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On Wed, Jan 30, 2008 at 11:54:32PM -0500, Jonathan Rochkind wrote: > Begin forwarded message: > >> From: [log in to unmask] >> Date: January 30, 2008 9:12:19 PM EST >> To: [log in to unmask] >> Subject: [prison-l] Library automation software >> >> Greetings: >> >> Last month there was some discussion here about cheap/free/ >> reasonably priced automation software for correctional libraries. >> I am on a statewide committee which has just been formed to >> research and recommend a software package to replace Athena >> (formerly by Sagebrush, now Follett) in most of the correctional >> libraries in Virginia. After years in public libraries I am very >> familiar with some of the big vendors, but they are simply >> financially out of the question for our agency, not to mention web- >> based. >I might be misunderstanding here. Is their a limitation that precludes >web-based systems? If so, that would cut down your options quite a bit. I would think that the limitation in most cases would be that the system could not go outside of the prison's intranet, and probably then would be behind it's own firewall. Most prisons don't let inmates use any Internet service for good reason. I don't know if there could even be a public terminal, but certainly the application could be web based, even it it was running on the librarian's desktop. In that case, though, you'd want something pretty lightweight. - David --- David Cloutman <[log in to unmask]> Electronic Services Librarian Marin County Free Library -----Original Message----- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Gabriel Sean Farrell Sent: Friday, February 01, 2008 5:17 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] low-cost software for prison libraries? On Wed, Jan 30, 2008 at 11:54:32PM -0500, Jonathan Rochkind wrote: > Begin forwarded message: > >> From: [log in to unmask] >> Date: January 30, 2008 9:12:19 PM EST >> To: [log in to unmask] >> Subject: [prison-l] Library automation software >> >> Greetings: >> >> Last month there was some discussion here about cheap/free/ >> reasonably priced automation software for correctional libraries. >> I am on a statewide committee which has just been formed to >> research and recommend a software package to replace Athena >> (formerly by Sagebrush, now Follett) in most of the correctional >> libraries in Virginia. After years in public libraries I am very >> familiar with some of the big vendors, but they are simply >> financially out of the question for our agency, not to mention web- >> based. I might be misunderstanding here. Is their a limitation that precludes web-based systems? If so, that would cut down your options quite a bit. >> I have looked at the websites for LibraryThing, Auto Librarian, and >> ResourceMate, which were recommended here in the previous >> discussion. If you know of or have a circ/cat system that is >> reasonably priced (or dirt cheap) and works well for you, please >> share the information with me, with pros and cons if you like. All >> replies greatly appreciated, and thanks in advance. I've recommended LibraryThing for similarly small libraries before. It handles the cataloging and browsing aspects quite well, but lacks any kind of circ. If you're looking for a full system I'd recommend Koha. It would serve your needs very well, especially if you have any funds at all to put toward a techie or two. If you'd rather, you can pay Liblime to host the system for a lot less than the big vendors charge for similar services. (See http://liblime.com/products/koha/koha-zoom/koha-zoom-hosted) Gabriel Email Disclaimer: http://www.co.marin.ca.us/nav/misc/EmailDisclaimer.cfm