INTEGRATED LIBRARY SYSTEM
Having no direct experience in the use of a library system, except in using the iLib of UP, I will discuss instead a library system that was developed by a Filipino for use of libraries in the Philippines.
Mr. Romy Sebastian developed the LIBRO System (Library Information Bibliographic Resource Organization System). He was invited by Ma’am Sharon last September 06, 2008 to discuss in our LIS 260 class the system that he developed.
It was his desire to help other librarians for easier management of their library that inspired him to develop a system that is not expensive.
The system itself is free but Mr. Sebastian charges a fee for training in the use of the system. Come to think of it, his system is a lot cheaper than those of the commercial variety. Though there are a lot of free online library systems in the web, it is still better to use a library system that was specifically developed for use in the Philippine setting.
Mr. Sebastian continues to develop his system in different version, making it more user friendly and adding features that will be helpful to the users.
The LIBRO system has eight pre-defined databases including Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC), Periodical Articles, Articles from Books, Vertical Files, Special Materials or Multimedia, Filmography, Thesis and Dissertation Abstracts and Cases & Jurispudence.
It also has March utilities wherein one can import Marc records from different library system or Web Opac (i.e. Library of Congress, Ohiolink among other). It is capable to save March record and load to Iconium and automatically fill the data entry worksheet of books or special materials. This can be edited and local information may be added. These utilities will be helpful in cataloguing.
The choice of a library system is still dependent on the needs of a library and most of all the budget that can be allocated to purchase and maintain the library system.
Source:
http://www.freewebs.com/jkre48/myPage/libro.htm
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Saturday, October 4, 2008
sql exercise
finally, i finished my sql exercise. after 3 days of late night encoding, trying to locate the problem though i followed the instructions to the letter, it was thru the help and advice of my classmates i.e. mabel, melvin, kareen, tina and kath that i was able to make the program run. now the challenge, i will be taking lis 262 next sem, and i was told that this will involve more programming. oh my God!
Saturday, September 27, 2008
CLASS LIS 260 AND OTHER EXPERIENCES
Information Retrieval System, Boolean Search and Retrieval, Web 2.0, Library 2.0, Integrated Library System, Blogspot, Reading Assignments, Database management, SQL, distance learning, these are just some of the new things that I learned in my one semester of LIS 260.
I never thought I’d survive it, when our course syllabus was discussed by Ma’am Sharon, I was really intimidated by the course topics that we will cover for 1 semester, on top of that Ma’am Sharon said we will have to prepare weekly reading assignment that we will have to submit thru our blog.
Blog!!! I don’t know even know how to use or create a blog. But then, I took this as a challenge to learn something new, to prepare myself for more new things.
Before LIS 260, my interaction with the computer is mostly at the office. And Internet browsing is limited to sites that I am familiar with. With LIS 260, I have come to rely on the internet for my reading assignments.
It was hard at first to understand what I was reading and choosing which of the articles that I downloaded is the best. I had a difficult time composing words and sentences to describe what I have read and learned but I came to realize that I don’t have to be so profound, I will be as straightforward as I can be and write as simple as possible on what I have learned.
We were given topics to report and it was an interesting way of learning. Discussion in class is very open, and I appreciate Ma’am Sharon’s inputs during these discussions. Reporters were very patient with me when I have to ask them questions to clarify a topic that they have reported.
Midterm exam coincided in the week that we were busy at the office. I was struggling between deadlines at the office, studying for the midterm exam and completing my reading assignments. The midterm exam is another experience that I appreciated, after 21 years, I am again writing on a test booklet, thinking of answers to questions that I have somehow expected
The field trip to the UP Open University and UP Los Banos was another experience that I will cherish in relation to this class. After two postponements, we are finally going to Los Banos, though there may have been a change of plan (we were not able to visit the IRRI Library) our destination is another area that is new for me.
Who would think that you can study without meeting your professor or classmates. The idea of distance learning should be supported. This will encourage those that cannot go to regular classes to take up and finish a course. Age does not matter, what you need is the discipline to comply with all the requirements to be able to finish the course. I salute the professors who are involved with distance learning. They are very innovative to make learning enjoyable and challenging.
