Rowan, you mentioned that a computer might be stolen or fried by lightning. The more I read, the more I think a computer is the way to go, at the very least to set up the database. Is there a way you can use surge protectors and create a cage to go around the computer with it's scanner?
Nicole MLS Student Southern Connecticut State University On Tue, Sep 27, 2011 at 11:50 AM, rowan eisner <rowaneis...@gmail.com>wrote: > 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 <listu...@chillco.com> 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 <rowaneis...@gmail.com> > > 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 <pobo...@gmail.com> 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 <roytenn...@gmail.com> > > >> 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 < > rowaneis...@gmail.com> > > >> > 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 <pobo...@gmail.com> 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 < > roytenn...@gmail.com > > > > > >> > 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 < > > >> > lebre...@temple.edu > > >> > >> > > > >> > >> > 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 > > >> > >> > > lebre...@temple.edu > > >> > >> > > jonat...@temple.edu > > >> > >> > > > > >> > >> > > ----- Original Message ----- > > >> > >> > > From: rowan eisner [mailto:rowaneis...@gmail.com] > > >> > >> > > Sent: Friday, September 23, 2011 11:51 PM > > >> > >> > > To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU <CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU> > > >> > >> > > 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 <pobo...@gmail.com> > > 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 < > > >> > rowaneis...@gmail.com > > >> > >> > >> >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 < > escow...@ucsd.edu > > > > > >> > 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 <escow...@ucsd.edu> > > >> > >> > >> > > > > >> > >> > >> > > "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 > > >
