Softlink’s advanced record enhancement functionality benefits schools

The new integration makes the cataloguing process quicker and easier than ever, by enabling automatic updating of new and existing records imported from eBook suppliers OverDrive and Wheelers.

Advanced automated cataloguing information can include cover art, as well as publisher, author, subject and genre details.

This integration aligns with Australian school curriculum standards and is supported by the Schools Catalogue Information Service (SCIS), which provides catalogue records to most school libraries in Australia and New Zealand.

SCIS creates high quality and consistent digital resource records, applying rigorous international standards as well as Dewey classifications, SCIS and Schools Online Thesaurus (ScOT) subject headings, notes and summaries, and authorised name headings. 

“SCIS is thrilled to hear that Oliver v5 users can now quickly and easily update digital content with SCIS metadata”, Dr Ben Chadwick, Manager of SCIS, said.

In contemporary education, digital content like eBooks, websites, apps and digital videos are a valuable supplement to the physical collection; however, these resources can fall between the cracks if they are not easily discoverable in the catalogue alongside items on the shelves.

“Better quality eBook records improve discoverability within the LMS”, Ben said.

Dion Dias, Education Business Analyst at Softlink, said partnering with trusted education leaders like SCIS helps Softlink to stay ahead of changes in curriculum and school standards.

“Aligning ourselves with school standards and curriculum is part of the overall education focus”, Dion said.

OverDrive and Wheelers users will benefit from the automatic enhancement of new and existing resource details, performed during overnight housekeeping updates. Records are matched on ISBN, with Oliver v5 recognising both 10 and 13 digit ISBNs.

There is also the facility to allow bulk enhancement of any set of nominated resources.

Customers using other eBook suppliers will have the flexibility of being able to manually update their resources with data from SCIS’s consistent, high quality records.

Oliver v5 Build 8.015 facilitates the centralised management of digital resources using comprehensive, quality metadata, which saves time and enhances the user experience for both library staff and borrowers, who can more quickly and easily find what they are looking for.

About Softlink Education:  Softlink specialises in knowledge, content and library management systems for schools. Softlink’s flagship product, Oliver v5 library management software, is a fully web-based solution which integrates with the latest digital technologies to allow anytime, anywhere access to library and learning resources for the entire school community. Oliver v5 provides school libraries with the platform they need to become contemporary central hubs for learning and resource management. Softlink has offices in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and America. 

About SCIS: SCIS is a business unit of Education Services Australia, a national, not-for-profit company established by all Australian Ministers of Education. SCIS supports Australian, New Zealand and international school libraries, by providing access to the largest database of school-related catalogue records in the Southern Hemisphere.