Geac with local enhancements: the integrated real‐time system at the University of Sussex Library

Abstract

The Sussex Geac system went live in June 1981, taking over from (and absorbing features of) the various batch systems which had been developed in‐house during the previous ten years. Geac Computers Ltd's circulation module has been extensively modified and extended by the Library's own systems staff: beside real‐time circulation, it now incorporates most acquisitions and cataloguing functions and some of the functions associated with serials. Forty‐six library system terminals are online to the Geac 8000 computer. The system operates from a single database and is thus highly integrated: a description of the acquisition and cataloguing process illustrates this. An online public access catalogue (eighteen terminals) was inaugurated in 1983: through it, library patrons are offered a unified picture of stock locations and availability, including real‐time loan status of copies. A locally developed report generator is used to produce various listings (including COM microfiche back‐up catalogues) from the online database. Book usage data is accumulated and processed by the system, and the results are fed back into stock management and basic acquisitions policies. The Geac hardware has proved to be highly reliable — the availability of the system has averaged 98.3 per cent over four years. The system has enabled substantial and direct improvements to be made in the Library's service to its users.