Sharon Raubenheimer, Manager Library services, said: "We are very excited because it is a web-based system and we can do so much more functions with it."
Raubenheimer added that the old PALS system will be gradually phased out, a process hopefully completed by the end of November.
Leon Smit from SIPL, the Belgium-based company who owns the SLIMS product, says the staff were "very receptive and enthusiastic" about the new system during their three days of training. "The staff grasped the fundamentals quite easily and ran with it," he added.
And when it was time to put the new system, and the training of the staff, to test, all went smoothly. Mr B Baleni and Mr BJ Wiese were the first users to be assisted and enjoyed a smooth and efficient process of renewing and lending books. Raubenheimer "urged users to return their books so we can issue them on the new system" although users can be assured that their information is already transferred onto this new system. Useful aspects that library users can look forward to include the fact that you will be able to renew your books, or look for books available at your local libraries, from the comfort of your home by a simple click of your computer mouse.
Library users must please remember to bring along your bar-coded library card, your ID document, and your e-mail address (if you have one) when visiting the library for the first time since the SLIMS system was launched.
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Launching the new SLIMS library system in George were (from left) Leon Smith (SIPL trainer), Acting Municipal Mayor Lionel Esau, Sharon Raubenheimer (Manager Library Services) and Theo Roodtman (Acting Director Corporate and Social Services). Photos: LeeAnne Pratt
View more photos here.
