tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-170431582012-02-10T12:07:13.303-05:00The unofficially official Blog for the Delaware Library Catalog.Richard Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941958785315989963noreply@blogger.comBlogger291125SystemThishttp://feedburner.google.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17043158.post-55342019553535640052010-05-14T15:12:00.002-04:002010-05-14T15:58:18.135-04:002010-05-14T15:58:18.135-04:00

Mike Gorrell, CIO of EBSCO publishing, talking about EBSCO Delivery Service "the Complete Discovery Solution". To EBSCO, discovery means fast, simple access to everything- electronic and print- in the library through a single search box.In searching, the user experience is predicated on the quality of the content and the ease of discovery- with discovery service, all of the EBSCO subscriptions

Richard Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941958785315989963noreply@blogger.com0http://systemthis.blogspot.com/2010/05/nfais-bloggin-part-v-search.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17043158.post-66870388397897992762010-05-14T14:04:00.002-04:002010-05-14T14:33:56.610-04:002010-05-14T14:33:56.610-04:00

Peter Noerr, CTO of MuseGlobal- discussing federated search. Noerr sees semantic search as an eventual solution to many problems, but also thinks it is still on the distant horizon despite what many of its most enthusiastic advocates say. Federated search is a way of patching the issues in the interim- it doesn't index the world, it doesn't build centralized indexes and databases. However, it

Richard Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941958785315989963noreply@blogger.com0http://systemthis.blogspot.com/2010/05/nfais-bloggin-part-iv-search.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17043158.post-70745242155350515702010-05-14T13:29:00.002-04:002010-05-14T14:04:29.143-04:002010-05-14T14:04:29.143-04:00

Chris Pooley, CEO of Intellidimension, presenting now. His company deals with semantic searching technology. What is semantic searching? Incorporating searcher intent and contextual meaning into the generation of search results- in general, a better incorporation of the meaning of the term, rather than its resemblance and recurrence solely as strings of characters. Little s semantics- points to

Richard Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941958785315989963noreply@blogger.com0http://systemthis.blogspot.com/2010/05/nfais-blogging-part-iii-current-search.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17043158.post-23543291369489055802010-05-14T11:50:00.002-04:002010-05-14T12:18:46.059-04:002010-05-14T12:18:46.059-04:00

Joseph Lucia, a librarian at Villanova University is up next.As librarians- "We worship at the church of OPAC but we slum at the Google bar and grill." At Villanova- even though they have driven down the amount of resources dedicated to print resources to about as low as they think it can do (20% of acquisitions), they are increasingly feeling that their electronic collections are becoming

Richard Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941958785315989963noreply@blogger.com0http://systemthis.blogspot.com/2010/05/nais-blogging-part-ii.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17043158.post-58082970316783260362010-05-14T11:49:00.000-04:002010-05-14T11:50:48.531-04:002010-05-14T11:50:48.531-04:00

Division of Libraries staff attended a recent workshop in Philadelphia hosted by Lyrasis and NFAIS, the National Federation of Advanced Information Services. The workshop looked at how publishers and librarians can leverage technology to improve their users' search experience, and how to design their services to optimize discovery and usability.The first presentation was by Cody Hanson,

Richard Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941958785315989963noreply@blogger.com0http://systemthis.blogspot.com/2010/05/blogging-nais-improving-user-search.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17043158.post-76791265114772544212010-03-25T15:26:00.002-04:002010-03-25T16:04:11.443-04:002010-03-25T16:04:11.443-04:00

I attended an OCLC presentation at the PLA Conference, with Michael Gorrell (mdg@ebscohost.com) CIO of EBSCO Publishing- remember, EBSCO and OCLC recently announced a deal to sell its NetLibrary divisioin and EBSCO will be taking it over incrementally over the next several months. I wonder what the presentation as it was originally envisioned was like!Mike Gorrell first talked about the new

Richard Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941958785315989963noreply@blogger.com0http://systemthis.blogspot.com/2010/03/going-portable-with-netlibrary.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17043158.post-21797388467314028862010-03-15T13:04:00.002-04:002010-03-15T13:07:58.803-04:002010-03-15T13:07:58.803-04:00

Just added to the Consortium site, a SirsiDynix-created tutorial that provides a good basic introduction to WorkFlows "look and feel"- suitable for new staff and anyone who needs a refresher: Click here to open the tutorial in a new window.Additional self-paced tutorials are available on the consortium site's Training Page

Richard Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941958785315989963noreply@blogger.com0http://systemthis.blogspot.com/2010/03/new-staff-training-modules.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17043158.post-59587186028572064812010-03-03T18:25:00.002-05:002010-03-03T18:29:11.890-05:002010-03-03T18:29:11.890-05:00

