UPDATES / GOVERNANCE / TRAINING / NOTICES / STATISTICS

calendar

August 25 Merlin Consortium Meeting, 10:00, NWLS

contact

Call NWLS or email helpdesk@nwls.lib.wi.us with questions, issues, and problems you are having with any Millennium clients.

A web discussion board is available if you have Merlin questions or issues to discuss with the consortium.

news

• 06.22.10 A Merlin Notices FAQ is available explaining the switch to automatic notices.

• 06.17.10 Automatic Notices has been implemented. Telephone and email notices will be sent automatically to patrons daily and print notices (including paging lists and bills) will be available on the web and can be printed to any printer. Staff will no longer need to log into circulation to manually send notices. To access print notices:

• Click on notices - a link at the top of this page.
• Click on your library link.
• Type in your password and select from the list of notice links.
• Click on "Failed" to view failed telephone notices

• 06.11.10 New records in Merlin will require the following information before they can be saved:

• A barcode is required in both item and patron records
• A name is required for Patron records.
• The patron Main Phone field must be formatted as xxx-xxx-xxxx.
• The patron email addres must include both an @ and a . symbol

• 06.09.10 Merlin annual software upgrade. All Merlin applications need to be shut down Tuesday evening in preparation for the upgrade.

New features are available in Millennium:

• The option to view recent search history (File)
• The option to view the holdshelf before clearing it
• A new "Delete Records" icon for scanning barcodes
• Paging slips will print after the "Not Needed Before" date for holds
• Patron messages will display in a single popup

Enhanced Merlin online catalog features are included in the upgrade:

• Material type icon displays in the bib record
• Sortable tables in patron record
• My Lists are improved so titles can be added from browse and bib, titles can be renamed and moved to a different list, and items can be requested from lists.
• Statistics will add Web renewals to the terminal from which the item was originally checked out

• 06.03.10 Telephone notification (Teleforms or TNS) is implemented. Teleforms are listed as TNS in the dropdown menu below the E-mail notices. To send teleforms, follow the same procedures used for E-mail notices.

Procedures for notices: click on the NOTICES icon and then the NEW icon. Use the PREPARE icon to process notices. Reply NO to saving the settings.

Unsuccessful Telephone notices are generated when repeated attempts to reach a recipient have failed. At this time the unseccessful TNS notices will be emailed to the libraries from NWLS.

• 05.26.10 Item Type 17 will be assigned to VHS beginning in June.

• 05.26.10 The hold limit was changed by the Merlin Consortium to a maximum of 20 holds.

• 05.24.10 A few status codes have changed and the record templates have been updated to accomodate the changes.

• 05.17.10 Items in transit to fill a hold request will display in transit (HOLD)

• 05.03.10 The checkout location will now be included on overdues and bills next to the barcode.

• 01.01.10 Codes for films will be condensed beginning 2010. The changes will be made to the templates effective January 1, 2010. New imedia, material type and OPAC message codes will be included in the updated item and bib code listings.

• The transit and hold pick-up slips have been printing small text that is difficult to read and work with. Larger text would improve work-flow, and Millennium does offer the option to use a format with larger type. Please contact Marsha if you are interested in trying this format.

Older receipt printers have been problematic and may need special drivers installed by Mike Sauvola to prevent them from ejecting excessive space.

• Patron Notices use the following fields from patron records:

• main phone (10 digits without extension or words)
• mail address (add NEEDS UPDATING to any incorrect addresses)
• email address

finance

• Merlin Fund
• Merlin 2010 Annual Cost

Software

Software Upgrades:

• 2009-10B Annual Upgrade To be announced
• 2009-10A Annual Upgrade June 16, 2009
• Recent Circulation History September, 18, 2009
• A High-Demands Hold Report July 23, 2009
• Title Priority Paging June 16, 2008

Workstation recommendations:

• Intel Pentium 4 or similar processor running at 3 Ghz or faster
• 1 GB
• Add additional RAM for for optimal performance to workstations running applications in addition to Millennium
• 500 MB Free disk space
• Sound card for audible system alerts
• 1024 X 768 or better resolution for Millennium Acquisitions
• JAVA Runtime Environment (JRE) version 1.6.0_02

Merlin Software Products

Statistics

Public library statistics required for annual reporting are broken down monthly for each public library automated with the Merlin software.

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