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Yes, I'm betting WSSL will be what we're looking for. It's whether we can afford it and whether we can set up a secure self check point in an unstaffed library that doesn't have to be plugged into power. Thanks Cary On 27 September 2011 07:51, Cary Gordon <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > I'll bet that WSSL has a report generator that, while not necessarily > better than the eight of you, will allow you to more easily get > information about what your patrons are doing. > > Cary > > On Mon, Sep 26, 2011 at 11:33 AM, rowan eisner <[log in to unmask]> > wrote: > > Wow, that's amazing. That certainly opens up possibilities. It would be > > quite a challenge to get it all working buy they reckon it takes 3 years > to > > barcode the books anyway, so it might keep me busy trying to figure it > out. > > > > I signed up for WSSL and just said I was in Philadelphia and emailed them > > and it does look like a possibility if we can afford it. Maybe the could > > license it out to a developing country to run it for the 3rd world at a > > tenth of the cost! > > > > Thanks so much for all your help. I've called a committee meeting this > > afternoon. The librarian is very resistant to automating and is highly > > skeptical that it can be made to work here. In the mean time eight of us > sit > > around on a monday afternoon being computers, just as they have for the > last > > 60 years! > > > > Cheers > > Rowan > > On 26 September 2011 09:43, David Mayo <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > > >> Here's an example of the kind of thing I'm talking about when I say > >> "micro-development board": > >> > >> > http://technabob.com/blog/2011/02/03/dreamplug-mini-power-plug-computer/This > >> isn't the best example - it's obviously being sold to a certain extent > >> as novelty hardware, and it shows, but something like this could work > >> fairly > >> well as a web server for the area. > >> > >> You can actually get substantially cheaper than this, if you're willing > to > >> do some digging and/or do some component assembly - although, of course, > >> then your mailing expenses might rise. It won't solve the lightning > >> problem > >> (which is fascinating/terrifying to me - outlet to device arcing is > >> freaky!), but many of the small linux single-board computers are low > enough > >> power draw that an APC or other battery solution could run them for a > long > >> time off of wall power; you'd need someone to unplug it when the storm > was > >> coming, but that's going to be true of the iPhone, too, likely. > >> > >> If you were able to find or build the right software, I could see > something > >> like this working as a server, with an iPod touch serving as the > scanner, > >> for example. You could also (if you got one with a video output) attach > a > >> scanner via USB, and use it for both check-in and check-out. > >> > >> If you do go the iDevice route (or Android, etc), you might be able to > get > >> away without a physical scanner attached - there are several apps that > do > >> barcode recognition through the devices' cameras. > >> > >> Hope at least some of this is helpful. > >> > >> - Dave > >> > >> On Mon, Sep 26, 2011 at 10:24 AM, Roy Tennant <[log in to unmask]> > >> wrote: > >> > >> > From the person in a position to know: "We have not yet figured out > >> > pricing. We are definitely considering the needs of the developing > >> > nations but don't have answers yet. At this point we are most focused > >> > on the feature set that can be activated with no human intervention. > >> > Looking for the intersection of the basic need and most automatable > >> > (that probably is not a word)." > >> > Roy > >> > > >> > On Sun, Sep 25, 2011 at 3:14 PM, rowan eisner <[log in to unmask]> > >> > wrote: > >> > > Ok, I tried to sign up for WSSL and you have to be in US. Also, if > it > >> > will > >> > > cost 'a cup of coffee a day' am I right that would be at least $700 > a > >> > year? > >> > > That's our entire annual budget. So probably only for first world > >> > countries > >> > > anyway. And you're meant to have one or two full-time staff which we > >> > don't > >> > > have. Still, I'll email them and see what they say. There are > probably > >> > 1000s > >> > > of 3rd world libraries doing everything manually still and if there > are > >> > > economies of scale we may be able to afford it. > >> > > > >> > > Cheers > >> > > Rowan > >> > > > >> > > On 24 September 2011 17:10, David Mayo <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > >> > > > >> > >> It's so experimental, that it's having a Free *Trail*. > >> > >> > >> > >> That is a good suggestion, by the way - I'm just amused by the > typo. > >> It > >> > >> appears twice on this page, once on the sign-up page, and perhaps > >> > >> elsewhere. Also, "absolutely" is misspelled as "absolutley" on the > >> > sign-up > >> > >> page. > >> > >> > >> > >> - Dave Mayo > >> > >> > >> > >> On Sat, Sep 24, 2011 at 6:45 PM, Roy Tennant <[log in to unmask] > > > >> > wrote: > >> > >> > >> > >> > Actually, I have an even better option from OCLC: > >> > >> > > >> > >> > Web Site for Small Libraries (WSSL) > >> > >> > http://experimental.worldcat.org/lib/ > >> > >> > > >> > >> > It is really aimed at very small libraries, so it is very easy to > >> use > >> > >> > but still has some basic circulation capabilities. It's in free > >> trial > >> > >> > mode now, so take a look and see if it does what you need. > >> > >> > Roy Tennant > >> > >> > OCLC Research > >> > >> > > >> > >> > On Sat, Sep 24, 2011 at 12:22 AM, JONATHAN LEBRETON < > >> > [log in to unmask] > >> > >> > > >> > >> > wrote: > >> > >> > > You may be able to do something