This information has been circulated internally within my organisation, but I’m posting it again here on the web in the hope that anyone searching for information about the switchover will find it helpful.
The new library management system (Aleph, replacing GEAC Advance) is scheduled to go live on Monday 18th July 2011. OLIS is the local name for this software, and the term ‘OLIS’ will still be used from July onwards to refer to the system.
Associated with this changeover are two periods of reduced activity on the system, and this will affect all libraries in Oxford using OLIS, not just St Hugh’s College Library.
The first period affects orders and new items. These cannot be added to OLIS during June and July, in order to allow the data to be migrated from the old system to the new.
We cannot order any new items during this time, and suggestions for new books made in June or July will be considered in August.
The second period of downtime will begin at 17:00 on Friday 8th July and end at 09:00 on Monday 18th July. It will involve a complete shutdown of the system. Library users are asked to avoid borrowing and returning books during this time if at all possible. Any loans and returns will be recorded manually by library staff and the new system will be updated after the go-live date of 18th July.
Summary of the impact on library services during the downtime period (this affects all Oxford libraries which use OLIS):
- OxLIP+ and OU eJournals will be available throughout the downtime period and so readers are encouraged to look for alternative electronic versions of texts where possible.
- SOLO will be available throughout the scheduled downtime period for readers and staff to consult the library location details of an item but will not show availability status (due dates etc.) SOLO will be unavailable for a short period at the end of the downtime period (details have yet to be confirmed).
- OLIS Patron functions will not be available during the downtime.
- Automatic Stack Requests (ASR) cannot be made during the downtime period and requests made after 17:00 on Thursday 7th July will not be fulfilled. Please request any material required for consultation in good time.
- Self-issue is not available during the downtime.
- Reservations will not be migrated to the new system. You may wish to keep your own record of any active reservations before Friday 8th July.
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