[PHP-DB] PHP/MySQL Library Catalog System

2002-01-10 Thread Daniel Barton

Hi all,
I've noted that a least a couple of people on this list work with
library catalog systems - I'm interested in finding out whether any of
these systems are open-source or are available for a nominal fee.  I'm
familiar enough with PHP/MySQL to make one, but I'd also like to avoid
re-inventing the wheel if possible, particularly since I'm not a
librarian :-). The non-profit that I work for has a significant
biological science library that we would like to create a/use an
existing web-based catalog system for.
Also, I'm aware that there is specific funding available for doing
this @ non-profits... I was wondering if anyone else had endeavored
along these lines.

Thanks,
db

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--
Dan Barton
Terrestrial Program Biologist
Asst. Data Manager
Point Reyes Bird Observatory
http://www.prbo.org
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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Re: [PHP-DB] PHP/MySQL Library Catalog System

2002-01-10 Thread Ted

I just saw this which is new on Hotscripts
PhpMyLibrary 
http://www.hotscripts.com/Detailed/13279.html

On Thursday 10 January 2002 15:26, Daniel Barton wrote:
 Hi all,
 I've noted that a least a couple of people on this list work with
 library catalog systems - I'm interested in finding out whether any of
 these systems are open-source or are available for a nominal fee.  I'm
 familiar enough with PHP/MySQL to make one, but I'd also like to avoid
 re-inventing the wheel if possible, particularly since I'm not a
 librarian :-). The non-profit that I work for has a significant
 biological science library that we would like to create a/use an
 existing web-based catalog system for.
 Also, I'm aware that there is specific funding available for doing
 this @ non-profits... I was wondering if anyone else had endeavored
 along these lines.

 Thanks,
 db

 --
 --
 Dan Barton
 Terrestrial Program Biologist
 Asst. Data Manager
 Point Reyes Bird Observatory
 http://www.prbo.org
 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 [EMAIL PROTECTED]

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Re: [PHP-DB] PHP/MySQL Library Catalog System

2002-01-10 Thread Alnisa Allgood

At 12:26 PM -0800 1/10/02, Daniel Barton wrote:
Hi all,
 I've noted that a least a couple of people on this list work with
library catalog systems - I'm interested in finding out whether any of
these systems are open-source or are available for a nominal fee.  I'm
familiar enough with PHP/MySQL to make one, but I'd also like to avoid
re-inventing the wheel if possible, particularly since I'm not a
librarian :-). The non-profit that I work for has a significant
biological science library that we would like to create a/use an
existing web-based catalog system for.
 Also, I'm aware that there is specific funding available for doing
this @ non-profits... I was wondering if anyone else had endeavored
along these lines.


Hi Daniel:

You may want to check HotScripts, or the PHP Resource Index 
(http://www.hotscripts.com) and (http://php.resourceindex.com). These 
locations will most likely have an array of free or low-cost library 
solutions.

The biggest issue is despite the thought that a library is a library, 
not all solutions are the same or that similar. Many work for 
specific purposes. A good example is I've just finished the first 
phase development of a library system. The solution will eventually 
be open source, but serves a limited need.

The primary goal is for the solution to track materials (books, 
articles, media), and software for our various client and users. To 
that regard the library and software tables store any reference of a 
particular material. From this base, clients and users an then build 
their own personal libraries for viewing and tracking purposes. So 
each client can have a library, as well as each user at a client 
site. Ultimately, I hope to add a lending component to it, and work 
with some of our nonprofits to do cross-organizational  check-outs 
and returns.  The system is highly geared for technology-based 
libraries, since this is of course our primary purpose for providing 
the service.

So before you go searching, you may want to think a bit more about 
what your needs are. Are you just tracking books? What about 
articles? Journals? Magazines? Media?  Do you need categories? How 
many categories can an item be stored in? Single? Multiple?  This are 
just some issues.  But once you've gone through them, you may have a 
better idea of which pre-built systems will work for you or not.

