New blog instituted for Problem Reports. You may see it at http://www.livejournal.com/users/ramsey_tech/

TechTimes is being refurbished somewhat. THere are a few new pictures, and I intend to put more effort into this blog.

Technical Services Meeting 05/15/03

(1) SOLINET video on book and stack maintenance.
Glad it was a short feature?else it might have been a sleeper.

(2) Leave Forms reminders
HR now wants leave forms filed for vacation. Robert indicated that if folks are taking any leave time greater than a day a form should be submitted.

(3) Summer schedules
Robert asked that TS folks submit their summer schedule to Annette by the middle of next week.

(4) Budget freeze
The Budget has been frozen until the start of the new fiscal year, or until the legislature says we have a budget. No invoices will be paid until after July 1. A 3-5% cut is anticipated for FY 2003/04 but an enrollment increase may offset some of the budget cut woes.

(5) Supplies roundup
Essential supplies should be ordered ASAP. Robert would like those requests by 5/16. Please make sure these are essential for your work and that you request enough for the quarter (through August).

(6) Machine deployments and changes to OPACs
Nine new computers have been deployed, with one left to go. Four of these new machines went to Technical Services, four to Public Services, one to Media, and one to Administrative areas.

The older machines that were replaced will continue to be useful as extra OPACs or replacements for failing OPACs. Annette and Robert will identify OPACs to be replaced with the old staff computers. These new OPACs will be running Windows2000 with DeepFreeze installed. Mark Stoffan has been working on the configuration of the new OPACs. Configuration and Documentation should be finished this week and deployment of these machines may begin as early as Monday.

(7) Windows 2000 Server and Snap Server deployment
The new server is here and work on it will begin in July. The new server will be running Windows2000 Server as opposed to the old NT Server.


(8) Acquisitions and Cataloging workflows - a look at alternatives
Mark & Robert are checking out CatME as Passport will be discontinued 12/31/03 when OCLC switches to Oracle database. The Webbased Connection Windows client should be ready by June, but is being released apparently without macro ability until Release 3 in 2004. Mark reports that many users have expressed their concerns and displeasure about this turn of events. We will begin transitioning to CatME this summer and use it for a year or so. Perhaps we will begin using the Web-based program by next summer. Robert will invite Tim and Hiddy to come and do a training session on CatME . They have been using it for 10 years.

We are not expecting too many books to be purchased over the summer, at least not until the new budget is passed. Gift books and Arboretum materials should keep Catalogers busy into early summer.

A great deal of work on Innopac is going to be done within the consortium. Webbridge for Innopac has been purchased and will be implemented this summer. This will allow the use of CSS and integrated links.

Monday the new IP address for Innopac will take effect.

The new address is 128.109.48.1

Monday all Millennium machines will have to be reset to the new IP. Any machines with Netterm and a hardcoded ip address will also have to be changed over. Mark reminded us to get in touch with the Computer Center and let them know about this change (or remind them) so that we will be able to upload from our OCLC applications.

Barb asked about raises and Robert reported that a 1.8% increase has been approved by both houses, however the budget has not yet been passed. Don't spend it all in one place folks!

The discussion of the basketball goal purchase (or lack thereof) was reopened. Our last understanding was that we should purchase and Jim would reimburse us for it. Tim is planning to buy it this weekend.

A sneak peek into the Acq Dept.! Mark got shed of a mini-hub and I scrounged it, and viola, webcam. I doubt it will be on every minute unless someone is working at that station, but we'll see. It will be up off and on, more on until the novelty wears off.

With all the buzz on the budget or lack thereof, there are still plenty of things to do. Wiring will occupy much of my time for the next few months, as well as end of year reports, etc. Our garden is becoming famous, and there are a couple of green tomatos on the vines. Robert planted some zuccini, and it has already germinated and has produced large dicot leaves. Now if I can just get Robert to upload this page...

