Various questions from church library about Handy Library Manager.

Handy Library Manager application for Windows PCs

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Various questions from church library about Handy Library Manager for Windows.

1. Also entered some library items I don't want to lose - I have backed them up but could you tells me how to export them to an excel spreadsheet?
2. I am concerned about the license - thinking I could purchase a license to continue the trial but really want the license to be in the name of the church and not my personal name. To this end, the church has asked for an invoice - could you send me one?
3. Do we have to purchase the networking component right away or can it be an add on to the purchase at a later date?
4. Also concerned that at present, the church has no stand alone desktop (laptop) to put the program on but have the IT person looking for a suitable system - would like to be able to continue with the trial on one of my personal laptops until the hardware could be purchased?
5. I assume the barcode for the library items is the ID or accession number - is this correct?? What is the field length and type for the barcode? Could we use the ISBN number (10 digit)?
6. For the Patron Barcode - it looks like it is picking up the ID (accession) number. Again is there somewhere that tells me about the field length and type - For example, could I prefix the barcode with the first 3 letters of the patron's last name and then some leading zeros?
7. Do you have some suggestions as to how to assign barcodes to family members - we are setting up a church library so am anticipating perhaps more than one family member with a card (multiple cards in a family) - would you assign the same barcode number or use a last name prefix with a different ID (accession number)?
8. If I set a patron ID with an expiry, what happens after the expiry date - will the patron not be able to borrow books? Contemplating charging to renewal fee to generate some income to purchase new books.
9. Do you have a source that you can recommend for library cards and/or keytags with patron barcodes?
10. Can you tell me what kind of printer to use for receipts and can the receipt print automatically when pressing the button without going through the print preview screen?
11. Be accessed from home so that I could do the database maintenance (add, edit items and borrowers) etc without being physically present at the church?

Having said all that, what I have used looks pretty good and the Handy Library Manager is now one of the front runners if not the front runner - just need to do a bit more testing (using) to confirm.

A1: Regular version supports easy backup/restore, export/import; you can easily move database to your home computer using USB Flash Drive, add new items, then move back your database to your church library computer. To move your files between computers you can send files in the email as attachment..

A2: We could send invoice.

A3: You can upgrade to the network version later.

A4: During free trail period you can test the software on any number of compouters.

A5, A6: When record is created the system creates unique record ID number. The program is using this number for the bar code value. The length of the bar code number you can set in the Library Options window. Do not use ISBN numbers as bar code numbers, in the case of duplicate books you will end up with the same bar code number.

A7: Use regular bar code numbers for family members. Program does not provide family bar code prefix features, in our opinion it will hard for the library administrator to do it manually. Maybe you can use user data field to enter family information.

A8: After the expiry data the patron will not be able to borrow books.

A9: Please review our library label templates.

A10: Library printers, labels, bar codes to use with our library software.

A11: Cloud version support remote access. In the case of regular version you will have to move library database using backup/restore features.