Outcome of the OPAC Magic program

[Peter Murray <PMurray@xxxxxxxxxx>]

There were several questions at the second OPAC Magic program about the 
use of the MODIFY_PFLDS and PATRON_NOTICES directives (as well as a few 
other topics), and I wanted to clarify how these options should work. 
Unfortunately, I do not have the e-mail notices option at my site, so 
part of the response is based on reading the manual and consulting with 
Innovative staff.  This is how it is supposed to work; if you system 
doesn't work like this you should contact the Innovative Helpdesk.

Normally, the circulation notice program uses the existence of the 'z' 
field in the patron record (or other designated e-mail address field) 
to determine whether a notice should be sent via e-mail.  With 
MyMillennium development, the library can now offer the patron the 
choice of how they wish to receive circulation notices.  This is done 
with the PATRON_NOTICES directive.  Using this option, the patron can 
specify any one of a number of ways the notice can be delivered.  With 
this MyMillennium function turned on, the circulation notice program 
will read the patron's choice in the MyMillennium preferences file to 
determine what mechanism, e-mail or otherwise, will be used to deliver 
the notice.

The "MODIFY_PFLDS=z" option does modify the e-mail address in the 
patron record.  The PATRON_NOTICES selection is stored in the 
MyMillennium preferences file, not in the patron record, and so it 
currently cannot be viewed by the circulation program.  Future 
development in MilCirc will allow the library staff to view a patron's 
settings in the MyMillennium preferences file.

The example slides I had from the CONSULS site contained an error in 
that they should have listed both the e-mail address and postal address 
as options for delivering notices.  The patron can choose to use the 
e-mail address, and then later choose to use the postal address.  I 
shall correct the slides in the web version of the presentation.

In addition to Email and Print notices, libraries who have purchased 
the Telephone Notification System can set this method as a third option 
for notices preference.

As a side note, it is not a prerequisite of the Millennium Alert 
(a.k.a. Preferred Search Notification) email feature that the library 
have purchased the "Circulation Notices by Email" product; Alert uses 
the WebOPAC emailing mechanism. In other words, if patrons can export 
lists as email from the library's catalog, then Alert will also work.

As we ran very close to the time for the session, some people needed to 
leave before the presentation was over, and therefore may have missed 
the URL for my part of the presentation.  It is:

  <http://www.pandc.org/peter/presentations/opac-magic/>

A couple of the slides have been corrected; you'll see the "Changed" 
note as you cycle through them.

Thanks to everyone who came and participated in the session!


Peter
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Peter Murray, Computer Services Librarian              W: 860-570-5233
University of Connecticut Law School             Hartford, Connecticut

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