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January 2011
New PC Card Catalog
UPDATE (v3.41)
Available
A new version of PC Card
Catalog (v3.41) is available for download.
Version 3.41 resolves a few
minor problems with v3.40's Support Status handling, screen sizing,
data importing and network connections. Sending e-mail notices using
an SSL mail service such as GMAIL is now possible.
The DOWNLOAD UPDATE applies
only to clients currently using v3.40. If the PC Card
Catalog version is prior to v3.40, see alternate instructions
below.
To find the current version
of PC Card Catalog, look on the Title Bar across the top of the
PC Card Catalog program. If
the v3.xx text is not visible, the version
is v3.0x or v2.x. In this case use
the Menu's "Help >> About" to see the version number.
Click on the appropriate link to
obtain the v3.41 release:
2)
Currently running a prior version 3 (v3.0x to v3.3x). Order UPDATE to
v3.41. ($)
3)
Currently running version 2.x. You may UPGRADE to
v3.41. ($$)
Contact us (817.346.0928 or info@libraryconcepts.com) if
you have questions.
Have You Discovered qLOC?
According to our customers, the
qLOC feature (built-in,
starting with PC Card Catatlog v3.40 and CONCEPT I v1.00) has been
a BIG HIT! It is literally one-touch
cataloging.
Here is the procedure: On the New
Items screen type or scan the new book's ISBN in the 'ISBN' field.
Click the qLOC button (just to
the right.) In two or three seconds, the entire record will be
filled in with data from the Library of Congress. "It's
great!"
Detail of the qLOC feature from the NEW Item entry
screen
Currently ISBN10 or ISBN13 appear to
work equally well, but that may change. Dashes may be included in
ISBN10.
qLOC may not find every
ISBN. (With 14 million items in the LOC catalog we might expect it
would always find a match. That has not been our
experience.) Even so, a hit rate of 70% to 80% is quite
helpful.
For qLOC to work, there are a few requirements:
You must be running CONCEPT I or PC Card Catalog
v3.40 or later. The computer must have an Internet
connection. And finally, the Support Subscription must be
current. With these in place you are free to one-touch catalog hundreds, even thousands
of items.
NOTES about qLOC:
1) The qLOC button will remain "disabled"
until an ISBN has been entered.
2) When the fields are filled in,
qLOC will place the Dewey
Number in the 'Call Number' field if your library is using Dewey and will
use the LOC Call Number if your library is set to use LOC numbers. (This
is a setting in Utilities >> Preferences.)
3) LOC cataloging should NOT
be accepted as "perfect" for every library. We suggest looking
over the qLOC data
before it is SAVED. Sometimes the Dewey assignment will be
incorrect for your library. (Many libraries replace "813" with "Fic" for
example.)
4) The term qLOC is an
acronym for "quick Library Of Congress lookup."
HomeWork Acquires
the qLOC
Feature
The popular HomeWork
utility (an add-on for both PC Card Catalog and CONCEPT
I) now includes the popular qLOC feature. Off-site catalogers at home or in the office can
now enjoy the one-touch cataloging
feature. (See the article
above for operational details.)
What is
HomeWork? Think of it as the NEW
ITEM entry screen in PC Card Catalog and CONCEPT
I as a separate program. It is installed on off-site computers
so that the staff or volunteers can add new Items at their
convenience. A simple transfer of data using a flash drive or an e-mail
attachment is merged into the library collection with a few simple,
built-in steps. The idea is to have several folks building the collection at the same time
in the comfort of their homes or offices. The modestly priced license
permits any number of computers to be running HomeWork as
long as they serve a single library.
CONCEPT I...a Nice Upgrade from PC Card
Catalog
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"Many more features ... still easy to use"
"Our patrons love the pictures!"
"PC Card Catalog on steroids..."
These and other wonderful comments were
collected from our CONCEPT I clients who had
recently UPGRADED from PC Card
Catalog.
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Building on the solid foundation of PC Card
Catalog, Library Concept's CONCEPT I
library software improves an already great system.
It can:
- Display Book Cover Images in
the Catalog screens. The images link to additional information such
as the Table of Contents, summaries and other
material. (Requires a modestly priced separate annual
subscription.)
