johnbarbrook.info » Computers/Internet

DIY Library Catalogue Computer

John Barbrook — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 16:55:22 +0000

Or how to create a Library Catalogue Computer for free(ish), with whatever you have in the store cupboard, using Linux and the tame e-resources Librarian (That’s me).

The Library where I work has so far been succumbing to my evil machinations, specifically on the theme ‘Put Linux on everything that doesn’t work properly’. I have no desire to constantly fiddle with unreliable IT resources, not when I have far more productive things to do.

Our newish Linux Web server and Content Management System has been, if not a roaring success, at least a loud hurrah. And it hasn’t caused me a single significant problem since I hit the ‘online’ switch. And it’s cheap, which is jolly good news.

Now to repeat this with other resources would be a canny trick, especially as using Linux in a Library is a zero sum game. It costs nothing to install Linux on a system, apart from staff time as well as the cost of the computer, and the computer need not be particularly fast. It’s perfect for reusing old machines that have reached a point that Microsoft Windows shuns as ‘Too Old’.

The prime example was the computer that accessed our Library catalogue, an old Windows 98 machine with quite the grab bag of issues, the main one being that it was far too slow to actually access the Library Catalogue. Which is the whole point really.

The Machine

As our Catalogue computer was a geriatric windows machine, in painful need of replacement with something more usable, I pulled a spare machine from public use. Specifically the one (You know which I mean) that everyone avoids using. Flickery screen, funny smelling keyboard, possible haunting? Who knows for what reason it became a digital pariah, but this sort of machine makes an excellent candidate for being ‘banjaxed’ into a Linux box. It is best to avoid a machine that is prone to overheating, or that emits a horrific soul-piercing whine however, as it will be on 24/7.

The Operating System

I used Ubuntu Linux, as it’s the most mainstream of all the Linux distributions. I specifically used the LTS version (Long Term Support). Ubuntu Linux is quite cutting edge and fancy, receiving automagical daily updates with many great new features and applications, however the Library Catalogue machine didn’t need that, so by sticking with the LTS version of Ubuntu, hopefully any updates that break the system will be avoided.

If you haven’t installed Linux, or have heard horror stories of past failures, let me assure you that things have got a lot easier now. As long as the machine you use is reasonably mainstream (Think Dell and HP Computers) everything should ‘Just Work’. Especially with Ubuntu, which makes the installation process terribly easy.

You will also have to give your catalogue computer a name. I suggest ‘Catalogue’ as the sensible choice. You can call it Brenda or Balthazar if you want, I’m not stopping you but do make need to make it unique!

The Wireless Card

Instead of running the system over the work network, I decided to use the free Library Wi-Fi. The Catalogue Machine can be situated anywhere in the Library, and it removes any issues with internal security while also enabling printing over the Wireless to a Printer in another room. Great for pulling Harvard References off the Library Catalogue.

I chose a USB wireless card by the brand ‘Edimax’ that I have found to be compatible with Linux in the past. If you have problems with theft, I would suggest you go with an internal wireless card. I would also suggest buying your wireless card from a known shop, rather than on the internet, so if you discover that you are having problems (Wireless Security, or installation issues) you can just return it for another model.

The Set-up

Once your computer is installed and ready for use, create a new user, called public, or patrons, whatever you fancy. Make the user log in automatically on a reboot.

Next set the browser to automatically start up, this means that even if there is power cut or someone unplugs the Catalogue Machine to charge an iPod (An ever-present risk), it will open immediately. On some computers you may have to go into the bios (The screen when you reboot a computer that says ‘Press F2 for Bios’) and also change a setting so the machine turns back on automatically after a power cut.

Set the browser to the address of the ‘WebOPAC’ of your Library Catalogue. You probably will have one, and I haven’t seen a Library without web access to the Library catalogue in over 5 years now, but maybe you are one of those hold-outs that haven’t done it yet. Unfortunately you will require a web accessible frontend to your library catalogue for this to work, so perhaps now is the time to consider it!

The Browser Setup

The Web Browser (Mozilla Firefox) needs to have a few features added. It needs to start up in ‘Kiosk Mode’ (Full screen, buttons disabled and the address bar removed) so users cannot use it to browse to other websites.

