Hi .. i'm just getting myself into Drupal for library. I heard Drupal is hot stuff for this !
The demo sites and presentation at http://stupendousamazing.blogspot.com/2008/11/building-thematic-library-...
looks perfect.

however, I'm not sure where to start, not so much of Drupal but with this modules and library jargon. I have enable it and see bunch of configuration. I guess I have limited/no knowledge about :

Millennium WebOpac (library catalog)

Millennium is the new integrated library system. It is developed on the modern principle of Web-based computing. Millennium is graphical and very user-friendly, accessible via standard Web browsers, from anywhere. Millennium has all library modules including Acquisitions, Cataloging, Web OPAC, Circulations, Serials Management and Interlibrary loan (ILL).

This module crawls an Innovative WebOpac and imports MARC information into nodes and taxonom

If I don't have Innovative WebOpac, means I can test this? Is there a way I can do this? What I need to enter base of your webopac?

Comments

matt_x’s picture

matt_x commented

another jargon/modules which I can't relate : Biblio, MARC, Library

janusman’s picture

janusman commented
Assigned: Unassigned » janusman
Status: Active » Closed (fixed)

Thanks for your interest.

This module is geared specifically towards libraries that ALREADY have a working OPAC based on the Millennium WebOPAC product sold by Innovative Interfaces Inc (www.iii.com).

If your library doesn't, then this module isn't the right one for you =) There are, however, many ways to integrate Drupal with your current Library system (whatever it is). I'll try to point these out:

* The "easiest" one is to just hire a Drupal consultant to build the site for you; that person or company would probably have to figure out how to take what you have (MARC?) and create records in Drupal, and also add other modules to add the functionality you want ("More like this" functionality, "Add to favorites", Faceted searching, etc. etc.) - You can post a request for help in the Paid Services section of Drupal.org.

* If you want to build this on your own, you WILL need to do some work--on different levels. If you can create an Excel listing of what's in your library (e.g. title, author, etc), you *could* build your own Drupal site using the CCK and Node Import modules. How to do this requires you learn how to use Drupal and those modules in particular. You might not need to code a single line in PHP, however you might need some help... do not despair! Help is available in Drupal.org's handbooks, Drupal.org's forums, How-To Videos on Youtube, Blip.tv and others, and also live on IRC. If you are totally new to Drupal you WILL have to learn at least some of the basics before asking though!

Additionally, if you can code in PHP, you can always build on the work done by module mantainers (like me), reusing that code and adapting it to your needs (e.g. nothing stops you from using the MARC import functions in my module to build your own solution). You could then contribute your code back to the community in the form of a module, or join forces with a current module mantainer (like me) and work that functionality back into the original code.

Remember, Drupal is a tool. And indeed it's a great swiss-army knife tool. However tools are as good as those who wield them =)