Voyager Updates

Hacking
A library server was hacked recently by somebody targeting US airforce bases. Hacking is a big concern with Voyager system because the UNIX environment makes Voyager more hacker friendly than Notis. Hacking can put your system down for a long time. George Kozak is working on addressing these security issues.

Test Database for Training - New Proposal
In the current implementation schedule there is a period of time in April when we will be without a test server. Concerns have been raised about this holding up training and other crucial activities. Jana suggested that we use data from the last test load to create a training database on trainer.db to use when the regular test server is unavailable. She will provide a formal proposal. Please look over this and give your recommendations to Lynne by 3/10/2000. Some issues that were raised were:
· Once we load data to a server we're stuck with it unless we pay to have Endeavor rebuild the database. The data from the first test load isn't in great shape. Is this what we want to have forever on training.db? Is this what we want trainers to be working with?
· A large test database is needed for those working on configuration and reports as well as training. It will also be useful for creating documentation and training modules.
· Will this database be able to hold enough records to be useful? Training.db has license for 2.5 million records but we may not actually be able to put that many there. A large test database isn't necessarily best for testing reports since it takes longer to run them.
· The scope of this data will be limited. There will be no circulation transactions for instance.
· At the end of April we will have the 2nd test load database available which will have fewer flaws than the first.
· We would be doing the work of transferring data to create this test database.

Plan to Fix Z39.50 Server
We discovered a bug in version 99.1. Voyager will make a patch to fix the bug. While investigating the bug, we realized that we also do not have the most current version of 99.1. Voyager will come and install the latest version and then we will apply the patch. There will be some short downtimes. We will ask Voyager whether the upgrade will affect the configuration files.

Review of Database Test Results
There was a conference call recently to discuss the test results from the first migration. They now have all the test result materials and will begin to make changes shortly.

Schedule for Voyager 2000 Upgrade
We have yet to schedule our upgrade to Voyager 2000 that is planned for shortly after we bring up the current version. Jana has agreed to put us on the schedule so we need to think about what the best time for that is.

Committee Reports

Data Migration - Diane Hillman
All tests and reports are complete and sent to Voyager. The new mapping file is very large but correspondingly more thorough and should prevent most of the migration errors that occurred during the last load. Endeavor needs to figure out why temp locations prevented proper mapping of locations. Documents on the Voyager manual site are now up to date. Import/Replace Profiles and Search Configurations are also now available on the website. There is a shorter time frame planned for the 2nd test load. Need to change our system of testing using the results gathered during the last test load.

Security - Bill Kara
Still working on the structure for the individual profiles. Starting the week of 3/20 will be meeting with supervisors to discuss individual staff Voyager needs. The TS and Access Services working groups need to settle workflow questions before we finalize structure. Ideally trainers will have system in place at the end of April with realistic functionality and security permissions. The settings controlling user profiles will have to be recreated in each migration. Reconstructing them yet again for a trainer.db or test.db would be time consuming. Waiting to hear whether there is any portion of SysAdmin we will be able to access earlier during the 2nd test load. During final migration we will not have any SysAdmin access until CUL accepts the database. Need to have security structure in place for 2nd test load so we can test that as well. Need to come up with a structure for who can use SysAdmin and who can change what. There are a number of people using SysAdmin and there has been little coordination of activities. Need to appoint people to keep track of configuration during the migration and who will maintain it over time. The people who will be doing this in the future need to be involved now so that they become familiar with the system and know why certain decisions were made. Also, as you make changes to SysAdmin create and save documentation for the next test migration in April and final implementation in May. Next IMT meeting will be devoted to SysAdmin structure and security.

OPAC - Ed Weissman
Still testing different configurations for searching. Met with IRPC a week ago and will meet again in March. Hope to have searching configurations done by the next IRPC meeting. Noni Korf Vidal was working on design and now that she is leaving the library, Jennifer Conklin will replace her. One of the major design issues which needs to be kept in mind is limiting scrolling within screens. Will put off Gateway integration until next year. Will spend this summer coming up with recommendations and the next academic year working on implementing them.

