Workshop on Digital Libraries, 14 –18 December 2002, Khartoum, Sudan, by Sudan British Council with collaboration with Documentation and Information Centre of National Centre for Research and Sudatel Training Centre: THE IMPACT OF NCR-DIC READINESS IN REALIZING SUDAN DIGITAL LIBRARY / By Rafaa Ashmallah Ghobrial: 7. NCR-DIC and TECHNOLOGY:: 7.2.a CDS/ISIS-BASED LIBRARY SYSTEM

Workshop on Digital Libraries, 14 –18 December 2002, Khartoum, Sudan, by Sudan British Council with collaboration with Documentation and Information Centre of National Centre for Research and Sudatel Training Centre: THE IMPACT OF NCR-DIC READINESS IN REALIZING SUDAN DIGITAL LIBRARY / By Rafaa Ashmallah Ghobrial

Workshop on Digital Libraries, 14 –18 December 2002, Khartoum, Sudan, by Sudan British Council with collaboration with Documentation and Information Centre of National Centre for Research and Sudatel Training Centre: THE IMPACT OF NCR-DIC READINESS IN REALIZING SUDAN DIGITAL LIBRARY / By Rafaa Ashmallah Ghobrial

7. NCR-DIC and TECHNOLOGY:

7.1 MIROFICHE:

7.2 MICROCOMPUTERS:

7.2.a CDS/ISIS-BASED LIBRARY SYSTEM

7.2. b. CONVERSION UTILITY:

7.2.c The Windows Version:

7.2.d Compatibility between the DOS and Windows versions:

7.2.e CDS/ISIS Application Development Tools:

7.2.f.Internet tools:

7.2.a CDS/ISIS-BASED LIBRARY SYSTEM

7.2.a CDS/ISIS-BASED LIBRARY SYSTEM

Micro CDS/ISIS is advanced non-numerical information storage and retrieval software developed by UNESCO since 1985. CDS/ISIS is an integrated and Multilanguage package offering all the basic features demanded for a database management system including: database definition; data entry; indexing; retrieval; printing, some utilities; database management and data exchange

CDS/ISIS has become the software of choice for the developing world, but it also enjoys extensive use in Canada, Australia, and Western European countries. Cuba, Vietnam, and China have also used and developed the software for their national libraries and archives. Some of Library institutions of UNSECO members have succeeded in encountering CDS/ISIS databases on the Web.

This paper describes the development of a microcomputer-based system using the Micro CDS/ISIS (English and Arabic versions). It comprises the application interfaces for creating a machine-readable catalogue and for information retrieval. The CDS/ISIS software is distributed free to libraries and information centers all over the world by UNESCO in Sudan, Documentation and Information Centre formerly National Documentation Centre) coordinates the distribution of the software and provides training on it. CDS/ISIS has wide application as an indexing tool but its flexibility has extended its use to library automation applications like cataloguing and information retrieval. This is because CDS/ISIS comes with a built-in subset of the Pascal language that allows local customization and development of user applications and interfaces. Many such customized applications have been reported in the literature (Ghobrial, 1992). Some good interfaces have also been developed to complement the information retrieval capability in CDS/ISIS.

NCR-DIC system developed allows libraries to create machine-readable catalogue based on the standard Common Communication Format (CCF). It is complemented with the information retrieval interface, which has full search and retrieval functions, including keyword searching. The electronic catalogue created form the resource database that can be used to teach and give hands-on experience on on-line information retrieval.