David Lee King is a "mover and shaker" in the library world who has made the Topeka library a very innovative and creative presence on the library internet. He did a nice keynote at the SirsiDynix customer conference this morning. Here's a quick recap:David King of the Topeka public library is keynoting COSUGI on "Making the Digital Experience Sing!"Today, there's an expectation of good customer

Richard Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941958785315989963noreply@blogger.com0http://systemthis.blogspot.com/2010/03/conference-keynote.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17043158.post-9410286568513603242010-03-03T18:21:00.002-05:002010-03-03T18:25:08.779-05:002010-03-03T18:25:08.779-05:00

I have been at a training with SirsiDynix for the past week which allowed me to attend the first day of the annual SirsiDynix customer conference. One of the most interesting sessions was a presentation of SD's StaffWeb client- which is a web-based circulation, cataloging, and user registration interface (i.e. does not require installation as a client) which offers a pared-down set of functions

Richard Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941958785315989963noreply@blogger.com0http://systemthis.blogspot.com/2010/03/sirsidynix-staffweb.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17043158.post-68085432989612486442010-02-26T13:33:00.000-05:002010-02-26T13:34:00.279-05:002010-02-26T13:34:00.279-05:00

This is a reminder to public library staff, please do NOT edit or checkout on the accounts of academic library cards (Wilm U., Wesley, DTCC, SXVT). Academic accounts are set-up and maintained differently then public library accounts and have many different rules.If a student wants to check-out an item or use the computer at a public library, please make them a public library card. It is

Richard Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941958785315989963noreply@blogger.com0http://systemthis.blogspot.com/2010/02/reminder-about-school-and-academic.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17043158.post-68951418489841051422010-02-12T10:04:00.000-05:002010-02-12T10:05:25.187-05:002010-02-12T10:05:25.187-05:00

Richard Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941958785315989963noreply@blogger.com0http://systemthis.blogspot.com/2010/02/ddl-updated-contact-info.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17043158.post-84042239547421995342009-12-22T09:28:00.002-05:002009-12-22T09:30:14.429-05:002009-12-22T09:30:14.429-05:00

This is copied over from the main blog. A couple of patrons have requested assistance with removing favorites, because of a perceived excess volume of email- as noted, if you select to receive notices every time a book about vampires is added, that might mount up. As you may know from your own experience, this service does not work at all well for staff profiles, unfortunately.You may have

Richard Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941958785315989963noreply@blogger.com0http://systemthis.blogspot.com/2009/12/managing-favorites.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17043158.post-54926203096439749852009-12-01T13:30:00.002-05:002009-12-01T13:32:12.874-05:002009-12-01T13:32:12.874-05:00

The number of people using the request module ebbs and flows, but there is always one consistent problem other than staff remembering to check it on occasion. Please always remember to change the status of a request that you have responded to from "new" to "replied"!Here's a two-minute review of requests:Screencasts and videos online

Richard Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941958785315989963noreply@blogger.com0http://systemthis.blogspot.com/2009/12/requests-module-quick-review.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17043158.post-48595140589060210672009-10-23T12:29:00.003-04:002009-10-23T12:37:56.369-04:002009-10-23T12:37:56.369-04:00

You do have to select the Offline Wizard when you go into this mode. The regular circulation wizards will not work:Record your screencast online

Richard Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941958785315989963noreply@blogger.com0http://systemthis.blogspot.com/2009/10/quick-reminder-on-offline.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17043158.post-89040699318526657122009-10-14T13:20:00.002-04:002009-10-14T13:53:57.329-04:002009-10-14T13:53:57.329-04:00

This function is not as obvious as it was in the older version. Here is a screencast of where to find the relevant icon and how to use it.Capture your screen in secondsHere's another two minute tutorial- how to create, export, and print an item list from a report. The example used here is from the Monthly Added Items report, but you can do the same with a variety of other reports for circulation,

Richard Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941958785315989963noreply@blogger.com0http://systemthis.blogspot.com/2009/10/directors-station-how-to-export.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17043158.post-47733156470597498382009-10-06T08:58:00.005-04:002009-10-10T11:37:12.241-04:002009-10-10T11:37:12.241-04:00

Libraries opened yesterday to the new Symphony ILS. Software updates went smoothly but there are a couple of persistent problems that will take a varying amount of time to fix.The most urgent problem is with the onshelf holds report. Item titles are no longer showing up in the report and staff only have the item call # to locate the item- which is not specific enough to make this process as

