Professional library management software is expensive and can be unwieldy for teachers to use. It also takes a lot of set-up and maintenance to get the most out of it. Tailored school library systems are also expensive and can eat into limited annual library budgets. They are great if you have a large school with a lot of books, a ringfenced budget and dedicated librarians, but they can be difficult to run efficiently in more limited circumstances. Book Collector offers a practical alternative for small schools with low budgets.
So, if you have a small school, you work in a primary school, or you don’t have a dedicated librarian, take a look at Collectorz’s Book Collector software. It’s also great for teachers who want to keep tabs on their classroom libraries.
At under £40 per year, Book Collector is much more affordable than dedicated school library software. You won’t need a trained librarian to operate it, books can be added, edited and loaned just by scanning the barcode that’s already on the back cover of each book, it has better stock and auditing systems than many school library systems, and it tracks loans using a clear and simple format.
Collectorz’s Book Collector software offers a cost-effective and teacher-friendly alternative to traditional school library systems. Teachers and administrators with limited budgets and without access to librarians can still manage their school and classroom libraries efficiently thanks to this innovative tool.
Book Collector allows users to add, edit, and loan books simply by scanning the ISBN barcode that’s already on the back cover. This ease of use makes it accessible for schools with limited resources. It includes robust stock and auditing systems, ensuring accurate tracking of loans in a straightforward format.
The software provides automatic cover art and book details, such as author, title, publisher, publication date, plot, genres, and subjects. Adding books is straightforward: users can search by ISBN or author/title, or use the free CLZ Barry barcode scanner or any compatible plugin barcode scanner to add books quickly.
Book Collector’s main screen is customizable. Users can choose from multiple layouts for the main screen folder, list, and details panels. They can display book lists in list, images, or card views and select different templates for the book details panel. The software also offers light, dark, and system skins for all screens.
To add new books to the database, users simply search the online books database by author, title, or ISBN, select the book they own, and click the add button. The software then automatically provides main book details like author, title, publisher, publication date, number of pages, genres and subjects, dimensions, and front cover images. It even includes author images and links to author wiki pages.
Book Collector also catalogs e-book files. Users can scan their computers for e-book files and link these files to the book entries in their database, allowing e-books to be opened directly from the book details panel.
The software includes access to CLZ Cloud storage for backups, syncing, and sharing. This ensures users always have an online backup of their book database, enhancing data security and accessibility.
Other features include efficient data editing using field defaults, batch editing, and direct editing in the main screen list. The built-in Find Image Online tool allows users to add missing cover images by searching the internet. Users can customize their database by renaming existing fields or creating their own user-defined fields.
Book Collector’s integrated Loan Manager system helps manage loans efficiently. Users can export their book database to text or XML files and print book lists in any order with configurable columns. It also provides lists of overdue loans for all loans or specific loanees.
Additionally, users can customize entries with personal details, such as location, owner, purchase price/store/date, notes, and personal ratings.
Collectorz’s Book Collector software presents a practical solution for schools seeking a budget-friendly and efficient way to manage their libraries, whether whole school or classroom. It eliminates the need for expensive, cumbersome systems, making it an ideal choice for smaller schools and those without dedicated library staff. For more information, have a look at the Book Collector website.
