Semi-Annual Report, July 1 - December 31, 1996
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Library Computing Services Semi-Annual Report, July 1 - December 31, 1996 |
1.0 PROJECT SUMMARY
CIRCULATION CONTROL
System-wide ICP. The highest priority for LCS during Fall 1996 was upgrading the LIAS circulation
control (known as Inventory Control Processor, or ICP) component in order to extend it to the
Commonwealth Campus libraries. Automated circulation was originally released at University Park in
1979, and later extended to Penn State Harrisburg. After a resource intensive, six month project, ICP
was enhanced to support the additional campuses, and the UP and Harrisburg circulation databases
were merged to create single item and single patron databases. After a thorough shake-down at UP
and Harrisburg, the system will be implemented at the campuses during Spring 1997.
Patron-Initiated Commands. LCS continued to upgrade the existing system throughout the coming
year by enabling users to perform many of the functions originally done by staff. For example, as of
December 1996, users can place their own personal reserves to recall materials that are charged to
other patrons. Further enhancements will enable users to renew their own 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. The patron-initiated circulation commands are
scheduled for release to the public during Spring 1997.
LIAS ON THE WEB
A significant undertaking during Fall 1996 was the development of a Web-based LIAS client to be
loaded on public workstations throughout the University Libraries. LIAS on the Web provides access to
all LIAS resources presently available via the Selection menu, including The CAT, journal databases,
and Web-based databases originally available in LIAS only through LYNX, such Encyclopedia
Britannica and MathSciNet. It also provides direct access to local Web-based databases not previously
available through LIAS such as the Electronic Text Center and the Electronic Reserves System. LIAS
on the Web provides improved access to resources, including a Tell Me Where to Look option for users
who are not familiar with the LIAS databases and Fast Track for those users who want to go directly to
a resource, etc. LIAS on the Web will also be accessible by remote users.
[Update: LIAS on the Web was released on public workstations in the General Reference Room in
Pattee Library on January 27, 1996 and in the Engineering Library in Hammond Building on February
20, 1997. Additional public workstations will be installed at the University Park and CES libraries
during Spring 1997. The URL will be publicly released shortly.]
INFORMATION ACCESS
Databases. Over the past several years, LCS has greatly expanded the number and types of resources
available through LIAS. This trend continued as eight new databases were released between July and
December, 1996:
At the end of 1996, LIAS provided more than 30 index, abstract, and table of contents databases which
together offered access to 24,000,000 abstracts and 904,00 full text articles. The databases were
accessed 747,000 database times during 1996. Please refer to the appendices for additional LIAS
database usage statistics.
LCS also began discussions with the University Libraries about providing support for and access to
locally produced databases such as the indexes to the Centre Daily Times and the Collegian, Mass
Media Index (currently available on the Gopher), and Three Mile Island Index. In addition, LCS
assisted University Libraries faculty in creating a database of agriculture-related records (USAIN)
published between 1820-1845. Development was completed in early September, and a subset of
agriculture records was extracted from The CAT to create the initial database which was then
expanded by importing records from bibliographic utilities and by original record creation.
CIC Virtual Electronic Library. LCS is a major participant in the Committee on Institutional
Cooperation (CIC) Virtual Electronic Library (VEL) project. The goal of the project is to create a
"mega-library" of CIC library catalogs and other databases that is accessible by all students, faculty,
and staff at each of the CIC institutions. LCS released the VEL on October 1, 1996, making it the first
CIC institutions to put the VEL into production and make it publicly accessible.
The VEL provides a Web interface to the CIC library catalogs, including The CAT, and also allows
them to be searched one at a time or simultaneously. However, because the VEL utilizes third party
software and is Z39.50 based, some special features of The CAT, for example, the ability to use the
LIBRARY command to select a specific library, are not available. In addition, local holdings and
circulation information is not currently available, but will be added in Spring 1997. The VEL is
accessible from the LIAS home page (http://www.lias.psu.edu.)
A second phase of the VEL will enable CIC patrons to request materials from each others' libraries,
and also enable the creation of multiple VELs, i.e., multiple pre-defined groups of catalogs that can be
searched simultaneously. Finally, LCS is also exploring ways to authenticate users so all of the LIAS
databases with licesning restrictions can also be made available via the VEL.
