F.I.L.L.S., Fast Library Loans & Statistics
| Published date | 01 January 1985 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb044638 |
| Date | 01 January 1985 |
| Pages | 28-29 |
| Author | Jo Ann Brooks |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Library & information science |
SOFT
WARE
review
F.I.L.L.S., Fast Library
Loans
&
Statistics
JO ANN
BROOKS
The F.I.L.L.S. package will undoubtedly save considerable time in handling
interlibrary loan requests. It makes use of previously-entered names,
addresses and titles so that these do not have to repeatedly keyboarded, but
can be easily called up from storage. It can produce interlibrary loan forms
and it generates summaries that will come in handy when the library's annual
report is due.
The package is not difficult to learn and to use, and the documentation is
clear and helpful. My dealings with the vendor lead me to believe that user
requests will be met with helpful responses. I believe this package would be
a
welcome aide at smaller libraries that make frequent interlibrary loan
requests.
F.I.L.L.S. runs on the IBM/PC, XT or
M300.
The printer should be able
to handle pin-feed paper. The cost
is
$305
for use on one computer. It
is
avail-
able from the Health Science Resource Center, MacNeal Hospital, 3249 S.
Oak Park Ave., Berwyn, IL 60402, USA.
F
I.L.L.S. is a menu-driven package
developed for the library at the
MacNeal Hospital, to handle their
interlibrary loan (ILL) processing. It
allows borrowers to enter their ILL
requests into computer storage and to have
those requests printed on American Library
Association approved forms. The package
keeps records on number of requests per
periodical title and per library, on total and
average costs, on periodical titles borrowed,
and on the libraries from which the items were
loaned. Librarians who frequently do ILLs
but do not use or
have
access to the OCLC ILL
system, will find F.I.L.L.S. a useful and time-
saving tool.
The package comes with an excellent user's
manual which directs the novice step by step
through the procedures. It covers such items as
backing up the disks and using the keyboard,
that are sometimes difficult for beginners.
Screen forms
for
input
Users first enter their library's complete mail-
ing address, along with the name and title of
the person who regularly authorises request
forms.
This information is stored and then
printed each time an ILL form is produced.
Individual loan requests can then be entered. A
display appears which resembles the top half of
the ILL form. The user can then move through
the form, using the keyboard to fill in appro-
priate information. Each request comes with a
preassigned order number, the current date is
filled in automatically, and the input 'cursor'
jumps to each new item as the return key is
pressed.
When the user finishes entering this
material, a second display appears. It resem-
bles the bottom half of the ILL form. When
this has been completed, the procedure allows
for correction of any errors before the form is
printed. Once a loan request has been entered,
it can be printed on demand. However, the us-
er must know or discover the assigned number
of the loan request before it can be printed.
This information is available from printed or
stored lists of
items.
Lists of
titles
and
libraries
F.I.L.L.S. maintains lists of periodical titles
requested, and of lending libraries. If the user
keeps current alphabetical printed versions of
those lists on hand, they can be used to enter
publication and library numbers assigned by
the software. Complete periodical titles and
names and addresses of lending libraries
will
be
called up by the software in response to these
numbers.
Both the periodical list and the list of
libraries are sorted into alphabetical order be-
fore they are printed. While this is going on,
the user may have to wait a few minutes before
actual printing begins.
Users can edit and update both lists. When
this is done it is important to have a printed
version of the list on hand, since the software
searches for entries by item number. The pack-
age allows scanning of the lists, but the scan
option is disabled after six uses in a given
session. This limitation will almost certainly
cause user frustration, as the package must be
re-booted (started again from scratch) to do
additional scans.
Unfortunately, these two lists are not tied
together, so a user cannot tell which periodical
was requested from which library. The pack-
age producers said that a unified list was con-
sidered but they decided not to include this
feature. Among other reasons, because they
wanted to spread their requests among several
lending libraries and not burden any one with
multiple requests for the same title.
A 'referred' option in the package allows the
user to change the information on an outstand-
ing request when a received item was pre-
viously referred, was referred by the lending
library, or was referred by the borrower. The
changed information is maintained in storage.
When the loan is marked as filled or cancelled,
the appropriate statistics are counted and the
loan is erased from storage. This action
recovers disk storage space. It is important
since a storage disk holds only about 150 loans
(single sided disks) or 400 loans (double sided
disks).
Summary
reports available
A report menu offers a choice of periodical
summary reports, library summary reports,
or an outstanding loan report. There are two
periodical summaries available: one lists the
number of times each title has been requested,
with the most frequently listed titles first; the
28 The Electronic Library, January 1985. Vol. 3, No. 1.
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