Minutes of April 20, 2006 Meeting

Present:

Stephanie Bartz (Chair); Vibiana Bowman (recorder/remote at Camden), Ellen Calhoun, John Shepard, Li Sun, Bob Warwick.

Excused:

Natalie Borisovets

Called to order at 1:30.

1. Review decisions – quick fixes, priority fixes, & general to do list

Quick Fixes (to be completed before Summer Session)

• Generate direct URL for call number search for the Quick Search page on the RU Libraries site
• Update the sub-location menus
• Update the default display format for visual materials

Priority Fixes

• Reserve pages – numbering, "next," "previous" (top priority)
• Fix the limits on the "search again" option at "search results"
• Develop a "new book/material" list

General To Do

• Replace "OK" with "CONTINUE", making it bigger and bolder and more obviously clickable. The "OK" appears on action confirmation pages, such as the request confirmation page.
• Redirect IRIS link (on RUL site) and "New Search" button within IRIS to "Basic Search." Basic Search connects to the search page significantly faster than either the IRIS link or New Search.
• Add "Mark" button to records on Call Number Search results list pages.
• Provide a subject line option for Marked Records that are being emailed.

Brief discussion about what constitutes a "new book;" recent book (copyright date) or a recent acquisition to the library, or an item that is newly cataloged. Will need further discussion before a "new books" list is implemented

Production system is expected to be upgraded between Spring and Summer sessions. Upgrades will necessitate some catalog down time, so will probably take place over Memorial Day weekend.

New test catalog is at http://www.testiris.rutgers.edu/uhtbin/webcat/. IPAC members should visit the new test catalog and look for problems before GL3.0 is moved into the production system.

Release notes for the new production system are available through the library web pages at "Staff Resources/Systems/Useful Links/SIRSI's Unicorn Documentation." Look for "Unicorn GL3.0 Release Notes." Members should read notes before next meeting.

Problems with exact phrases and number searching – seems to be a systemic problem with SIRSI Unicorn. John Shepard is investigating this problem with other music librarians on SIRSI forums. John will pass along any information. Stephanie will update the IRIS Guide to further explain phrase searching.

There was a brief discussion about the greater utility of the "Advanced Search" features of IRIS and ways to promote its use with library users. The group decided to experiment with making Advanced Search the default in the test catalog and ask Public Services Council to consider making it the default search for the public. Advanced Search should have a better name to make it more attractive to users.

There was a brief discussion of the use of the two tab option in SIRSI – brief and full. RUL discontinued this functionality and uses the "full" display. The committee decided to leave the default "as is."

2. New Feedback and Suggestions from Users: Highlights

• Abbreviation searching for journal titles – no quick fix because of lack of any single standardized list for journal abbreviations.
• Prominently post that you must use the "Go Back" navigation tool instead of the browser navigation tools. Stephanie will update the IRIS Guide and Help screens to make sure that this issue is addressed.
• Implement "Google" searches of the IRIS catalog – not being considered.
• Highlighting keywords in searches is a good idea, but may not be possible in iLink. Li has been unable to locate any sample sites.
• Changing text for error reporting from "your request has been placed." Bob will investigate.
• IRIS marked records do not match the IRIS catalog display. Bob will look at the labels for the marked records.
• Ability to use "Nearby items on shelf" feature – This was removed from catalog because when first delivered, this feature would only browse the first library listed on the display. Bob is going to investigate whether this browse feature can appear separately for each library on every record as it does in Stanford's Socrates catalog.
• Is it possible to link to the original language record for non-English, non-Roman script? The Stanford University Catalog currently does this by linking to RLG. Bob will investigate the feasibility of this for RUL.

Information Sharing

• "Useful Links" on the IPAC web page now includes an updated test catalog link as well as a link to search lib-web-cats for locating other SIRSI clients. A link to the SIRSI documentation page maintained by Systems will also be added.
• When SuDocs numbers are entered correctly, there is no volume designator included in the number for serials and multi-volume sets. This presents a problem for users when trying to request specific volumes. The issue is being investigated.
• SIRSI's Director's Station – only basic data on OPAC searches is collected, essentially numbers of each type of search broken down to individual hours/days. months. Seems to be of limited usefulness, particularly because Director's Station purges OPAC data after two months (keeps one month plus current). Stephanie is retrieving and storing data on a monthly basis.

Next meeting May 18.

Next recorder: Shepard, Sun

Meeting adjourned 3:40 PM.