[OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] Bar Code Readers, ISBN, and Amazon

[Joel Harbottle]

Ted,

I use both Evergreen and Koha.

Koha does already retrieve book covers from Amazon by default out of the
box, all you need is an AWS Key for it to work, which is just easy to get
one via the Amazong AWS website.

Koha can also use book covers out of the box from services, such as:
* Google Books
* LibraryThing for Libraries
* Baker & Taylor
* Syndetic Solutions
* and many other book cover image providers...

I wish you the best in your venture to automate your Library.

Cheers,
Joel


> From: "G. T. Stresen-Reuter" <tedmasterweb at gmail.com>
> Reply-To: Evergreen Discussion Group
> <open-ils-general at list.georgialibraries.org>
> Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2012 11:34:34 +0000
> To: Evergreen Discussion Group <open-ils-general at list.georgialibraries.org>
> Subject: Re: [OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] Bar Code Readers, ISBN, and Amazon
> 
> On Mar 16, 2012, at 11:26 AM, Hardy, Elaine wrote:
> 
>> You can do direct entry, which would have the advantage for your student
>> workers of taking longer.
> 
> And it will also help them develop their touch-typing skills, something they
> need constant work on.
> 
>> However, the clear advantage a barcode scanner
>> has it that it reduces transcription errors -- which is extremely
>> important for item barcodes. If a typo is made in one of those, you might
>> not find out until at the circ desk when it will look like the item isn't
>> in the system.
> 
> Agreed. Also, although students will do *some* of the data entry, the brunt of
> it will probably fall on the librarian herself.
> 
> I just want to say thanks again to all who have answered with their ideas and
> input even though I haven't responded individually. I feel more empowered than
> when I joined the list and hope that the ideas presented help others in their
> time of need.
> 
> I suspect that in the end we're going to go with Koha (I'm actually an
> experienced web developer so I am fairly comfortable with such systems) and a
> basic bar code reader (I'll put up my own money if I have to, grrr!) and I
> might even tweak the Koha code to get the book covers from Amazon (will submit
> patch if I do).
> 
> Please don't be offended if I sign off of this list. Your help and input is
> greatly appreciated but my inbox is already overflowing (inbox zero is a pipe
> dream for me).
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Ted Stresen-Reuter
> http://tedmasterweb.com
> 
>