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Support and Training Services: December 2007

Version 17

November Service Pack The full list of the Aleph 17 Service Pack fixes can be found at:
http://www.mnpals.org/sections/alephservicepacks.html. The latest Service Pack was installed on our production server on November 21.

Version 18 Upgrade

Support and Training Specialists now have the version 18 client available to them and have begun testing new features and existing functionality.

For the most recent edition of the Version 18 and Integrated ILL project plan check out the following link http://www.mnpals.org/sections/18projectplan.html.

Version 18 Documentation

We have posted the version 18 Staff User Guides out to match what was posted in version 17. The new Integrated (GUI) ILL document for version 18 has also been posted.

All the documentation pages can be found at:
http://www.mnpals.org/sections/Aleph_Docs.html

Training


Aleph Version 18 Upgrade Information Sessions
  9:00-10:00 10:30-11:30 1:30-2:30 3:00-4:00
Wednesday, Jan. 16 Systems Acquisitions/Serials Circulation Cataloging
Thursday, Jan. 17 Acquisitions/Serials Circulation Cataloging  
Friday, Jan. 18 Circulation Cataloging   Acquisitons/Serials
Tuesday, Jan. 22 Systems Cataloging Acquisitons/Serials Circulations
Wednesday, Jan. 23 Cataloging Acquisitions/Serials Circulation Systems
Thursday, Jan. 24 Acquisitions/Serials Circulation Systems Cataloging
Friday, Jan. 25 Circulation Systems Cataloging Acquisitons/Serials
Monday, Jan. 28 Systems Cataloging Acquisitons/Serials Circulations
Tuesday, Jan. 29   WebOPAC Systems  
Wednesday, Jan. 30   Systems WebOPAC  
Thursday, Jan. 31 WebOPAC     WebOPAC
Friday, Feb. 1   WebOPAC    

  • Check out the following link from the PALS homepage for a full listing of training offerings and links to registration 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. We have noticed that some of the invitations being sent for registration are bouncing back to us. Please add the following address to your white list: pals@abcsignup.com.
  • Customized Training or Training for adding a new module of Aleph to your library is available upon request. Please contact the PALS Support Center http://pals.custhelp.com.

Task Forces

MnPALS Access Task Force:

The Access Task Force is still looking for a chair. If you are interested, contact Pete McDonnell (peter.mcdonnell at mnsu.edu) or Ruth Anderson (ruth.anderson at mnhs.org), co-chairs of the Reference Steering Committee.

In the meantime, Perry continues to seek opinions on changes to the Web OPAC. You can follow the discussion on the MATF's web forum: http://forums.mnpals.org/index.php?board=20.0

Recent discussions of changes made to the Web OPAC include:
  • Instead of "More locations", the text below the libraries in the Location column now says "Click title for more locations".
  • On the holdings page, if the bib record does not have any barcoded items, the system now displays the message: "The library does not have accessible items". We are still looking for suggestions for alternative wording. Some libraries have suggested no text at all, but others feel this could be confusing. If you have a suggestion, please let us know.
Watch for more discussion to be posted as the Version 18 Web OPAC becomes available for all libraries!

MnPALS Indexing Task Force:

New Indexes added

  • WYR – a new index for year and date range.
  • WHP – an index used primarily for newspapers and rare books.
  • WTS – an index that pulls information out of the 905 local tag field.

Wikis and Forums


Consortium of MnPALS Libraries User Groups

  • Dates for MnPALS Spring User Group have been set for April 17th and 18th at St. Cloud State University.

Reference Workday Planning

The Reference Steering Committee was excited by the successful workday that was held by the Cataloging User Group this past October. Now, they are asking for your input in planning a MnPALS Reference Workday.

Please take a moment to fill out this survey. The Reference Steering Committee encourages everyone in MnPALS who spends time at the reference desk, or who is interested in learning more about new tools and technologies for reference, to participate.

Please note that although they ask for your name and your institution, responses will remain anonymous. They only need your name in case you are willing to present a session.

Also, please note that the Workday will be a free event, with the meeting space provided by Metropolitan State University.

The survey should take no more than 10 minutes to complete.

Access the survey at this URL: http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB227688KYVTF

If the above URL gives you any problems, please use this one: http://tinyurl.com/2akpn5

If you have any questions or need any help with the survey, feel free to contact Pete McDonnell (peter.mcdonnell at mnsu.edu) or Ruth Anderson (ruth.anderson at mnhs.org).

PALS Support Center

  • New Answers added to the PALS Support Center Knowledge Base:
    • 3212 -- Z13 oracle table - short bibliographic record
    • 3213 -- Usage statistics on electronic Government Documents
    • 3214 -- Unable to Find Global Patron Information Error
    • 3215 -- Title Browse Search bib record that displays in the WebOPAC
    • 3217 -- Tables editing, and lockouts
    • 3218 -- Use of quotes in XSL
    • 3219 -- 'x' call number cleanup on the SYS60 Holding Record
  • Support Center Upgrade
The software used for the PALS Support Center will be upgraded on Dec. 16. This upgrade includes some of the fixes for the problems Support Specialists were encountering with proposing Answers using Vista. No other action by staff will be necessary for the upgrade, if however you notice anything out of place on Dec. 17th please let Cathy know. The upgrade will not impact the end user interface.
  • Holiday Closings
The PALS office will be closed December 24-25 and December 31-January 1. You may continue to send problem reports and questions to the PALS Support Center http://pals.custhelp.com during this time period, Support Specialist will tend to these requests when we return to the office.
  • Site Visits – On hold until after the version 18 upgrade has been completed.

Questions?

Please send any questions regarding the Support & Training Report to http://pals.custhelp.com.
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