There are two ways...

...to design software for you library system that lets patrons access the catalog online.

One is to make it as user-friendly as possible, allowing patrons to reserve, renew, search and choose between editions of books with ease.  Added points if you let them pick copies from specific branches that they know tend ot be quicker to fill requests or whose holdings are usually in the best shape.

The other way is to design it to keep close tabs on the inventory and set things up so that patrons are forced to return books on time, pay their fines, and limit the number of books they take out at one time.

The first way is like an Italian mother saying "Mangia!  Mangia!" and glowing with peasure and pride as you tuck in.

The other's like the technician at your dentist's office, the one you hope you don't get this time because she always scolds you about not flossing regularly and can't forget that day you were late and kept the doctor waiting, eight visits ago, greeting you every time with, "Oh, I see somebody remembered to set his alarm clock this morning."

Guess which software our library system has just installed.

But I'm not going to complain to the librarians here.

They already hate me.

Comments

[Tom]

No reason that they can't be both, Lance. And if the existence of the second set of options bugs you, well, wait until there's a book that you want to check out, and someone else has it, and you come back a week after it's due and it's still out. Better yet, hang out within earshot of your library's reference desk and listen to people complain about the same, and ask why the library stormtroopers can't just go over to the person's house and get it. You won't have to wait long.

[Connie]

OK Lance, now evaluate mine. It's new this year and I still have some issues with it. Can you figure out from the front end how to search by exact title? http://pac.elkhart.lib.in.us/Polaris/Search/default.aspx?ctx=1.1033.0.0.1