
                               My Little Realm Enterprises

                                   Public Library v/3.0

                                     Shareware Version

          ____________________________________________________________________

                                        Important
          ____________________________________________________________________

          Public Library is protected by copyright.  It is not freeware, and 
          it is not in the public domain.

          This is the Shareware (evaluation) version of My Little Realm's 
          Public Library.  It is a full-featured, fully functional program.
          You are welcome to try it on your computer to ensure that it 
          functions on your system as it should, and that it meets your 
          individual needs.

          If after 30 days you decide to keep using Public Library, you must 
          pay for the program.  To print an order form, press <$> in the 
          Options Window or print the text file REGISTER.TXT.

          Bonus!  Get one MLR stand-alone program free with every order.  
          Read DESCRIBE.TXT for details.  This offer expires 12/31/94.

          My Little Realm Enterprises stands behind all of its products with
          a 30-day money back guarantee.

          Thank you for trying Public Library and Shareware!

          ____________________________________________________________________

                                                                           
                                                                       Page i


                               My Little Realm Enterprises

                               -  Public Library  v/3.0  -

          ____________________________________________________________________

                                        Contents               

               General Information......................................1
                    Introduction........................................1
                    Purpose of Public Library...........................1
                    Hardware/Software Requirements......................1
               Overview.................................................1
                    Interface...........................................1
                    Quickeys............................................2
                    Extended Processing Options.........................2
                    Getting Started.....................................2
               Program Information......................................3
               The Options Windows......................................3
               Processing Options.......................................3
               Modes - Definitions......................................3
               Outstanding Mode.........................................3
                    Option 1, Entering New Books........................3
                         Field Definitions..............................4
                         Echoic Entries.................................5
                         Backing Up Through Fields......................5
                    Option 2, Returning Your Books......................5
                         Confirming Updates.............................6
                    Option 3, Correcting and Viewing Records............7
                    Option 4, Deleting Records..........................7
               Historical Mode..........................................8
                    Option A, Viewing the Historical Records............8
                    Option B, Sorting the Historical Records............8
                    Option C, Printing the Historical Records...........8
                    Option D, Searching the Historical Records..........9
                         Author/Title Searches..........................9
                         Date Searches.................................10
                         Reader Searches...............................11
                    Option E, Deleting the Historical Records..........11
                         Confirming Deletes............................11
               Extended Processing Options.............................12
                    <\> Change Quickeys Categories.....................12
                    <#> Change Color Mode..............................12
                    <?> Display EPO Symbols and Definitions............12
               Special Word From the Author............................12

          ____________________________________________________________________
                                                                            
          Public Library                                               Page 1

          ____________________________________________________________________

                                   General Information
          ____________________________________________________________________

                                      Introduction

          This program is really two programs in one.  It keeps track of your
          outstanding books, magazines, etc., that you borrow from your 
          public library on the one hand, and it also maintains a historical
          record of your borrowings so that you can see what you and your 
          realm members have been reading over the years.

          The Historical Mode contains a powerful Search function that lets
          you find records with specific information in a given field.  For
          example, if you wanted to see what one member of the realm has been
          reading, simply invoke the Search function, select the Reader field 
          to search on, and then enter the reader's Quickey.  Public Library
          will display all of the works that that reader has borrowed over 
          the years.  You can even print the results, if you like.

          Public Library is a great way to keep track of research material,
          too, especially for high school and college students who tend to be
          somewhat less than organized.  It also helps minimize the book and
          video fines that are as much as a dollar in some areas.

          To find out what you have outstanding at any point in time, just
          run Public Library and press 2 in the Options Window.  It's that
          easy.
          ____________________________________________________________________

                         - Hardware and software requirements -

                    IBM or compatible PC with 640K RAM
                    275 Kb of disk space
                    DOS version 3.3 or later

                    Public Library can be run from a hard or a floppy disk.

          ____________________________________________________________________

                                      Overview

          Interface.

          Public Library's screen consists of three types of windows:  a 
          Working Window, a Viewing Window, and an Options Window.  If you 
          are using a color monitor the Viewing Window is always green, the
          Working Window red and the Options Window blue.  Enter the pound
          sign, <#>, in the Options Window to invoke the color mode.

          You select processes (like adding, updating, or deleting records)
          in the Options Window.  In general, you create records in the 
          Working Window, and you view your records in the Viewing Window.

