K-3: THE SMALL LIBRARY AT THE AUTOMATION CROSSROADS
Joni Lynn Cassidy
“Attention Software Shoppers”
EVALUATING THE VENDOR AND THE SOFTWARE
How stable is the company? Who owns it? How long has it been in business under the current management? Ever been sold or taken over? Is the company's main focus the development and support of software, or are they part of a larger company with other business interests?
Is the software using the latest technologies?
What about product maturity? How long has this version, currently on the market, been installed? Has the product been out long enough for most of the bugs to be fixed? Ask these questions specific to each individual module, or function, in which you are interested.
Is the version of the software that the sales representative is demonstrating the same one that is actually installed in client libraries? It's possible for a vendor to be supporting many earlier generations of software and to misrepresent them as installations of current software to inflate their numbers making it appear that the current software is in broader distribution than it actually is.
Is this software installed in libraries like yours? Can you get a client list? If so, call other special or law libraries. Ask them how the software is working for them.
Was the software written to run on the operating system you're proposing to run it on? Or has the vendor modified it to accommodate different operating systems (i.e. It was written for UNIX but now they offer a version that runs on NT)?
Most software vendors offer onsite training for new installations. But what about refresher courses or the opportunity to train replacement staff in the future?
Is there a users group? Local, regional, national? Does the users group hold meetings?
How does the company decide on product enhancements? Is there a mechanism for user input such as an annual ballot?
How good is the technical support? What is the ratio of technicians to installations? Is everyone in Tech Support trained on the whole system, or are there “specialists”? When you call in, will the phone be answered by a machine, a receptionist who takes a message, or a real live technician who can help you get back online? When you call other clients for references, find out how long they wait on the average for a call back when they've had a technical problem.
A PARTIAL LIST OF AVAILABLE PRODUCTS: MID-SIZED SYSTEMS
| COMPANY | PRODUCT | PRICE RANGE | PHONE | WEB SITE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SIRSI Corp | Unicorn | $35,000 + WebCat | 256-704-7000 | www.sirsi.com |
| Cuadra Associates | STAR | $19,000 + training | 800-366-1390 | www.cuadra.com |
| Robert A. Schless | Notebooks/Lotus Notes (NO MARC EXPORT) | $18,000 + training | 978-443-2996 | www.rasco.com |
| Library Corporation | Library.Solution | $12,200 inc. training | 800-325-7759 | www.tlcdelivers.com |
| ILS | Sydney Plus | $35,000 + web OPAC | 604-278-6717 | www.ils.com |
| EOSinternational | Q Series | $15,000–$37,000 | 800-876-5484 | www.eosintl.com |
A PARTIAL LIST OF AVAILABLE PRODUCTS: SMALL SYSTEMS
| COMPANY | PRODUCT | PRICE RANGE | PHONE | WEB SITE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SIRS Mandarin | M3 Core Package | $5,500 + training | 800-232-SIRS | www.sirs.com |
| CASPR Library Systems | CASPR Library World | $4,700 + training | 800-852-2777 | www.caspr.com |
| Nichols Advanced Technologies | Athena | $6,100 + training | 800-642-4648 | www.nicholsinc.com |
| InMagic, Inc. | DB/Textworks | $6,000 + training + consultation | 800-229-8398 | www.inmagic.com |
| On Point, Inc. | TLC Total Library Computerization (NO MARC EXPORT: Exports in dBase, ASCII) | $4,500 | 202-338-8914 | www.onpointinc.com |
| Best-Seller Inc. | Best-Seller | $10,000 + training | 514-337-3000 | www.bestseller.com |
A PARTIAL LIST OF AVAILABLE PRODUCTS: VERY SMALL SYSTEMS
| COMPANY | PRODUCT | PRICE RANGE | PHONE/WEBSITE | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cassidy Cataloguing | MOLEhill 2000 | $750 setup + $250 Per month | 973-481-0900, www.cassidycat.com | WEB HOST |
| Right On Programs | Computer Access Catalog | $899 | 516-424-7777, www.rightonprograms.com | NO WEB OPAC |
| CASPR Library Systems | LibraryCom | $400 per year | 800-852-2777, www.caspr.com | WEB HOST |
COMPARING THE SOFTWARE PACKAGES
| FEATURES | SOFTWARE | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating system | ||||
| Hardware req'd | ||||
| OPAC features | ||||
| Web OPAC | ||||
| Cataloging features | ||||
| MARC in/out | ||||
| Serials features | ||||
| Acquisitions features | ||||
| Circulation | ||||
| ILL module | ||||
| Budgeting | ||||
| Report features | ||||
| Web gateway | ||||
| Training | ||||
| Tech. Support | ||||
| User group | ||||
| Other features | ||||
| COSTS | ||||
| Software license | ||||
| Installation | ||||
| Training | ||||
| Maintenance | ||||
| Data conversion | ||||
| Telecommunication | ||||
