BS: Any librarians out there?

Subject: BS: Any librarians out there?
From: Gulliver
Date: 15 Jan 08 - 11:03 AM

The previous Librarian threads I looked at are closed, so I'm opening this one with a request for help.

I do some work for a relatively small old-fashioned library, and this year we plan to start cataloging our collections for PC access, starting with periodicals, the results of which should eventually go online. Can anyone recommend web sites that contain information on the cataloging process (I'm not a librarian, my background is in IT, but I'll have to be involved in the process), and information on OPACs and Library Management Systems, etc? We'll have to purchase a system (we're looking at Cardbox, but I'm sure there are dozens of others that we should at least be aware of).

There was a large library site with lots of links that I used to access a few years ago, but it hasn't been updated for years and many of the links are dead.   

In addition, I'm going to use LibraryThing for cataloging our recent acquisitions.

As usual, many thanks in advance, Don

Subject: RE: BS: Any librarians out there?
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Jan 08 - 11:09 AM

Who is going to do the cataloguing ? And what system will you use..Dewey of LC ? Insignia is a good system, but expensive.

Subject: RE: BS: Any librarians out there?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Jan 08 - 11:09 AM

You should spell out where you are and what kind of money you have budgeted to make this purchase. How many people will be doing this work, and do they have library backgrounds (paid or volunteer?) There are web sites for cataloging books online that Mudcat users have used for their personal libraries, there are software programs like Endnote for scholars that will download Library of Congress or other information if you feed in the ISBN, etc. The university research library where I work has several layers of software in use, OPAC and Voyager are two names that come to mind (I'm a library writer, not a cataloger).

Rapaire and a few others will no doubt respond also, but the basic information would help.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Any librarians out there?
From: Rapparee
Date: 15 Jan 08 - 11:23 AM

You gonna use OCLC? Z39.50? What's the experience of the people involved?

You might possibly find it cheaper in the long run to outsource the cataloging and physical prep as much as possible -- the books would come cataloged and shelf-ready, and you could download the data directly into your bib database.

Subject: RE: BS: Any librarians out there?
From: Gulliver
Date: 15 Jan 08 - 11:46 AM

As I said the library is pretty old-fashioned in the sense that it's still run as it was almost 100 years ago, and practically no-one there besides myself knows anything about computers. The current library catalog is a card system, typed in using a typewriter (!). It has a lending section (not used much nowadays), a reference section and sections with old and rare books. Also periodicals, etc. Total about 100,000 volumes (but we're not thinking of cataloging them all at the moment).

A qualified librarian assisted by at least one experienced cataloguer will be doing the actual cataloging, ie, planning and entering the data. We can probably get volunteer help, but we have to rely on our own financial resources. I've been asked to drive the project because I've worked for years as a project manager and am fairly well up in IT. I've been associated with the library in a directorial capacity for about six years. Several attempts were made in the past before I came on the scene to get this work at least started, but they foundered at the first hurdle (through lack of project management, IMO).

I'd say our budget for the initial SW will have to be less than $1,000 (US$), partly because I'm revamping the telecoms and we need money for that also. From my experience in SW development I was hoping to find a modular system, where we'd start with one module and then expand to or purchase further modules as the need arises and our budget allows. I'm familiar with high-end library systems from working in a medical library a few years ago, but they would be far beyond our scope financially.

An additional complexity is that the current catalog system in the library is not Dewey--it was designed specially for the library when it was founded, but I intend to have Dewey used during the cataloging.

Don

Subject: RE: BS: Any librarians out there?
From: GUEST,Bobert ina Library
Date: 15 Jan 08 - 12:08 PM

Nope... Just waitin' fir my danged business partner and killin' time on the liberry pudder...

Bobert (in a Liberry)

Subject: RE: BS: Any librarians out there?
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Jan 08 - 02:19 PM

You wouldn't be at one of only five libraries which still use the Cutter system would you? If you are, you might want to contact the folks at The Forbes Library for advice. It is a superb place; my kids and I spent many wonderful hours getting lost in wonderful stacks which we haunted!

Subject: RE: BS: Any librarians out there?
From: Gulliver
Date: 15 Jan 08 - 03:09 PM

No, we've got a unique system, and we're the only library in the world that uses it ;(

Don

Subject: RE: BS: Any librarians out there?
From: Rapparee
Date: 15 Jan 08 - 03:28 PM

What sort of library is it? Public? Academic? Special?

