LibMate

LibMate is an integrated library system developed under the leadership and guidance of the National Széchényi Library (hereinafter referred to as NSZL) in cooperation with Hermész-Soft Ltd. and owned by the national library which is able to cover all library workflows from the allocation of international identification numbers to reader requests, in compliance with international standards.

No client installation is required to run the system, as the NSZL operates it as a Software as a Service (SaaS). It is therefore a cloud-based platform that runs on servers maintained by the Governmental Agency for IT Development (hereinafter referred to as KIFÜ), providing a continuously available active area and an archive backup area for uploaded data, and is accessible via a customized virtual user interface at a URL address configured for the user.

The advantages are:

• Easy to use: users do not need to download and install any specific software, as they can access it directly from their browser, computer or even mobile device.
• Quick access: users do not need to worry about configuration beyond the installation, as they can start using the software shortly after connecting to the service.
• Cost efficiency: maintenance and software updates are done in a centralised manner. Partners only have to pay for the features they actually use, as they can choose the modules they need.
• Regular updates: the NSZL pays particular attention to efficiency and regularly updates its software so that customers always have access to the latest version.
• Available data: as the data is stored in the cloud for the software provided, users can access it from anywhere. The data is not lost, so it can be accessed from a secure location in the event of a hardware failure.
• Reliability: the service runs on KIFÜ's redundant servers, ensuring a high level of availability and reliability.

Within the system, the organisation and control of the functions is provided by the modules, which include the Basic System, Admin, Acquisition, Repository Management, Stock Management, Catalogue, Lending, Statistics and the Readers’ Catalogue (OPAC):

• Basic System: provides a framework for the modules, ensuring their functional operation and cooperation.
  Key functions: ensuring connections between modules, workflow management, background process management, interface management.
• Admin: contains all the functions that enable library administration, and also allows you to configure the way in which libraries are managed individually.
  Key functions: workflow parameterisation and configuration, managing and setting user permissions, managing rules restricting access to functions, logging workflows.
• Acquisition: provides a full range of functions to support stock acquisition, such as desiderata management, ordering, invoice management, cost centre setup and management.
  Key functions: management of bibliographic records (acquisition proposal, desiderata) created for pre-acquisition purposes, creation of an acquisition item from a desideratum and thus an item that can be linked to an order, management of the different order types and acquisition methods.
• Repository Management: this component is responsible for the operations that can be performed and controlled on the instances in a user's repository.
  Key functions: perform individual and bulk copy operations, manage stock requests, check the existence of items in the library's stock register, thus ensuring and automating the stock control workflow.
• Stock Management: ensure the registration of the entire inventory and of the cultural goods from the stock belonging to the national property.
  Key functions: registering inventory numbers, barcodes and shelf numbers, automatically assigning them to received documents, performing dispatch processes and creating deletion lists, tracking item histories (acquisitions, last modifications, transactions).
• Catalogue: allows the user to create, modify and copy standard bibliographic, classification and item records.
  Key functions: exploring the content and format of traditional and electronic documents, creating and managing unidirectional and reciprocal record relationships, creating a flexible data entry interface, creating and editing local namespace entities.
• Lending: a set of functions to ensure the transactions of documents and the administration of the lending service.
  Key functions: defining document distribution rules, configuring reader categories and policies, defining policies for copies, creating and linking virtual collections.
• Statistics: allows users to retrieve data on their stocks and transactions.
  Key functions: launch pre-defined queries according to the annual National Statistical Data Collection Programme report, possibility to create individual reports, graphical display of data, export of reports.
• Readers’ Catalogue (OPAC): provides library users with access to the catalogue and reader profiles and transactions.
  Key functions: providing advanced searches and search options, further narrowing and refining the results list with facets, viewing reader data and transactions, and initiating bookings and reservations.

The uniqueness of the system is that the staff members registered by the partners can personalise the interface of each module, thus speeding up their daily work. Workflows can also be controlled thanks to the aforementioned access rights management.

In addition to continuous development and modernisation, we want to provide a single, user-friendly and simple library system alternative for all types of libraries in the country.