Symphony Go-Live Update (Dr. Lawson)

Email from Dr. Lawson on Thursday, July 11, 2013:

Dear HPL,

Kudos to Syma and the team leading this gigantic effort. They have done a fantastic job and are owed tremendous gratitude from us all. Let them know we appreciate them when you see them around.

And, I send my deep appreciation to the entire staff - for your patience and tenacity as we get through this bumpy period.  This is not an easy transition – but it will get better. The new system is fabulous and it will soon be familiar to us and the glitches will fade.

Please hang in there and do your very best to help each other and our customers with the new system.

Thank You,
Rhea Brown Lawson, PhD

Director, Houston Public Library

We link people to the world.

Symphony Go-Live Update!

Email from Syma on Thursday, July 11, 2013:

I know it’s been a long, hard day for most of us but, honestly, tomorrow will be better J 

·         Most of the circulation related issues were due to the fact that an awful lot of our offline circulation information did not load into the system as quickly as anticipated.  Items that had been checked in offline still showed checked out, customers who had registered offline were not showing up in the database, and so on.  The load of offline circulation information will be completed by tomorrow morning so most of these issues should be resolved.

·         The one year expiration date for new cards has been corrected and should work properly tomorrow.

Issues being worked on:

·         Length of receipts and/or multiple single receipts for the same customers

·         Strange check-out periods somehow related to a card’s expiration date

·         Minor fines blocking check-out

·         Holds wrapper issue

·         Enterprise catalog display problems, especially in Internet Explorer.  We recommend you switch to Firefox or Chrome for a better, although still not perfect, display.

One thing that is not a glitch and that we will just need to get used to is that when a new staff person takes over at a terminal, the person leaving needs to close Symphony Workflows and the new person needs to re-open Workflows and log-in.  There is no short-cut.

Please keep those calls and emails coming in.  If we don’t know what the problem is, we cannot fix it.  The IT Helpdesk should be your primary contact point.  We have a team of HALAN, IT, LMS, and SirsiDynix staff stationed nearby so issues reach us quickly.

Thanks for all you do.  It is deeply appreciated.

Syma

Library Cards Created During Offline

Email from Fred Schumacher on Wednesday, July 3, 2013: 

Greetings all.

Customers who register for new cards while we are in Symphony Offline will be unable to use those cards on the computer reservation system.  On Monday of this week you should have received an envelope containing pre-made computer use cards (see below for original message).  You should issue one of these cards to any new cardholder who you register in Symphony Offline, as the new library card created in Symphony Offline will not allow them to use the computer registration system.  On 07/11, when the offline circulation files are uploaded to the Symphony server, the cards created in offline will start working with the computer reservation system.

Thanks,

Fred Schumacher

-mm

Procedures for Circulating Laptops During Offline

Email from Fred Schumacher on 6/24/2013:

Greetings all.

Shortly, we will migrate from Millennium to the new Symphony ILS.  During the actual migration of customer records, we will be operating offline for all circulation transactions.  The Symphony Offline client does not accommodate hourly circulation of laptops, so we have developed a manual circulation procedure for you to use during the offline period – 07/03/13 through 07/10/13. 

The HPL Print Shop is printing special Laptop, Tablet and Gaming Device Circulation Agreement forms that will be sent to each location.  The forms are printed with the same agreement as  currently appears on the regular forms, but the bottom of the agreement has been altered in include a space to record the barcode of the item being borrowed and a time returned for the item.  Additionally, a cut-off customer receipt with spaces for item barcode, date, time out and time due has been added to the bottom.  During the time we are offline for the migration, you will need to use these forms to manually circulate laptops, tablet computer and gaming devices to customers.  The receipt portion of the form will need to be filled out for each circulation and issued to the customer.  At the time the item is returned, you will need to fill in and initial the time returned and inform the customer of any overdue charge owed, if the item is returned late.  Forms for items returned late are to be retained for further handling once we are online in the Symphony system.  Forms for items returned on-time may be disposed of in the normal manner.

Again, you will receive the forms from offline circulation of laptops shortly.  Put those forms aside for use during the offline circulation period – 07/03/13 through 07/10/13.  If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us in the Circulation Administration Department.  We will be happy to assist you in any way that we are able.

Thanks for your attention to this.

Fred Schumacher

Circulation Administration Manager

-mm

Transitioning to a New ILS (Dr. Lawson)

Email from Dr. Lawson on 6/17/2013:

Hello HPL!

In July, Houston Public Library will unveil a completely new integrated library system (ILS) that will run our catalog and customer accounts. The new system, SirsiDynix’s Symphony, will result in improved service delivery and more efficient processes. Every effort is being made to keep you informed of changes and timelines to make the transition process to the new ILS as painless as possible -for both you and our customers.

