What classification sytem do you use? Any hints or tips? Sources for good Judaica records? Add it here.
- OPALS-NA An open source, web-based, unicode compliant library automation service. It is currently a work in progress, but can handle all of the basic functions, and because it is open source, it really is developing as needed by the users. This could be a real automation solutionfor many small Judaica libraries. It could also be used to create a Union Catalog of Avi Chai Bookshelf Libraries - and other Jewish School libraries. Check it out! Harry Chan, the owner of Media Flex which provides development and technical support for OPALS, will very likely be presenting at the 2007 AJL Convention - check back for updates. A number of Avi Chai Schools are testing out the program. You can see the catalog for SSDS of Essex & Union here. There is a test database if you want to see how the administrative features work. I suggest contacting Harry Chan if you are interested.
- The Avi Chai Union Catalog -- A catalog containing the holdings of numerous Avi Chai school libraries. The catalog is Z39.50 compliant, meaning that you can download records from it and put them in your catalog. You can search in Hebrew and English and see records in both languages. If you want to add the union catalog to the list of libraries on your system that you can use to search for records, here's the information you need:
- At SSDS in West Orange, NJ we use Dewey, but the Judaica reference is in LC - it groups it logically, lets it spread out, and is a system that students will encounter when they get to college (unlike Eleazer or Weine). Anyway, since most of the Judaica reference questions consist of "Where is a Hebrew-English Tanakh?" And me replying "Last section on the left, 4th row down" - it is mostly moot!
- At North Shore Hebrew Academy H.S. I switched to OPALS from Follett when we moved to our new building in Feb. 2007. I've been systematically adding titles in Hebrew. You can see my catalog at http://nsh.scoolaid.net/ I think there's a lot of potential for this system and I'm working with the developers to provide feedback. Some features need improvement: for example, there are no options to allow for cross references. In summary, this system is affordable and has many advantages. I hope that other schools will switch to OPALS and together we'll be able to create a wonderful union catalog of Jewish high schools!