Enhanced Z39.50. The LIAS Z39.50 client and server were enhanced to support online public access
catalog (OPAC) record processing. The "OPAC" record returns and displays local information such as
call numbers, holdings and circulation information along with the bibliographic data available
currently, enabling us to display this local information on the LIAS CAT records in the VEL.
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
began indexing additional subfields, such as version, language, medium of performance, etc. The
additional access points enable more specific retrieval of many materials, and are especially noticeable
in uniform titles and personal name headings for music.
DocuWeb. LCS and the Libraries took 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 Fall 1996. LCS
installed a Sun SPARC 20 server with Xerox DocuWeb interface software to provide access to
collections. The collections are accessible via the World Wide Web (http://docuweb.libraries.psu.edu).
LIBRARY OPERATIONS
LC MARC Music Files. In December, 1996, LCS loaded the Library of Congress MARC (machine
readable cataloging) music files into the MARC database. With this load, there are now 5,900,000
records in the MARC database in the books, serials, maps, and music formats.
Marcive. Marcive is the first of several projects which will enable the loading of vendor-produced
bibliographic records directly into the LIAS CAT database. This "instant cataloging" will eliminate the
need for staff to prepare and input the data. Marcive will provide brief cataloging records for all
monographic documents currently received by the University Libraries through the Federal Depository
Library Program. Development for this project has been completed, and it will be moved into
production when the Libraries complete contract negotiations with Marcive.
HARDWARE PROJECTS
Servers. In early Fall 1996, LCS installed a Digital Alpha 2100 OSF/1 Unix server which will function
as the LCS World Wide Web server. This server supports LIAS on the Web, the VEL, and other web
server software. LCS also installed a Sun SPARC 20 server in support of the Libraries DocuWeb digital imaging project.
Workstations. With the implementation of the LIAS Web-based client, LCS will replace all Libraries
225 public DEC VT terminals with Digital PCs with color monitors and a 133 processor chip. The
public workstations will run Windows 95. Among the issues that were addressed and resolved prior to
installation were hardware and operating system security, automated software updates, remote administration, etc.
[Update: Installation of public workstations began the week of January 27, 1997, and will continue
during Spring 1997.]
NETWORK PROJECTS
Switched Ethernet. LCS continued to replace the Libraries current Ethernet network with faster,
switched Ethernet, and all Pattee Library locations ahd been converted by December 1996.
Servers. During the past year, LCS began to convert the Libraries network servers from IBM PS2/95s
to Compaq Proliant 1500 which provide 100 base TX network access. This project was completed
during Fall 1996. In addition, the University Libraries were upgraded to Novell Netware 4.1 during
Fall 1996.
TROUBLE CALLS
LCS staff resolved 533 trouble calls between July 1 and December 31, 1996.
2.0 CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT (CQI) ACTIVITIES
D. Freivalds completed her tenure on the University Libraries Serials Claiming CQI which explored
electronic transmission of claims as a way to speed up the process. She also continued as the LCS
representative to the C&IS Quality Control Council, and served as facilitator for the Libraries'
Equipment Acquisition CQI focus group meeting which reviewed how well the newly implemented
process is working. W. Stump continued as a member of the Equipment Acquisition CQI Team.
3.0 STAFF ACTIVITIES
New Hires
Lynn Garrison returned to LCS as Lead Research Programmer in October, 1996. She was previously
employed in LCS from 1976 - 1986.
Leave of Absence
Maryam Kutschemeshgi returned from child-care leave in December. She and Ali Borhan are the
parents of Yasmin who was born June, 1996.
Travel
Eric Ferrin and Lance Wilkinson
Eric Ferrin, Tun Chin, and Lynn Garrison
Eric Ferrin
4.0 APPENDICES
Back to: LIAS on the Web | Library Computing Services | Earlier Reports: Annual Report, July 1995 - June 1996, |
Semi-Annual Report, July - December 1995 |
Annual Report, July 1994 - June 1995
Updated: 3/3/97