LINC Update for August 2, 2005

August 2 , 2005

2005 - 097

UPCOMING MEETINGS

LINC Directors Group--September 21

2005 - 098 HORIZON 7.4 UPGRADE CD’S OUT TO LIBRARIES THIS WEEK

An upgrade to Horizon, v. 7.4, and LINCPac, v. 4.0, is planned for August 18 and 19. Horizon 7.4 requires that the Horizon client on each library workstation be upgraded. The Horizon 7.4 client CD and installation istructions are being distributed via U.S. mail this week to all building directors. Your library’s technical support personnel will need to upgrade the Horizon client workstations in the library.

Upgrading Horizon client workstations to accommodate Horizon 7.4 requires the following steps:
•check the revised PC specifications document (http://www.ltls.org/HorizonUpgrade/Horizon_Specs.htm) for minimum PC requirements for this upgrade. This upgrade cannot be installed on Windows 98/Windows98SE workstations.
•read through the accompanying instructions that step you through the process of installing the client software.
•install Horizon 7.4 on individual staff workstations anytime before August 18.
Installing Horizon 7.4 will result in a second Horizon desktop icon, labeled “Horizon 7.4”. Continue to use the “Horizon 7.3.2” desktop icon for accessing Horizon until you are notified that the Horizon server at Lincoln Trail has been successfully upgraded to 7.4 on August 19. We will use the LTLS Online Services Status Screen (http://systemstatus.blogspot.com) to post information as progress is made in the upgrade process.
*If you are a school library and are closed for the summer, you can wait until school reconvenes to do this upgrade.

2005 - 099 HORIZON 7.4 AND LINCPAC 4.0 UPGRADE TIMELINE

With the upgrade to Horizon, v. 7.4, and LINCPac, v. 4.0, on August 18 and 19, we do not know exactly how long the downtime will be but we are working with Dynix to make the downtime as short as possible. Libraries should plan to use PC Reliance as a backup circulation system for Horizon on both days.

LINCPac will be unavailable during the morning of Thursday, August 18 and will also not be available on Friday, August 19. During this period of unavailability, libraries should plan to use WorldCat via FirstSearch, select Illinois Catalog as the database (SILC) for searching. The default limit is ‘East Central Illinois’ but Advanced Searching allows you to limit by your OCLC code. This will allow you to search for items in your library. However, all shelf status links back to the LINC catalog will not function during the downtime period for LINCPac.

We will use the LINC Online Status Screen (http://systemstatus.blogspot.com) to post messages about system availability as the upgrade progresses.

2005 - 100 NEW WEBFEAT RESOURCE

We’ve added a new resource to WebFeat! The LINC Community Resources database is now available for searching, along with 12 other databases. The LINC Community Resources database is a joint effort of the LINC libraries and includes contacts, meeting schedules, target audience, and other information for community service organizations located in the 9 counties covered by Lincoln Trail Libraries System.

WebFeat is the consolidated search product located at the ‘Databases’ tab on LINCPac. WebFeat allows you to input a search term and search against multiple databases at the same time. Now the LINC Community Resources database can be searched simultaneously as well.

2005 - 101 THE SPUR AWARDS
Thanks to the efforts of Champaign Public Library, the Spur Awards from the Western Writers of America have been added to the Best Sellers (or Good Reads) list. For more information about the Spur Awards, go to: http://www.westernwriters.org/spur_awards.htm.

2005 - 102 PATRON NOTICES CUSTOMIZATION

If you have patrons who would like to customize their email overdue and hold notices to meet their own needs, there is an off-site web site available that can do this. Go to: http://www.ltls.org/LibraryELF.html, click on the ELF notification system and select IL>Lincoln Trail Libraries System from the list of libraries that are offering this service.

Patrons can fill out their own email address and set up when they want to receive an automatic email notice. If patrons want to receive notices every day, they can. If they want to set up preoverdue notices to be received a week before the item is due, they can. If they want to set up notices as text messages to their cell phone, they can. However, please advise patrons that they will be entering their barcode/pin number at an off-site web location and LTLS cannot guarantee the privacy of this site.

For more information about this web site’s privacy policy, click here to view it. Be sure to read the disclaimer information at this site before advising patrons to proceed with this setup.