Alnisa
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   .
Alnisa  Allgood
Executive Director
Nonprofit Tech
(ph) 415.337.7412  (fx) 415.337.7927
(url)  http://www.nonprofit-techworld.org
(url)  http://www.nonprofit-tech.org
(url)  http://www.tech-library.org
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Re: [PHP-DB] PHP/MySQL Library Catalog System

2002-01-10 Thread Daniel Barton

Hi again everyone,

Alnisa Allgood wrote:

 You may want to check HotScripts, or the PHP Resource Index
 (http://www.hotscripts.com) and (http://php.resourceindex.com). These
 locations will most likely have an array of free or low-cost library
 solutions.


Thanks all for the HotScripts etc. references.


 The biggest issue is despite the thought that a library is a library,
 not all solutions are the same or that similar. Many work for
 specific purposes. A good example is I've just finished the first
 phase development of a library system. The solution will eventually
 be open source, but serves a limited need.

This is more of the issue I'm dealing with. The several HotScripts for
this purpose may or may not be useful, all will probably require some
modification (which can be easy or very very hard depending on the
quality/style of coding...)


 The primary goal is for the solution to track materials (books,
 articles, media), and software for our various client and users. To
 that regard the library and software tables store any reference of a
 particular material. From this base, clients and users an then build
 their own personal libraries for viewing and tracking purposes. So
 each client can have a library, as well as each user at a client
 site. Ultimately, I hope to add a lending component to it, and work
 with some of our nonprofits to do cross-organizational  check-outs
 and returns.  The system is highly geared for technology-based
 libraries, since this is of course our primary purpose for providing
 the service.


I wrote a (PHP-based) CVS-type system that we use - same general idea. Your
project probably has more database table fields.


 So before you go searching, you may want to think a bit more about
 what your needs are. Are you just tracking books? What about
 articles? Journals? Magazines? Media?  Do you need categories? How
 many categories can an item be stored in? Single? Multiple?  This are
 just some issues.  But once you've gone through them, you may have a
 better idea of which pre-built systems will work for you or not.


We are tracking journals, books, our own publications (about 1,200+), audio
recordings, perhaps also some electronic media (although most of this is
private, and is already in the CVS-type system we use.) We'd like to be able
to integrate the system with other library catalogs easily and efficiently,
another reason why any old solution might not work...
In terms of categories, there's the general need to follow natural groupings
(journals with journals etc.) or subject groupings, in the same way a
library catalog would.

I have yet to come across a system that can do all of this. (Yes, I did
Google it before I asked on the list for all of the folks who adamantly
suggest we do that.)

Thanks,
db

--
--
Dan Barton
Terrestrial Program Biologist
Asst. Data Manager
Point Reyes Bird Observatory
http://www.prbo.org
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[EMAIL PROTECTED]



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Re: [PHP-DB] PHP/MySQL Library Catalog System

2002-01-10 Thread markus|lervik

On Thursday 10 January 2002 22:26, you wrote:

 Hi all,
 I've noted that a least a couple of people on this list work with
 library catalog systems - I'm interested in finding out whether any of
 these systems are open-source or are available for a nominal fee.  I'm
 familiar enough with PHP/MySQL to make one, but I'd also like to avoid
 re-inventing the wheel if possible, particularly since I'm not a
 librarian :-). The non-profit that I work for has a significant
 biological science library that we would like to create a/use an
 existing web-based catalog system for.
 Also, I'm aware that there is specific funding available for doing
 this @ non-profits... I was wondering if anyone else had endeavored
 along these lines.

Well, as soon as I get my database over magazines that we have in our
storage, i'll release it under GPL, most probably on the http://lib.vaasa.fi
server. Not that I know if anyone has got any use of it whatsoever, but...

Cheers,
Markus

-- 
Markus Lervik
Linux-administrator with a kungfoo grip
Vaasa City Library - Regional Library
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
+358-6-325 3589 / +358-40-832 6709

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