From Chris Turner, Sales and Marketing Manager, Adlib Information Systems Ltd.
 Swindon, Wiltshire, UK.

In response to Marni Welch, Registrar at the Judah L. Magnes Museum, and
Leonard Will,  I have to confess to representing the current version of Adlib,
the product which Leonard referred to.

Using the latest generation of Adlib we are currently engaged in two
'integration' projects, firstly for the Royal College of Physicians of London
to produce a combined Library and Archive system and secondly for the Jersey
Heritage Trust to combine the catalogues of the Jersey Archives Service, the
Jersey Museum and the library of the Societe Jersaiaise in order to provide a
single point of search and retrieval for all materials relating to the
Jersey's heritage.

Adlib has been on the market for almost 20 years in various forms, and Leonard
was one of our earliest customers.  We learned a lot from his work at the
Science Museum.  Our background is mainly in Library management systyems, but
we have increasingly provided systems for Museums and recently for Archives as
well.  We have a mix of librarians and museum professionals on our staff.

Our approach to combination systems is basically a 'bottom up' one. It is
extremely important that each component - Library, Musuem, Archive, stands in
its own right and is able to follow the professional standards in its own
area, hence the Library can if it chooses use MARC/AACR2 for cataloguing, the
Museum can follow Spectrum, the procedural guidelines produced by the Museum
Documentation Association in the UK, and the Archivists use the MAD/ISAD(G)
standards.

We do not try to 'force fit' the Museum and Archive catalogues into a MARC
structure or the library into Spectrum for example.  The common approach to
retrieval is, as Mark Friedman says, point of the exercise.

Adlib allows the creation of multiple user definable thesauri and terminology
lists which can be populated either with the organisations own data or with
external data such as LC subject headings, or the AAT or SHIC or the BSI Root
thesaurus (subject to appropriate licensing of course)

Any data fields in any of the catalogues can be linked any of the thesauri or
term lists for look uo and validation and also to provide common points of
access.  So for example in addition to subject keywords being shared across
collections, names (authors, painters, collectors, etc. whatever their
association with the collections) and places can also be shared, and provide
consistent access points.

In addition to the search and retrieval functions, we are also exploring the
ways in which common procedures such as conservation, exhibitions, loans etc.
can be supported in an integrated system.

If anyone would like to know more please contact me [log in to unmask], also we
are currently recruiting, details below if anyone is interested.

Job Specification

Job name:  Support Assistant

Overview:
Adlib Information Systems Ltd. is a small (current staff 2) but rapidly
growing software company based in Swindon.
We supply software for libraries, museums, art galleries, archives and similar
organisations concerned with the storage, management and retrieval of text and
image based data.
Our activities include marketing, sales, installation, technical support,
application building and some programming.  We also supply some hardware,
particularly imaging, and bar-code equipment.
We have a sister company in Holland where most of our core product development
work is done.

Principal duties:
This is a junior position, and you will be working under supervision assisting
in all technical activities, in particular:
* Routine system management
* Answering and logging telephone enquiries
* Application development
Although this is principally a technical position, as a member of a small team
you will be expected to participate in all activities of the company from time
to time.

General requirements:

This position would suit:

either a person with at least 'A' level or equivalent qualifications, in a
technical subject, preferably Information Technology related;
or a person with a professional qualification in a relevant area, e.g.
Libraries, Museums or Archives, and with an interest/aptitude for use of
information technology.

You will need to be outgoing with a good telephone manner, and a methodical
approach to work.

Experience with, and enthusiasm for the technical aspects of computing is
essential, in particular Windows based programs, and databases.

You must be prepared to travel in the UK and to Holland, and to occasionally
work outside normal working hours if required.

For the right person this position offers an excellent opportunity to
participate in the expansion of the company and to learn at first hand all
aspects of the software business in an informal and friendly atmosphere.

Hours:                  9-5.30 Monday-Friday
Annual leave:           20 days
Salary:                 Negotiable

To find out more please contact:
Chris Turner or Kyle Summers
Adlib Information Systems Ltd.
The Bentley Centre
Stratton Road
Marshgate
Swindon, Wilts.  SN1 2SH

Phone 01793 616333
Fax   01793 435339
E-mail [log in to unmask]