Technical Services Workflow Group - Scott Wicks
Acquisitions and Serials Task Force formed and running. Working with trainers to develop documentation. Karen reported that the Cataloging Configuration Task Force gave a presentation on search configuration to the OPAC Working Group and demonstrated the bibliographic record importing function to the Tech Services Workflow Group. The Group submitted a proposal to IMT Steering to approve shelf-ready materials plan with Yankee. Scott and Bill will have a phone call with Jana to sort out the effect of happening locations and circ policies on what an acquisitions staff person sees with regard to orders, payments, and claims for each unique happening location and/or for combinations of happening locations. Meeting planned for 3/14 with tech services trainers to share configuration decisions so they will know what the screens will look like and which screens haven't been finalized. Working on defining job profiles. Also planning Gary Strawn's visit.

Training - Susan Markowitz
Got training materials from the Library of Congress. Will print out and give one set of the relevant materials to each group. Need to evaluate what portions will be useful. We are using their pattern templates so the materials might be pretty consistent with our needs. Also looking to see whether they have any materials developed for the public. Getting ready to do survey of training needs. Will send out list of names and training available to each supervisor. Training schedule will need extra attention and cooperation between units to ensure people get training in the right order and not so early that they forget what they learn. There are five trainers developing an overview. Lynn Brown suggested pairing them with members of different units to ensure that they present complete, accurate, up-to-date information.

Voyager/GFA Development Project - Pat Schafer
The Library a purchased a new server to support the interface between Voyager and the Library Annex's inventory control system from remaining funds in the Annex Project budget. On February 23, the committee was joined by Diane Hillmann for a conference call with Endeavor's Verne Coppi, Vice President of Development, and Eric Wettstein, System Analyst. We discussed our desire for the 852 and the permanent location to change as we transfer material to and from the Annex. Endeavor agreed to provide this capability and said that it should be available by August when Cornell comes up in Voyager 2000. The committee is currently reviewing a contract proposal from GFA for their work on the project.

Accounting - Linda Westlake
We are close to finalizing the design for fund structure which will capture both required system-wide statistical data and optional statistical data. One goal is to end up with a manageable number of funds. Want to map all funds from Notis to Voyager before the next test migration. Have identified and prioritized all accounting reports. There are some reports we will need starting day one with Voyager and others can wait until a reasonable period after implementation. Will be putting on a demo for accounting reps from all library units within the next 2 weeks.

Reporting - Karen Calhoun
Met with LMT about a week ago to discuss decentralized approach to reporting; will discuss same topic at Council of Librarians 3/15. Need for units to have printers for printing their own notices (e.g., fines, purchase orders) is not being heard, this must be made clear to managers. Working group is addressing fund reporting. Angela Horne joined the group recently and has been looking at public services needs for reports. Three trainers are working on syllabus and handouts for training sessions. The first training session is an introduction to Voyager reporting for managers; it is intended to help them identify who else in their unit needs to be trained, and on what (Voyager Reporter, MS Access pre-packaged reports, or both). Three Intro to MS Access classes have been held, two more are scheduled. Based on current counts, the ODBC drivers will need to be installed for over 50 library staff members; Karen asked that Desktop Services be alerted to this need. It looks like it will be ok to mix Access 97 and Access 2000 until we upgrade to Voyager 2000, then all will have to convert to Access 2000.

Publicity - Ed Weissman
Report to steering committee on 3/15. Working on publicity plan to target library patrons. Other departments that the library works with should already be aware of the coming changes. Part of the publicity campaign is making sure that all library staff is on the same page and delivering consistent information to the public.

Access Services - Report from Susan Currie, who was unable to attend
The Access Services voyager committee (Pat, Deb, Howard, Carmen, Joanne, Susan) is working on testing the circulation system. We have circ policy configurations for ILR, Olin, Mann, Uris, Engr, Annex and Music. Each member of the Committee has a set of test patrons so we are busily working. We finished our part of the Data Migration Questionnaire and it went with other DMQ materials to Jana. We are also testing the bursar interface. We have a meeting next Tuesday to further discuss the Bursar interface and decisions that need to be made. The patron file subcommittee (Peter, Howard, Sara Spoonhower, Susan) has also been meeting regularly and we've identified questions and also the need for some new patron groups. Minutes will be coming for this group soon. The Circ/Reserve taskforce (for all CUL units) met last week and had a demo of the opac search configurations provided by Marty Kurth, David Banush and Ed Zieba

Next IMT meeting will be 3/23 and will be devoted to SysAdmin structure and security. Each functional group should make a list what portions of SysAdmin they use and who uses them as well as their general recommendations about security and SysAdmin structure.