WWPALS USER'S Group

ALA Midwinter, Jan. 12, 2001, Washington, DC

Minutes

Attendees: Becky Bell, MnSCU/PALS; Gary Johnson, SDLN; Tony Stukel, ODIN; Shelby Harken, University of North Dakota; David Barton, MnSCU/PALS; John Christianson, TDS; John Stromquist, Waldo; Teresa Edwards, St. John’s University.

The agenda was approved with the change of moving the topic of future meetings to near the top of the agenda. Shelby Harken gave theTreasurer’s report. The account balance is $873.53. Shelby noted that the bank is taking $11 out of the account every month. The account must have been set to maintain a balance over $1000. Shelby proposed the remaining funds be paid to MnSCU/PALS to be used to cover costs that benefit the WWPALS User’s Group, for example, paying for the lunch at this meeting. It was so moved, seconded, and passed. Shelby will then close the account. The Minutes were submitted by Shelby Harken and posted on the ODIN Web page. Minutes were approved as posted.

Future meetings. We decided to try getting a restaurant with a meeting room. The meeting will be June 15, 2001 at 3:30 or 4:00 PM and end with dinner. Gary Johnson moved that the current officers remain in office another year, Tony seconded. Passed.

Becky Bell reported on the status of PALS sites not present at the meeting.

Atlanta University Center is still on PALS. They are loading Authorities. They are not in a rush to leave PALS. They are being courted by Endeavor but they are not interested in Endeavor software.

Ferris State signed with III. Chris is working on exporting data. III is having trouble importing data, particularly holdings which are not being sorted properly.

Chicago Public Schools is still using PALS.

SUNY/Fredonia goes live today on Ex Libris. In Oct. they started working on migrating. They are the first library in the SUNY group to come up live on Ex Libris. All the data converted. All their data went somewhere including serials checkin (they didn’t use ACQ). They are impressed with Ex Libris’ expertise and ability to keep on schedule. No special support had to be given to Fredonia by MnSCU/PALS. Fredonia set up report writer to generate reports that were converted to UTF8 and no data was lost. If there was not a MARC field for any particular data, it was stored in MARC 9XX fields or in Ex Libris’ ADM record.

WisPALS had selected DRA, then deselected it. They decided to go to their second choice rather than do a new RFP, which was Endeavor. They have had problems with conversion programs because Endeavor’s conversion program is based on several versions back of PALS. Locally created records (MARC Editor 9-xxxxxx) didn’t work so they had to write script to change the files. As it turns out, that also meant that no record with a prefix works, so all MARCIVE temp records are also a problem. CalWest was the last library to tweak the scripts. It is up to PALS libraries to write and/or share scripts. Endeavor makes no attempt to address the current version, but still uses the first scripts Tom Briggs at Shippensburg wrote a number of years ago.

South Africa. The group that provides support is separating from Unisys S.A. They are still adding libraries to the PALS system and are managing the software themselves. They are looking forward to PALS ILL using ISO standards.

South Dakota Library Network (SDLN). Gary Johnson reported they have added lots of K-12 libraries. The biggest problem is staff support in the small libraries. Winnebago records have been sent to OCLC for conversion. Follette records are a problem because call numbers are buried in 9XX fields. Small libraries of up to 30,000 vols. are billed $2000/year plus a usage (transaction) fee. Small libraries historically have not had networks, so SDLN is their network provider. Military and hospital libraries just added separate lines to the library to keep firewalls intact. They locally load Books in Print and locally generated databases. Their RFP committee met recently and will be sending out an RFP in March/April. Responses will be due before next ALA. A recommendation will be made to the Advisory Council and a decision made at their Oct. 3, 2001 meeting. The legislature wants to know what they have chosen before they decide on funding. Money would be available July 1, 2002 so they would have 1½ years to migrate everyone before 2004. SDLN is working with ODIN on patron authentication for InfoTrack and ProQuest that would give the user a single web address to click on based on the IP, it would then authenticate or require the entry of a barcode which then would default to the OPAC that goes with the barcode.