with OCLCs so-called Web > >> Management > >> > >> > System whereby your OPAC (in the form of WorldCat local.) and > circ > >> > >> > functions are in the cloud.. > >> > >> > > > >> > >> > > > >> > >> > > > >> > >> > > Jonathan LeBreton > >> > >> > > Senior Associate University Librarian > >> > >> > > Temple University Libraries > >> > >> > > Philadelphia PA 19122 > >> > >> > > Voice: 215-204-3184 > >> > >> > > Fax: 215-204-5201 > >> > >> > > Mobile: 215-284-5070 > >> > >> > > [log in to unmask] > >> > >> > > [log in to unmask] > >> > >> > > > >> > >> > > ----- Original Message ----- > >> > >> > > From: rowan eisner [mailto:[log in to unmask]] > >> > >> > > Sent: Friday, September 23, 2011 11:51 PM > >> > >> > > To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> > >> > >> > > Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Can a library automate without a > computer > >> > yet? > >> > >> > > > >> > >> > > Hi Dave > >> > >> > > > >> > >> > > It's an honesty system, card based, the way most community > >> libraries > >> > >> used > >> > >> > to > >> > >> > > work before computers. Because it's unstaffed about 15% of > books > >> > aren't > >> > >> > > returned but we get a similar amount of donations. So we have > that > >> > >> > constant > >> > >> > > churn to take in and out of a card catalog manually. > >> > >> > > > >> > >> > > We need borrowers to be able to check out books. I was thinking > >> > maybe > >> > >> > with a > >> > >> > > scanner attached to an iphone running an app. I didn't think > >> > >> librarything > >> > >> > > could do circulation. I thought it was just a catalog. > >> > >> > > > >> > >> > > What do you reckon? > >> > >> > > > >> > >> > > Cheers > >> > >> > > Rowan > >> > >> > > > >> > >> > > On 23 September 2011 21:34, David Mayo <[log in to unmask]> > wrote: > >> > >> > > > >> > >> > >> I think it's going to be difficult to find a solution that's > >> > entirely > >> > >> > cloud > >> > >> > >> based. > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> What functionality do you need? If you have a very limited > subset > >> > of > >> > >> > >> ILS/OPAC functions in mind, theoretically a LibraryThing paid > >> > account > >> > >> or > >> > >> > >> similar quasi-library service might suffice. > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> I'm having trouble understanding how circulation works/is > >> expected > >> > to > >> > >> > work > >> > >> > >> when librarians aren't present. Is there a sign-out sheet? > How > >> do > >> > >> you > >> > >> > >> monitor for lossage? > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> - Dave Mayo > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> On Fri, Sep 23, 2011 at 10:42 PM, rowan eisner < > >> > [log in to unmask] > >> > >> > >> >wrote: > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > Thanks Esme > >> > >> > >> > > >> > >> > >> > No, the library is open all hours but volunteers just come > in 2 > >> > hrs > >> > >> a > >> > >> > >> week. > >> > >> > >> > I'm not sure how it could work but if we leave anything > plugged > >> > in > >> > >> it > >> > >> > >> will > >> > >> > >> > get stolen or struck by lightning. We're in cloud forest. > >> > >> > >> > > >> > >> > >> > With koha and open-ils do we have to run the software on a > >> server > >> > or > >> > >> > do > >> > >> > >> we > >> > >> > >> > just get an account on an existing system? Running a system > >> > >> ourselves > >> > >> > >> might > >> > >> > >> > take a lot for us to figure out. > >> > >> > >> > > >> > >> > >> > Cheers > >> > >> > >> > Rowan > >> > >> > >> > > >> > >> > >> > On 23 September 2011 16:38, Cowles, Esme <[log in to unmask] > > > >> > wrote: > >> > >> > >> > > >> > >> > >> > > Rowan- > >> > >> > >> > > > >> > >> > >> > > Having a hosted catalog and circ system seems very easy to > >> do. > >> > >> > There > >> > >> > >> are > >> > >> > >> > > several open source library systems such as Koha and > >> Evergreen > >> > >> that > >> > >> > >> might > >> > >> > >> > > suit your needs: > >> > >> > >> > > > >> > >> > >> > > http://www.koha.org/ > >> > >> > >> > > > >> > >> > >> > > http://open-ils.org/ > >> > >> > >> > > > >> > >> > >> > > Are there volunteers present the entire time the library > is > >> > open > >> > >> to > >> > >> > >> > > borrowers? Or are you counting on borrowers having > >> smartphones > >> > to > >> > >> > >> > complete > >> > >> > >> > > self-checkout? > >> > >> > >> > > > >> > >> > >> > > -Esme > >> > >> > >> > > -- > >> > >> > >> > > Esme Cowles <[log in to unmask]> > >> > >> > >> > > > >> > >> > >> > > "I don't need to be forgiven." -- The Who, Baba O'Reilly > >> > >> > >> > > > >> > >> > >> > > On Sep 23, 2011, at 3:27 PM, rowan eisner wrote: > >> > >> > >> > > > >> > >> > >> > > > Apologies if this is the wrong forum, but if anyone can > >> point > >> > me > >> > >> > in > >> > >> > >> the > >> > >> > >> > > > right direction... > >> > >> > >> > > > > >> > >> > >> > > > We have an unstaffed library and can't leave a computer > in > >> > it. > >> > >> Is > >> > >> > >> there > >> > >> > >> > a > >> > >> > >> > > > way to automate > >> > >> > >> > > > > >> > >> > >> > > > 1) with no computer - do circulation and catalog in the > >> > cloud. > >> > >> > >> > Volunteers > >> > >> > >> > > > bring in laptops to do circulation and clients access > >> catalog > >> > >> with > >> > >> > >> > > iphones > >> > >> > >> > > > 2) that doesn't cost a fortune > >> > >> > >> > > > > >> > >> > >> > > > Thanks so much > >> > >> > >> > > > > >> > >> > >> > > > Rowan > >> > >> > >> > > > >> > >> > >> > > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > > > >> > >> > > >> > >> > >> > > > >> > > >> > > > > > > -- > Cary Gordon > The Cherry Hill Company > http://chillco.com >