The Web browser also needs to return to the Homepage when idle, so that it will always show the search page first. It’s a usability issue, and instantly telegraphs to the user ‘This is where you search’

The two plug-ins I used were R-Kiosk and Reset-Kiosk, and whatever you do install R-Kiosk last. It will make Firefox work only as a browser for one single website (The Homepage), and it is a serious hassle to disable once you have installed it! Install only when completely happy with the setup!

That’s it, machine complete.

Some other features I added.

I set the catalogue to wirelessly print, in draft and B+W to a wireless printer. This will help the users print out the details of books if they cannot remember them or wish to print out a detailed reference.

I created an exciting and dynamic PowerPoint presentation about the Library, exported it as a folder of image files and dropped it into the ‘Images’ directory. You can then run the ‘Image Slideshow’ screensaver, so the catalogue computer can advertise your services when idle.

In the future I hope to change the screensaver so it displays the Libraries ‘New Books’ RSS feed, as one of the great benefits of Linux is that it can be customised to within an inch of its life!

Also if you wish to share a printer with all your wireless users, you can do that as well. Attach a printer to the back of the Catalogue machine; install it and the share the printer. It should turn up on the wireless network as a printer, which is a neat trick and saves a bit of money on purchasing network printers.

I haven’t gone into great depth how to install Linux, or how to use Ubuntu, but if you need help the Internet is but a click away. One thing that is useful is ALT+F4. This closes Firefox so you can tinker with the operating system. Another handy feature is CTRL+ALT+F1 and then the classic CTRL+ALT+DELETE. This quickly reboots the machine. I haven’t had to do it anger, but it is useful to know.

May you never purchase another Library Catalogue computer again!

A gripping yarn, featuring my seriously old computer graphics card.

John Barbrook — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 19:08:59 +0000

I have sitting in my computer something old enough in computer terms to be regarded as a true survivor, an Nvidia Quadro NVS 280 graphics card. It is sitting there in a rather unassuming (although slightly coquettish) manner, but I thought it really needed a bit of recognition. Made in 2004 this little graphics card has been quietly powering my monitors without nary a whimper. A bit of history to start though, this rather odd card was made specifically for corporate consumers, specifically those who need high quality multi-monitors. Like high frequency traders, security systems, 2d CAD systems and massive nerds.

However it made its way into my desktop and I never looked back… ok I admit that if you are into all those 3D games I hear the kids are into, it will die coughing dust. But as a quality multi-monitor card is it possibly the ultimate solution. I believe that its the high quality RAMDAC or some such shenanigans that makes it so perfect for its job, but who cares when it just works! As I run Linux it is very much a, plug it in and watch it work sort of solution too. That is always nice, although Linux of late has really got its act together concerning compatibility.

Also as a passive card, it makes no noise. And yes,

Netvibes. For Fun and Profit

John Barbrook — Thu, 20 May 2010 16:49:06 +0000

From a blank slate to a working current awareness service… in one week!

I have been using Netvibes at the moment, to create a journal based current awareness service at the Library where I work, and it is surprisingly easy to create an highly functional resource in a short period of time. I have always been pretty cynical about using web based resources, preferring the more ‘home grown’ solutions.

However colour me impressed..

It even works under IE6. As horrid as that sounds, you would be surprised at the number of people still stuck with an outdated browser that often are shut out from many recent and up-to-date web resources.

So 1.9 thumbs up Netvibes. It loses .1 of a thumb for having a rather weird theming system that is surprisingly counter-intuitive. But it’s small beer, and just bought into sharper focus due to the general slickness of the rest of the site.

Check it out Here

A 3G Woktenna (An antenna made out of a wok!)

John Barbrook — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 20:46:07 +0000

Moving around and ensuring a decent, reliable Internet connection is a constant struggle, and especially at the moment, as due to my job I will often spend no more than a few months in the same location.

So I have to rely on either sharing an Internet connection with other people locally or using a 3G dongle. 3G dongles however are notoriously picky. They need a good connection to get anywhere near to broadband speeds otherwise its back to a slow speed GPRS connection.

So I had an idea…..

After reading a bit about various techniques for building ‘Woktennas’ for wifi reception, here. I found a likely candidate for a ‘Wok’ in a cheap and cheerful stainless steel metal cooking bowl.

The budget was about £5. And It had to be constructible using nothing but a Dremel and some Duct Tape . It also had to be lightweight, and try its very best not to look like a bowl!