Over the next few weeks we are going to implement a phased roll out that will have several milestones.

·         On Wednesday, July 3^rd, our current ILS, Millennium, will be taken offline.

·         On Thursday, July 11^th the new ILS, SirsiDynix’s Symphony, will go live.

·         The week between these two dates (Thursday, July 3, 2013 thru Wednesday, July 10, 2013) will have the most impact on HPL customers and staff. During this time:

Ø  Most customer interactions will be handled manually, offline.

Ø  Check-outs, check-ins, and new registrations will be handled through the SirsiDynix Symphony offline circulation system.

Ø  We will not take new hold requests or fill existing hold requests during this period.

Ø  Inter Library Loans will be handled manually.

Ø  Self-check machines will be unavailable.

Ø  We will not be able to collect fines.

Additionally, there are two significant changes that will result from this transition:

1.    All customers will be required to have Personal Identification Numbers (PIN) to access their accounts online. This is one of the most important features to impact customers and provides them with an additional level of security for their accounts.

Ø  Current cardholders will be assigned a four-digit PIN based on the last four numbers of the phone number associated with their accounts.

Ø  New cardholders will have five-digit PINs automatically assigned to them by the system at the time their account is created. 

2.    Beginning July 3, 2013, our circulation period will change from 2 week check-outs (with two possible two-week renewals) to 3 week check-outs (with one three-week renewal).    This will give our customers more time to get through their particular item(s) and reduce the number of times they need to worry about renewal. 

NOTE:  DVD’s will circulate for one three-week period, with no renewals.

Syma Zerkow, Chief of Library Materials Services, will continue to provide you with regular email updates about the overall ILS transition and on-going staff trainings.  Additionally, a Frequently Asked Questions  (FAQ) document will be  placed on HPL’s Intranet full of useful information for staff. This document will include a list of the features we are keeping, those we are adding, as well as a list of the features that will not transition to the new system. More information will be shared with you on an ongoing basis as it becomes available.

We will begin providing information to our customers this week. This will include the dates of the roll out and the expected impact to them, our services, and their accounts.

Switching to a new ILS is a monumental undertaking, requiring months of planning and the time and attention of many of our co-workers.  We know that no matter how much we have planned, or how much care we have taken with each of step of the transition, there will be some challenges for our customers and staff. Please let us know how things are going, and when you have questions or suggestions – contact Syma – syma.zerkow@houstontx.gov

Thank you in advance for your commitment and patience as we work our way through these milestones.  Most importantly, I ask that you take time to familiarize yourself with the FAQ’s and other information provided so that you can become informed. Being informed will make the transition easier and will equip you to help guide our customers through this change. It’s going to take all of us working together to make this transition possible.  Thanks again!

SIRSI Training Reminders

Please remember your SIRSI training day and refer to the schedule. Alice has inserted a note on the schedule asking for all staff to practice with SIRSI when you are not scheduled on the desk/floor. Please take the opportunity to review the manual, practice the basic functions on WorkFlows, and enter some of the self-pace courses. Chris has saved a copy of the SIRSI manual on every station at the CSD. When there is down time and shelving is caught up, please take time to review the manual as well. Let's be prepared and ready to go for when we go live with SIRSI!

Thanks,
-Marcos

SIRSI Update #5

Email from Syma Zerkow on 05/31/2013:

Last week, I urged you to try logging in to the test database.  Unfortunately, some of you have had problems with the connection.  IT and SirsiDynix staff are working to resolve this. 

The train the trainer sessions on circulation have been completed.  We will have 4 teams of trainers conducting these 4-hour training sessions.  This will allow multiple opportunities to attend sessions at locations throughout the system.  A training schedule will be issued next week.

Starting June 11, we will be making changes in the bibliographic records for periodicals, microfilm, E- audiobooks and E-books so that they will import correctly into Symphony.  Once these changes are made, the ability to limit your search by these material types will disappear in both the Classic Catalog and Encore.  We will be posting information on the Catalog Search page and elsewhere.  The final language has not been set but it will be say something like:

TEMPORARY CHANGE IN CATALOG SEARCHING

To find magazines, go to Journals and Periodicals: http://0-atoz.ebsco.com.catalog.houstonlibrary.org/Titles/hpubl?lang=en&lang.menu=en&lang.subject=en

To find microfilm, add “microform” to your keyword search terms

To find E-books and E-audiobooks, add “electronic resource” to your keyword search terms

We will need to continue to use these workarounds until we go live on Enterprise, our new SirsiDynix online catalog.

