Oxford Developments

1
Oxford Developments

• Inventory control and other home-grown clients
• Katherine Ferguson

2
Background

• Over the years we have created client software
  for
• Inventory Control (data collection)
• Circulation Backup
• Self Issue
• Originally written in Visual Basic
• Now moving to Java
• Oxford does not (yet) use the Adv- clients

3
Inventory Control

• aka stock check!
• 20 libraries did it last year
• Majority over summer
• Timetabling implications for equipment and
  processing
• We lend data collection equipment and provide
  client software

4
Data collection - hardware

• We have used
• Psion organisers with light pens
• laptops with keyboard wedge barcode scanners
• mini barcode scanners with memory (Symbol CS2000)
• Wish list more substantial stock-check devices
  must be affordable!

5
Data collection client software

• Read a batch of barcodes and send list to ADVANCE
• Simple UI with integrated upload to server (ftp)
• Input from keyboard, keyboard wedge devices, and
  CS2000s
• Same code base used for creating general lists
  for processing

6
Data processing

• Oxfords own scripts
• federalisation issues and resource scheduling
• use PHYT keyword
• reports emailed to librarians
• summary by status and sublocation
• standard stock check type of reports various
  formats possible
• mis-shelving reports not fully automated many
  different and complex shelfmark schemes in Oxford!

7
Circulation backup

• offline circulation system for when ADVANCE is
  unreachable
• software records check-in, check-out, conversion
  on the fly, borrower registration
• integrated upload for when the network/server is
  available again
• files uploaded to the server are automatically
  processed by robo librarian
• any warnings and errors are emailed to the
  librarian

8
Circulation backup further uses

• batch circulation using CS2000
• check-in for libraries without circulation desk
  scan books on a returns table
• check-out for book boxes e.g. 100 books being
  sent to an affiliated institution (institution
  has patron record)

9
Self Issue

• borrowers issue books to themselves alternative
  to circulation desk
• particular need in libraries open 24/7 and
  un-staffed libraries
• trust-based
• assume books will be taken out anyway, so provide
  a method for borrower to record this
• the easier it is for the borrower, the more
  likely it is to be used!

10
Self Issue (continued)

• as with circulation backup, this is offline
• data uploaded by librarian e.g. once a day
• automatically processed by robo, as before
• is this enough?
• for small libraries with plenty of staff time
  this is usually fine
• for busy libraries the delay in synchronising
  circulation data is a problem
• want Real Time Self Issue...