Annual Report, July 1995 - June 1996
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Library Computing Services Annual Report, July 1995 - June 1996 |
INFORMATION ACCESS
Over the past several years, LCS has greatly expanded the number and types of resources available through LIAS. Just three years ago, in our annual report for 1992-93, we announced the release of the first subject database in LIAS. Today, at the end of fiscal year 1995-96, LIAS offers access to over 23 million citations in over 35 databases and other resources, and students, faculty and staff have access to the full text of journal articles from their dorm rooms and offices. Fiscal year 1995-96 was a particularly productive one as LCS provided access to 11 new databases and reference resources, for an average of almost one new database or resource per month.
The NTIS (National Technical Information Service) database, released in July 1995, provides access to proposals and results of U.S. government-sponsored research and development projects published since 1964. LCS was the first to map this database from its local NTIS format to the USMARC communications format, which means that the database is now in a standard machine-readable format that can be used by other institutions. As a result, the University Libraries and LCS have agreed to provide access to the NTIS database through the LIAS Z39.50 server for all of the CIC institutions. In addition, LCS and the Libraries have agreed to share the USMARC formatted NTIS database file with NTIS which enables the Libraries to receive this database free of charge.
Like NTIS, the Periodical Abstracts and ABI/Inform databases were loaded locally on the LIAS server. In addition to providing access to citations to articles, in March 1996, LCS loaded the full text for many of the articles in these two databases. The full text can be read online, using the LIAS full text viewer, or printed, e-mailed or downloaded for later use. The full text implementation utilizes the USMARC Electronic Location and Access field (tag 856) to link the bibliographic records in the CAT to the full text articles in the two databases.
Periodical Abstracts continues to be our most popular database with a total of 173,004 sessions recorded between July 1, 1995 and June 30, 1996. The full text articles also proved popular -- 10,089 articles were selected from Periodical Abstracts while 3,337 were selected from ABI/Inform during the first four months of availability (March - June, 1996.) There was an 11% increase in the total number of sessions established across all LIAS databases, but concurrently, there was a slight decline in the total number of CAT transactions in comparison to the two previous years. One can assume the decline is due to both increased usage of the other LIAS databases and the increase in the number and variety of databases currently available. Refer to the appendices for LIAS usage statistics.
The following databases, reference works and other resources, accessible either via Z39.50 servers at other institutions or via the World Wide Web, were also made available through LIAS during the reporting period:
In addition to providing access to new resources, LCS enhanced the databases available via the RLG (Research Libraries Group) Z39.50 server in California so that they now include Penn State call numbers and location from the CAT whenever possible. This precludes the need for a user to check the CAT (the Penn State Online Catalog) to see if Penn State owns an item, an enhancement which may also have some bearing on the slight decline in the number of CAT transactions.
LIAS SOFTWARE ENHANCEMENTS
Perhaps LCS' single most praised, and definitely most visible, enhancement to LIAS, at least from our users' points of view, was the addition of Author/Title information on overdue, recall, pick-up and other LIAS circulation notices. This enhancement had been requested by users and Libraries staff for many years, and it was long overdue.
In addition, LCS revised the LIAS Selection Menu to provide more ways for the user to access the many LIAS databases, and provided the capability to print, e-mail and download individual records, citations, and the full text of articles.
LCS also continued to assist the University Libraries in enhancing and streamlining many staff processes. During fiscal year 1995-96, LCS began to send new Penn State cataloging records to the RLIN and OCLC bibliographic utilities via weekly FTP rather than via monthly tapes, provided for electronic transmissions via e-mail and FTP (in test at the end of the year) of purchase orders to selected vendors, and loaded the Library of Congress MARC (machine readable cataloging) maps files. In addition, LCS enhanced the LIAS MARC formats to support all of the changes brought about by format integration, and also began to make indexing changes to make materials such as music more readily accessible in the CAT database.
LIAS CLIENT
A significant undertaking during the period from July 1, 1995 through June 30, 1996 was the development of a pc-based LIAS client. This software will provide access to LIAS via a graphical user interface (GUI) and will use the full functionality of the Windows environment. Simultaneously, towards the latter part of the year, LCS began to design a World Wide Web interface to LIAS using Web Z HTTP server software developed at OCLC. LCS plans to have both the pc-based and Web interfaces to LIAS ready for implementation during Fall, 1996.
