| USMAI Consortium of Libraries |
| University System of Maryland and Affiliated Institutions |
Attendance: Alice Bahr (Salisbury), David Gillespie (FSU), Deborah Nolan (Towson), Charles Lowry (UMCP), Celia Rabinowitz (St. Mary’s; presiding), M.J. Tooey (HS/HSL), Larry Wilt (UMBC), Carlen Ruschoff (UMCP), Steve Miller (UMUC)
TOPIC: Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 10:00am.
TOPIC: May Meeting Minutes
Minutes of the Executive Council meeting on May 17th were approved without changes.
TOPIC: Version 18 Upgrade Update
The installation of Aleph v. 18 was implemented on July 14-15. The ITD staff encountered some unexpected problems during the migration, but managed to handle each impediment quickly and effectively. The testing was performed between 7:00-11:00 am on Sunday morning and by 11:05 ALEPH 18 was ‘live’ to the public. On Monday morning, July 16, USMAI libraries began to report problems. Many of these problems have to do with the clients. In some cases, staff did not update settings in the clients, in other cases, there seem to be some existing bugs in the software. Jamie is investigating this. All in all, we learned that in future migrations, more assistance in preparing the clients is needed, either through more detailed instructions or even some training sessions. Other issues reported were “known” problems identified in testing which will be addressed later and some “unknown” problems that existed in v16 as well. Ruschoff commended the ITD staff for their work in efficiently implementing the migration process. Comments indicate that there were the usual glitches that are experienced in migrating from one version to another, but nothing monumental.
The next step is to address the outstanding Rx’s and the items on the work plan. There are three areas that are key to successfully advancing and aiding the work in members libraries. One area to address is to complete the patron loaders for all libraries so that we can move forward in our efforts for patron privacy and so that patron information is readily available in the system. Second, we need to develop some standardized reports that will satisfy most basic statistical and information needs on campuses. ITD has just begun to talk about how to allow some flexibility in report requests, yet keeping them uniform so that we can respond more quickly to requests. And third, we need to emphasize database clean-up in the coming year so that we are able to extract meaningful data in these reports. Ruschoff mentioned that the ITD staff will be visiting libraries throughout the coming year to talk about these issues and other needs of the campuses.
TOPIC: SSN /Patron Privacy Fix
Ruschoff distributed copies of the “USMAI Comments on the ExLibris Patron Privacy Specifications”. There are basically three major objections to implementing the privacy specs.: inability to enter SSN in manually created patron records, increase in duplicate patron records, Bursar and collection agencies need the SSN in order to pursue delinquent patrons. Recommendations for addressing these issues include: make a priority of implementing a patron load for every campus, establish a more aggressive load schedule to reduce the need to key in individuals who will be loaded through the patron loader, produce bursar reports that include the SSNs for those campuses that need them, until a more secure method of transferring the data can be established, campuses should explore mechanisms for registering local or community patrons, implement data encryption feature in version 18. In the discussion that followed, two other suggestions were brought up: a) develop a patron matching algorithm, and b) develop a new field for entering the SSN in a keyed record that would map back to the appropriate field in ALEPH.
Other issues raised in the discussion:
Suggestions/Actions:
TOPIC: Verde Update
Ruschoff reported the recent discussion with ExLibris staff on Verde implementation. Customers world-wide have complained of serious problems with expected functionality. ExLibris has reviewed the list of “known bugs” and plans to address the issues through service packs beginning in July. Ruschoff, Wrubel, and Day met with ExLibris staff (via conference call) to discuss a strategy for USMAI implementation. ExLibris recommended that USMAI stop its implementation pending refresher training. USMAI staff were trained a year ago on an earlier version. ExLibris has refined its implementation planning process over the past year and believes that the company is in a better position to assist USMAI in planning. After the training is conducted, a planning session with ExLibris staff will be scheduled in the fall to determine the next steps. Ruschoff is negotiating the FY08 maintenance payment with ExLibris. USMAI has not paid the maintenance fee for Verde for FY08. Gillespie pointed out that USMAI did not receive expected services for FY07 payments and this could be considered an advance payment for FY08. Wilt advised that the one year of maintenance that is included in the purchase payment should begin at implementation. In the meantime, work is being done to make pdf versions of the licenses available to USMAI. In addition, the Acquisitions Dept. at College Park is taking steps to make the titles within packages more transparent.
