Classic staffing question
Barbara Baruth
separate institution group) on our machine, an IBM ES/9000. We share the
machine with our student information system. A third library is
interested in joining us, and if it does so, we will change over to
become a Classic NOTIS site.
Currently, we are in the middle of a change from LS/2000 to NOTIS. We
brought up circulation on Monday, are bringing up the OPAC at the end of
this month, and acquisitions shortly thereafter. Serials will come up
next January. We have PacLink (will come up when we get the RS/6000 to
work), are probably going to be an MDAS site, and will also be getting
PacLOAN soon.
I know that last year there ws some discussion on staffing levels at
various NOTIS sites, with survey results sent out to the list. But I am
interested in your thoughts on what an appropriate staffing level would be
for our situation.
Right now, we have a Lib 1 (me) who is also the Asst. Director for
Technical Services and does some collection development work. I work with
a variety of people in the Computer Center (operator, programmers, network
people, etc.) Our Serials
Librarian is helping me with NOTIS implementation and will be responsible
for alot of the maintenance having to do with circ and, of course, with
serials. We don't have a Tech 1, and since we are not a Classic site
yet, we don't have a programmer.
It has been suggested that if we hired a programmer (who would, perhaps,
also work on other, non-NOTIS projects) we would be able to take on a
third library and move to Classic NOTIS.
Could several of you please respond to the following questions regarding a
Class NOTIS move for us?
1. Would we need a full time Lib 1?
2. Would we need a full time Tech 1?
3. Would we need a full-time programmer? To do a fairly decent job,
would we need more than one full-time programmer?
Any opinions you have on our situation would be very welcome.
You can respond to me directly: bar...@cs.uwp.edu
Thank you.
Barb Baruth
Library/Learning Center
University of Wisconsin--Parkside
(414) 964-7048
Bill Turner - Cornell University Library
in order to successfully run the LMS. This person could also be the Tech1.
I would guess that the combination of a part-time Lib1 and a full-time
Tech1 is very common.
By "real programmer" I don't mean someone who thinks in machine language,
but someone whose training is in computer applications. I would have to guess
that a librarian who is trying to learn programming as a new discipline would
have serious trouble with the LMS. (As much trouble as a programmer would have
if told to just start cataloging, and to pick up MARC as she went along.)
Your programmer should be able to write JCL, read assembler code, and read
a dump. Knowledge of CICS and SAS is a big plus.
Whether you need more than one programmer depends greatly on whether you intend
to do any customization (hint: the less, the better) and on what kind of
support your data center provides. If you need to deal with CICS, VTAM, and
the like yourself, you need more programmers. If you have systems programmers
who will deal with this stuff, fine.
Your service hours affects your staffing requirements. If you want to run your
batch jobs between 9pm and 6am every day, if you want your OPAC up and
supported from 8am to midnight every day, you are going to need more than one
programmer.
Finally, there is an issue with backup. If you have only one programmer, what
do you do while she is at NUGM testing beer?
Leigh Williams
Congratulations on expanding your operation. I agree with Dave Block
and Bill Turner -- running NOTIS Classic is not for the faint of
heart, and you should expect to devote considerable programmer time
to it.
> Currently, we are in the middle of a change from LS/2000 to NOTIS. We
> brought up circulation on Monday, are bringing up the OPAC at the end of
> this month, and acquisitions shortly thereafter. Serials will come up
> next January. We have PacLink (will come up when we get the RS/6000 to
> work), are probably going to be an MDAS site, and will also be getting
> PacLOAN soon.
>
This is a very full plate for any programmer, but your chances of
making it work without one are nil. We have Classic, but not PACLink
and MDAS, and it kept me busy full time for quite a while. After I
got the hang of it, there was time for planning microlabs, CD-ROM
towers, and such, but NOTIS still consumes much of my time. PACLink
and MDAS are also weighty problems.
Lots of folks have heard me sing this song, but I strongly urge you
to get a systems person with a strong technical background
(programming, PC, and network experience) in your library full time.
In today's electronic libraries, it is difficult to move forward
without one. This person could serve as your NOTIS Tech 1 and do
your programming for NOTIS. S/he might technically be employed by
the computer center, but it works best if she rooms with you.
> It has been suggested that if we hired a programmer (who would,
> perhaps, also work on other, non-NOTIS projects) we would be able
> to take on a third library and move to Classic NOTIS.
In no case should you allow your computer center to hire someone for
NOTIS with a view toward using him/her on other projects as well.
Ain't no way there will be time, what with three libraries,
PAClink, and MDAS. And guess who will get left hanging when it
comes to a choice between, say, payroll and implementing a new NOTIS
release? It is to laugh!
> Could several of you please respond to the following questions regarding a
> Class NOTIS move for us?
>
> 1. Would we need a full time Lib 1?
NO -- 1/2 time should do it
> 2. Would we need a full time Tech 1?
YES -- without a doubt
> 3. Would we need a full-time programmer?
YES -- but can be the same as your Tech 1
> 4. To do a fairly decent job, would we need more than one full-
> time programmer?
MAYBE -- if you expect to do a lot of SAS code or other library
projects (such as a network, for example). We ran fine with one
programmer, two libraries, and NO support people (we ran our own
mainframe and I did systems work, PC maintenance, hardware,
wiring, etc.) I didn't get help until we expanded our
operation into networking.
