Chandell Asuncion

Management 1, 2, and 3

1. Management 1 – WORKSTATIONS: the Polaris Client (SEE: Polaris – Training, Cataloging, and System Administration)
2. Management 2 – SERVER: SQL Client / Database (SEE: Below)
3. Management 3 – SERVER: WINDOWS: HOST Services (accessible by right-clicking on “my computer” > manage > Services and Applications > Services) – (SEE: Below)

Microsoft SQL Server.2005 – Management Studio

• SQL Server 9.0.3054
• User ID and Password is needed

Databases (10 databases)

• Not only are you working with multiple tables, and fields, but you also have multiple databases. This is important to understand for building queries
• Database – expand to see a list of the tables. You won’t need a list of 1000+ tables, you need a list of the most common tables. A list (60+) has been forwarded to Clair, Grace and Maile.
• Each table contains various columns and keys – expand table to see values.
• Polaris, Demo Polaris, and Polaris Transactions
• Polaris assigns different field names than you may be use to. i.e. Title, is listed in many forms, you will want to use BrowseTitle for your queries instead of Title, or SortTitle.
• New Query: Assumes that you know SQL
• Select GETDATE () – will retrieve the date and time.
• QUESTION: Since this is an ORGANIZATION database, queries will return values for all branches?
• Polaris Users Group: PUG: http://www.polarisusersgroup.org/ – request or share SQL queries
• CUSTOM QUERIES, such as one to create reports on overdue fines by Homeroom, can be created on the system level and then accessed by all.

Management 3

• Right Click > Manage > Services and Applications > Services – THESE MUST BE MANAGED REGULARLY
• DNS Client – that no longer recognized a patron who is trying to login it is possible that the DNS services client has stopped running. (rare)
• HTTP SSL: Not needed
• Message Queuing – allows simultaneously communications for transactions with a number, such as checks outs.
• Remote Procedure Call Error – (RPC) – something got in the way – and save again or repeat the procedure.
• Electronic Resources Management System (3.3) Daemon – z39.50 uses this to communicate with other databases, and with the client. – When it fails it says “I don’t know what you are talking about” – it is possible that the z39.50 service has stopped. THIS IS ONE PLACE TO CHECK WHEN RECEIVING ERRORS – to see if the service has stopped.

http://www.polarislibrary.com/

• Help Desk (Web userid and password – not tied to your AD login)
• Customer Tools > Customer Extranet (Web userid and password – not tied to your AD login)

3 Different Levels of Management

Management 1 - Administration Sub-System (Polaris Shortcut Toolbar)

• Administration > Explorer > Organizations; Systems,
• Library, Branch | Staff Member, Workstation, Collection | Server, Database Table |
• System: (All libraries)
• Library: (3 Ks Campuses)
• Branch: (3 Divisions: High, Middle, Elementary)
• Resources: Staff Member, Workstation, Collection, Patron, Group

Administration – Explorer – System KS

• Parameters: Profile Answers
• All values can be adjusted by double-clicking on the “value”
• All areas are LOCKED when being edited – only one person can edit
• Parameters on the system level that are left blank – the values will be inherited from the system level
• System Level settings can be changed on the Branch level and will over-ride system settings.
• Some parameters are marked “set up….” and are all expected to be setup at the same time
• Some parameters are annual and must be reset each year, such as, End-of-term due date options

• Patron Delete Options: Current Settings: Delete if inactive for 365 days (In the KS system we would not use the automatic deletes at all, this would be ideal for public library systems. KS currently expires all accounts at the end of the school year, and imports all new students again each year, with a new status [grade level])
• Reading History Setup: Enabled: History Length # (6) of years: Maximum History: 9999 (Staff can see a reading history)
• ADD AN ENHANCEMENT REQUEST: To limit the Reading History to the Patron ONLY. (7/24/08)
• Shelving Status Option: KS OPTED NOT TO USE THIS FEATURE
• Check Out: Left side: Automatic data – we have no control | Right side: Can be edited
• Check In: Automatic In-Transit: Value: Set to NO – so that it will BEEP (default is Yes)
• Finished Transaction Deletion Setup: Not enabled – paid transactions will not be maintained (KS will ENABLE this feature, so that students who pay for a lost item, and then finds the item, we will be able to reimburse the student within the same fiscal year. This setting can be changed at the branch level.)
• System > Profiles: Staff Client(setup…): Spin labels, roles and accessibility.
• System > Security: Workstations do not show: All workstations should have all levels of access. Access is limited by the user levels.

