RE: Library Elf

["Anne-Elizabeth Powell" <Anne-ElizabethPowell at ptloma dot edu>]

-----Original Message-----
From: innopac-bounces at innopacusers dot org
[mailto:innopac-bounces at innopacusers dot org] On Behalf Of Elizabeth Thomsen
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2005 2:04 PM
To: IUG INNOPAC List
Subject: Re: Library Elf

It's a wonderful service, and I am finding it very useful as a way to
manage my own borrowing, especially since it brings together my items
borrowed within our NOBLE system, and the non-NOBLE, non-III public
library where I do most of my borrowing.

The real disgrace here is that this greatly superior view of the library
record and method of delivering notices was developed outside our
library automation community and offered free to our library users, not
by us, but by this outside service. It's Library Elf, not our own
systems, that allow our patrons to customize how and when they get their
library notices-- whether, for example, they get a single notice when an
item is overdue, or notification every day until the item is returned.

Instead of worrying about who these people at Jandi are and what they're
doing with our data, I'd love to see our library vendors buy this
software or borrow the concepts so we can offer the same services to our
users, including the ability to aggregate accounts from different
systems.  Then we wouldn't have to be worrying about patron
confidentiality, because the information would stay in the library
community.

Meanwhile, I don't feel comfortable doing anything that appears to be
endorsing this service, but I also don't feel we should be blocking or
discouraging it.  I think that libraries should let all users know that
we're not responsible for the confidentiality of their information if
they provide their library identification and PIN to other people or to
outside services...although I think that should be obvious to people
anyway.


May Anstee wrote:
> I have been using Library Elf myself for 6 weeks and have been really 
> surprised at how useful this service is.
> 
> I noticed that although a lot of Innovative libraries show up on the 
> list of participating libraries, I cannot seem to find any library 
> which actually mentions Elf in their catalog, or on their website.
> 
> So my question is, how exactly are you telling your patrons about this

> service?  Or are you?  I need to know quickly because I think a 
> reporter is going to be talking to me about this service.
> 
> I second the request for examples of a disclaimer.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> May Anstee                                      Helen M. Plum Memorial

> Library
> Head, Technical Processing                      110 W. Maple St.
> Automation Coordinator                  Lombard, IL 60148
> 
>                 email   m-anstee at plum dot lib dot il dot us
>                 Phone   (630) 627-0316
>                 Fax     (630) 627-0336
>                 <http://plum.lib.il.us>
> --
> This message was distributed through the Innovative Users Group 
> INNOPAC list Public replies:  INNOPAC at innopacusers dot org Update your 
> subscription options:
> http://innopacusers.org/mailman/listinfo/innopac


--
Elizabeth Thomsen, Member Services Manager
NOBLE: North of Boston Library Exchange
Danvers MA 01923
et at noblenet dot org
--
This message was distributed through the Innovative Users Group INNOPAC
list Public replies:  INNOPAC at innopacusers dot org Update your subscription
options: http://innopacusers.org/mailman/listinfo/innopac