_________________________________________________________________________
INNOPAC
Jane Walsh
Georgetwon University Law Library
Georgetown University Law Library has been an Innovacq/Innopac site for
six years. I have been its "keeper" for the same amount of time and am
well acquainted with its many awesome capabilities, as well as its
idiosyncrasies.
Georgetown has steadily grown from an Innovacq (the Serials/Acquisitions
system) only site to one with a fully integrated online system. The
Serials/Acquisitions module was installed in 1985, OPAC in 1987/88 and
the fully automated circulations processes in 1990. We have gone from a
one machine Vacq environment, to a two machine (1 Vacq, 1 Convergent) and
then a three machine environment (1 Vacq, 2 Convergents). In January
1991 we merged our Innovacq database onto the Convergent. This summer we
exchanged our two large Convergents for a much smaller, faster MIPS
machine! We have experienced it all!
Innovative Interfaces, Inc., the vendor of the mighty Innovacq/Innopac
system, offers both turnkey systems and software only packages. Although
many customers go for the turnkey system, the trend towards software only
has steadily grown. The operating system is UNIX and hardware is
UNISYS/Convergent. Turnkey systems are usually the Convergent machines
or the new and powerful MIPs. Innovatives' software-only installations
are usually Digital/Vax equipment.
If a site has a separate Innovacq machine along with an Innopac machine,
there can be problems. The Vacq and Pac machines are compatible and
check-in records and order information are automatically displayed in the
public access catalog. However, the software programs, XLink and
BackLink, which transfer updates from one machine to the other, often go
down. When we had a software update or a hardware change, one or the
other programs would "act up". The more machines any site has, as we did
for many years, the things that can go wrong multiply!
The Innopac system is totally menu driven. A main menu leads to other
menus which provide access to all available functions. The two OPAC
modules, the online public access catalog and circulation, have symbiotic
relationship. The catalog can stand alone, but total circulation
functioning needs the catalog. They merge and work well together. The
menu program makes use of the system extremely easy for staff and patrons
alike. Public access is limited to search only menus, and although all
staff workstations have full menus, access may be selectively limited by
an efficient password system.
We have not experienced many suggestions or complaints regarding system
use from our patrons. The Boolean and keyword searching is fast and
efficient, and searches may be limited by location, year, words in title,
author, subject, etc. The Reference staff use these capabilities often
and seem pleased with them.
The Innopac system has proven extremely reliable over the years. We have
has a negligible amount of downtime, and most of that was due to new
equipment or software updates. Installations rarely go as smoothly as
expected. From a systems manager point of view, however, Innopac's
record has been terrific. The ease of the backup procedure is a feature
which is greatly appreciated. The backup is done on a daily basis, a
short one everyday and a full backup once a week. The system does not
have to shut down, so it eliminates the problem of staff having to come
in when the library is closed (i.e. 12 a.m.). The daily takes
approximately ten minutes, and a full backup takes about two hours,
depending on the size of the database.
I have received few negative comments about the system. Its efficiency
in handling irregular serials, multiple copies and numerous routings is
appreciated by our serials staff. However, one problem we are now
encountering is the limitation of attaching 1,000 item records to a
bibliographic record. We have numerous large serial sets with numerous
copies. We are having to create non-MARC duplicate records to
accommodate these excess records. It is extremely confusing to patrons
when they search for one of these titles and get three or four entries
for the exact same title. We have added a note to these records, but the
initial search screen does not display the note.
In the past, the fact that Innovative is located on the west coast caused
some problems with customer service However, in the recent past,
Innovative has increased service coverage time by a considerable amount.
There is now emergency technical service coverage from 8 a.m. Eastern
Standard Time until 10 p.m. EST. Weekends are also covered. I rarely
experience any difficulty obtaining system support and their Technical
Services Department has recently initiated an efficient online program of
keeping track of all service calls. If any problems/questions are not
attended to, they do have a record of your call.
One of the areas in which Innovative has vastly improved its service is
documentation. For many years we went without manuals or much
documentation of any kind. In an effort to fill this need Innovative has
made great strides. The Innopac manual is two volumes and thoroughly
covers the catalog, circulation, and ordering and receiving subsystems.