Richard Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941958785315989963noreply@blogger.com0http://systemthis.blogspot.com/2009/10/symphony-upgrade-update.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17043158.post-12372100012381175112009-09-24T14:09:00.002-04:002009-09-24T14:30:26.730-04:002009-09-24T14:30:26.730-04:00

Summary of common web 2.0 applications and how they are used by libraries to enhance the user experience of library services. Good overview of hive-mind participation, the cloud, et. al.Great mashup hypothetical: if only i could find the price of cat food along my bus route, correlate it with pension day weather and see it on a map....with today's technology, it's entirely feasibleAnd don't

Richard Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941958785315989963noreply@blogger.com0http://systemthis.blogspot.com/2009/09/cosline-afternoon-session-part-ii.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17043158.post-78275652598573799662009-09-24T13:39:00.003-04:002009-09-24T14:09:42.519-04:002009-09-24T14:09:42.519-04:00

more this afternoon on how to use tech to meet user/community needs.What's next?A new generation of library leaders is emerging, and they are learning and accommodating new methods of communication and service.Reinventing libraries (again)Enhancing the user experience- online and inhouse. take the library out of the library website and library walls. Make the library available to the user

Richard Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941958785315989963noreply@blogger.com0http://systemthis.blogspot.com/2009/09/meeting-community-needs-cosline.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17043158.post-84621718901817653652009-09-23T20:24:00.002-04:002009-09-23T21:06:14.141-04:002009-09-23T21:06:14.141-04:00

Each state gets three minutes to talk about projects from their institutions that follow the theme of the conference:Vermont: Blog- and Wiki-based staff communication tools have been emphasized this year.Pennsylvania: new vision statement for technology- comprehensive technology-based library services geared toward the end-userNew York: blending Summer Reading and Novel databases- developed a

Richard Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941958785315989963noreply@blogger.com0http://systemthis.blogspot.com/2009/09/sharing-time-at-cosline.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17043158.post-37834556753381052132009-09-23T19:55:00.002-04:002009-09-23T20:23:43.159-04:002009-09-23T20:23:43.159-04:00

Topic of the address. Library technology- remember how librarians organized their materials before technology? Librarians have now lost their edge because of concentrating on technology as an end in itself. Many are faddists.What's a professional? Someone who can save a life- and librarians are in that group for a reason, because every day someones life is saved or improved by information they

Richard Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941958785315989963noreply@blogger.com0http://systemthis.blogspot.com/2009/09/cosline-conference-keynote.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17043158.post-29320821896479620542009-09-23T19:49:00.002-04:002009-09-23T19:55:29.409-04:002009-09-23T19:55:29.409-04:00

Meeting for the next two days at the Gideon-Putnam hotel in Saratoga Springs, NY. COSLINE is an annual professional development event for the State Libraries of the North-East, and the theme for this event if providing 21st Century library services, with an emphasis on technology innovation.Tonights events include an address by former Boston Public Library head, now New York State Librarian

Richard Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941958785315989963noreply@blogger.com0http://systemthis.blogspot.com/2009/09/cosline-conference-post-1.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17043158.post-43972534005991403062009-09-21T13:25:00.002-04:002009-09-21T13:31:59.992-04:002009-09-21T13:31:59.992-04:00

The most recent Directors Meeting succeeded in overhauling and updating the DLC Memorandum of Understanding. The Consortium web site has been updated with the new version in .pdf and MS Word format.

Richard Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941958785315989963noreply@blogger.com0http://systemthis.blogspot.com/2009/09/memorandum-of-understanding-revisions.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17043158.post-26303298497493610482009-08-06T22:12:00.000-04:002009-08-06T22:13:12.771-04:002009-08-06T22:13:12.771-04:00

If you were working in WorkFlows today, you might have noticed that several new "libraries" appeared in the available menus- there are now policies for Appoquinimink, Corbit-Calloway, Delaware City, North Wilmington and Wilmington.This is part of the preparation for bringing in the new libraries, and over the next week or so you will see the rest of the NCCo and Wilmington libraries appear in the

Richard Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941958785315989963noreply@blogger.com1http://systemthis.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-libraries-not-really.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17043158.post-78995916759123951442009-07-21T09:19:00.003-04:002009-07-21T09:20:56.046-04:002009-07-21T09:20:56.046-04:00

Let me be the first to admit that I had never heard of this until yesterday- but it is the default setting for those (hopefully) rare instances when you want to check out an item that is currently on hold for one patron to a different patron. The two most obvious and legitimate applications of this are:• A patron is notified of a hold and a family member comes to pick up the item on their behalf,

Richard Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941958785315989963noreply@blogger.com0http://systemthis.blogspot.com/2009/07/proxy-checkout-with-cancel-holds.html