SYSTEM AND NETWORK UPGRADES
Early in fiscal year 1995-96, LCS replaced its Digital VAX 10630 with a Digital AXP Alpha Server 8400 with a resultant upgrade in LIAS performance. In addition, LCS replaced its Ethernet network with switched Ethernet. Implementation of the faster, switched Ethernet hardware enables LCS to provide abstracts full text, full motion video and other multimedia applications to the desktop, and provides dedicated 10 MB to the desktop over a 1.2 gigabyte backbone. Conversion of the Libraries Ethernet network to switched Ethernet began during the past fiscal year and will continue into 1996-97.
WORKSTATION UPGRADES
LCS operations staff spent much of the first part of 1995-96 replacing the Libraries older IBM computers with 125 IBM P90 Pentiums. They also installed new IBM P90 Pentiums for all LCS staff.
TROUBLE CALLS
LCS staff resolved 1351 trouble calls between July 1, 1995 and June 30, 1996.
2.0 PRIORITIES FOR 1996 - 1997 Library Computing Services expects the coming year, July 1996 - June 1997, to be one of change and growth as we introduce new Windows-based and Web interfaces for LIAS, extend automated circulation control to the campus libraries, and provide even more databases and other resources, including indexes, abstracts, full text, hypertext, charts, graphs, images, audio and video clips, statistical database and geographic information systems. Users will see more integration of resources, for example, simultaneous searching of multiple databases, and an increasing number of LIAS services will be provided through the World Wide Web.
In addition, LCS will continue to work closely with the other units of C&IS in implementing common user ids, authorization, electronic transmission of data to University offices, etc.
Our priorities:
CIRCULATION CINTROL
The highest priority for Fall 1996 is the extension of the LIAS circulation control component to the Commonwealth Campus libraries. LCS will also continue to upgrade the existing system throughout the coming year by enabling users to perform many of the functions currently done by staff. This will allow LIAS users to, for example, place their own personal reserves, renew books, access their circulation records to verify which material they have checked out, which materials are overdue, what fines they owe, make their own address changes, etc. Eventually, LCS also expects to provide self-charge workstations which will enable users to check out their own materials.
INFORMATION ACCESS
Databases. LCS will continue to expand the number and types of resources accessible through LIAS. The following databases will be released during Fall 1996: Current Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) via a LIAS gateway to OVID software, Books in Print (BIP), a database of books currently published or distributed in the U.S. via local tape load, Newspaper Abstracts, which is currently accessible via the RLG Z39.50 server, but will be loaded locally on the LIAS server, and the BIP Publisher File which provides background information on U.S. publishers, wholesalers, etc.
Also on the LCS and University Libraries work plan for the coming year are the MLA Bibliography, AGRICOLA, phase two for 1970-1978 data, and Current Contents. One other major goal of the coming year is to make the large number of CD ROM databases owned by the Libraries more universally accessible.
DocuWeb. LCS and the Libraries will take a first step towards realizing their Digital Libraries vision by providing access to the scanned images of the Steel Workers' Organizing Committee (SWOC) Papers collection and the Pennsylvania Agricultural County Agent Report Collection during the coming year. Materials in these collections have been digitized, but access to the scanned images has been extremely limited. This will change during Fall 1996, when the images will become accessible via the World Wide Web. LCS will install a Sun SPARC 20 server with Xerox DocuWeb interface software to bring these images to our users.
Enhanced Z39.50. The LIAS Z39.50 client and server will be enhanced to support online public access catalog (OPAC) record processing. The "OPAC" record will return and display local information such as call numbers, holdings and circulation information along with the bibliographic data available currently.
Indexing Changes. LIAS contains a wealth of material, some of which, especially music, has been difficult to search due to the way the materials are indexed. To alleviate some of the problem, LCS will begin to index additional subfields, such as version, language, medium of performance, etc. The additional access points will enable more specific retrieval of many materials.
CIC Virtual Electronic Library. LCS is a major participant in the Virtual Electronic Library (VEL) project of the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC). This project, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, will result in a "mega-library" accessible by all students, faculty, and staff at each of the 12 major research libraries of the CIC. The VEL will be searchable via a Web browser using OCLC WebZ server which functions both as an HTTP server and as a gateway to Z39.50 servers. By the beginning of the new fiscal year, LCS had installed and was beginning to customize the WebZ software. A second phase of the VEL, scheduled for implementation in late 1996, will enable CIC patrons to request materials from each others' libraries.
Document Requesting and Delivery. LCS and the University Libraries will continue to explore ways to increase the Libraries' effectiveness as a document requesting and delivery agent. The CIC VEL project, mentioned above, will support patron-initiated document requesting from all of the CIC institutions. Closer to home, LCS will explore ways to electronically support intercampus lending requests.
