Barton Advisory Group

To: all-lib@MIT.EDU
Subject: Barton Advisory Group Minutes, May 3, 2001
Date: Fri, 11 May 2001 15:31:54 -0400
From: Walter Powers



Present: Darcy Duke, Michael Finigan, Charlene Follett, Erja Kajosalo,
Kim Maxwell, Georgiana McReynolds, Christine Moulen (facilitator,)
Walter Powers (minutes), Sarah Shreeves, Beth Siers

1. Members gave 3rd Barton updates:

   a. Charlene reported that year-end procedures were successfully
      tested Monday, enabling Acq to finalize decisions and make some
      changes, particularly with regard to using Aleph's Annual
      Budgets; she heard from Ann-Marie Breaux at YBP - they have a
      test database ready to go, and need only to coordinate with Ex
      Libris to start testing GOBI order loading; she has started
      working with Christine and Kim on Acq tables

   b. Erja reported that the 2 days of consulting on OPAC display
      issues with Maruta Skujina from Ex Libris were helpful; the OPAC
      Team learned that it was not possible to pre-limit a search in
      the way we had hoped, and will now look at logical bases as a
      way of narrowing a search by location or format - Erja will
      communicate with Luda Cherinsky of Ex Libris about new logical
      bases; the Team is devising a list of other outstanding issues
      as well

   c. Georgiana attended and reported on Circ training

   d. Michael attended Circ training; he is working with Christine on
      tables; the Circ group met to talk about testing - they have not
      been able to do comprehensive testing because there are no
      patron barcodes in the test database; the Circ trainers will be
      meeting next week

   e. Sarah reported that Eric Celeste met with the head of Ex Libris
      USA and with the president of the Ex Libris Israel division;
      Noam Kaminer of Ex Libris may come from Israel to discuss
      communication issues; the postponement of testing will push back
      year-end closing to June 1; Sarah has been working on 3rd Barton
      publicity with Ruth Seidman, and has written letters, flyers,
      and e-mails aimed at specific and general groups of patrons; Ex
      Libris will be demonstrating its next Circ and Serials modules
      on May 24; there will be Report Training on May 18 and a repeat
      of Systems Librarian Training on May 29


   f. Darcy attended Circ training; she will be training Sarah Wenzel
      and Christine Quirion in order to prepare them for Aleph ILL
      training

   g. Kim will be meeting with PSMG to discuss Receipt History
       records; she and the Group discussed the proposal for multiple
       sub-library codes for a single location to enable more
       effective claiming; Greg McClellan is working on databases for
       copyset notes and invoices with notes; Kim has been working on
       Acq and Serials tables; she will be meeting with the Processing
       Committee; she met with Michael and Heather Caldwell to discuss
       serial items; she reported on progress with procuring Harvard's
       publication patterns; Ex Libris is working on vendor addresses
       (Sarah, Christine and Eric will be meeting with Michael Kaplan
       to discuss this, and development issues)

   h. Beth has been working on developing a loader - she has made an
      expansion code proposal to Ex Libris; the indexes are set up,
      and character sorting and the Tech Reports logical base are
      squared away; the Cat Team has a testing plan in place

   i. Christine attended Circ Training; she has been looking at Acq,
      Serials, and Circ tables; she will be meeting with Carl Jones
      about permissions

2. The Group discussed the availability of the Staff OPAC client on
   public reference terminals, and felt that it would be well-advised,
   if possible; Sarah will discuss with the Reference Committee.

3. It was reiterated that problem reports should be in electronic
   form, and that problems should be reported right away, to Christine
   or to the project list.

4. Christine asked the Group for input on the timing of reports that
   they have specified; are they needed before or after July 1 -
   reports on the Advance database can be run after July 1 - or
   specifically during downtime
   
6. Sarah will talk to Nicole Hennig about coordinating 3rd Barton
   publicity with publicity for the new Libraries' Web page

7. The Group began to discuss how various aspects of, and
   responsibilities within, the project will continue after July

Next meeting: Thursday, May 10, 9:30-11:00, Hayden Conference Room