Unlike most manuals, it is easy to read and has quite a good index. (We
have found a few mistakes.) Hopefully the next improvement will be a
regularly published newsletter. Between major software releases,
Innovative occasionally will make a small change to a program. This is
usually done without any prior warning to the user. It would be
extremely helpful to have news of these changes/upgrades appear in a
newsletter of some kind. A local users group (we do not have one) would
also be helpful in addressing ongoing problems/changes. There are, of
course, the users groups which meet at the AALL and ALA annual meetings,
as well some regional users groups.
Innovative Interfaces is a rather small but extremely stable company.
Their growth since we came online in 1985 has been phenomenal, and in
"1990 it experienced a stellar year; revenues grew by a total of 66% to
$20 million." [1] Throughout these years Innovative has tried hard to
keep their level of customer service up to a high standard. From this
user's point of view, they have been successful keeping up with the
increased number of users. I have always received courteous, helpful and
thorough information to my questions/problems. I know our users, staff
and patrons alike, are quite satisfied with the system.
1. Bride, Frank, "1991 Automated System Marketplace" April 1991
Library Journal. (pp.59).
Editor's note: INNOPAC used to be called both INNOVACQ or INNOPAC
depending on the modules used, but now according to Innovative Interfaces
everything is called INNOPAC.
---------------------------------------------------------------
INNOPAC
Innovative Interfaces, Inc.
2344 Sixth Street
Berkeley, CA 94710
Telephone: 510-644-3600 or 800-444-2344
Fax: 510-644-3650
Contact Person: Susan Milikien
Number of Sales to Law Libraries
Academic.....65
Court.........1
Firm......... 0
Government....6
Other.........1
Hardware Required:
Various UNIX platforms: e.g. UNISYS/Convergent, Digital (ULTRIX),
IBM (AIX), MIPS, SUN
Software Required:
UNIX
_________________________________________________________________________
INFORMATION NAVIGATOR
Sandy Gold
Law Office Consulting Group, Chicago
IME Systems, Inc. was founded in 1984 by librarians and computer science
professionals who developed the software. The earliest installations of
The Information Navigator took place in 1986. The vendor now claims over
1000 installations in 20 countries and has recently begun to target law
libraries in their marketing efforts. At the present time, The
Information Navigator is installed in 1 academic, 3 firm and 1 government
law library and in many special libraries.
The software is built on a database management system which is object
oriented and entity relational in design. This strategy allows for
linking items in the database, such as author names, subjects, titles,
locations, and subject terms, to each other, allowing end users to easily
NAVIGATE through the database from one item of information to another,
generally using only a single keystroke to reach more and more detail
about an item or to get to information that is related to an item.
NAVIGATION is a particularly attractive feature which simplifies the
search process for the library professional responsible for cataloging,
serials control, circulation and acquisitions, as well as library patrons
(attorneys, faculty or students) who are searching the catalog trying to
locate an item.
The On Line Public Catalog provides easy access to the catalog for all
users whether they are in the library, in their own offices, homes or
hotel rooms. The system is entirely menu driven. Through a combination
of BROWSE and NAVIGATE features, the software allows the user to first
locate and choose the desired information (BROWSE) and then find out more
about the information located in the first step (NAVIGATE). More
sophisticated search techniques are available in the Query-by searches.
Query-by-form, Query-by-repeat and Query-by-example searching are all
available but will likely be used more frequently by library staff who
are more comfortable with boolean search techniques than by library
patrons. Librarians, used to proximity searching, may find the lack of
this feature a drawback.
Additional applications are available and totally integrate with one
another and the catalog, including acquisitions, authority control,
cataloging, circulation, interlibrary loan, on-line public catalog,
routing, serials control, a report generator, record import and export
(to allow batch loading of records in any of several formats including
MARC). An updated InterLibrary Loan module is planned for release the
first quarter of 1991. This new version will include support of the ALA
InterLibrary Loan form. The software is designed with a fourth
generation, relational database which ensures that information need only
be entered once but is then shared among the modules and is accessible
from anywhere in the software.