                             ----------------------------                  
          Public Library                                               Page 2
          
          Quickeys.

          There are two types of Quickey lists in Public Library.  The first 
          is for the names of the readers of your realm, or, more precisely, 
          for their initials.  The second group of Quickeys is for your 
          libraries.  To enter your Quickey names, press <\> in the Options 
          Window.

          The Quickeys give you single key access to the names of the readers
          in your realm and to the libraries you frequent.  Enter them once, 
          and you'll never have to enter them again.

                             ----------------------------

          Extended processing options.
          
          Several processing tasks, called extended processing options or 
          EPO's, are not listed in the Options Windows, because they are 
          functions that only occasionally need to be performed.  EPO's are
          used to "extend" a program's power and functionality.  One EPO you
          should be aware of initially is the Change Quickeys function, which
          allows you to create and change your Reader and Library Quickeys.  
          You invoke it by pressing the backslash in the Options Window.

          To find out what EPO commands are employed by Public Library, 
          enter <?> (the question mark) in the Options Window.  See "Extended
          Processing Options", page 11, for a full description of all the
          EPO commands and their definitions.

          --------------------------------------------------------------------

                                   Getting Started

          The very first thing you'll want to do with Public Library is make 
          the program uniquely yours.  To do that, you need to enter the
          initials of the readers in your realm and names of the libraries 
          you frequent by using the Change Quickeys function, which is 
          invoked with the backslash key, <\>, entered in the Options Window.

          Public Library will first ask which Reader Quickey you want to 
          change.  When you've entered all of your readers (you can enter up 
          to six), Public Library will ask for the names of the libraries you
          visit.  You can enter up to four.

          To create records, press <1> in the Options Window.  The fields
          comprising a record will appear in the Working Window one at a time.
          You can advance and retreat through the input fields by pressing the
          up and down arrow keys.

          Recommended reading:  Please take a few moments to peruse this
          document.  While Public Library is not difficult to learn, it
          can do a great deal more than simply remind you which books are
          out, who borrowed them, and when they're due.                   
          Public Library                                               Page 3
          ____________________________________________________________________

                                  Program Information
          ____________________________________________________________________

          The Options Windows.

          Options Window for the Outstanding (Books Due) mode.
                        _______________________________________     
                       |                                       |
                       |  1  Enter new books     4  Delete     | \
                       |  2  Return  books                     |  \
                       |  3  Change/View           Choice:  _  |    \       
                       |_______________________________________|     \

                                                                     <enter>    
          Options Window for the Historical mode.
                        _______________________________________       /
                       |                                       |     /
                       |    A  View             D  Search      |    /
                       |    B  Sort             E  Delete      |   /
                       |    C  Print              Choice:  _   |  /
                       |_______________________________________|


                              ++   Modes - Definitions  ++

          The Public Library works in two modes:  Outstanding and Historical.
          To switch between the two modes press <enter> in the Options Window.
          You'll see the options in the Options Window change as shown above,
          and the title box (in the upper-right portion of your screen) 
          alternately displays "Outstanding Mode" and "Historical Mode", so 
          you'll always know which mode you're in.

          The Outstanding Mode deals with the books that are currently due at
          your libraries.  In other words, if you've just taken a book out of
          one of your local libraries or returned one, use the Outstanding 
          Mode to make or update the necessary records.

          The Historical Mode maintains a list of all of the works you've ever
          borrowed and returned.  You'll find a description of it beginning on
          page 8.

          Note:  Public Library always starts in the Outstanding Mode.
          ____________________________________________________________________

                            ++   The Outstanding Mode   ++

          Option # 1, entering new books.

          Press <1> in the Options Window.  Your cursor will go into the 
          Working Window where you'll enter the title, author, and other
          information about the books you've taken out of your library.  If
          you need to back up through the fields, press the up arrow.  To
          advance through the fields, press the down arrow key or <enter>.
                             
                             ----------------------------                  
          Public Library                                               Page 4

                                  ~ Field Definitions ~

          - Title field (35, required).

          Leading prepositions and articles should be placed at the end of 
          the title so that sorting takes place on the first key word.

                                   Title:  Tontine, The
                                   ____________________

          - Author field (30 total, optional).