Other than that, it’s pretty simple to build given a few hours. The Maplin USB connector I used has a metal plate in the back that can be removed, so in order to mount the USB socket you only have to drill a square hole and two holes for the screws. Reassemble the connector with the dish sandwiched in-between. The tripod mount is somewhat trickier so I will leave that up to the reader, I drilled two holes and used bolts to connect it but it isn’t perfect and could certainly be improved upon.

Note that I left the connector quite high in the dish rather than mounting it flush. This will mean that it hopefully will get better reception from the back of the dish. It seems to work so I am leaving it as it is, but feel free to mess about with varying distances and signal strength.

The Result

I am now getting a constant 3G signal when this weird contraption is pointed towards the transmitter.. I have plugged it into a Edimax 3G router and it supplies a solid wireless Internet connection wherever I am. Of course it needs a 3G transmitter in line of sight, but as I always seem to end up living in ‘marginal or spotty’ 3G areas, it works a treat.

Parts List

Metal cooking bowl – £1 From Poundland

Mini Tripod – £1 From, Yep Poundland

USB Panel Mount Socket – £4.18 from Maplin Electronics

On the important subject of why you should always check the size of eBay purchases

John Barbrook — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 12:07:55 +0000

Ooops. It looked a lot smaller in the picture on the auction.

I was going to use it to create a point to point wireless connection but I may have to use it for its obvious original use. Knocking satellites from orbit and frightening the neighbours.

eBook Reader, The Last Millennium

John Barbrook — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:24:08 +0000

Palm m500

Thank goodness for the endless march of technology, as it makes hugging the trailing edge so much easier for us tech laggards. I have used a wonderful palm as an eBook reader for many years now, however the wear and tear of everyday life has turned it from a solid companion to a slightly troublesome pal. Superglue and a homemade cable helped but I think that the inevitable progress of entropy cannot be ignored, so I suppose I need to upgrade.

And when I say upgrade, I mean upgrade like its 2001 baby! Frankly if it was good enough for Stanley Kubrick, It is good enough for me. Through the unregulated flea pit that is eBay I have bought a “New, Unused perfect condition Palm m500“. When I say new and unused, I suppose it was back in 2001 when it was shelved by Palm for obvious battery problems, thanks eBay seller! Thank goodness I have the correct screwdrivers and a will to tinker!

Reasons why I chose a palm m500.

It was the last palm to have a grayscale screen, and electroluminescent back-light. Much better to read off than a fuzzy TFT screen.

Palm m500 Backlight

The SD Card Reader. It takes up to a 1 GB card with a free upgrade from palm. I used to have 2MB. Wow. I have 1GB SD Cards floating around like dust motes in a Hollywood animated movie. It is also very simple to upload eBooks to the SD Card with a standard card reader, I have almost 200 eBooks on my m500 and I have filled a mere 10 percent of the card.

User replaceable battery. The original batteries had a slew of problems, however after the purchase of a torx screwdriver it is very simple to fix. New Batteries cost about 10 euros with twice the capacity of the original.

It lasts for a week, with medium to heavy use.

Its got USB. Although its only about 4 times as fast as the serial connector (Suspicions of some technical bodgery abound, naughty palm company)

Its not all good though, I dislike the fact it cannot take AA batteries, call me an dreadful Luddite. And the so called ‘Universal Connector’ on the bottom was universal for only a few years.

And the touchscreen isn’t as sensitive. Coupled with with the obvious overhead of running the SD card reader it makes the palm feel a bit slow to respond to input.

But other than that, there is no way you can find a cheaper eBook reader, it was about 40 euros in total cost, and I have filled it with open source translation dictionaries, and far more. Plucker works great with the added speed of the pseudo-usb and the case has a timeless look of style about it.

And here is the list of recommended software, for those of you who like that sort of thing. Like Me.

And if you need to fill your palm with eBooks, excellent Public Domain and Creative Commons licenced offerings can be downloaded from the Gutenberg Project and the fantastic website of author par-geekiness, Cory Doctorow.

Creating an Affordable E-Book Reader

John Barbrook — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 01:06:57 +0000

Palm IIIe

Sometimes you have to do it yourself. What with the Sony Reader being very expensive, proprietary and well, a little too Sony. The Amazon Kindle being mildly expensive, unavailable and blisteringly ugly, and all the others requiring substantial loans. The only real solution is to somehow create a more ‘down to earth’ E-Book reader.