The bottom line on the Book Sale this year was $1473.50. My thanks to everyone that made the sale possible, enjoyable, and survivable!! Special thanks to Leith Tate for the doughnuts; Carole Marrs for putting so much time and effort into the Curriculum Materials set up; Lee Svenson for a multitude of little things that made everything better (extra tables, use of a cash box, moral support as well as taking his turn at the desk); Rudy, Bryan and everyone that helped box, cart, truck, and unbox the books in Lipinsky ; Darryl, Robert, and Mark and all that helped us break everything down; all the folks that worked the desk, and finally thanks to Annette Hatley for almost everything else. We couldn't do it without YOU.

AcqLinks (drop-down box below) now sports up to date Acquisitions Stats, Broad Subject Area Comparisons, Materials Expenditure Comparisons, as well as our Procedures Manual, Staff and Student Schedules, etc. I plan to ask Stephen to send his TS Monthly Meeting reports and his stats along in electronic format so you can have a more complete picture of what we do down here in the dungeon.

Tired of looking at bare dirt and blank walls at the back entrance? We were, so the guys planted a garden! Our grounds crew provided us with a hose and water key and tilled the small strip between the ramp at the back dock and the retaining wall and Robert and Tim got plants, straw and implements of destruction and on Monday last we put in our little "salad garden".

We have planted 2 hills of crooknecked squash, 2 hills of cucumbers, 8 or 9 tomato plants (mainly 'better boys"), 3 bell peppers, sunflowers (for our feathered friends), and will soon be sowing lettuce, dwarf greek basil, purple basil, sweet burnet, for salad fixin's along with marigold seed to discourage mr. bunny and his kin. We think the lettuce will grow well in the shady area by the door, but as with all gardens it is an experiment.

Anyone interested in maintaining the garden just let us know. Tim is watering the garden in the early mornings as he arrives at work, so in a few weeks some weeding may be needed, whatever the straw mulch doesn't inhibit.

Collected Works of Langston Hughes
since order placed, we have received vol. 1-3, 5, 7 & 12
the median price is 24.95 per volume.

Encyclopedia of the Quran
price per volume is $195.00 and vol. 1 is the only one that has been published to date.

American National Bibliography: Supplements
This item lists for $150.00 per set, we initiated a standing order pre-pub at $120.00, and there may be some additional savings as this MSO was placed directly with Oxford rather than with our MSO vendor.

Hey, everyone! Carey & I have good news. Madeline Elizabeth Brooks was
delivered by c-section, after many hours of labor, at 7:48 a.m. Friday. She
weighed 7 lbs. 8 oz. Pictures can be found at crpictures.com/madeline.htm.
We will update the webpage as we can. The two pictures up there were taken
minutes after she was delivered. Her head is not cone-shaped any more.

Madeline got off to a really rough start and needed to be on oxygen for most
of her first day. It was very frightening, but she is doing much better now.
She is breastfeeding beautifully and, I hope, will be able to go home in a day
or two. She just now got taken off the IV antibiotics.

Yesterday, all six grandparents and one aunt joined us in passing Madeline
around and we took many photographs. Carey is recovering very quickly. I am
learning to change diapers.

I can't tell you how thrilled I am to be a dad, but it really hasn't sunk in
yet either.

Stephen

The Annual Ramsey Library Book Sale will be held from 8am - 3pm on Wednesday April 24th. Please volunteer your services for moving on April 23rd and selling books on April 24th. A sign up sheet is circulating.

TechTimes has a new look!! Gone are the frames, the glitz and most of the unnecessary folderol. There is a live journal that allows us to update and make corrections without having to correct the entire page; the AcqCam (when permanently connected) will allow you a window into our world; and documents, links to often used vendors, selection tools, schedules, procedures and calendars will be found in the AcqLinks section. We hope you will like the new format.

Madeline Elizabeth Brooks, daughter of Carey Jefferson and our own Stephen, entered this world by caesarean section early this morning at 7:48 EDT. She weighed in at 7 pounds, 7 ounces and measured 20 inches long. She is resting in an oxygen tent as a precaution for now as she developed a little pneumonia. Otherwise, mother, father and Madeline are doing fine!