synaesthesia Posted February 2, 2010 Posted February 2, 2010 Can anyone here recommend a decent library package OTHER than anything provided by MLS? They've just won my "#1 Way to Make Me Hate You" award in quite big style. Spent a few months going between LEA and ISP to get a few ports opened and MLS's servers added to the proxy bypass to speed things up somewhat - when it finally all went through a fortnight or so ago it was wonderful. Everything worked, it wasn't JL 3 but it was better than it was by a long way. Then on the 29th one of my schools gets an email. "Hi. I know you've done all that hard work, but as from tomorrow, It's useless. Ha Ha. We're changing servers and the URL is changing from juniorlibrarian.net to microlibrarian.net. Tomorrow. Yeah that's right. A Saturday. Just so you don't have time to do ANYTHING about it. Tttthhhrrrrrpt!" That wasn't a word for word quote, but in my rather annoyed head, the above would at least have been truthful. So, school is back to having a barely functioning library system. I think ideally they'd like a similar idea, a library they can use anywhere effectively, however if that's not going to happen we may roll back to Junior 3 forcibly.
rh91uk Posted February 2, 2010 Posted February 2, 2010 I take it your running the hosted version? It's funny, we've got someone in to do some training/a user group session at the mo
SYNACK Posted February 2, 2010 Posted February 2, 2010 We use AccessIT here which is now actually pretty decent now Access-It Library and Resource Manager its apparently got good UK support and is NZ developed software It uses java so will run on Windows or OS X and has full web based access and booking for students. It uses the opensource Firebird SQL server and can integrate with LDAP and Clickview. You can run the server on a workstation OS or server if you preffer. Ages ago, before it was released in the UK it used to be rubbish as it was based on 4D database rubbish but thankfully that has been cast aside for propper solutions as above.
frosty Posted February 2, 2010 Posted February 2, 2010 We use AccessIT too. Still have some initial set issues (link to SIMS) but fundamentally a good system.
AngryTechnician Posted February 2, 2010 Posted February 2, 2010 We are planning to switch to Softlink Oliver in the summer after years on their previous product, Alice. I visited the SoftLink stand at BETT this year and got a great technical run-down of the product from the guy on the stand (can't remember his name, but he was very knowledgeable). I was pleased with what I saw. Back end runs on Java Enterprise, with the database in MS SQL Server. The OPAC is entirely web-based, AJAX enabled, web parts for SharePoint and Moodle, and it even has a mini-CMS built in to allow you to run a separate library portal run by the LIS staff, if you want. It can also talk to SIMS and Serco for user information. Although they market it to secondary schools, it has a tiered OPAC system that you can assign to appear to particular users via AD integration, and the least complex one would suit almost down to Reception level. I don't have the quote to hand, but it's also quite reasonably priced.
p858snake Posted February 2, 2010 Posted February 2, 2010 There is also a open source package you can look at, Koha I think it's called.
limbo Posted February 2, 2010 Posted February 2, 2010 We switched to the latest SQL version of Oliver late last year, having been part of the original pilot for the very first version of Oliver. The result is one very ticked off librarian, an increase in technician time trying to get it working and softlink technical support have now made it onto our speed dial for the first time in over ten years of dealing with them.
sted Posted February 2, 2010 Posted February 2, 2010 (edited) Can anyone here recommend a decent library package OTHER than anything provided by MLS? They've just won my "#1 Way to Make Me Hate You" award in quite big style. Spent a few months going between LEA and ISP to get a few ports opened and MLS's servers added to the proxy bypass to speed things up somewhat - when it finally all went through a fortnight or so ago it was wonderful. Everything worked, it wasn't JL 3 but it was better than it was by a long way. Then on the 29th one of my schools gets an email. "Hi. I know you've done all that hard work, but as from tomorrow, It's useless. Ha Ha. We're changing servers and the URL is changing from juniorlibrarian.net to microlibrarian.net. Tomorrow. Yeah that's right. A Saturday. Just so you don't have time to do ANYTHING about it. Tttthhhrrrrrpt!" thats why its stopped working i just thought the server was down or lea isp was being poor like usual the sooner i can get rid of them the happier i will be. JL3 was so much less hassle than this online one im steering schools towards the old software as it just works. well changed address to microlibrarian.net and at least i now get an error lol Server Error in '/' Application. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The resource cannot be found. Description: HTTP 404. The resource you are looking for (or one of its dependencies) could have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable. Please review the following URL and make sure that it is spelled correctly. Requested URL: /junior.aspx Edited February 2, 2010 by sted
AngryTechnician Posted February 2, 2010 Posted February 2, 2010 We switched to the latest SQL version of Oliver late last year, having been part of the original pilot for the very first version of Oliver. The result is one very ticked off librarian, an increase in technician time trying to get it working and softlink technical support have now made it onto our speed dial for the first time in over ten years of dealing with them. Whoo, that's not what I wanted to hear! Now I have though, I'd be interested in learning more about the problems you've had, either here or via PM if you don't want to go off-topic.
