Our range of products and services


Altarama's product range falls into two major areas:

 products for reference librarians

 consulting and support services for libraries

We are keenly aware of the pressures on libraries to improve efficiency and so our products and services are designed to assist in achieving this objective, whilst making life easier for everyone. 

Products for Reference Librarians

Access to the Internet continues to change the services provided by libraries - this has had a particular impact on the reference service of libraries, yet library management systems have failed to address these changing needs.

Altarama aims to fill this void by providing software applications specifically designed to enhance the productivity of reference librarians.

 RefTracker was our first and primary such application, providing a request management function that manages the response process, maintains a knowledge database of re-useable answers, provides tools to answer questions more efficiently, and develops statistics that justify the allocation of reference resources.  It provides a tool for managing the traditional phone and desk reference services, and adds a web accessible email based reference delivery service.

  Services that use RefTracker:
- RefTracker DeskStats Online - A hosted RefTracker system but with DeskStats electronic tick sheet, and statistical analysis only.
- RefTracker DeskStats Managed Service - A service that provides access to the DeskStats electronic tick sheet for your service points, and statisitcs delivered promptly each month without system administration overhead, or IT assistance.
- RefTracker Online Web Forms Service - A RefTracker Request form designed to meet your specific data collection need (survey or registrations for example), and colected data delivered monthly or at the end of the data collection period.

 Reference by SMS provides a mobile/cell phone number that library patrons can send mobile/cell phone SMS (Short Message Service) text messages to the library. With the youth of today finding a new level of connectedness through their mobile/cell phones, this service provides an important new method of connecting with that audience. Importantly this service delivers SMS messages to the library as emails ensuring that the new service can be introduced without having to develop any new operating procedures.

 Virtual Reference Altarama recognises that many products make up the tools now required by reference librarians and brings a whole suite of products together in an integrated way, making them easier and more effective to use.  We listen to the needs of our customers, and have built a range of integrated virtual reference products.  Our strategy for further products to assist reference librarians is to build or find products that bring disparate sources of information together with flexibility in ways the client can be contacted.

 ScheduleSource provides a tool for creating staff rosters in a fraction of the time it takes to create rosters manually.

All of our products are designed to operate independent of any library management system that is already in use your library.

Consulting and Support Services for Libraries

Because we develop applications for libraries we can provide prompt and knowledgeable support for them.  Phone, fax, email and Internet based support is provided for all of our products by experienced staff who are enjoy supporting our customers. 

Training in our products, is also available as standard or customised courses.

Because of our knowledge of the operation of libraries, Altarama can also:

 web page development;
 specify and develop custom applications to met specific needs;
 develop reports based on any SQL compliant data your library holds;
 a MARC conversion service.

Consulting services that we can provide for libraries in general include:
 workflow analysis;
 library grant application preparation;
 library project management within time and budget. 

All of these services are designed to provide you with specialist expertise to supplement and extend your existing library staff. 

All contents copyright © 2001, Altarama Information Systems Pty Ltd. All rights reserved. Revised: October, 2006