Koha and Vubissm@rt

Two library information systems available today are the Koha Integrated Library system and the Vubis http://www.library.geac.com/page/vubiseng_LIB.html system from Extensity services and GEAC.

These two systems are designed for use in small to large libraries, and as such do have some commonalties between them.

Common factors between the two systems include

Web-based Interfaces (GUI)

It is almost a given today that a library system will be of the GUI (Graphical User Interface) type. Both Koha and VubisSm@rt use GUI as their format. This aids in the use of the system, both by staff and clients as GUIs are usually more logically structured, as well as quicker and easier to use.

Circulation modules

Being library systems, both Koha and VubisSm@rt have thorough circulation features built into their system. Both allow the creation of circulation "rules", such as maximum limit of loans, loan period etc. Both are flexible, and cater to the library's individual need, rather than attempt to fit a library into a certain procedure.

Serial modules

Both of the systems promote their ability to manage serials acquisition and processing. VubisSm@rt contains a predictive function for serials, reducing repetitive addition of dates, issue numbers and other predictable serials data. (http://www.library.geac.com/object/infovubisserialseng_LIB.html) and Koha also does contain a similar function. Multiple MARC formats
Both the systems accept data in various MARC formats. MARC 21 and UNIMARC are accepted on Koha, while Vubis does accept more. However, the range Koha accepts does aid cataloguers, as a majority of data for copy cataloguing would be in one of these two formats.

"Thin clients" and platforms.

Both the systems are designed to run on various operating platforms, such as UNIX, Linux and Windows. Again, this is to make the system accessible to all clients, and using the concept of "thin clients" where the database management is performed solely on the server and the clients’ platform present the information, and accept interaction from users, makes the system able to be updated with minimal disruption.

From the websites promoting Koha and VubisSm@rt , it does show that these two separately developed library systems do cover similar ground. A major difference is the Koha system is open source, therefore more affordable for small libraries, but not as covered by support staff as Vubis (a sold system) is. In place of this Koha has a wiki system used in the construction of guides and manuals (see http://www.kohadocs.org/usersguide/pr01.html for an example). Aside from this difference, Vubis and Koha are remarkable similar, as expected, as they are aimed at the same target audience.

Response to ACT Public Library Information Services

In March 2006, inCite published a paper by Margaret Hyland entitled "ACT Public Library Information Services". Based on the belief expressed by Hyland that "The underpinning philosophy of online services at the ACT Public Library is that online customers should be able to do anything that can be done by a customer in a library branch." the paper listed various benefits expected by the implementation of an online based service for the ACT Public Library.

Some of these benefits are discussed below.

There was a push for increased empowerment of the clients to take charge of their own transactions. Automation of the reservation process made it much more efficient for clients the placing and collection of reservations. This resulted in much quicker delivery for clients, often receiving the item within one or two days of the order.

Broadening of geographic area covered by the library. No longer solely the ACT and surrounding area, the library was accessible to a wider region through its website. Also the addition of the AskNow! reference service was utilised (using library staff) by clients over the country.

As Margaret wrote "Online service delivery has significantly altered staff workloads". As a former staff member of the ACT library service at the time of the publication of this paper, I can attest that this did occur. The increase of communication between the staff and clients increased the amount of comments to the library especially with regard to purchase suggestions. This, a short-term negative (increased workload for staff), turned to a long term positive. The collection development policy was re-evaluated to consider these suggestions for material. The process took a lengthy period of time but has resulted in the implementation of a substantially more ‘community relevant’ collection policy. This increased our collection of useful material for the population we served, and therefore our chance of providing exact information was increased.

Hyland also mentions the outsourcing of library processing to other areas, for example the Customer Information Centre (or "call centre"). Introduced for a variety of reasons, but significantly to reduce the amount of client record work by staff in branches, the CIC was successful in directing tasks to a core group of staff. This not only freed branch staff to deal with other issues, it also had the effect of improving the level of service for the basic maintenance tasks, due to the staff being more experienced in the execution of them.

The ACT Library continues to develop programs to increase their level of service delivery.