Action: Ruschoff will report on the progress of the Verde training and the fixes that will be installed in July and August during the September CLD meeting. Ruschoff will also negotiate the FY08 maintenance fees.
TOPIC: UITG Renewal Request
Prior to presenting UITG’s renewal request, Rabinowitz relayed CPC’s concerns and disappointment about the lack of progress in authority control resulting partly from the hole in ITD staffing that could help in cataloging.
With regards to UITG’s request for renewal and change in status to a standing group, the following issues were raised:
Actions: Rabinowitz will contact the UITG Chair and to extend the group until December 2009, but with provision for earlier completion or extension, depending on status of projects/tasks. The decision regarding membership rotation will be deferred to the TG chair. Rabinowitz and Ruschoff will discuss IT staffing.
There is a need to review the USMAI Procedures Manual for possible amendment. It was agreed that there should be a future CLD discussion, with committee chairs present, on whether to revise the sunset provisions on some or all committees. The alternative conception developed at the meeting was that each task group and committee would be given a five year term, or alternatively a two year term, and asked each year to present a workplan for the following year. This workplan would be reviewed and discussed at a CLD meeting with the task group and committee chairs present.
TOPIC: ASTG Request for Short-Term Task Group
The ASTG was tasked to prepare a white paper on consolidation of serials records continuations.
Action: Rabinowitz will communicate with the ASTG chair regarding membership, goals, and term period.
TOPIC: New Task Groups
In pursuit of the CLD’s strategic initiatives identified during the March retreat, Rabinowitz will send out the call for membership to the two CLD study groups, namely: a) study group on consortial training and local digital repository which will examine the need for providing training on Ex Libris products, as well as other skills that could be developed and shared by the consortium, using a variety of models including the creation and maintenance of a locally shared digital repository;
b) study group on the future of the USMAI web presence that will focus on the emergence of new tools now being tested and used that enhance patron access to resources.
Each task group shall have a maximum of 5 members; status reports will be due in December, with final white papers due in February 2008.
TOPIC: Announcements, New Business
The August meeting is canceled.
Lowry shared information about the effort to request MHEC funding to support the MDL project’s initiatives (funding, licensing, and creating a USMAI-like borrowing ability state-wide through MDL, through World Cat Local). It was agreed that this was an idea worth pursuing. Lowry and Ruschoff are scheduled to go to OCLC (Dublin, OH) to talk about this project.
Tooey announced that Wilma Bass is leaving HSL on August 3. Everyone is welcome to attend the goodbye party. HSL is undergoing renovation to be completed in early 2008. Invitations will be sent out for the opening of the national exhibit on America’s women physicians called Changing the Face of Medicine.
One of RSTG’s prior recommendations was for campuses using Bursar’s to mark any item marked “Transfer to AR” as “paid” in Aleph. The advantage: patron records can be purged according to schedule. In an earlier meeting, Bahr noted that while this accommodates one task -- purging records – it makes it difficult for library staff to know whether or not payments have actually been made. Salisbury University’s IT Department has created an online report that staff can pull up daily if they so choose that provides the following information: person’s name, fine date, fine amount, payment date, and payment amount. With that information, library staff can clear records. If other institutions also using People Soft would like more details, contact Bahr.
Nolan announced that Yvonne Lev, who retired recently, will return in fall as volunteer to handle two grants. Vacancies in TU will be posted soon.
Prepared by Lulu Barnachea
| USMAI | ITD | Metalib/sfx | Aleph |
| © 2007 University System of Maryland and Affiliated Institutions. Privacy policy |