Re: [IUG] Millennium and Patron PC Management

["Gloria Delfico" <gdelfico at bergen dot edu>]

More information.  They mention SAM towards the end of the message.

Gloria

-----Original Message-----
From: innopac-bounces at innopacusers dot org
[mailto:innopac-bounces at innopacusers dot org] On Behalf Of Pruntel,Alison
Sent: Thursday, April 03, 2008 10:49 AM
To: veldheer at gtu dot edu; innopac at innopacusers dot org
Subject: Re: [IUG] Millennium and Patron PC Management

Kris,

 

Currently we use CyraryN (www.cbdusa.com <http://www.cbdusa.com/> ) to
manage sessions our 28 public access computers. We only purchased the
session management (not print) and the queue (CybraryQ) system. We use
the Innovative API to authenticate users (name + barcode). We will be
using PCODE1 to allow users to access PCs filtered for adult users
versus PCs filtered for children. They have a server version which we
purchased but apparently couldn't get to work. Then the server we ran it
on got damaged and that was the end of that. We have some PCs we use to
house shared files and act as the queue terminal, with groups of PCs
accessing those files.

 

We're hoping to move over to Envisionware (waiting for budget approval)
later this year. They seem to have a good track record with public
libraries (we met with our neighbors in Charlottesville to see how the
system is working with Jefferson-Madison Regional), and their prices
seem to have come down compared to when we first started looking at
their product. Because we're adding another branch and more PCs, we felt
it was best to move to a product that works well with many computers, is
used by other III systems and public libraries. I've heard many kudos
about the customer support. However, until we implement, I can only pass
along what I've heard. They will be at the IUG conference, according to
our sales rep.

 

As far as CybraryN goes, it has (knock wood) been working pretty well
the past 6 months, since we upgraded to their most recent software (my
predecessor never upgraded from the 2003 version and we had a lot of
issues). Their customer support has improved but our IT department has
issues with all the permissions the software requires (usually when
things go around it's due to some random file/folder that doesn't have
full access). I've also noticed that it retains a lot of patron data all
over the place (barcodes, etc.), which makes it near impossible to
comply with our retention policy (we delete the data once we've pulled
reports for usage stats). That being said, CybraryN is inexpensive and
does the job (managing patron sessions and providing usage statistics).
The network/permissions issue may not be such a problem if you implement
w/your IT department's consent/help (we implemented CybraryN without
ever discussing with the folks in IT). I've found that (in our case,
anyway) when you investigate/test together w/IT, they're more willing to
help out when problems arise.

 

We did have some discussions with SAM, which seemed like a fabulous
product, but after contacting a number of libraries using the product,
heard things about their support that left a lot to be desired. Many of
those said they wish they would've gone with Envisionware (it was the
other choice) and would do so once their contract expired.

 

I looked at Pharos, CASSIE (also inexpensive and seems pretty powerful)
and a few others, but those products didn't seem to have a very large
user base (thus you wonder how long they'll be around).

 

Good luck,

 

Alison

 

Message: 13

Date: Wed, 2 Apr 2008 21:09:09 -0500

From: "Lin Light" <llight at herrickdl dot org>

Subject: Re: [IUG] Millennium and Patron PC Management

To: IUG INNOPAC List <innopac at innopacusers dot org>

Message-ID: <20080403020835 dot M52578 at herrickdl dot org>

Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1

 

We us Pharos. And we are running patron api. Pharos is a great product.

 

Lin

 

 

Lin Light

Head of Computer

 & Technical Services

Herrick District Library

300 South River Ave.

Holland, MI 49423

Voice 616-355-3727

Fax   616-355-1426

 

---------- Original Message -----------

From: "Veldheer, Kris" <veldheer at gtu dot edu>

To: <innopac at innopacusers dot org>

Sent: Wed, 2 Apr 2008 11:11:00 -0700

Subject: [IUG] Millennium and Patron PC Management

 

> I have been following the thread about using the Millennium API to

> manage patron PC access and have a somewhat broader question.  Can
folks

> share with me what software they are using to manage their patron PCs

> and patron printing?   I know some of you are using Envisionware so
that

> is one solution.

> 

> I am trying to find a solution to a legacy system that is a Perl
program

> running on a Linux box with our patron PCs being thin clients and
using

> the Patron API with Pcodes to authenticate users in real time.  I am

> having no success with the legacy system getting it to open PDF files

> and print with some consistency.  So I am looking for alternatives
that

> are reliable and that might run on our current system.

> 

> Thanks in advance for any solutions or advice folks can pass along.

> 

> Kris

> 

> _________________________________________

> Kris Veldheer, B.A. M.Div. M.A. 

> Instruction and Electronic Resources Librarian

> Graduate Theological Union

> Berkeley, CA 94709

> veldheer at gtu dot edu

> 510/649-2504

> "The only way to have a good death is to lead a good life. Lead a 

> good one, full of curiosity, generosity, and compassion, and there's 

> no need at the close of the day to rage against the dying of the
light."

> -William Sloane Coffin

> 

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------- End of Original Message -------

 

Alison Pruntel 
Electronic Resources Librarian 
Fauquier County Public Library 
11 Winchester Street 
Warrenton, VA 20186 
540-349-2770 (voice) 
540-349-3278 (fax) 
http://library.fauquiercounty.gov 
http://fcpleresources.blogspot.com/ 

 



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