Data entry is accomplished using a screen editor which allows for four
concurrent pop up windows to be open and for validation of many of the
fields. Data entered in any of the various modules is immediately
available and accessible from any other modules. Data need only be
entered once. The user interface is standard across all application
modules, simplifying training. The software is so fully integrated that
new users run the risk of losing track of what application they are
actually in at any given moment.
The Information Navigator is sold as a "turnkey system". Changes to the
record structure and the design of screens requires custom programming by
the vendor. This includes both additions and deletions. Though the
vendor expresses both the willingness and the ability to work with the
customer to institute such changes, there is always the risk of delays,
bugs and increased cost when relying on a vendor for custom
modifications. Additional flexibility in this area would strengthen the
product considerably.
The procedure for handling routing of serials is easy and
straightforward, printing routing slips from within the system.
The system includes standard management reports with each application and
a separate report generator to allow for production of reports not
available in the standard package.
DOCUMENTATION
Documentation was provided by IME with the demonstration software that
was used for this evaluation. The software is menu driven and includes
enough on-screen help information to lead the user easily through the
process of searching the catalog. The documentation for the remaining
applications is comprehensive in coverage but confusing in presentation.
In several places, the documentation provided was inconsistent with the
evaluation version of the software. IME should give immediate attention
to revising the documentation to the latest versions of the software.
TRAINING AND SUPPORT
Training for library staff will be required and is offered by the vendor
at a cost of $500/day plus expenses at your site or at $500/day at their
site in Dedham, Massachusetts. Time necessary for training will depend
upon the application and the amount of experience the staff has with
automated library management systems. I would plan to follow IMS's
recommendation to allow a minimum of 1 1/2 days training for the first
application and one additional day for each additional application.
Group training sessions will be available beginning this fall.
A support line is staffed by two applications specialists (librarians)
and one technical specialist (programmer) from 8:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. EST.
Though not available yet, a toll-free number is planned for this fall.
The software carries a 30 day warranty. The fee for continuing software
maintenance is 13% of the price of the software license annually.
Maintenance includes telephone support, all new releases of the software,
documentation, and bug fixes.
COST
The Information Navigator is available in both MS DOS and UNIX versions.
The price for the first module is $5000 and each additional module is
$2500 plus $375 for each user. For libraries with more than ten (10)
users a site license is available for $4000 which allows an unlimited
number of users access to the system.
CONCLUSION
This is a feature rich, fully integrated library management system which
provides easy access to the catalog for all users and simplifies data
entry and searching for all technical services staff. The Information
Navigator deserves a serious look based on the relational database
structure and the total integration of modules that the design provides.
It will be up to you to determine whether it will work within your
structure.
---------------------------------------------------------------
The Information Navigator
I.M.E. (Information management & Engineering)
990 Washington Street
Dedham, MA 02026-0793
Telephone: 617-320-0303
Fax: 617-320-0793
Contact Person: Janice Marks
Number of Sales to Law Libraries
Academic......1
Court.........0
Firm......... 3
Government....1
Other.........0
Hardware Required:
DOS: 386 for server and 286 or higher for workstations
UNIX: over 20 UNIX platforms -- check with vendors
Software Required:
DOS: DOS 5.0 recommended; compatible with other DOS versions
UNIX: please contact vendor
_________________________________________________________________________
NOTIS: An Overview
Diane I. Hillman
Cornell Law Library
NOTIS is a system that's been around a long time; this is at once its
greatest strength and gravest weakness. It has an extensive user base,
primarily among large and medium sized academic libraries, although a new
product, KEYNOTIS, is aimed towards smaller institutions. Most law
library users came to NOTIS via decisions made by their larger
institutional parents.
NOTIS began as the Northwestern University library system, and after
several years as an independent entity, has just been purchased by
Ameritech, one of the "baby Bells." Users will be watching closely to
see if this purchase leads to a hoped-for infusion of capital to support
a rewrite of the NOTIS software.
NOTIS runs on IBM equipment and the "classic" version also requires a
critical mass of programming support at the institution. (KEYNOTIS has
been designed to work "off the shelf," for libraries which cannot support
the demands of "classic" NOTIS.) A full installation includes
cataloging, acquisitions/serials control/fund accounting, OPAC, and
circulation. With its Generic Transfer and Overlay program (GTO),
transfer of full MARC bibliographic and authority records from RLIN, OCLC
and various CD-ROM products is supported. In addition, NOTIS has a
product (MDAS), which provides access and linkages between article-level
bibliographic databases and traditional library catalogs through the
OPAC.
