Hi all, I am loving this discussion and would like to add another aspect: DVD covers. We have large DVD collections and have no covers at all. The problem, of course, is that they don't have isbns but many do have spine numbers. We can find titles in our National Library catalogue by searching on that spine number so can get marc records using z39.50 method BUT no jacket covers. How are other Libraries managing this? Cheers Jo. 2011/6/2 Lori Bowen Ayre <lori.ayre@galecia.com>
Caitlin,
This has been discussed very recently with some folks who are working with ByWater Solutions. Ian Walls of ByWater summarized the discussion this way:
It looks like there are two possible developments being discussed here:
1. Auto-generated book covers when no image is available (using standard backgrounds with the title over top). The color or base background image would be algorithmically generated, using some cool algorithm (different colors for different types, etc.)
2. Uploading and using images for book covers on a per-title basis. There is already an RFC for this out there: http://wiki.koha-community.org/wiki/Local_cover_images_RFC
Both are great ideas. Perhaps they could be merged into a larger framework:
The user can upload custom images, or enable external content sources like LibraryThing or Amazon. For any given title, there would be a hierarchy of which images to use (when available):
1. The custom uploaded image 2a. external content provider 1 (Amazon?) 2b. external content provider 2 (Baker and Taylor?) etc etc etc (for all that you have enabled) 3. Auto-generated book cover images
This would give libraries tons of flexibility for where to get images, and both parts could be done independently of each other, as funding allows.
From a developers perspective, the auto-generated book covers development is probably quicker (and thus cheaper) than the uploadedimages development, though the latter could draw on the patron image code and structure when it's developed. Since the latter is also under development by another company, when it's released we can test it, and if it needs any further modification, either have that company do it, or tackle it with them (for much less than full development price).
This is a great discussion, and I'm so glad to see it! I've got some other development ideas I need to put out to our Partners, things I know a lot of libraries have been asking after. Look for those in coming days.
Cheers,
-Ian - Show quoted text - -- Ian Walls Lead Development Specialist ByWater Solutions ALA Booth 732 Phone # (888) 900-8944 http://bywatersolutions.com ian.walls@bywatersolutions.com Twitter: @sekjal
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Lori Bowen Ayre // Library Technology Consultant The Galecia Group // www.galecia.com (707) 763-6869 // Lori.Ayre@galecia.com
<Lori.Ayre@galecia.com>Specializing in open source ILS solutions, RFID, filtering, workflow optimization, and materials handling =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
2011/6/1 Caitlin McGurk <mcgurk@cartoonstudies.org>
Hey all-
Is there anyway to upload cover images for each book into Koha? We're currently importing covers from Amazon for our books with ISBNS. However, we're hoping to create records for our student work (comic books) and would like to scan and add these covers to be displayed in the record as well.
Any ideas?
CM
-- Caitlin McGurk *Librarian The Schulz Library The Center for Cartoon Studies <http://www.cartoonstudies.org> McGurk@cartoonstudies.org*
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