WEBLIS

1. An introduction as 'topping up' on the STIMULATE ITP CDS/ISIS lectures by E. de Smet WEBLIS

2. Overview • Introduction • Some background info • Technological platform of WEBLIS • Installation • The WEB-OPAC • Cataloguing and data-entry • Loans circulation management • Problem shooting • Future expectations

3. Introduction to WEBLIS • WEBLIS : web-based library management with ISIS • Functions realised : • Cataloguing • OPAC basic, advanced and thesaurus-based • Loans management (with statistics)

4. Background • Origins reside with FAO • Developed by Henryk Rybinski (Poland) for FAO • First developed as cataloguing system for AGRIS (and later also ASFISIS) for FAO => integration of thesaurus in data-entry and searching=> strong validation features of data-entry to assist 'weaker' Southern agricultural and fishery centres • FAO libraries and some other libraries (e.g. GTZ, Germany) use it as their own library system • Experimental implementation in university libraries of SUA (Tanzania) and Mekelle University (Ethiopia)

5. Background (2) • 2004 : WEBLIS handed over for distribution and support to UNESCO / ISIS • WEBLIS is available from http://www.unesco.org/isisfree of costs with full working application coming with easy installation tool • At the moment : only Windows {:-( • Support organisation : • still unclear... • Should link to world-wide AGRIS support • ... but will be crucial for the success !

6. Technology • SERVER – CLIENT • Client : any web-browser, focus on non MS IE • Server : developed with Xitami but also working with Apache and IIS • HTML-forms create CGI-calls dealt with by ISIS3W-server, see 'Publishing ISIS on the Web' • ISIS – server : isis3w.exe (former www-isis) • ICIE's (Rybinsky) counterpart of wwwisis.exe • Main difference : uses ISISDLL • => little bit slower • => more functions can be embedded easier

7. Technology (2) • Largely using 'HTP'-templates (e.g. search.htp) and advanced PFT-formats • Largely adaptable in all aspects... • ... but risky due to sophistication • The LIBCAT database • Demo structure of WEBLIS installation set • Based on 'AGRIS' bibliographic format • But : simplified, generalised • Typical : bibliographic levels A/M/S with handy links in between • Conversion to this structure is, at the moment (limited support !) advised and possible, e.g. CCF2LC.FST

8. Installation • Run setup.exe from installation package • Three main directories created : • CGI-BIN • Contains isis3w.exe and ISIS32.DLL • Contains configuration file : Isis3w.exe.cgf • DB • Contains subfolder for each application, e.g. LIBCAT • This folder contains subfolders for the databases, e.g. • Auth -> authority files • Libcat -> the proper own catalogue main database • Thes -> the thesaurus (e.g. AGROVOC) • Loan -> database with loans transactions • Item -> database with items-based info for bibliogr. Records • Patron -> database with users for loans management • LIBCAT : main application html-files

9. Installation (2) • The .CGF file : • Parameters to be set/checked manually : • DB_name Libcat • CookieDomain 127.0.0.1 • EntryAccessFile d:\libcat\Libcat\access.def • All others path-specifying can be adjusted • CookieDomain : to be adjusted according to real server-name used in URL ! (error 1028) • Important : make sure CGI-access rights are properly set and DB-folder can be 'written to' ! • Create 'alias' (Apache : in httpd.conf ) or 'virtual directory' (in IIS) • Replace isis3w.exe in CGI-BIN with version 2003 (not 2004 !)

10. The WEB-OPAC • Comes in three 'interfaces' : • 'basic search' (based on overall 'basic' index) • 'advanced search' (field-specifics with Boolean) • 'thesaurus-based search' (AGROVOC) • Design in 'database.def.eng', e.g. • Basic search :"Keywords from record(Enter any word(s) from Title, Personal Author, Corporate Author or Subject)", "keywords_record", "K=", "1" ; • Advanced search fields :"restricted_terms", "keywords_record""Collection", "rtype", "T=", "11", "5", "0", "8", "MON","Books", "ANA","Papers", "SER","Serials", "MIS","Miscelaneous""Keywords from record", "keywords_record", "K=", "1" ;

11. WEBLIS Thesaurus search

12. WEB – OPAC (2) • Features : • Three search-interfaces • Index consultation from ISIS-IF (with prefixes) • Search history • Multi-database searches (new version) • Help-pages (!) • Tips : text in HTP\search.htp • Truncation : on/off switch ('exact match') • Sorting of output • Display format selection box • ISIS-Query Language remains available (no sequential search with '?') • Display : list or full (with links and loan-info!)

13. Data entry • URL : localhost/weblis/de.html • LOGIN for user-control based on access.def • access.def allows your own definition of user-classes in XML-like style, with identification of allowed forms and access-rights (AMD) setting • For higher security : please move out of website and adjust .CFG accordingly ! • Definition of entry-form : Entry.def • Worksheets contain pages (<page></page>) • Pages contain fields • Fields can contain subfields

14. Data Entry (2) • (Sub-)fields can have : • Name • Description (as HTML-link with A HREF) • Tag from ISIS-database • Types : • 1 : text • 2 : textarea • 3 : single choice combobox • 4 : multiple choice combobox • 5 : check boxes with pre-defined values • 6 : radio buttons with pre-defined values • 7 : comment • 8 : automatic pre-defined, e.g. TRN or accession no. • Fields can have 'look-up' specs -> “BROWSE” to retrieve lists from ISIS-IF

15. WEBLIS Data Entry

16. Data Entry (3) • Selection of appropriate worksheets • Validation : after submitting a form, all fields are checked against a validation format (actually : a PFT) before being stored • Authority lists are available in demo system for Corporate Authors, Conferences and Journal Titles • Validation lists are available for languages, countries and regions

17. Loans management • URL : http://localhost/weblis/loan.html • Login screen, see Data Entry • Items-database : contain 1 record per physical object representing an instance of the bibliographic record (FRBR Entity-relationship model) item=single exemplar of a manifestation (=the physical embodiment of a expression (=intellectual or artistic creation) of a work) • To be created, e.g. using ISIS-Pascal 'lib2it.pcd' • Therefore : Loans management with 4 instead of 3 databases : catalogue, items, transactions, users • Items can be created on the spot • Transactions by 'patron' or by catalogue item

18. Loans management (2) • Creating a transaction : identification of 1) patron and 2) item (by e.g. Barcodes) and submitting forms • Urgent tasks : • Overdue loans • Overdue holds • Waiting lists • Statistics : using 'statist.exe' in statist-database folder (ISISDLL based) • Spreadsheet definition with upto 16 columns • Time-based analysis

19. Loans Management (3) • Advanced features : • Patron classes creation • Material types creation • Overdue notices, using e-mail addresses • Urgent tasks • Fully integrated with OPAC-display • Not implemented : • Fine calculation (but : possible with validation PFT after submitting loans-form !) • Automated date-due calculation

20. Documentation • WEBLIS is fully documented : • Www-isis-refman • Www-isis-techdoc • WEBLISdoc : • Loans adaptation • Loans Technical Doc • Loans Users Guide • Tutor for Data Entry • Tutor for Search • Spanish version is on its way

21. Concluding remarks • Acquisition module is on its way • Support conditions (e.g. by FAO, UNESCO, AGRIS ?) still not clear but crucial for the future • Problems of diacritics still difficult to solve • Linux-version is being prepared (!) • Will be available 'open source' soon • All in all : advanced free library system • Competition : from other free (open source) library systems (PHP/MySQL) or OpenISIS-based solutions (e.g. CLABEL : https://sourceforge.net/projects/clabel/)

22. WEBLIS Loans Management