Enhancement News & Update

["Seeman, Corey" <cseeman at UTNet dot UToledo dot Edu>]

Hello --

Sorry for the late start on this.  I have dropped minor hints on the 
enhancements process through emails, but we have not had a formal 
announcement in a while.  There have been some changes to report out to 
the users that were set at ALA Midwinter and only firmed up days ago.

The biggest news is that the deadline for enhancements is coming up. 
You need to submit enhancement ideas by March 4th to have them 
considered in this enhancement cycle.  This is only two weeks away!

Here are some changes that we have made for this cycle:

First, we are changing the coordinators a bit.  In order to have the 
staggered coverage from the IUG Steering Committee, Kristen Hewitt 
(Westerville Public Library, OH and Steering Committee member) will be 
serving as one of the Coordinators this year, joining Mieko Yamaguchi 
and Corey Seeman.   With the next Steering Committee election, a newly 
elected member will be a co-coordinator.  This will give us continuity 
in this process.

Second, new category: We have removed the Holds category and replaced it 
with "Patron functions in WebOPAC."  This category is for the large 
number of request that we receive each year for things that the patron 
can do themselves (patron placed/modified holds, My Millennium, and 
anything else that they can do to their record in the system).  Holds 
that they place will go here, while holds managed by the circ system 
will go into circ functionality.  Any enhancements that were put into 
the old Holds category will be moved (you do not need to enter them again).

Third, we changed the cycle name.  It is now called 2005 cycle (to 
reflect the year of the ballot, not 2004 - the year it started).  All of 
the existing enhancements have been updated.

Fourth, as in the past, if something was suggested in the past but did 
not make the ballot, it will not automatically be considered.  You will 
need to resubmit the enhancement suggestion.

Fifth,  we have the new Functional Expert teams (see web site for 
biographies - 
http://www.innovativeusers.org/enhancements/newcycle/FE2005.html).

Acquisitions: Janet Gillen (Patchogue-Medford Library), Sybil Harrison 
(Higher Colleges of Technology (UAE)), Mary Ellen Kenreich (Portland 
State University)

Cataloging: Eleanor Annis (University of Northern British Columbia), 
Laura Gallucci (University of Maine, Orono), Judy Johnston (University 
of North Texas Libraries)

Circulation Functionality: Matthew Ciszek (David A. Clarke School of Law 
(University of the District of Columbia)), Pam Smith (Howe Library 
(Hanover, NH)), Greg Ferguson (UC San Diego Libraries)

Circulation Parameters: Victoria Greene, (Wicomico County Free Library 
(Salisbury, MD)), Kelly Shook (Kent State University), Michael Winecoff 
(University of North Carolina at Charlotte)

Circulation Ancillary: Sondra Brough (Arizona State University - West), 
Jackie Licalzi (West Bloomfield Township (Mich.) Public Library), Corey 
Seeman (University of Toledo)

Patron Functions in the WebOPAC (Patron Empowerment): Carolyn Jones 
(University of Queensland (Australia)), Trish Umali (San Jose Library), 
Sheryl VanderWagen (Lakeland Library Cooperative)

Web OPAC: David Fuller (Union College), Leo Papa (Canton Public 
Library), Dao Rong Gong (Michigan State University)

Serials: Whitney Alexander (Santa Clara University Law Library), Sion 
Romaine (University of Washington), Sheryl Williams (University of 
Nebraska Medical Center)

Systems Administration and Management Information: Bill Rodgers (St. 
Louis County Public Library), John E. Sterbenz (Kresge Business 
Administration Library (University of Michigan)), Elizabeth Thomsen 
(NOBLE), Bill Topritzhofer (SWITCH Library Consortium)

Other Products: Kristen Hewitt (Westerville (Ohio) Public Library), 
Mieko Yamaguchi (University of Wales, Bangor (UK))

Ballot Preparation: Kathy Dutchak (British Columbia Institute of 
Technology), Kriss Ostrom (Michigan State University)

This is the schedule for this year:
-- March 4, 2005: Requests submitted by this date will be considered for 
the 2005 ballot
-- April 11, 2005: Preliminary ballot posted on IUG web site
-- May 2-5, 2005: IUG 2005 in San Francicso - Enhancement/Product Forums
-- May 18, 2005: Ballot opens
-- July 8, 2005: Ballot closes
-- July 15, 2005: Results given to Innovative Interfaces, Inc.

If you have any questions about the process, please do not hesitate to 
contact either Mieko, Kristen or myself.

Best --

IUG Enhancements Co-Coordinators

Kristen Hewitt
Westerville Public Library
khewitt at westervillelibrary dot org

Mieko Yamaguchi
University of Wales Bangor
m dot yamaguchi at bangor dot ac dot uk

Corey Seeman
University of Toledo
corey dot seeman at utoledo dot edu