José-Antonio Delgado Villegas
Coordinación de Servicios de Cómputo
El Colegio de México
C.P. 01000, México, D.F., México
E-mail: cur01@redvax1.dgsca.unam.mx
Abstract: HYPATIA is an integrated system for library automation of libraries it runs in PC (stand alone) or in local area networks (LAN) with DOS environment (NOVEL, PCLAN, 3COM), among others. Its general attributes are: System components, such On-line Catalogues, Circulation, Dewey Automatic Classification, Bar Codes and Ac-quisition of Material, work through menus. The on-line catalogue menu has an user-friendly and intuitive interface, which is standard among the international database management system, called QBE (query by example). The system provides search capability in any field or combination of fields, by root and intelligent format and can be displayed by type of information or output to printer using Ventura Publisher. The circulation menu can locate materials and/or users through the bar codes. Reports of expired materials, users, statistics and loan graphics can be produced. The automatic cataloging menu has the Dewey Decimal Classification loaded and ready to find any subject, which will automatically display the Dewey correspondent to the subject. The system includes the software for the generation of bar codes in needles and laser prin-ters, decodifier(s) and reader(s). Furthermore, it contains a program for the conversion and normalization of the databases in any database management system and a conver-sion program for converting information from MARC to CCF and vice versa. The new version is being worked on now. The most important feature will include full-text retrieval capability and hypertext enabling one to find needed pages.
Resumen: HYPATIA es un Sistema integral para la Automatización de Bibliotecas, el cual trabaja en equipo PC (stand alone) o bien en redes locales (LAN) con ambiente dos (novel, PCLAN, 3COM), entre otros. Sus características generales son: Se maneja a través de módulos como; Catálogo en Línea, Circulación, Clasificación Dewey Automa-tizada, Código de Barras y Adquisición de Materiales. El módulo de Catálogo en Línea presenta una interface entre los manejadores de bases de datos internacionales, la cual es llamada QBE (query by example, búsqueda por ejemplos), además incluye búsquedas por cualquier campo o combinación de campos, búsqueda por llave truncada, formato inteligente de despliegue de la información, decide según el tipo de información y salidas especiales para imprenta, utilizando Ventura Publisher. Con el módulo de Cir-culación, se puede localizar Materiales y/o usuarios a través del Código de Barras. Es posible realizar reportes de Materiales vencidos, usuarios, estadísticas y gráficas de préstamos. El módulo de catalogación Automática, contiene la Clasificación Decimal Dewey cargada y lista para ingresar cualquier tema, el cual automáticamente desplegará el Dewey correspondiente al tema. El Sistema incluye el software para la generación de Código de Barras en impresora de agujas y láser, decodificador(es) y lector(es). Además incluye un programa para la conversión y normalización de las bases de datos ya creadas en cualquier manejador de bases de datos, así como también un puente que convierte la información de MARC a CCF o CCF a MARC. Actualmente estamos trabajando en la nueva versión del Sistema, el cual tendrá la posibilidad de recuperación de texto completo, además en cada página se podrá localizar palabras, tal como si fuera hipertexto.
In the last decade, the arrival of microcomputers or personal computers (PCs) with sufficient capacity (capacity that with the technological innovation increase day by day) and relatively low cost, has permitted libraries to have affordable systems for automation. Instead of the original large computer systems of high cost, now a much larger number of libraries can have their auto-mation solutions.
A concrete case in this type of system is the Micro CDS/ISIS', that has helped greatly to spread automation to the library community of developing countries. For the Latin America, the Micro CDS/ISIS systems are almost standard ones for libraries and information/documentation centers.
Although effective in the recovery of information, most Micro CDS/ISIS systems lack several elements required for a modern integrated library system for total automatization. Because of this principal motivation for the realization of a new system, a system based in Micro CDS/ ISIS, that includes all the necessary programming modules for an integrated library automation system was planned.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE SYSTEM
• Search Module
The SEARCH module enables one to use the on-line catalog to retrieve bibliographic infor-mation with options -- Search, Previous, Next, Modify, Edit, Up, Down, Delete, Update, Show or Sample.