THE MANY FACES (INTERFACES!) OF LIAS
Up to this point, LIAS has been available as a character-based system accessible via a Telnet connection. During the coming year, LCS expects to release two additional LIAS clients to provide a variety of interfaces and functionality to our users. We are taking a "depth and breadth" approach in developing these clients. The Web-based client, using the OCLC WebZ server will satisfy the broad spectrum of our users who need to perform quick, basic searches in the LIAS databases without going into much depth. We anticipate that 90% of our users fall into this category. The other 10% will take advantage of the more advanced and specialized features of the LIAS pc client, which will eventually evolve into the scholar's or researcher's client. Future plans also call for the development of specialized clients to support Libraries' staff functions such as acquisitions, circulation control, cataloging, etc.
Initial versions of both the WebZ and pc clients will be released during Fall 1996 with the expectation that they will continue to evolve throughout the year. As part of the transition to graphical user interfaces, LCS will also replace the Libraries' public terminals with client/server personal computers running Windows 95.
BACKROOM SUPPORT -- LIBRARY STAFF PROCESSES
Acquisitions/PromptCat. Development of the LIAS acquisitions component will continue with a project that allows the loading of vendor-produced bibliographic records directly into the LIAS CAT and acquisitions databases. This "instant cataloging" will alleviate the need for staff to prepare and input the data. LCS expects to have the vendor files, supplied through OCLC's PromptCat service, loaded by the end of 1996.
In addition, LCS will continue development of the electronic transmission of purchase orders to vendors via FTP as well as begin to investigate an Electronic Data Interface (EDI) between LIAS and vendors to further streamline the acquisitions process.
Marcive. Like PromptCat, the Marcive project will also provide "instant" cataloging, in this case for government documents. Marcive provides brief cataloging records for all monographic documents currently received by the University Libraries through the Federal Depository Library Program. LCS expects to complete this project by December 1996.
NETWORK PROJECTS
Switched Ethernet. LCS will continue to replace the Libraries current Ethernet network with faster, switched Ethernet. Pattee Library was converted during 1995-96; the University Park branch libraries will be converted during the coming year.
Servers. During the past year, LCS began to convert the Libraries network servers from IBM PS2/95s to Compaq Proliant 1500 which provide ten times faster network access. This project will be completed during Fall 1996. In addition, the University Libraries will be upgraded to Novell Netware 4.1 during 1996/97.
HARDWARE PROJECTS
Servers. LCS is in the process of installing a Digital Alpha 2100 OSF/1 Unix server which will function as the LCS World Wide Web server. This server will support WebZ and other web server software as LCS expands its services on the web. LCS is also installing a Sun SPARC 20 server in support of the Libraries DocuWeb digital imaging project. Both servers should be up and running early this fall.
Workstations. With the implementation of the LIAS pc-based and/or WebZ clients, LCS will replace all Libraries public DEC VT terminals with Digital PCs running Windows 95. Among the issues that must be addressed prior to installation are hardware and operating system security, automated software updates, public printing, remote administration, etc.
STAFF DEVELOPMENT
LCS management will make a concentrated effort to provide more staff development and training opportunities in response to LCS staff requests. This will ensure that LCS has expertise in HTML, CGI, ODBC, Java, Unix, SQL, etc.
3.0 CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT (CQI) ACTIVITIES
D. Freivalds participated on the University Libraries Serials Claiming CQI which is also looking at the electronic transmission of claims as a way to speed up the process. She is also the LCS representative tot he C&IS Quality Control Council. M. Bender is a member of a joint LCS and Libraries team looking at networked printing solutions for the Libraries.
LCS staff experienced several firsts this year -- the first LCS Open House and first LCS Retreat. The Open House gave the University Libraries staff an opportunity to see the inner workings of LCS, and was a good way to strengthen relationships between LCS and the Libraries. It was a great success, and to quote one library administrator, "I think you made some new friends." The LCS Retreat gave senior LCS staff an opportunity to discuss their vision for both LIAS and LCS. It, too, was very successful, and led to a joint LCS/Libraries retreat to discuss similar issues.
Travel
Sylvia Carson and Jack Orlandi -- American Library Association, San Antonio, TX (January 18-23).
Mike Bender -- COMNET, Washington, D.C. (January 30 - February 1).
Eric Ferrin -- Z39.50 Implementors Group (ZIG), Gainesville, FL (February 6-9).
Eric Ferrin -- CIC Library Automation Directors Meeting, Chicago, IL (Feb. 14-15; March 13-14).
Eric Ferrin -- Brainshare, Salt Lake City, UT (March 18-22).
Eric Ferrin -- CNI meetings, Washington, D.C. (March 25-26).