August 2 , 2005
2005 - 097	UPCOMING MEETINGS
	LINC Directors Group--September 21

2005 - 098	HORIZON 7.4 UPGRADE CD’S OUT TO LIBRARIES THIS WEEK
	An upgrade to Horizon, v. 7.4, and LINCPac, v. 4.0, is planned for August 18 and 19. Horizon 7.4 requires that the Horizon client on each library workstation be upgraded. The Horizon 7.4 client CD and installation istructions are being distributed via U.S. mail this week to all building directors. Your library’s technical support personnel will need to upgrade the Horizon client workstations in the library. Upgrading Horizon client workstations to accommodate Horizon 7.4 requires the following steps: •check the revised PC specifications document (http://www.ltls.org/HorizonUpgrade/Horizon_Specs.htm) for minimum PC requirements for this upgrade. This upgrade cannot be installed on Windows 98/Windows98SE workstations. •read through the accompanying instructions that step you through the process of installing the client software. •install Horizon 7.4 on individual staff workstations anytime before August 18. Installing Horizon 7.4 will result in a second Horizon desktop icon, labeled “Horizon 7.4”. Continue to use the “Horizon 7.3.2” desktop icon for accessing Horizon until you are notified that the Horizon server at Lincoln Trail has been successfully upgraded to 7.4 on August 19. We will use the LTLS Online Services Status Screen (http://systemstatus.blogspot.com) to post information as progress is made in the upgrade process. *If you are a school library and are closed for the summer, you can wait until school reconvenes to do this upgrade.

2005 - 099	HORIZON 7.4 AND LINCPAC 4.0 UPGRADE TIMELINE
	With the upgrade to Horizon, v. 7.4, and LINCPac, v. 4.0, on August 18 and 19, we do not know exactly how long the downtime will be but we are working with Dynix to make the downtime as short as possible. Libraries should plan to use PC Reliance as a backup circulation system for Horizon on both days. LINCPac will be unavailable during the morning of Thursday, August 18 and will also not be available on Friday, August 19. During this period of unavailability, libraries should plan to use WorldCat via FirstSearch, select Illinois Catalog as the database (SILC) for searching. The default limit is ‘East Central Illinois’ but Advanced Searching allows you to limit by your OCLC code. This will allow you to search for items in your library. However, all shelf status links back to the LINC catalog will not function during the downtime period for LINCPac. We will use the LINC Online Status Screen (http://systemstatus.blogspot.com) to post messages about system availability as the upgrade progresses.

2005 - 100	NEW WEBFEAT RESOURCE
	We’ve added a new resource to WebFeat! The LINC Community Resources database is now available for searching, along with 12 other databases. The LINC Community Resources database is a joint effort of the LINC libraries and includes contacts, meeting schedules, target audience, and other information for community service organizations located in the 9 counties covered by Lincoln Trail Libraries System. WebFeat is the consolidated search product located at the ‘Databases’ tab on LINCPac. WebFeat allows you to input a search term and search against multiple databases at the same time. Now the LINC Community Resources database can be searched simultaneously as well.

2005 - 101	THE SPUR AWARDS
	Thanks to the efforts of Champaign Public Library, the Spur Awards from the Western Writers of America have been added to the Best Sellers (or Good Reads) list. For more information about the Spur Awards, go to: http://www.westernwriters.org/spur_awards.htm.

2005 - 102	PATRON NOTICES CUSTOMIZATION
	If you have patrons who would like to customize their email overdue and hold notices to meet their own needs, there is an off-site web site available that can do this. Go to: http://www.ltls.org/LibraryELF.html, click on the ELF notification system and select IL>Lincoln Trail Libraries System from the list of libraries that are offering this service. Patrons can fill out their own email address and set up when they want to receive an automatic email notice. If patrons want to receive notices every day, they can. If they want to set up preoverdue notices to be received a week before the item is due, they can. If they want to set up notices as text messages to their cell phone, they can. However, please advise patrons that they will be entering their barcode/pin number at an off-site web location and LTLS cannot guarantee the privacy of this site. For more information about this web site’s privacy policy, click here to view it. Be sure to read the disclaimer information at this site before advising patrons to proceed with this setup.