WMS and WorldCat Plans for Next Week! (Mon 6/3)

Hi all,

This message from Terry, our ILS (catalog) librarian, went out in jackson-l and will be going up in Behind the Stacks. Don't worry, Kimberly Lutz is the one updating web pages not the RIS Dept.

Thanks, Lea

Thanks to everyone for getting ready for the new WMS Library Platform. The ILS Committee, Access Services, & Tech Services groups have been working hard over the past several months (and especially the past several weeks) to get us where we are today. We are almost there!

All of our data has been migrated (bibs, items, patrons, circulation transactions, etc.) and we have reviewed it as much as possible during the limited time frame given to us by OCLC. In general, we are pleased with the end results of the migration process. There are, of course, remaining issues that we will be resolving over the next several months, and new functionality will be put into the system with the August release of WMS.

After much discussion and deliberation, here are our plans for next week's "go live".

Monday at 7:30 am

Start check-outs on WMS (stop check-outs on Sirsi)

Monday Morning/Afternoon (as long as it takes)

Process backlog of check-ins on WMS

Process renewal requests on WMS

Enter Sirsi check-outs from May 17 to present into WMS (these were checked-out after we had to send our circ data to OCLC)

When done with above, check-in new returns on both Sirsi and WMS (as long as we feel necessary)

Enter pending & new hold requests into WMS

Tuesday Morning (tentative)

OCLC to redirect WorldCat Local to WMS

OCLC to configure WCL availability and fulfillment options

When above is complete, remove public access to legacy online catalog

The Schiffman Music Library and the Teaching Resources Center are also ready to go.

We all realize this may cause a bit of confusion to our users as they now must use the "New Catalog" to find items within our libraries. Reference and Instructional Services is already working on new materials to help our users, including updates to the Libraries websites and to LibGuides.

My hope is that this major transition next week goes as smoothly as possible for everyone. Please report any issues to your department head or anyone on the ILS Committee.

Thanks again to all.

Terry

Changes to expect at "go live" with minor updates

Minor updates to info given at RIS Dept Meeting

 

1. The old catalog will be delinked.  Availability info will be outdated, holdings info will soon be outdated, too. Terry has a link to the old catalog to share that can be used through December, but it should be use for only limited purposes (call number browsing) and not shared  with the public.

2. Finding journals - Journal A to Z list already has info on current print and microfilm subscriptions, back issues are already being loaded, and we should have all holdings in by June 6th. The Journals tab of the WorldCat libguide has a box with instructions on using the Journal A to Z list.

Journal Finder will be delinked from the library home page and other pages on the site when the old catalog is delinked (estimated June 6th), since it has so many links into the old catalog that will have outdated information. But our contract for Journal Finder lasts through June 30th.

3. Print reserves - Access Services will turn on Reserves inside WorldCat. Summer print reserves lists are already being loaded.  Test items and real reserves items are visible now, inside WorldCat, under the Search menu at the top. But they are "inactive."

4. Renewing books and placing holds - Links will start pointing into the new system, where patrons will still use their University ID # to renew and place holds, but they will need to make up a password (completely unrelated to iSpartan passwords).

5. No major changes to information we currently rely upon in WorldCat Local - Some availability or location notes might have slightly different wording, but the meaning should be clear. Notes and links will be located in the same place as now.

6. Library "branches" (Music Library) should appear in the drop-down menu of libraries (UNCG, WorldCat, etc) and on Advanced Search page - Searching by library branch needs to be activated by OCLC and Terry expects a delay

7. Partial call number searching should be possible- No preformulated search, you'll have to use the command nu:

8. OCLC is claiming that location searching will be available (gov docs, special collections, reference) - I'll ask Tyler for the search command so that it can be tested after WMS is activated. - The command is d8

Question - What will happen to catalog-only machines in the Tower when the catalog switches over? I've emailed Franklin, no response yet.

Available/checked out concerns and helping patrons in early and mid June

When WorldCat is pointed over to WMS (estimated for June 6th; it's possible on OCLC's end to make the switch earlier but ASD and Cataloging depts both urge waiting until at least June 3d)...

Access Services will be entering all of the checkouts and returns info that they've saved up for three weeks (only applicable for items that normally circulate for more than 11 days-see loan periods on this page).

Access Services has a growing pile of books in the Sort Room waiting to be processed when the new system is turned on.

The effect will be:  "available/unavailable" messages in the new catalog will be WRONG for some items that normally circulate for three weeks or more (not for DVDs or other items that normally go in and out of the library very quickly).

Cathy G's advice to us:

During the first three weeks or so of June, if you encounter a patron scratching his/her head and saying "The catalog says the book is upstairs/in the reading room, but the book just wasn't there."