• Cataloging: Only one parameter (setup…): PAC parameter: Recommendation is 10 searches, return results maximum of 500, and can be run 50 times. Allow Weekly Searches, and or Allow Monthly Searches. A notification “From” email address MUST be filled-in, in order for this feature to work.
  

• Notification: Notification Options (setup): CRITICAL: Can be done at the Branch Level: Each library has a library branch email address: Maile Au will check to see what everyones address is and send out that information. (7/24/08)
• REQUEST FOR GENERIC EMAIL ACCOUNTS: Solution: Request a Public Folder named: an email address: such as  CRBLCMS at ksbe.edu, specify features that are needed i.e. forwarding, responding, etc… Note, all individuals who should have access to the public folder. Now when you go to your email client or webmail client, you will see the folder listed in your “Public Folders”. (Great solution for the bookstore).

Branch: Your Library: Profiles (3 PAC tabs)

• PAC
• PowerPAC
• Children’s PAC has a few areas hat need to be setup
• ERROR MESSAGE: Can not add Categories
• Dashboards can be subscribed to, and must be set at the system level, and changed at the branch level.
• Web Part Editor: Manages 3rd Party Services: Dashboards such as: New Titles, Children’s Fiction, Make a Donation, etc. You may also create your own Dashboards: (Useful for showing upcoming programs) Free Text, Titles, Polls, Events, etc.. HOWEVER, the changes will not be made available right away. In order for them to show, we must re-start IIS which is the Information Server. Make all of your PAC (web-based) changes and then re-set the PowerPAC.
• Start > Programs > Accessories > Communications > Remote Desktop Connection OR call ITD to restart the IIS.
• ITD can restart the server at the server console: START > Run: (type) iisreset
• SET A SCHEDULE FOR THE SERVER TO BE RESET ON A SCHEDULE: Currently we are not on a schedule (7/24/08)
• TEST NETWORK CACHEING – to see if the updates are taking hold when the system is updated. I’m thinking that this may not be an issue because the server itself is being reset, which should cause the browser to go out and get new information. Which is a different situation from when we upload webpage/site changes, which does not reset the server.
• http://www.mcld.org/ is using the Polaris system

Policy Tables

• Dates Closed: Each Branch will be listed individually, and will prevent books from being borrowed at this time. MANUAL HOUSEKEEPING TASK: Past Dates must be deleted manually. Each date MUST BE ADDED day-by-day, you are NOT able to add closed dates by range.
• Patron / Material type Loan Limit Blocks: Exceptions can be made at the user level, these are just guideline flags.

Server

• Systems > Servers > New Server > Data Connections > Data Link Properties – Use this to establish connections between our server and other servers who are on z350 (?) see day one notes.
• All branches will / can have access to these databases if there is a check mark next to their branch name.
• Library of Congress Maintains a list of libraries and what systems they are running: http://www.loc.gov/z3950/ – May not be current.
• INNOPAC and GIAC Libaries are Z3950 compliant,
• SIRSI are not Z3950 compliant
• Libraries on the Web USA Speical: More Current : LIBWEB: http://lists.webjunction.org/libweb – Can search based on Z3950 compliant databases, search by categories.

Collections

How do you modify or delete a collection? Dave Needham: Good Question, however there currently is no method for doing this. Dave will look for an answer to this.

