Looking for a book?

Puke Ariki's library service is about to make it much easier to find the books that you want.

From Thursday the library will be changing its computer-based catalogue from the current Dynix system to one called Horizon. Collections manager Kelvin Day says the new catalogue will be easier to use and will come with added features for the public.

"Not only will the catalogue be easier to access, but we'll be able to offer links to other websites within the catalogue system, and generate lists such as 'best sellers' and 'new books' much more easily.

"The new database will also be a lot more simple for people to access from home, which will resolve the problems that some residents have with the current catalogue working properly on their home computers, and will provide the same 'look' to the web pages whether you're on your home computer or the library's computers."

The installation will begin Thursday May 15, with the new catalogue system up and running on Wednesday May 21.

During the six-day changeover, an interim catalogue will be available to the public.

"There are some things that the public will notice during those six days," says Mr Day.

"The interim catalogue won't have the latest up-to-date information about which books are available for loan and which ones have already been borrowed, and any holds for books won't be able to be processed until the new catalogue is up and running.

"However customers will be able to search the database for books and then check the shelves to see if the book is there, and we will be able to process book loans.

"This is just for a short time while all of our information is transferred from the old catalogue database to the new one, and we'll have the new, easier system up and running on Wednesday next week," he says.