Tech Support Meeting Minutes for October 2003

Techh Support Meeting Minutes

Date: October 28, 2003

Present: Linda Jameson, Sue Hall, Kay Bauman, Janet Brooks, Traci Jinkens, Scott Carter, Donna Morris, Debra Spindle, Crystal Giles, Jim Welch, Teresa Goggins

Current Topics:

1. Updates on the following items:
1. Archives of event calendar
• Anne and Jim will meet with Judy to learn more about this need and determine if using the new Room Manager or other software will address the need.
1. The export function in mlsEvents met the need. The export function permits specifying a historical date range.
2. Alphabetical listing of databases
• Janet will ask Susan Ryan to review the subject listings of databases including new databases to ensure that the subject headings are the most fitting.
1. Susan has reviewed the subject listings and has no additions.
• Teresa will mock up a listing that does not have the annotations of the databases but has quick access to the annotation.
1. Teresa presented a mock up listing for Tech Support. This is a work-in progress. Teresa will e-mail the link of the mock up listing to all Tech Support members so they can provide any further information regarding the mock up listing.
• Jim will review the mock listing that Teresa provides and code the links to the databases so that the provider knows that it is an MLS customer using the databases.
1. This is a work-in-progress.
3. Search function on Web and Intranet
• Automation and Planning are working on providing the ability to search on our Web and Intranet. Currently we have no projection of the completion date but we are in the process.
1. There is a lot of coding to be done for this feature, so this is a work-in-progress. We will have Phase I of this project completed by the December Tech Support meeting.
4. Revisit Tech Suggestion # 6 from June meeting
• “What can we do to be more helpful to customers who place a reserve on a multi-volume set and want to receive all of the volumes or only specific volumes? Would it be possible to insert a comment along with the catalog record for sets and continuations to let the customer know to request staff assistance in reserving specific  volumes?”
1. Automation will include a message just underneath the “library code table” on the description screen, which may state “Holdings are part of a multi-volume set, contact a librarian for help when requesting a specific volume.” This is a work-inprogress.
5. Request for Material
• Scott and Janet will work on placing some information on the form about the process and ways that the customer may self-track the request.
1. Janet and Scott discussed the new user’s request instructions and e-mail. Janet will e-mail Jim the proposed changes.
• Jimmy will make the changes in CyberMARS.
1. This is a work-in-progress.
6. Encarta Researcher
• Automation will remove the icon from the Gates computers making it much more difficult to locate and open the database.
1. Automation has completed this task at four libraries. More will be completed by the end of the week.
7. Tech Support positions
• Sue Hall’s two-year term is up as of this meeting. She has been a very helpful representative. Kay will ask Judy Walden to seek a replacement to fill the librarian representation. Kay will also review the terms of all rotating positions.
8. Standing Topics:
   Internet (with the assistance of Traci Jinkens)
• Spotlight on Hispanic Americans
• Read Y’all and the Fannie Flagg dinner announcement have been added to our rotating graphic on the main page
• Logo and link to Oklahoma Reads on main page
• Thanks to Traci, consistent updates to several pages within our Internet site. (i.e., Read About It, Commission packets, Employment Opportunities, etc.)

  Intranet (with the assistance of Traci Jinkens)