The field trip to Los Banos was a good way to bond with each other. We all endured the heat, enjoyed the food and experienced the fun of being with other away from the classroom set up.
And now we are in our last 3 weeks, and we are all busy preparing for our big day on October 04. Hopefully, we pass this with flying colors and get exempted from taking the finals.
I never thought I’d survive it, when our course syllabus was discussed by Ma’am Sharon, I was really intimidated by the course topics that we will cover for 1 semester, on top of that Ma’am Sharon said we will have to prepare weekly reading assignment that we will have to submit thru our blog.
Blog!!! I don’t know even know how to use or create a blog. But then, I took this as a challenge to learn something new, to prepare myself for more new things.
Before LIS 260, my interaction with the computer is mostly at the office. And Internet browsing is limited to sites that I am familiar with. With LIS 260, I have come to rely on the internet for my reading assignments.
It was hard at first to understand what I was reading and choosing which of the articles that I downloaded is the best. I had a difficult time composing words and sentences to describe what I have read and learned but I came to realize that I don’t have to be so profound, I will be as straightforward as I can be and write as simple as possible on what I have learned.
We were given topics to report and it was an interesting way of learning. Discussion in class is very open, and I appreciate Ma’am Sharon’s inputs during these discussions. Reporters were very patient with me when I have to ask them questions to clarify a topic that they have reported.
Midterm exam coincided in the week that we were busy at the office. I was struggling between deadlines at the office, studying for the midterm exam and completing my reading assignments. The midterm exam is another experience that I appreciated, after 21 years, I am again writing on a test booklet, thinking of answers to questions that I have somehow expected
The field trip to the UP Open University and UP Los Banos was another experience that I will cherish in relation to this class. After two postponements, we are finally going to Los Banos, though there may have been a change of plan (we were not able to visit the IRRI Library) our destination is another area that is new for me.
Who would think that you can study without meeting your professor or classmates. The idea of distance learning should be supported. This will encourage those that cannot go to regular classes to take up and finish a course. Age does not matter, what you need is the discipline to comply with all the requirements to be able to finish the course. I salute the professors who are involved with distance learning. They are very innovative to make learning enjoyable and challenging.
The field trip to Los Banos was a good way to bond with each other. We all endured the heat, enjoyed the food and experienced the fun of being with other away from the classroom set up.
And now we are in our last 3 weeks, and we are all busy preparing for our big day on October 04. Hopefully, we pass this with flying colors and get exempted from taking the finals.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
CRITIQUE ON THE USE OF WEB-BASED INFORMATION RETRIEVAL SYSTEM
A Web search engine is a search engine designed to search for information on the World Wide Web. Information may consist of web pages, images and other types of files. Some search engines also mine data available in newsbooks, databases, or open directories. Unlike Web directories, which are maintained by human editors, search engines operate algorithmically or are a mixture of algorithmic and human input. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
Using the World Wide Web or the Web for information retrieval has become the norm rather than the exception. With the availability of the internet and service providers, more and more people are relying on the Web for their information needs.
Though we know that information retrieval thru the Web is faster since they are readily available than the traditional way of retrieving information (thru library researches) the user still has the final decision on what source of information to use.
The choice of search engine to use is a decision that the user has to make since he will use whatever information that a particular search engine will show. A basic knowledge of the information need would help the user in choosing the best source of information.
Using the World Wide Web or the Web for information retrieval has become the norm rather than the exception. With the availability of the internet and service providers, more and more people are relying on the Web for their information needs.
Though we know that information retrieval thru the Web is faster since they are readily available than the traditional way of retrieving information (thru library researches) the user still has the final decision on what source of information to use.
The choice of search engine to use is a decision that the user has to make since he will use whatever information that a particular search engine will show. A basic knowledge of the information need would help the user in choosing the best source of information.
Friday, August 15, 2008
CRITIQUE ON THE USE OF ONLINE AND DIGITAL MEDIA
An online database is a database accessible via a network, now generally the internet. It differs from a local database, held in an individual computer or its attached storage, such as a CD.
A CD-ROM (Compact Disc, read-only-memory) is an adaptation of the CD that is designed to store computer data in the form of text and graphics, as well as hi-fi stereo sound.
Use of the online database are now more popular than ever, with the widespread use of the internet, people are relying more and more to online databases for information that is accessible and updated.
