Systems Annual Report 1998-9
Overview
- Perry Bratcher - Automation Librarian (4/89- )
- Geraldine Williams - Special Projects Librarian (1/97- )
- Todd Walton - Network Coordinator (7/94- )
The 98/99 year has been another busy one for the Automation Division. The primary responsibilities of the division are maintenance of the automated library system (NKUIRE) and troubleshooting (Academic Support Services/Administrative Computing liaison) for other hardware, software and networking issues. The division also reviews the hardware and software needs of all library departments. Through working as part of the Technology Team (which includes Automation Division personnel, the Library Director, and the Electronic Reference Services Librarian), the division recommends the necessary purchases for maintaining the information needs of library staff and library customers. The team balances these needs with budget and staffing constraints. The division also acts as an NKUIRE problem troubleshooter for the Chase Law Library. The division contacts various agencies outside the university, primarily VTLS representatives, Hewlett-Packard (HP) representatives and other computer vendors. The Automation Librarian is responsible for managing the division and troubleshooting HP Unix/Oracle products. The Systems Librarian is primarily responsible for VTLS troubleshooting. The Network Coordinator is primarily responsible for networking and PC troubleshooting. The division also employs one student worker to assist with the above tasks. During the fiscal year, 553 requests were resolved via the libauto e-mail account. These included 48 printer requests, 205 PC hardware/software requests, 253 NKUIRE requests, and 47 miscellaneous requests.
Activities in the division can be subdivided into five broad categories: HP maintenance, NKUIRE maintenance, networking/PC/CD-ROM LAN maintenance, KCVL activities, and miscellaneous. These categories will be addressed in detail below. A section also discusses the division's activities directly related to the 1998-1999 Steely Library Objectives.
HP Maintenance
The Unix-based system, implemented in 1/98, requires a substantially greater amount of maintenance than the older system. The Automation Librarian continued to learn the operation of Unix but it became quickly apparent that additional training was necessary. As a result, the Automation Librarian applied for and received a summer grant and fellowship for 1999 in order to get additional funding and release time to attend two training classes. These two training classes were for troubleshooting and system security. The release time would also be used for studying the materials from previous classes taken in the spring of 1997 and other published sources. An upgrade to the Oracle and VTLS software was planned for January 1999. In December 1998, the necessity for additional training became apparent. Around the Christmas holidays a hacker broke into the NKUIRE system. As a result, the entire system had to be reloaded from scratch in January. Due to a number of problems and lack of knowledge, the system was not fully functional until late in January. Several Automation Division operations were revised as a result of system problems. A phone number was exclusively set up with an answering machine so that staff could receive problem updates without bothering the division personnel. Also, a daily (weekday) full backup and daily (weekday) afternoon partial backup plan was implemented. Communication with the Chase Law Library became an issue and the decision was made that correspondence would be sent to three individuals (Carol Allred, Donna Bennett, and Tom Heard) rather than one to assure proper notification. The Automation Librarian also developed a plan for maintaining the division while he was on reassigned time during the summer of 1999.
NKUIRE Maintenance
More than twice the number of NKUIRE service requests was received this year. This was partially due to system problems in January. Many activities also took place regarding the improvement of NKUIRE operations and access. The library was still participating in the VTLS Virtua Early Implementer's Plan until October, when the KCVL project took precedence (see below). A method of connecting staff to the Virtua product, Getting to Know Viruta was set up in July. Dialogue with VTLS regarding setup of Virtua continued through September when the KCVL project became official. Additional NKUIRE access was added in the library throughout the year through the addition of new and reassigned OPAC PCs. NKUIRE access via the LAN was added in September. The reassignment of PCs for OPAC usage increased the number of OPACs on all floors and in the LRC. All OPACs required EasyPAC (NKUIRE OPAC client software) to be updated in January. After a year's absence, bugs were resolved in the software and overdue notice printing resumed in February. Implementation of the portable scanner for inventory maintenance also began in February. The NKUIRE Web Gateway product was brought online for staff review in October of 1998. This software was reviewed and a decision was made to implement the product for public use at the beginning of the fall 1999 semester. The OPAC/Web Team (chaired by the Automation Librarian) began work on its design in the spring after the team membership was reorganized.
