Automation of Library Services :
Demonstration of Liberty
Library Management System
by

A Training Workshop on Issues in
the Acquisition and Management
of e-Library in TETFund-
Supported Institutions
September 2014

As Information Technology has converged
with Communication Technology (ICT), the
medium of information delivery has been
greatly affected. Bibliography in libraries is
slowly but surely, transforming from physical
to electronic. Librarians now have to depend
on ICT to acquire, hold, index and disseminate
electronic resources. This presentation looks
at the tools required to manage both physical
and electronic resources under this
dispensation.

Many Librarians have expressed the view that
Library management systems would, for the
foreseeable future, need to span both print
and electronic materials and that the central
issue was to provide a coherent view of a
hybrid collection of bibliographic types. In this
sense, an emphasis on content solely in print
format is too limiting.

Advances in technology have changed the way
even books are published. The concept,
organization, functioning and management of
library have also changed. The very nature of
resources now in the custody of libraries
require innovative and new ways of storage,
management and dissemination. The new
types of resources that now present
themselves in virtual formats have changed
the way the library function as it now has to
manage physical and electronic resources.

The requirement of a library system
therefore, depends on the bibliographic types
in its collection. However, one must
remember that your patrons may have
demands of their own and so must anticipate
their needs and plan for them.

 Conventional printed resources :
 Books,
 Journals,
 Maps, etc
 Electronic resources :
 eBooks
 eJournals
 Video clips, etc
 Web resources
 Websites (URL)
 Online subscription
databases etc
Bibliographic types

Your library management system should be
able to handle all these resource types.

Liberty is a web based library management
system that runs on Microsoft SQL Database
engine while complying with ISO standards
Z39.50 and Anglo American Cataloguing rules
(AACR).
It is used by over 5,000 libraries across the globe,
including some highly esteemed institutions in
Nigeria like the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal,
Nigeria Institute for International Affairs and
Nigeria Defense Academy, NIPSS amongst
others.

Liberty's intuitive web-based interface offers integrated
access to all resources in your library and organisation.
Liberty is available to users anywhere, anytime:
24/7 access to resources from any Internet connection
Integrated, intuitive interface
Powerful search engine
Federated search capabilities
Integration with other online and internal portals
Cloud computing offers access to Computers and
mobile devices

Liberty introduces efficient workflows and information
management processes that will improve library services
and enhance productivity, without sacrificing control:
Fully-integrated modules
Automated alerts, notices and defaults
Fully-integrated Z39.50 portal for fast cataloguing
Quick and simple check-in for print and e-journals
Single sign-on for end user access to personalised
and secure information

Liberty is a scalable, high-performance solution that can
grow with the needs of your organisation. Liberty has
proven ability to support users with flexible package
options to suit requirements and budgets of any sized
organisation, across a range of industries:
Enterprise-level technology (J2EE, JBOS, Tomcat etc)
Industry standard database - Microsoft SQL
Customizable interfaces to suit requirements
Scalable, three-tier architecture
Hosting/Managed services for SaaS or ASP deployment
Multi-site and Consortia deployments

Liberty comes with a set of fully-integrated
core modules to optimise the collection,
management and dissemination of
information.
A range of optional modules and third-party
add-ons can also be seamlessly integrated
with the core Liberty solution according to
the individual needs of your library.

Core Modules includes :
 OPAC and Customer Portal
 Cataloguing
 Fast Cataloguing – Z39.50 online portal
 Circulation
 Serials
 Interlibrary Loan
 Acquisition
 Reporting
 Customization / Management
 Systems Administration and Maintenance

 Full-text, basic, browse and advanced
search options
 Federated Searching
 Customizable OPAC screen
 Client self-management portal
 SDI Alerts, SMS & RSS facilities
 Smart-logic searching
 Single sign-on (SSO)
 Saved Searches and URLs
 Default search and operator query

 Real-time integration
 Integrated Z39.50 portal
 Built-in standard bibliographic reports
 Flexible cataloguing templates
 Unicode compliance (Multi-lingua/script)
 Validation control, merge authorities and
global changes
 Supports multiple MARC, non-MARC &
Dublin Core formats

 Simple navigation tools and powerful
search facilities
 Import/update resources - single click
Configurable user settings, including
preferred sources, results quantity, and time
limits
 Search multiple sources simultaneously

Configurable lending rules & charges
Lending matrix
Flexible circulation policies, borrower &
resource categories
RSS, SMS, email or print borrower alerts
'first available' reservation processing &
notification
Resource booking
SIP2 & RFID compliant
Offline data capture
Receipt printer functionality

 Flexible prediction patterns
 Quick & easy check-in,claims, subscriptions
 Ad-hoc issues,scheds,routing lists, loose-leaf
 Automated check-in by publisher barcode
 Integration with Acquisitions & budgeting
 Add contents-page/brief article information

 Configurable funds, budgets and cost
centres
 Integrate with accounting systems
 Foreign currency calculation
 Quick cataloguing / inter-library loan
search

 Record and manage both requested and
supplied inter-library loans
 Cancellation processing
 Seamless integration with Liberty
Acquisitions and reporting

Over 250 reports from all modules
Searching/Selection of desired records
Export to Microsoft Word or Excel to edit,
save, print or email
Modify authority lists; branches, formats,
collections, item status, categories

 No manual Housekeeping
 Over 200 adjustable parametres
 Security grouping
 User privilages
 Batch stocktake

Liberty Cloud customers have no hardware
or software to buy, install, maintain, or
update. Access couldn’t be easier – All you
need is an internet connection.
The Library Link mobile application gives
library borrowers the ability to connect to
Softlink Liberty with Apple or Android pads
and smart phones.

InfoNet automatically indexes uncatalogued
electronic files such as .pdf, .doc and .txt in
folders and directories in specified locations
on the Server.

Softlink’s suite of Web Services allows the
library to become part of any leading Virtual
Learning Environment with personal library
account information automatically
presented to each user as soon as they log
on to the VLE.

You can enhance your Liberty OPAC by
subscribing to “more information” about
each book. Wherever there are summaries,
table of contents, reviews, first chapters
and cover images available on the Syndetic
databases, a “more info” link appears in the
Softlink system OPAC.

Change is the only constant thing in life but your
change should be for the better.
Be a smart “Cat”
Do not just buy a
Library system, solve
your library needs by
doing so.

Sylvester Chinga
Systems Director/CEO
Library and Information Support Services
Email : sylvester_chinga@yahoo.com
Telephone: 0803-3206201