=========================================================================== MINUTES Novanet Acquisitions Committee Meeting Mar. 1, 2001 at 1:30 p.m. University of Kings College Library Present: Linda Aiken (Dal Law), Karen Chandler (Dal Killam), Mary Dobson (UCCB) - by phone, Marilyn Foote (NSAC), Gail Fraser (Dal Kellogg), Peter Glenister (MSVU), Elaine MacLean (SFX), Linda Macleod (Dal Killam), David Manning (SMU), Terri Winchcombe (DalTech) Florence Wardrope (SFX) Regrets: Lloyd Melanson (AST),Nick Sobol (UCCB),Paulette Coolen (King's), Bev Neable (NSCC), Helen Blanchard (MSVU), Mary MacDonald (WKK). 1.1 Agenda was approved with addition of: 6.1 Year end dates 6.2 Downtime during conversion 1.2 Request was made that one individual take the minutes for a number of meetings to maintain consistency. LM volunteered for 3 meetings. 2. 1 Minutes approved 2. 2 Business arising 2.2.1 Committee of Chairs have not met since ACQ committee's last meeting (see also 5) 2.2.2 Listserv protocols ( see also 6.8) Problem of what is appropriate for what list is still not resolved. KC had sent a message to Richard and the Novanet listserv regarding the lack of system wide information about 6.8 downtime, both the timing and the extent. A response was received that indicated that, given the listserv protocols, the Novanet list was not appropriate posting place for either the query or any responses to it. Discussion: KC - Novanet listserv is the appropriate place for notification about and questions concerning 6.8 downtime. There are many people using it for testing and cleanup. Inquiring minds want to know and it is better to have one question and one answer on the Novanet listserv than have many individual e-mails or telephone calls to the person in the know. It would be even better to have notification before and updates concerning downtime thereby preventing these questions. EM - This is not a criticism of the Novanet staff who need to do their work but a reminder that we too have work to do before 6.8 goes live. PG - The question is then who determines what is appropriate to post:- the participants in the list in their desire to get timely information on system problems or the Novanet office. LM Made the suggestion that Novanet should set up a separate 6.8 listserv perhaps time limited. 2.2.3 Increased Novanet staffing seems to be a dead issue. 3. Acquisitions reports LA: DM's list of report problems and problem reports has not generated much response from Novanet office other than to indicate that "Geac is working on it". Discussion: DM: Has spent five days testing reports that may or may not work. The reports customized by Novanet/Scott should have had documentation, manuals, protocols that allowed continuity. The background processors have not been tested in 6.8 nor has the email ordering function. GF: Has been looking at serials. Those reports may not work because the generating information is not in the same location as in 6.7. LA: Asked EM whether reports will be mentioned in the Implementation Steering Committee as a problem seeking a solution. EM: Novanet office solution is to do the conversion and then fix the problems. Conclusion: DM: Believes serial reports should be okay but Acquisitions/ Financial reports may be troublesome. 4. Implementation Steering Committee 4.1 Testing and proofing - DM/EM: ACQ client seems okay on data transfer and functionality. There is a problem with the non- display in the GUI of the copy owning data. Holdings client data transfer problems include the splitting existing publication patterns and the creation of multiple copy sets from call number differences. Functionality problems include auto compression of serial/multivolume holdings; changes in permissions. There may be training difficulties caused by the complete change in vocabulary. All these factors will require much pre-implementation data cleanup. GUI problems are many: hardware, training, set-up - all within a limited time-frame. These difficulties would impact both Novanet staff and library staff who would have an even steeper learning curve if GUI were to be introduced in May/June. DM/EM : For these reasons the Implementation Steering Committee has recommended to the Management Committee that 6.8 be phased in : the telnet version in May 2001; the GUI in 2002. This approach should lessen some problems with training (which is slightly behind schedule). The holdings client will be somewhat easier to learn in telnet.. Also, few, if any Libraries have purchased the hardware necessary and Novanet staff doesn't have the time right now to deal with the setup problems.Nevertheless, the Implementation Steering Committee's recommendation was opposed by the Novanet Office who believe that they should be able to handle it. PG: Management Committee may not accept this recommendation because of the money already spent on training. Other testing/proofing issues: Holdings Client - EM: Testing done on data transfer and functionality. Several problems with holdings are among the 29 issues which have been referred to Geac by the Implementation Steering Committee. DM: There is a problem with continued link in check in boxes of current serials, even when the publication patterns are split. It is impossible to maintain checkin history by setting up a new copy set. This, in conjunction with the new permissions that will not allow one agency to see what has be done at another, means that 6.8 leaves us worse off than before. There are more problem - solving difficulties, claims problems, and checkin problems. . KC/DM/EM: Discussed the problem with compressed holdings generated by 6.8 conversion. Serials and multivolume sets have to be treated differently. The 6.7 summary holdings could be replaced by compressed holdings, generated either from parts (serials checkin or receiving transaction) . 