March 20, 2003 Meeting Notes

Attendees: Gilliam Leonard (GUIL), Jean Marie Cole (GUIL), Lorraine Smi (VOOR), Gordon Noble  (BETH), Geoff Kirkpatrick (BETH), Dawn Geurds (EGRN), Joe Nash (COLN), Barbara Kubli (STEP), Ethel LaPier (APLM), Amy Roger Andrews (APLM), Amy Maurer (APLM), Sue Dague (EGRN), Mena Will (POES), Barbara Kendall (BRUN), Debbie LaRose (COLN), Rob Carle (UHLS), Rawdon Cheng (UHLS), Karen Nuckolls (UHLS), Jo-Ann Benedetti--chair (UHLS), Noralee Itchoak--notes (UHLS).

Overdue and hold notices:  (Rawdon)

Eric from Merrimac Valley Consortium has written a program for overdues and holds that will print first and second notices and then a bill.  These are in three separate files.

Overdues from other libraries:  These notices are currently being generated by the lending library.  Some libraries just send them out as is.  In the future, notices will come from the owning library once a week.

Hold notices:  These notices show the owning library.  The second screen (details) tells you where it’s being  held.  Dynix has reported that it does not support email for hold notices, so “standard” has to be used.  Hold notices will be processed daily, but will be sent once a week.  Discussion followed about what information to have on the first screen.  Karen suggested these ideas be written down and submitted to the support team.

Default Price:  The question was raised as to how this price is determined.  If a price has not already been established, then the default price should be used for replacement purposes.

Claims Returned:  These items automatically go to “missing “after 90 days.  Once the item is found, the system won’t take off the block.  This is probably a holdover from DRA and will be given to Dynix to fix.  When this occurs, email the patron bar codes to Rob and he will forward them to Dynix.

Request Pick-up:  Rachel reviewed the definition for each of the buttons on the Pull List:

1.      List Pulled—gives you until midnight to check in materials requested.

2.      Keep List—keeps the request in the generic list of requests to go to other libraries.

3.      Keep Item—keeps that particular item in the generic list of requests to go to other libraries.

4.      Delete Request—deletes patron’s request.  DO NOT CHOOSE DELETE REQUEST.

5.      Renew Request—if you click on “no”, it deletes the request.  DO NOT CHOOSE NO.

Circulation of Magazines:  There is no uniform method for circulating magazines.  Some of the options reported were:

1. Magazines have a generic bib record; the date is the call number.  (BETH)
2. Each magazine has a barcode; magazines don’t circulate.  (GUIL)
3. Each magazine has a barcode and is added as a separate item. (BRUN)
4. There is a bib record with 32 barcodes—these are used for magazines.  (VOOR)
5. Keep a written record. (POES)
6. Each magazine has its own bib record. (APL Branches)

Redo Routing Slips:  It was agreed that a new design was needed to address terms in the new system.  Rachel will redesign a new routing slip and will bring it to the next meeting.  It was suggested that the new slip be smaller and not include “Send Item List”.  The “dropped book” slip will be used only for out of system books.

Review/Revise ILL Code:  Look at it on the Intranet and we will discuss it at the next meeting.

Comments:

Complaints about the new system in 5 words or less (or more).

1. The fact that patrons can renew an item on the iPac.  (VOOR)
2. Takes so long to do things.  (STEP)
3. When checking out, you can’t see borrower classification on the first screen.  (APLN)
4. When doing a browse search on the iPac, the system doesn’t allow a search on only one library.  (EGRN)  (Gordon suggested doing a search, then choosing the library).
5. When searching an item on the staffpack, it would be nice if your library’s holding were in bold, as in DRA.  (APLM)
6. When searching on the staff-pack, you can’t tell if the item is a book, cassette, or video.  (APLN and POES)
7. When the system “hangs up” on a check in, you can’t check out.  (BRUN)
8. Insufficient information on patron screen.  (GUIL and COLN)
9. When looking at a record for a damaged item, it gives patron name only, so then you have to look up phone number and/or address.  (EGRN)
10. Bizarre and random lag time.  But he (Geoff) LOVES the many features of the item group editor  (BETH)
11. When searching, you can’t print history or other screens.  (GUIL)
12. No up arrow. (Rachel)

Next Meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 8, 2003 at 9:00 AM at UHLS.