RE: [IUG] Millennium Offline Circ

["Yung, Shirley" <shirley dot yung at mountainview dot gov>]

Linda,

When we replaced our server on September 26th 2006, it was down almost
the whole day.  We did use Millennium Offline Circulation at our front
desks.  There are 4 functions in the module but we decided not to check
in materials nor renew items.  Like you said, we would need to recheck
in the items again to catch the reserves.  So why do it twice.  We only
checked out materials and registered new patrons.  I can say it went
well.  The following are some of my observations -  
 
1.  Make sure you inform patrons ahead of time that they need library
cards to check out and they cannot use self-check nor reserve items,
replace lost cards, pay fines.  We put out flyers telling them what they
could do and what they couldn't do.  On that day, we put out a big sign
at the door as well.
2.  In using the procedure, staff members have to be extremely careful
at entering the barcodes.  What I have found is item numbers in patron
barcode field and vice versa.  Plus try not to leave barcodes too near
the scanner.  The scanner picked up some odd data like the product code
of CDs. 
3.  If you are registering patrons make sure that you have paper
registrations with patron barcodes for verification and editing
mistakes. Remember to upload the patron records first and then upload
the data file.
4.  We have 2 separate due dates for books and media items.  I have 4
stations so I used 2 for books and 2 for media.  This is to avoid staff
members hitting the default date used in last entry. You cannot make
changes to the entries. 
5.  There is quite a bit of cleaning up the data after uploading to the
server, especially reserves and data unknown.  But I was able to clear
all the problems.

Shirley Yung
Circulation Supervisor
Mountain View Public Library
585 Franklin Street
Mountain View, CA 94041
650-526-7027
650-962-0438 (fax)
shirley dot yung at mountainview dot gov

-----Original Message-----
From: innopac-bounces at innopacusers dot org
[mailto:innopac-bounces at innopacusers dot org] On Behalf Of Babli, Linda
Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2007 8:27 AM
To: innopac at innovativeusers dot org
Subject: [IUG] Millennium Offline Circ

Our III server is going to be replaced.  Naturally, in doing so our III
system will be down.
We plan on running Millennium Offline Circulation in 6 branches that
day.
Any words of wisdom?
We did come to the conclusion that we don't want to check in material as
we will not know if it should be put InTransit to another branch to be
shelved.  The report that is produced upon loading the transactions does
not appear to show items InTransit unless there is a hold for that item.
Plus, it will be double work to check them in using Offline Circ and
then have to go through them later looking for material these items.  We
think it will just be easier to set items to be checked in aside and
check them in when the new server is up and running.
Thank you,
Linda

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Linda Babli, Assistant Supervisor
Information Technology Department
Camden County Library System
203 Laurel Road, Voorhees, New Jersey 08043
Phone: 856-772-1636 x3342 
Fax: 856-772-6105
E-Mail: <mailto:lindab at camden dot lib dot nj dot us>
Web: <http://www.camden.lib.nj.us/>




--- StripMime Report -- processed MIME parts ---
multipart/alternative
  text/plain (text body -- kept)
  text/html
---
--
This message was distributed through the Innovative Users Group INNOPAC
list
Public replies:  INNOPAC at innopacusers dot org
Update your subscription options:
http://innopacusers.org/mailman/listinfo/innopac