PLEASE POST YOUR QUESTIONS ON "ASKAWAY" AT A NEW SITE: http://lcplaskaway.blogspot.com. During the move from Blogger's beta version to the newest version, I lost the admin rights to this blog somewhere in outer space. After many back and forth posts with Blogger tech support, I have decided to just abandon this blog (and I can't even delete it, nor will they!!) and put Askaway on a new site. Please join us there.
Thanks!!!
Friday, December 29, 2006
Thanks for your questions!! But be patient!!
You'll see that we've begun answering your questions, but that all questions that were submitted yesterday have not been answered. Please be patient; some of the questions are redirected to the best person to answer them, and they will get to them as promptly as they can. Just keep checking back. Thanks!
The next upgrade to Horizon?
Anonymous said...
Our last Horizon upgrade gave us the ability to use the 13-digit ISBN. When is the next upgrade and what will be included? How can we have more say in what we need from the system (for example, remove unnecessary pop-up windows like Lost Item Found and Item Hold Expired; or the ability to place multiple hold expired items back into queue)? I don’t recall asking patrons (or staff) what we would like the system to do. I would like to see our search screens look more like those used in Prince William County with separate screens for Keyword vs. Starts With vs. Advanced searches.
December 28, 2006 2:47 PM
Answer: The next upgrade to Horizon is Horizon 8.1, or "8.x" as it's being called among SirsiDynix users and staff. It will not be ready for general release until after the second quarter of 2007. Since we intend to upgrade at the beginning of a fiscal year, and it's never a good idea to be first (or even second) in line for a major upgrade, we will be waiting until July 2008 to upgrade to Horizon 8.x. This new release will be more graphical, more user friendly, and you can bet that you will all have plenty of time to learn about it, play with it, and be trained on it before it arrives! As specifics become available the Circulation Committee will inform you of the details.
As to your questions about what the new release will do, the Circulation Committee is your best source of information. There is a mechanism called "Enhancement Request Database" that your circulation committee representative is familiar with - check with her to find out how to make your own suggestions. This database is mediated by the Horizon User's Group, libraries vote on the enhancements they support, and the results are monitored by SirsiDynix staff. Several enhancements have been suggested by LCPL staff, and as a result, will be included in Horizon 8.
We do listen to patron requests; emails from patrons have led to changes on our web page, and in HIP. As to staff input, please always feel free to make suggestions to your circulation manager - don't wait to be asked!
Now, as to your suggestion about our search screen looking like Prince William's, that is an excellent suggestion and something Jie is going to follow up on. It will take some time, but she will work with library administration and branch reference staff to explore this further.
Our last Horizon upgrade gave us the ability to use the 13-digit ISBN. When is the next upgrade and what will be included? How can we have more say in what we need from the system (for example, remove unnecessary pop-up windows like Lost Item Found and Item Hold Expired; or the ability to place multiple hold expired items back into queue)? I don’t recall asking patrons (or staff) what we would like the system to do. I would like to see our search screens look more like those used in Prince William County with separate screens for Keyword vs. Starts With vs. Advanced searches.
December 28, 2006 2:47 PM
Answer: The next upgrade to Horizon is Horizon 8.1, or "8.x" as it's being called among SirsiDynix users and staff. It will not be ready for general release until after the second quarter of 2007. Since we intend to upgrade at the beginning of a fiscal year, and it's never a good idea to be first (or even second) in line for a major upgrade, we will be waiting until July 2008 to upgrade to Horizon 8.x. This new release will be more graphical, more user friendly, and you can bet that you will all have plenty of time to learn about it, play with it, and be trained on it before it arrives! As specifics become available the Circulation Committee will inform you of the details.
As to your questions about what the new release will do, the Circulation Committee is your best source of information. There is a mechanism called "Enhancement Request Database" that your circulation committee representative is familiar with - check with her to find out how to make your own suggestions. This database is mediated by the Horizon User's Group, libraries vote on the enhancements they support, and the results are monitored by SirsiDynix staff. Several enhancements have been suggested by LCPL staff, and as a result, will be included in Horizon 8.
We do listen to patron requests; emails from patrons have led to changes on our web page, and in HIP. As to staff input, please always feel free to make suggestions to your circulation manager - don't wait to be asked!
Now, as to your suggestion about our search screen looking like Prince William's, that is an excellent suggestion and something Jie is going to follow up on. It will take some time, but she will work with library administration and branch reference staff to explore this further.
DVD's and self checkout machines
Anonymous said...
Sometime in the very near future, will we allow DVDs be checked out on the self check-out machines?
December 28, 2006 2:45 PM
Answer: this is something we need to consider further. As with all security decisions regarding library materials, the cost of the security equipment, supplies, staff time, etc. is weighed against the cost of the material itself. There are machines that can keep DVD's and CD's secure (housed in a jukebox-like unit) that are self checkout, but those are still very expensive. I realize that checking DVD's out on the self checkouts would be the ideal situation.
Sometime in the very near future, will we allow DVDs be checked out on the self check-out machines?
December 28, 2006 2:45 PM
Answer: this is something we need to consider further. As with all security decisions regarding library materials, the cost of the security equipment, supplies, staff time, etc. is weighed against the cost of the material itself. There are machines that can keep DVD's and CD's secure (housed in a jukebox-like unit) that are self checkout, but those are still very expensive. I realize that checking DVD's out on the self checkouts would be the ideal situation.
Recently we adopted Wifi, what other high tech equipment...
This was posted anonymously: Recently, we have adopted WiFi, self check-out machines, and we attempted to get RFID. When will we be able to ask for RFID again? What other high tech equipment is LCPL considering?
December 28, 2006 2:43 PM
Answer: RFID is still a possibility in new buildings, but no definite plans are in place. As you no doubt know, RFID is very expensive, and the cost has to be balanced with other costs in new buildings. As to other high tech equipment, we are concentrating right now on enhancing our customer's interactive experience with us - a new website calendar will be unveiled next week that will allow patrons the opportunity to email themselves reminders for programs, find the programs they are interested in more easily, and in a couple of months, register online for programs. Jie is working on more enhancements to HIP. But I'm always open to suggestions from staff - did you have anything special in mind when you asked the question? Thanks!
December 28, 2006 2:43 PM
Answer: RFID is still a possibility in new buildings, but no definite plans are in place. As you no doubt know, RFID is very expensive, and the cost has to be balanced with other costs in new buildings. As to other high tech equipment, we are concentrating right now on enhancing our customer's interactive experience with us - a new website calendar will be unveiled next week that will allow patrons the opportunity to email themselves reminders for programs, find the programs they are interested in more easily, and in a couple of months, register online for programs. Jie is working on more enhancements to HIP. But I'm always open to suggestions from staff - did you have anything special in mind when you asked the question? Thanks!
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Library Toolbar
A library toolbar, such as this one at the Harris County (Texas) Public Library, (http://www.hcpl.lib.tx.us/ebranch/toolbar/) has been suggested before. What is the latest on implementing one for LCPL?
December 28, 2006 2:41 PM
Answer: John Harper is almost finished with the LCPL toolbar - it should be implemented sometime in January.
December 28, 2006 2:41 PM
Answer: John Harper is almost finished with the LCPL toolbar - it should be implemented sometime in January.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Now that some of you are blogging, let's begin!
Do you have any questions you'd like answered by Library Administration staff?? Doug will be monitoring this blog, answering some questions, and assigning some to other administrative staff. Feel free to leave your questions using the "comments" link on this post- and you'll see them answered here. Thanks!!
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