Tech Support Meeting Minutes for March 2004

Tech Support Meeting Minutes

Date: March 2, 2004

Present: Jim Welch, Crystal Giles, Judy Walden, Linda Jameson, Donna Morris, Scott Carter, Ernestine Clark, Janet Brooks, Randy Wayland, Karen Marriott, Kay Bauman, Teresa Goggins, Anne Fischer, Traci Jinkens

Update on Action Items:

1. Kay will finalize the instructions to use the databases.
   Kay received no feedback from Tech Support members, therefore instructions will be placed on the Web.
2. Teresa will e-mail new database listing to all Tech Support members when Kay completes her action item.
   Completed.
3. Scott will consider more inviting wording than “MLS Databases” and provide those to Kay.
   Scott presented several ideas to Tech Support and will compile a listing of the top 20 ideas and present those at the next Tech Support meeting. Jim requested that Scott investigate his “top 20” due to copyright issues.
4. Automation will add a printing tip on CyberMARS alerting customers to set up their browsers so that the headings are visible when printed.
   This has been done.
5. Judy will bring the suggestion of new location codes, YA Sequoyah and YA Award, to next Library Manager’s meeting.
   Judy will review.
6. Automation will alphabetize the department listing on the temp loan screen.
   This has been done.
7. Kay, Janet and Karen will work on revamping the advanced search instructions on CyberMARS.
   Kay presented the group with some possible changes to the Search screen. Kay and Jim will work some more on this assignment and present more information at the next meeting.
8. New Items:
1. Preview of revised Intranet – Teresa Goggins
   Teresa presented the revised Intranet and will be e-mailing all Tech Support members the link to the new Intranet. Teresa must receive all feedback within her given time frame, as indicated in her e-mail.
2. E-mail notifications of forthcoming events – Jim Welch and Judy Walden
   This idea has merit, however we will not be merging it with e-notify. E-notify is an automated system, therefore we cannot manually send out e-mails. E-mailing notifications of forthcoming events will need to be further defined as a new service. This issue will be presented to the Public Services Council.
3. Demo of mlsSerials prototype – Jim Welch
   Janet, Susan Ryan, Kim Rickey, and Greg Bennett have been working together with Jim on this prototype. Kay will discuss future training needs with Helen Chacon.
4. Standing Topics:
   Internet
• Featured Databases
• Research Guides (a.k.a. Pathfinders)
5. ILS Issues
   Tech Concerns
• Something should work a certain way or differently
• Information is not needed ASAP
• Something to be fixed without bringing the issue before the whole Tech Support committee
6. Tech Suggestions
• Suggestion or idea for improvement
• Something to be done in the future
1. A suggestion was sent in asking if there was a way to display the original checkout date of materials in Vcirc or if an item could be renewed or how many times were left.
   There is currently not enough space on the V-Circ screen to do this. The information already on the V-Circ screen is truncated. If we were to do something like this, it would have to take place on CyberMARS. Because the original date is already displayed when the item cannot be renewed, we will not be doing this.
2. A request was made to have “Oklahoman” and “Daily Oklahoman” cross-reference each other so that the customer or employee will be able to continue on to the appropriate entries.
   In the new mlsSerials, this issue will be taken care. Entries will be hyperlinked to CyberMARS by Materials Selection in the near future.
3. A suggestion was sent in requesting the libraries obtain “cordless scanners” in order to help employees keep quick and accurate statistics concerning collections.
   Wireless scanners need to have their own PC. This technology is costly and has security issues. We will continue to look at new technology, however we will not be pursuing this.
4. A request was made to have Internet access at libraries be restricted to ½ hour per user per day so that customers needing access to the Internet may do so.
   Currently, the walk-up computers are ½ hour. Tech Support suggests that customers reserve Internet access further in advance.
5. A request was made to have the printer icon removed from the children’s PCs.
   Automation cannot remove the printer icon from software. They can only remove it off of Internet Explorer. This is not practical, therefore Automation will not be doing this.
6. A suggestion was made on notifying customers, via e-notify, regarding circulation concerns, i.e. materials that have tracers, interlibrary loans, etc.
   E-notify is an automated system, therefore we cannot manually send out e-mails. This service will not be done at a system level. Circulation Control frequently e-mails customers already. As for interlibrary loans, libraries could e-mail the customer using Calypso, if desired. The customer would need to give his/her e-mail address and could make that notation on his/her ILL form. Library managers will need to decide what will work best for their customers and staff.
7. A request was made to have a comments line on the Replacement Request screen that would show up in the Comments section of the Replacement Screen.
   Automation has already done this and Janet has already notified employees of this addition.
8. A concern was sent in asking if employees could just enter a partial social security number for those customers concerned about giving it out.
   The social security number has always been optional. Employees can either enter the social security number or leave it blank. Partial numbers must not be used. It was decided to take off the social security number field from V-Circ as well as the library card application forms. Scott will notify staff and customers of the change and will notify Jim of the implementation date. Marketing will incorporate this change in future library card application forms.
9. A request was sent in asking if the online forms could be made available as Word documents so that staff can save the files as they fill them out.
   Currently on the Intranet, the mileage reimbursement form and the request for purchase form are available as Excel files. Planning will make further changes as needed.
10. A suggestion was made for Automation to add a location code stating “Display.” Furthermore, having more than one display location.
    Judy will discuss this issue at the next Library Manager’s meeting. Jim will look into possibly creating a new “Display” status that would default back to the original location code upon check in. Employees would then need to be sure and check in all items from a display so that each item defaults back to its original location code.
11. A suggestion was sent in requesting that the “Address” bar be removed from the Internet browser window on the computers used only for CyberMARS and databases. The address bar pops up when many of the databases are selected. Some customers are logging on to databases in order to access the Internet without logging on. Automation will do this, however it will not stop the customer from going to other places. In order for the address bar to open up, a staff member or the customer will need to hit CTRL + O on the computer.
7. Action Items:
• Scott will compile a “top 20” listing of more inviting wording than “MLS Databases. He will also investigate each name due to copyright issues.
• Judy will review new location codes, YA Sequoyah and YA Award.
• Kay and Jim will work more on revamping the advanced search instructions on CyberMARS.
• Teresa will e-mail all Tech Support members the link to the new Intranet. Tech Support members will provide feedback by Teresa’s deadline.
• Judy will present “E-mail notifications of forthcoming events” to Public Services Council
• Kay will discuss mlsSerials training with Helen.
• Scott will notify staff and customers of social security number changes and will notify Jim of the implementation date.
• Marketing will incorporate the deletion of social security numbers from future library card application forms.
• Judy will discuss adding a “Display” location code at next Library Manager’s meeting.
• Jim will look into possibly creating a new “Display” status that would default back to the original location code upon check in.
• Automation will disable the address bar from the computers used only for CyberMARS and databases.