National Library of Jamaica

The National Library of Jamaica has been distributing CDS/ISIS in Jamaica on behalf of UNESCO since 1989. To date there are 307 registered CDS/ISIS users in Jamaica. The distribution of CDS/ISIS is a critical component of the library's plan to utilise information technology in support of the National Information System. Libraries in Jamaica are encouraged to computerise their operations using CDS/ISIS. This allows for the easy exchange of data, and provides the foundation for the building of a computerised network, among the libraries in Jamaica.

CDS/ISIS is a menu-driven generalised Information Storage and Retrieval system designed specifically for the computerised management of structured non-numerical databases. The name of the software, CDS/ISIS is derived from a division of UNESCO, The Computer Documentation Service / Integrated Software Information Systems.

One of the major advantages offered by the generalised design of the system is that CDS/ISIS is able to manipulate an unlimited number of databases, each of which may consist of completely different data elements. The CDS/ISIS user is therefore freed from the expensive task of having to design and write computer programs, each time a new project requires the use of information retrieval techniques. Although some features of CDS/ISIS require some knowledge of and experience with computerised information systems, once an application has been designed persons having little or no prior computer experience may use the system. For advanced users, having access to computer professionals, CDS/ISIS offers an integrated programming facility allowing the development of specialised applications and/or the functional extension of the software as originally provided. CDS/ISIS is not a relational database system, although it does provide some relational facilities.

CDS/ISIS was written in C++ and Visual Basic.

Jamaica Bibliographic Database (JBIB)

The National Library of Jamaica (NLJ) has the responsibility to provide leadership in development of a national computerized library network. Pursuant to the NLJ's Mission Statement, NLJ "...facilitates access to the nation's cultural heritage, through the promotion, coordination and development of a network of technologically enhanced libraries and services". The Jamaica Bibliographic Database, formerly National Bibliographic Database (NBDB), is part of this process.

The National Library of Jamaica provides assistance to special libraries in computerising library operations with the understanding that each library will participate in the National information System. Specifically, each library is expected to allow NLJ to periodically copy the Jamaican records from its catalogue database. NLJ uses these records to build a master database of Jamaican publications held by all contributing special libraries. The database is called the Jamaica Bibliographic Database (JBIB).

NLJ plans to provide access, by contributing libraries, to the database over the Internet. Access to this database will be limited by passwords to libraries which contribute records to the database. This limitation of access is based on the fact that the majority of libraries are not public libraries and may not wish to go public over the Internet.

The database structure of the Jamaica Bibliographic Database (JBIB) is available for use by CDS/ISIS users to organize their catalogue records. Although the database is designed to accommodate maximum level cataloguing, it can be customized to match the various cataloguing levels employed by libraries. The fields and subfields of each record are consistent with international cataloguing standards. The use of a common database structure facilitates easy exchange of cataloguing data between organisations, a step towards the goal of computerised library networking.

System functions

The major functions provided by CDS/ISIS allow you to:

Define many databases each of which may have different data elements
Enter new records into a given database
Modify, correct or delete existing records
Automatically build and maintain fast access files for each database in order to maximise retrieval speed
Retrieve records by their contents, through a sophisticated search language
Display the records or portions thereof according to your requirements
Sort the records in any sequence desired
Print partial or full catalogues and/or indexes
Develop specialised applications using the CDS\ISIS integrated programming facility

Other Functions

Easy access to multimedia content i.e. web links, e-mails, document and image files
Data Entry control options - Pick list; Improved record validations
Import/Export Options - ISO 2709; XML
Dictionary capabilities - Dumping of terms to printer or file; Prefix management
Erase database option
Plug-in ready - External 32-bits plus-ins
Multilingual

Hardware Requirements

The minimum and recommended hardware requirements for running CDS/ISIS are the following:

Intel Pentium processor 100 Mhz or higher
At least 16 MB of RAM
10 MB hard disk (free)
3½ inch floppy disk drive
VGA 640x480 colour screen (super VGA 800x600 or higher recommended)
Windows 3.1x or Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP
1 printer (optional)
Multimedia (optional)
Internet (optional)

Serials Tracking Module

National Library of Jamaica (NLJ) has designed, and can customize upon request, a serials control program, called the Serials Module. The Serials Module is designed to manage records of serials holdings (periodicals, journals, etc). Serials control is another library operation that is ideal for computerization.

Serials control is often associated with the acquisitions operations. In fact serials control is a record creating and keeping activity geared at documenting new acquisitions of a particular kind of library material - serials. The key characteristics of serials, which impact upon their documentation, are:

the significant elements of description do not change with each new acquisition, that is with each new issue;
the frequency of each new acquisition is defined and generally regular;
the acquisitions procedures (from a record keeping point of view) related to each serial is not only continuing but of indefinite duration. It keeps coming.

Serials therefore require a different type of record keeping from other library materials. Each serial title requires a record format that can be easily and periodically updated continually. The record format must also allow easy display of issues held.

The Serials Module is comprised of a serials database, designed according to the data elements identified by the Anglo American Cataloguing Rules. This standardized database record structure will ensure the easy interchange of serials data and support the development of a national computerized library network. In fact, libraries that use this serials database structure can directly update their periodicals listings in the Union List of Serials. The Union List of Periodicals is a periodical finding tool which lists the holdings of contributing libraries in a computerized database. The focal point libraries of the sectoral special libraries networks collect the data from their network members and forward these to NLJ where the composite database is developed. It was developed using the UNESCO’s data base management system, CDS/ISIS for Windows, which is code named WINISIS.

The Serials Module also has a component, which tracks issues of serials that are overdue from the vendors. This component was developed using Visual Basic. It enables the user to easily identify all the overdue items as of a given date. The user can then select an option to display or print the list. The user can also generate form letters to the relevant supplier or suppliers.

The Serials Module will be immediately fit into the computerization programme of most libraries, since their personnel are already competent with WINISIS.

It is to compare this data to the current date taken from the computer on which the program is running. If the difference between both dates is more than a specified number, accepted from the keyboard, the program is to allow for the printing of a list of records with such dates.

The module can track the subscription and ordering of periodicals not donated by publishers. The module can track a single subscription or multiple subscriptions. As well as the entire database of subscriptions. The due date initially used is the system date. This date can be changed to reflect the date of a particular period that a user would want to check for subscriptions of materials that have pasted that date. A list is then generated which shows the subscriptions that are overdue.

The Serials Tracking Module is now available at the National Library of Jamaica.

Hardware requirements

Windows 9x/ME//NT/2000/XP
Pentium III or higher recommended
128 MB or more recommended
VGA 640 x 800 colour screen
CD-ROM drive

Overview of Features

Track overdue items
Track items received
Backup/restore the serials database
Field update
Multiple defaults
Routing capabilities (lending/reserve/return)
Statistics (routing/supplier)
Setting a grace period
Generating reports
Sort list of items received

JAMISIS newsletter

Download the latest copy of the JAMISIS newsletter. This newsletter will inform users of CDS/ISIS on National Library's new developments with Winisis and much more.