Inter‐library loans management with CAIRS at the Institution of Electrical Engineers
| Pages | 19-23 |
| Date | 01 March 1994 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb040541 |
| Published date | 01 March 1994 |
| Author | Ginny Bennett,Janet Tomlinson |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management |
Inter-library loans
management with
CAIRS at the
Institution of
Electrical Engineers
by Ginny Bennett and Janet Tomlinson
An article in VINE 91, June 1993, dealt with
the lEE's use of CAIRS-LMS for serials
management. This article treats their
inter-
library loans operation. Prior to using the
CAIRS module, ILL administration was purely
manual; due to an increase in volume of
requests, it was decided to automate. It was
preferable to use a system which was
integrated with the other IEE library modules
so the choice of CAIRS was without question.
The increasing integration of ILL with the
other modules is welcomed by the
library.
Introduction
The Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) is a
learned society comprising 134,000 members
worldwide. Its interest spans all fields of electrical,
electronic, manufacturing engineering and comput-
ing.
The IEE Library was founded in 1880 and serves
as a core resource to members and non-members
through its extensive collection as well as access to
around 1,000 online databases. The stock compris-
es over 60,000 books, pamphlets and conference
proceedings and some
3,000
journals.
The collec-
tion has been augmented by the inclusion of the
British Computer Society Library and the Libraries
of the Institution of Electronic and Radio Engi-
neers and the Institution of Manufacturing Engi-
neers in 1977, 1988 and 1991 respectively. The
Technical Information Unit was created in 1969 to
provide a commercial and technical enquiry
service as well as information brokerage.
In 1990 CAIRS-LMS (Library Management
System) was installed as a means to rationalise
previously semi-automated and manual operations.
The reasons for selecting CAIRS-LMS have been
discussed elsewhere(1) and therefore will not be
reiterated in detail here. In summary, however,
CAIRS was selected after an extensive
flowcharting exercise as it was able to satisfy the
following criteria:
• flexible software
• reliance on more widely-used operating
systems
• longevity of supplier in marketplace
Background to CAIRS
CAIRS constitutes a number of modules known as
'Libraries' which operate as inter-related files. A
comprehensive LMS system, as we have at the
IEE would comprise:
Library A — Journals holdings catalogue
Library B — Suppliers database
Library C — Reservations
Library D — Borrowers database
Library E — Loans transactions
Library F — Book catalogue
Library 2 — User defined module: Journals
selection
Library 6 — Interlibrary loans
Library 7 — Ordering/acquisitions
Library 8 — Journals circulation
Library 9 — Journals check-in
CAIRS at the IEE
When CAIRS LMS was selected all available
modules were purchased. At the IEE some of the
modules are 'spare' and can be adapted for future
applications. Further, Library 7 is not used as
Libraries A and F contain extensive ordering and
accounting facilities from which we generate our
requirements.
The CAIRS system is mounted on a Digital
Micro VAX 3300 with a 150Mb drive and a tape
drive; the LMS software runs under the VMS
operating system which supports 15 PCs and 3
VT320 terminals. The PCs act as terminals to the
Micro VAX and allow access to other functions as
required by the
staff.
This configuration is current-
ly linked to 3 laser printers and a modem. In
VINE
96
(September 1994)
—19
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