Library System (LIS)

The main application name of this system is Library System (LIS) with an EXE extension, which is to be selected as other applications. It is developed by Universal Trading Pvt.Ltd. (Universal Trading, 2007). Nepal. It is available in the program menu as well as in the desktop. This system has been developed using Visual Basic Dot Net under GUI with up back support of oracle Server. It runs under GUI environment and needs a window compatible printer for output of report, book sticker and tag.

This Library System includes:

• Detail information of the book

• Member registration

• Book issue and return

• Reserve book

• Report generation

• Label and tag Printing

• Barcode Identification

Storing information securely, reliably and durably has become one of the most important application of computer systems since their introduction. The goal of automation is to replace manual-based library system with the full automation system.

Some features of the software are as follows:

• Fully automated

• Full information of the books, reports, journals etc.

• Detail information of the members

• Fully automated transactions regarding issue, return and fine calculation of the lately returned book.

• Searching books and member details from any field is possible

• Complete report generation of the member details, book details, issued books, returned books, Maximum demanded book and entire fine calculation is possible Automatic book label printing

• Automatic book tag printing

Some other software in the field of library and Information science are discussed below.

6.9 KOHA

KOHA is the world’s first open source integrated library system. The name comes from the Maori word for a gift or donation. The programme was written by Katipo communications for the Horowhenua Library Trust. Koha is currently maintained by a team of volunteer developers spread across New Zealand, France, Canada, and the United States (koha.org)

Koha being open source software, any library can make use of this software after

Nelsonville Public Library, Ohio, and USA is using KOHA, with 250,000 items, and 600,000 circulations per annum. There is a source for mailing list for the development team. Online user group and help for its users are also available. It has been released under the general Public License (GPL). The characteristic of the license is that free to use, modify and distribute the program at no cost. It does not, however, support document distribution and indexing. It is basically designed to work on Linux operating system, but it can be installed on systems with windows 2000 and Windows NT also. This software is dependent on other freeware software like Apache Web Server, Mysql or any other SQL based Relational Database Management System, Per Interpreter, Following Per modules. Regarding the size of the database, a big server with lots of RAM will increase the capacity of data. The latest version 2.2 includes support for importing and exporting of MARC records and supports Z39.50 standard also. Installation support and manuals are available. Koha supports all major library housekeeping operations except serial control.

Different modules supported by Koha are listed below:

• Acquisition

• Circulation

• OPAC

• Membership

• Accounts and reports

• A library catalogue front end/ OPAC

• A library system intranet

• A circulation tracking system

• An acquisition/budgeting system

• A simple web based interface for patrons and library staff

• The search interface is easily customizable

• Simple acquisition system for smaller libraries

• Able to catalogue websites as normal items

• Auto- remind notice and fines

• Barcode support

• Full MARC support

Health Net Nepal is going to organize a training programme for KOHA open source software in near future then several Nepalese libraries may implement Koha integrated software due to the free of cost.

6.10 PhPMyLibrary

PhpMyLibrary is a Library automation application. The program consists of cataloging, circulation, and WebPAC modules. The programs also has an import export feature. The program strictly follows the USMARC standard for adding materials, which is the official Machine Readable Cataloguing (MARC). The application is popular in certain academic environments such as small university libraries.

PhPMyLibrary was developed by Polerio T. Babao III as his academic undergraduate thesis in Institute of Library and Information Science University of the Philippines, in 1998-2003. Though initial released was made 2001 as shown at Sourceforge.net, the final code has been done in 2003 and was released as open source library system following Koha, as the first open source Perl-based library system.Today, PhpMyLibrary has been used worldwide by small libraries that handles 10,000 to 100,000 catalog records. The PhpMyLibrary is now part of the three popular open source library system worldwide which include Koha, OpenBiblio, and PhpMyLibrary.

This software is recently introduced and organized a training programme in Kathmandu by WHO.

Besides these, some softwares are presently not in use but very popular in Asian countries and may be used in future which are described below:

6.11. LibSys

LibSys is integrated library automation software developed for handling large collection in the academic libraries. It is most comprehensive and fully integrated, multi user system designed to run on super/Mini/Micro computers including PCs under UNIX, XENIX, and VMS environment. It is designed and developed by LibSys Corporation, New Delhi. It support for installation of software and its smooth operations at a site. It supports the entire library related activities. It has seven basic modules like acquisition, cataloguing, circulation and serial control, OPAC, Web OPAC, Article Indexing.

It was developed in COBOL language but now it has been converted in to c++

language. It has an index generation procedure and therefore, does not require any separate database software. It is based on three tier architecture providing and independent front-user interface, the transactions processor including a powerful bibliographic search database manager/engine with option to user Oracle, /SQL server as back-end RDBMS. LibSys, can be modified to operate with other software such as oracle, Unify, Ingres, etc. It also supports CD ROM, Networking (LAN, WAN) and multilingual use and is available in Client Server implementation with web enabled features. Thus can be accessed through a web browser and provides for networking of libraries.

CHAPTER VII