          In the Public Library program, an author's name is entered with the
          last name first, as in the following example:

                                  Author:  Costain, Thomas B.

          To skip the author entry, press <enter>. 
                                   ____________________

          - Date field (required).

          This is the due date of the work you've borrowed.  The Date field is
          constructed in the American date format of mm/dd/yy.

          On the first record in a given session, Public Library displays a 
          date two weeks in the future.  Make the necessary changes, if any, 
          and press <enter>.  Public Library then echoes that date in the 
          subsequent records you create, making it very easy to enter a lot 
          of books.  All you do is press <enter> to accept it.

          Public Library accepts dates that are up to one year in the future 
          (remember, these are due dates), and it accepts records with dates 
          from the current and previous months, just in case you don't get the
          books logged promptly.
                                   ____________________

          - Library Quickey field (single character entry, optional).

          Only Quickeys are accepted in this field.  You cannot manually 
          enter a library name.  So if you want to enter a library name for 
          a given record you must do it using the Quickeys.  To skip this 
          field press <enter>.  

          Public Library displays the libraries you listed in your library 
          Quickey file (up to four are allowed) in the box on the lower right
          side of your screen.
                                   ____________________

          - Reader Quickey field (single character entry, optional).

          Enter one of the six Quickeys in this field.   The Reader Quickeys 
          are displayed in the box in the lower right part of your screen.  To
          skip this field, press <enter>.  Only Quickeys are accepted in this
          field. You cannot enter names manually.

                             ----------------------------               
          Public Library                                               Page 5

          Echoic entries:  Date, Library and Reader fields.

          The Date, Library and Reader fields are echoic entries.  That is to
          say, once a record has been entered, each of these fields will echo 
          its previous value to the screen in subsequent records until you
          alter its value or exit the Enter New Books function.  If the 
          echoed value is the entry you want, just press <enter>.  

          For example, if you borrow six magazines from your local library 
          and all of them have the same due date, you only have to enter the
          date for the first magazine.  After that, Public Library will echo
          that date and all you have to do is press <enter> to accept it.
          The same procedure holds for the library and reader entries.

          Should you wish to change an echoed value for the Reader or Library
          entries, merely pretend the echoed name isn't there and enter what 
          you would have had the echo not been displayed.

                             ----------------------------

          Backing up through the fields.

          You can back up through the input fields by pressing the up arrow.
          You can advance through the fields by pressing the down arrow; it
          acts as the enter key in this respect.  The only time you cannot 
          advance through a field without entering something is when you're 
          in a field that requires an entry, such as the Title field.
          ____________________________________________________________________

          Option # 2, returning your books.

          At a glance, the Public Library's Return function can tell you:

                       the titles of the works currently borrowed
                       the authors of each
                       the dates each work is due
                       the borrowers, and
                       the libraries to which each must be returned

          Public Library automatically displays your outstanding books in the 
          Viewing Window and asks for the record number of the book you have 
          returned.  (The record numbers are displayed on the left side of 
          the Viewing Window.)  

          Enter the record number of each of the works you have returned, and
          Public Library will highlight them.  After you've highlighted all 
          of those returned, press <enter> or <esc> without entering a record
          number.  (If you inadvertently highlight the wrong record, reenter 
          that record number to turn off the highlight.)

          After you press <enter> or <esc>, Public Library will check to see 
          if you have highlighted any of the records in the Books Due file. 
          If you haven't, Public Library automatically returns to the Options
          Window.                                                        
          Public Library                                               Page 6
          
          Confirming Updates.
          If you've highlighted any of the works, Public Library will display
          the following confirmation prompt:

                      ____________________________________________
                     |                                            |
                     |   Press:  1   To confirm your updates.     |
                     |           2   To ignore your updates.      |
                     |           3   To recheck your updates.     |
                     |____________________________________________|


          More elaborately, the three options allow you to:  Press <1> to tell
          Public Library to go ahead and update the Books Due file; press <2>
          to leave the Return function without updating the Books Due file; 
          or press <3> to go back to the beginning of the Return function and
          make some last minute changes (like highlighting another record or
          turning off a highlighted record).

