E-mail from Paul Gahn to all circulation and reference staff, July 19:
Two new wizards have been added to the reference toolbar to aid in correcting hold errors.
Hold – Modify item
&
Hold – Remove item
Use modify item hold to:
1.) Add or correct a customer name in Comments (if customer called and you are using an agency hold account with item in hand)
2.) Do not use modify to change pickup location.
a. If you used the correct agency hold account the pickup library would be correct (instead remove hold and place hold with correct account)
Use remove item hold to:
1.) Remove the hold if you didn’t place the hold on the account of the pickup library (Customer called and you are using an agency hold account with item in hand)
Modify item hold has also been added to the Circulation toolbar (Circ toolbar already had Remove item hold).
Showing posts with label Workflows. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Workflows. Show all posts
Monday, July 23, 2007
Monday, June 25, 2007
Hold clarificaitons for June 23, 2007
E-mail message from Paul Gahn to all circulation and reference staff, Saturday, June 23:
1.) When customers arrive to checkout items placed on hold with the agency hold account please be sure to Override Checkout Item & Cancel Hold not just Override & Checkout.
a. Not cancelling the hold will cause the item to revisit your hold shelf when the customer returns it, creating work for you and your coworkers down the road. The item will sit on the shelf, no one will be notified and it will prevent other holds from being filled until it has been on the hold shelf for 7 days.
b. I am in the process of removing holds on agency accounts that have already been checked out.
c. Also use the Override Checkout Item & Cancel Hold option if a family member presents themselves to checkout available holds on a different account from the one used to place the hold.
d. Do not use Override Checkout Item & Cancel Hold if an item is presented for checkout (item wasn’t on hold shelf). In those cases you should simply Override & Checkout.
2.) Items that show up on the pick list do so because a hold has been placed on the item. There is no need to place another hold using an agency hold account. In fact, the customer will not be notified to pickup if you place a hold with the agency hold account. Pick list items need only be pulled from the shelf and scanned with Holds – Trap.
a. If going to another agency fill out a pink transit slip.
b. If being held at your agency an available hold slip will print if you have a receipt printer attached, otherwise write the customer name on a slip and the current date.
Paul Gahn
1.) When customers arrive to checkout items placed on hold with the agency hold account please be sure to Override Checkout Item & Cancel Hold not just Override & Checkout.
a. Not cancelling the hold will cause the item to revisit your hold shelf when the customer returns it, creating work for you and your coworkers down the road. The item will sit on the shelf, no one will be notified and it will prevent other holds from being filled until it has been on the hold shelf for 7 days.
b. I am in the process of removing holds on agency accounts that have already been checked out.
c. Also use the Override Checkout Item & Cancel Hold option if a family member presents themselves to checkout available holds on a different account from the one used to place the hold.
d. Do not use Override Checkout Item & Cancel Hold if an item is presented for checkout (item wasn’t on hold shelf). In those cases you should simply Override & Checkout.
2.) Items that show up on the pick list do so because a hold has been placed on the item. There is no need to place another hold using an agency hold account. In fact, the customer will not be notified to pickup if you place a hold with the agency hold account. Pick list items need only be pulled from the shelf and scanned with Holds – Trap.
a. If going to another agency fill out a pink transit slip.
b. If being held at your agency an available hold slip will print if you have a receipt printer attached, otherwise write the customer name on a slip and the current date.
Paul Gahn
Cleaning the hold shelf reports etc.
E-mail from Paul Gahn to all circulation and reference staff, Friday, June 22:
Bartlett, Cordova, Crenshaw, East Shelby, Highland and South should have received their 1st clean hold shelf report this morning [6/22]. This report will be emailed Mon-Sat. directly to agency circ and ref accounts only if there are items to be removed from the hold shelf tied to customer accounts. This report is sorted by Customer name. Though the report indicates the next destination, items should always be pulled from the hold shelf and then run scanned through the Check Item status wizard to determine their fate. Items could be:
