GEAC LOCAL INFORMATION SYSTEM AT HILLINGDON BOROUGH LIBRARIES
| Pages | 18-25 |
| Published date | 01 April 1985 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb040336 |
| Date | 01 April 1985 |
| Author | Alison Hunter |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management |
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GEAC LOCAL INFORMATION SYSTEM AT HILLINGDON BOROUGH LIBRARIES
by Alison Hunter*
Background
As described in VINE
48(1),
Hillingdon Libraries issued in September 1982 a
91-page specification(2) for the supply of an integrated online library
system. Though only one page of the specification covered local
information, it resulted in a contract with Geac Computers Ltd for the
supply of four major software packages: circulation; public access
catalogue; acquisitions; and local information.
In September 1983, the OPAC was launched in its first restricted version in
all seventeen branch libraries. Since then, its facilities and database
have expanded until it currently gives public access to a catalogue of
around 190,000 bibliographic entries (450,000
items).
This access also
gives online circulation status, i.e. date due or "in library". Between
July 1984 and August 1985, the entire library system, including the mobile
library, was converted from Browne issue to the Geac online circulation
system. Experience with public use of VDUs over the past two years has
confirmed previous evidence of the public acceptability of new technology
for library information. An earlier experiment with a local viewdata
system, Metrotech, was described in VINE 44(3) and led to the conclusion
that the service provided by the Information Team would be greatly improved
if an automated information system were to be networked to all library
service points.
Development of the Local Information System
The Geac Local Information System is still under development having been
initially devised in consultation with Somerset County Libraries.
Hillingdon has been experimenting with the package since March 1984
examining its potential and taking part in debugging trials. Improved
software was delivered in October 1984 but in the meantime a Working Party
comprising representatives from most of the public libraries using Geac had
been formed to provide a mutually agreed specification for the future
development of the package. The Working Party, chaired by Alison Hunter of
Hillingdon, included representatives from Bexley, Islington, Redbridge,
Sutton and Westminster, whilst Camden and Somerset (who were unable to
attend) were invited to comment. The result was a Draft Specification
which was forwarded to Geac in March
1985(4).
Based on the existing
software,
this Draft Specification suggested a number of major enhancements
for future development, including greater storage capacity, improved
keyword searching facilities, bulk updating facilities, word processing and
the introduction of a degree of boolean searching.
In May 1985 Geac provided Hillingdon with a further version of the software
(still not including the recommendations of the Draft Spec) and a third
series of trial commenced. Though many bugs had been removed, a new one
surfaced which caused the system to hang. This bug was eliminated in a
fourth version of the software released in August 1985 and which contained
* Alison Hunter is Community Information Co-Ordinator for London Borough
of Hillingdon.
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