Media Management Systems Improve and Grow (1990)

In September 1989, T.H.E. Journal compared the features of automated scheduling (media management) systems in great detail. Since then, two more systems have emerged. These new packages will be described first, then updated information on the existing systems will be provided. * New Offerings One newcomer is a no-frills program from Right On Programs called Film Booking and Loan Control (FB&LC). Written in C and compiled with Clipper, FB&LC's single database has only three fields. It books by the day, uses no calendars or other time adjusters, prints only certain pre-set reports and notices, and gives a simple yes/no response when asked if an item is available on a certain day. Screens are uncluttered with generally adequate instructions. FB&LC is simple, inflexible and aimed at one-person operations. Perhaps the best feature of the program is price, and its impressive sales numbers (see Table 1) signal a strong market for low-priced, off-the-shelf packages. Right On Programs takes a modular approach to its systems. For example, their Equipment Inventory Control program, if teamed with FB&LC, could well find a large market in school media centers. If further linked with Subject List, the combined number of features would approach those of systems priced ten times as much. At the opposite end of the features spectrum lies S.A.M., a comprehensive new package from Paulmar Systems. S.A.M.'s origination in retail video is evidenced by strong accounting features, clear menu choices and straightforward event-based booking. Judiciously placed windows display complex information, and telephone bookings are allowed. S.A.M.'s accounting module is retail-oriented, allowing parameters like sales commissions and item mark-ups to be set. A wide range of accounting reports are available but their formats are pre-determined and inflexible. Media item and equipment data are kept in separate databases in S.A.M. Unfortunately, there is only one piece of maintenance data--whether equipment is in or out of service. And if equipment is removed from service, no warning is given regarding the effect on future bookings. However, specific equipment is not assigned to a booking by the system until check-out time, and the equipment may be repaired by then. * Existing Products Evolve Several packages have undergone changes during the past year. For example, Landmark Films' Media Management System (MMS) has been greatly enhanced. It now books down to the minute, used desktop publishing software to generate reports, and books into the unlimited future. Notable improvements in screen design have also occurred. Tek Data's powerful Series M system now boasts pull-down menus. And calendar presentations have been updated to a more traditional format in MMS and Media Minder. More systems are taking temporary acquisitions into account as well. Last year only Datatrek's AV Handler included automatic activation and deactivation dates. Now MMS, Dymaxion's MediaNet, VIS Consultants' Campus Media Manager and Alpine Data's Filmpath either include the feature in current releases or have it in beta-test versions. Finally, event-based booking is being incorporated into more systems. Media Minder, Tek Data's TD/CRS (Campus Resource Scheduler) and S.A.M. allow a set number of bookings per transaction, while Avail, Campus Media Manager and MediaNet permit unlimited numbers of items in bookings. AV Handler sidesteps the whole event concept with its unique linking of equipment, room and item. Datatrek has also released a version of AV Handler for the Mac Plus and above--the only package currently available for the Macintosh platform. * Market Trends Last year's survey saw media management software divided into two types: media modules intended to be attacked to larger, integrated library systems and stand-alone, self-contained packages. …