1. Going back on the shelf for another hold (available hold slip will print)
2. Going to another branch for a hold (fill out new pink slip)
3. Going back to the owning library for reshelving.
Unfortunately, this report does not include holds placed with the agency hold account (CENHOLD, CORHOLD etc.) In order to pull these, staff should daily use the Modify hold wizard to check their agency hold account (do not actually modify anything under this wizard) and sort 1st by Comment (name) column and then by Pickup by date column. Pull available hold items from the hold shelf that have a pickup by date equal to yesterday or earlier. These must be scanned through the Remove item hold wizard and remove the hold placed with the agency hold account. Then obey the Workflows instruction as to the item’s fate:
1. Going back on the shelf for another hold (available hold will print)
2. Going to another branch for a hold (fill out new pink slip)
3. Going back to the owning library for reshelving.
...
Paul Gahn
Bartlett, Cordova, Crenshaw, East Shelby, Highland and South should have received their 1st clean hold shelf report this morning [6/22]. This report will be emailed Mon-Sat. directly to agency circ and ref accounts only if there are items to be removed from the hold shelf tied to customer accounts. This report is sorted by Customer name. Though the report indicates the next destination, items should always be pulled from the hold shelf and then run scanned through the Check Item status wizard to determine their fate. Items could be:
1. Going back on the shelf for another hold (available hold slip will print)
2. Going to another branch for a hold (fill out new pink slip)
3. Going back to the owning library for reshelving.
Unfortunately, this report does not include holds placed with the agency hold account (CENHOLD, CORHOLD etc.) In order to pull these, staff should daily use the Modify hold wizard to check their agency hold account (do not actually modify anything under this wizard) and sort 1st by Comment (name) column and then by Pickup by date column. Pull available hold items from the hold shelf that have a pickup by date equal to yesterday or earlier. These must be scanned through the Remove item hold wizard and remove the hold placed with the agency hold account. Then obey the Workflows instruction as to the item’s fate:
1. Going back on the shelf for another hold (available hold will print)
2. Going to another branch for a hold (fill out new pink slip)
3. Going back to the owning library for reshelving.
...
Paul Gahn
Sending Items to Tech Services
E-mail from Kevin Dixon to all reference and circulation staff and all managers, Thursday, June 21:
I understand that many agencies have questions about sending items to Tech Services. The instructions for this can be found [on the Go Live training wiki] here.
You basically check items out to internal user ids. If you are wondering what user id to use, I have created a page that lists agency-specific user ids that you use to mark items missing, discard, send to tech services, etc. This page can be found by following this link (and it is linked to many times on the above link). This page lists all agencies. Click on your agency to see your personalized list of user ids.
If you have any questions about this, please let me know and I will be glad to walk you through it.
Thanks,
Kevin
I understand that many agencies have questions about sending items to Tech Services. The instructions for this can be found [on the Go Live training wiki] here.
You basically check items out to internal user ids. If you are wondering what user id to use, I have created a page that lists agency-specific user ids that you use to mark items missing, discard, send to tech services, etc. This page can be found by following this link (and it is linked to many times on the above link). This page lists all agencies. Click on your agency to see your personalized list of user ids.
If you have any questions about this, please let me know and I will be glad to walk you through it.
Thanks,
Kevin
Branch Abbreviations Page
E-mail from Kevin Dixon to all reference staff, Tuesday, June 19:
As mentioned in training, we use the "Missing, Hold" check out tool to do many things to our items. We can use it to mark items missing, to send it to tech services, to discard it, etc. All we do is type our agency's 3 letter abbreviation and the code for the destination of the item (discard = DISCARD; Material Services = MATSVS, etc.) in the User ID box. Then type or scan the item id. The item is now "checked out" to that specialized user account.
I have created personalized user ids for each location. Just go to this page and click on your agency to see the personalized list.
To see further information regarding the "Missing, Hold" check out tool, visit this link.
Related to this, the instructions for marking items missing have been expanded.
If I need to add anything, just let me know.
Thanks,
Kevin
As mentioned in training, we use the "Missing, Hold" check out tool to do many things to our items. We can use it to mark items missing, to send it to tech services, to discard it, etc. All we do is type our agency's 3 letter abbreviation and the code for the destination of the item (discard = DISCARD; Material Services = MATSVS, etc.) in the User ID box. Then type or scan the item id. The item is now "checked out" to that specialized user account.
