About ABCD

ABCD, as an integrated package for library automation (both traditional but also digital/virtual libraries !) and a tool for documentation centers, is the culmination of several technologies developed by BIREME (OPS/PAHO, Brazil). These technologies support their online information services and have been developed over many years, involving many experts. The package contains an advanced database management (both creation/definition and data-entry/cataloging) module, an OPAC integrated into a 'library portal' page with meta-search functionality for either local or remote databases (iAH), a Serials Control module (SeCS), a module for Circulation and Statistics, a Thesaurus Manager and - to be added later - an Acquisition module. The software heavily relies on ISIS-database technology (developed by UNESCO, http://www.unesco.org/isis, and BIREME, http://bvsmodelo.bvsalud.org/php/level.php?lang=en&component=31), currently in an advanced release (with 1MB max. record size and 60-characters index keys) and migrating to the new ISIS technology (ISIS-NBP, http://reddes.bvsalud.org/projects/isisnbp/) in the course of 2009.

ABCD's technology can be summarized as follows : fully web-based, ISIS-based, using PHP, ISIS(-Script), JavaScript? and AJAX programming, multi-platform and multi-lingual.

The proposal for the development of ABCD is being promoted by BIREME during the last years. The actual conception, design and development of the system started in 2007, when BIREME established an agreement with MSINFO of Venezuela, to have its Orbita_Documental as the basis of the ABCD by adopting the technological platform of the Virtual Health Library and the FOSS development. In 2008 teh development of ABCD received financial support from the Flemish Interuniversity Council - University Development Co-operation section (VLIR/UOS, http://www.vliruos.be) as ABCD has been selected as the solution for the project 'Development Of and Capacity Building in ISIS-Based Library Automation Systems' (DOCBIBLAS), for being offered to university library partners in the South. For a list of collaborators involved in the development of AABCD see Hall of Fame.

The aim of the DOCBIBLAS project, specifically in view of a need for sustainability, is to fully hand over ABCD to the ISIS users' community and both UNESCO and BIREME for continued technical development and promotion.