NExpress Users Group Minutes
NEW – The Revised Vision and Values Statement (draft) for the Koha Community
NExpress Users Group Meeting
March 25, 2009
NEKLS
Introductions
Vision and Values Discussion – Sent via email
Vision – We spent time defining and clarifying terms, such as the use of “comprehensive” to emphasize the fact that NExpress is a shared collection of all libraries and all material types. The term “direct” refers not only to the ability of patrons to place requests without librarian involvement, but also covers the NExpress courier that facilitates the ‘direct and rapid’ access.
Values
Statement 1 – The term ‘administers’ goes beyond training and support to include decision making, problem solving and communicating with LibLime.
Explaining NExpress to patrons is difficult, especially when various wording is used: NEKLS, NExpress, shared catalog, shared collection and regional catalog, for example.
Statement 2 – The NExpress team will find and share details about material replacement using the State’s ILL reimbursement program.
Statement 3 – The key priority for development is “does the catalog serve the patrons?”
Statement 4 – We discussed collaborative collection development practices using the nexpresslibrary.org site and funds provided by NEKLS. Librarians use the Holds Ratio circulation report to guide purchasing decisions.
Statement 5 – OK as written
Statement 6 – Joining NExpress requires an openness to change. The wording was changed to reflect that NExpress shares expertise at every level – participants help each other.
Statement 7 – Terms were clarified.
Additions & Suggestions -
The concepts of professionalism and quality were suggested, so we added “in a professional manner” to Statement 4 about bibliographic maintenance and added “high quality” to statement 1.
The group unanimously approved the revised statements. Jim will share them with the Executive Board.
Enhancements Discussion
The ranking document was sent via email. More information about future enhancements at the Koha Developers Wiki.
Mickey explained that in Koha, enhancements are improvements or changes in the software created by programmers, based on specifications developed by us and LibLime.
Enhancements were ranked based on patron-impact, staff-impact and look and feel. NEKLS has dedicated $50,000 for enhancements.
Receipt printing was identified as a priority issue. A re-write of the Fines module is a candidate for state-wide or Koha-community wide development. The module needs to include accounting features, which it currently does not.
Sharon demonstrated how to place holds in the Staff Client, stressing the difference between placing a hold on the “Next Available Copy” versus on a specific item. By adding the library location, for example “lyndon” to a keyword search using the simple “Search the Catalog” box, the results are *somewhat* limited to the owning library. A search for “grammar” pulls up 180 results. A search for “grammar lyndon” pulls up 11 results.
NExpress Committees:
Policy – Mickey will chair
Collection Development – Sharon will chair
Cataloging – Diana will chair