I have created personalized user ids for each location. Just go to this page and click on your agency to see the personalized list.
To see further information regarding the "Missing, Hold" check out tool, visit this link.
Related to this, the instructions for marking items missing have been expanded.
If I need to add anything, just let me know.
Thanks,
Kevin
How to change 7 day popular library to 21 day
E-mail message from Paul Gahn to all circulation staff, Tuesday, June 19:
Branch Circulation Staff,
Since many of you are now receiving new popular library items, you need to make room and change older materials from 7 day to 21 day circulation. In consultation with Item Control, it has been decided that you can do this change yourself in the branch. This should save you some time from having to email Item Control and wait for them to make the change.
At the very bottom of Circulation toolbar under Special Circulation Functions, use the “Edit circ notes, # of pieces, price”
Search by item ID, then change:
1.) Type from BOOK-APOP to BOOK
2.) Home location from POPULAR to NONFICTION or FICTION as appropriate.
3.) Be sure to click SAVE.
Remember to follow minimum shelf life limits specified in PPM 316 and work with your branch manager or appropriate reference personnel on making decisions on what to pull etc. PPM will be updated soon to reflect these changes.
PPM 316:
After materials have been on the Popular Library shelves for four months, you may pull copies that are not circulating well and either have them discarded or changed to 21-day circulating materials. However, at least one copy must remain as popular library for a six-month period. All Popular Library copies should be pulled six months from the date received.
For copies to be added to the 21-day circulating collection, the following steps should be followed:
· See above
· Fiction titles must be checked by agency staff in Unicorn, Item cat1 or call #, to see if a genre has been assigned for the title. If a genre has been assigned, the appropriate genre sticker should be placed at the bottom of the book spine. If “general fiction” appears as the location in Unicorn, a sticker can not be added to the book.
Copies being withdrawn should be checked-out to the agency discard user in Unicorn (CORDISCARD, PKYDISCARD etc.). Do not stamp “discard” or “withdrawn” on the book. Send the Popular Library books to Material Services in boxes labeled Material Services / Popular Library Discards.
If you pull items from Popular Library shelves but don’t have time to make changes immediately (add genre stickers, make item record changes), check out to your agency ITMCTRL account (CORITMCTRL, PKYITMCTRL) until changes have been made, so items don’t show as available to customers and staff.
Thanks,
Paul
Branch Circulation Staff,
Since many of you are now receiving new popular library items, you need to make room and change older materials from 7 day to 21 day circulation. In consultation with Item Control, it has been decided that you can do this change yourself in the branch. This should save you some time from having to email Item Control and wait for them to make the change.
At the very bottom of Circulation toolbar under Special Circulation Functions, use the “Edit circ notes, # of pieces, price”
Search by item ID, then change:
1.) Type from BOOK-APOP to BOOK
2.) Home location from POPULAR to NONFICTION or FICTION as appropriate.
3.) Be sure to click SAVE.
Remember to follow minimum shelf life limits specified in PPM 316 and work with your branch manager or appropriate reference personnel on making decisions on what to pull etc. PPM will be updated soon to reflect these changes.
PPM 316:
After materials have been on the Popular Library shelves for four months, you may pull copies that are not circulating well and either have them discarded or changed to 21-day circulating materials. However, at least one copy must remain as popular library for a six-month period. All Popular Library copies should be pulled six months from the date received.
For copies to be added to the 21-day circulating collection, the following steps should be followed:
· See above
· Fiction titles must be checked by agency staff in Unicorn, Item cat1 or call #, to see if a genre has been assigned for the title. If a genre has been assigned, the appropriate genre sticker should be placed at the bottom of the book spine. If “general fiction” appears as the location in Unicorn, a sticker can not be added to the book.
Copies being withdrawn should be checked-out to the agency discard user in Unicorn (CORDISCARD, PKYDISCARD etc.). Do not stamp “discard” or “withdrawn” on the book. Send the Popular Library books to Material Services in boxes labeled Material Services / Popular Library Discards.