A NOTIS user approaches the system through one of two modes: the OPAC
or "public" mode, which provides labeled displays for the patrons and
public services staff, and "staff" mode, which allows technical services
staff to work in a familiar MARC-tagged environment. OPAC displays pull
information from separate modules into a summary for the user. These
displays may include holdings of bound volumes and unbound issues, in-
process information for on-order or in-process materials, and circulation
information, depending on which modules the library is supporting.
In the background, in "staff" mode, are several linked but incompletely
integrated modules which support many of the important functions of
technical services. The acquisitions/serials control/fund accounting
module works reasonably well for standard monographs and serials, less so
for complex legal materials. Printing of orders, claims and vendor
correspondence is based on predetermined codes and output in a "letter"
format. Receipt of materials other than straight monographs and serials
can be cumbersome, and may actually require more time and effort than
old-fashioned manual techniques. There is no routing capability or
bindery module, although some bindery control functions can be supported
with the circulation module.
Cataloging is fairly straightforward on NOTIS, as is the creation of
authority records, though editing conventions can be clumsy at times,
especially for those familiar with word processing. Authority files
reside parallel to bibliographic files, and do not interact, though
cross-references are provided in staff mode as well as in the OPAC (as of
version 5.0). Various batch conflict and error detection programs are
available to assist in the maintenance of proper authority control.
There is a batch global update capability designed to change large
numbers of bibliographic records, but it is difficult to use and most
editing is still more efficiently done on individual records.
In general, the NOTIS OPAC is easy for novice users to learn.
Experienced users with more complex searching needs may find this
simplicity somewhat frustrating, particularly when searching for
government documents or serials with generic titles. Keyword searching
is available in "public" mode only. Navigating in "staff" mode, with its
many different kinds of records and complex relationships between data,
can be confusing to the novice. A multi-level system of security in
staff mode protects editable data from users not cleared to make changes.
Response time is normally very fast, though this will vary depending on
the institution and its configuration and support.
Like most responsible vendors, NOTIS is concerned about providing new
developments and improved performance. Development is proceeding on new
product (PACLINK) which would provide a gateway to other library catalogs
through the Internet. A new predictive serials control system is in the
works for version 5.1, although there have been concerns expressed by law
librarians about the ability of this system to manage legal materials.
Documentation and support have improved measurably over the past few
years, but most users would agree that there are still gaps -- many
libraries continue to write their own documentation for users and staff.
NOTIS provides system support for programmers and library staff, but
generally prefers to work with one or two people per institution. There
is an active online conference for NOTIS users (NOTIS-L), as well as an
annual users' group meeting in Chicago (NUGM), where users share
information as well as war stories. Special interest groups in such
areas as serials, acquisitions, cataloging/authorities, as well as areas
more appropriate for programmers meet at ALA and other library
conferences. The NOTIS Law Users Group which has been meeting informally
at AALL and NUGM for years, formalized its existence in New Orleans by
approving a set of bylaws and electing a steering committee. The group
is now prepared to lobby for law users needs and exchange information
through its newsletter and other activities.
---------------------------------------------------------------
NOTIS
NOTIS Systems, Inc.
1007 Church St.
Evanston, IL 60201
Telephone: 708-866-0150
Fax: 708-866-0178
Contact Person: Stuart Miller
Number of Sales to Law Libraries
Academic.....40
Court.........1
Firm......... 0
Government....2
Other.........0
Hardware Required:
IBM 370 or 390
Software Required:
MVS or VSE
_________________________________________________________________________
PALS INTEGRATED LIBRARY SYSTEM
Christopher Noe
Thormodsgard Law Library, University of North Dakota
The PALS library automation system is marketed by Unisys. The software
was originally developed by Mankato State University, in Minnesota. PALS
requires a Unisys 2200 series mainframe and is usually run on Unisys PC's
and terminals. This system is used mainly by large university libraries
and library consortiums. It is not really suitable for stand alone
installation in a single law library, as the cost would be prohibitive.
