• JAN AGUIRRE, Specialist & Training Coordinator

 During the upgrade to Polaris on June 12^th and 13^th, you may want to use the Polaris Offline Circulation system.

Positives:mailto:jaguirre@flls.org?subject=bulletin June 8, 2007#23

1. Lists the patrons name in the checkout session.  If there is no name present then that card number is invalid.

 2. Prints receipts with correct due date.

 3. Blocks patrons with circulation blocks.

 4. Barcode scanner scans the patron card number and item barcodes preventing any transposition of numbers.

 5. The user interface is the same as online Polaris with some limiting of functionality.

 Negatives:

1. You can’t search the offline database by patron name so the Patron barcode is required.

 2. Items checked in won’t trap any holds.

 3. There is no provision for knowing how much a patron owes in fines.

 Recommendations when using Offline Polaris:

1. We recommend that you don’t register patrons in Offline since they may already be a registered patron and Polaris cannot check for duplicate patrons.

 2. We recommend that you don’t check items in since they don’t linkup to existing holds.  If you do choose to check in items then the error report will list all of the items that can fill a hold so you can go to the shelf and pull them and check them in again in Online Polaris or you can wait and pull the items from your Request Manager the next day.

 To print out the documentation on using Polaris Offline go to:

http://www.flls.org/cns/polaris.htm

Open the file, which is a pdf file, and left click on the printer icon in Adobe Reader to print the 4 pages.

 

•  REX HELWIG, Computer Network Manager

This is just a reminder that we will be upgrading the Polaris software on Tuesday and Wednesday June 12^th and 13^th.  During the upgrade you will need to use Polaris Offline or whatever manual system you have in place in your library.  Please refer to Jan’s weekly tip for instructions on how to use Polaris in the offline mode. 

 Because of multiple requests for access to the training server, Jan and I have decided to install an icon on your remote desktop that will give you access to the Polaris 3.3 software on the training server. 

 I am doing this with this disclaimer:  If you mistakenly use Polaris 3.3 for your live transactions there is nothing I can do to fix your mistake.  Those transactions will be lost and will not show up on the Live Polaris server. 

 The new blue Polaris icon will show up on Saturday morning and will be labeled as “3.3 Training Only”. 

 On Tuesday morning the old yellow and black Polaris icon will disappear and will be replaced by the live Polaris 3.3 icon which can be used in the offline mode.

 

 ILL

The new ILL procedures for Out-of-System Requests began June 1. You may now request juvenile as well as adult items and fiction. Please do not submit requests for mass market paperbacks that can be purchased for less than $10.00. Look for the bands on out-of-system items coming to your library; they will have a FLLS barcode, due date, and special instructions. Feel free to contact me with questions and/or concerns about the new ILL policies and procedures. Let me know how the new procedures are working on your end.

 Please review your policies on Holds, sent via the delivery last week, and return it with changes or no changes indicated. 

DATABASE TRAINING -

Register Now!        Ways Your Library Can Serve Local Businesses and Job Seekers

June 28 (System Meeting) 

9:30-11:30 am (Sign-in and coffee beginning at 9:00)

TCPL Borg Warner Room

RSVP by June 19 (273-4074 or lbeins@flls.org)

Larry Carey, Adult Services Librarian at TCPL, and I will demonstrate how ReferenceUSA, Business and Company Resource Center, and other resources can be used by patrons who are looking for employment or starting a business. Each participant will receive a ReferenceUSA canvas bag.

 

DATABASE – NoveListNotes

To get the NoveList Notes describes how to create your own Personal Lists to keep track of books you would like to read or recommend to others.

      Go to http://www.flls.org/

      → Electronic Resources

      → Literature & Books

      → NoveList Fiction Guide (EBSCO)

      → Readers’ Advisory

      → NoveList Notes

      → May 2007 Personal Lists in NoveList

You can see past NoveListNotes by selecting the Reader’s Advisory tab on NoveList.

 

NY/NOVEL Databases

Did you know... you can translate HTML Full-Text articles and/or the search interface of most of the EBSCO and Thomson Gale Databases?  If you'd like to give it a try just go to your library's assigned EBSCO or Gale URL and follow the steps below.

 EBSCO Databases - 13 Languages for the interface                                                             

* Begin searching one of the NOVELNY EBSCO databases

* At the basic search screen, click the down arrow to the right of "Language" box  [located upper/right of screen]

* Select the "Language" of your choice [You may have to speak with your tech person to enable viewing of the Asian alphabets]

 

EBSCO Databases - 5 Languages for HTML Full-Text article translation 

* Begin the search of your topic

* Choose "HTML full-text" below the article

* Select a language in the "Choose Language" drop-down menu box [center of page]

* Click on "Translate" [click "Return" center page to bring you back to English]

 

Thomson Gale Databases - 4 Languages for the interface                                           

* Begin searching one of the NOVELNY Thomson Gale databases

* At the basic search screen choose "Preferences" [located upper/ right]

* Select a language in the "Language" drop-down menu box

* Click "Apply Preferences" [located at the bottom of the page]

 

 Thomson Gale Databases - 8 Languages for Full-Text translation 

* Choose "Full-text" [located below the article]

* Select a language in the drop-down menu [center of page]

* Then click "Translate" [close window to bring you back to English]

 

LAST WEEK’S QUESTION OF THE WEEK Which state had the most tornadoes in 2006?

There were 958 tornadoes in the USA in 2006; this was fewer than the 10-year average of 1,277. Missouri reported 240 tornadoes; 120 of them were confirmed.

 [McCarthy, Daniel and Schaefer, Joseph T. The year in tornadoes. Weatherwise, March/April 2007, p.42-49. accessed  through MasterFile Premier]