News from 2004

A reminder for those of you that do your searching using CCL commands. The WST index is now only the 'Keyword Subject Topical' index. If you want to search on the 'Status' field you need to use WSA as your index code.

The setups for logical bases were changed to use this new code.

December 7, 2004: PALS Holdiay Card

A copy of the 2004 PALS Holiday Card, along with a list of our staff members, can be found here.

 October 7, 2004: netLibrary Collection Set III: New Libraries

The netLibrary Collection Set III (2,010 records) has now (as of 9/24/04) been loaded for Minnesota State CC & TC at Wadena and Moorhead. Other libraries that received this set received notification in August that they had been loaded. But, for these 2 libraries at Wadena and Moorhead, we had to load the records after the split apart of the NW Tech libraries and re-alignment as Minnesota State TC & CC. That split was accomplished at the PALS office in early September; thereby allowing us to now load the netLibrary records to each, new individual library at Wadena and Moorhead.

September 22, 2004: System support after hours

This is a reminder regarding procedures to follow when there are system problems at a time when the MnSCU/PALS office is closed.

Call 507-389-2000. The message will give you the number to call to reach the service center. Leave a detailed message describing the problem.

The voice mail message says to call in the case of an emergency. Use your discretion to determine if the problem is important enough that it needs to be addressed right away. The situation last night where searching MnPALS was not working would be considered an emergency. In that case, we did receive the call, but the message was not detailed enough for us to address the problem.

We are in the process of making changes to our system support coverage after office hours. I should have the plan finalized by October 1, and will send out details at that time.

September 21, 2004: Jerusalem Post article on Ex Libris

If you are interested in more information about our software vendor, Ex Libris, check out the following article from the Jerusalem Post:

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1093489823323

 September 13, 2004: User Groups name change

During the September 9, 2004 meeting, the User Council voted to change the name of the User Groups from MnSCU/PALS User Groups to MnPALS Consortium User Groups. Thank you.

Carol Johnson
Chair of the User Council

August 17, 2004: netLibrary Collection Set III, Part 2

From: Mary Ann Greenwald, MnSCU/PALS User Support & Training Specialist

I just notified you last week that netLibrary Collection set III of 2,010 bib records has been loaded for the PALS and Aleph libraries subscribing to this set. We have learned that Collection Set III consists of 2 files. The second file still needs to be loaded.

We have placed this on our Technical Staff workload schedule. As resources become available in our office, file 2 will be loaded. I will notify you when the file has been loaded.

There are 163 records in this file, and the file is mostly comprised of reference materials. Libraries subscribing to this second file are: PALS - Alexandria Tech College; Crown College; Hibbing Community College; Inver Hills Community College; Mesabi Range Community College; Minneapolis Comm & Tech College; MN State College-Southeast Tech, Winona; Rasmussen College; and St. Cloud Technical College.

Aleph - Rochester Comm & Tech College; South Central Tech College, Mankato; and Winona State University.

August 16, 2004: NAAUG Enhancements Update

The short period for submitting NAAUG enhancements has ended for most of the groups. If you have not yet sent your requests to the chair of the appropriate enhancement group, today is the deadline. The list of the chairs of the groups can be found at http://www.naaug.org/activities/EG_0405_groups.html.

The PALS office is planning to submit the following enhancement requests on your behalf:

1. Accessing items in Nav Map when "additional items" is noted
2. Sort options in items list of items module
3. Editing functions within the cataloging module that allows users to move fields and subfields up or down
4. OPAC display problem in listing items
   
   

The template to use for submitting the requests can be found on the PALS homepage on the Aleph Implementation page from the Enhancements Request Process link.

If you have already submitted any of these requests, please let us know today so we don't duplicate your effort.

 August 13, 2004: netLibrary Collection Set III

From: Mary Ann Greenwald, MnSCU/PALS User Support & Training Specialist

Hi all ... Good news! netLibrary records from Collection Set III have been loaded to both the libraries still on PALS and those migrated to Aleph. There were 2,010 records in the collection set. As to the titles of these records, I would assume you can contact Virginia Dudley at MINITEX. They have been loaded to the libraries who subscribed for them through MINITEX.

PALS libraries had the collection set batch loaded last Friday, August 6th. They were visible in the libraries' catalogs as of Saturday, August 7th. PALS libraries receiving this set of records are: Alexandria Tech College, Crown College, Fire/EMS Safety Library, Hibbing Community College, Inver Hills Community College, Mesabi Range Community & Technical College, Minneapolis Community & Technical College, Minnesota State CC & TC-Fergus Falls, MN State College-Southeast Tech/Winona, Minnesota State University/Moorhead, North Dakota State University, Rasmussen College System, Ridgewater College/Willmar, St. Cloud Technical College, and Vermillion Community College.

2 other PALS libraries, Minnesota State CC & TC at Wadena and Moorhead, will have this set of netLibrary records loaded at a later date. That is because the former NW Tech Libraries have been split apart and re-aligned as Minnesota State CC & TC. The splitting of bib records for Wadena and Moorhead from NW Tech has not been completed at the PALS office. We expect this to be completed by the end of August. At that time, the netLibrary Collection Set III records will be loaded for these 2 libraries.

This week we have been individually loading this collection set of records to the libraries on Aleph. The bib record loader on Aleph requires an individual load for each library vs. a batch tape load as we had done in PALS. As of today, Friday, the last Aleph library will have these records loaded. In Aleph, we are able to give you the range of system numbers for these bib records.

Aleph libraries that have had these records loaded are: Minnesota State University/Mankato, SYS #2938869-2940878; Riverland Community College/Austin, SYS #2936823-2938832; Rochester Community & Technical College (UCR), SYS #2930120-2932129; St. Cloud State University, SYS #2926077-2928086; St. John's University, SYS #2928087-2930096; South Central Technical College/Mankato, SYS #2932682-2934691; and Winona State University, SYS #2934732-2936741.

Thanks for your patience while we figured out all the diverse ways to load these records. Future loads should go smoother and in a more timely manner.

July 1, 2004: New Technical Services Coordinator

From: Linda Richter, Interim Executive Director

I am pleased to announce that, beginning today, Deb Domek takes over as the MnSCU/PALS Technical Services Coordinator. Deb has been a member of the MnSCU/PALS Technical Services team since 1994, and brings considerable technical experience to the position. I am confident that, under Deb's leadership, MnSCU/PALS will continue to provide exceptional technical service to our customers.

You may be aware that Mike Barnett, who has been serving in the Technical Services Coordinator position, begins his phased retirement today. He will be with us on a half-time basis until 2007.

March 11, 2004: netLibrary's Shared Collection III

MINITEX has announced that you may participate in netLibrary's Shared Collection III. Those of you that have migrated to Aleph realize that currently the PALS office does not have a means to load netLibrary records into Aleph. BUT, we are working with ExLibris to create such a loader and feel assured that we will have the loader in the near future. Therefore, please feel comfortable in participating and purchasing into the Shared Collection III.

For libraries still on PALS, we can load the netLibrary records for you as soon as MINITEX notifies us of your participation and provides us with the file.