The Search option permits one to query in precise terms, combining various fields, or in only one field, or make queries from the root of the word.
The options Previous and Next can be used to display the records on the screen. These op-tions show us as series of messages indicating the recovered records of a search. A counter indi-cates the number of record in that search, that ascends or decreases in relation to the change of option previous and next.
Modify option permits one to modify the records and the result of the previous query. Edit option permits one to modify information of the same record.
The options Up, and Down permit one to query and modify in the records of the database, with working sheets of more than one screen, making the effect of a carrousel.
Delete option is linked to the Search option, since it permits to delete the records resulted from a query.
The option Update maintains daily the indexes utilized in the search of information.
And at last, Show or Sample options present through a window the record in bibliographic form, which determines the type of material -- book, magazine's article, bibliographic note, review, among others, and presents to the user the form in which the record is printed.
• Circulation Module
This module maintains and controls over the bibliographic material on loan. At the same time, it also maintains information on the users of the Library, Information/Documentation Centers.
With both information on the bibliographic material on loan and the users, circulation statistics and reports can be generated, such as returned loans per users, etc. This part of the system is used with the Bar Code Reader.
The circulation module presents three options:
- Access and Modification of the sub-base of users with the data such as: name of user, center or place of ascription, address, telephone number and control number. From the latter bar code label can be generated for each user.
- Loan of Material, this option will permit the loans of bibliographic material, utilizing the bar code reader, the unique code of the user will be requested and it will be presented on screen the material that such user has on loan with the following data: number of books or materials on loan, title of the book being borrowed, starting date of the loan and expiration date; if he has overdue material, or if he exceeds the number of volumes in loan, the system will not accept another loan, and the material is discharged in the same way that it is accessed.
- Reports of users consists of two different types -- reports for users and reports of due material, that serves as reminder of the material under loan. The system generates files that are accessible by using popular programs, such as Lotus 1-2-3, Quattro Pro, and Harvard Gra-phics, which can produce graphics and statistics for both monthly and yearly loans.
The system includes the software for the generation of the labels for the bibliographic material and bar codes for the users in bar code.
• On-line cataloging module
This module enables one to catalog the bibliographic material on a screen, as well as to add new classification numbers. The system has the DEWEY Classification System.
The system has three sub-bases: 1) Bibliographic material, 2) Users and 3) Dewey Classifi-cation.
In this module there are three options:
- The first one is Cataloging the Documents with Classification, in which the system will request to access the principal theme of the document and later on it will present on the screen the classification number provide by the system.
- The second option is Cataloging without Classification, which permits one to access a document that does not require classification. In this case, the system will present an entry data sheet with the fields to be filled.
- Finally the option of Add a Theme and its Dewey Classification, when the system has no classification number for a given theme. This option permits one to add a new theme number, and also to modify and update themes and numbers.
• Printing module
This module prints the results of a query in a sequential form as they are generated from the sub-database of bibliographic material and the bar codes of users.
• Export and import file module
This module permits one to interchange data from one computer to the other. It presents also transfer bridges of data information which include:
- Hypatia to Dbase
- Dbase to Hypatia
- Hypatia to CCF
- CCF to Hypatia
- Hypatia to CEPAL
- CEPAL to Hypatia
The modules maintain a close relationship among them and among the sub-databases. In the modules in which consulting is required, the implanting model is Query by example (QBE), which is a form of communication between the user and the system. The objective of QBE is to present an homogeneous working form. It is efficient for activities of access, edit, consult, and informa-tion retrieval for handling information. This is standard for databases, specifically for those with the relational model, since it is designed for end-users, and it eliminates the need to learn the functioning of the Bolean operators for information retrieval.
3. CONCLUSIONS
This paper has describes a Micro CDS/ISIS-based integrated
library automaton system. It consists of modules for automating the activities
of circulation, cataloging, on-line classification, report generation and
others. The objective of the new system is to offer to the wide Micro CDS/
ISIS users, an integral system an inexpensive but efficient alternative.
Presently works are in progress for the development of a newer system version,
Hypatia II, with hypertext capability for full text information retrieval.