          Note:  Public Library does not remove the records marked returned
          from the Outstanding file and append them to the Historical file
          until you exit the Public Library program.  This means that if you 
          mark several works returned and then decide to view the Historical 
          file, you won't find your recently returned records at the end of 
          that file.  All of the file changes are made when you exit the 
          program.  Hence, the returned works can still be viewed by invoking
          the Return or the Change functions.  On the next occasion you use 
          Public Library, you'll find those returned books in the Historical 
          file.

          If you mark a book returned, you can change it back to outstanding 
          by using the Change function before exiting the Public Library 
          program.  Public Library will display a sub-menu of the fields you 
          can change.  Select 6 (Returned).
                                   ___________________

          You can use the Update function to view your Books Due file 
          (also called the Outstanding file).  If you have more than one 
          screenful of books, you can use the up and down directional keys to 
          view the others.  When you've finished, press <esc>.  

          Note:  If you are merely viewing your records, remember that you 
          should not highlight them in this function.  If you do, they will 
          be considered "returned", and Public Library will display the 
          confirmation prompt shown above.  If you should happen to forget,
          simply press <esc> when the confirmation prompt is displayed and
          Public Library will ignore your highlighted records and return to
          the Options Window.

          Important:  You should ensure that all entries are correct while 
          the records are in the Books Due file.  Once a record is marked 
          returned, it is moved to the Historical file and cannot be 
          modified.
          ____________________________________________________________________
                                                                         
          Public Library                                               Page 7

          Option # 3, correcting and viewing records.

          Public Library will want to know the record number of the record you
          wish to change.  The record numbers appear on the left side of the 
          Viewing Window.  To return to the Options Window, press <enter> 
          (without entering a record number) or press <esc>.

          After you enter a record number, Public Library displays a sub-menu
          in the Working Window of the fields that you can change:

                         ____________________________________     
                        |                                    |
                        |   1  Title           2  Author     |
                        |   3  Due Date        4  Library    |
                        |   5  Reader          6  Returned   |
                        |____________________________________|

          Select the appropriate field's hotkey, and Public Library asks for 
          the new field value.  If you enter the wrong hotkey press <esc> and
          Public Library will restore the original value.

          It also highlights the record in the Viewing Window so you'll know 
          which record's data you're changing.  Be sure you have the correct 
          one.  To turn off the highlight (i.e., when you've finished making 
          changes to the highlighted record), press <esc>.

          If the menu number you chose was 6 (return status), you can undo 
          the change by simply entering 6 again.  Since the return status is 
          either yes or no, all you do to change the status is to select menu
          number 6.  To change it back, you simply press <6> again.

          This function is also handy if you simply want to peruse your Books
          Due file.  If you have more than a screenful, you can use the 
          scrolling keys to view those records not on screen.

          Important:  You should ensure that all entries are correct while the
          records are in the Books Due file.  Once a record is marked 
          returned, it is moved to the Historical file and cannot be modified.
          ____________________________________________________________________

          Option # 4, deleting your records.

          Public Library will ask for the record number of the entry you want 
          to delete.  It will then highlight that record and ask you if you 
          are sure you want that record deleted.  Verify the contents of the 
          record before you respond.  Press <Y> to delete the record.

          After you respond yes or no, Public Library will ask for the record
          number of the next record you want to delete.  Give it the next 
          record number if you want to delete another record or press <esc> 
          (or <enter> without entering a record number) to leave the Delete 
          function and return to the Options Window.

          If you delete the last record in your books due file, you will 
          automatically be returned to the Options Window.
          ____________________________________________________________________
                                                                         
          Public Library                                               Page 8

                             ++   The Historical Mode   ++

          When you press <enter> in the Options Window, Public Library
          switches between the Outstanding mode and the Historical mode.  If
          Public Library is in the Outstanding Mode, simply press <enter> to 
          access your Historical file.  Public Library displays "Historical 
          Mode" in the title box on the upper right of your screen.

          The Historical mode of Public Library allows you a unique 
          perspective on your realm members' reading habits over the years.
          There might also be times when you want to go back and re-read an 
          unusual work you had read years before but can't quite recall the 
          name of the work or the author.

          The historical log also allows you to keep detailed records of your 
          research.  And if friends ask what the children of your realm were 
          reading when they were such and such an age, you'll be able to look 
          up the answer quickly and easily using Public Library's Search
          function.

