Chandell Asuncion

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.)