INN-Reach Users
Enhancement Requests, Spring 2000

This list includes 18 circulation enhancements and 7 catalog enhancements.

To see the complete list of enhancement proposals reviewed by INN-Reach group in e-mail discussions and at IUG meeting May 1, with explanations and III responses: All suggestions considered

Patron Online Borrowing and Visiting Patron Enhancements
Priority rating:
1=Critical
2=very important
3=important
     

requested since

institution(s) submitting request, and priority  

Circ 1

Requesting: ID encryption

When authenticating users for online borrowing, secure patron information by the use of secure socket layer (SSL) or by some other means of encryption.

1999

OhioLINK

3

Circ 2

Requesting: add announcement message

Provide space (1-2 lines) for an announcement or instruction provided centrally to accommodate temporary special circumstances and alerts.

1999

Orbis

3

Circ 3

Requesting: selection of pickup location

Add a blank default to the Web list of pickup locations to force patrons to make a conscious choice (i.e. currently, some folks just unknowingly select the first location in the list by not choosing). This should only apply to sites with multiple pickup locations. note: already in the works for III consideration

1999

OhioLINK

1

Circ 5

Requesting: screen messages and examples

a. Use consistent phrases for instructions and prompts (local Webpac options should be the same as the central catalog options).

b. Display text and examples identically and automatically on both the character-based and the Webpac. Currently, some options exist for one or the other but not both. note: Orbis to submit examples to INN-Reach list and to III [when time allows]

1999

Orbis

 

Circ 6

Local option to request items available locally

Provide flexibility for each individual INN-Reach site to allow requesting for items available locally, for some or all of the institution's collection. Background: The INN-Reach system may be configured to allow patrons to request items that are available on their local system, but applies to all the institutions in the INN-Reach system.

2000

Prospector

2

Circ 7

Transfer unfilled request to another system

Provide ability to move unfilled requests to OCLC ILL or other document delivery systems. Features: configurable at local institution level to determine which document supplier(s); format requests using national ILL application standards (e.g. ISO 10160/10161); support features such as specifying last date needed. note: current ILL standards (e.g. ISO 10160/10161) do not provide a format for an ILL request to originate in one system and then move into the ILL system. Thus to provide a way for requests to start with INN-Reach and be sent to an ILL system would require proprietary formats at this time. However, the ILL Implementors Group is discussing this issue at their August 2000 meeting and it is likely that a standard protocol format will be proposed as an extension to ISO 10160/10161.

2000

Prospector

3

Circ10

Checkout (Inst'n)- Display delivery stop

Display delivery destination (Institution delivery stop) on the screen when items are checked out to Off-Campus. note: already available with MilCirc

1999

OhioLINK

3

Circ11

Print hold pickup notices

Allow hold pickup notices to be printed locally when no email address exists in the patron record.

2000

OhioLINK

1

Circ12

Checkin-Insert barcode: display owning library

In -+, for inserting the barcode, show the owning institution code. Since the titles are truncated, same or similar titles can be confused and the barcode inserted on the wrong item. note: already available with MilCirc

1999

OhioLINK

3

Circ14

Virtual item: date and time

Add a date and time to all status changes on the virtual item record in the patron record. [Problem: much time is spent looking for something "RECD" when it's not. Development issue: data needs conversion from UNIX time stamp to displayable format.] note: already available in MilCirc.

1999

OhioLINK

1

Circ15

Virtual item status "in transit"

When checking in for patron hold and the item is at the wrong circ location, leave the status as in transit and indicate on the screen where to send the book.

1999

OhioLINK

1

Circ16

Overdue notice: Print library name

Show originating library (not just system code) on overdue notices. This is particularly important for multi-library sites that are all represented by a single 5-character code. note: Mobius and Maine join the request, as highest priority

1999

OhioLINK

1

Circ18

Checkout (Patron)-add INN-Reach item alert for patron

When doing regular checkout for a patron, provide an automatic message to indicate that the patron has Online Borrowing HOLDS waiting for checkout. note: already available in MilCirc

1999

OhioLINK

3

Circ19

Statistics: Item # of checkouts

Create separate checkout counters for Online Borrowing items in patron and item records. [Purpose: collect item information for collection development- what's being borrowed; collect patron information to review who's using INN-Reach]

1999

OhioLINK

3

Circ23

Visiting Patron ID

For visiting patron validation, allow more than one indexed numeric field to be used to validate the patron (e.g. social security number and PID). note: as an alternate, if 1st doesn't work

2000

OhioLINK

3

Circ24

Visiting Patron renewals

Allow for Visiting Patron renewals at the owning institution. [current situation: if renewed at Owning Site, information doesn't go back to Patron Site to change due date in patron record]

1999

OhioLINK

2

Circ25

Visiting Patron on-the-fly checkout

Simplify checkout of item not in database to allow prompting for on-the-fly bib and item records.

2000

Orbis 3

Circ29

Patron verification; max # items

a. Check maximum # of items on each INN-Reach system for which institution is participating, not simply total # of virtual items.

b. Exclude from the count any items with status "RETURNED".

2000

Circuit 2

 

Online Catalog and Cataloging

Cat1

Mat type code flexibility

Develop a mapping for "material type" in local Innopac systems to a central value on the INN-Reach system so users can reliably limit searches by material type regardless of differences in local system mapping. [similar to ability developed for BCode3, etc.]

2000

Prospector; Orbis

2

Cat2

Improve screen messages

Allow differentiated wording in the Web and Telnet versions of PAC so that users may be given better screen messaging in each particular interface. note: Prospector to submit examples

2000

Prospector

 

Cat3a

 

Cat3b

Institutional-level URL links (856)

Allow URL hotlinks to be handled at the "item level" so that different URLs may be displayed from the master record in PAC.

Make URL's (856 fields) a valid field in item, check-in (and order?) records as well as bibliographic records -- to clarify for patrons that access to electronic resources may vary at the institutional level.

We urge III to work with the INN-Reach group on options and features as this is being developed.

III response for 3a and 3b: III has started a 3-step development plan to store 856 fields in bib., item, and serial issue records. (1) Allow 856 fields in item records DONE. (2) Display 856 fields from institution records (INN-Reach systems) In development. (3) How to upload from local sites.

2000

Prospector

 

Cat5

Patron view local record

Provide the ability for patrons to view local check-in records from within an INN-Reach PAC by linking back to a local Innopac. This link should appear with each "Library Has" statement.

2000

Prospector

2

Cat7

Display local summary holdings when records are coded for "System Resource"

At present, there are two Bcode3 values which override local location information at the central OPAC ... The enhancement needed is to append the summary holdings statement from the owning library's checkin record. If the owning library has more than one checkin record with summary holdings, the data would be pulled from the first checkin record.

1999

OhioLINK

1

Cat10

Update Order status when Canceled

When local order records are 'cancelled', reflect this status in the central OPAC. Currently, the item remains 'on order' until the record is deleted or suppressed.

1999

Orbis; OhioLINK

2

Cat11

Include record Load and Update dates

In staff mode of the central OPAC display of a bib record, include the load date and last update date of the local bib record [used as master record]

1999

Orbis; OhioLINK

3

The following requests do not appear on this list because III indicated the suggestion is already being worked on or in development for Release 2001. For more information, see All suggestions considered.


[report prepared by Nancy Nathanson, Orbis]