Textbook Inventory System Designing, Building and Using

1
Textbook Inventory System Designing, Building
and Using

• Robert Gulick, EdD
• DBA/Technology Trainer
• bobguli_at_parma.k12.oh.us
• Carmi Gulick
• Fifth Grade Teacher
• carmiguli_at_parma.k12.oh.us
• Parma City School District

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Why an Inventory System?

• From the Vendors
• Districts spend millions on textbooks
• Average district looses 5 - 10 of their
  collection yearly
• It is February. Do you know where your textbooks
  are?

3
Why an Inventory System?

• From our Experience
• Textbook found in hallway / parking lot
• Local library returns a textbook
• Student A 'borrows' a textbook from Student B to
  turn it in at the end of the course

4
Why an Inventory System?

• From our Experience
• How damaged was a book when it was issued to a
  student
• Locate unused copies of a book at another building

5
What was Available in 2000?

• A few PC based solutions
• Building Based
• More like Library Systems

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What We Needed

• District wide system
• Web based
• Track books to building, teacher, student
• Transaction history
• Record condition, purchase value
• Mobile updating and teacher updating

7
Technologies Utilized

• Database
• SQL Server 7 (now on SQL2000)
• Web interface for teacher, building, district
  access
• Macromedia UltraDev, ASP on IIS

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Technologies Utilized

• Mobile Handheld Laser Scanner
• Symbol Palm OS based scanner
• Custom Software for Handheld
• SatForms used to write the Palm program
• Program used to record assignments / returns

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Technologies Utilized

• VisualBasic 6
• Used to write the client program to transfer data
  from Palm to central database
• Laser and CCD Scanners already in Media Centers
• Student Barcode ID - Already in use for Media
  Center

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Technologies Utilized

• Bar Code Labels
• 1-5/8" x 5/8" rectangle with round corners. White
  gloss, black ink, permanent adhesive, clear
  protective plastic over-laminate.
• 9 digit code 39
• Interstate Label
• Middle of inside back cover

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Workflow

• Textbook Processing Center
• Barcode the books (publisher?)
• Record the book info (ISBN, barcode, cost, PO)
• Transfer books to building

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Workflow

• Building Level - Issue Books
• Building assigns books to teachers
• Building or teacher assigns books to students
• Web Tool or Palm Scanner

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Workflow

• Building Level Return Books
• Building or teacher returns books
• Web tool or Palm Scanner
• Building transfers books

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Information District Summary
InformationDistrict Summary Drill Down
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Information - Find Unused Books
InformationFind Unused Copies
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Information - Current Book Status
InformationCurrent Book Status
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Information - Book Transaction
InformationFull Transaction History
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Information - Student Information
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Information Current Student Information
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Information Historical Student Information
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Problems / Limitations

• Not accurate (GIGO)
• It may only be 85 accurate but that beats 0
  accurate
• Not being done
• Less people to do the work
• People do not view it as important

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Results By the Numbers
515 items (26,128) instead of 8966 items
(424,879) using 5 yearly loss
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Current Vendors

• http//tbinv.com/
• Textbook Inventory
• http//www.textbooktracker.com/
• Textbook Tracker
• http//www.hayessoft.com/
• TIP - Textbook Inventory Program
• http//www.fsc.follett.com/
• Destiny Textbook Manager

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The End

• Materials and links at
• www.ParmaCitySchools.org/presentations
• E-Mail
• bobguli_at_parma.k12.oh.us