Gaylord Brothers, Inc., has introduced a "new but old" approach to turnkey automated systems with the introduction of its GS-3000 Catalog Management System which offers libraries a stand-alone turnkey installation to support online patron access catalogs and/or more sophisticated staff searching, and local cataloging capabilities. The system is not designed to support circulation functions, but offers interfaces to existing automated circulation control systems.
The "new" element in this system configuration is the fact that it is designed to support that activity which many of the older turnkey vendors are only just beginning to introduce--online patron access catalogs. Something "old" is represented by the concept of a limited function stand-alone system rather than an integrated system capable of supporting all aspects of library automation. Most turnkey vendors are currently striving to achieve fully integrated systems.
The resulting GS-3000 product is likely to have appeal for several sectors of the market: libraries which currently manage their circulation activities on Gaylord's distributed processing circulation control system, and those with other stand-alone systems--manual or automated-- for circulation control which are seeking alternatives for the provision of online patron access catalog capabilities.
The system offers patrons keyword searching with automatic truncation capabilities; Boolean searching is available for library staff in both the Tech Services and Reference modules. Searches by access points other than keyword or Boolean logic are said to have an average response time of 2 seconds. Both full and abbreviated MARC formats are supported, and GS-3000 can accommodate records for all types of library materials. The system offers limited parameterization capabilities in relation to screen formats and the design of brief record formats.
GS-3000 offers different software modules which may be used singly or in combination. It is unlikely that any library would choose to install all three major modules. Instead, a library would select either the basic Patron Access Catalog capability or the enhanced Reference/Desk Public Access Catalog software. Either package may be enhanced by the Technical Services module.
The Public Access Catalog supports only patron access catalog functions. It provides patrons with menu driven keyword searching capabilities and automatic truncation. Available access points include author, title, subject, call number, LCCN, ISBN, GPO number and government document classification number. It includes user-friendly prompt sequences and help capabilities. However, Boolean searching is not supported in this module. In systems which do not include the Technical Services Module described below, records may be added to or deleted from the data base only through the processing of machine-readable data from an external source such as bibliographic utilities or commercial tape providers. The Public Access Catalog component of the system does not support any local catalog maintenance.
The Reference Desk/Public Access Catalog module provides additional capabilities which allow library staff to perform Boolean searching and display records in the full MARC format. It includes the capabilities of the Public Access Catalog module and allows the local creation of community information / referral files. Like the Patron Access Catalog module, this component does not support the local creation and maintenance of the data base-such functions must be performed on an external system and loaded into the GS-3000.
The ability to create and maintain the bibliographic file locally, supporting original cataloging and the maintenance of existing records, is provided by the Technical Service module. This also enables a library to produce the machine-readable tapes required for the production of COM catalogs. This module supports Boolean search capabilities but, as it is intended only for use by library staff, does not offer user- friendly interfaces with prompting and other capabilities.
As would be expected in a system designed to link with external record sources and existing circulation control systems, GS-3000 offers conversion and interfacing capabilities. Circulation system interfaces can be developed for Gaylord, CLSI and DataPhase circulation control systems. At present the circulation system interfaces will support only look-up of the circulation system files--a patron would use GS-3000 to identify a wanted item and then access the circulation files to determine whether or not it was available for loan. The interface, the GS-3000 terminal emulates a circulation system terminal. The linkage will not support the transfer of messages--for the placement of holds or reserves, for instance--to the circulation control system.
Conversion services are offered for the loading of machine-readable records from OCLC, Autographics, Brodart and those in the Library of Congress MARC format. The source records are converted by Gaylord and made available to the user library on magnetic tape or disk. Conversion software at the user site allows these records to be loaded into the GS-3000. At present there is no capacity for records to be loaded directly from a utility, or for the transfer of formatted records online. Once records have been loaded, those libraries with the Tech Services software can perform local editing.
At present, there is no capacity for transferring records from the GS-3000 to any local circulation control system. This means that libraries which acquire their records from a source such as OCLC and then utilize them in the GS-3000 and a local automated circulation control system, may face a situation in which they have to coordinate and maintain three different "master" files of bibliographic records on the utility, on GS-3000, and on the local circulation control system.
The programs are written in Databus, Datapoint's proprietary programming language, and use Datapoint's P145 operating system. The system operates on Datapoint hardware.
The precise hardware configuration required for a particular library is determined by the number and type of records which dictate storage requirements, and the number of terminals to be supported by the system. Storage needs vary according to whether or not a library chooses to use full or abbreviated MARC records. [In promotional literature, Gaylord refers to the latter as the newer short form MARC." This is not a newly established national standard, but rather the company's description of the abbreviated MARC format used in its systems. The format was developed with advice from the Library of Congress.] GS- 3000 uses full MARC records only in the Reference and Technical Service modules. Storage of full MARC records requires more resources than storage of records in a brief format.
Gaylord recommends that its clients estimate their patron access terminal requirements on the basis of one terminal for every 40,000 annual circulations.
The larger of the processors on which the system is offered can be configured with up to 1 MB of internal memory and maximum disk storage of up to 1012 MB. While there is a limit to the number of ports available for the attachment of terminals and printers, Gaylord sees no practical limits to the number of each that can be mounted on a single system. Dial access can be supported and networking software permits the linking of multiple processors. Software modules are priced as follows:
- Patron Access Catalog: $10,000 plus $1,000 per terminal
- Reference Desk/PAC: $15,000 plus $1,000 per terminal
- Technical Services: $8,000 plus $1,000 per terminal
(If Patron Access Catalog functions are supported on terminals used for Reference Desk/Tech Services functions, the additional per terminal fee for the other modules is waived. A library would not be charged more than $1,000 per terminal in terminal fees.)
- Record Conversion/Loading
OCLC $2,500 Autographics $2,500 Brodart $2,500 Library of Congress $1,500 Gaylord $1,000 - Circulation System Interfaces:
Gaylord no charge CLSI $2,500 DataPhase $2,500
If a library were to install multiple processors multiple copies of the software would be required. However, only one software fee would be charged for each module provided that the system supported only a single unified data base.
Libraries may contract with Gaylord for full turnkey service entailing hardware and software supply and maintenance, conversion, installation and training. The hardware must be acquired through Gaylord, but libraries may choose to purchase hardware maintenance directly from Datapoint. The software license and software maintenance are bundled. A library cannot choose to forgo software maintenance. Annual hardware and software maintenance charges are approximately ten percent of the purchase price.
Gaylord sees its target market as being medium sized public libraries and small academic or college libraries with around 90,000 titles. Libraries with existing machine-readable files are of special interest. Gaylord estimates that the initial purchase price of a GS-3000 system sized to support a library with 95,000 titles, an annual circulation of 375,000, and 10 patron access catalog terminals would be $130,000. This price would include both the Patron Access Catalog and Technical Service modules as well as hardware and installation. The annual maintenance charge on such a system would be approximately $13,000.
Currently, only the patron access catalog software is operational. It has been installed at one site. Gaylord intends to exhibit all functions at the upcoming ALA conference in Dallas. Plans for the further development of the system include the addition of acquisition functions and the provision of support for word processing and financial calculations. The company does not plan to to offer circulation capabilities on GS-3000, preferring to provide this capability by interfacing to its own circulation control systems or the circulation systems of other vendors.
[Contact: Margaret Trinca, Gaylord Bros. Inc., Box 4901, Syracuse, NY 13221 (800) 448-6160 or (315) 457-5070.]
