![]() They can also make holds and purchase requests via their accounts, as well as get notifications by email, phone or text messages when they check books in or out, or if an item they had previously reserved becomes available. Patrons will also enjoy the ability to do simple and advanced searching using the OPAC, which will save both them and you precious time. Circulating items becomes a matter of scanning barcodes rather than laborious manual writing on library cards and date stamps. Use of modules such as copy cataloguing means a librarian can simply import existing MARC records from other institutions into their database, rather than doing the whole process from scratch. By automating processes that would otherwise have been done manually, an ILS can exponentially increase the productivity of your library. The benefits of using a library system are immediate and obvious. For example, Koha’s OPAC goes beyond merely being a search tool and enables patrons to reserve books, manage their accounts, pay library fees online, track their circulation history, and even make reviews and suggestions for new books. Modern library management systems have web-based OPACs that allow patrons to interface with the library. You can even allow patrons to manage their own accounts and perform various activities like placing holds or paying library fees online. You can download or import patron data (which is useful if your library is part of a larger institution such as a university or school that already has all your patrons’, i.e. A patron management module will enable you to add, modify or delete your library’s patrons. You need to know who your patrons are, including their addresses and contact details. Library management systems like Koha use circulation modules to check items in and out, keep track of their location, and even notify patrons when items are due (or overdue!) by sending automatic emails or text messages. Circulation Module.Ĭirculation is perhaps the most visible and familiar aspect of a librarian’s work. Here’s a video showing you how easy copy cataloguing is. This will vastly reduce the amount of time you spend cataloguing books. A good ILS will have a copy cataloguing module that allows you to import ready-made MARC records via z39.50 from trusted sources like the library of congress. They are stored in MARC format, which is basically a digital version of paper index catalog cards. This is what allows you to add items such as books and their records to the database. No library system is complete without a cataloguing module. ![]()
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