As always, if you have any questions, please contact me or use Contact Us on the HALAN ILS Migration News site on the Intranet.  

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-Marcos

Updating Customer Records

Email from Syma Zerkow on 05/29/2013:

As you are updating customer records, please do not delete or change the “g” message field.  This field is used to create the message that customers now see when they log in to their account that reminds them to update their personal information in preparation for the move to Sirsi.  I believe that some of you may be changing it from “g” to “x” or deleting it entirely once the customer has updated their information.  Unfortunately, that creates a problem.  We are using that field to send a series of messages about the change (right now we are trying to alert customers that PINs will be required in the new system) and when you change the “g” to “x” or delete the “g” completely, we are no longer able to mass update those records. 

Thank you for your cooperation.  If you have any questions, let me know.

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-Marcos

HPL Mobile App Updates

Email from Saima Kadir on 05/28/2013:

Greetings,

I would like to share a few updates about HPL’s mobile app:

·         It shows the same message that has been added to My Millennium about upcoming catalog changes; it gets updated as new information becomes available

·         App can now store a patron’s library card so it doesn’t need to be entered every time patron wants to access their account

·         Library patrons who use the app to chat with us, now get a notification to use their browser for a better chat experience

·         we are working with Boopsie, our app developer to have it integrate with Sirsi once we migrate to the new ILS

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

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-Marcos 

Important Dates Regarding ILS Migration...

Just a reminder...

Email from Syma Zerkow on 05/09/2013:

Our GoLive date for SirsiDynix Symphony is Thursday, July 11.  We are starting to detail out the timing of a lot of the changes and I want to make sure you were all aware of them.  I plan to send out updated information to staff on a weekly basis.  The Communications Division will begin a public awareness campaign for our customers in early June.

·         In order to reduce the number of circulation-related issues that will arise during our migration period (June 21-July 1), we have modified how the III system calculates due dates.  Our goal is to minimize the number of items returned over that time period but not affect our ability to check out or return items.  As a result, you (and our customers) will see a lot of unexpectedly long check-out periods.   Please accept whatever due date the system shows and, if a customer questions it, explain that we are moving from our existing catalog and circulation software to a new system and to make the transition as smooth as possible, we have temporarily changed the checkout period. 

·         Collections throughout the system will be more finely defined in the new catalog.  Every library will have locations such as Media, Beginning Readers, Graphic Novels, and more.  Sirsi informs us that due to the complex mapping of items to new locations, we need to keep item location changes to the absolute minimum during the migration period.  Therefore, we plan to stop floating materials beginning the week of June 17. When we go-live on Symphony, floating will immediately go back into effect.

·         During this period (June 21-July 10), no new titles or items will be added to the collection and we will be unable to delete items.  Staff will also need to follow new procedures to check-in periodicals and new procedures to create “items on the fly” (short records to allow circulation of items whose barcode is not in the system).

·         From July 5-10, we will be using Symphony Offline Circ.  During this period, no fines can be collected and no holds can be filled.  We will be able to register new customers.

·         Training for the new procedures will begin just after Memorial Day and run intensively throughout the month of June and continue on a regular basis thereafter. Training material will also be available on the Staff Training Portal.

·         We are working with Communications to develop FAQ’s to assist you in providing clear explanations to our customers about the changes.

As always, if you have any questions, please contact me or use Contact Us on the HALAN ILS Migration News site on the Intranet.

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-Marcos

SIRSI Training Updates

Email from Syma Zerkow on 5/17/13:

Training update:

·         Training on the new system will be offered in multiple locations and multiple times throughout the month of June and then ongoing.  Once a definite schedule is established with times and locations, everyone will be notified.

·         Procedures presented during training will be available through the HPL Training Portal.

·         SirsiDynix Help screens within Symphony WorkFlows are excellent.  Plan on using the Help screens regularly.

·         Sirsi also offers a free generic tutorial that you will be able to access at any time.

·         A “cheat sheet” to keep at the Service Desk of most common procedures will be available.

I’d also like to offer some quick definitions:

·         Enterprise is the name of the new catalog interface (currently we have the Classic Catalog and Encore).

·         SirsiDynix Symphony is the equivalent of III Millennium.

·         Symphony WorkFlows is your single access point to all functions.  Currently, you may have an icon on your desktop for Circ, another for Serials, another for Offline Circ, another for Program Registration, and so on.  All of these various III modules are incorporated into the single WorkFlows icon.

As always, if you have any questions, please contact me or use Contact Us on the HALAN ILS Migration News site on the Intranet.

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If you wish to explore Enterprise, the new catalog interface, you can visit Nicholson Memorial Library System's site, http://nm.ent.sirsi.net/client/default. -Marcos