[Imc-tech] tech question from IMC library

[jacobs]

Hey there,

I just ran across some interesting library software called OpenBook 
(http://www.trfoundation.org/projects/openbook.html). It's basically a MySQL 
database with interfaces in PHP and PERL. I've talked preliminarily with laura 
Huth at ISEN about the possibility of building a community library catalog. 
She's really excited about the possibility as am I.

My questions to tech are: how much space does a 25,000 record database need? 
Would it be possible to host the DB on groo-groo? If not, would a dedicated 
hard-drive work and how much would it cost? How much time would tech 
support/admin take up for a project of this size? I'm planning on taking 
Maiko's PERL class at CLAM in the spring and I've got a class at the Grad. 
School of Library and Information Science lined up to do data 
entry/cataloging. While I haven't actually looked at the software, there may 
be some tweeking necessary to build it to our community's situation.

Are there any other issues that you can think of that I've missed?

Peace,

James Jacobs
Radical Librarian

James R. Jacobs 
Graduate Reference Assistant 
Education/Social Science Library
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign                        
Home: 303B1 Paddock Drive  
Savoy, IL 61874           
(217)359-9283
jacobs at uiuc.edu
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