BASIS Techlib : Working the Web

BASIS Techlib : Working the web

With everyone rushing to develop products for the web, it shouldn't surprise anyone that the IOLS vendors are in the process of developing new products that make use of the web for a variety of purposes. One of the vendors leading the charge in web development is the Basis division of Open Text (formerly Information Dimensions). IOLS shoppers who are interested in making use of web functionality for both library management processes (cataloging, circulation, etc.) and for end users access to a web OPAC will want to include Basis Techlib in their review of systems.

Basis Techlib is Open Text's upgrade of the character cell product TechlibPlus, an IOLS that was introduced to the library community in 1989 by Information Dimensions (IDI). In 1986, the Battelle Memorial Institute (Columbus, OH) established IDI as an independent company. Battelle had developed a full-text database management system called BASIS for its own use and in turn developed a library application using BASIS. Dubbed Techlib, the product (like BASIS) was sold to government libraries, research libraries and corporations. IDI's market for Techlib was and still is almost exclusively special libraries.

Available on several platforms (mainframes, super minis and minicomputers) Techlib included modules for cataloging, serials, acquisitions and circulation. Techlib evolved into TechlibPlus. As with other IOLS vendors in the early nineties, TechlibPlus was ported over to the UNIX platform and maintained its character cell interface. While other vendors began to develop Windows interfaces for their products, IDI was also changing.

Battelle decided to divest itself of IDI, a for-profit company, and in the mid 1990s found a buyer in OCLC.. After a couple years with OCLC and what seemed to be some struggling over the direction development would take (although there was talk of a Windows interface for library staff functions, the Windows OPAC was the only interface developed.), IDI was sold again, this time to Gore Technologies, a technology holding company. By the time that Gore came on the scene, IDI had already introduced a web gateway for use with its full-text product, BASIS. BASIS Webserver, one of the first products of its kind, allowed web access to relational databases that could store documents in their original format and display them to a web browser by creating HTML on the fly. Under Gore ownership, IDI went one step further in beginning development of a web based IOLS.

While Techlib's development history seems shaky, it looks like things may be turning around for the product with the company's recent acquisition by Open Text. Open Text, headquartered in Waterloo Ontario, is the developer of Livelink--a document management product that has been widely implemented by many large corporations as they develop collaborative knowledge management systems. If the creators of BASIS Techlib intend their product to be the premiere web IOLS, they probably couldn't have found a better partner in development than Open Text. It appears that Open Text has the money to invest in the product and the understanding of what BASIS Techlib may mean for the future of libraries.

Basis Techlib (the interface used by library staff for cataloging, circulation, etc.) uses three-tier system architecture to deliver the IOLS to the desktop. Components of the system include the BASIS Techlib database, the interface developed using the Microsoft Active Platform (Active Server Pages (ASP)) and the browser. Additionally, Microsoft Access and Seagate's Crystal Reports are used for report production.

The web OPAC is delivered as an unsupported toolkit that has yet to be developed using ASP. Although it is unsupported, it is fairly easy to implement. At present, it requires an installation of an additional software component, the BASIS Webserver. For more information on the system architecture used, see the published white paper, A New Architecture for Special Library Automation.

System Requirements for BASIS Techlib:

Processor*: Pentium 200 Mhz or higher
Memory: 128 Mb or more
Disk Space**: 60 MB (included 48 MB for BASIS Client)
Operating System: NT Server 4.0 with Service Pack 3
Network Connection: TCP/IP Windows Sockets
Web Server: Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS) 4.0 including Active Server Pages
Browser: Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 or higher or Netscape Communicator 4.04 or higher

* This configuration is for a system where the BASIS Techlib database and applications (BASIS Techlib and BASIS Webserver gateway) reside on the same webserver. Other configurations can be used where the database and/or webserver gateway resides on a separate NT or UNIX server.

** Disk space required installing all BASIS Client and Techlib components

System Features include:

A web interface that allows library staff to:

View context sensitive on-line help from any page.
Choose to use web OPAC.
Select which library location to maintain (the system can maintain multiple library locations).
Set up and maintain system records including library records (different settings can be maintained for multiple libraries), collection types, material types, and patron types.
Maintain the text used in reports.
Maintain the circulation profile (how long an item can be circulated depending on collection type, material type and patron type).
Maintain staff security. Staff members are allowed to access various parts of the system depending on their security record. For example, a staff member can have access to circulation but not to cataloging.
Maintain overall system settings (primary material type, whether to treat libraries as separate entities, whether LC call numbers are used, etc.)
Perform mass changes on records. Search for all records with the same criteria and replace all instances of a particular value for a field.
Search for catalog records using simple search or advanced search. Simple search allows staff to search by barcode, catalog number, title, key numbers (ISBN, ISSN, etc.), keywords or material type. Advanced searching allows staff to define fields to be searched, connectors, and sort options.
Add, edit or delete catalog records, copy records (holdings), and authority records using input form.
Import or export authority, catalog and copy records using MARC import/export options.
Maintain MARC rules for import/export.
Edit MARC records using MARC editor plugin.
Validate subjects, authors, etc. using authority records. NOTE: As authority records are added interactively or through a MARC import, a thesaurus is updated. This thesaurus is then used for validation.
Circulate library materials (Checkin/checkout).
Process renewals.
Receive notification of existing holds at checkin.
Process holds.
Search for patron records.
Add, edit or delete patron records using input form.
Display activity for specific patron (items checked out, holds, overdues)
Generate reports including
Inventory Control Reports (Holds maintenance list, Low circulation, Purchase alert, Shelf list, Delete hold records, Circulation requests)
Label Reports (Check-out slips, Hold slips, Mailing labels)
Management Statistic Reports (Circulation statistics by call number, collection type, library, material type or patron type).
Notice Reports (Hold available, Hold not available, Patron detail memo, Overdue notice, Recall notice)
Catalog Reports (New Copy lists (new holdings report), Temporary Catalog/Copy report,
Spine labels, MARC Rules report)