>
> Barb Baruth
> Library/Learning Center
> University of Wisconsin--Parkside
> (414) 964-7048
>
Good luck,
Leigh
-------------------------------------
Leigh Williams
Head of Library Systems
Steen Library
Stephen F. Austin State University
409-568-1421 409-568-4117 (FAX)
lwil...@sfalib.sfasu.edu
Tari Keller
At the University of Kentucky we have a consortium of 4 institution groups,
KY is in production with OPAC, MDAS, InfoShare, Cataloging, GTO, Circulation,
Acquisitions and technically QuikReports. CC is in production with OPAC,
Cataloging, GTO and Circulation. They use MDAS and InfoShare and can use
QuikReports. LK is in production with OPAC, Cataloging with FTPing new
records to LMS, and Circulation. GC beginning implementation.
I am the Lib 1. I also am responsible for all microcomputer peripherrals used
by staff and in the public service areas of the library system on the
Lexington Campus, among other things. I used to run the LS2000 for the
Lexington Campus. Now we have a consortia. The library staff didn't increase
for this transition. I don't have to worry if the mainframe goes down, like I
did when the Data General crashed. I still have to decide if the problem is
in NOTIS, the mainframe, or some part of the communications system and contact
the people to attack the problem.
This is how we divy up the tasks.
We have a group of Lib 2's responsible for keying in profiles, doing password
authorizations, and training for their institution groups. The Community
College Libraries (CC) had a centralized systems office responsible for their
LS/2000. They have 2 librarians and 1 technician to handle the above work
plus troubleshoot their communications network throughout the state. Lexmark
Corporate Library (LK) has 1 librarian who is responsible for her library's
work plus running her own library of 2 and the technical services work of the
library. Georgetown College has a librarian who runs technical services and
will perform the tasks above as they implement NOTIS. Georgetown has a
computing center who will be responsible for the communications and peripheral
tasks.
The Lexington Campus/Medical Center Libraries (UK) have 3 Lib 2's. One handles
technical services profiling, password authorizations and training. She is
also Head of Bibliographic Maintenance. (She is mine for 25% of her time or
10 hours a week.) One is responsible for OPAC/MDAS/InfoShare profiling; public
services, branch and associate libraries password authorizations; and training.
She is also a reference librarian. (She is mine for 25% of her time like the
technical services librarian.) One is responsible for the Medical Libraries
special profiling, password authorizations and training. She is also Assistant
Director for Technical Services of the UK Medical Library. {The Lib 2's all
have appropriate lsys privileges. The UK OPAC/MDAS/InfoShare Lib 2 also has
msys privileges.
We meet once a month to coordinate activities, set priorities and discuss
mutual problems.
We also have policy and procedure groups for each of the subsystems or parts
of NOTIS: Bibliographic Policies and Procedures, Circulation Policies and
Procedures, MDAS/OPAC, Acquisitions and Serials. These are mainly for the
Lexington Campus/Medical Center Libraries to coordinate implementation of the
NOTIS software. I attend all these meetings and usually one or two Lib 2's
are regular members of each group. We have ex-officio members from the
Community College Libraries and Lexmark at present. These groups issue
policy bulletins, share and distribute procedures instructions, plan and
schedule training sessions. They also make profiling recommendations.
Dave and I keep nsys and lmst for ourselves. I handle the ACF2 rules with
Dave's input. (ACF2 is our security system on the mainframe.)
We have a very informal consortium structure. Everything we do is a team
effort. If you don't have great cooperation between your computing center,
communications and library staff, this set-up won't work. Having NOTIS-L and
the NOTIS library community to help solve problems is also a critical factor
to its functioning.
We would need 2 programmers to replace Dave. I don't know how many FTE we
have doing what we do for NOTIS on the Library side. From what I see of the
staffing at other NOTIS libraries in the state of Kentucky, we are all
understaffed. I don't see that changing in the near future. But I can dream!
Good luck.
Hope this didn't come off as too much of a sermon, it is Friday afternoon!
Tari Keller -- Systems Librarian (LIB1) UU UUUUKKKKK KKKK
University of Kentucky Libraries UU UUUU KKKK KKK
127 King Library North, Lexington, KY 40506 UU UUU KKKKKK
(606) 257-2643 FAX (606) 257-8379 UU UU 0 KK KKK
KELLER@UKCC INTERNET: KEL...@UKCC.UKY.EDU UUUUUU KK KKKK
Dave Block
University of Kentucky, I am the NOTIS Tech 1 and "the programmer".
Our site does many of the things Barbara's site is planning: 3 institution
groups, MDAS, Paclink, Infoshare. Except during the summer, our main
library is open 24-hours on weekdays, slightly shorter hours on the
weekends. I have many years of applications programming experience,
but supporting NOTIS keeps me busy full time. Occasionally I need help
from our systems programmers for VTAM, CICS, and network problems.
Our Lib 1 has no time to do any programming.
My advice is: hire a programmer and don't plan on that person doing
any non-NOTIS work.
Dave Block, Tech1
University of Kentucky
(606) 257-4263
DEB...@ukcc.uky.edu