Minutes of November 21, 2002 meeting

1) U2002 Testing.

Testers reported no major changes in access services functions in U2002. Misc. highlights: messages returned when removing holds vary, can now print a whole user record, screen background changes between modifying and reviewing records, there was no ILL toolbar to test since we didn’t purchase it, Self Services worked OK in the test webcat, global edits in Reserves allow for greater flexibility especially with instructor wizards, renewals worked OK, billing looks the same but not yet sure if recall fines starting to accrue on the 15th day overdue has been fixed.

Chris noted that the next subrelease of U2002 will allow users to place holds on volumes in multi-volume sets when they already have one volume of the set checked out. Chris also encouraged us to review the Requests module, as it looks quite different with new wizards. Roger volunteered to update the document and webpage “Toolbar and Properties Page: Standard sets of Icons and associated Properties for Functions in Sirsi Workflows” and include the new Request wizards. The group officially signed off on access services functions in U2002. It will be installed Jan. 1, 2003.

2) 1st quarter Holds and RDS stats.

We reviewed July, August, and September 2002 RDS statistics and noted a dramatic increase in book Holds and decrease in book Requests in Sept. after user-initiated holds were introduced. Overall delivery increase 26% from Sept. 01-02 to Sept. 02-03, with Alex, LSM, Math, and Chemistry experiencing an increase in the number of books processed. Chris is monitoring aged holds that linger on libraries’ Pull Lists and informally alerting RDS staff.

3) New scanners, RDS web document delivery.

New scanners have all been installed. Document feeder models are especially popular with ereserves staff. Web delivery of RDS articles is still pending. Libraries with scanners will scan articles and send them to the patron’s nearest campus ILL office where they will be processed for delivery on the Web. Deposit accounts will be needed for delivery of Rutgers articles for a fee, from same library/campus as nearest campus. To assist with planning, we will conduct an RDS sample the week after Thanksgiving and log which pickup sites where articles are being sent to.

4) In-transit Reports.

Old in-transit charges are almost entirely cleaned up, a few remain. We need to recommend a report run schedule/frequency for regular In-Transit Reports that will be emailed to staff for searching. The In-transit contact list needs to be reviewed and updated. Dean reminded us about the “What’s In Transit” wizard and its various display options.

5) Misc. cleanup projects and strategies.

• Damaged user. Items charged to the old Damaged user record will be searched in all libraries and those not found charged to Missing users. The Damaged user will the be removed and all damaged materials charged to the new TS-(LIB) and CS-(LIB) users.
• RRS users. Items charged to library RRS users will be searched and charged to Missing if not found. We will give RRS library user records a status of barred so that items can not be charged to them in future.
• Departmental DA Reports. Judy will find out if Delinquent Accounts will cancel academic holds on our old departmental, individual library, preGeac DA reports. Billing staff may still need to clear out local files or paper records.
• GeacLost items. Staff have confidence in these records and their migration from Geac, especially after searching. We still need to test the new billing reports.
• Withdrawn students. Robeson is the only library currently receiving a list of “withdrawn” students from their registrar. We will discuss a systemwide strategy for dealing with withdrawn students in our regular data loads with Admin Computing. Robeson can cancel their list, or at least not process it in the meantime.

We agreed to postpone searching projects until January intersession.

6) PALCI

Judy briefly described the book delivery pilot that RUL will conduct with PALCI libraries (Pennsylvania Academic Library Consortium, Inc.) in the spring. Heads of campus public and access services will meet with PSC and Systems staff shortly to discuss the pilot and its board public service and staffing implications. RDS, ILS, systems, and shipping staff will all be involved. Rutgers patrons will be able to place requests directly in the PALCI catalog for books and receive email notification, and PALCI library patrons will request books from us. PALCI’s epixtech URSA software will interact with IRIS. PALCI staff will be on campus to conduct training before the pilot begins.

7) ILL renewals.

Reminder from Jane to use 2003 due dates for ILL items, and that ILL renewals are granted through AAL only. (Some items have been renewed multiple times at circ desks, causing problems with our lending libraries.)

8) Heard from our patrons:

• The text of reply macros “this issue, etc. is not ‘held’…” has caused confusion with widespread use of “holds/held” terminology in different context now. Perhaps we should change it to “owned” instead.
• Suggestion to allow 30 days use of a book before it becomes eligible for recall, received over AAL, was discussed.
• We state that fines can be paid at the circulation desk of any Rutgers Library but Art does not collect $ and many libraries can’t collect fines after hours. Suggestion was made to be more specific in our user guides about when and where fines can be paid.
• It’s been suggested that we add a (return) mailing address to the Off-Campus Delivery band. Each campus will be customized.

9) Announcements and information sharing.

• We reaffirmed the importance of sending all routine AAL access services replies to the blind pin address and not to askliac. PUB-NOTEs referring to AAL correspondence are helpful to staff at desks.
• Dana is still looking to fill their evening supervisor position.
• Alex is also recruiting for an evening supervisor, just posted two assistant positions.
• Examples of two RU Online Directory entries for Grad/TAs will be shared during next meeting with Admin Computing to try to determine how email addresses are chosen to send to the Libraries.
• Chang’s roof still experiencing leaks. Planning for the construction project at Douglass is ongoing.
• The NB reserves functional group has made a concerted effort to control eres file size, a few are still running over. A new building server for Alex will alleviate space problems on the U drive. Ereserve instructions have been organized into folders, and archiving instructions reviewed. REMX book orders had stopped going through but funds have been allocated and they are being processed now. The functional group will study use of paper reserves, looking for trends and possible justification to stop offering paper.
• ILL has been working through web document delivery issues; on the whole the service is very popular with users. Jane. M. is a member of InfoLink’s Library Services Committee which will be conducting a language survey soon.
• Douglass position posted, interviews beginning. NB collection management group is reviewing its manual and planning for display.
• Question about AAL Holds questions and exactly which ones access services staff might be able to answer.
• Evening library staff are getting questions about escort services, security concerns.
• New staff person expected at LSM, another position pending.

NEXT MEETING: Thursday, December 12th, 9:30-11:30 a.m. NRUTGERS, Alexander Library, CAC. Contact Lucye Millerand ahead of time if you want to make arrangements for videoconferencing.