The system does not operate on any of the standard LAN networks. It
requires the usual type of wiring that would be used to connect terminals
and PC's to a host mainframe. The current version of the PC software
actually uses the Pecan operating system, rather than MS-DOS. The next
version of the PC software will run under MS-DOS and will include a more
graphically oriented interface. Mankato State has developed a Macintosh
version of the software, but Unisys does not market it.
The OPAC module is generally acceptable, and allows keyword and boolean
searches truncation, browsing, and the saving of search sets. It
provides many different access points to the catalog. It lacks a menu
driven or graphical interface option, however. Dial in access to the
OPAC with full functionality is built in. Most users find learning to do
basic searches fairly easy. Most of the commands are the first two
letters of the name of the command, and there is on-line help for all of
the search commands built in.
The circulation module is also acceptable, since it was developed for
academic library. It has reasonably complete provisions for control of
reserve items, academic calendars, and other features often lacking in
systems originally developed for public libraries. The provisions for
backup operation during mainframe down times are rather limited, however.
There are more options for item and patron categories than any law
library should ever need, and different notice and fine schedules can be
set for each item class.
The serials and acquisitions modules are the most recent additions to
PALS, and this shows in the lack of integration between them and the OPAC
and circulation modules. These modules are also rather difficult for
staff people to learn. The serials module does not handle the myriad
types of continuations received by most law libraries very well. It
needs more flexibility and better integration with the acquisitions
module in order to be readily used by law libraries.
PALS also has in ILL module, which allows all of the libraries in a given
system to send and receive ILL requests in real time. A universal MARC
editor module is also available. The system generally uses tapes of
catalog records produced on OCLC or one of the other bibliographic
utilities to create and update the OPAC. It can also accept patron data
from computer tapes created by the registrar's office.
The documentation is uneven. While there are lengthy manuals for each of
the modules, they are separately priced, and are rather expensive. There
are a number of important features which are not documented properly or
at all, which can be very frustrating for the administrator and library
staff. There is, however, 800 number support, backed by a team of
support staff and programmers who are available to assist users. Because
this system requires a mainframe computer, most librarians will not deal
directly with Unisys, but rather with a system wide administrator and
their computer center staff for support. There is a national PALS user
group, which publishes a newsletter. Most training must be paid for
separately, and the costs for this can be rather high, since several days
of training are required for the more complex modules.
The system can be expanded easily to handle all of the libraries in an
entire state wide consortium, so capacity is not a problem. System
response times and reliability are generally good. The reliability of
the Unisys PC's and printers has not been as good, and Unisys charges for
repairs are very high, with lengthy turnaround times. Adding additional
storage can be expensive, as this system requires mainframe disc drives
for database storage.
The software is generally upgraded at least once per year, and the
upgrades frequently include improvements suggested and prioritized by
PALS users. One problem which is probably unique to PALS is caused by
the existence of two separate development centers - Unisys and Mankato
State University. On occasion, some features have been developed
differently or not at all by one of the two entities.
Overall, the PALS system works reasonably well as an on-line catalog and
circulation system, but it does not work well with serials control and
acquisitions. It is interesting to note that virtually all of the law
libraries using PALS are using it because their university or library
consortium chose it. It remains to be seen if future versions of the
software will adequately address the needs of law libraries, especially
in light of PALS staff reductions at Unisys, and the company's financial
difficulties. While these difficulties are unlikely to result in the
disappearance of Unisys or the PALS product, it is certainly possible
that support and the pace of product improvements will suffer.
---------------------------------------------------------------
PALS Integrated Library System
Unisys Corp.
P.O. Box 500
Mail Stop B-240
Blue Bell, PA 19424
Telephone: 215-986-6423
Fax: 215-986-2729
Contact Person: Michel Ridgeway
Number of Sales to Law Libraries
Academic......4
Court.........0
Firm......... 0
Government....0
Other.........0
Hardware Required:
Unisys 2200 series mainframe
Software Required:
Unisys Os1100 and MS DOS PC's
Comments:
PALS is a mainframe-based product with special capabilities in a
consortium environment.
_________________________________________________________________________
This is the end of Part 3 of a 4-part file.
_________________________________________________________________________
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : 03/07/00 PST