On Tuesday 26 January 2010 the MCAST Library and Learning Resource Centre launched new features to its Library Management System (MLMS). This new online system allows library users to access their personal password protected account to view their past and current loans besides renewing and reserving items on-line. The on-line catalogue now also provides links to copyright free full-text documents placed on the MCAST server and links to useful internet sites like “books.google.com” and “imdb.com”.

Laurence Zerafa, Librarian MCAST Library and Learning Resources Centre (LLRC), said that the MCAST Library Management Software (MLMS) started off as an in-house developed software on MS Office Access in 2003, the year the library initiated plans for start up operations in 2004. In late 2005 Seasus Ltd. won an ERDF project to migrate the data and upgrade software features into the present software. The MCAST LLRC has benefitted a lot from having a local company taking over their MLMS because they are quickly responsive to the specific and innovative needs of the library and its users. For example one of the modules jointly developed is unique to library on-line catalogues. The on-line library page ‘Your Course and the Library’ allows students in a very simple way to pick up their Institute, their course, their study units and finally a specific topic. At this stage they automatically pick up a list of library resources relevant to the chosen topic, which list is daily and automatically updated as new items are added to the catalogue. This feature has been in use over the past two academic years.

The online renewals system is efficient as it saves time for both library users and library staff. Finally library users now also receive automatic e-mail reminders for books that are due for return another feature which is a time-saver for staff.

Kenneth Bone, Managing Director of Seasus, developers of the MCAST Library System, commented; "We developed a custom platform for MCAST built around their specific needs. Apart from providing comprehensive tools to support internal operations and simplifying the management of their distributed libraries at 6 locations, the system also includes advanced OPAC (Online Public Access Catalog) functionality, making the library catalog accessible online.”

New features are in the pipeline for 2010.

About MCAST Libraries

Libraries form an essential part of any learning institution. Students turn to the library to carry forward the learning process started during lecture times. Libraries not only provide the information material that support taught course content but more than that libraries should also provide the information and facilities to explore other subject areas even if of purely personal interest. In learning how to access and evaluate information on their own library users are well on their way to becoming independent life long learners. This is one of the aims for which MCAST was set up. On the other hand, for academic and non academic staff, libraries are the source for continuing professional development particularly in their area of expertise.

MCAST very much believes in the importance of libraries in educational institutions and over the past academic year we have invested heavily in the set up of modern library facilities on all its sites both on the main Campus on Corradino Hill, Paola and at each of our off-site Institutes and Centres. But besides the classical library facilities and services MCAST is looking also at creating Learning Resource Centres as part of its strategy of ensuring that its graduates learn the skill of independent learning. It is these skills that guarantee that MCAST graduates, over the years, can continuously keep up to date with their chosen area of expertise and as necessary branch out into new areas of knowledge for their own and their employers' mutual benefit