Staff Members

• Administration > Explorer > Staff Member: All permissions as dealt with at the Staff Member level:
• Search for Staff Member inorder for them to appear in the Staff Member list
• Right -Click to Add a New Staff Member: One-by-One, however you can add the member to a GROUP/TRIBE, so that all of the 700+ permissions are set accordingly, based on groups.
• Add a member to a Group by using the white + sign on the lowe half of he screen.
• Group/Tribe permissions (set by Polaris) may not be consistent with what you need. Review each set of permissions, they may be too limited. i.e. Polaris Circulation Clerk does not have access to Cataloging.
• YELLOW FOLDER: TOOLBAR > Administration Explorer > Yellow Folder (on toolbar) drop down menu > Groups — This will show you the existing Groups
• Polaris Shortcut toolbar: Find > Add / Create Groups: FIND > Item > Groups > i.e. P* for Polaris Curiculation Clerk – now we can create a new group based on the current group settings by click on the “white paper icon – drop down menu” select “New Group” – but no permissions will be set – it only brought across the members in the previous group, but not the permissions.
  • You can get the permissions by using the 3rd icon that looks like a blow pipe (Acquire other permissions) . Now we can begin to modify this new GROUP.
  • You can append permissions to the new group from additional Groups, and you can delete permissions using the minus (-) icon.
  • The plus (+) icon will bring up the FIND tool, and allow you to search the database of existing permissions. You can search all system permissions 1000 + or limit your search based on your branch.

Note: Kamehameha Schools advocates a strong privacy policy for its patrons, any information that is maintained by the user is only accessible to the user. (This policy will be implemented in full when the database enhancement has been implemented with Polaris 3.4.)

Polaris Reporting

1. Polaris Reports: From the Polaris Shortcut Bar
2. Simply Reports: From the web at http://kppolaristr1/simplereport/ – user must login to access the system.

SQL Structure Handouts:

• http://www.polarislibrary.com/forums/Downloads
• You will need a userid and password

Simply Reports

1. Admin/Application Defaults

Update Polaris to v3.4 – Must be done prior to Friday’s Training

• Thursday Evening, July 24th, 2008 -
• Thursday’s Training will be only for the Systems Adminstrators
• Other Librarians will attend training with Cy and Mimi on Blogs and Podcasting

Trainer did not check for understanding periodically during training

Staff Point of View
Uses the Polaris Shortcut Bar

Keyboard Shortcuts
You can take care of all most everything in Polaris with keyboard shortcuts. There are almost 9 pages of keyboard shortcuts.

1. F7 = Patron Record
2. Ctlr + L = Log Off
3. Ctlr + Shirt + A = Load all search records
4. F9 = Registration to Patron Status (Links) – Toggle
5. Alt + F4 = Close the “active” window (will prompt you to save your changes before closing.)
6. Cltr + N = New ______ select from a list. (Then the first letter of the “thing” you want to make i.e. “P” for Patron.
7. Alt + Down Arrow = Display and Scroll Drop Down Menu or use your keyboard to jump to an item in t3he list. “P” would jump to “Paiea Learning Center” in the Registered at: drop down menu.
8. Tab = Jumps to the next field
9. Shift + Tab = Lets you go back one field
10. Cltr + Tab = Lets you go to the next Page in a Form Set.
11. Cltr + Shift + Tab = Lets you go back a Page in a Form Set.
12. Cltr + S = Save
13. Alt + G = Patron Status; General
14. Alt + O = Patron Status; Items Out
15. Alt + A = Patron Status; Account
16. Alt + C = Patron Status; Claims
17. Alt + H = Patron Status; Holds
18. Alt + D = Patron Status; Reader Services
19. Alt + W = Patron Status; Associations
20. Alt + N = Patron Status; Notes

6 Key Features

1. The Shortcut Bar
2. The Find Tool – Patron Search Form
3. Registration Form – (double click or click and return)
4. Links – Registration to Patron Status – Toggle
5. Properties
6. Record Set

3 Rules

1. Just Press Enter
2. Whenever you see a list — think right mouse button
3. White boxes are for “us” (editable) – gray boxes are for “Polaris” (automated)

Note: Bold face labels are required.

Working with Multiple Windows:

• Work Form Colors match its Orb
• click on the banner to bring the open window to the foreground
• The text “Window” menu, will let you control and arrange the open windows, by tiling them, or cascading them or closing all of the windows.

Function Keys
Polaris Shortcut Bar – Needs to be Blue (active)

1. F1 – Help Screen (a thousand pages of documentation at your finger tips)
2. F2 – Check-In (2)
3. F3 – Check-Out (3)
4. F4 – Is not used as a stand along shortcut – it is only used as Alt + F4
5. F5 – Re-fresh (5)
6. F6 – Finds a Patron’s Status (6) Records
7. F7 – Finds all of your Patron’s Registration Records (7)
8. F8 – The Property (8) Sheet*
9. F9 – Toggles between the Status and Registration* (Must SAVE your patron record to use F9).
10. F10, F11, and F12 are not yet used.

