OPAC/Gateway Configuration Group
Notes from the November 22, 1999 Meeting

Attending: Lynn Brown, Karen Calhoun, Tom Gale, Philip Herold, Fred Muratori, Ed Weissman

1) OPAC Clients
We agreed to recommend to the Implementation Steering Committee that the Library configure and make available to the public the Web interface (WebVoyage) and the text-based telnet interface to the Voyager OPAC rather than the Windows interface. Lynn will draft the final version of the recommendation and send it to Lynne Personius via the IMT-L list. [DONE 11/23/99.]

2) OPAC Configuration Training
We discussed the upcoming training to be held on November 30 and December 1. Having recommended to the Steering Committee that we not configure the Window interface to the OPAC, we listed the following issues we wanted to cover during the training sessions. Ed will forward this list to Michele Arms, the Endeavor trainer [DONE 11/23/99]:

a) WebVoyage configuration, including as complete a list as possible of the configuration decisions we must make.

b) Demonstration of the ASCII (telnet) OPAC, ASCII configuration training, and as complete a list as possible of the configuration decisions we must make.

c) Instruction in how to configure the service, information and help buttons/links at the top of the screen when the "Voyager Public Access" client opens. We're looking at Windows but I assume the same links appear in WebVoyage as well. This is probably a part of the standard configuration training in item 1 but we mention it just to be sure.

d) Remote Z39.50 file configuration. We are especially interested in treating the subset of records in our database containing the location "Library Gateway" (which represent out networked resource) as a separate logical database that we can configure differently than the OPAC itself. The OPAC must, of course, include these "Library Gateway" records, i.e., a search of the OPAC must retrieve the Library Gateway records along with the records for our print, etc., holdings. At the same time, we welcome your suggestions with regard to other ways we can integrate the"Networked Resources" discovery and access functionality now resident in the Cornell University Library Gateway [www.library.cornell.edu] into Voyager.

Ed will also ask Michele if there is anything we can do to better prepare for the training sessions and for a copy of the training sessions agenda prior to the meeting, if possible.

3) Decisions inventory
Philip offered a list of issues we should stay on top of in the coming months:

a) Trainers & training: names of trainers and the "structure" of the training. Lynn pointed out that IMT appointed a group that she is on to look at the training issue.

b) Documentation: we are awaiting the appointment of a new member who will serve as our liaison to the Documentation Subcommittee of IRPC.

c) Publicity/PR: Ed reported that the Steering Committee would be discussing this shortly.

d) Design issues: we are awaiting the appointment of a new member who will serve as our design "expert".

e) HTML/CGI scripting

f) Gateway integration: Tom Gale is our technical "consultant" on this issue. Whether the Networked Resources component of the Gateway is integrated into Voyager or not, Gateway Help will likely require extensive revision. If we integrate Networked Resources, we may want to edit bibliographic records before the bib extract is done to enhance functionality.

g) OPAC Configuration decisions

4) Meeting Location

We decided to begin meeting in rooms with work stations and projectors so that we can view and work with the OPAC as needed. On December 6, we'll meet in 106 Olin and on December 13 we'll meet in the Mann Library Conference Room. We'll alternate between these two locations on a weekly basis.