Self Issue Client
The ceridwen.com self issue client software can provide library users with the ability to check out books to themselves rather than relying on a staffed circulation desk. It presents a graphical interface to the library user and communicates with the back-end library system via a network. It is not itself a library system or catalogue.
The self issue client uses 3M SIP version 2 (Self Issue Protocol developed by 3M) to communicate with a suitable 3M SIP enabled library system. 3M SIP is an industry standard protocol for patron checkout of library materials.
Prerequisites
The Self Issue Client is platform independent and will run on Windows, Macs, Linux, etc.
To install and run the Self Issue Client you need a computer with:
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Java runtime environment (JRE) 1.4 or above
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a network connection
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a video card and monitor capable of 1024 x 768 resolution
For the Self Issue Client to be useful you need:
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a back-end library system providing a 3M SIP 2 server and a network connection
Example: system requirements for running on Windows
The free Sun JRE 1.4, from http://www.java.com, requires Windows 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, or above, and a Pentium 166MHz or faster processor with a minimum of 67MB free disk space and a minimum of 32MB of RAM.
License
The ceridwen.com self issue client is currently open source and free to use.
Installation
The Self Issue Client can easily be installed using a step-by-step wizard; this is the recommended method for most users. Alternatively you can do a manual installation or set up the software to be auto-updating. These methods require some technical knowledge,
Installation package with step-by-step wizard
Installation packages have been created, using InstallAnywhere, for several of the most popular operating systems. The installation package is typically around 14MB in size, which includes a step-by-step installation wizard and a JRE.
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Download the installation package for your operating system (e.g.filenaem X for Windows)
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Run the installation package. This starts a step-by-step wizard to take you through the installation
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Follow the wizard. For each stage you can accept the default settings or override them with your own preferences.
Manual installation
The individual JAR file, about 4MB in size, is also available for download. The run from a command line. E.g. java -cp resources;lib/SelfIssue.jar com.ceridwen.selfissue.client.SelfIssueClient.
Automatic updates
The Self Issue Client can also be run using NetX (an open source version of Java Web Start) to enable auto-updatign of the client. This is particularly useful for system adminsitrators maintaining several client machines.
Configuration
There are two types of installation. The first uses an installation package and easy step-by-step wizard and is recommended for most users. The second is manual installation which requires some technical knowledge.