*You must have a record selected for this function key to work.

NOTES for Registration Form:

• Bar-codes: Are required elements, they can contain letters and numbers, and can be any length.
• Address: Don’t use “Street 2″ to add a second address, such as, a PO Box.
• Phone number:use dashes, or periods, however all users should be consistent. Do NOT use parenthesis, it tends to cause problems.
• Password: Is needed if the patron wants to make use of a public access account. Passwords must be alpha numeric. 4 – 16 characters, Case insensitive. (Upper and lowercase letters are seen as the same). Does not recognize symbols. Will NOT be the same as students active directory password. The library will use the student ID number.
• Check “Do not delete patron record” with care – Polaris will do occasional housekeeping and will delete patron records that have not been idol for a period of time. The default is 10 years, but can be changed by the system administrator.

Notes for Patron Status

• Patron Status is automatically created for the Patron. (F9 to view status)
• Due Dates:Once an item has passed it due date, you can not change the date, however you can change the date prior to the set date.
• Blind Monkey: I never seen that…..
• Associations:Does not programmatically restrict a patron based on its associations.
• Non-Blocking notes appear only hear and no where else
• Blocking notes – must be saved and will be maintained and the user will be stopped, giving the librarian a chance to resolve the block. Removing the block is just a matter of highlighting the note and pressing the delete key on your keyboard.

Note: Patron registration and Patron Status work hand-in-hand.

Searching Bibliographic Records

• PREVIEW: Patron and Item have no preview, ONLY Bibliographic Records have a preview.
• Branches: allows you to reduce your search to only your library.
• Use multiple tabs/pages to perform customized searches, general, options, scoping, branches, collections, and databases
• z39.50 enabled libraries are all searchable from the “Databases” tab. This is a very handy tool to expand your search to include as much as possible.

Users Point of View
From the shortcut bar, select Utilities then choose browser.Then we need the url for the Powerpack.

• Default Bare: http://10.98.202.43/polaris/
• KSBE System: http://10.99.8.12/polaris
• CRBLC K-5: http://kppolarishtrl/polaris/custom/CRBLC-K5.htm

4 Essential Sections to every Powerpack Displays
Will be customized by each library

1. Left-hand side: Command Dashboard (Text size and Language)
2. Right-hand side: Library Links (Differs for each library)
3. Tabs: 4 Main Polaris User Actions (Library Info, Search, Patron Account, Help)
4. Menu buttons: Actions changes depending on the tab that is selected

Searching PAC online

1. Advanced Menu is the same as using the “scoping” tab in the staff view.
2. 3 of the 6 searching options have been activated in the KS PAC online system.
3. Dashboard: Will automatically generate a new list of dashboard commands that allow the user to “narrow their search” using additional criteria.
4. Note: Users should “Change Search Options” so that only the listings that are available in “their” library is listed in the search results.
5. Keyword(s) in Context – ….. keyword…… lets the user know why the listing was added to the search results.
6. Add to my List Link: Appears at the end of the title, and will create a “Working Bibliography List” for the user. The working list is the first list item on the dashboard. Users can click on the “Show List Details” and then change the format of the details or delete items from their list. Each item on the list is a link back to the original item in the database. Users can save the list to their account, print it out, or email the list to themselves. Users must be LOGGED IN in order to save list. Users must have their bar-code and password in order to access this feature.
7. Patron Account: the only options the patrons have is to change their preferences. Patrons will be asked to agree to the “Patriot Act”, which states that their library records may be subpoenaed
8. Patron Account; Items Out: View all items that are outstanding
9. Patron Account; Fines & Fees:
10. Patron Account; Reading History: Users must agree to have their reading history compiled.
11. Patron Account; Saved Search: Save searches are run on a schedule, that is set up by the server administration. The user will be notified when items become available.
12. Patron Account; Log Out: Important on public terminals

1-877-857-1978 David Needham
Email: david.needham@polarislibrary.com

http://www.polarislibrary.com/te.aspx
Site Number: 1394
Kamehameha Schools Password: training eval

Brad Rogers, Director of Polaris Implementation Services, at 877-857-1978, or via email at Brad.Rogers@PolarisLibrary.com