SOUL 2.0

SOUL is a state-of-the-art integrated Library Management Software designed and developed by the INFLIBNET Centre. It is user-friendly software developed to work under client-server environment. The software is compliant to international standards for bibliographic formats, networking and circulation protocols. The Library of the College has been using the software SOUL 2.0 with enhance edition and Microsoft SQL Server from 2012. SOUL 2.0 is a fully Automated an Integrated Library Management System and also Library Automation Software.

The software has following modules

• Acquisition
• Cataloguing
• Circulation
• Serial Control
• OPAC
• Administration

A. Functionalities of Acquisition Module:

1. Request
2. Gratis Item
3. Select for Approval
4. Approval Process
5. Direct Approval
6. Letter of Approval

The Soul Acquisition module provides a way for the Library to record orders placed with vendors and manage purchase budgets.

B. Functionalities of Catalogue Module:

1. Cataloguing
• Title in Progress
• Data Operation

2. Import/Export
• Import from MARC
• Export to MARC
• CCF to MARC
• Export to MARC
• Add Accession No. to Imported Data
• MARCXML to SOUL

3. User Services
• Current Awareness
• Bibliographic Service

4. Reports
• Basic
• Advanced
• Spine Label
• Book Card
• Catalogue Card

Import/Export function is used to directly import or export bibliographic details in MARC, MARCXML and CCF format directly from SOUL application. Using this module user can generate Accession Report, Barcode Generation, Catalogue Card etc.

C. Functionalities of Circulation Module:

1. Transaction Process of Material
2. Book Bank Issue/Return
3. Group Issue/Return
4. Member Login/Logout Facility
5. Stock Verification
6. Inter Library Loan (ILL)

Membership Renewal can be also done using this module. Member Barcode and Member Card is also generated in this module. After completion of academic course user can issue no-dues to the students/members in bulk as well as in individual.

D. Functionalities of Serial Control Module:

The Serials Control Module has following sub modules.

1. Titles (Serials)
2. Suggestions
3. Subscription
4. Payment
5. Check-in
6. Commercial Binding
7. In-house Binding

It offers easy creation and maintenance of Article indexing database and thereby help in providing the services according to the user's need. All the serial titles (mainly those which are subscribed to by the Library), in all the formats (like print, electronic, CD-ROMs, online etc.) are entered into the database in MARC21 format.

E. Major Functions provided in the OPAC Module are:

1. Simple Search
2. Boolean Search
3. Advanced Boolean Search
4. Displaying and Downloading of Records in MS Excel, PDF or MARCXML
5. Search support for the items that are in the acquisition process in the Library

F. The Administration Module provides the following:

1. Grouping of users based on the policy
2. Transactional rights over the systems
3. Transaction level security to users
4. Various configuration settings such as labels, e-mail and other parameters related to the software use
5. Common master databases being used in modules
The module has been divided into three major sub modules for accommodating the new features. These three sub-modules are User Management, System Parameters and Masters.

Major Features of SOUL are as follows

• UNICODE based multilingual support for Indian and foreign languages.
• Compliant to International Standards such as MARC21, AACR-2, MARCXML.
• Compliant to NCIP 2.0 protocol for RFID and other related applications especially for electronic surveillance and self check-out and check-in.
• Client-server based architecture, user-friendly interface that does not require extensive training.
• Supports multi-platform for bibliographic database such as MySQL, MS-SQL or any other RDBMS (for SOUL 2.0 only).
• Supports cataloguing of electronic resources such as e-journals, e-books, virtually any type of material.
• Supports ground-level practical requirements of the Libraries such as stock verification, book bank, transaction level enhanced security etc.
• Highly versatile and user-friendly OPAC with simple and advanced search. OPAC users can export their search results in to PDF, MS Excel and MARCXML format.
• Supports authority files of personal name, corporate body, subject headings and series name.
• Supports data exchange through ISO-2709 standard.
• Provides simple budgeting system and single window operation for all major circulation functions.
• Provides default templates for data entry of different type of documents. User can also customize their own data entry templates for different type of documents.
• Provides freedom to users for generating reports of their choice and format along with template and query parameters.
• Provides facility to send reports through e-mail allows users to save the reports in various formats such as Word, PDF, Excel, MARCXML etc.