GENEALOGY DATABASE FOR BUTLER AREA PUBLIC LIBRARY

This project involved the conversion of an MS Access 97 database of obituary article information into MS Office 2000 as an interim solution and develop a more robust solution using a SQL database that can be accessed via the Web. Butler Library patrons and the world will have access to this resource, provide SRU students with valuable experience using SQL, and create a partnership between SRU and the Butler Area Public Library.

During the Spring semester of 2003 the PIs (Dr. Deborah Whitfield and Dr. Sharadchandra Joshi) hired two Computer Science students (Andrew Beers and Stephan Browarny) with no background in database systems and only an introductory level of programming.  The work began with numerous meetings with Mr. Lou Heitlinger, a retired engineer and volunteer for the Genealogy Department of the Butler Area Public Library. The students converted the MS Access ’97 database and the corresponding security database to Access 2000. The Butler Area Public Library decide to forgo the immediate porting of the database to the BAPL server using Access 2000 and instead wait for the SQL version. 

The new database was designed and created in SQL.  This database was successfully ported to the BAPL server in October.  A basic search web page provides Internet access to the database; local web pages exist to securely add data to the SQL database.

SQL queries were integrated with VBScript to provide the Internet user with read access to the obituary records.  Internet users supply the last name, first name, maiden name, and/or obituary date to the web interface, which returns information to locate the original newspaper article.  The returned information can be refined to find the specific record for which the user is searching.  When the user determines which hits they wish to view, they select up to five records from which a printer friendly report is generated.

Volunteers have access to a form to enter data into a secure temporary database.  Once the volunteer has completed all the records in the packet to the best of their ability, the packet is electronically submitted to the proofreader.  The proofreader makes the necessary corrections to each record and forwards the completed packet to the administrator for final release to the master database.

The administrator has a local website, accessible only from the library for security purposes.  Administration functions include:  updating/creating/modifying volunteer information, viewing volunteer progress, releasing packets to the master database, editing records, assigning a packet to a volunteer and updating list tables.

The project is being tested by volunteers from BAPL and will be released for general use when this phase is completed.  At that time, the completed database will be linked to SRU’s library website.

In addition to a working program, this project has been beneficial in other ways. The Computer Science Department’s Advisory Board has gained a new member, Lou Heitlinger.  The students have submitted their results to 2 regional conferences. Most importantly the students involved in this project learned the requisite skills outside of the classroom (DB organization, Vbscript, and SQL management).  In addition, the real-world nature of this project helped them to gain experience, andgrow intellectually and professionally.

This project did meet the rather ambitious goals that were set and the PIs look forward to continuing their relationship with the volunteers and administration at the Butler Area Public Library.

The budget requested for this project was $2,767, however fund tl23 was created with $1,840. Books were purchased for use on this project for a total of $270. Student wages for this project totaled $1,944.13.  The Computer Science Department picked up the additional $104.13 for student wages.