Though the use of the online database is dependent on the need of the user, it is very important that a user determine the best database to use to be able to get the information that will be most useful to the user. Reliability of the online database must also be established so that information retrieval will be more definite.
CD ROMs are also good sources of information but due to the limited storage capacity of the disc, a user might have to use or view several CDs to be able to retrieve the best source of information. Also due to the high cost of CD ROMs, not everybody can afford to maintain an updated database on CD ROMs.
Personally, I would prefer using online databases, since they are readily available thru the internet, though some of them may not be free. Finding the right database that will fit one’s need is the most important aspect in information retrieval.
CRITIQUE ON THE JULY 16, 2008 FORUM
The Ortigas Center Library Consortium (OCLC) Inc. sponsored a forum on “Strategies in Effective Searching of Information” last July 16, 2008 conducted by Dr. Angelina P. Resurreccion of the Rizal Technological University.
It was a rainy Wednesday and I have to hurriedly leave the office at 12:30pm to be on time for the 1pm forum at JRU. It is my first forum in relation to the new course that I am taking, Library and Information Science. I was very excited, my expectations were high since this forum was recommended / required by Ma’am Sharon for her LIS 260 class to attend.
When I entered the venue I was grateful that the class of Ms. Sharon was seated near each other.
The forum started at 1:45pm with the usual opening remarks and the long introduction of the lecturer. Finally, Dr. Resurreccion started the forum. I was taking down notes since we were told to prepare a report on the forum and when the speaker noticed how hurriedly some of the audience was trying to write down all the points that she was making. She then said that her power point presentation is available in CD for P50.00. She went thru her power point presentation with out elaborating on some of the concepts that she was presenting.
I was seated beside Ron, and I asked her about some of the topics (like pathfinder and web harvesting) that were presented. Ron was able to give me a clearer idea of what was presented using layman’s term.
Dr. Resurreccion also mentioned that they started in their school the Information Literacy Program, but when one of the audience asked how can they access the effectiveness of the program, she was not able to give a concrete reply.
Overall, it was a rather disappointing forum. Maybe Ms. Sharon also felt this way because she changed her instruction to us to make a critique on the forum. Or maybe I was just expecting too much after being introduced to Web 2.0. Or maybe the topics discussed is not anymore new to me since I have encountered most of them in my reading assignments or it has been discussed though briefly in our class.
Friday, July 18, 2008
WEB 2.0 TECHNOLOGIES AND HOW IT CAN BE USED IN LIBRARIES
WEB 2.0 TECHNOLOGIES AND HOW IT CAN BE USED IN LIBRARIES
TITLE OF THE ARTICLE: Blogs for Libraries
AUTHOR: Greg Schwartz
PUBLISHER: WebJunction
URL: http://www.webjunction.org/do
TITLE OF THE ARTICLE: Libraries and RSS
AUTHOR: Richard W. Boss
PUBLISHER:
URL: http://www.pla.org/ala/pla/plapubs/technotes
TITLE OF THE ARTICLE: Wikis and Libraries
AUTHOR: Walt Crawford
PUBLISHER:
URL: http://pln.palinet.org/wiki/index.php
Abstract of the articles:
Web 2.0 offers many technologies such as RSS (Really Simple Syndication), Wikis, New and revised programming methods like AJAX and APIs, blogs and blogging, Web Services, Social networking software, social bookmarking and many more.
For this reading assignment, I decided to choose RSS, Wikis and Blogs since these 3 technologies from Web 2.0 would be the most useful for me in my work, studies and personal life.
Really Simple Syndication or RSS as defined in the article that I read is an XML-based tool for constantly scanning the content of a Web site for updates and then broadcasting those updates to all subscribers through a feed. A “feed” is a broadcast to those who have subscribed to the service. RSS was developed by Netscape for MyNetscape. For libraries, the advantage of RSS is that patrons do not have to log onto the Web site to look for information since the information is fed as soon as it is available.
Blog is a shortened form of the word “Weblog” and refers to a specific variety of website where the content is provided in an ongoing series of date entries. Weblogs are designed to facilitate easy usage and frequent updating by the author. Blog is also defined as a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer. For librarians, weblogs are an excellent way to stay current, posting regularly to a blog encourages one to actively engage the process of information seeking and current awareness.
