The Orbis and Cascade databases will be merged in the summer of 2003. During the spring, enhancements will be added to the Orbis catalog to build the framework for the Orca catalog, reflecting the best of the Cascade and Orbis catalogs. Orca will be launched in mid-June, and the Orbis catalog interface will be retired. Cascade will be shut down in mid-June. Records from former Cascade libraries will begin loading into Orca by late June, and requesting for Cascade library patrons will be available as soon as their records are being added to the catalog. Orca circulation for Orbis libraries will continue uninterrupted.
The new union catalog will be based on the Orbis catalog, with new features added to reflect the best of Cascade and Orbis, including Advanced Searching and Scoping – capabilities not available to Orbis when it was first established in 1994 and subsequently implemented for Cascade. Considering current and potential use of the new catalog, the staff team will forward recommendations and comments to Council on several topics, including: Journal Scoping, Journal Title Index, MESH index, and Institution Priority for record loading. During the spring and summer, III will install new features on Orbis and do some re-mapping and re-indexing. Additional work may be necessary later in the summer and fall as more INN-Reach software enhancements are completed.
Charge
The ORCA Catalog
Design Task Force (CDTF) is charged with advising Council on the following
aesthetic and functional topics for implementing the new catalog:
1.
Design of a Web interface for the merged
INN-Reach catalog, including
·
Colors, buttons, text, graphical devices, etc.
·
Visual clues indicating journal scope is in use
(e.g. background color)
·
Information pages related to the catalog
(currently linked via <Help> button)
·
Search help text to accompany standard searching
·
Search help text to accompany journal scoping
Givens:
·
The main search page should include space for an
ORCA logo. Logo design is not the
responsibility of the CDTF.
·
Browse and individual record displays will
include the logo and/or the name of the consortium: “Orbis Cascade Alliance.”
Additional considerations:
·
Ease of patron transition to the new catalog
·
Ease of maintenance of page(s)
·
Universal access design, usability
·
Some features, information pages, and search
help text may require only minor revision
2.
Design and decisions related to advanced
keyword searching, including
·
Fields to include in the Advanced Keyword index
·
Options in the event of search yielding no
results (using and, or, etc.), and relevance ranking format
Given:
·
Advanced searching option “X” (Advanced Boolean)
will be implemented, based on existing Cascade INN-Reach implementation and use
in Orbis member library catalogs.
Additional considerations:
·
Member library catalog setup and pass-through
searching
Timeline
CDTF is an
ad hoc group charged with completing its work and issuing a final report
including sample web pages by April 1, 2003.
Meeting minutes should be produced and distributed to consortium staff
for distribution and posting on the ORCA Web site.
Membership
Chair: Janet Crum, Oregon Health & Science
University
Members: Orbis and
Cascade will each designate three individuals to serve on the Catalog Design
Task Force.
Diana
Brooking, University of Washington
Janet
Chisman, Washington State University
Janet
Crum, Oregon Health & Science University
Nancy
Hoover, Marylhurst University
Andrea
Peterson, Western Washington University
Lori
Robare, University of Oregon
Consortium staff participant: Pam Mofjeld