A system for college and smaller libraries: LIBRA

Published date01 March 1988
Pages16-20
Date01 March 1988
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/eb040394
Subject MatterInformation & knowledge management
16 -
VINE 72
A system for college and smaller
libraries: LIBRA
Introduction
This article and the following one on
LIBRARIAN contain product descriptions of
two systems not previously covered in VINE,
LIBRA from Emtek Computers and
LIBRARIAN from Eurotec. Both are supplied
to a range of libraries, but have an existing
strong user base in the college library sector, a
market which
is
of increasing interest
to
a num-
ber of suppliers. College library systems re-
quirements range from the small, initially
single-user application not dissimilar to larger
school library systems
to
configurations of 8-10
terminals upwards. Budgets are equally vari-
able,
both as regards resources for capital and
for recurrent expenditure. The systems catering
for colleges range from the more traditional,
minicomputer-based turnkey suppliers
who
can
now offer lower cost versions of their systems,
running on the bottom end of their hardware
range, to
DOS
and networked
DOS
systems. In
the past VINE has covered college library sys-
tems from G & G (now supplying Lending
Library), Dawsons Technology Group (Data
Trek Integrated Library System), Information
Systems Design (current system LibraryPac,
based on the original Circ software) and Biblio
Tech (Biblio Lend). Updated information on
these systems and on others available
in
college
versions (e.g. CALM) is available from the
LITC
and through publications such as 'Library
Systems: a buyer's guide', by Juliet Leeves and
the recent 'Guide to Library Systems for
Schools' compiled by Juliet Leeves and Pat
Manson.
The two descriptions which follow
are,
in fact, among the 12 described in the Schools
Guide.
LIBRA: overview
LIBRA is supplied by EMTEK computers (ad-
dress below) who started out as consultants as-
sisting importers and their dealer networks and
later were invited to support established library
computer systems. They then moved into full
development of
the
library
system,
LIBRA.
The
system originated
in the
college library environ-
ment but has subsequently been developed to
run also on low cost single-user machines and
networks, making it relevant for schools and
small libraries.
LIBRA
was
designed initially for
the
Minstrel 4
integrated computer network; it has been
released in a range of
IBM
PC compatible based
versions including MS-DOS single-user and
Concurrent DOS multi-user. The tasks the ap-
plications software handles remain
the
same, but
the performance, speed, cost, number of
workstations supported and flexibility depend
upon the variant.
The system is fully password protected, down
to particular task
level,
with full file and record
locking capabilities. The implementation of the
security procedures does, however, vary with
the different hardware and operating systems,
with the fullest security being provided in the
Minstrel version.
Back-up
routines
are
included
with the
software
and permit regular dumping to tape or
to
floppy
disk. For back up to disk, different levels of
dump are provided, namely daily (circulation
transactions), catalogue and
indexes,
with a full
system back-up covering all three.

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