Now don’t panic yet, as if you don’t there won’t be any need for screwdrivers or hammers, but you will need to find about 15 Pounds/25 Euros (Dollars, who knows?) . If you use an online recycling service like Freecycle you can often find the kit for free. or

For the E-Book reader I chose the venerable Palm Series, there is a lot of choice ranging from the hopeless to the amazing however look specifically for the Palm III Range. Any model is suitable, except for the Palm IIIc (It has a near unusable colour screen while the gray-scale palm screens make excellent E-Book readers).

I use a Palm IIIe, that although quite functional, lacks the upgradable memory of the rest of the Palm III range. I can fit about 8-10 E-Books on it.

Palm electroluminescent back-light

The earlier palms, although excellent in their own right lack a feature introduced in the Palm III range, an electroluminescent back-light. The back-light is very easy on the eyes in low light conditions, as it highlights the text rather than lighting up the screen itself. Modern PDA’s have full colour TFT screens, very nice for movies but awful for reading text. Another great feature about these Palms is that, as they are up to 8 years old now and can be picked up online for around 10 pounds or 15 euros, you won’t worry so much about losing it as it actually costs the same as a new hardback book!

Install the Palm software, for Windows or Mac. If you use Linux or some other thrilling operating system there’s plenty of options too. If you are like me and have been a happy Mac user for the past few years you will discover a problem, that there is a serious lack of serial ports on most modern Macs. That problem is easily solved with a USB Dongle from Keyspan. I got mine free from a nice lady who didn’t need it anymore, you might find one too (The nice lady and the dongle). Note the word dongle, I will probably try and sneak it in later as I like it so much.

Once you are now sitting with a Palm and with the software all set up, Read the manual and the instructions on how to transfer files to the Palm, because you will want to download Weasel Reader. You will find that like most Palm software it has been in constant development since the Palm first reared its pocket sized head on the scene, so now it is extremely stable and the best E-Book reader on the Palm by a long shot. Its also free thanks to Open Source and the GPL.

You now have a Palm here sitting, naked, its potential untapped. It may be feeling a mild sense of Ennui. You will need to put a book on it.

You can download books, free in the PalmDoc format that Weasel Reader uses from many excellent Websites (I recommend ManyBooks, They list the compatible files as ‘Doc’ Format). However creating E-Books from raw text files gives you the ability to make compatible E-Books from sites such as the Gutenberg Project as well as any documents on your computer you create. Try to remember that if you do save files from programs such as Word or Mac Write save them as .rtf (Rich Text Format) files or simple .txt files as it makes future conversion a whole lot simpler.

The program I use for conversion is the Mac application PorDiBle which is another piece of Open Source magic, however if you still nod your hat towards that Gates fellow, I believe that txt2palm will work just fine although its not as elegant a solution as PorDiBle. I ‘normally’ would recommend you buy a Mac but that may be somewhat outside your budget. Please do try read the manuals as even though they are very simple programs because they often have a lot of hidden extras (For instance PorDiBle converts a file to the Palm format by merely dragging the document onto the icon. Magic!). Again if you are using Linux or some aged UNIX operating system I suggest you consult your beard for the answers to file conversion.

Now sit back and consider, you have a perfectly functional E-Book reader in front of you, for a fraction of the cost of the more modern solutions. It may not play mp3s and browse the web but I hear that there are many solutions that do that Much Better. It will however function not just as an excellent E-Book reader but I have also heard (although don’t quote me on this) is is a passably decent PDA too. It keeps your contacts and schedule from your chosen scheduling application on your computer up to date and even beeps at you when you should be somewhere. It also has a battery life of up to a week of normal use, although heavy back-light use can cut into that somewhat.

I hope you, the reader find my digital musing useful and I would be very pleased to see the global demand for Palms skyrocket, however not just yet as I want to find a Palm IIIxe cheap. Here is a recommended reading list for those who like that sort of thing.

City at Worlds End by Edmond Hamilton

Overclocked by Cory Doctrow (in fact anything by him)

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs Court by Mark Twain

Full Revelations of a Professional Rat-Catcher by Ike Matthews (Not for the Squeamish but very entertaining)

Good Luck, and Happy Reading. Oh and before I forget, dongle.