Trackit Implementation and Status Reports

• Background
• Problem/Feedback Reporting Form
• Implementation
• Problems and Enhancements Status
• Web Reserves Lists Status
• Documentation and Other Issues
• Resolved Problems/Requests

Trackit is a program that facilitates operations of Course Reserves units in the Columbia University Libraries. It is currently written for Microsoft SQL Server version 6.5, and is maintained by Jim Williams of the Library Systems Office. Extracts from the Trackit database are published to the Web using a program called GDI, resulting in a product known as Web Reserves Lists. What follows is a running log of implementation and maintenance issues for both Trackit and Web Reserves Lists, as prioritized and detailed by the Steering Committee. Current members of the Trackit Steering Committee are:

Stephen Davis, LSO: Chair
Jim Williams, LSO
Jeff Rosedale, LSO
Ree Dedonato, Undergraduate Library (Butler Reserves)
Mary Giunta, Lehman Library
Mary Beth Kendrick, Business Library
Alena Ptak-Danchak, Science Libraries (Reserves in the seven Science Libraries)
Mary Ellen Tucker, Wollman Library (Barnard Reserves)
Tania Keis, Wollman Library (Barnard Reserves)

An email alias has been established for this group at trackit@columbia.edu; communications are automatically archived to a Trackit and Web Reserves CUBBoard. The CuBBoard can be viewed by pointing your browser to

https://www1.columbia.edu/sec/bboard/cul/trackit/

and logging with your cunix ID and password at the prompt.

Use this online form to submit questions, report problems, or request enhancements for the Trackit application.

Implementation

1. Integrating University Course Key functionality: Priority 1A

   Trackit was changed to incorporate a Course Key data element so that Web Reserves Lists generated by LSO can be ultimately be referenced from CCNMTL course templates.

   Update, 12/1999: CCNMTL and LSO will work together to integrate links to Libraries' Web Reserves Lists from Columbia Web course templates. Progress reports will be made in future steering committee meetings.

2. Deprocessing Functionality: Priority 1B

   Departments need to be able to use Trackit to perform the following maintenance procedures formerly handled by a combination of Trackit end-of-semester processing and extract lists produced by Gary Bertchume:

   • permanently delete items from the inactive database according to departmental policy

     Update, 7/8/1999: From the Supervisor Options menu, it is possible to permanently delete a course from the inactive database but not an entire semester. Jim will add this in the future. In the meantime, submit requests for permanent deletion of inactive semesters (if desired) using the problem reporting form on this page.

   • Resolve outstanding issues with deprocessing programs

     Update, 5/18/1999: In the process of converting Gary's deprocessing programs, Jim found that the system compares the two digit semesters to determine what should stay or go. Therefore some reworking of the programs was necessary.

   • Allow deprocessing of items from a single semester

     Update, 2/9/2000: Jim has written an added option into Trackit, to allow users to deprocess materials from a single semester. Butler Reserves will test the option in Spring, 2000.

3. Allow users to type fund code on order form: Priority 2

   Estimated 5 hours of programming time needed.

4. Web Reserves indexing of titles that begin with numbers: Priority 2

   Adjust GDI indexing to group titles beginning with numbers into a single "0-9" file for easy retrieval from Web Reserves pages.

5. Program Trackit statistics functions: Priority 2

6. Allow call number searching: Priority 3

   Jim estimates 15 hours needed.

7. A blank page sometimes prints at the beginning of course list printouts.: Priority 3

   Was a Crystal Reports problem. Should now be fixed; report specific instances to trackit@columbia.edu so Jim can eradicate any remaining occurances.

8. Change order form to fall in line with Acquisitions preferences: Priority 3

   Includes adding free text memo field to include special instructions like "OP search". Will need Joyce McDonough's involvement. Time needed uncertain until specifications are provided. Target date: 1/1/2001.

9. Database Maintenance, phase 2: Priority 3

   Most functionality should be completed with the implementation of the "Merge" option as of 4/16/1999. More discussion may be required at a later date. Departments should provide feedback at Trackit Steering Committee meetings.

Web Reserves Lists

• Departments to add links to their own Web Reserves Lists pages from Departmental home pages off of the indiv directory.

• LSO will post clickable text from departments to link to a form to solicit users' comments and questions regarding Web Reserves Lists.

• Documentation: Departments are sharing locally created Trackit documentation, incorporating screen prints where appropriate. More discussion among the group is needed to firm up steps to pull together a comprehensive manual.

• Forms: Jeff has completed a first draft on a web version of Reserves List Submission forms at

  http://www.columbia.edu/cu/libraries/inside/lso/projects/trackit/request.html

  Feedback is welcome. A more formal discussion of what an Interactive Reserves List Submission Service might look like will be undertaken in the Fall, 2000 semester.

• Statistics: Some have expressed intetrest in getting statistics on hits to the /cu/libraries/reserves/index.html

• Web Reserves Lists brought up "live", menu overwrite problem fixed, 8/23/1999
• Ultraseek search box added to Web Reserves pages: 7/30/1999
• Deprocessing functionality added, including printing pick lists to remove items for deprocessing according to Gary Bertcume's previous program specs: complete, 7/15/1999
• Stephen made updates to Web Reserves pages as follows, on 6/30/1999:
  1. Made all library names in headers clickable, taking the user back to individual libraries' reserves page.
  2. Changed all footers to include
     • Ultraseek search box
     • Link to LWeb reserves main menu
     • CLIO Plus link dropped
  3. Barnard graphic removed; special Barnard footer created with Barnard College Library home page link
  4. Slight layout change to browse links for titles beginning with numbers.
• In order to eliminate false duplication due to data entry errors, Jim has created a "merge" function for professors, publishers and titles. Through a series of actions, this allows users to choose an authoritative form of a name and eliminate misspellings and undesired variants. The function is located in the Supervisor Options menu.
• Allow a user to select the desired semester for this list.

• The result set from a search for professor/course or author used to come up in alphabetical order. Departments asked for reverse chronological order: 6/15/1999
• Add a function with supervisor login to enable changes to course/professor information after it has been entered: 6/1/1999
• Web Reserves Lists can browse titles beginning with numbers: 5/17/1999
• Trackit can handle course numbers beginning in zero: 5/17/1999
• Specialized Excite index created for Web Reserves: completed, 4/7/1999
• Jim has corrected misspellings in the Trackit program that have been brought to his attention; continue to report problems on encounter: 4/1999
• Allow printing of publisher list: 4/1999
• Printing from trackit while telnet is open: 3/1999
• Allow modification of publisher field on order record: 3/1999
• Obviate the need for duplicate entry of title information when adding a new title: 3/1999