If you pull items from Popular Library shelves but don’t have time to make changes immediately (add genre stickers, make item record changes), check out to your agency ITMCTRL account (CORITMCTRL, PKYITMCTRL) until changes have been made, so items don’t show as available to customers and staff.
Thanks,
Paul
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
What to expect on Thursday morning
To all MPLIC staff:
Tonight, many of us will hit control-z, choose "Exit Circulation," type QUIT, and say goodbye to DRA Classic for the last time. (Not all of us, as Acquisitions will continue to use the DRA system alongside Unicorn until all orders placed for the current fiscal year have been received and paid for.) What should staff expect when they arrive at work on June 14?
New logins specific to their agencies have been communicated to the managers, circulation, and reference staff in each public service agency. Staff will verify that they are logged into Workflows on the production (i.e., the "real," as opposed to training) system when they see the familiar MPLIC logo in the upper right hand corner of the screen, where they've been seeing a red TEST SYSTEM badge.
DRA Classic Bridge circulation information collected for the last week will have been loaded into the Unicorn system overnight. Each agency should log in as staff arrives, and can immediately begin updating TEMP accounts with customer information for accounts signed up during Classic Bridge. However, staff should not begin begin discharging, checking out or receiving items In Transit until Paul Gahn sends the "all clear" e-mail message, expected between 8:00 and 9:00 AM on Thursday. (At that point, staff can begin processing materials that were held in Route status during the week of Classic Bridge. New materials will not be sent prior to Monday, June 18, to allow staff time to work through this backlog.)
All circulation PCs and some reference desk, manager, and workroom PCs have received memory upgrades; those who haven't received upgrades yet may experience slower than optimal performance, and should bear in mind the advice shared earlier about maximizing performance by closing other programs before starting Workflows, and so on. (Memory upgrades for the remaining staff PCs will resume next week.)
The public web site will still be at http://www.memphislibrary.org, though the familiar "stack o' books" will have been replaced by a new design. Virtually all of the current library web pages will continue to exist and reside at the same URLs, just with a different look. Catalog links will take customers to the new OPAC at http://eps.memphislibrary.org; in addition, a search box at the top of every web page will give access to the catalog as well. Every web page will also feature a login dialog box to give customers quick access to their library accounts, with familiar services like online renewals -- and new services like Holds. The new Holds service will be available from the time we go live, but it's expected that it will take most customers a few days to discover it and start using it (though no one can know for sure, of course). The first hold pick list report will be generated and emailed at approximately 2pm on the day of Go Live.
On public machines, the PCs that have been designated as Catalog or Catalog/Express PCs will open on the Rooms/EPS home page. Printing of catalog pages (which may also include Rooms web pages or listings of database or web citations) will remain free. However, until we become more familiar with the new OPAC configurations, these PCs will not be technically blocked from accessing other sites on the Internet. Managers at each location will have the discretion to decide whether or not to enforce the "catalog use only" policy for these PCs until the technical solution can be put in place.
PCs designated for other special uses besides the catalog will continue to be designated for that use, and should come up to the appropriate "start" page. On general-use public PCs, Internet Explorer will open to the new home page at the same old URL. On staff PCs, the browser will continue to open to the Intranet home page, which is not changing at all. Links to catalog records in blog postings and BookLetters are being changed today or tonight; some remaining web catalog links, such as those for the Teen Book Lists, will not be available for a few days.
Throughout Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, lead circulation trainer Becky Graham will be available at OPX 2747 to assist circulation staff who aren't sure how to perform a function in Workflows. Also on Thursday and Friday, Damone Virgilio and Kevin Dixon will be on the road visiting locations around the system to offer in-person Workflows assistance to reference staff, and will also be available by phone via their cell numbers (e-mailed previously). Paul Gahn, joined onsite by our SirsiDynix SureStart Consultant Pam Tejes, will be available at OPX 2805 to troubleshoot problems when staff are confident they are performing a task just how they were trained, but it’s still not working (password doesn’t work, receipts aren’t printing, etc.).
For questions about the public catalog or web site, please contact yours truly at OPX 2801.