Networking / PC/CD-ROM LAN Maintenance
Although the number of service requests remained steady this year, a lot of time was spent on bringing consistency to PC operations in the library and making the best use of existing equipment. New PCs were set up in July with the replaced PCs reconfigured for OPAC use or sent to surplus. The division also reviewed the PC needs of the library throughout the year, made recommendations for purchases and provided input for prioritizing instructional equipment requests. A LAN disaster plan was developed in the fall and was added to the newly created divisional web page in September. To help facilitate LAN maintenance, the interim Electronic Services Reference Librarian was trained on LAN troubleshooting in February. The LAN was upgraded over spring break. A plan was approved for the Automation Division student worker to regularly clean the first and second floor OPACs as well as the instruction room PCs. The division assisted with the implementation of the Ariel software in ILL during August. Eudora was installed on OPACs in September. The division began work with Academic Technology and Services for Y2K testing of all library PCs in June 1999.
KCVL Activities
As part of the approved funding for the Kentucky Commonwealth University, the statewide Kentucky Commonwealth Virtual Library (KCVL) became a reality in the fall of 1998. As one of the automation projects, all state funded university libraries agreed to contract with a single library system vendor, Endeavor (with the Voyager product). The Automation Librarian was added as NKU representative to the statewide Technology Committee in late August. This group meets at least monthly in Frankfort to discuss technology issues. Throughout the fall 1998 and spring 1999 semesters, contract negotiations were ironed out between the vendor and KCVL. The individual libraries also had to develop agreements amongst themselves and the server hub sites (UK and UL). These latter negotiations required numerous revisions and final approval was still pending at the end of the fiscal year. It was agreed that NKU would implement the Endeavor product in the second phase along with UK and Murray in the spring of 2000. The Voyager software was demonstrated for library staff in November. In the spring, $42K was approved for NKU to purchase 31 PCs to be used as Voyager OPACs. The Technology Team recommended placement of these PCs and the plan was presented and approved at a library faculty/staff meeting in March. The PCs were ordered in May and arrived in June 1999.
Miscellaneous
Other activities also occupied the division's time. Printer problem requests remained steady from last year but several developments took place. A plan for replacing staff printers and moving to network printing was approved in July. The Technology Team continued to keep abreast of developments in a campus printing plan. The Network Coordinator also investigated a Uniprint printing solution for the LAN, which was implemented in the summer of 1999. The division developed and requested a PC Tech staff position as part of the campus expansion requests in the spring. This attempt was not successful, however long-awaited equity funding for the Network Coordinator position was approved. The Systems Librarian also moved up to the Automation Division offices in October. This made all division staff resident in the Automation Division suite of offices.
Duties Related to the 1998-1999 Library Objectives
Objective B:
To continue to enhance user services, Steely Library will pursue funding to improve access to NKUIRE, its online system, by providing additional access points and by continuing to load bibliographic records.
Automation response: The Automation Division assisted with improving NKUIRE access by providing additional OPACs throughout the library via new purchases and reconfiguration of replaced PCs. The division also instituted NKUIRE access via the LAN. Thirty one PCs were ordered with Endeavor funding. The NKUIRE and HP system software was upgraded in January.
Objective C:
To strengthen efforts to upgrade the collection and offer full-text electronic resources, the library will continue to seek funding from a variety of resources and work in conjunction with the efforts of the Commonwealth Virtual Library.
Automation response: The Automation Librarian is a member of the KCVL Technology Group working on these issues.
Objective D:
To effectively implement and use new technology, the library will encourage and support staff development and continuing education for library faculty and staff.
Automation response: The Systems Librarian has remained active as an NKU member of the GCLC New Technologies Committee and has also been trained by VTLS representatives. The Automation Librarian was allowed to receive additional Unix training as part of the summer fellowship/project grants program.
Objective F:
To expand its role of providing access to information, the library will pursue improvements in electronic services, including the Internet, library web page development, document delivery, and the CD-ROM LAN.
Automation response: The division has assisted in improving access via implementation of new PCs and replacement of aging equipment. The Network Coordinator assisted in training the Electronic Reference Services Librarian and upgrading the LAN.
Objective G:
To improve user services the library will continue to seek funding to replace aging equipment on a regular schedule.
Automation response: The division maintains a PC inventory database that is used for consultation in replacement of aging equipment. The division works with Academic Technology and Services in a plan to replace staff PCs as part of the campus Y2K compliance initiative.
updated: Wednesday, 24-Aug-2005 11:48:47 EDT