Library Systems Update 29th June 2009

1. Hardware – the 4 servers in the Systems Office have all been moved to IT services now and are working successfully there, including the extra telephone lines for the automated renewals service. We have some data on them that we want to transfer to a more modern database, probably MySql and this will be investigated this summer.

Ground floor refurbishment – self service machines, OPACs etc all moved to various other floors. SB Telepen moved the 3M security system to the new entrance last week but the set up of the book security will not be finished until tomorrow (Tuesday). This work was officially requested at very short notice, only a few days before it had to be done. The old turnstiles are not being used in the temporary entrance.  All current staff loans have been extended until June 2010 automatically, to reduce pressure on the temporary issue desk

Two new Self Service machines have arrived and are in storage till after Blue Ground finished

Reading lists – some improvements to the existing reading list system eg OPAC entries for items on a list now correctly display the link to that list. Further instructions going out to staff about this.

SMS text messaging – trial will be underway soon.

2. Talis. Alto version 5 due late summer but no installation date yet. Will move to release 15 of Sybase, so major changes to the underlying database structure.

Prism 3 is now running and we have sent in a number of comments based on testing by cataloguing staff, mainly relating to foreign language  scripts and to marc tag display. Kevin and Chris  from IT have produced a suggested screen layout for Manchester.

Finance integration with Oracle – proceeding on schedule. Weekly telephone conferences between Library, Accounts and Talis staff. Test database set up on our server  now.

Decisions –  workshop tomorrow.

3. Room bookings system Hardware being put in to the room doors last week and this. Some networking to be installed next week. Software will be installed  around 13^th July.

4. SOYP I am on the IT services Start of Year Project group. I am particularly concerned with getting student data into Talis before the students arrive but can also report on any other issues.

Electronic Resources Delivery update 26.06.09

1. The UK Access Management Federation
Information regarding access to electronic resources continues to be amended to reflect the implementation of authentication through membership of the UK Access Management Federation rather than via Athens accounts. Various sections of the Electronic Resources web pages have been amended as well as access information provided through EBSCO Electronic Journals A to Z and FindIt. Staff and students have been e-mailed to remind them about the change and news items have been posted in Library News, Electronic Resources News and on InfoShare. Links to services continue to be changed as suppliers join the Federation and implement Shibboleth authentication. Other services hope to be able to provide access in the near future. Access to some services, which it seems are unlikely to have adopted the new system in time, is now enabled through EZproxy.    

 2. Enquiries
Electronic resources enquiries dealt with since the last report (13th May to 24^th June): 364

 3. Changes to resources

     Ovid / SilverPlatter
We have had access to a number of services through the SilverPlatter interface which is scheduled to be withdrawn.
–  ATLA Religion Index and ATLAS and Humanities Index – now accessed through the OvidSP interface.
–  RPS e_PIC Database – will become unavailable.
–  Social Science Index Database – future access uncertain.

     Journal Citation Reports
JCR data for 2008 is now available.

     KnowUK
The subscription is not being renewed.

 4. Stand-alone databases
Following the problems with the thin client server some databases have been made available as stand-alone services on the walk-in machines.

Report for Library Database 26/06/2009

Not that the rest of the year has been quiet but the end of the teaching year brings a new peak in demands. Several of the Libraries use this time to take stock of their holdings, so I have spent a fair amount of time devoted to the production of shelflists for them.

However the highest demand on time has been the work involved with the re-classification of the Precinct Library, most of which has been done now, and the major re-classification at the Eddie Davis Library where they are moving from the London Classification of Business Studies classification to the Dewey classification.

I took the opportunity to re-write the scripts that were previously used to change Talis, produce labels etc, and have reduced the number of Fortran programs by two. Only about another 40 to go!

The coming month sees more stock moves as Des will be weeding Blue 3 and moving the stock to Store and no doubt planning for financial year roll-over will begin.

Digitisation update

I gave a presentation about our various digitisation activities to the ITLT on June 12th which scored a first for me: having spoken for more than my allotted time I attempted to wrap up the session quickly and was urged to carry on  – “it’s interesting” they said.  I have a follow up engagement, speaking to IS Forum on July 21st.

Jan Whalen has been appointed as Digitisation Assistant  and as an introduction came with me to Sheffield Hallam University to see their Luna installation where they have implemented the new web-based browser.  Not suitable for all our collections but I’m working to get it running with some of them.

IMP Conference proceedings are being scanned by Hollingworth and Moss.  Chris Grave from EDL and Scott have been working to find the best way of preparing metadata for ingest into eScholar.

First of our pamphlets (Foreign and Commonwealth Collection) are now available via JSTOR.   To see some, go to www.jstor.org and choose advanced search.  Check the pamphlets box and do a search for “Basutoland”. 

I’m working with Martin Snelling to develop our core texts (CLA) scanning service.  First objective is to use the PackTracker software package to ease the administrative burden to help keep the existing pilot service running and legal while we plan a more permanent replacement.