ZeroHour Posted February 4, 2010 Posted February 4, 2010 We are planning to switch to Softlink Oliver in the summer after years on their previous product, Alice. I visited the SoftLink stand at BETT this year and got a great technical run-down of the product from the guy on the stand (can't remember his name, but he was very knowledgeable). I was pleased with what I saw. Back end runs on Java Enterprise, with the database in MS SQL Server. The OPAC is entirely web-based, AJAX enabled, web parts for SharePoint and Moodle, and it even has a mini-CMS built in to allow you to run a separate library portal run by the LIS staff, if you want. It can also talk to SIMS and Serco for user information. Although they market it to secondary schools, it has a tiered OPAC system that you can assign to appear to particular users via AD integration, and the least complex one would suit almost down to Reception level. I don't have the quote to hand, but it's also quite reasonably priced. I would run if I was you, we have oliver v3 and the support/software is a joke. They are trying to get us to pay more for v4 now when v3 does not work well! The support appears to be very very small (we only really speak to one person ever it seems) and as far as they are concerned any app/software can just *magically* route onto the internet without nasty things like proxy addresses etc. They couldnt handle to concept of proxies and thats their support. We are actually getting a demo of Access-IT in the future to replace oliver/softlink for good! I would really run away as its been pain for us and I hold no confidence in v4 being any better.
enjay Posted February 4, 2010 Posted February 4, 2010 any app/software can just *magically* route onto the internet without nasty things like proxy addresses etc. They couldnt handle to concept of proxies and thats their support. We're also considering Oliver at the moment (about to upgrade from Alice) - can I just clarify that you're saying Oliver doesn't work if you have a proxy server? If so, I think that's decision made for us! I think Softlink must be a small company - we also speak to the same person every time (Yves), and their stand at BETT was him (why send tech support to BETT?) and the Director. I wonder if that's the extent of the company!
ZeroHour Posted February 4, 2010 Posted February 4, 2010 We're also considering Oliver at the moment (about to upgrade from Alice) - can I just clarify that you're saying Oliver doesn't work if you have a proxy server? If so, I think that's decision made for us! I think Softlink must be a small company - we also speak to the same person every time (Yves), and their stand at BETT was him (why send tech support to BETT?) and the Director. I wonder if that's the extent of the company! Well we use ISA server with NTLM auth and you cant say set a field in an ini to point it to a proxy (at all) esp with any auth so the z-catalogs etc dont update here. I *think* it didnt even bother to route a packet to ISA properly for a deny error to occur which screams of problems. The only fix I have heard about is moving oliver to a DMZ outside your network which is madness tbh and that was not suggested by softlink as they still insist it magically works but rather other people on forums. We were not going to DMZ it so we dont have any external connection for it. The fact the support is so weak I really really wouldnt wish the pain on anyone. This is all v3 though so v4 might be better but they have the gaul to charge us to upgrade when their own stuff does not work for us... If I were you I would def try and get a demo of Access-IT simply because I know SYNACK knows his stuff and you dont need a SQL lic (which you may already have) I have not seen it myself but we have a demo soon. 1
enjay Posted February 4, 2010 Posted February 4, 2010 Our proxy is upstream of our network, so that wouldn't work. We're having a demo from MLS in a few weeks, but I will suggest Access-IT too. Thanks.
synaesthesia Posted February 4, 2010 Author Posted February 4, 2010 Annoys me when software can be good but support pants - and vice versa. MLS have always been fantastic to deal with, especially compared to some people but the software is just so shoddy Thanks for the alternative suggestions, I'll get some information together and present to the school Monday
SimpleSi Posted February 4, 2010 Posted February 4, 2010 MLS have always been fantastic to deal with, @£250/year support for a £1000 prog so they should be off and rip regards Simon
HodgeHi Posted February 4, 2010 Posted February 4, 2010 I would like to +1 for Accessit Library. We have had the system for a while now (2/3rd year) and so far had no problems with it. in all honesty that may be because we haven't utilised properly and our Library database is yet to be added in it's entirety but all that will change very soon i hope. Support is very good. I contact Support, they email me back same day. I request a file of some sort, they email me a link to download it. They have even converted a Database file from a previous version (10.4 compatible) to 10.5 as when Apple updated the install procedure failed over night, ready for download in the morning. One of the reasons to work with companies in New Zealand. I like the software. It comes bundled with a web-based browser as well so the library can be viewed online. It can also be split from the server running the library database, which is what we intend to do, but i cannot confirm this to work since we haven't tried it yet. But overall, a thumbs up from me
GrumbleDook Posted February 4, 2010 Posted February 4, 2010 I like AccessIT and have found SoftLink to be a really helpful bunch too. I'm tad annoyed that MLS have changed things without telling folk ... we spent some time sorting things out with them to get things running smoothly. Oh well ... this will be fun to pick up tomorrow.
Edu-IT Posted February 4, 2010 Posted February 4, 2010 Anyone seen the new Eclipse.net Silverlight coming this month?
synaesthesia Posted February 5, 2010 Author Posted February 5, 2010 I like AccessIT and have found SoftLink to be a really helpful bunch too. I'm tad annoyed that MLS have changed things without telling folk ... we spent some time sorting things out with them to get things running smoothly. Oh well ... this will be fun to pick up tomorrow. Aye, all your help was appreciated with that Going to try and tackle it head-on Monday - get updated details from MLS, hopefully an assurance it won't be happening again and see if I can get anywhere. Rather hoping the school involved might elect to roll back to Junior 3. On which note yet to have a reply from MLS about that... must chase up today.
enjay Posted February 5, 2010 Posted February 5, 2010 Anyone seen the new Eclipse.net Silverlight coming this month? Saw it at BETT, and have a demo in a few weeks - looks really slick. I know looks aren't everything, but it should help in promoting the Library to the students.
gill Posted February 5, 2010 Posted February 5, 2010 We have been using Oliver from Softlink for the past year and it's fine. Librarian has been off sick for some time so guess who ended up doing that job as well as fixing computers??? Anyway it's simple to use and so far we haven't had any problems. Softlink have good tech support as well. I'm happy to recommend it.
Edu-IT Posted February 5, 2010 Posted February 5, 2010 Saw it at BETT, and have a demo in a few weeks - looks really slick. I know looks aren't everything, but it should help in promoting the Library to the students. Let me know how it goes. Do you know any pricing?
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now