New information technologies: AILS “MARC-SQL” use in cultural, educational and scientific institutions

New information technologies: AILS “MARC-SQL” use in cultural, educational and scientific institutions.

V.V. Popov
Scientific and Production Amalgamation "Inform-Systema"
Address: 11a, Sevastopolsky pros., Moscow, 113447, Russia
Phone: (095) 127-91-47
Phone/fax: (095) 124-99-38
E-mail: info@is.rc.ac.ru

The report is devoted to the new automated informational-library system (AILS) “МARC-SQL”. The opportunities of using it in cultural, educational and scientific institutions are discussed. Opportunities of application of AILS “МАRC-SQL” in art libraries are covered particularly.

The report is devoted to the new automated informational library system (AILS) “MARC-SQL”. Possibilities of using it in cultural and educational institutions are discussed. The application of AILS “MARC-SQL” in art libraries is illustrated in details.

Last years there have been active processes of global informatisation in the spheres of culture, education and science.

It’s seen especially in library-informational business, where a number of generations of technical equipment and software products have been changed for a rather short period of time. By the way, libraries of all levels, from federal to municipal ones, have joined these processes of informatisation. The art supporting libraries keep a bit aside from these processes.

Among them museum, cultural centre, theatre libraries and also educational libraries of artistic, theatrical, architectural, etc. high schools.

The general concept of use of information technologies in art library work has developed in 60-70, in the era of large computers. It has remained practically unchanged and is based on the following basic directions:

cataloguing of collections, which defines the realisation of the basic functions of a museum (preservative, expositive and restorative);
providing of information to the scientific researches based on creation and use of the unified descriptions of art problems;
creating and integrating of informational resources realising publishing, expositive and other functions of art institutions.

Taking into account planned tendencies of development of information in art libraries, it is offered to use the automated informational-library system (AILS) “МАРC-SQL” in solving the tasks mentioned.

AILS “МАРC-SQL” is a third generation system which was developed on the basis of open system principles; it provides complex automating of all library processes: acquisition of the literature, creation and conducting of the electronic catalogue, ordering, processing of the acting editions, reference service, service of the readers, account of library funds. With the help of this program the own informational resources of libraries can be integrated into the global informational environment.

AILS “МАРC-SQL” is based on the principle “client-server”. The system functions in WINDOWS NT – server part, for a client WINDOWS 95/98/NT Workstation is used. From SQL-servers available on the market MS SQL 6.5 and 7.0, Oracle, Sybase SQL Anywhere 5.5 are used. Access to the data through “Access” can be also realised. The system has a friendly interface. The system is written in language C ++ (integrated package Microsoft Visual C ++).

Functional potential of AILS “МАРC-SQL”

AILS “MARC-SQL” consists of five departments:

“Manager”;
“Cataloguisator”;
“Acquisition”;
“Search”;
“Subscription”.

Department “Manager” is a subsystem, which carries out the system and database administration and carries out functions on adaptation of system to the needs of the users.

Department “Cataloguisator” is a subsystem, which helps in creating and conducting of the electronic catalogue, scientific and technical processing of the editions arrived, conducting inventory and non-inventory account, creating of the total account book, forming of the standard target forms, duplicate checking, etc.

Department “Search” is a subsystem, which helps the reader search, view and order the necessary literature. The subsystem “Search” is realised in two types:

with the help of Internet/Intranet-technology; search, viewing and ordering of the literature are carried out through standard Web-browser;
search, viewing and ordering of the literature are carried out inside the local network.

Department “Acquisition” is a subsystem responsible for the functions of ordering and accounting of the arriving literature, receipt control, forming of accounting documents.

Department “Subscription” is a subsystem responsible for registration of the readers, distribution and return of the literature, priority order registration, literature debts, opportunity of forming of statistical reports. The access to the subsystem “Subscription” is carried out inside a local network.

There is USMARC-format in AILS “MARC-SQL” to describe the documents. With the help of various system adjustments it carries out the description of such types of documents as language material, printed music text, hand-written music text, musical and unmusical sound recording, printed and hand-written maps, computer files, 2-dimensional graphics, three-dimensional objects, etc.

In all the Departments a possibility of different representation of the documents on the screen is given. There is an opportunity to create your own screen forms of the documents.

AILS “MARC-SQL” has powerful search opportunities. Different kinds of search are realised in the system; they are designed either for an unprepared or an experienced user having certain knowledge and skills. Search can be implemented in any department.

A bar code technology is maintained in the system; it’s applied in creating of a bibliographic record for the identification of a copy, conducting of a database of the readers, in registrating of the readers, in distributing / returning of the books.

AILS “MARC-SQL” gives an opportunity of import / export of databases in formats: USMARC, UNIMARC, RUSMARC.