Wikipedia defined a wiki as a collection of web pages designed to enable anyone who accesses it to contribute or modify content, using a simplified markup language. It was also defined as a Web site that allows visitors to make changes, contributions, or corrections
Implications of the new things I learned to my work / to me as a person:
Blogs, Wikis and RSS and other Web 2.0 technologies are something that I do not use or come across in my line of work. Since starting the LIS 260 course, these terms became words that have meaning and use for me.
Blogging is now part of a weekly activity that I do since our reading assignments are sent thru our blogs. Blogs will be most helpful for me in my studies, by reading thru the blogs of my classmates I would have access to other sources of information that they have used and I would know their views on the subject matter.
Wikis and RSS are two technologies that I still have to learn and be familiar with but from what I have read in the different articles that I have seen, these two technologies would be most helpful in information searching, retrieval and updating.
Wikis have already proliferated and it has many users but we have to be discriminate in using the information that we get from the wikis since many have contributed in the inputting of the information on a certain subject, it will all depend on the users of wiki how they will perceive the information they get as reliable or not.
RSS will be very useful in getting immediate updates from other websites especially those sites that you have an interest in. I still have to learn how to use this technology but I know that by the end of this course, I will be able to use RSS.
TITLE OF THE ARTICLE: Blogs for Libraries
AUTHOR: Greg Schwartz
PUBLISHER: WebJunction
URL: http://www.webjunction.org/do
TITLE OF THE ARTICLE: Libraries and RSS
AUTHOR: Richard W. Boss
PUBLISHER:
URL: http://www.pla.org/ala/pla/plapubs/technotes
TITLE OF THE ARTICLE: Wikis and Libraries
AUTHOR: Walt Crawford
PUBLISHER:
URL: http://pln.palinet.org/wiki/index.php
Abstract of the articles:
Web 2.0 offers many technologies such as RSS (Really Simple Syndication), Wikis, New and revised programming methods like AJAX and APIs, blogs and blogging, Web Services, Social networking software, social bookmarking and many more.
For this reading assignment, I decided to choose RSS, Wikis and Blogs since these 3 technologies from Web 2.0 would be the most useful for me in my work, studies and personal life.
Really Simple Syndication or RSS as defined in the article that I read is an XML-based tool for constantly scanning the content of a Web site for updates and then broadcasting those updates to all subscribers through a feed. A “feed” is a broadcast to those who have subscribed to the service. RSS was developed by Netscape for MyNetscape. For libraries, the advantage of RSS is that patrons do not have to log onto the Web site to look for information since the information is fed as soon as it is available.
Blog is a shortened form of the word “Weblog” and refers to a specific variety of website where the content is provided in an ongoing series of date entries. Weblogs are designed to facilitate easy usage and frequent updating by the author. Blog is also defined as a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer. For librarians, weblogs are an excellent way to stay current, posting regularly to a blog encourages one to actively engage the process of information seeking and current awareness.
Wikipedia defined a wiki as a collection of web pages designed to enable anyone who accesses it to contribute or modify content, using a simplified markup language. It was also defined as a Web site that allows visitors to make changes, contributions, or corrections
Implications of the new things I learned to my work / to me as a person:
Blogs, Wikis and RSS and other Web 2.0 technologies are something that I do not use or come across in my line of work. Since starting the LIS 260 course, these terms became words that have meaning and use for me.
Blogging is now part of a weekly activity that I do since our reading assignments are sent thru our blogs. Blogs will be most helpful for me in my studies, by reading thru the blogs of my classmates I would have access to other sources of information that they have used and I would know their views on the subject matter.
Wikis and RSS are two technologies that I still have to learn and be familiar with but from what I have read in the different articles that I have seen, these two technologies would be most helpful in information searching, retrieval and updating.
Wikis have already proliferated and it has many users but we have to be discriminate in using the information that we get from the wikis since many have contributed in the inputting of the information on a certain subject, it will all depend on the users of wiki how they will perceive the information they get as reliable or not.
RSS will be very useful in getting immediate updates from other websites especially those sites that you have an interest in. I still have to learn how to use this technology but I know that by the end of this course, I will be able to use RSS.
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