          Note:  The records of the works declared returned in the 
          Outstanding Mode are added to the Historical file when you exit 
          the Public Library program.  Public Library puts those returned 
          records at the end of the Historical file, maintaining a nearly 
          chronological account of your borrowings.  This structure of the 
          Historical file is not altered by Public Library's Sort function.
          ____________________________________________________________________

          Option <A>, viewing the historical records.

          Use the directional keys, to browse.  You can have Public Library 
          highlight specific records by entering the record numbers of those 
          you want to focus on.  To turn off a record's highlight, reenter 
          that record's record number.

          To return to the Options Window, press <enter> (without entering a
          record number) or press <esc>.
          ____________________________________________________________________

          Option <B>, sorting the historical records.

          You may sort by title, author or reader.  If you wish to print your
          records in a sorted order, run the sort first and then run the Print
          function (option <C>).
          ____________________________________________________________________

          Option <C>, printing the historical records.

          Public Library prints the title, author, date (due), library, and 
          the reader.  If you want your listing in a sorted order, run the 
          sort first, then invoke the Print function.
          ____________________________________________________________________
                                                                         
          Public Library                                               Page 9

          Option <D>, searching the historical records.

          You can tell the Search function to examine any of four fields:

                           _________________________________   
                          |                                 |
                          |    A  Title        C  Reader    |
                          |    B  Author       D  Date      |
                          |                                 |
                          |    Enter field to search:  __   |
                          |_________________________________|

          
          Select the appropriate field and give the Search function the string
          (called a keyword) that you're looking for, and it will search the 
          specified field in every record for any occurrence of the keyword.

                             ----------------------------

          Author/Title Searches.
          If you want the Search function to display all of the books with 
          the word "computer" in the title, select the Title field from the
          above sub-menu and enter the keyword "computer" (without the 
          quotes).  In short order, the Search function would display all of 
          the volumes it found with the word "computer" in the title.

          If there is more than a screenful of records, the Search function 
          will tell you to use the scrolling keys to peruse the listing.  You
          can also print the Search function listing by pressing <P>.

          You must be as precise as possible if you are looking for a 
          specific record.  That is to say, if you are looking for a 
          particular author, you must give the Search function the entire 
          name of said author or it might retrieve a number of records whose 
          authors have the same keyword in their names.
          
          As an example, if you were searching for all of the volumes written
          by "Smith, Alice", you could enter "Smith" for a keyword, but you 
          would also get all of the records with any other Smiths you had in 
          the Author field.  You would have to enter "Smith, Alice" to have 
          the Search function display only those works by that author.

          When you can't recall the spelling of an author's name or the title 
          of a book, enter just enough of the keyword to have the Search 
          function weed out the bulk of the unwanted records.
          
          For instance, if you're trying to find the title of a book but all 
          you can remember of its name is that it contains the syllable 
          "Long", just enter that portion.  The Search function will display 
          the records it finds with the same syllable, like "Longman" or 
          "Longfellow" or "Longacre", but the number of records will have 
          been reduced considerably, and you'll be able to find the record 
          you're looking for much more quickly and easily.            
          Public Library                                              Page 10

          Typically, the Search function strips off the external blanks that 
          you happen to enter around a keyword.  "   ABC   ", for example, is
          reduced to "ABC".  You can force the Search function to search for 
          precisely what you enter by delimiting your keyword with
          backslashes.  To make the Search function look for a keyword like 
          "   ABC   " (with its concomitant external spaces), you can enter:

                                     \   ABC   \

          Let's assume you have the following titles in your file:

                              Longbows of the 18th Century
                              Long John Silver
                              Longacre's Mysteries

          If you simply entered "Long" at the keyword prompt, the Search
          function would show you all three of those records, even if you 
          entered the keyword as "Long ".  To winnow it down, you can force 
          the Search function to search for "Long " (with a trailing space) 
          by entering \Long \ and get only the second title, "Long John 
          Silver".

          When using the backslash as a delimiter, however, you must ensure
          that you begin and end your keyword with backslashes.  If, instead, 
          you entered:

                                   \ long\acre

          the Search function would assume that it was supposed to look for
          the backslashes since one is embedded, and it will search for
          exactly what you entered ... including the backslashes.

          Note:  Public Library's Search function is not case sensitive, so 
          "ABC" is the same as "aBc", and so on.

