Support and Training Services Report January 2007

• The upgrade has been completed.
• Support staff are working their way through problem reports related to the upgrade. Thanks to all of our libraries for being very patient.
  
  

• Version 17 Question and Answer web sessions are currently being offered for:
  • Cataloging (Mary Ann Greenwald)
  • Circulation (Susan Dueis)
  • Serials & Acquisitions (Dee Nolan)
  • Tables and Systems (Dan Honetschlager & Becky Bell)
  • Web OPAC (Perry Madden)
    
    
  If you have questions you would like addressed during these Q & A sessions or questions about how things are working in the Web OPAC, please send them in via the PALS Support Center http://pals.custhelp.com.
  
  The last Q & A sessions for Circulation, Serials/Acquisitions, Tables and Systems, and Web OPAC will be offered this week. Sessions for Cataloging started this week and will continue through February 15th.
  
  
• The Booking and Media Maintenance training session scheduled for January 25 & 26 at Minnesota State University, Mankato and February 8 & 9 at Hennepin Technical College, Eden Prairie Campus have been cancelled. The software is currently not stable enough to effectively provide training and place the module into production.
  
  PALS will reschedule training sessions for Booking and Media Maintenance once we have had an opportunity to fully test, debug and configure the module. These dates are yet to be determined. Watch for further announcements.
  
  
• Check out the following link off of the PALS homepage for a full listing of training offerings and links to registration forms. http://www.abcsignup.com/view/view_month.asp?as=16&wp=112&aid=PALS.
  
  

• Selecting Urgency Levels: The PALS Support Center has the following urgency levels established for your use when submitting a support request:
  1. Site down/Software Not Responding.
  2. Major Functionality Deterioration.
  3. Some Functionality Deterioration.
  4. General Question.
  Please try to select the appropriate urgency level for your request. This really helps the PALS Support Specialist manage the requests that are assigned to them. If Support Specialists feels that an urgency level is not appropriate they will change the level up or down as necessary.
  
  

• Mark your calendars! MnPALS Libraries User Groups are coming up April 16 & 17, 2007 at St. Cloud State University, Atwood Center. Watch for the call for agenda items and registration announcements.
  
  

• New functionality/location of Library/collection dropdown menu: A reminder that if you wish to change either the "Library to Search" label or the message in the first line of the dropdown box, send those requests to the PALS Customer Support eDesk (http://pals.custhelp.com ).
• Problems with Limits on a Range of Dates (Advanced Search page): A reminder not to use the date limits on the Advanced Search Page. Instead, use the following workaround: After the search is entered, use the Limit option on the Brief Records display page, and choose the Year option there.
• Implement Save/Mail Format for Endnote: If anyone is already using the Endnote software and would like to test this with the MnPALS web OPAC, please do so, send your results to the PALS Support Center at http://pals.custhelp.com .
• Popup window when clicking on URLS in Web OPAC: You should no longer be seeing the "No Services Found" message on the Web OPAC when you link to an external URL. You should also see that it is opening a completely new browser window, with the browser toolbars available to you. In a related note, we are close to having the URLs on the Holdings page be clickable as well. Watch for more information on that in the next Support Report.
  
  

• No new developments or action at this time.
• For Authorities Task Force minutes check out their web board http://boards.pals.msus.edu/fusetalk/forum/index.cfm?forumid=17
  
  

• No new developments or action at this time.
• For complete MITF minutes go to their WebBoard site at: http://boards.pals.msus.edu/fusetalk/forum/index.cfm?forumid=15. The next meeting is scheduled for February 5, 2007 from 1:30-3:00 p.m.
  
  

• No new developments or action at this time.
  
  

• The Marketing Task Force will have its first meeting on February 13th. Task force membership: Donna Davis (Chair), Barb Golden, Orrin Ausen, Ruth Zietlow and Cathy Colby (PALS liaison).
  
  

• No new developments or action at this time.
  
  

• Perry continues to work with the members of the Task Force via email and their Web board on various version 17 Web OPAC customization questions.
• Web board address for MATF http://boards.pals.msus.edu/fusetalk/forum/index.cfm?forumid=16
  
  

• Version 3.1 Upgrade - We are in the process of testing the version 3.1 upgrade of the ZPORTAL/VDX system. The enhancements that are included in this version include handling of formats in both the searching and interlibrary loan functions. The enhanced ability of the VDX interlibrary loan system to determine potential lenders based on format will mean more requests going directly to lending locations and bypassing the MINITEX office for processing. This should be a more expedient method of handling requests.
• Ohio is getting the upgrade in production first and we plan to move to the new version quickly after they've had a successful implementation. We're expecting that this will be in February.

• Bemidji State
• IHCC
• NHCC
• HTC - Service & Marketing pilot, end of Feb/1st week of March
• eFolio/MnOnline - (another interface for eFolio)

• For a complete schedule of web training, hands on training and workshops available please consult the PALS homepage. Click on Announcements, Training & Workshops, select the link under "Scheduled Workshops and Training Sessions" or click http://www.abcsignup.com/view/view_month.asp?as=16&wp=112&aid=PALS
• Individual invitations will be sent out each time we add a new session to our offerings.
  
  

• Agent Training MCTC, December 19 - Kyle & Frank
• BSU, Dec 20-21 - Kyle & Frank
• MSU OneStop Presentation, Jan. 3 - Kyle & Frank
• Captivate Training, January 4-5 - Kyle
• RightNow demo - MnTransfer, Jan. 5 - Frank
• Agent Training - Normandale, Jan. 9 - Kyle
• MWL, Jan 10 - Kyle & Frank
• MSU Professional Development Day, Jan. 10 - Linda, Paul
• RNT Version 8 Training, Jan. 16-23 - Kyle & Frank
• Version 17 Q & A Acq/Ser., Circ., Sys, Jan. 17 & 19- Dan, Dee, Susan
• Version 17 Web OPAC Q & A, Jan. 18 - Perry
• Version 17 Q & A Acq/Ser., Circ., Sys, Jan. 22 - Dan, Dee, Susan
• Version 17 Web OPAC Q & A, Jan. 23 - Perry
• Version 17 Q & A Acq/Ser., Circ., Sys, Jan. 24 - Dan, Dee, Susan
• Version 17 Web OPAC Q & A, Jan. 25 - Perry
• Version 17 Q & A Acq/Ser., Circ., Sys, Jan. 26 - Dan, Dee, Susan
• Version 17 Q & A Cat., Circ., Sys, Jan. 30 - Dan, Susan, Mary Ann
• Directors Search Training, Jan. 31 - Dee