• Training updated monthly within the Planning department page
• Reports and statistics, meeting minutes, and Shelf Life is consistently updated
• Artist Index located on the Intranet: MLS Departments, under Outreach allows the user to search for a performer for a program.
1. Major Project (work in progress) - Refine the Internet to include the following:
• Professional and easy navigation
• Professional layout and easy graphics from our Marketing and Communications Department
• Fast loading
• User friendly
• Space for growth (i.e., adding search function to the main page)
2. We are currently working on creating a template that will be used throughout the entire web site.
3. ILS Issues
4. 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
• Tech Suggestions
• Suggestion or idea for improvement - Something to be done in the future
5. Tech Suggestions
1. A customer suggested having the list of borrowed items on CyberMARS/Borrower by Due Date instead of borrow date.
1. Trying to sort by due date could lead to various other problems (i.e., fines listed first). Automation will review alternate ways to differentiate loaned items.
2. There was a question sent in regarding saving images in another format other than bitmap. A customer was unable to save it as a jpeg.
1. Automation needs more information regarding this issue. Sue Hall will send Jim more information regarding the problem.
3. An employee sent in a suggestion to add photo links in our telephone list on the Intranet. The photo links would be the staff photos that Roy Ballou takes in Human Resources for our ID badges.
1. Teresa, Kay and Jim are going to meet with Human Resources to find out what their needs are. This is a work-in-progress.

4. A suggestion was sent in wanting some way of indicating addresses that fall outside of the service area by flagging the zip code of annual fee areas.
1. MapQuest and the postal service will not give the information necessary to accomplish this task. What is needed is a map that shows the Oklahoma City boundaries and the Oklahoma County boundaries. Judy and Denyvetta will discuss this issue at a Library Manager’s meeting to see what resources they are using. Phone confirmations need to be addressed also.
5. A suggestion was sent in asking us to add a “Graphic Literature” subject heading to a title.
1. Cataloging has already taken care of this.
6. A suggestion was sent in asking for an updated organizational chart to be placed on the Intranet.
1. Jim will provide Teresa an updated organizational chart in graphic form for posting on the Web. This issue is also a work-in-progress, alongside Tech Suggestion # 3.
7. A suggestion was sent in regarding the Staff Locator. The Staff Locator would allow employees to search a location for all employees and then search for individuals when they did not know where they work.
1. This issue is a work-in-progress and will coincide with Tech Suggestion # 3.
8. A suggestion was sent in stating that customers would like to checkout for longer than the 2-week period when going on vacation so that they do not have to renew.
1. Donna will look into this issue.
9. A suggestion was sent in regarding email notifications. A proposed solution was when you click to confirm why can’t it open a new browser window, that way you do not lose any information or the page that you are viewing.
1. This is a function of the browser; Automation has no control over it. You can change the way the browser opens a new window by following these steps:
1. Open Internet Explorer
2. Click on Tools from the toolbar
3. Click on Internet Options
4. Click on the Advanced tab
5. In the Browsing section, uncheck the box that reads “Reuse windows for launching shortcuts”
10. A suggestion was submitted stating that it might be helpful if the shelf number and the bib number changed places on the bib record.
1. Automation will switch the two items and place a short statement notifying customers which number is to be used to locate an item on the shelf. This is a work-in-progress.
11. A suggestion was sent in asking if we could place the “Amber Alert” banner on our web page.
1. This is a very worthy cause. After discussion, the group decided that the criteria for including items such as banners must also relate to providing library services. Since the “Amber Alert” banner fulfills only part of the criteria, the group decided to not add the banner.
12. Action Items:
• Teresa will e-mail the link of the mock up listing of library databases to all Tech Support members so that they can provide any further information regarding the mock up listing.
• Automation will include a message under the “library code table” on the description screen, which may state, “This is a multi-volume work. Please contact your library to request a specific volume.”
• Janet will e-mail Jim the proposed changes for the new user’s request instructions and e-mail.
• Automation will review alternate ways to differentiate loaned items
• Sue Hall will send Jim more information regarding saving images as jpeg vs. bitmap.
• Judy and Denyvetta will discuss the issue regarding addresses that fall outside of the service area at a Library Manager’s meeting to see what resources they are using. Phone confirmations need to be addressed also.
• Donna will look into the issue of a checkout period longer than two weeks for customers going on vacation.
• Automation will switch the bib number and shelf number and place a short statement notifying customers which number is to be used to locate an item on the shelf.
• Kay will ask Judy Walden to seek a replacement to fill the librarian representation.
• Kay will review the terms of all rotating positions.