This post is a long introduction to the concept of an Integrated Library System (ILS). I will gloss over many historical points. Feel free to correct or supplement any of the information below. Some major components of an ILS are (1) a catalog system with an online public access interface (OPAC) and a cataloging interface for adding and changing bibliographic records; can import and export MARC records; Z39.50 interface; authority control (see below) (2) a patron (or member) system, which holds information about patrons, their level of access, current materials borrowed, etc. (3) a circulation system, which tracks the location and status of items as they are borrowed, returned, sent for repair, etc. Historical data, such as total circulation and circulation by period is important. Should also include a reserve and request system (see below) (4) serials control. Serials are a different beast from monographs (books). A library may have subscriptions to thousands of serials titles, each with a different rate of issue, claiming procedure, binding needs, etc. (5) Acquisitions system. Libraries use vendors or jobbers to buy dozens (hundreds) of copies of books in bulk, possibly before the items are released for sale. A good acquisitions system automates various steps in the process of selecting materials, paying for them, tracking them prior to cataloging, etc. That said, a useful first step would be a system that has (1) a basic idea of a class of items (a catalog record, also referred to as a "title") with searchable metadata for that class. The metadata could possibly be based on the output from the MARC to Dublin Core translator from OCLC (http://alcme.oclc.org/marc2dc/). (2) an OPAC with a pretty interface (see http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Libweb/ for every web interface known to mankind) that can search the catalog records with some indication of item availability. (3) inventory tracking for individual items. The ability to assign an item to a specific user (ckeck it out) for a specified period (loan period). The availability of items for circulation should be reflected in the OPAC. (4) a patron system so that items can be checked out to a specific user. Of course, ZOPE and CMF already have powerful user mechanisms available. I will finally get to Joachim Schmitz's last question: how is an ILS related to ISIS? In 1967, the United States Library of Congress (LC), with the help of industry experts developed the MARC format for machine readable bibliographic data. I was trained as a librarian in the United States and have not had much exposure to ISIS, so see http://www.unesco.org/webworld/isis/art1999_unimarc.htm for an article on MARC and ISIS. But, it appears that the MARC format is essentially a standardized ISIS Field Definition Table (FDT). Here is some more information on some ILS components (long). MARC format (bibliographic). Today MARC is used as a data exchange format. Official formats are still promulgated by LC (see MARC Lite at http://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/lite/). Most, if not all, ILS break the MARC elements into their constituent components and map them onto a relational database. If they need to send a record to OCLC (http:www.oclc.org), they put all the pieces into a MARC record and send it off. MARC also provides the structure upon which we hang an elaborate set of cataloging rules, the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, 2nd ed. (AACR2). The AACR2 is a multi-volume set that sets out what information goes into a MARC field (tag) and subfield. Here is an example from http://130.15.161.74/techserv/cat/Sect02/c02a2.html Tag 245 -- Title of the Work "Transcribe the title proper exactly as to wording, order, and spelling, but not necessarily as to punctuation and capitalization"--1.1B1. "If the title proper is not taken from the chief source of information, give the source of the title in a note"--1.1B1. Parallel titles Parallel titles are titles in other languages "Transcribe parallel titles in the order indicated by their sequence on, or by the layout of, the chief source of information."--1.1D1. For example: 245:10: |a Wood Cree = |b Les cris des forets You can even go one step further with the rules with The Library of Congress Rule Interpretations, which give examples and descriptions of how LC interpret the rules. All of this is to get consistent information in a catalog system. There are also MARC formats for holdings (used in a circulation system) and other types of information. Circulation System: At heart, a circulation system is an inventory tracking system. Reports and statistics are very important. Libraries generally do not generate revenue. They must justify their existence by their service to the community. We generally do this by showing tons of statistics related to the amount of circulation, circulation per item, circulation per capita, etc. Circulation is the capital by which libraries measure themselves. (I'll now start using the abbreviation "circ" in library jargon as both a noun and a verb to describe various aspects of circulation systems) Most circ systems allow for renewals (counted as more circ) with a limit of 2 or 3 renewals. Libraries do not charge fines to make money. They charge fines to get the materials back so they can continue to circ. So, a good circulation system includes automated letters and reports alerting patrons of overdue materials and fines. Since some people eventually pay fines, there should be some cash drawer capability (hopefully with some type of interface to the back-end accounting system) Reserve/Request None of the Open Source library projects (see http://www.oss4lib.org) have a request/reserve system (also known as booking or hold systems). I work for several years at a large metropolitan library system with a locally developed library. Development ended about 5 years ago, but the system is still in use, while the library chooses a commercial ILS. The local system has no web interface and was a bear to tweak (coded in RPG on an IBM AS/400). However, not even the commercial vendors have shown as an efficient and flexible reserve/request system. A reserve is a patron order for a title with no copies (items) currently available for circulation. From the OPAC, the patron places the order. When a copy of the title is discharged (checked in) at any of the 40+ library branches, a routing slip is generated and the items is shipped to the patron's "pick-up location". When the item arrives at the pick-up location, it is scanned and made available to the patron (on the "reserve shelf"). A post card is generated overnight alerting the patron that the item is waiting at the pick-up location. A request is more proactive than a reserve. The patron searches the OPAC and discovers that some copies of the desired title are available, but not at the location in which the search was performed (requests are also available for internet and dial-in patrons). Based on the patron's pick-up location and on item availabilty, the system places the order on a branch's "request list". The determination of the branch is based on the branch's location in the library's truck routes. It is possible that a request will be filled at one branch and the pick-up location is only 1, 2, or 3 stops away on the truck route. Requests can be filled in as little as half a day and at most two days (if no items are available in the preceding route segment, the items is shipped from any available branch to the central library and then back out to the pick-up location). Twice a day, staff print out their request list, pull the items, and ship them to the pick-up location. Notification is then the same as for reserves. Authority Control Authority Control is another advanced feature only available in the very expensive ILS. This is a completely inadequate explanation, but here goes. Unfortunately, all of the people in the history of the world who have produced intellectual output worthy of cataloging have not made things as tidy as librarians would like. For example, a woman writes several books prior to her marriage. She changes her name and writes several more books. We want a search for either of her names to return ALL of the books written by her, regardless of what her name was at the time or what it is now. This is where name authority comes in. There is a MARC standard for authority records. Through some type of magic (I am not a cataloger and I don't understand well how authority control works), the bibliographic MARC records are related to the authority MARC records and the OPAC gives the proper list of items. (Of course there are more exotic examples of pseudonyms and name changes brought on by gender changes, but you get the idea). There is also the idea of subject authority control. For example, the preferred subject heading (in the Library of Congress Subject Headings) for "Areoplane" became "Airplane". We want to return all records for the proper subject heading regardless of what term was used at the time the item was originally cataloged. This is subject authority control. Because authority information is constantly changing, big libraries subscribe to a service, which sends them authority records (via tape or Internet) that must be overlaid onto the running system. There are many other aspects of library automation that have not generally been "integrated" into the commercial ILS. These include patron portals, inter-library loan, reader services, and automatic login and interface to online resources. These features have been left to the resources of in-house programmers and staff. Of course, Zope is perfect for many of these functions and is probably used at some libraries already. Thanks for listening, --Tim Chase Other resources: University cataloging department manual - http://bullpup.lib.unca.edu/tsproced/cat/CatMan/Default.htm Big name ILS vendors - http://www.sdln.net/about/ils-vendors.html Library Automation vendors (including smaller libraries) - http://libinfo.com/vendors-systems.html