RE: More on Library ELF

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

I just received my first email from Library ELF -- It is very nice.  Ironically, my library just started email notices recently.  Where this would come in handy is if I wanted to merge my local account and my university account.  This service seems pretty similar to the frequent flyer programs that track all your account balances.  I am not sure if screen scrape is the right term, but they are just pulling information from these resources via the web.  
 
What will be interesting is if they need time to catch up when changes are made with the ILS vendor or with the codes used at the site.  I would not think that Innovative, Sirsi/Dynix, Endeavor, etc. should care what this service is doing insofar as making changes to the system that their users are asking for.  What is most important is to provide a great deal of customization to our patrons to ensure that they get the information they need when they want it (ugh..that sounds like a horrible ad).  
 
I would not want to see this used as an alternative for the continuing development of our own notices and ways that we can and should interact with patrons.  
 
Best -- Corey
 
Corey Seeman
Asst. Dean for Resource and Systems Management
University of Toledo
 
corey dot seeman at utoledo dot edu
http://library.utoledo.edu/userhomes/cseeman/
(419) 530-2333
 

________________________________

From: innopac-bounces at innopacusers dot org on behalf of Elizabeth Thomsen
Sent: Thu 8/25/2005 9:14 AM
To: INNOPAC at innopacusers dot org
Subject: More on Library ELF



Corey wrote:
 > On the positive side, if a library never acquired email notices, this
 > might be a really great way to provide this service to their patrons.
 > For some libraries, this could be a great way to improve services.

We have e-mail notices, and so does my non-III home library, and in both
cases, those e-mail messages look like they were designed for paper
mailers but happened to get printed to e-mail.  Narrow, constricted
presentation, titles cut off, etc.  The e-mail from Library Elf, while
unsuitable for a text-based mail reader, are a whole different thing.
And even if you like the e-mail notices you get from the system, you
have no control over the notice schedule.  Here, you have complete control.

 > I think that this may provide the circulation group with ideas on how
 > to change and improve the way that we share information with patrons.

Yes-- because I really do want to keep people within our system, rather
than having them use these other services.  Clearly we need to allow
users much more customization in how and they want to receive their notices.

--
Elizabeth Thomsen, Member Services Manager
NOBLE: North of Boston Library Exchange
Danvers MA 01923
et at noblenet dot org
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