Creators: Russian National Public Library for Science and Technology,
International Association of users and developers of Electronic libraries and new information technologies .

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Support of any number of databases, forming the Electronic Catalogue;
• Reliable functioning in any LAN;
• Automated technology of creating dictionaries that provide the direct search by all main elements of bibliographic description;
• Facilities supporting graphic data and full texts of documents;
• Full compatibility with USMARC and UNIMARC formats. Availability of USMARC-UNIMARC and UNIMARC-USMARC converters;
• Standard solution for creating Web-server and server Z 39.50, providing access to IRBIS databases;
• IRBIS mini-version that includes Cataloguing, Reader and Manager modules. Maximum number of records in one database – 25 000.

The system operates in LAN and on off-line IBM/PC computers in Windows 95/98/NT environment. It includes 5 modules: Acquisition, Cataloguing, Circulation, Reader, Manager.

ACQUISITION

A workstation (WS) of a librarian responsible for acquisition and registration of library collections on the basis of a special database. This WS provides the following procedures:

• SERIALS:

• Primary entry of concise bibliographic data and order data, completing subscription documents (subscription cards and order lists);
• Record transfer to the Electronic Catalogue on receiving the first number of the subscribed edition and registration of new accessions;

• Automated preparation of the record for the next order on the subsequent subscription period, conservation and accumulation of information about preceding orders.

• NON-SERIALS:

• Minimal bibliographic data entry and completing order documents on books and other items;
• Order control, registration of non-realized and not completely realized orders;
• Checking of new accessions, accession data entry for the Total Registration Book, receiving documents for the accounts department;
• Automated record transfer to the Electronic Catalogue on receiving the first (or all) ordered copy (copies);
• Preparation of other standard output forms (e.g. for documents sorting out and circulation).

CATALOGUING

A workstation of a librarian, performing functions of cataloguing and classifying, i.e. forming the Electronic Catalogue databases. In the LAN environment the system provides functioning of any number of Cataloguing WS capable of simultaneous data entering into the same database. This WS offers technology with the following characteristics:

• Bibliographic description structure based on the UNIMARC format. It is possible to change this structure (to simplify it or to add elements);
• A set of worksheets for different types of bibliographic description;
• The original technology of serials (journals) description that provides, on the one hand, the collective description of the edition, including information about accession of all its numbers, and, on the other hand, a separate number description, that may contain information about its component parts;
• Automated technology of linguistic processing (classifying, subject indexing) of editions, including the set of services of subject navigation through the subject headings dictionary and/or the thesaurus;
• Special technology of data copying that excludes the repeated entry while creating analogous bibliographic descriptions, e.g. while processing multivolume editions;
• A set of data entry facilities, simplifying the entry process and reducing errors (menu-directories, dictionaries, embedded worksheets, excluding special data elements separators entry);
• The system of data formal and logical control on the level of individual bibliographic elements and on the level of full description that considerably reduces error probability while entering;
• The automatic duplication check;
• Linking of graphic data and full texts of documents with the bibliographic description;
• A set of output forms of bibliographic descriptions. Automated technology of preparation of the complete set of catalogue cards that is realized while entering the bibliographic description;
• A set of search facilities designed for search of bibliographic descriptions for further editing and copying.

CIRCULATION

A workstation of a librarian in charge of lending and return of literature on requests. In the LAN environment the system supports the queues of requests for literature in the real time mode, i.e. requests formed on Reader WS are automatically transferred to Circulation WS.

The Circulation WS characteristics:

• Easy and convenient technology of maintaining and control of the requests queue based on the menu;
• Current information on the available copies of requested literature;
• Current information on the borrowed literature and the borrowers;
• Current information on literature return and availability;
• Registration of information on lending and return of literature in individual readers' cards;

• Circulation statistics, e.g. overdue and loan information;
• Special circulation technology based on bar coding.

READER

A workstation of a reader of the Electronic Catalogue. It provides search in the Electronic Catalogue databases, browsing and printing of search results and forming a request for literature. In the LAN environment the system provides simultaneous search by any number of users in the same Electronic Catalogue databases. The main Reader WS characteristics:

• A friendly interface developed for an untrained user;
• The system works with respect to different levels of user's training, i.e. the same result can be achieved by realizing some simple operations by an untrained user or by realizing only one complicated operation by an advanced user;
• A set of facilities ensuring quick (by direct access with the help of dictionaries) search in the Electronic Catalogue databases by all main elements of bibliographic description and their combinations;
• A capability of working with several databases making up the Electronic Catalogue;
• Paperless technology of forming a request for literature.

MANAGER

A workstation of a specialist, performing system operations of databases maintenance.