Bio-Med Library Access Services Blog

Hi All,

Starting Friday please expect Aleph and other computer database issues. We will be using Aleph offline circulation until Monday.

Here is what is happening:

- Access to all Aleph modules and OPACs will be terminated at 4pm on
Friday afternoon, October 23. We expect that this downtime will last
approximately 3 hours. Primo (MNCAT Plus and QuickSearch) will be
available for searching during this time, although the links into Aleph
will not be functional while Aleph is down. We anticipate that the Aleph
"search-only" OPAC environment will become available around 7pm on Friday.

- Find It / E-Journals A-Z / Citation Finder (SFX) will be unavailable
for a brief period between 7pm and 8pm on Friday, October 23.

- Libraries OneSearch / article search box will be taken down for the
weekend beginning at 7pm, Friday, October 23.

- MNCAT Plus (Primo, QuickSearch in Duluth) will be taken down no
earlier than 7pm, Friday, October 23, and only after the Aleph
"search-only" OPAC system is functional.

- UThink blogs may experience a short downtime of 2-5 minutes the
afternoon of Friday, October 23, but we expect the service to remain up
and functional during the entirety of the downtime.

- The Twin Cities University Libraries main web site (www.lib.umn.edu)
will change late afternoon, Friday, October 23 and will be a minimized
version of the site presenting only the most frequently used links.
These links will include MNCAT Classic, Indexes A-Z, and E-Journals, as
well as other services not affected by the downtime.

We are anticipating a fairly seamless return to our production systems
early on Sunday morning, October 25. However, staff should continue to
use Aleph offline circulation until they receive communication on Monday
morning asking them to switch back to the regular circulation system.

Please post to the blog!
Melissa

Posted by Melissa Aho at 3:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

All:

On Sunday, May 24, OIT will be replacing network switches in several data centers on campus. This means that:

--MnCAT Plus (Primo) will be down from approximately 5:30 am through 12:30 pm.
--MnCAT Classic (Aleph) will be inaccessible for a period of approximately 90 minutes between 6:00 am and noon,
and may be sporadically inaccessible for additional periods during that timeframe.

Chris

Christina Perkins Meyer
University of Minnesota Libraries
Phone: (612) 625-0107
Fax: (612) 626-9353
mailto:c-meye@tc.umn.edu

Posted by Emily Reimer at 9:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I changed the Aleph password this morning, so make sure to check the cheat sheet for the current password the next time you login. Please initial the blog so I know you're up-to-date.

Thanks!
Emily

Posted by Emily Reimer at 7:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (0)

Hi All,

There is a new Aleph password. Look for the new password in the usual spot.

Melissa

Posted by Melissa Aho at 8:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

We are pleased to announce that it is now possible to search for call numbers in MNCAT Plus. You can search for either a single complete call number or for all titles with the same classification number or part of a classification number. Since call number searching isn't as simple as other types of searching, we encourage you to review the searching hints and examples here: Call Number Searches. This document is intended for staff. We'd appreciate any suggestions for clarification. We'd also like to produce a more succinct version for users to include in the MNCAT Plus help. Volunteers for this writing task are welcome.
- Christina Meyer

Woot! Good news! Post to the blog so I know you're celebrating with me! :) Emily

Posted by Emily Reimer at 9:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)

The downtime will be on Saturday morning (1/17) beginning at about 5:00 am and ending around noon. If all goes well, MNCAT Plus will be up after noon on Saturday while the rest of the upgrade process is running.

All MNCAT Classic functionality will be available during the MNCAT Plus downtime.

Posted by Emily Reimer at 9:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Check the cheat sheet in the Circulation Desk drawer to get the new one.

Cheers,
Emily

Posted by Emily Reimer at 11:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A memo came out recently regarding changing pickup locations of items on hold. We've been asked not to change the pickup location ourselves in Aleph, but to contact the Get It Office and have them do it. Get It staff can be contacted at

Phone: 612-626-2260 or Email: getit@umn.edu

I'll put this info in the Student Worker Guide and on the blog. Questions? Let me or another supervisor know. Please post to the blog.

Thanks!
Emily

Posted by Emily Reimer at 10:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

Aleph will be updated to version 19 this weekend, which means:

1. After 4:00PM on Friday until further notice, use the Aleph Offline Circulation module (on the 2nd floor, left-side computer ONLY) to check out materials.

