Xchange

Xchange is a suite of products designed to provide a virtual library catalogue and inter-lending system. It is e-gif compliant and makes use of Z39.50 and ISO-ILL standards; the standards mandated by the library world for support of ILL. The system provides a high standard of usability, flexibility and versatility in order to integrate with the technical, managerial and day-to-day operations within a library authority.

Modular design

The Xchange product suite follows a modular design - the components are described below. These have been designed and developed by Axiell staff who have years of experience working in the information retrieval standards employed within the product. The technical staff have been supported by a focus group of library staff who are fully familiar with interlending infrastructures and have contributed to the process workflows, user interface requirements and logistics of the product suite.

Xchange-Z

Xchange-Z is the component that provides the virtual catalogue. It uses the ANSI Z39.50 standard for searching the library catalogues of your interlending partners. It is necessary that your partners have a Z39.50 server for this functionality. It is also highly recommended that your library catalogue has a Z39.50 server. Users can search for items through intuitive screens that manage search results, search overviews and record details. Stock availability is displayed in a harmonised format that your users will become familiar with. Users can then place loan requests for items of interest.

Xchange-ILL

Xchange-ILL is the component that performs the interlending administration and process workflow. Loan requests submitted in Xchange-Z can be manually tracked or automatically processed by Xchange-ILL according to the system configuration. A range of loan request schemas are offered to optimise load balancing across your partners stock. Library staff can search and track items through the entire loan cycle, and staff can process overdues, recalls and renewals.

Xchange-Config

A wizard-style interface provides an intuitive approach to inputting the system parameters required to configure the process workflow and technical details. Axiell has applied the Company's corporate knowledge and experience in working with the Z39.50 protocol into this component to minimise the technical knowledge required to set the product up.