Huntsville, Alabama (July 5, 1995) - 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.

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. "Through continued product innovations exemplified by our Version 7.1 release, SIRSI carefully balances emerging trends with established standards working to provide our clients with the best overall automation system - it is our goal," closes Jim Young, CEO of SIRSI Corporation. 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 and 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.