Examining Major Library Management Software Information Technology Essay

Examining Major Library Management fragilew be Information Technology EssayWith the gradual shift from earlier pastoral era to todays information era the users expectations towards depository library services has been changed. Now a days users are intended to get their required information through online. level(p) they look at not comme il faut time to search manual bibliographical sources of information to know the location of the document in the library, they needed. Users are so ill-tempered now. accordingly it is necessary for e truly library information centers to automate their services that are offered to the users of information.2. WHAT IS LIBRARY AUTOMATION?International Encyclopedia of Information technology and library science defines mechanization as the technology concerned with the design and development of process and placement that minimize the necessity of human invention in their operation.The terminus Library Automation in the past was used to parent 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 but withal such related activities as information organization, information storage, retrieval, use etcAlthough computers play very important role in the automation of libraries, application of telecommunication and reprography technology is excessively equally important.3. NEED FOR LIBRARY AUTOMATIONThe need for library automation thunder mug be explained followingTo facilitate wider and deeper access to informationTo increase the retrievability of the resourcesTo achieve a new level of library palmmentTo improve the subsisting services and to introduce new servicesTo improve control over collectionTo have an efficient control over the entire operationTo negate the duplication of workTo facilitate sharing of the resources among various libraries.Some of the factors t hat forced the libraries to go for automating the activities areInformation ExplosionSpace SavingTime economyAvailability of information in electronic formCost effectivenessData manipulationExploitation of computer readable databases.Therefore it ordure be said that the success of library automation mostly depends upon the nature of the packet used for the purpose. Software helps in performing each every operations of an automatize library information centers so quickly easily.4. WHAT IS LIBRARY MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE?An automated library is one where a computer trunk is applied to manage one or several of the librarys key operations. Such as acquisitions, serials control, cataloging, circulation and the public access catalogue. Automated library system depends on library automation packages are also called Library Management Software (LMS). Library automation software product turn ins centralized management and process automation for government public, private libraries .Libra ry 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 relation 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 integrated software package.LMS are compatible to various hardware systems.It is compatible to national international bibliographic standards. execution in a multi-user environment.Operation in a networked environment.User friendly 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 password.Provision for thesaurus and berth file maintenance.Output facility through card impression bibliographies and on magnetic media (tape diskette etc).Facilitate search through Boolean logic Single term search Multiple term search brusqueness search Field directed searching etc.Import/ Export of data through standard exchange format.Provide powerful scanner capabilities.Display, mien and print records as per user defined formats.WWW interfacing.Multimedia compatibility.6. LIBRARY AUTOMATION SOFTWARE PACKAGESThere are hundreds of library automation software packages on hand(predicate) at the global level. It is difficult to list them all. Here is a table that shows list of some available software packages designed and developed for the libraries.TABLE 1Sl. No.Name of the softwareDesigning, Developing, Marketing/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 PLUSInformation Dimensions Inc.(IDI), USA an d NIC, New Delhi4SOULINFLBNET 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 at a lower place a NISSAT project12NG-TLMS.NETDeveloped in Germany by TRANCE Group13AUTOLIBBy Autolib Software System, Chennai14E-GRANTHALYABy NIC, Bangalore15GRANTHALYANISCAIR16NEWGENLIBBy collaboration of Kesavan Institute of Information and Knowledge Management(KIIKM), Hyderabad and Venus Solutions Pvt. Ltd.17NEXLIBNEX Evolve Logic Solution Pvt. Ltd.18SLIMAlgorhythems Consultants Pvt. Ltd., Pune19LIBMANDatapro Consultancy Service,Pune20MaitrayeeCMC Ltd., Kolkata21MINISISNirmal Institute of Computer Expertise, Tiruchirapalli22TULIPTata Unisys, Noida23NILISAsmita Consultant Ltd.,Mumbai24EASYLIBEasylib Cor poration, Bangalore25TROODONComtek service Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi6.1 SOUL A SEMI technical 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 will have to be signed by each library. For others who are interested in using this software, particularly public funded organizations, separate modalities are being worked out including pricing, support, culture etc. Hardly a bell 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 academician libraries, but also for all types sizes of libraries, even school libraries.6.2 LIBSYS A PROPRIETARY SOFTWARELibsys is a proprietary software. The term proprietary is de rived from the Latin word proprietas meaning property. Proprietary software is computer software licensed under exclusive legal right 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 at large(p) source software. There is no cost for the license you have the freedom to modify the product to adapt it to your take. Like other clean 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. KOHA developed ab initio in New Zealand by Katipo C ommunications 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 prevail New Zealand.7. COMPARISONS BETWEEN THESE THREE KINDS OF SOFTWAREThis paper gives emphasize on a comparative study among these 3 types of software. Each one has unique features regarding to its host, web server, Architecture, client, price, standard support, readiness provided to the customers etc. The following Table 2 Shows the comparisons between these.TABLE 2Sl. No.FEATURESOULLIBSYSKOHA1ArchitectureClient-server found architecture, only OPAC is web based.Based 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 Windows NT IIS with option pack 4.0 installed or Windows 2000 as s erver for web opac college version windows-98/ ME/NT/2000/XP/2003(operating system).UNIX, LINUX Pentium machine with SCO Unix/Unix spend 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 deep brown clients.Windows/Linux4Web serverIISApache, IISApache, IIS.5GUIBased on GUI browsers.Based on GUI browsers.Based on GUI browsers.6Character Encoding Unicode for Language Computing SupportISCIIUNICODEUNICODE7Standard 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 accessibilityc) 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 scalable enough to meet 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 (such as installation and configuration of server not provided) system manual kept hidd en 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 provided pricey 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 committed things are not yet done properly at various places where it is in use.General Public License15Latest ReleaseSOUL 1.0 was released during timbre 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 government commercial-gradeDeveloping under open source category.8. CONCLUSIONAs it was mentioned earlier that the success of library automati on 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 case of other 2 software.LIBSYS is so costly (around 4-5 lakhs). So it is not possible for a small library to adopt i t. But in case of a big 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 commit 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 watch on the developments and to choose appropriate software package depending on their needs.