Eric Ferrin -- Interop, Las Vegas, NV (April 2-4).
Tun Chin -- Neuron Data Open Interface Elements Training, Washington D.C. (May 29-June 3).
Mike Bender -- DECUS, St. Louis, MO (June 1-6).
Tun Chin -- WebZ Training classes, OCLC, Columbus, OH (June 18-20).
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Appendix B: LIAS Database and Other Resource Statistics
| Database/Resource | Size | Available Since ... | Total Sessions, 1995-96 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ABI/Inform | 835 thousand | August 1993 | 30,839 |
| Agricola | 2.0 million | March 1995 | 20,269 |
| Anthropological Literature | 90 thousand September | 1994 | 4,380 |
| ARTFL | 2000 texts | November 1995 | 753 |
| Avery | 250 thousand | June 1993 | 5,834 |
| Big 10 Library Catalogs | n/a | June 1993 | 6,078 |
| Contemporary Authors | 90 thousand authors | February 1996 | 1,155 |
| EIP | 2 million | February 1993 | 28,300 |
| Electronic Journals | n/a | September 1992 | 20,656 |
| Encyclopedia of Associations | 90 thousand assns. | February 1996 | 2,997 |
| Encyclopedia Britannica | 44 million words | September 1995 | 11,350 |
| ESTC | pre-1801 pubs. | October 1995 | 1,538 |
| ERIC | 890 thousand | April 1993 | 51,549 |
| Gopher | n/a | May 1993 | 75,194 |
| GPO | U.S. GPO pubs. | January 1995 | 9,199 |
| Libraries by Location | n/a | October 1991 | 20,115 |
| MassMedia | 16 thousand | March 1995 | 17,107 |
| MathSci Net | n/a | January 1996 | 6,208 |
| MediaNet | Complete AV coll. | December 1993 | 9,193 |
| Medline | 2.5 million | April 1993 | 59,415 |
| Newspaper Abstracts | 2.2 million | August 1993 | 43,101 |
| NTIS | 1.9 million | July 1995 | 11,020 |
| PAIS | 225 thousand | December 1993 | 10,210 |
| Periodical Abstracts | 2.3 million | August 1993 | 173,004 |
| PsycInfo | 500 thousand | November 1993 | 48,658 |
| RLIN | 74 million | September 1993 | 22,352 |
| Roget's Thesaurus | n/a | January 1996 | 678 |
| Table of Contents (TOC) | 6.1 million | June 1994 | 63,652 |
| UnCover | 3 million | February 1992 | 32,417 |
| World Wide Web | n/a | November 1994 | 59,390 |
Appendix C: LIAS Database and Other Resource Usage: 1995/96
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Appendix D: LIAS Database and Other Resource Usage: 1994/95 vs 1995/96
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| Total Number of Sessions Across All Databases* | |
|---|---|
| 1992/93 | 211,032 |
| 1993/94 | 545,952 |
| 1994/95 | 761,881 |
| 1995/96 | 846,611 |
| 1995 | 1996 | Total | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | ||||
| DOWNTIME (in Hours) | |||||||||||||||
| Air Conditioning | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Electrical | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | |||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Hardware | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 3.0 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10.5 | |||
| Maintenance | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Software | 0 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.5 | ||
| 0 | 10.0 | 6.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 24.5 | |||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Total Downtime | 3.0 | 14.0 | 6.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 6.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 37.5 | ||
| TOTAL AVAILABLE HOURS | |||||||||||||||
| 386.0 | 405.0 | 450.0 | 474.0 | 430.0 | 370.0 | 447.0 | 445.0 | 433.0 | 477.0 | 397.0 | 326.0 | 5040.0 | |||
| -3.0 | -14.0 | -6.5 | -1.0 | -1.0 | -0.0 | -2.0 | -6.0 | -1.0 | -1.0 | -1.0 | -1.0 | -37.5 | |||
| 383.0 | 391.0 | 443.5 | 473.0 | 429.0 | 370.0 | 445.0 | 439.0 | 432.0 | 476.0 | 396.0 | 325.0 | 5002.5 | |||
| AVAILABILITY PERCENTAGES* | |||||||||||||||
| % | 99.2 | 96.5 | 98.6 | 99.8 | 99.8 | 100.0 | 99.6 | 98.7 | 99.8 | 99.8 | 99.9 | 99.8 | 99.3 | ||
*Availability percentages are based on the maximum available hours at University Park Libraries and may not be a true reflection of LIAS availability at the CES campus libraries. LIAS availability at the campuses can also be impacted by network downtime and other regional factors.
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