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 Open Source Automated Library System - North America www.opals-na.org email: info@opals-na.org Telephone: 877-331-1022 SCOOLS Union - ILL News - September 2007 SCOOLS Program Updates September 12, 2007 – The “SCOOLS” component School Library System directors defined a number of objectives for the cooperative interlibrary loan and union databases for school year 2007-2008. Most School Library System union catalogs merge the holdings of the constituent school libraries in their respective regions. This merged database is either static until the next merge is completed, or updated manually by adding and deleting individual holdings that librarians provide on lists or diskettes. This model exists because School Library Systems provide ILL resource sharing service to technologically diverse libraries; each of which has the option to select a preferred library automation program. Static union catalogs can respond to most demands in the course of the school year, but do not reflect the current school library holdings. Manually updated union catalogs are more accurate, but the process is both tedious and expensive. Dynamic Union Database Updates The SCOOLS initiative will implement changes that will make it easier to update union catalog holdings. Programmers modified the directory to enable School Library Systems to establish hierarchical security. Security parameters enable SLS to allow staff to have specific rights to specific functions at specific locations. These functions will be expanded to include the full range of OPALS building level functionality. Each School Library System administrator and authorized staff will have access to the system’s powerful import and merge program. The import-merge utility uploads and merges current acquisitions from diskettes or vendor-emailed files, from libraries. Each School Library System can update their respective region’s holdings incrementally to provide a dynamically updated union database for interlibrary loan and Z39.50 access to MARC bibliographic records. This functionality is available and can SLS staff can start using it on September 20, 2007. Building level libraries will be able to submit electronic deletion lists that School Library System staff can upload to the union database for processing. OPALS automated schools can do this easily enough… and an online, password-protected, location-specific form will be available for other automation system users to either scan or manually enter deleted items’ barcodes that SLS staff can process. This automated process will be in addition to manual holdings deletions. 2007 - 2008 Data Upload and Merge We have completed the upload and indexing of SLS data. There are over 1,170,000 unique titles and more than 3,300,000 holdings in the SCOOLS union catalog… one of the largest school library media center databases in New York State. ILL Orientation Slide Presentation Librarians can view an ILL orientation slide presentation at this OPALS link: http://opals-na.org/ILLOverview/ILLOverview.html SCOOLS OPAC - District Scoping The OPAC search filter permits an additional level for searching: SCOOLS Region
Login - Search When you select and login to a specific location (ex. Broome, Owego Apalachin S.D., Owego Free Academy), the system retains that location as its default. You can search that location and scope out to any other level. The system will "remember" your login coordinate as "My Library."
Interlibrary Loan Request Sequence from Location "OAA" 1. Click on the "Title" link of the item to request...expanding record displays:
2. Click "ILL Request" on the "Record Information" screen:
3. Select locations from which to borrow - Enter expiry date and notes - Click "Submit Request" ILL Request and Response Management
ILL Response Form
Union Database Import and Merge Utility Participating libraries can submit new acquisitions that authorized School Library System staff can upload and merge into the union database.
"SCOOLS" is a cooperative open source initiative of the following New York State School Library Systems: Broome-Tioga Library Technology Support and Services Media Flex Inc http://www.opals-na.org email: info@opals-na.org Telephone: 877-331-1022 |
