[10] in Information Retrieval
[tjm (Tim McGovern): Task List for Library Services]
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Tim McGovern)
Wed Sep 4 19:02:39 1991
Date: Wed, 04 Sep 91 19:01:34
From: tjm@eagle.mit.edu (Tim McGovern)
To: elibdev@MIT.EDU
Please note: This is the task list we discussed today in the elibraries system
meeting under the heading "Library Access from Athena".
Tim
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Task List for the Library Services Project
Note: in a number of these functions, Libraries personnel will be encountering
the distributed computing environment for the first time. Furthermore, they will
be doing so from (most likely) DOS machines. As such, the interfaces that they
will be subjected to are generally uglier than the X-based interfaces, harder to
train on, and harder to support (meaning between IS & the Libraries staff). It
is also likely that a good percentage of the customers for these services will
be using the spiffier interfaces. If customers direct questions related to the
spiffier interfaces towards the Libraries staff, the staff may not be prepared
to handle them. There are other proposals afoot to handle this situation.
0. Interfaces
0.1 Dash
Minor tweaking to make the prototype Libraries menus work with the
current version of Dash (vanharen, lavin).
0.2 tty interface
Investigate how all of these services can be provided for dialup
users (IS). This is the only task on this entire list which might
be a biggie!
1. News and Information
Here the idea is to leverage off of the information that the
Libraries have been putting online in TechInfo for the last year or so.
We'd like to be able to quickly flash up the contents of these from a
Dash menu item. The task that can be factored out in most of these is
how to do that text display piece.
(Note Tasks 1.1 and 1.2 require the same steps)
1.1 LIBARRY NEWS
1.2 LIBRARY INFORMATION
Decide who's responsible for maintenance of this document (Lib).
Decide on text display mechanism (IS: lavin, vanharen, thorne).
Decide if existing document in TechInfo is OK (Lib).
If not, fix document (Lib).
If OK, point Dash/Text display mechanism at document (vanharen,
thorne).
1.3 LIBARRY HELP
1.3.1 ANSWERS DATABASE
Technology is in place already.
Populate OLRL Stock Answers database
(Lib, with lavin help).
(Note Tasks 1.3.2 thru 1.3.5 require the same steps)
1.3.2 HOW TO SEARCH BARTON
1.3.3 HOW TO SEARCH DIALOG
1.3.4 PATHFINDER FOR PSYCHOLOGY
1.3.5 PATHFINDER FOR TECHNICAL REPORTS
Decide who's responsible for maintenance of this document
(Lib).
Decide on text display mechanism (IS: lavin, vanharen,
thorne).
Decide if document already exists in TechInfo, and is OK
(Lib).
If not, create/fix document (Lib).
If OK, point Dash/Text display mechanism at document
(vanharen, thorne).
2. Barton, MIT Libraries Catalog
2.1 BARTON
Decide whether Athena user should go thru library.mit.edu or
directly to Barton (IS)
2.2 NEW BOOKS LIST
Find out where the NBL is, in the GEAC (lavin/lib).
Decide how to make the NBL accessible--from the Barton interface
or from the text displayer (IS & Lib)
3. Library Forms
Here the idea is to leverage the sendbug program which uses an emacs
session on a form template to create a file which is mailed to an
appropriate mailing list, consisting typically of the responsible
person.
All we need to do here is to make up the names & decide who they
should point to (Lib to decide, IS to do).
(Note Tasks 3.1 thru 3.4 require the same steps)
3.1 Microreproduction Lab Order
3.2 Interlibrary Borrowing Request
3.3 Suggested Purchase Form
3.4 Comments or Suggestions
Create ASCII representation of each form (Scott).
Create mailing list (dropbox) for each form (IS).
Decide who's responsible for picking up mail (Lib).
Setup accounts for these folks (lavin/IS accounts)
Modify mini-courses and documentation on Using Athena, Using Mail,
etc. for delivery to affected units in Libraries (lavin).
Conduct training for affected units (probably lavin).
4. Online Reference Service
Here the idea is to leverage the existing olxx technology for use
by reference librarians.
4.1 ASK A LIBRARIAN
About 10 of these librarians have already been introduced to the
idea, and there's 10-20 more that need to be trained. The software
is in place.
To use it, users type: add library; olrl to submit questions &
librarians type: add library; answer to handle questions.
Modify documentation and training to better suit RL's (lavin).
Setup accounts for reference librarians (lavin, IS accounts).
Continue training RL's (lavin w/ Lib).
Develop email proficiency within RL's (lavin w/ Lib).
Investigate menu-based version or recipes for RL's (IS).
Investigate olc/emacs interface (lavin).
4.2 LOOK AT ANSWERS DATABASE
Populate OLRL Stock Answers database (Lib).
5. Databases
Here the idea is to provide access from MIT to commercial databases.
Use of Z39.50 technology to be considered.
5.1 MEDLINE
Continue to work with BRS on licensing issues, etc. (tjm).
5.2 TABLE OF CONTENTS
On hold for the near term.
6. Other Libraries
Determine if non-MIT libraries accept idea of opening their OPACs to
unlimited access from MIT (Lib).
Assuming it's ok, develop one or more scripts to connect to foreign
OPACs and launch from Dash (IS).
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