Annual Report 1996/97
5. Library Systems
Contents:
Computing Platform Standardisation and Support
Database Access
UWELib
National Library Union File
Training
- The Library Systems Group made considerable progress in working toward the goals articulated in the Commission on Institutional Planning report Building on Accomplishment. Report recommendation 33 said: work toward the ideal of a stable and supportive computing environment, standardisation to a minimum number of supported computing environments, co-ordinate computing training and support, including the development and maintenance of local resources e.g. help desks, experts.
- Early in 1997, the Library made the commitment to standardise computing hardware and software and major steps were undertaken to accomplish this goal.
- An NT server was installed and the migration from the Novell server was initiated.
- Memory upgrades were installed in most staff PCs.
- In a 6-week period in March-April, with the purchase of 12 new Pentium PCs and a very aggressive installation and swapping program for existing staff PCs, 74 staff workstations were upgraded to Windows 95 and the Office 97 software suite.
- 92 staff members were trained in Windows 95 and Office 97 by IST staff. Training was timed to coincide with the installation of the upgraded workstations.
- Area resource people ensured that help would be available within each department.
- All of these initiatives were planned to continue into the 1997/98 year.
- In January 1995, the Library Systems Group initiated a Help Desk service to improve staff computing support in the Library by providing staff with a single point of contact for all computing-related problems.
- In July/August 1996, a staff survey was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of this service. Overwhelmingly, staff rated it as a valuable service and no major changes were suggested. The Systems Group reviewed all comments, focussing on the 'unsatisfactory' ratings and comments. A response was published and some minor changes were implemented to better serve library staff.
- Throughout the year, Systems staff continued to evaluate hardware and software developments to ensure Library staff and public needs were well supported and numerous software upgrades were approved and installed.
- In November 1996, staff began participating in a TUG initiative to adapt SilverPlatter's ERL database search software to serve the TUG environment.
- For more effective use of our local staff and hardware resources and to provide effective access for our users, we decided to outsource access to the CANSIM and 1991 Census databases at the University of Toronto.
- In June 1996, the Canadian Mennonite Encyclopaedia went live on UWELib. The Library set up the indexing system and provides the machine space to house it for the Mennonite Historical Society of Canada.
- The OCUL (Ontario Council of University Libraries) Directory went live on UWELib in July 1996. The Library created indexing for and maintains on an ongoing basis this directory and searchable email database of OCUL Library staff.
- The Library Systems Group started uploads of the entire UW bibliographic database to the National Library's Canadian union database and established the process for quarterly updates with NL. This enhances the University of Waterloo participation in the sharing of bibliographic resources via Inter Library Loan throughout the Canadian library community.
- Systems staff worked with Library Department Heads and Council to define the Library's training mandate and policy and core computing skills were identified. Systems continued to work with IST to present effective staff computing training programs.
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Secretary to the University Librarian
Last Updated:
June 6, 2005
