Implementation of Automated Library Management System in the School of Chemistry Bharathidasan University using Koha Open Source Software Neelakandan.B, Duraisekar. S, Balasubramani.R, Srinivasa Ragavan.S Department of library & Information science, Bharathidasan, University Tiruchirappalli 620 024, India neelubdu@gmail.com Abstract: Library is a fast growing organism. The ancient methods of maintaining it are no longer dynamic and efficient. For expeditious retrieval and dissemination of information and better service for the clientele, application of modern techniques has become absolutely indispensable. A properly computerized library will help its users with quick and prompt services. Library automation refers to mechanization of library house keeping operations predominantly by computerization. Objectives of this study. To develop and updated database of Books and other Resources of the school of Chemistry Library, Bharathidasan University. to implement automated system using Koha Library Integrated Open Source Software.to carryout the charging and discharging functions of the circulation section more effectively.to provide various search options to know the availability of books in the Library.to generate the list of books due by a particular member and also the overdue charges. Koha is an integrated software system with all the required models for small to very large libraries. It is found that this automation projects will serve as a model for any library. Being an open source, any Library wanted to go for automation for their library house keeping operations can make use of this software. Keywords: Open source software, library management, automation in library. INTRODUCTION Library is a fast growing organism. The ancient methods of maintaining it are no longer dynamic and efficient. For expeditious retrieval and dissemination of information and better service for the clientele, application of modern techniques has become absolutely indispensable. A properly computerized library will help its users with quick and prompt services. Library automation refers to mechanization of library house keeping operations predominantly by computerization. The most commonly known housekeeping operations are acquisition control, serials control, cataloguing, and classification and circulation control.library automation or Integrated Library System (ILS) is an enterprise resource planning systems for a library, used to tracks items owned, order made, bills paid etc. Since the advent to the term automation in 1936 1, Plethoras of definitions are found in library literature. Sometimes the IDL - International Digital Library 1 P a g e Copyright@IDL-2017
terms mechanization and automation Looked overlapped, although there is a different of one degree between the two. Automation is the name gives to an automation system of working. Aim and objectives of the Study The following are the objectives of this study. 1. To develop and updated database of Books and other Resources of the school of Chemistry Library, Bharathidasan University. 2. To implement automated system using Koha Library Integrated Open Source Software. 3. To carryout the charging and discharging functions of the circulation section more effectively. 4. To provide various search options to know the availability of books in the Library. 5. To generate the list of books due by a particular member and also the overdue charges. METHODOLOGY Software:Libsys,winisis,easy,ibsoft,vtls,slim++,libasoft,Autolib,librarian,libsuit,rovan lms,nirmals.soul etc.,free and open source:newgenlib,koha,evergreen, sshtunneled mysql replication.database dumps using the mysql dump utility,on the hardware level, the production system utilizes a twodisk raid1 configuration for data redundancy in the event of singledisk hardware failure. The system partitions use the file system, which provides another point of data redundancy. IMPLEMENTATION Home Page of Koha Home pages of Department of Chemistry Library so the all section is available this front page circulation (check in, Check out), patrons information, Search for the catalogues, Reports, Koha Administration link, tools, About Koha for all links available for the home page. Administration Parameters administration is a very important feature of the intranet module of KOHA. Various default parameters can be changed using this functionality. It allows us to define different parameters for the functioning of KOHA like the library branches, book funds, currencies, item types, the categories of borrowers, the charges taken for the different types of items etc. System Preferences is the most important module of KOHA. It deals with administration and maintenance part of KOHA Library System. Only Chief Librarian, Chief Administrator or person of similar designation can hold access rights to this module There are two methods of acquisition in Koha one is Normal acquisition and other one is Simple acquisition. If we want to keep track of budget we have to follow Normal Acquisition and in Simple acquisition we aren t concerned with budget. Simple budget module is useful for smaller libraries where limited amount of money is allotted. Clicking on the acquisition link on the home page of intranet takes us to the page where new orders can be made and old ones can be modified. Here, IDL - International Digital Library 2 P a g e Copyright@IDL-2017
we can verify the exchange rates and the budgets and book funds before going for a new order. It very clearly mentions the total budget, the amount that has been spent, and the available amount under each category. Adding new patrons When we click on the add Patrons link in the above search result, then the following form will appears which prompts us to fill in the member particulars, the KOHA system automatically allots one card number to the Patrons; however it can be changed later if need be. Once the details are filled in, then it prompts us to confirm the record mentioning the joining and expiry date for the Patrons ship, we can edit the details here if something has been written mistakenly. This information is shown only when the user sees his/her membership information in the OPAC (details discussed in the INTRANET module). OUTCOMES Based on this project at School of Chemistry library the following are the outcome of the study 1. Chemistry library collections are in single database 2. It gives the full control over the library collections and operations 3. Faculty members and research scholars can check the required books by the OPAC module 4. Research scholars and faculty members can check the status of their barrowed books 5. They can get the complete details about the books for their further reading and research 6. Data entry of the books can be done through the downloading of bibliographic details from Library of congress and other catalogues. 7. This library can share their data with various library are other department libraries. CONCLUSION In this research work, a sincere attempt has been made towards finding out ways and means for automating activities in the School of Chemistry Library. The objective of this study is to use the Koha Open Source software system for the automation of the major daytoday activities of the various section of the School of Chemistry Library, which is tiresome and cumbersome. After the investigation, the researcher has found that Koha Software is more suitable for the library Automation. This project had the basic objective of designing a bibliographic database for the School of Chemistry library, with which the automation of circulation routines is carried out. From this point of view it may be concluded that Koha is a useful package for the creation of a database and for information retrieval. This set of Manuals for the automation of circulation section is tested with the database created from the collection of chemistry department library. A sample database for a few thousand works and a database of the users/borrowers are created. With that test sample the Manuals for each function of the circulation section is tested with the available computer system.koha is an integrated software system with all the required models for small to very large libraries. It is found that this automation projects will serve as a model for any library. Being an open source, any Library wanted to go for automation for their library house keeping operations can make use of this IDL - International Digital Library 3 P a g e Copyright@IDL-2017
software. The following problems faced in implementation of automated library management system in the school of chemistry library. I. Lack of Infrastructure facility II. Lack of Environment support III. Lack of Financial Resources I. Lack of Infrastructure facility The Problems relating to infrastructure could be studied from the following angles Lack of Hardware Lack of Software Lack of Network facility Lack of Financial Resources Lack of Environment support To environment problem are to be taken seriously by School of Chemistry Library. But this problem can be divided in to two categories: External and internal. Internal problem can be solved by the institution, but it may difficult to solve the external problem. The library is also on of the targets for environment problem. The problem can be identified related tom environmental are Power, lighting. But chemistry library to be implemented re charging batteries to anywhere to power supply in library. Lack of Financial Resources The university support for all departments to be allocated in books and racks only, but they are not to allot any fund for Automation software package, so free open software to be implementation in chemistry library.however, we have implemented this automation software on LINUX operating Systems with required other open source software. Even its open source it got very good feature and it can meet any library needs with latest technologies and it got very good forum to support the issues and developments. Hence we are recommending that if required libraries can go for automation without spending single money to get their library to automate all their operations and to meet the present and future technological trends. To conclude the researcher had explained in identify the issues, opportunities, challenges perfect to automate small libraries. If is found that Koha enable in systematic designing and examination of all library operations in automated environment. All the documents details and the member details of the School of Chemistry has been completed so us enable to have full fledged automation of the library and also thus easy to integrate the School of Chemistry Library with main library of the University. IDL - International Digital Library 4 P a g e Copyright@IDL-2017
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