VDX Implementation Newsletter

Number 2, June 14, 2002

This is the second in the series of little newsletters designed to provide timely information about VDX implementation status as well as to address questions and concerns. You are encouraged to submit questions for inclusion in the questions and answers list that will be attached to each newsletter. We continue to make progress toward our "go live" date! Current installation and testing status is:

• Both machines have been stable all week.
• The apache web server is running on the production machine. FDI is currently working on incorporating our patron authentication into the patron log on.
• We are testing the scripts that will allow the Veritas Clustering System to move VDX to the second machine in the event of hardware failure. The Veritas consultant is scheduled to complete this installation the week of June 17th.
• We are continuing to work on the OCLC tests; we have sent a successful request to the test partner and it routed correctly. The next step is to get items without a specific lender to route automatically.
• We now have a draft format for the printed picklist.

We would like your assistance in evaluating the picklist format. To view the picklist, do a request search, then, in the left pull-down menu of the middle toolbar, select "CDL Picklist". Display any record from your search results, and you will see the picklist format. To print, select print from the file menu in the top toolbar, and then select "CDL Picklist" from the page layout pull-down menu in the print confirmation box; if you want more than one record per page, select the number of lines which should separate records in the page separator box.

Note that, if you print from a record screen, you will get the one record, but if you print from a search results screen on which you have highlighted multiple items, you will get all of the highlighted items. Contact Ellen England (Ellen.England@ucop.edu) if you have suggestions, questions or problems with the picklist.

Some of you have been working on the test system and this has been very helpful to us in identifying parts of the configuration that are not working quite right. If you would like assistance in getting some test requests sent to your VDX location so that you can practice, please contact Ellen England or Mary Heath (Mary.Heath@ucop.edu).

A listserve has been established for UC users of the VDX system. To subscribe to this list, send email to listserv@ucop.edu with the message "SUBSCRIBE UCVDX-L" followed by your name.

The Request Project Team

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Questions Regarding the Consortial Borrowing System

Southern UC ILL Meeting
March 27, 2002 - UC Irvine
Group 2 Questions

1. Will the CBS count individual items loaned (as the RLF's are doing now) or count transactions (as Clio/OCLC counts)?

It is probable that the CBS will count each request as a separate loan. Statistics need to be tested so we don't know the answer positively. However, in this probable scenario, if each item is requested separately, it will be counted separately. If more than one item is listed in a single request, they will be counted as one.

2. Will VDX allow us to continue to use OCLC IFM for billing?

IFM is both a payment method and an accounting system in OCLC. VDX sends and receives payment information from IFM through the OCLC request extension. However, the account balances will not be kept in VDX, only in OCLC>

3. How will we be able to use our current billing system on Clio to invoice requests from VDX?

The billing information will be exported from VDX and formatted for loading into whatever local billing system you want to use. If a campus has systems support and wishes to create their own formatting program, CDL will provide system specs. Otherwise, CDL will format the data for loading into the local system.

4. Will we need support from our computing systems departments to develop, generate, and enhance Crystal Reports?

Crystal Reports is a program that makes it easier to extract data from VDX to develop special reports for local needs. If you don't want specialized reports, CDL will provide basic formatting.

5. In VDX what will the Need By Date default be? Can we change the wording from Need By Date to "Cancel My Request After"?

VDX has a cancellation date for each request. That date is mandatory. A date will be fed into VDX by CDL Request, using the "need by date" function already present in Request. We have recently made changes to the Request "need by date" selection menu, it now goes from no time limit to fewest days.

The "need by date" default option is now "No time Limit". This removed the trap that gave an error message if user does not select a "Need by date" each time the form is presented in Request. Finally, RSC agreed that the "No Limit" date would translate into 6 months in VDX. If the request is not filled in VDX within 6 months, a cancellation notice will be sent. We recommend that the cancellation notice give the user the option to re-submit the request if they still want to try to obtain it.

6. What happens to UC Unfilled requests? Will we have to generate a new request?

VDX will automatically add OCLC to the end of the rota of UC requests; OCLC will use the profile of the borrowing library to set up the lender string. If some units do not want unfilled requests to be automatically forwarded to OCLC, they can configure their VDX locations so that this does not happen.

7. Will we standardize procedures, loan periods, fines, renewals, and charges?

ILL Loan Periods are already standardized. At this time there is no thought of attempting to standardize procedures, fines, renewals and other charges. We may well find that procedures become more alike because we will all be using the same software. And experience with the system will tell us whether we need to standardize in other areas.

8. Will we eliminate the OPAC ILL modules?

Those ILL units with an OPAC ILL module will want to examine the workflow of links between VDX and the ILL module before deciding to eliminate it. Remember that UC borrowing requests will be the first to start up on VDX. OCLC lending will not be done through VDX until the campus decides that they are ready. This will give you an opportunity to compare systems.

9. Can there be a filter to sort by call number for lending?

This can be done. However, it is important to realize that the call number field that Request sends to VDX is the short Melvyl location with the call number concatenated on the end.

10. How will the ILL numbers be assigned to requests received via ISO ILL from OCLC and other remote systems? Will the OCLC or other local number be retained somewhere?

VDX processes will automatically assign the ILL number to the request as it enters the system. There is a field in the request that displays as "Requestor ID" and we believe that this will contain the OCLC or other local number.