- Save the Check Out history. List what
a patron has checked out in the past; Create unique statistics
reports; Determine who previously checked out an item, perhaps
tracking down missing or damaged materials. (Tracking is optional
and can be disabled.)
- Maintain Accelerated Reader® details.
Level, Points and Test Number appear in catalog. Catalog can
be searched by AR Level.
- Assign Multi-level passwords.
Give the staff access only to the activities you want them to
do.
- Also use a Word Search Catalog.
Using an intuitive word search scheme (Google™-like) find
partial and complete matches to ANY or EVERY word.
Searches other fields not included in the browse-style
catalogs.
- Set Circulation Rules to limit
check outs. Define rules by groups or grade. Set rules to limit Fines,
Overdues, Media or number of items out. Check out is blocked when a
limit is exceeded.
- Manage Unattended Check Out. Separate
OPAC module (CONCEPT I's PUBLIC ACCESS) also includes an
intuitive self-check process for libraries that are not always
staffed.
- Many More
Features...
CONCEPT I system includes the ReInstate
utility, does not need the LOC Pick utility
(qLOC is built-in) and has the
HomeWork utility available as an add-on. The
OPAC module (Online Public Access Catalog) can expand the
system as a single-license (with the unattended check out
feature) and as an unlimited license (without check out.)
Libraries needing multiple, full-feature workstations can obtain
additional licenses. Of course, the CONCEPT I system is fully
network-able. As an added bonus, the first year of Support included with
the upgrade.
Library Concepts prices the PC Card
Catalog-to-CONCEPT I upgrade by pro-rating the
original purchase costs toward the new system. Because nearly
every library has some variations, please contact our
sales group with any questions
or for pricing.(1.800.519.7537)
Faster Item Editing...Turn off
the 'Authorities'
In the normal course of maintaining a
collection the librarian will need to ALTER some Items. The
typical procedure is to press the [ALTER Item]
button and wait for the Subject, then the
Author, then the Publisher
Authorities to load. It may take several seconds, even
a minute or so before finally reaching the Entry screen.
Time could be saved if we could
eliminate the Authority loading procedure. It turns out we can do
that. Here is how to TURN OFF
the AUTHORITIES:
1) In PC Card Catalog or
CONCEPT I go to Utilities >> Preferences >>
Program Settings.
2) In the Item Entry block near the
screen's right you will see:
Authority check boxes in
Utilities >> Preferences
3) Uncheck the boxes "Use AUTHOR
Authority" and/or "Use SUBJECT Authority." Then press the
[Save Changes] button.
4) The NEW and ALTER Item screens will
now open instantly. However, the [Auth],
[Pub] and [Subj] (Authority) buttons
will be inactive.
To activate the Authorities again, go into
Utilities >> Preferences >>
Program Settings and check the two Authority boxes, remembering to Save
Changes. There is no problem turning them on and off several times a day
if this is helpful.
Note also, the Publisher Authority is not a
separate setting. It follows the Author Authority setting.
OurLibraryOnline
We are announcing
OurLibraryOnline, a NEW service from Library
Concepts that puts your library's catalog ON THE WEB. This easily
affordable option ($49.95/year) gives you and your patrons a way to
search your catalog online, any time, anywhere,
using their browsers and even web-enabled phones.
Use PC Card Catalog or CONCEPT
I (or other automation software, for that matter) as normal.
Once the OurLibraryOnline installation is done, there is virtually nothing else required.
Periodically the data is copied and transferred to the
OurLibraryOnline servers. The transfer is automatic and
occurs in the background. You probably won't notice it's
occurring.
Your patrons will be able to search the
catalog by Author, Title, Subject, Series or ISBN; see if the collection
includes a certain Item and determine if the Item is
checked out. With the add-on RESERVATION feature, the library
staff is notified when a patron wants to reserve an item.
Look over OurLibrayOnline. The
"dream" of searching your library catalog on the Web can be
a reality, even for the tightest budgets.
Join us on Facebook
Jump right in. Comments, questions, and
discussion are welcome.
All prices noted above are subject to
change without notice.
Copyright 2010 Library Concepts - All
Rights Resevered
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