Huntsville, Alabama (June 12, 1995) - SIRSI announces the release of Unicorn/STILAS Version 7.1, another product evolution within the library automation industry. Significant enhancements made to the Unicorn/STILAS server component and an extension of client offerings reflect SIRSI's drive toward innovative product development. Version 7.1 introduces graphical user interfaces (GUI) for Microsoft, Windows, Macintosh and the World Wide Web, as well as additional feature upgrades detailed below.
OPAC Manager
Due to its versatility and the implications it will have on providing custom user interfaces, SIRSI's OPAC Manager is the most significant Version 7.1 feature. The OPAC Manager is Unicorn/STILAS' global tool for designing, customizing, and managing all Public Access Screens and options.
Reasons for selecting client/server architecture over rigid host based systems vary greatly . Some view the technology as their way of obtaining a graphical interface; others as a way to ensure hardware scalability and growth; while others hope to obtain a system that allows meaningful flexibility in screen and workflow design.
SIRSI's OPAC Manager harnesses the power of client/server technology. The distributive logic client/server model used in designing the Unicorn and STILAS systems can now be easily tailored to suit individual terminal and graphical user environments through a simple question and answer format.
The OPAC Manager is used to create a "gateway" to a library's information resources. This includes reference databases external to the library's own catalog, and resources available on external networks. In essence, the gateway becomes a user's view of the library's information universe. Since a client environment may include one or a group of individuals, SIRSI allows multiple gateways to be created.
"A one-size-fits-all concept simply doesn't work when dealing with the diverse interface needs a library automation vendor encounters," states Greg Hathorn, SIRSI's Vice President for Library Products. "A proper client/server model allows structured data contained on a server to be displayed at a client workstation in a manner most suitable to the end user's requirements," explains Greg. "With the OPAC Manager, libraries can provide unique client interfaces tailored to each patron group."
Choices available when creating a new gateway environment include:
- Icons - The library selects from a set of graphical elements provided by SIRSI, or they may choose to add their own.
- Icon Name - A unique name may be displayed along with the Icon.
- Instructions - Immediately following an icon selection, or when the user asks for help, the OPAC Manager can display library defined information. Instructions on the purpose and use of the command, an abstract of database content, copyright statements, usage disclaimers and/or usage restrictions are just a few examples of possible uses.
- Headings - This choice allows the library to create custom screen titles for gateway choices.
- Access Control - A user hierarchy establishes the level of user that may access the gateway choice. This restricts not only the use of the function, but appearance as well.
- User Limits - This choice allows the library to set a maximum on the number of users that may access a destination simultaneously. Decisions to restrict access could be based on technical limitations such as number of ports, or for licensing agreements with database providers.
- Time-out Limits - The number of seconds Unicorn/STILAS should wait for a response from a database destination can be specified. After such time, the user is returned to the gateway choice.
- Session Limits - The library can limit the amount of time a user may stay connected to a database destination.
- World Wide Web - Libraries using SIRSI's WebCat product may use the OPAC Manager to provide custom interfaces for users of the World Wide Web. WebCat automatically generates the HTML pages which are accessed by popular Web Browsers such as Mosaic and Netscape. The OPAC Manager even accommodates library generated custom HTML pages as replacements for WebCat generated pages.
Since Version 4.0, Unicorn/STILAS has been able to import, store, and export bibliographic records that use ANSEL or other character sets. With Version 7.1, Unicorn/STILAS supports the input and display of diacritcs and special characters on devices whose keyboards and internal character sets contain those characters.
"Bound-with" Cataloging Feature
The new, configurable "Bound-with" feature allows different bibliographic records to be linked to the same physical copy. This feature can be used to link:
- a kit of multiple objects that circulate as a single object
- series issues bound as a single serial volume, but with separate title records for each issue
- multiple monographic titles published as a single volume
SIRSI has implemented the USMARC Format for Holdings Data (MFHD) using the standard holdings tags embedded in the bibliographic record. An authorized operator may use the editing features of Unicorn/STILAS to enter holdings data by inserting the tags and typing the coded data within the proper subfields. In addition to supporting manual entry of the captions/patterns (853) tag, the enumeration/ chronology (863) tag, and the textual holdings (866) tag, SIRSI has implemented features which expedite the checkin process. By taking advantage of SIRSI's automated checkin process, individual libraries can allow Unicorn/STILAS to automatically insert and update holdings tag data when issues are received. No manual intervention is required by library staff to input detailed or consolidated holdings statements.
Online Record Review
Library staff will now be able to review loaded bibliographic records online before they are made a permanent part of the catalog.This feature will be a real time-saver for libraries heavily involved in retrospective conversion and acquisition.
With the Online Record Review feature, the Bibliographic Record Loader can now load all records for review, load only error records for review, or reload approved review records for indexing in the catalog. Library staff may assign a REVIEW, APPROVE, or DELETE status to individual records prior to or after importing them into the Unicorn/STILAS catalog.
Although review records are loaded into the Unicorn/STILAS database, the records are not indexed, and copies are not created. Once displayed using title key or call number, review records can be edited and marked for permanent loading or marked for deletion.
New Search Options
SIRSI is providing several new searching aids with its Version 7.1 release. Patrons wishing to review a list of periodicals by title, or a list of items containing a unique medical subject heading may now do so. "Periodical Title" and "MeSH Subject" choices have been added to the search menu for terminal users, and have been added to the icon group for Windows, Macintosh and WebCat users.
National Library of Medicine MeSH Thesaurus
As a separately priced add-on, Unicorn/STILAS customers may now add the complete MeSH Thesaurus available from the National Library of Medicine. At any point in the catalog search process, a patron may view the MeSH Thesaurus with the press of a button. By providing full-text searching and a browsable MeSH Tree, user are able to quickly pinpoint the desired heading. SIRSI's hypertext links to the Unicorn/STILAS catalog provide instant retrieval of matching citations from the library's catalog.
Sorting
A sort order can now be specified on-the-fly for the display of search results. Author, title, subject and publication year are provided as default choices. For advanced users, sorting on any MARC tag, and multiple level sorts are also supported.
The Company
SIRSI Corporation is a leader in designing innovative systems that make the handling and retrieving of information over networks easier to manage for the administrator and easier to access for the end user. Founded in 1979 as a technical consultancy in library automation and information management, the company has become the recognized leader in the development of UNIX-based integrated library automation systems.
Today, SIRSI's systems serve hundreds of libraries and information centers with databases from a few thousand to millions of titles. Their integrated library system networks are installed in academic, public, K-12, law, medical, government and corporate libraries around the world. SIRSI operations are based worldwide with sells extensively in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Australia. For more information contact SIRSI at 689 Discovery Drive, Huntsville, AL 35806. Phone: (205) 922-9825, Fax: (205) 922-9818. Visit SIRSI's Home Page at: http://www.sirsi.com.