--- Forwarded Message from Dave Sawyer <[log in to unmask]> ---

>Date: Wed, 28 Jun 2000 08:32:21 -0600
>From: Dave Sawyer <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Checkout Software Recommendations?
>To: [log in to unmask]
>User-Agent: Microsoft-Outlook-Express-Macintosh-Edition/5.02.2022

Hello, All,

We are looking for software to handle the checkout and inventory of the
various materials in our language lab. Most of the commercial library
automation packages available are far more complex (and expensive) for our
needs, which are fairly modest (our total collection is well under 500
items). We do need something which is easy for workstudy lab monitors to
use, that can handle multiple types of media (video tapes, audio tapes,
CD-ROMS, etc.), and that can deliver basic reports. The ability to connect
to barcode scanners will also be needed; magnetic stripe card reader
compatibility would be a plus. It must also be able to handle adding users
"on the fly" - we can't pre-input all 3000+ students who might come in to
use the lab.

We've looked at several packages, and Athenaeum comes the closest to what we
need. Anyone have experiences with Athenaeum, or can anyone offer other
suggestions as to what works for them? We're considering using FileMaker to
put together our own package, but if we can find something off the shelf,
that would be better. Platform isn't important; we run both Windows and
Macs.

Any suggestions or advice will be greatly appreciated.

Dave Sawyer
Director, Multimedia Language Lab
University of Denver
[log in to unmask]
voice: 303.871.2152
fax: 303.871.4436