Voyager (library program)
Encyclopedia
Voyager is an integrated library system
used by more than 1,300 libraries around the world. The biggest user is the Library of Congress
and many universities, museums, and community colleges use it. Voyager was developed by Endeavor Information Systems Inc., which was merged into Ex Libris Group in December 2006.
programs that talk to a centralized server and database.
The modules are as follows:
as its database. For the web server side of things, it uses Apache
Tomcat. For certain aspects of its reporting, it uses Perl
scripts. As stated above, for its modules it uses custom Microsoft Windows
programs.
There is no programming API to Voyager as such. The Voyager web server does provide a limited number of XML services and web APIs for integration purposes.
For ordinary workers, the only window into Voyager is via the exposed tables of the Voyager database. The Access Reports frontend to this database provides dozens of pre-built SQL
queries written by Endeavor to help library workers. It is also possible to write software that connects directly to the database and reads the tables from there. However none of the indexing that makes Web Voyager so fast is exposed for the ordinary programmer.
The tables of Voyager are short-hand versions of the MARC
records of the books. The actual MARC is stored as BLOB
s but certain portions of the MARC are actual tables. For example, BIB_TEXT.TITLE is, naturally, the MARC Bibliographic Record field that holds the Title. The Bibliographic Records live in tables named BIB*. The Holdings records are in tables named MFHD* (Marc Format for Holdings Data). The Authority Records are in AUTH.
Voyager adds its own record, called the 'Item Record'. This stores the barcode, 'media type', location, and other information. The result of this is that there can be some redundant pieces of information in the database, particularly 'location' and 'media type'.
Integrated library system
An integrated library system , also known as a library management system ,is an enterprise resource planning system for a library, used to track items owned, orders made, bills paid, and patrons who have borrowed....
used by more than 1,300 libraries around the world. The biggest user is the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
and many universities, museums, and community colleges use it. Voyager was developed by Endeavor Information Systems Inc., which was merged into Ex Libris Group in December 2006.
Modules
The modules are the main way that library workers interact with the system. Voyager is broken down into different modules that are focused on helping with certain tasks commonly done in a library. They are implemented as custom Microsoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
programs that talk to a centralized server and database.
The modules are as follows:
- Circulation - The primary use of this module is charge and discharge items to library patrons. It allows allows for the creation and maintenance of patron records, fine processing and request processing of library items.
- Media Scheduling - (optional) lets people reserve videos and media equipment ahead of time as well as equipment maintenance. The types of items allowed to be reserved are only limited by what library staff have added to it.
- Web Voyage - This is the web based interface for use by patrons to search, renew items, and request items from the libraries collection.
- Access Reports - Not officially a module, Voyager does allows for an ODBC connection to its main database. This allows library staff to create custom Statistic and usage reports.
- Reporter - One of the purposes of this module is to generate email and print notifications to patrons informing them of, recalls, overdue items, courtesy notices and fines. Reporter also generates exception reports, which are violations of system policy, Transaction reports, and some statistics, which are used by library staff.
- Cataloging - This is the main module used by Library Technical Services department. It is used to create and edit records for all the items in a libraries collection.
- Acquisitions - Lets staff track orders and assign money to funds and ledgers.
- Call Slip - (optional) Allows patrons to request items to be transferred between different units in a library system.
- Self Check - provides and interface for "Self Check" stations.
- Voyager Inter-library Loan (ILL)- (Optional) Allows library patrons to request items from other institutions.
- System Admin - Used to add system users, set up circulation locations, and policies as well as setting up location calendars.
Internals
Voyager uses OracleOracle database
The Oracle Database is an object-relational database management system produced and marketed by Oracle Corporation....
as its database. For the web server side of things, it uses Apache
Apache HTTP Server
The Apache HTTP Server, commonly referred to as Apache , is web server software notable for playing a key role in the initial growth of the World Wide Web. In 2009 it became the first web server software to surpass the 100 million website milestone...
Tomcat. For certain aspects of its reporting, it uses Perl
Perl
Perl is a high-level, general-purpose, interpreted, dynamic programming language. Perl was originally developed by Larry Wall in 1987 as a general-purpose Unix scripting language to make report processing easier. Since then, it has undergone many changes and revisions and become widely popular...
scripts. As stated above, for its modules it uses custom Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
programs.
There is no programming API to Voyager as such. The Voyager web server does provide a limited number of XML services and web APIs for integration purposes.
For ordinary workers, the only window into Voyager is via the exposed tables of the Voyager database. The Access Reports frontend to this database provides dozens of pre-built SQL
SQL
SQL is a programming language designed for managing data in relational database management systems ....
queries written by Endeavor to help library workers. It is also possible to write software that connects directly to the database and reads the tables from there. However none of the indexing that makes Web Voyager so fast is exposed for the ordinary programmer.
The tables of Voyager are short-hand versions of the MARC
MARC standards
MARC, MAchine-Readable Cataloging, is a data format and set of related standards used by libraries to encode and share information about books and other material they collect...
records of the books. The actual MARC is stored as BLOB
Blob
- In biology :* Blob , sections of the visual cortex where groups of color-sensitive neurons assemble* Globster, an unidentified organic mass that washes up on the shoreline of an ocean or other body of water...
s but certain portions of the MARC are actual tables. For example, BIB_TEXT.TITLE is, naturally, the MARC Bibliographic Record field that holds the Title. The Bibliographic Records live in tables named BIB*. The Holdings records are in tables named MFHD* (Marc Format for Holdings Data). The Authority Records are in AUTH.
Voyager adds its own record, called the 'Item Record'. This stores the barcode, 'media type', location, and other information. The result of this is that there can be some redundant pieces of information in the database, particularly 'location' and 'media type'.