At this time, all our staff have received the essential training they need to do their jobs. We have the knowledge and the skills we need. Mistakes will almost certainly be made -- but they won't be fatal ones. We will all learn from each others' mistakes and improve our understanding, and our service to customers, as we proceed on this journey together. On behalf of the entire Sirsi Implementation Management Team, I would like to thank all of you for your positive attitude and team spirit throughout this 18-month implementation process.
Have a great Go Live!
-- Alan
Tonight, many of us will hit control-z, choose "Exit Circulation," type QUIT, and say goodbye to DRA Classic for the last time. (Not all of us, as Acquisitions will continue to use the DRA system alongside Unicorn until all orders placed for the current fiscal year have been received and paid for.) What should staff expect when they arrive at work on June 14?
New logins specific to their agencies have been communicated to the managers, circulation, and reference staff in each public service agency. Staff will verify that they are logged into Workflows on the production (i.e., the "real," as opposed to training) system when they see the familiar MPLIC logo in the upper right hand corner of the screen, where they've been seeing a red TEST SYSTEM badge.
DRA Classic Bridge circulation information collected for the last week will have been loaded into the Unicorn system overnight. Each agency should log in as staff arrives, and can immediately begin updating TEMP accounts with customer information for accounts signed up during Classic Bridge. However, staff should not begin begin discharging, checking out or receiving items In Transit until Paul Gahn sends the "all clear" e-mail message, expected between 8:00 and 9:00 AM on Thursday. (At that point, staff can begin processing materials that were held in Route status during the week of Classic Bridge. New materials will not be sent prior to Monday, June 18, to allow staff time to work through this backlog.)
All circulation PCs and some reference desk, manager, and workroom PCs have received memory upgrades; those who haven't received upgrades yet may experience slower than optimal performance, and should bear in mind the advice shared earlier about maximizing performance by closing other programs before starting Workflows, and so on. (Memory upgrades for the remaining staff PCs will resume next week.)
The public web site will still be at http://www.memphislibrary.org, though the familiar "stack o' books" will have been replaced by a new design. Virtually all of the current library web pages will continue to exist and reside at the same URLs, just with a different look. Catalog links will take customers to the new OPAC at http://eps.memphislibrary.org; in addition, a search box at the top of every web page will give access to the catalog as well. Every web page will also feature a login dialog box to give customers quick access to their library accounts, with familiar services like online renewals -- and new services like Holds. The new Holds service will be available from the time we go live, but it's expected that it will take most customers a few days to discover it and start using it (though no one can know for sure, of course). The first hold pick list report will be generated and emailed at approximately 2pm on the day of Go Live.
On public machines, the PCs that have been designated as Catalog or Catalog/Express PCs will open on the Rooms/EPS home page. Printing of catalog pages (which may also include Rooms web pages or listings of database or web citations) will remain free. However, until we become more familiar with the new OPAC configurations, these PCs will not be technically blocked from accessing other sites on the Internet. Managers at each location will have the discretion to decide whether or not to enforce the "catalog use only" policy for these PCs until the technical solution can be put in place.
PCs designated for other special uses besides the catalog will continue to be designated for that use, and should come up to the appropriate "start" page. On general-use public PCs, Internet Explorer will open to the new home page at the same old URL. On staff PCs, the browser will continue to open to the Intranet home page, which is not changing at all. Links to catalog records in blog postings and BookLetters are being changed today or tonight; some remaining web catalog links, such as those for the Teen Book Lists, will not be available for a few days.
Throughout Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, lead circulation trainer Becky Graham will be available at OPX 2747 to assist circulation staff who aren't sure how to perform a function in Workflows. Also on Thursday and Friday, Damone Virgilio and Kevin Dixon will be on the road visiting locations around the system to offer in-person Workflows assistance to reference staff, and will also be available by phone via their cell numbers (e-mailed previously). Paul Gahn, joined onsite by our SirsiDynix SureStart Consultant Pam Tejes, will be available at OPX 2805 to troubleshoot problems when staff are confident they are performing a task just how they were trained, but it’s still not working (password doesn’t work, receipts aren’t printing, etc.).
For questions about the public catalog or web site, please contact yours truly at OPX 2801.
