that Koha is climbable enough to project the transaction load of any library, no matter what the size of the library.9Data import /exportdata exchange through ISO-2709 standardCCF(ISO-2709), MARC(ANSI-Z39.x)data exchange through ISO-2709 standard10Acquisition moduleyesyesyesCatalogue ModuleyesyesyesCirculation ModuleyesyesyesOPAC ModuleyesyesyesSerial Control ModuleyesyesyesAdministrati-on Moduleyesyesyes11Training and manualAn extensive training in SOUL will be provided to the library staff on site upon its installation by Inflibnet staffOnly user manual is available, system manual (su ch as installation and configuration of server not provided) system manual unploughed hidden or not provided so that AMC (Annual Maintenance Contract) can be taken from libraries.Full training and manual is provided12Support TeamNational and Regional Soul coordinators are appointed for this,free support is providedCostly only on the basis of AMC(10 to 20% of total costs) charged from the librariesOnly online discussion and support is available free of cost13Price20-50 thousand. No AMC4 to 5 lakhs and 10-20% AMC.Free14LicenseNo other commitment, what is their in it may be usedBias with developers and distributors, even pull things are not yet done properly at various places where it is in use.General mankind License15Latest ReleaseSOUL 1.0 was released during CALIBER 2000. The latest version of the software i.e. SOUL 2.0 released by the end of the year 2008.3.2 (October 2010)16Nature of developing organizationNon for profit or governmentCommercialDeveloping under open source categ ory.8. CONCLUSIONAs it was mentioned earlier that the success of library automation mostly depends upon the nature of the software it is used for. Therefore it is necessary for any library information center that they choose the software very carefully. The management must discuss about how the software matches the librarys requirements, product quality, cost factor, various features of the software, its functions, installation date and time duration of installation, staff training, support services, licensing, used standard etc. Here we discussed about these 3 software and it can be said that as in Koha the source code is open so the users are free to innovate and improve the software to meet their needs free. Innovation also means that open source software has much faster development cycles when compared to proprietary and commercial software. Because as the source code is open so it can be improve again again. But this is not possible in the effort of other 2 software.LIBSYS i s so dearly-won (around 4-5 lakhs). So it is not possible for a small library to adopt it. But in case of a expectant library where money is not a big issue for their LIBSYS is appropriate. Because data entry, searching procedure is so much easy in LIBSYS and also when technical support is needed for application of the software in the library LIBSYS always provide it. Although SOUL is not so costly but it required a large technically strong manpower. So SOUL is appropriate for a big library who can provide manpower but at the same time they have not enough money to effort LIBSYS or some other costly software. Although SOUL has a college version also. And for a small library which can not afford money but they are intendent to make their services and operational functions automate and even they have not also manpower ability. For them KOHA is the only option.Even though wide range of Library automation softwares are available , it is necessary for librarians to keep take on the d evelopments and to choose appropriate software package depending on their needs.