Technical
Services purchases, receives, catalogs and maintains library materials so that
library users can locate and access materials. It also provides support and
development of the library's local systems and database. Units within Technical
Services are Acquisitions, Cataloging Services, and Library Systems.
Preparation for the move to the James C. Kirkpatrick Library has been a focus for much of the work in Technical Services. The spatial arrangement of the new building will be much different from the Ward
Edwards building; thus, many materials
required additional processing in preparation for the move. Retrospective conversion
of records for older materials to computer-readable format is nearing completion.
Item records for materials from storage have been corrected and the materials
transferred to public stacks. Repairing, replacing, or withdrawing outdated
and worn materials has also consumed many employee hours. Bibliographic record
revisions increased by almost 25 percent over the previous year.
The periodical subscription vendor was changed in the fall of 1997. Most problems associated with the switch were identified early and corrected. The vendor granted a one-year discount on its service charge as compensation for problems incurred. By the end of FY98 most problems resulting from the vendor change were successfully resolved.
The NOTIS system was upgraded to Version
6.4.0 at the end of spring semester. This update of the library system software
included a revised circulation module. While no visible change occurred for
the users, the management side of the system had
several major changes. As of June 30, resulting problems were being solved.
Central requested of the Coordinating Board of Higher Education that it be considered the host site for the planned statewide common library platform.
The Resource Sharing Software (RSS) for use with our library management system was received in the spring. When the statewide common library platform is selected, Central is prepared to implement the new system and integrate with it the RSS software.
Financial reports for the library materials budget may be found in Appendix A. Collections statistics may be found in Appendix B. Statistics for Technical Services may be found in Appendix D.