At this time, all our staff have received the essential training they need to do their jobs. We have the knowledge and the skills we need. Mistakes will almost certainly be made -- but they won't be fatal ones. We will all learn from each others' mistakes and improve our understanding, and our service to customers, as we proceed on this journey together. On behalf of the entire Sirsi Implementation Management Team, I would like to thank all of you for your positive attitude and team spirit throughout this 18-month implementation process.
Have a great Go Live!
-- Alan
Monday, June 11, 2007
Approaching Go Live - please verify that Workflows is ready to go
E-mail message from Paul Gahn to all circulation and reference staff, June 11, 2007:
Reference and Circulation Staff,
Workflows should now be installed on all Information/Reference desk, Circulation desk and Bookdrop discharge PCs throughout the system.
Additional receipt printers have also been added for bookdrop discharge PCs and Central departments (except LINC).
Workflows will be added to other staff PCs as time permits.
Please verify that each PC with the Worfkflows3.1J icon can logon to the Test Server.
Please logon to Workflows with your agency CIRC or REF logins (Example: BARCIRC, BARREF etc.)
Also, there has been one report of Workflows wizards prompting for an Override, when you are simply trying to click on a wizard, even before you’ve identified a customer or started an item search. Please logon to Workflows with your agency CIRC or REF accounts on respective PCs and verify that this is NOT occurring.
If experience either of the above issues, please email the helpdesk. Please test all circulation desk, reference desk and bookdrop discharge PCs and only send one email for your whole agency detailing which PCs have issues.
Finally, for those with new receipt printers verify you have receipt paper installed.
Your immediate testing of the above issues will give us a chance to correct as many issues as possible before Thursday’s Go Live.
Thanks,
Paul
Reference and Circulation Staff,
Workflows should now be installed on all Information/Reference desk, Circulation desk and Bookdrop discharge PCs throughout the system.
Additional receipt printers have also been added for bookdrop discharge PCs and Central departments (except LINC).
Workflows will be added to other staff PCs as time permits.
Please verify that each PC with the Worfkflows3.1J icon can logon to the Test Server.
Please logon to Workflows with your agency CIRC or REF logins (Example: BARCIRC, BARREF etc.)
Also, there has been one report of Workflows wizards prompting for an Override, when you are simply trying to click on a wizard, even before you’ve identified a customer or started an item search. Please logon to Workflows with your agency CIRC or REF accounts on respective PCs and verify that this is NOT occurring.
If experience either of the above issues, please email the helpdesk. Please test all circulation desk, reference desk and bookdrop discharge PCs and only send one email for your whole agency detailing which PCs have issues.
Finally, for those with new receipt printers verify you have receipt paper installed.
Your immediate testing of the above issues will give us a chance to correct as many issues as possible before Thursday’s Go Live.
Thanks,
Paul
Friday, May 11, 2007
Sirsi Workflows performance issues
To all current and future Sirsi Workflows users:
Several staff members who have attended system training on Workflows have noticed a marked difference in how the software performs on the PCs in their agencies compared to those in the Computer Training Room. Specifically, the software can take a long time to fully load when first opened (as long as 10 minutes), and then performs slowly afterwards.
Why is Workflows so slow? The simple truth is that Workflows demands more memory than most of our staff PCs have available. SirsiDynix has been actively developing Unicorn and Workflows over the course of our 18-month ILS migration project, and the requirements for desktop PCs to run the software have become more stringent. Currently, SirsiDynix recommends a minimum of 512 megabytes of RAM (random access memory) for PCs running Workflows. The majority of our staff PCs have 128 MB (256 MB in some cases). This includes the "newer" PCs that some agencies have received in the last few months in conjunction with the Gates public PC replacement project and the Workflows rollout. (The new Gates PCs do have 512 MB of RAM, but by the terms of the Gates Foundation grant, those PCs are designated for public use.)
Upgrading the memory on staff PCs will be a priority for the Library in the coming fiscal year. In the meantime, here are steps you can take to make Workflows perform as well as possible in your agencies:
I appreciate your understanding and patience as we work through these and other issues on our way to a better, more modern ILS, and enhanced services for our customers.
