Tech Support Meeting Minutes for March 2002

Tech Support Meeting Minutes

Date: March 26, 2002

Present: Donna Morris, Anne Fischer, Jim Welch, Norm Maas, Scott Carter, Jana Hausburg, Vickie Dixon, Teresa Goggins, Judy Walden, Kay Bauman, Karen Marriott, Janet Brooks, Lisa Myers, Sue Hall

1. Automation service calls
• Automation has implemented the new procedure for service calls. It was emailed to all staff on March 22. Techs will have a copy of a work order that was called in to the automation help desk. When the work is completed, a staff member will sign the work order and a copy will be left with the manager. This will provide a record for the library as well as automation that the job was completed. It is necessary to continue calling the help desk with computer problems rather than emailing them.
2. ILS Issues
1. Could a "search" button be added to the "holdings" record on Cybermars (currently there is only a "back" button on the holdings screen) so that users could continue searching from that screen?
• Jim will add that button to Cybermars. He will also look at the magazine search screens to determine if a button could be added there to make searching easier.
2. (From a customer), computer screens are too bright – can a screen dimmer or dimmer control be considered.
• Staff should evaluate the individual monitor and lighting around it. The monitor’s brightness controls can be changed if a customer notifies staff of the problem. An anti-glare screen could be considered which would be kept at the reference/circulation desk if individual libraries feel the need.
3. (From a customer), could the library system implement email notification for reserves to save on postage?
• This is something that is in the long-range plan and will be implemented within 1-2 months. It should be significant savings to our postage budget. We will start with staff first as a pilot program to work out the bugs, then will start signing up customers shortly afterward. Customers will log on to Cybermars to sign up and make changes when necessary. This new system will require the customer to confirm that they received the email within 24 hours (probably by replying to the message they receive). Otherwise, the postcard will be mailed out as usual. Email notification will also be used in place of the first postcard sent for overdue notices. Subsequent overdue notices will continue to be mailed out.
4. Can the floppy drive be enabled on the Internet computers?
• Anne will look into whether the floppy can be enabled without compromising the hard disk’s security. She also mentioned that there could be a financial impact since 1-3 floppy drives on the “Gates” computers are replaced weekly and we are adding another 28 soon.
3. Internet/Intranet
• Teresa noted that the new Intranet page launched in March and she is working on making MLS forms available through it. Scott is converting a number of forms that are used extensively to PDF files and has received some that are interactive. Teresa will make these available as time permits.
• Teresa also noted that the ‘Homework Help’ page is now available through the Kid’s page of the MLS website and she thanked Sally Epp and the Materials Selection department for all the help compiling the sites for the page. Teresa is also working closely with Heidi Daniel and Janet Brooks in developing the teen page for the MLS website. They are working to integrate the databases with the homework help for the teen page and add new links to quality information such as sites like the Library of Congress. The MLS main web page is also being redesigned to make the library’s services and databases more accessible and friendly. It will be divided into Services and Information and the change will take place within a few weeks.