Libraries are a place where people go to quench their thirst for knowledge. It is important that a library is organized and simplified so that its visitors do not have to waste time on searching the books they want to read or get issued. They must also not need any assistance in finding the book of their choice.
To streamline and make the process easier, library management software was introduced. Here, we will be discussing about this software and managing the library information.
A very important thing that is must in every library is a system that saves precious reading time of the visitors. This is facilitated by quickly guiding the reader to the book he needs. And this information must not be limited to just books but must extend to all the reading materials. These can be anything from journals, dissertations, project reports, thesis, maps, articles, charts, DVDs, CDs, audio cassettes, scanned images, e-journals, video cassettes, audio and video files and every other type that is there in the library.
Some of the things that ought to be present in a good library to make it function efficiently are listed below:
Bar Code
A library must have software which is able to read bar codes. Without this software, the library cannot be called automated. The bar code reading software helps in keeping track of all the books that are coming in or going out. Most of the library software does not have this feature. One must therefore check before buying the software that it has this feature.
Multimedia Management
The modern libraries, unlike conventional ones, have various educational materials other than books like CDs, audios, DVDs and video cassettes. Therefore, it is important that the library has management applications that include all these too.
Printing Applications
The software must facilitate printing of member I-cards and maintaining the borrowing history of each member. It must also keep track of the books issued and returned by each member. library management system
Technical Support
The software must be accompanied with the technical support services. This is important as the software may run into trouble anytime. This means that a lot of time will be wasted and the whole functioning of the library will be hampered. In case of technical support assistance, the problem can be solved quickly, thereby ensuring the smooth running of the library.
Compatibility
The software being used in the library must be compatible with all other software like Microsoft Office, SQL which stands for Structured query language and DBMS.
One can easily get this software online. There are many websites providing this software. One has to just surf the internet for these websites. You can also search for software that has all these features. Just make sure that you buy it from an authentic website. Otherwise, you may not get technical support.
You must keep the mentioned features while buying software for your library. This will help in smooth functioning of the library.