Thank you,
Alan Stewart
Electronic Services Manager
-----------------------------------
Update, May 15, 2007:
If you're interested in learning more about RAM and why it's important, Kevin Dixon has posted a great explanation over on his MPLIC Tech Train blog.
Several staff members who have attended system training on Workflows have noticed a marked difference in how the software performs on the PCs in their agencies compared to those in the Computer Training Room. Specifically, the software can take a long time to fully load when first opened (as long as 10 minutes), and then performs slowly afterwards.
Why is Workflows so slow? The simple truth is that Workflows demands more memory than most of our staff PCs have available. SirsiDynix has been actively developing Unicorn and Workflows over the course of our 18-month ILS migration project, and the requirements for desktop PCs to run the software have become more stringent. Currently, SirsiDynix recommends a minimum of 512 megabytes of RAM (random access memory) for PCs running Workflows. The majority of our staff PCs have 128 MB (256 MB in some cases). This includes the "newer" PCs that some agencies have received in the last few months in conjunction with the Gates public PC replacement project and the Workflows rollout. (The new Gates PCs do have 512 MB of RAM, but by the terms of the Gates Foundation grant, those PCs are designated for public use.)
Upgrading the memory on staff PCs will be a priority for the Library in the coming fiscal year. In the meantime, here are steps you can take to make Workflows perform as well as possible in your agencies:
- Allow adequate time for Workflows to load before you need to use it. (For public service agencies, this may require some adjustment of your opening procedures prior to Go Live.)
- Do not have other programs (Internet Explorer, Outlook, Word, etc.) running while you are opening and logging in to Workflows.
- To the extent possible, try not to have other programs running during the day on PCs running Workflows. Every program has its own memory requirements, and memory being used by Word or Outlook means less memory available for Workflows, causing the program to run slower. (Information staff who need to use both Workflows and Internet Explorer to answer customers' questions may want to designate one PC on their public service desk for Workflows and another for IE, though this will not be possible in all agencies.)
I appreciate your understanding and patience as we work through these and other issues on our way to a better, more modern ILS, and enhanced services for our customers.
Thank you,
Alan Stewart
Electronic Services Manager
-----------------------------------
Update, May 15, 2007:
If you're interested in learning more about RAM and why it's important, Kevin Dixon has posted a great explanation over on his MPLIC Tech Train blog.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
"Go Live" Reference Training Dates Announced
From: Cynthia White, Staff Development
To: All Managers
Below are the ILS training dates for ALL part-time and full-time Reference staff. Please contact Cynthia White (email: whitec or phone: ext2722) to schedule your staff.
To: All Managers
Below are the ILS training dates for ALL part-time and full-time Reference staff. Please contact Cynthia White (email: whitec or phone: ext2722) to schedule your staff.
This training will cover:
- Workflows (Replaces Circle; covers Item Searching and Holds)
- EPS/Rooms (Online Library Catalog and other online content)
- Central Search (Federated searching tool that can search all library databases).
Please note that two evening sessions will be conducted for part-time staff who cannot attend daytime sessions.
Because of the number of staff to be trained, attendance is limited to one session. We can review Refresher training needs after Go Live/June 14, 2007.
Also, because of the number of staff to be trained, some staff will be trained well before Go Live. It is crucial for these staff to spend time at their agency refreshing their skills leading up to Go Live/June 14, 2007.