WORK WITH MACROOBJECTS

An opportunity to solve a problem of expansion of access to valuable information resources of museum libraries has appeared with development of computer technologies. This problem was always closely connected with the fund safety. The eternal dilemma of the information keepers - the desire to give it in the widest volume and thus to keep it lost-free - has been solved by creation of electronic fund of especially important documents with application of new information technologies (scanning, digital photo-shooting, electronic catalogue of the images).

The introduction of the newest technologies allowing to create qualitative images, audio-, videorecording, expands the opportunities of searching of the necessary information.

In AILS “MARC-SQL” there has been realised a regimen for working with various kinds of the information (textual, graphic, audio/video information, databases, etc.);this regimen has been named “Macroobjects”. It is possible with the help of this regimen to define various objects in the system and to attribute them to the certain bibliographic records. When working with bibliographic records the users can look through macroobjects. Depending on the type of the macroobject a particular program for its viewing will be called by the operational system.

STAGE TECHNOLOGY

A technology of stage bibliographic description creation is present in the system.

All the process of document creation is divided into stages if it’s necessary. On each stage only the information necessary for this department description is entered in the document. Once entered the description of the given stage document, this document is transferred to the following stage. At the last stage the formation of the document is completely finished.

WORK IN THE GLOBAL NETWORK INTERNET

It’s known that the access to the Internet gives the users a direct output to world cultural values.

AILS “MARC-SQL” allows to provide access to the database for search, viewing and ordering of the literature through the Internet. Thus, the resources of libraries become accessible by all who is interested in them.

A user can choose a field of search, define a kind of the answer of the records, found on the given inquiry, set a query, specify a type of record, bibliographic level. The documents, selected during the search, can be ordered in the library.

AILS “MARC-SQL” supports the protocol Z39.50.

TEACHING NEW INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES

The introduction of new information technologies is indissolubly connected with training of the workers in this sphere of activity.

To perform this task Scientific Research Enterprise “INFORM-SYSTEMA” has founded a non-public educational establishment “INFORM-SYSTEMA+” with the right of distribution of the state certificates on the basis of the License of Russian Ministry of Education № 16-818 of August 31, 1999 on training of the library and information workers. At the beginning of 2000 “INFORM-SYSTEMA+” and one of advanced Moscow libraries – Central Library “Kuntsevo” - have created a SCHOOL of new information technologies for librarians. There, first of all, the training of the library workers in new information technologies is provided. Together with it the training in modern software – AILS “MARC-SQL”,”MARC-SQL INTERNET”, and also previous generation software (AILS “MARC” - local variant and AILS “MARC” - network variant) will be implemented. The “Association of the “MARC” users” which was created for rendering the advisory help in development of new computer technologies and exchange of advanced experience between the users continues working; it formed by libraries and information services of scientific, cultural and educational institutions.

AILS “MARC-SQL” SUPPORT

The information systems are a complex software product demanding constant development and improvement.

Therefore it is necessary to provide regular updating and delivery of the new versions and technical support. For these purposes the continuous support of existing “MARC” systems and creation of the new versions of these systems is carried out. The distribution of the new versions is implemented by means of mail, electronic mail and Internet.

As a conclusion, it is necessary to note, that the last research of “INFORM-SYSTEMA” – AILS “MARC-SQL” - meets the advanced requirements which are necessary for such systems and can be used successfully in forming of information resources and in organising of access to them for satisfaction of more and more growing users’ needs.

Scientific and Production Amalgamation "Inform-Systema" was founded in 1990. The main purposes of new firm were automation of libraries in scientific, education, cultural organisations and training of librarians. Last few years SPA "Inform-Systema" expanded the new branches of activity. SPA "Inform-Systema" takes part in all major communication and publishing projects in Russia and in other countries. It is a provider of books and periodicals, including foreign periodicals, to the russian libraries. It is an exporter of books and periodicals being publishing in former USSR to many countries. SPA "Inform-Systema" and Agency "Rospechat" published joint annual subscription Catalogue on Russian periodicals - 2001. It can also fill the orders based on subscription Catalogues of other firms. Owing to high quality and high professional skills, diversity of its activities and qualification of local representatives in cities of Russia SPA "Inform-Systema" has become the leader in such brances as library automation, distribution of books and periodicals, and training of librarians. At present SPA "Inform-Systema" has more then 1000 partners throughout Russia and abroad, including libraries, universities, research institutes, the biggest subscription agencies, and publishing houses in Russia and other countries. SPA "Inform-Systema" takes part in some publishing projects in Russia and over countries. As a result this activity is joint edition with our big partner: TECHNICAL CREATIVITY: THEORY, METHODOLOGY, PRACTICE. Encyclopedic hand-book. Edited by A.Polovinkin and V. Popov. SPA "Inform-Systema" (Russia), "Nauka Ltd" (Japan), 1995, 410 pages, Russian language, hard cover. We are glad to have new partners and can guarantee perfect service.