6.8 will display the checkin history (the autocompress summary displayed and the last issue received), the bound pieces and a textual summary entered manually by the Library. EM: The Implementation Steering Committee's recommendation is that for serials, autocompression will be displayed but not for multivolume sets Data cleanup PG: The reports done by Clement Tremblay and Richard should be used to devise a routine for data cleanup. TW/GF: DalTech used SER. COL. in copy set and call number when changing from GLIS to Advance. WKK similar. Now in moving to 6.8 multiple copy sets are generated. Would it be possible for Novanet/Geac to remove these? DM: While 6.7 data cleanup is essential and necessary there will still be clean up issues in 6.8 especially in Standing orders. There has been discussion of the Implementation Steering Committee requestimg release time for those staff extensively involved in testing and implementation. Decisions/To Do: The Acquisitions/Serials Committee supports a phased- in approach to implementing 6.8; All members are asked toclean up as much data as possible in 6.7. 4.2 All copy sets in 6.8 must have a Ship To code. Decision: Instead of the default 68 given by system, valid Ship To codes for each agency were given to DM. A new code, INTERNET, will be created. 4.3 Training and other issues : Who, what, where, when, how, how long Discussion: Who - EM/PG: Initial planning and training procedures will be developed by those the Committee reps who had training in the fall. These individuals from each module will meet to develop the relevant training to pass on to the whole committee. Committee members will then take back this knowledge to our own agencies. What - DM/EM: Before training can start, Novanet will have to set up group permissions. There may be other work they will need to be asked to do. Training will be needed for Novanet standardized procedures in Serials - holdings has a whole new vocabulary and the way holding are handled impacts work in other areas Where - General discussion of a suitable location with proper equipment for training. Novanet may have some suitable space for the committee. NSCC may have space or the computer labs at SMU might be available. All these possibilities will be investigated. It was also mentioned that the Committee will need to hold future meetings in a space with appropriate equipment for viewing 6.8. The possibility was also discussed of having training in Eastern Nova Scotia. EM is willing to take care of this. When - Training for the trainers will take place by the 2nd week in April followed by training of committee members (possibly last week in April). Then pass information back to agency staff somewhere between April 15 to May 15 (migration date) How - DM had some 6.7 and 6.8 screens printed during his testing that may be useful. KC has (with Clement Tremblay and Bonnie Best Fleming) been devising a work flow chart for serials/holdings. How long - MD wondered about the length of time for training re travel time and about the numbers of people. She would help develop the training for 6.8 if needed. 5. Participation of Kings staff in committees LA: Has contacted Susan Cameron, Chair of the Committee of Chairs who has contacted Bill Maes (Chair of Management Committee) who will report back. The issue is still unresolved. 6.1 Year end dates Novanet Office will be asked to implement the following schedule: March 19 - Run cheques/vouchers daily March 29 - 30 Last vouchers to be entered by libraries March 30- Last cheque/voucher run for 2000/2001 April 2 - Year end. Novanet down for the day 6.2 6.8 downtime (see also 2.2.2) KC had sent a message to Richard and the Novanet listserv regarding the lack of system-wide information about 6.8 downtime, both the timing and the extent. Notice about the (scheduled) downtime on Tuesday and Wednesday was not posted system wide until 10:30 Tuesday morning. No updates were received on the (unscheduled) downtime on Friday. Realizing that with all the fixes and reboots the Novanet and Geac staff are doing, advance notice is not always possible, our committee nevertheless supports KC's request for adequate communication from the office so that we can schedule training and cleanup. Decision/ To do: Ask Novanet staff to always notify the Novanet list if: 1) downtime is scheduled and as far in advance as possible with an estimate of the time needed 2) as soon as downtime occurs when unscheduled and expected to be lengthy 3) update the estimates when they change. 6.3.1 The Committee congratulates Mary MacDonald on her new position as Head of Circulation at Kellogg but will miss her participation in the acquisitions/serials module. 6.3.2 EM/PG raised the possibility of archiving data before migration. DM was uncertain. He expressed doubts that the results would be satisfactory. MF mentioned automatic complete and renew procedure. It is not being used by any of the other agencies. Meeting adjourned 3:50 pm