                             ----------------------------

          Date Searches.
          When a search is performed on the date field in Public Library, you
          must enter the search date in the format mm/dd/yy.

          You can use the question mark as a wild card.  A single wild card 
          in either position of the month, day or year segment makes the whole
          segment wild.  That is to say, if you entered 1?/?2/93, both the 
          month and the day segments would be considered wild, and Public 
          Library would only look for records that had been created in 93.

          If you entered 10/1?/91, Public Library would retrieve those 
          records that had been created in October of 1991.            
          Public Library                                              Page 11

          Reader Searches.
          You must use the Quickeys to enter a search string for this 
          selection.
          ____________________________________________________________________

          Option <E>, deleting the historical records.

          This Delete function is a little different from the one in the 
          Outstanding Mode.  In the Outstanding Mode, you delete one record 
          at a time.  In the Historical mode, you select all of the records 
          you want to delete first, and then have Public Library delete them 
          all at one time.  Confirmation is required before the deletions are
          performed.

          Use the directional keys to find the records you want to delete, 
          and enter their record numbers.  Public Library will highlight your
          selections.  After you've highlighted all of the records you want 
          to delete, press <esc> or <enter> (without entering a record 
          number).
          
          If you highlight a record and then change your mind, enter that 
          record number again, and Public Library will turn off the 
          highlight.  Only highlighted records are deleted.  When you're
          finished highlighting the records you want deleted, press <esc> or
          press <enter> without entering a record number.

          Confirming Deletes.
          If you have any records highlighted, Public Library will tell you 
          how many records you've marked for deletion and display the 
          following sub-menu.

                      ____________________________________________
                     |                                            |
                     |   Press:  1   To confirm your deletes.     |
                     |           2   To ignore your deletes.      |
                     |           3   To recheck your deletes.     |
                     |____________________________________________|
          
          
          If you've changed your mind at this point, you can press <3> to 
          reconsider the deletions you're making and add others or turn the 
          highlight off any that you've decided to keep.  If you simply want
          to abandon the Delete function, press <2> or <esc>.  To carry out 
          the deletes, press <1>.

          Special note:  If you have sorted your records before running the
          Delete function, Public Library will tell you that it will restore 
          the Historical array to its original structure before it continues 
          with the Delete function.  If you have more work to do using the 
          sorted structure, you might want to finish that work first before 
          you delete any records.                                 
          Public Library                                              Page 12
          
          Extended Processing Options.

               EPO  Definition
                         
               <\>  Change the Quickeys.  Both the Reader and the Library 
                    Quickeys are changed by issuing this command.

                    After entering the Reader Quickeys, press <esc> to advance
                    to the Library Quickeys.  When you've entered those, press                    
                    <esc> to return to the Options Window.

                    Reader Quickeys can be three characters long.  Initials
                    are usually used.  Library Quickeys can be up to ten 
                    letters long.

                                    - - - - - - - - -

               <#>  Change the color mode.  If you try color and the screen
                    display becomes garbled, simply press <#> again.

                                    - - - - - - - - -

               <?>  Display the extended processing option symbols and their 
                    commands.
          ____________________________________________________________________

                            Special Word From the Author

          On reading . . .
          Americans deny themselves a valuable resource when they ignore 
          their public libraries.  A chance to read is a chance to explore 
          ... the world around us, the world inside us.  It enhances lives 
          by enlarging the worlds we perceive physically, spiritually, 
          metaphysically, and metaphorically.

          Like looking through different lenses on a sophisticated camera,
          reading allows us to view our world with whole new perspectives.
          The works we read don't have to be revolutionary to make us think.
          Nor do they have to be written by Nobel Prize winning authors to 
          have impact.  And they certainly don't have to appear on the best 
          selling lists to entertain.  But they do have to be read to be 
          enjoyed.

          Do yourself a favor.  Keep a library book around your realm, even 
          if you're not sure you'll have time to finish it.  There's no rule 
          that says you have to read it cover to cover.  And if, at a later 
          date, you decide you really do want to finish that book on Roman-
          Greco art but you can't recall the name of the author or the title,
          don't worry about it ... My Little Realm's Public Library will 
          remember for you.
          ____________________________________________________________________

                                      +  The End  +
          ____________________________________________________________________

          (c) Copyright 1991 - 1994 John L. Salisbury                   
