DigitalLearn[dot]org: Video on HPL Digital Literacy

Published on the recently launched digitallearn.org site, this video was posted highlighting Houston Public Library's digital literacy efforts and a few of our members.


Our BTOP Tech Instructors have done an amazing job to develop the skills of our members and change their lives through the hundreds of classes taught every month. Thank you, Willie and Ken, for all you have done and continue to do at Hillendahl and Ring Neighborhood Libraries!
-Marcos

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

Featured HPL Online Resource: Learning Express Library

The Learning Express Library provides access to interactive practice exams as well as a Job and Career Center. This includes TAKS, GED, SAT, civil service, ASVAB, law enforcement, real estate, and basic skills tests. To register, an email address is required to track progress. 

The link can be found on http://www.houstonlibrary.org/education web page (listed under the Database Category: "Education" if accessing through homepage). 

Check it out! This can be a great alternative if print study guide materials are not available for our customers. 

-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