Surpass Software has released Version 4 of Surpass Central, Surpass Safari, and Surpass Web Safari, the core components of the Surpass library automation family of products. Version 4 is the most ambitious update in the company's 18 year history. New features include universal check-in and check-out hot keys, customizable cataloging templates, user-selected circulation category icons, automatic software updates for Surpass Support subscribers, and Visual Navigator, an icon-based search that is now integrated into Safari and Web Safari. The new release of Version 4 also boasts the availability of a wide array of enhanced content such as book jackets, author notes, table of contents, and even chapter excerpts that integrate directly into the Safari and Web Safari catalogs via a yearly subscription service.

Version 4 of Surpass Central now features universal check-in and check-out hot keys, allowing Central users to go to the check-in and check-out screens instantly from anywhere in the program with one keystroke. The new hot key feature makes the circulation process quicker and less invasive, particularly for those users who do administrative work at the circulation desk.

The last major release of Surpass Central featured cataloging templates, making it easier for users to begin cataloging materials more quickly and consistently. The new customizable cataloging templates in Version 4 take this idea a step further, allowing users to create their own templates to better reflect their particular cataloging needs.

Version 4 of Surpass Safari uses the new circulation category icons feature to display icons in the "type" column of results lists making material type identification quick and easy, especially for younger patrons. For a text description of the material, the user can simply move the mouse over the icon.

Surpass Central Version 4 now checks for updates to Surpass software automatically. When there are updates available, the automatic update feature gives the Surpass Support customers the opportunity to download and install them. Support customers can also have Surpass Central check for updates whenever they want by simply clicking the Support button and selecting "Check for Updates."

Visual Navigator is an exciting new feature in Surpass Safari and Surpass Web Safari that allows patrons to browse through the library collection by clicking graphical buttons. Visual Navigator features two complete icon libraries to choose from and allows users to customize and edit buttons, add buttons, define searches, hide and move icons, and use their own graphics in place of or in addition to the sets provided. When customizing Visual Navigator, Version 4 users are able to use the icons to go to another Visual Navigator page, perform a search (by title, author, keyword, call number, etc.) and show the results, show a saved list of titles, display a popular titles list, pull up a new materials list, show a list of recommended reading lists, or open a web page or another document such as text, video, or sound.

To enhance the graphical experience even further, Safari Selections, a dynamic enhancement subscription service, is available with Version 4. The Safari Selections Premium subscription enhances searches by adding book jacket images for over 650,000 titles, tables of contents for over 375,000 titles, author notes for over 100,000 titles, as well as fiction and biography profiles. There are also more than 10,000 box-art graphics for feature film videos and DVDs. In addition to the patron-written reviews included in previous versions, Safari Selections adds professionally written reviews from sources such as School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Choice, Booklist and Library Journal. Some titles even include excerpts or first chapters that patrons can preview without ever leaving Safari. Safari Selections content is retrieved via the Internet automatically and seamlessly using the ISBNs to match available content from the company's content server. There is no modification to the user's MARC records. The service is simply switched on and the content appears immediately.

Surpass has added dozens of other enhancements and usability upgrades with Version 4 including features to allow for the tracking of in-library material usage, new reports, options for e-mailing patrons with holds or reserves on materials when materials are returned, customized sounds for circulation transactions, printing of hold slips for reserved materials, and support for temporary cataloged items. Many of the enhancements and upgrades in Version 4 are a direct result of customer feedback and suggestions.

The following is a list of the key enhancements to Version 4:

Surpass Central Version 4

• Universal check-in and check-out hot keys
• Circulation category icons
• Automatic and easy updates
• User-created custom cataloging templates
• Easier ISBN searching
• Match on ISBN when importing
• Enhanced support for MARC Junction and Web Feet
• Faster importing
• Import and edit copy-specific notes and other 852 subfields
• Print subtitles on barcode and combination (barcode + spine) labels
• Support for multiple reading programs at multiple locations
• Improved handling of barcode reassignments when importing
• Improved support for diacriticals
• Field-level undo in MARC and Template View editing
• Support for alternate Patron IDs
• Default expiration date when adding new patrons
• In-library usage reports
• Custom circulation transaction sounds
• Print or e-mail reserve notice when reserved materials are returned
• Print hold slips when reserved materials are returned
• Circulate magazines and other similar items with temporary cataloging
• Circulation transaction logging to text files
• "Electronic access" designation for selected categories
• "Hidden in public catalog" designation for selected categories
• Change Safari settings for different location groups
• Database Maintenance Scheduler
• New security settings for adding and editing local holdings only
• New security settings for importing reading lists and/or MARC records

Surpass Safari and Web Safari Version 4

• Category icons on search results list
• Enhanced Content Integration for: Book cover images, Author Notes Tables of contents Excerpts and first chapters, Biography Profiles, Fiction Profiles, Professionally written reviews, summaries
• Enhanced support for web and other "electronic access" content
• Truncation and wildcards in key word searches
• Support for multiple reading programs at multiple locations
• Customizable banner at the top of the Safari window

Surpass library automation products are affordable, full-featured programs used by customers with varying needs. Surpass is found in many types of libraries, including public and private schools, parochial institutions, corporate resource centers, and church media centers. A special bundle is available for libraries with collections of fewer than 5,000 items. Free 60-day trial versions are available at SurpassSoftware.com or by calling toll-free (877) 625-2657.