The delivered web OPAC toolkit gives end users the ability to:

Search for and display catalog records and holdings using a simple search form or advanced search form. The simple search form allows users to search for keywords which include title, subject, author, etc. The advanced search form allows users to search for keywords, authors, titles, subjects, year and additional defined fields (call number, material type, etc.). The search form can be easily modified to include or exclude other existing fields in the database (Notes, publisher, etc.). One advantage of the advanced search form includes the ability to define search criteria, field connectors, and sort order.
Use hyperlinks to view documents or web pages on the Intranet or Internet (for records that contain URLs).
Browse the index or thesaurus of a field to identify search terms and quickly perform searches.
Request materials for circulation or delivery.

Additional web modules (Acquisitions, Serials, and Digital Collections) are expected to be released before the end of 1998.

Pros:

Implemented using BASIS, one of the most powerful full-text management systems in use today.
Highly customizable. This has always been Techlib's strength and is even more so with the new web interface. Since no special library is alike it is important that the system can be customized to adapt to the libraries workflow. Customizations can include both customization of the staff and OPAC interfaces.
Interaction with other web resources or digital resources. There are two ways that BASIS Techlib can be used to manage web or digital resources. One way would be to include URLs for web sites and documents in the M856 field of the catalog record. Anyone bringing up the catalog record could then click on the URL and open the document or move to the web site. A second way to use BASIS Techlib is through the new Digital Collections modules in development. With this module, the document or file could be stored in a text record that is linked to the catalog record. When the catalog record is retrieved, the user has the option to display the text record. One advantage to this is that the end user wouldn't have to have the application used to create the document or file on their PCs. A second advantage is that the documents wouldn't have to be converted to HTML or web ready pages. Either way, BASIS Techlib can be used by an organization to manage resources no matter what the format.
Ease of use. The system has been designed to allow users to move from module to module and screen to screen without having to back out of functions (as we've seen in character cell interfaces) or having to close windows (as is done with a Windows) interface. This makes navigation between functions a simple task. Additionally, if the user already knows how to use Netscape or Internet Explorer, it doesn't take long to get up to speed with Basis Techlib.
The MARC functionality (both the importer/exporter and plug-in) makes managing MARC records a fairly simple task.
The Authority function insures consistency from record to record in the system.
Reduced maintenance of desktop software. Since the staff uses Netscape or Internet Explorer to access the system there is no additional software to maintain when BASIS Techlib is upgraded (with the exception of the MARC editor plug-in).

Cons:

The MARC record/Catalog record relationship isn't what you traditionally find with other systems. When a MARC record is imported it is stored in two places. The full MARC data is stored in a MARC record and selected fields (title, personal author, corporate author, etc.) are stored in a Catalog record. How the data is mapped to the catalog record depends on MARC rules that are set up at implementation. This means that records could be added using the MARC interface or interactively using the Catalog input form. It also means that a record that was originally added via MARC could be edited using the interactive form. The result would be that the MARC data would not be updated. You must use the MARC editor to edit MARC records if you want the changes to be reflected in the MARC record. This shouldn't be a problem for the careful cataloger since a MARC editor icon appears anytime a record is displayed that was imported using MARC.
Implementation of this system may require more than a turnkey system. It all depends on how you want to use it. If you want to make any customizations, you will need to contract for consulting assistance or send someone to training and implement the changes on your own. Remember, the system includes ASP, HTML, Microsoft Access, BASIS, and Crystal Reports. It can get complicated. On the other hand some customizations are fairly simple to do. At the very least, someone needs to be assigned the responsibility of database and/or system administrator and attend training to get the full benefit of this powerful system. Even if you never do the work yourself, you will understand what possibilities may exist.
Some of the modules are still in development and have yet to be delivered. If you want to purchase a system in the next month or two and want to buy this one, you'll need to accept the promise that serials, acquisitions, etc. is coming. Then again, most of the IOLS vendors are selling the same promises.

Pricing:

Pricing varies according to platform, concurrent users, etc. Contact the vendor for pricing information.

Contact Information:

Information Dimensions, Inc.
5080 Tuttle Crossing Blvd., P.O. Box 8007
Dublin, OH 43016-2007 USA
Phone: 1-800-DATA-MGT
Fax: 1-614-761-7290
Web Site: http://www.InformationDimensions.com/

Reviews || Vendors || About ILSR || Contacts || Home

Contact webmaster@ilsr.com with questions or comments regarding this site.