SUNYConnect
Advisory Council
Minutes –
Present:
Excused: John Homburger, Judy Sikora
Guests: Carmit Marcus and Susan Pastore of Ex Libris
SUNY Library Reps Lynne King, Ellen McCabe, Pam Peters, Cristina Pope
Cyndi Proctor of Provost Salins’ office
OLIS: Nathan Fixler, Ben Follis, Karen Gardner-Athey, Maggie Horn, Laura Murray, John Schumacher
By Phone: Yifat Lulav from Ex Libris in
Introductions were made around the room.
Ex Libris Universal Borrowing Demonstration
Yifat Lulav presented an Ex Libris Universal Borrowing Center
demonstration by teleconference from
Three applications were briefly explained by Yifat: UBC Staff Administrative Web Interface, the Union Catalog Web OPAC and the GUI Circ Module.
Yifat demonstrated the functionality of the UBC under
different circumstances using three sample scenarios involving
There was a brief discussion of how Universal Borrowing will be shared with the SUNY community. It was agreed that since this is an Ex Libris product, Ex Libris should be responsible for regional demonstrations and promotion.
Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the meeting of
Report from Don Boyce
Student Assembly Representative Don Boyce presented a list of student concerns regarding campus libraries. Listed below are some of the more frequent requests.
o Longer hours through finals week (i.e. 24 hours on weekends)
o Better availability of computers
o More highly visible information on how to use library resources
o Improved access to copying and printing as well as changes to methods of payment (student activity fee $?)
o Better quality lighting
o Additional round tables for group studies; more comfortable furniture
o Improvements in overall atmosphere and aesthetics
Members agreed with Carey that a face to face dialogue with a student group would be valuable both to the students and for determining SAC priorities. Don agreed to explore the possibility of a round table discussion at the Student Assembly Executive Committee meeting in mid-April. Carey will make resources available to provide presentation; SAC members may attend.
Introduction of New SAC member
Andy welcomed Walter Lukhaup, the new CIO representative to
SAC. Walter is Vice President of
Information Technology at
Discussion of Planning
Documents
The Council discussed the Strategic Guidance Document recently edited by Cyndi Proctor, Executive Assistant to Provost Salins. Members agreed to edit the sections they previously had written, rather than open the document for complete re-editing at this point. Comments are to be sent to Carey by March 18.
Preparations for SCLD –
April 13 and 14
Pam explained that the focus of SCLD this year is SUNYConnect II. The agenda is roughly the following:
Wednesday – Beginning at
Introduction: SAC (past, present and future)
Presentations: (3 SUNYConnect Projects)
Technical Processing Pilot
Collections Council
IDS Project
Strategic Directions (Town Meeting format)
Thursday – Beginning at 8:30 A.M.
A.M. Working session with facilitator, Lou Wetherbee
P.M. Section meetings
Presentation of financial plan during section meetings
Carey will be preparing a spreadsheet of the financial plan.
Large Scale Shared Systems Initiatives
Group
Carey explained that he and Maureen attended a meeting of the
Large Scale Shared Systems Initiatives Group in
LMS Update
Maureen sent out
the following LMS update:
Group5 - BUF
Group5 - University
at
Group8
·
·
Remaining
switch to production dates:
i.
Cobleskill
- 3/9
ii.
iii.
iv.
New
Paltz - 3/30
·
·
Campuses
continue to review test data loads, attend Aleph training sessions, and work on
configuration setup and testing.
Group9
·
The
migration calendar, meeting timeframes and proposed switch to production dates
is just about finalized.
Version 16 Upgrade
·
The
testing environment is in place.
Documentation on the technical processes involved has been
reviewed. An initial planning document
identifying the activities specific to testing the Upgrade Express software has
been drafted.
Union Catalog
·
Analysis
was done to determine what Aleph programs impacted the update of the 005 flag
(which is used to determine if a record should be extracted from a local campus
for an incremental load into the Union Catalog).
·
Postings
were exchanged with Ex Libris about how to minimize the potential of massive
updating of the 005 flag.
·
The real
issue is the architecture of the Aleph Union Catalog load program which results
in extremely slow load performance regardless of the power of the server. If the speed could be greatly enhanced there
would be less concern regarding the number of records extracted from local
campuses in the incremental updates to the Union Catalog.
·
At this
time there is no resolution or anticipated timeframe for resolution to the slow
data load performance into the Union Catalog or the 005 update issue.
·
The
Access Management WebOPAC Subcommittee has begun work on design issues.
Universal Borrowing
1.
Preparation
for the March Universal Borrowing demo at the SUNYConnect Advisory Council
meeting began. These preparations have
required a significant amount of time and coordination of activities among
OLIS, ITEC and Ex Libris staff.
Activities include:
·
ITEC
o
created
oracle regions for UBC software on
o
created
oracle regions for test campus databases on
o
copied
and configured test Aleph "a" trees for use with test campus
databases on
o
copied,
configured and linked three campus test databases to the test Aleph
"a" trees
o
created
server logon menus for Ex Libris and logging mechanisms to track updates
related to the UBC installation and configuration related activities
·
OLIS
o
updated
Union Catalog Web OPAC will information provided by Ex Libris
o
created
and tested sample patron records and Web OPAC logons
o
identified
sample bib records
o
packaged
new 14.2 gui client and created associated staff logons for the test campuses
o
configure
test campus regions as/if requested by Ex Libris
·
Ex
Libris is expected to:
o
install
and configure UBC software on
o
install
universal borrowing related components to the test Aleph "a' trees on
o
perhaps
configure test campus databases as needed to work with UBC software
o
make
sure any additional updates to the Union Catalog Web OPAC configuration in
relation to the UBC software is completed
o
perhaps
other activities that OLIS/ITEC are not familiar with
2.
Ex
Libris stated they would supply documentation for the UBC on March 6.
3.
Ex
Libris stated they would arrange for UBC related system librarian training with
OLIS post March 10.
Next SAC Meeting
The next meeting
will be held on Wednesday, May 25 in