Please FIRST walk the patron over to the check out desk. The book could be in the sort room and ASD staff will quickly check it in in the new system then check it out to the patron who is wanting it.

IF the book is not in the sort room, help the patron as you normally would for a hard to find book. (I'd ask that you help the patron yourself or find someone in Ref to help, because Access Services will be adjusting to the new back end of the catalog and trying to get many catch up tasks done).

Thanks,
Lea

Online renewals not available

Hi all,

Terry shared this message with ILSC (the catalog committee).  I've asked Kimberly to post it in Behind the Stacks also.

In preparation for extracting "Current Circulation Transactions" this morning, I have disabled the ability to renew item online via the old catalog and the mobile interface (http://library.uncg.edu/m).

Patrons should call the Access Services Desk for renewal assistance.

If you see any issues, please let me know.

 

Terry
--
Mr. Terry W. Brandsma

Information Technology Librarian

Thanks,

Lea

"three week checkouts" will be due July 1

Hi all,

I've just gotten info from Access Services about three week checkouts that are due on July 1.

Timing and delivery of overdue and billing notices are complex as Access Services moves from the old catalog to the new catalog.  

To minimize problems, Access Services staff have started giving a due date of 7/1/2013 to all items that normally circulate for three weeks, when being checked out to all types of patrons.

When Access Services starts using the new catalog to check items out, they will be applying the usual three week due date to items that normally circulate for three weeks.

I'll send this info to Kimberly to post in Behind the Stacks in case other people would like this information, too.

Thanks,
Lea 

Access Services Message - Holds, Renewals, and the Road to WMS

Hi all,

This is the longer explanation that Access Services posted in Behind the Stacks today.

Access Services continues to take big steps toward our final transition to WMS! On May 17, Terry will be sending OCLC a list of all the items we currently have checked out. We’d like that list to be as small as possible, hence our current fines amnesty program encouraging patrons to return materials soon.

OCLC will take two weeks to process our circulation files. During this OCLC processing period, that means that Access Services staff will have to check our items in and out a little differently. We will need to account for items in “real time” using Symphony, but we will also need to keep track of all those check-ins and -outs, so that we can update our OCLC records once they’ve been processed and made live.

To make this transition period – when we are accounting for items in both Symphony and WMS – as easy as possible, we will be suspending a few services temporarily. Beginning this week, patrons will temporarily be unable to place Holds on items. Again, this will be stated in the catalog and on our website. Patrons will be given the choice of either ordering the item through ILL, or waiting until June 6 to place Holds in WMS.  Beginning May 17, patrons will not be able to renew items online. Instead, they will need to either call or stop by the Checkout Desk to renew materials. To simplify things even further, patrons will not have to physically bring in items for renewal. All of this information will be posted in the catalog and our website.

Below is the timeline Access Services will be following for the next several weeks. Please let Cathy G. or Joe know if you have any questions or concerns!

 

May 1

• Placing Holds temporarily unavailable. Order through ILL instead, or place Holds after June 6 in WMS.

May 17

• Online renewals temporarily unavailable. Patrons can renew by phone or in person instead. 
•  UNCG sends our circulation transaction files to OCLC.
• OCLC processes these files for two weeks.
• UNCG manages check-ins and -outs in both Symphony and WMS.

 June 3

• OCLC finishes processing UNCG transaction files. 
• Terry enters all UNCG circulation policies into WMS by hand (!). 
• Access Services updates WMS circulation records with Symphony transactions recorded between May 17-June 3.

June (4-6)

• UNCG goes live with WMS

Thanks,
Lea

Grab a book display empty for now

Hi all,

The "Grab A Book" display has been taken down "during the migration." The books are being integrated into the rest of the collection and catalog records for the locations of those books are also being updated. I don't know when the grab a book display will be put up again.

Thanks,
Lea

Online book renewal to be suspended some time soon, until June

Hi all,

Joe Williams, head of Access Services, has let me know that Access Services will be suspending some book services temporarily.  He plans to post more info in the "Behind the stacks" portal tomorrow.

Book renewals -  At some point soon (when?? that info is not available) ONLINE book renewals won't be possible. Patrons can call access services or visit in person (with or w/out books) to renew during this period.  Which should end when WMS/the new catalog back end goes live (possibly June 6th).

Thanks,
Lea

New books display (reading room) discontinued

Hi all,

Terry, our brave catalog/ILS guru, just let me know that the new books display in the Reading Room is being discontinued due to the migration.

Cataloging is pulling books now and reintegrating into the rest of the book collection.  As they do that, the location info for the books will be updated in the catalog.

After the migration (after June), it's possible that the new book display will be started again.

Thanks,
Lea