31 January, 2002
Public Access Implementation Team
( PAIT )
Brief Summary of Meeting # 1
31 January, 2002
Robarts Library Room 7029
10:00 - 11:10
Present: Sian Meikle (Chair), Rea Devakos, Susan Johnston, Dana Kuszelewski, Marc Lalonde,
Mark Leighton, Gian Medves, Jeff Newman, Gail Nichol, Marian Press, Susan Russell, Frances
Sardone, Lisa Sherlock, Stephanie Walker, Thomas Chan, Tracy D'Souza ( Secretary )
Regrets: Rea Devakos
Role:
To coordinate the implementation of the Public Access function
To identify the requirements for data conversion and transfer
To identify the requirements for reports and management information
To identify the requirements for and to coordinate the delivery of staff training
To identify and make recommendations on potential workflow changes
Agenda:
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General Introductions
SIRSI implementation schedule
SIRSI modules and OPAC design
Review of other SIRSI comparator sites
Pennsylvania State University: http://cat.libraries.psu.edu/uhtbin/guestcat.exe
Stanford: http://jenson.stanford.edu:9998/uhtbin/webcat
York: http://www.library.yorku.ca/CatalogueHome/index.htm
Brigham Young: http://www.lib.byu.edu/hbll/
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6.
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Information sharing requirements for the OPAC
Planning of local Sirsi Opac training- laying the groundwork:
Number of staff sessions required
Timing and location of training
Discussion of materials/format (s) of training requires:
Staff hands -on workshops, web tutorials, handouts
User hands- on workshops, web tutorials, handouts
7. SIRSI OPAC GROUP MEETING SCHEDULE
8. Questions submitted to committee:
a. OPAC NAME
b. Others?
9.Other business
Issues Raised:
 Can look at " 32 weeks to SIRSI " presentation by Peter Clinton at:
http://www.library.utoronto.ca/its/sirsi/presentations/sirsi32.pdf
This site gives all the details for the SIRSI implementation schedule.
Items Discussed:
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The iLink OPAC will be implemented, with the optional “More Like This” module. The Added
Content has not yet been purchased.
The basic navigational structure and functions of the OPAC, and some comparator sites,
were discussed.
Committee discussed how information sharing occurs from or to the OPAC (such as
exporting database control numbers to my.library. No other such information sharing was
identified.
Should the term UTCAT still be used? The Team decided to recommend that "The
Catalogue" be used instead.
No telnet interface in SIRSI. Only a Web interface. There are still some dumb terminals in
use. So people should plan to account for what they will do as a result.
SIRSI uses a different basis for material type limits than DRA (the item record type, rather
than the MARC record fixed leader, is used)
Initial drafts of the SIRSI policy tables, defining user, library, material and circulation policies,
will be submitted to SIRSI from the implementation team leaders very shortly. We will have a
chance to review and refine these policies in March.
Training:
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All staff (600 staff) will receive SIRSI OPAC training, as a basis for their other SIRSI training
Erindale and Scarborough will report back on number of staff requiring training
Training sessions to have 2 trainers per 15 people
Require at least 40 sessions with extra sessions planned on a need to basis.
ITS is looking into possible training venues.
Discussion arose as to whether it was possible to look at the Test site from various locations
on campus. Tom cautioned about the feasibility of this contingent on what the site licensing
from ORACLE is and whether or not there can be more that 25 concurrent users.
General staff OPAC training will introduce the SIRSI OPAC
Reference staff training will examine OPAC capabilities in depth, and focus on identifying
how the SIRSI OPAC differs from the DRA OPAC. There are approximately 150 Reference
Staff that would have the more complex training.
GALTS would not be included at this time. They are usually trained in the fall.
Team recommends that a letter be sent in March to all Department Heads asking two things:
The number of staff that would require training and to stipulate what kind, (General, or
Reference) of training is necessary.
Training materials to be developed by the committee will include scripts, handouts, brochures
and web tutorials, for general staff and reference staff. The committee will also provide
training scripts, handouts, web tutorials and brochures that can be used in library instruction
to users in the fall.
Recommended that the team members look at which areas of work they would like to
concentrate on and email Sian about what they would like.
Recommendations:
1. With the migration to SIRSI, the library catalogue will no longer be referred to as UTCat.
2. Two kinds of OPAC training will provided for staff: General and Reference.
3. Letter to all Department Heads will go out in March, requesting the numbers of staff in their
departments who will require each kind of training.
Next Meeting: Tentatively scheduled for Feb 21st 10:00 - 12:00 am. Sian will confirm to the list.