Heritage Overview
Heritage is a Library Management System designed not only to meet the traditional requirements of a resource centre, but also to act as gateway to other information sources.
First released over ten years ago, Heritage Library Management Software is the sole product, and therefore primary concern, of our team here at IS Oxford. A decade of development has produced a system that is popular across all sectors of the market, and constant upgrading has ensured that over 90% of libraries that have ever purchased Heritage remain with us to this day.
Heritage provides catalogue screens into which data for every conceivable type of material (including websites) can be entered. It offers modules to take data from other sources such as the British Library or Library of Congress and to transfer it straight into the catalogue saving enormous amounts of time. It puts library staff and users at ease by combining a clear layout with clever design. Heritage is attractive, uncluttered and easy to use - sophisticated technology is of limited benefit unless the interface is provided in a clear and logical format. We realise that our customers will be spending many hours each day looking at Heritage screens so have worked hard to ensure they are pleasant to look at and easy to navigate!
Heritage has a diverse range of users from universities and colleges to schools; from small special libraries to large commercial organisations. It caters for resource centres with just a few hundred titles as well as those with many hundreds of thousands. Independent, national and local user groups provide a forum for discussion and an opportunity to learn more about the system.
Cataloguing
The
Heritage catalogue can
accommodate any number of media types. Other electronic media
such as images, files, documents and websites can be linked
to the catalogue. OPAC users can
then access these at the click of a mouse. Cataloguing can
be made considerably easier with a data import module such
as Quickcat Online,
but if you already have a library system, we can transfer
your catalogue (and other data files) to Heritage. We have
data conversion specialists in-house who are experiences in
converting data from a wide variety of systems. An optional
MARC21 cataloguing module is available
for those that need to work in MARC.
Circulations
Heritage provides a smooth and fast circulation
facility on a single screen which can be controlled with a
barcode scanner. A wide range of information is available
on this screen at the press of a button. The operator can
immediately see which items are on-loan to the individual
and what they have borrowed in the past as well as fines and
payment history. The flexibility and functionality of the
Heritage circulation module really sets us apart from our
competitors - a summary
of these features is available. Automatic chaser letters and
recalls can be printed or emailed to users. A reader
information screen allows users to access their own loans
and reservations. A number of facilities including site specific
chaser letters and statistics are available for multi-site
libraries.
Acquisitions
Heritage has a very comprehensive ordering
facility which caters for a wide variety of order types including:
standard, instant, standing order, subscriptions, open orders
and returns. A fast receipts facililty provides an easy way
of checking in and barcoding items. There are sophisticated
budgetary controls including a transaction history. Information
about invoicing can also be recorded. Order claims and subscription
letters can be designed to the library's specifications. For
multi-site libraries
orders and budgets
can be managed separately for each site.
Serials Management
Heritage has a highly sophisticated serials
management facility which handles every aspect of entering
and managing journals. It will immediately cater for the vast
majority of subscription types from the regular (including
3 per month) to the infrequent or unpredictable. Heritage can create all of the expected issues for a subscription
automatically for ease of checking-on. Routing (or circulation)
lists can be generated by the system as issues are received.
A claims facility and comprehensive budgetary
controls round off the package.
Reports
Heritage can produce reports
of virtually any type and with any of the data stored in the
system. A simple form filling approach and 'drag and drop'
layout design make it possible to print out or export statistics
and stock information at any time. Report templates can be
created and saved for future use. Data can easily be exported
for use in other products, such as Microsoft Word or Excel.
Optional modules
Heritage comprises several standard modules and a number of optional ones. The standard modules are: Cataloguing, Circulations (including multi-site), OPAC, Management (including reports). Optional modules include Serials Management, Acquisitions, Heritage Online, Quickcat Online, Advanced Bookings, MARC21 cataloguing and various Heritage connect modules. Optional modules will generally be indicated as being so.
User Training and Support
Our support and training credentials are second to none. Our staff are selected for their understanding nature and desire to help. The support team is equipped with sophisticated call-tracking software which allows them to manage and keep up to date with all outstanding support calls. Performance can therefore be monitored and improved. Our trainers have built an excellent reputation for the quality of their services. Training is usually designed around individual customer's needs but we also run workshops. In can be on-site, via the web or in our attractive offices set in their own grounds in Oxford.
Technical Specifications
See the technical information page for more details
Server software
Windows 2000, 2003 or Novell for fileserver. Windows 2000 or 2003 with IIS or Apache required for Webserver if using Heritage Online.
Station software
Window 2000 or XP. Apple Macintosh OS X can be used with a Windows 2000 or 2003 server running Terminal Services
Server hardware
Pentium 700MHz, 256M RAM, 300M disk space typically required for programs and data
Station hardware
Pentium 500MHz or better, 256M RAM. It is recommended that one workstation should have a fast pentium 4 (or equivalent) with 1G RAM for running complex reports.