Consortium of MnPALS Libraries Annual Meeting 2006

1. The Epsilon and Zeta Library groups of libraries switched to production on Aleph between January 3 and January 19. They are:
   • ATC Alexandria Technical College
   • BSU Bemidji State University
   • CLC Central Lakes College
   • CTC Minnesota State Community and Technical College (Detroit Lakes, Fergus Falls, Moorhead, and Wadena campuses)
   • NLC Northland Community College (East Grand Forks and Thief River Falls campuses)
   • NWT Northwest Technical College, Bemidji
   • TRC Concordia College
   • TRM Minnesota State University Moorhead
   • CSS College of St. Scholastica
   • FDL Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College
   • ICC Itasca Community College
   • HCC Hibbing Community College
   • LCS Lake Superior College
   • MEC Mesabi Range Community and Technical College
   • PTC Pine Technical College
   • RRC Rainy River Community College
   • VCC Vermilion Community College
2. Down time for Epsilon and Zeta migrating libraries was approximately two weeks in December. Aleph was available for the libraries on December 29, although many chose to switch to production during the first two weeks of January.
3. Down time for Aleph libraries already in production was minimized during the Epsilon and Zeta Libraries' migration, due primarily to the Christmas holiday weekend. Depending on campus and/or library schedules, Aleph was available on December 29.
4. The Epsilon and Zeta library group migration was completed on schedule!
5. Thanks go to everyone involved in this migration!
   
   

1. The first Eta Library group's data conversion was combined with the second Epsilon and Zeta Library group's data conversion. Data was ready for review after the Thanksgiving holiday.
2. It was necessary to complete a second data conversion in late February. The benefit to the consortium is that a newer copy of the entire database will be available for the down time.
3. Training for the Eta Library group began November 29 with the first of three Systems Librarian training classes. Other than the Christmas and New Year's holidays, a training class has been scheduled weekly since the first week in January. The last Circulation Functional Training class is scheduled during the week of April 11.
4. The Eta Libraries will stop using PALS on April 11. The other libraries using Aleph in production will encounter down time from the end of the day on April 13 until the morning of April 24. If the conversion, merging, and indexing processes complete prior to April 24, Aleph will be made available as soon as possible.
5. The Eta Library group will switch into production during the week of April 24. The libraries in this group are:
   • ACC Anoka-Ramsey Community College (Cambridge and Coon Rapids campuses)
   • ADC Minneapolis College of Art and Design
   • AHT Anoka Technical College
   • BLC Bethany Lutheran College
   • CEN Century College
   • DCT Dakota County Technical College
   • DWD Dunwoody College of Technology
   • HRL James J. Hill Reference Library
   • HTC Hennepin Technical College (Brooklyn Park and Eden Prairie campuses)
   • IHC Inver Hills Community College
   • MCA Perpich Center for Arts Education
   • MCT Minneapolis Community and Technical College
   • MDH Minnesota Department of Health
   • MSB Minnesota School of Business/Globe College
   • MTR Metropolitan State University
   • NDC Normandale Community College
   • NHC North Hennepin Community College
   • RCP Rush City Public Schools
   • RCS Rasmussen College
   • SCT St. Cloud Technical College
   • SPT St. Paul College
6. The PALS to Aleph migration will be completely finished by the end of May, once all the Epsilon, Zeta and Eta libraries begin using Aleph ILL.
   
   

1. Interlibrary Loan development is nearly complete. There are a few outstanding issues to be resolved before the product is formally accepted by the MnLINK office.
2. Training dates were set for late November/early December, 2005. The software was not yet ready for production, so the training was delayed.
3. The first group of libraries received training on February 10 via WebMeeting and February 17 in person. The group agreed to go live with Aleph ILL on February 27. The group is:
   • GAC Gustavus Adolphus College
   • MSL Minnesota State Law Library
   • MSU Minnesota State University, Mankato
   • RVL Riverland Community and Technical College (Albert Lea and Austin campuses)
   • SBJ College of St. Benedict/St. John's University
   • SCC South Central College (Faribault and Mankato campuses)
   • SCS St Cloud State University
4. There have been three groups that have been trained and are currently live on Aleph ILL. The training was split into two sessions, with the first one focusing on systems librarian setup for ILL via WebMeeting and the second one focusing on ILL functionality in person.
5. All MnPALS Consortium libraries will be using Aleph ILL before the end of May.
   
   

1. Due to the need for a second conversion of the Eta libraries' data, work on version 17 did not begin as planned.
2. Due to the drawn out implementation of ILL and the amount of staff resources that were and continue to be needed, work on version 17 was further delayed.
3. While we have begun working on the version 17 upgrade, the current plan is to devote more resources to version 17 beginning in mid-May.
4. The 4½ month delay in fully working on version 17 means that 1) Libraries will not have access to version 17 to check their data and learn how the new client works until after the summer break; 2) Staff training will be scheduled for later dates in the fall; 3) We expect most of the training will be either WebMeetings or online tutorials; and, 4) The switch to production use of version 17 is now targeted during the semester and holiday break in late December/early January.
   
   

1. The Aleph Reporting Center software was installed on the production server in June, 2005, with the first extract, translate and load (ETL) process completed by Ex Libris for 10 of the beta and gamma libraries. They are: GAC, LRL, MHS, MSL, MSU, SBJ, SCC, SCS, UCR, and WSU. The data has not been updated since that load.
2. PALS staff completed some preliminary testing of reports. While we could tell if the report completed, we could not verify the counts that were being reported.
3. Due to the other top priorities for our staff, implementing ARC is currently on hold.
4. The PALS staff is forming a task force with members that used the PALS Report Writer extensively. The task force will be asked to identify the reports needed from Aleph by the libraries, to evaluate the reports available from Aleph Services menus, and to evaluate the reports available through ARC.
   
   

1. Work plan
   1. The PALS work plan has been updated and is posted on the PALS home page.
   2. The PALS staff is using the work plan as a guide to establishing priorities and identifying the most pressing issues to be completed.
   3. The work plan is reviewed at each MnPALS Users Group meeting where suggestions for priority changes and additions are made by the users.
2. Aleph maintenance agreement
   1. No activity has occurred regarding the Aleph maintenance agreement.
      
      

1. The 2006 Ex Libris Users of North American (ELUNA) conference will be hosted by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN on June 4-7.
2. Al Rykhus is the systems advisor on the 2006-2007 Serials Enhancement Group.
   
   

1. LaSSSI continues to meet on a regular basis. In January, LaSSSI met with Ex Libris management and began a dialogue with them. The group's goal is to provide input regarding consortia needs that will help improve Ex Libris' future developments. Ex Libris shared some preliminary information about some of their future development and invited the group's input.
2. Sharing information about software testing has occurred among the various consortia. Other areas of shared interest include union catalogs and report writing.
3. The April meeting is scheduled for April 10 in Mankato.