Our series on software for Church Libraries continues with commercially available and relatively inexpensive software to make organizing and cataloguing your church library easier. We are looking at three software packages; Diakon’s PC Card Catalog (PCC), CROSS’ Library 1.7 (L), and Jaywil’s Resource Mate (RM). Several other software packages were available for review, however, given the endemic nature of limited funds, I have chosen those I feel most suitable for a small- medium sized church library budget.
I started out researching five software packages, however, I've eliminated two DOS-based products (Clavis' Church Library Cataloging System, and Scarecrow Press' Librarian's Helper) because I feel very strongly that to be useful, software must be easy to use, easier still to navigate and relatively intuitive. As a bit of a computer geek, I have never felt DOS based software to be anything of the sort, and computers in the 21st century are already powerful beyond our wildest expectations. I cannot in good conscience recommend software that takes us back to the last century. Should either of these companies develop a windows-based product, however, I'm sure it would be worthy of a good look.
Each of these packages retails for between $181 and $300 Canadian, and they have several characteristics in common. Each comes with a built-in circulation component so you can check out and check in books, track overdues, and print gracious reminder notes to transgressors. PCC was the least friendly of the three, and RM thoughtfully has provided waiting lists for popular items, and a recommendation list. Both of these would provide valuable services to your congregation. Data can be hand-entered, imported from other files or, with RM, imported from the Library of Congress itself via the Internet. In all three packages, fields such as subject are easily edited, with L being the easiest (via scroll-down windows), and L will prevent duplicate accession numbers automatically.
Each of the three will print cards for your card catalog, or lists of items, but PCC will only print both spine and pocket labels- in L and RM printing just spine labels is allowed. Each offers preformatted card layout, while RM will allow you to alter or customize your layout. RM will also auto-mark those new or edited records you haven't printed cards for yet, so you don't forget. All three offer your church members the opportunity to use the computer as a public access catalog, complete with security settings.
While PCC has rather poor search capabilities, both L and RM have good search interfaces. RM's report selection is very good, and although report names are confusing, you will always be asked if you wish to print a report after viewing one on the screen (very handy). L too has a very good selection of reports, and allows easy identification by highlighting any "sort" category with colour.
While Resource Mate seems to have the most customizable package available, allowing listings by location, cost, etc, and interesting extras, the package I liked best overall was Library 1.7. It appears to be a DOS-based program moved into the Windows interface, and still relies on many windows opening to do different things. Conversely, Library 1.7 has neatly integrated its windows capabilities into one main screen so that the user always knows where they are. The mouseover status bar identifies the components of the open window, and these components remain pleasingly consistent regardless of the window content. Their fully indexed help files are excellent, in fact, there's even a "help on using help" section!
I would recommend CROSS' Library 1.7 to anyone from beginner to advanced in computer skills, planning to computerize a small to medium sized church (or school) library because of the way it uses the windows environment. If cost is a significant factor, then Resource Mate would be my software of choice- one of their real strengths is responsiveness to customer needs. If at all possible, try to see both programs and evaluate them based on your own congregation's needs.
NOTE: First published in 2003, so information is now quite dated!