Online Dakota Information Network (ODIN). Tony Stukel reported that name authorities will be loaded in the next couple of months once the new hardware is stable. ODIN is also looking at loading MeSH headings. They are FTP’ing MARCIVE and OCLC records. Six new libraries were added in 2000. Leach Public in Wahpeton, ND School for the Deaf, Trinity High School, Training Center, Stutsman County, and the State Historical Society which will be getting documents from a missile site. Fargo Shanley will join soon. Grand Forks Public has installed a number of wireless terminals. He was able to get Unisys to give him a 3-year contract with an option to add 2 more years. Because of the biennial legislature, ODIN may have to wait until 2005 to get funding. ODIN is implementing a new cost model over a 5-year period that combines size and transactions. Funding is 2/3 from users and 1/3 from the state. Distance education initiatives may mean use of DOCUTEC for reserves for NDUS, which may be a use for the NT server he got with the new Unisys ClearPath.

Traverse-des-Sioux (TDS). John Christianson. Two museums and several schools have joined TDS as bibs-only libraries. Next Sept. their Unisys contract is up. He got a reasonable quote but it is still high. TDS is still working through barcoding problems resulting from the split among several member libraries. Since the state pays for telecommunications for libraries that are part of systems, they now have 14 libraries on T1 lines. All libraries will have 3-5 day delivery for ILL.

CUNY, SUNY, WALDO. Teresa Edwards and John Stromquist. Both CUNY and SUNY selected Ex Libris. Teresa said they are reconstituting the RFP committee and hope to have a decision and move 2003/2004. WALDO has been using MnSCU for three years. They are negotiating how to go foreward to 2004. One library may go to Ex Libris early. He would like to see WALDO expanded and get a staffed support office. SUNY’s contract was written to allow additional libraries to come in on the Ex Libris contract but there is concern about SUNY’s ability to operate as a system provider for a very large group of libraries. John asked about transaction statistics. The web OPAC results in less transaction counts. Removing reference files also reduced transactions. They are interested in TitleSource II as a replacement for BIP but wonder if bibs will download; Becky would need to see some records. John also asked about NetLibrary – how does one regard the "one user at a time" situation and are others loading bibs? In Minnesota they have a file of records that can be FTP’d. Gary wrote a little script that allows a library to put them anywhere (shelflist) a library wants them.

MnLINK. Dave Barton discussed the MnLINK RFP process. They are still struggling with a date for ending development of major new features, but will probably quit when they start to implement Ex Libris. They will continue to do patches and follow national standards changes. They will be moving to new quarters in March and will then be with Mankato MnSCU computing services. About 1/5 of calls coming into the support desk are from WWPALS libraries.

Ver. 16 highlights. The ZPALS client has the advantage that records for ACQ and ILL can be downloaded. The Z client has to have config files set up for other Z client users. It is one site at a time per session. It will have a cost. It will bridge to holdings and circ status, like the old loaded reference databases. It can slow down with very large response sets. ACQ funds and departments will allow control on the whole fund or dept. rather than just subcode. In cataloging, 008 will display in addition to the mnemonic display. To change the CLD for the email address for undeliverable email, you need to enter 10 *’s to remove one, then enter a new one. You can flag patron records as distance patrons yes/no. Yes means ILL will operate like an external user but PALS will know it is your patron by the barcode and patron flag. Each patron needs to be CPR’d. In the ILL message file, if you add "T" you will get a list of titles. To get electronic reports, you must select ELECTRONIC as a type in the LRP – doesn’t work for bibs. The report will go to the email in the CLD. The biggest change is overnight indexing of MARC editor files or imported records. During the weekly load, the change will become "permanent". MED-002 INDX option goes to the correction file format, to OC 40, to OC43 skipping OC 41-2 which keeps it from reprocessing every day until the end of the week. OC55 is enhanced to use the config file.

Version 16 R1.01 has a new installation and creates a new logo. It works with any type of machine and works with Microsoft 2000. The CLD Accounting interface is for MnSCU libraries. MMR can be used to create or replace records. DIR … B will display both item and associated bib record. ILL can print a barcode on a laser, dot matrix or inkjet. Version 16 for PALSTAC will come out about the same time as mainframe, about 3 weeks later.

ISO ILL pricing and availability. They have been too busy to get to it, but hope to soon.

When MnSCU is done with their RFP negotiations, we can request RFP responses from them. They used two types of evaluation, 1) did the system answer your questions (RFP details); 2) unclear issues were addressed in demos.

Respectfully submitted _____________________________ Shelby E. Harken, Secretary/Treasurer