2. DO NOT check in items. Place all returned items on a cart and hold them behind the 2nd floor Circ desk.

3. DO NOT use the Offline module to check out Reserve materials. Make a photocopy of the patron's U Card and the title, barcode and call number of the item. Make sure that the copies are legible in case we need to follow up. Note the date and time of the loan. When the item is returned, destroy the photocopies.

4. Loan receipts, return receipts and loan periods can all be found in/on the red folder at the Offline computer for your convenience.

5. Note any requests for renewals and recall that come in by phone. We'll process them manually on Monday once we get the all clear.

6. During the migration, which is scheduled from 4:00PM Friday to Monday morning, GetIt and MyAccount will not be available. Aleph and Primo will also be down for approximately half an hour on both Friday and Monday.

Please let me know ASAP if any of this information is unclear!

Thanks,
Emily

Posted by Emily Reimer at 8:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Aleph will be Offline the weekend of August 15-17 for the new version of Aleph. Number 19!

I have left packets of the "Stand Alone Offline Circulation" at each of the desks. Please read it over.

The upgrade will begin at 4:00 pm on Friday, August 15 and should be complete on Sunday, August 17.

During the upgrade:
--Primo will be available.
--The Aleph Web OPAC will be available except for a period of approximately 30 minutes at the beginning
of the upgrade and 30 minutes at the end. However, Your Account and GetIt will not be available.
--Circulation will be handled using the offline circulation client. Regular circulation procedures should
resume on Monday, after offline circ data is loaded and any errors resolved.
--Aleph ILL will be unavailable from 7:00 AM Friday until the upgrade is complete on Sunday. Partner libraries
will be notified. Other ILL systems will be available as usual.

Post to the blog that you have read this blog and the Stand Alone Offline Circulation.

If you have any questions please ask David, Emily, Pat, Steve or Randy.

Thanks,
Melissa

Posted by Melissa Aho at 9:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

Because of a recent printing error, some patrons will be receiving Aleph emails twice, with the second email delayed by five days. Some patrons will be receiving print notices five days late - including recall notices. Please be prepared to encounter questions and concerns from patrons about the situation. We may need to be more liberal in forgiving recall overdue fines over the next few days. As always, be ready to provide excellent customer service.

If you have any difficulty or any questions, please ask a supervisor.

Thanks,
Emily

Posted by Emily Reimer at 12:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

At the end of the month, the University Libraries will be changing the default catalog from MNCAT (soon to be MNCAT Classic) to MNCAT Plus (currently known as both Library Search and Primo). This means that there's training in store for you!

First, there will be a training session that you are strongly encouraged to attend:

Friday August 8
2:30-3:30 pm
120 Andersen Library

You will be paid for your time! Elmer L. Andersen Library is located here: http://www1.umn.edu/twincities/maps/EALib/ . You will be paid, so plan on going unless you have a conflict. Please speak with me if that's the case.

Second, you must complete an online tutorial that you'll find under Bio-Medical Library Online Training on the blog. Look under Training under the Links section on the blog if you need to return to it later.

We may also do a hands on class sometime later on. Let me know if you have questions or concerns!

Thanks,
Emily

Posted by Emily Reimer at 2:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In late January, some changes were made to the authentication method for MNCAT. As a result, you may get questions from off-campus users who are unable to access the catalog. It seems to be limited only to users who are behind a firewall - hospitals and corporations are likely candidates for this situation.

IT is quite sure this is a port issue, and is continuing to work for a permanent fix. In the meantime, users should request that their local IT staff open port 8991 on prime6.oit.umn.edu. LEO believe this will resolve the problem. A more permanent fix is in the works, but that's the work-around for now.

Now please read on to the next post..... Thanks! Emily

Posted by Emily Reimer at 2:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

ALEPH and all the public catalogs will be down for up to two hours beginning at 6:00 a.m. this Sunday, December 30, so that folks in the LEO office can apply updates to ALEPH.

Posted by Melissa Aho at 11:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

ALEPH and all the public catalogs will be down for about an hour beginning at 6:00 a.m. this Sunday October 28, so that the latest Service Pack updates to ALEPH.

Posted by Melissa Aho at 8:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Hi everyone, Just a quick update: the Aleph password has been changed. You'll be able to find it on the password cheat sheets on both floors. Thanks, Emily

Posted by Emily Reimer at 12:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)