You might want to look at Evergreen or one of the other Open Source systems, too. A collection of 100K books isn't a "small" library, nor is it one of medium size.


Evergreen is here, Koha here.

Subject: RE: BS: Any librarians out there?
From: Gulliver
Date: 15 Jan 08 - 04:10 PM

I suppose you'd call it a private subscription library (one of only two left in Ireland, and the only self-financing one). Anybody can join.

BTW, I'm looking mainly for sources of information here, ie, websites, etc. to peruse over the next few months while we plan this job. There's an awful lot of library stuff on the web, just finding the right stuff is a job in itself.   

Don

Subject: RE: BS: Any librarians out there?
From: Rapparee
Date: 15 Jan 08 - 04:24 PM

A-ha! Ireland! That explains a lot!

I assume you're in Dublin or, possibly, Cork.

PM me with some specifics about what you're needing and looking for.

Subject: RE: BS: Any librarians out there?
From: Gulliver
Date: 15 Jan 08 - 04:25 PM

Will do!

Subject: RE: BS: Any librarians out there?
From: Sarah the flute
Date: 15 Jan 08 - 04:28 PM

I am a qualified librarian and now I work for a Library Management Software company called Access-It Software. If you are in Ireland then we have a representative based in Dublin. We specialise in libraries for amaller organisations and schools. Our software isn't too expensive and is a client - web based solution written in Java and which works with SQL, Firebird, Linux. PM me if you would like more details and I can put you in touch with our Irish rep and if you like send you a demo DVD.

Cheers

Sarah

Subject: RE: BS: Any librarians out there?
From: artbrooks
Date: 15 Jan 08 - 06:19 PM

Well, I was going to offer to put you in touch with my-daughter-the-librarian-who-knows-everything (just ask her), but you have two pros on the message now!

Subject: RE: BS: Any librarians out there?
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Jan 08 - 07:11 PM

I love Mudcat!

Subject: RE: BS: Any librarians out there?
From: Sarah the flute
Date: 16 Jan 08 - 02:25 AM

oops just as Im setting off for work I should have mentioned our system also uses z39.50 technology so to do quick cataloguing of a book you just swipe the ISBN barcode on the back of the book and it draws down the record from (Brit LIb, Am Lib of Congress or what ever z39.50 you choose) plus the front cover image. You can of course tweak the records and catalogue from scratch too if you want to.

Cheers

Sarah

Subject: RE: BS: Any librarians out there?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 16 Jan 08 - 04:55 AM

Slightly not what you wanted, but....

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/librarians/
The humble suburban library takes on a whole new meaning in the ABC TV's new comedy-drama The Librarians, which starts production in Melbourne on March 5.

A co-production between ABC TV and Gristmill Pty Ltd, The Librarians is the brainchild of actors/writers Robyn Butler and Wayne Hope. Married in real life, Butler and Hope will also star in the production.

The six-part series centres on the trials and tribulations of Frances O'Brien, a devout Catholic and head librarian. Her life unravels when she is forced to employ her ex-best friend, Christine Grimwood - now a drug dealer - as the children's librarian. Frances must do all she can to contain her menacing past and concentrate on the biggest event of the library calendar - Book Week. .... more

http://shop.abc.net.au/browse/promotion.asp?promoid=309
is where you can buy the DVD for the first season...


:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Any librarians out there?
From: GUEST,Elfcall
Date: 16 Jan 08 - 06:19 AM

A bloke walks into a Glasgow library and says to the prim librarian,

'Scuse me Miss, dey ye hae ony books on suicide?

To which she stops doing her tasks, looks at him over the top of her glasses and says,

'Fek off, ye'll no bring it back.'

I'll get me coat

Elfcall

Subject: RE: BS: Any librarians out there?
From: Gulliver
Date: 18 Jan 08 - 09:14 PM

Just a final attempt to get a response to my original query.

Thanks, Don

Subject: RE: BS: Any librarians out there?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Jan 08 - 03:14 AM

Trace this thread and watch for it to come back to the top again. Rapaire is out of town for a few days, and he's our most vocal library-type on the list. I work in a library and may look like a librarian, but I'm actually a writer (M.A. to hand) in the library.

Have you looked at any of the cataloging software out there yet?

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Any librarians out there?
From: Sarah the flute
Date: 19 Jan 08 - 04:56 AM

Don

Drop me a PM and I can send you out some info and a quote on our system if that helps

Sarah