| Go Live SIRSI Reference Training Dates/Times Available | ||
| 1. Tues | May 1 | 9:30a-12:30p |
| 2. Wed | May 2 | 9:30a-12:30p |
| 3. Fri | May 4 | 9:30a-12:30p |
| 4. Tues | May 8 | 1-4p |
| 5. Wed | May 9 | 9:30a-12:30p |
| 6. Fri | May 11 | 9:30a-12:30p |
| 7. Mon | May 14 | 1-4p |
| 8. Wed | May 16 | 9:30a-12:30p |
| 9. Mon | May 21 | 1-4p |
| 10. Tues | May 22 | 9:30a-12:30p |
| 11. Wed | May 23 | 5-8p |
| 12. Fri | May 25 | 9:30a-12:30p |
| 13. Tues | May 29 | 1-4p |
| 14. Wed | May 30 | 5-8p |
| 15. Fri | June 1 | 9:30a-12:30p |
All sessions will be held in the Computer Training Lab-L50.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
"Go Live" Circulation Training Dates Announced
From: Cynthia White, Staff Development
To: All Managers
The "go live" date for implementation of Sirsi Unicorn is quickly approaching. To that end, we have developed a thorough Circulation training piece that will aid everyone in becoming comfortable with using the new system. Below you will find a list of 14 training sessions, scheduled at a variety of days and times for flexibility. This training program is for ALL full-time and part-time Circulation staff. Reference staff actively performing circulation duties will also need attend. This training will NOT cover circulation policy. Therefore, Information staff scheduled to attend must be familiar with circulation policies. Staff will need to attend only one Circulation training session. Please contact Cynthia White (email: whitec/phone: ext2722) to schedule your staff.
To: All Managers
The "go live" date for implementation of Sirsi Unicorn is quickly approaching. To that end, we have developed a thorough Circulation training piece that will aid everyone in becoming comfortable with using the new system. Below you will find a list of 14 training sessions, scheduled at a variety of days and times for flexibility. This training program is for ALL full-time and part-time Circulation staff. Reference staff actively performing circulation duties will also need attend. This training will NOT cover circulation policy. Therefore, Information staff scheduled to attend must be familiar with circulation policies. Staff will need to attend only one Circulation training session. Please contact Cynthia White (email: whitec/phone: ext2722) to schedule your staff.
Among the 14 training sessions available listed there are:
- 2 time slots are available for each Thursday date: 1)8:30a-12:30p & 2)1-5pm
- 1 Saturday morning session
- 1 Tuesday evening session
| Go Live SIRSI Circulation Training Dates/Times Available | ||
| 1. Thurs | May 3 | 8:30a-12:30p |
| 2. Thurs | May 3 | 1-5p |
| 3. Thurs | May 10 | 8:30a-12:30p |
| 4. Thurs | May 10 | 1-5p |
| 5. Thurs | May 17 | 8:30a-12:30p |
| 6. Thurs | May 17 | 1-5p |
| 7. Sat | May 19 | 9:00a-1:00p |
| 8. Tues | May 22 | |
| 9. Thurs | May 24 | 8:30a-12:30p |
| 10. Thurs | May 24 | 1-5p |
| 11. Thurs | May 31 | 8:30a-12:30p |
| 12. Thurs | May 31 | 1-5p |
| 13. Thurs | June 7 | 8:30a-12:30p |
| 14. Thurs | June 7 | 1-5p |
All sessions will be held in the Computer Training Lab-L50.
*Dates for Go Live Reference Training dates will be announced Tuesday April 10th.
Monday, March 26, 2007
System rollout of Workflows underway
The latest update to Unicorn GL3.1 (Patch Cluster 5) has been installed and tested, and the systemwide rollout of the Workflows client software has begun.
Electronic Services' IT Support team has already installed the upgraded program on PCs in the Training Room, Serials/GovDocs, and Central Circulation, and will begin installation at branches this week.
As we move towards having access to Unicorn available throughout the system, staff training dates are being finalized. Expect an announcement soon!
"Combo-logo" by Kevin Dixon
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Circulation Trainers get acquainted with Workflows
"Ever had a customer you wanted to clone? In Circulation Workflows you may get your chance."That's the word from Central Library Circulation Supervisor Becky Graham, a member of both the Circulation and Training & Staff Development Implementation Teams for the Sirsi ILS project. Thanks to Becky, the MPLIC Circulation Services Manual is already being "transposed" from DRA Classic to the Unicorn ILS.
While a final version will have to wait until all policy file decisions have been finalized and the Workflows interface modfied, MPLIC's Circulation Training Team got a preview of the new manual as well as the Workflows interface in a four-hour training session Becky conducted in the Computer Lab on Thursday, June 1. "This is an exciting and interesting adventure for the training team as we train ourselves so that we can train other circulation staff," Becky says.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
