June 10th 2009
Oscoda Goes Live on Michigan Evergreen
Our tenth library, Oscoda County Library, went live on Michigan Evergreen on Wednesday, June 3.
Welcome Oscoda County Library staff!
Archive for the 'General information' Category
May 14th 2009
Laingsburg Public Library Goes Live on Michigan Evergreen
The Laingsburg Public Library successfully went live on Michigan Evergreen today. In this photo, Sandy watches while Susie checks in the first book on the system. Welcome Laingsburg!
May 13th 2009
Oscoda County Library Staff Trained on Michigan Evergreen
MLC staff trained Oscoda County Library staff this week on May 12-13. Oscoda’s “go live” date is scheduled for June 3.
Laingsburg Public Library will go live on Michigan Evergreen this week on May 14.
May 8th 2009
Michigan Evergreen flyer
Thanks to the design staff at Grand Rapids Public Library, we now have a handy Michigan Evergreen flyer to distribute to potential participating libraries. Thanks Amanda and Kristen!
May 4th 2009
Laingsburg Public Library to Go Live May 14, 2009!
The Laingsburg Public Library will go live on Evergreen on Thursday, May 14, 2009!
The laingsburg Public Library is sliding in as our ninth library to join the Michigan Library Project. Originally planning on going live later this year, due to scheduling constraints, the staff at LPL graciously agreed to this much earlier “go live” date.
Welcome, Laingsburg!
May 4th 2009
Ovid-Elsie Area Schools Live on Evergreen!
Congratulation to Ovid-Elsie Area Schools for being one of the first school libraries to go live on the Evergreen Open Source Integrated Library System!
Ovid-Elsie Area Schools is the first system to go live on Evergreen through the Michigan Evergreen Project and Equinox Software, Inc. Our smoothest yet, Ovid-Elsie’s migration came off with only the most minute of hitches.
Welcome, Ovid-Elsie Area Schools!
February 20th 2009
Michigan Evergreen User Manual available online
I’m pleased to announce that the first draft of the Michigan Evergreen User Manual is now available online for your review. [Thank you - Elaine - for your hard work in putting this together!] We’ve posted the draft document in Word format on the Wiki.
In it, you will find sections on OPAC searching, loading the Staff Client, Circulation, Cataloging, and Systems Administration. This manual is intended to be used as a handy, day-to-day reference for the Michigan Evergreen integrated library system, either as an online tool or in print format for desk use at circ, reference or cataloging. The print version is indexed for easy reference. [My thanks to Heather Thomas for her expertise in creating an index for the print version!]
We are asking Evergreen libraries to browse through the draft User Manual and to let us know if you see errors or missing information. Please email Elaine Ross (rosse@mlcnet.org) your comments and suggestions for additions and/or improvements by March 15, 2009. Based on your input, we will revise the User Manual and will post the final version on the Michigan Evergreen wiki by late March or early April.
We put this User Manual together for a number of reasons.
First, as we worked through the pilot phase of the Michigan Evergreen project, we discovered that not all Evergreen information was available in a single location. We wanted to compile the basic information that our libraries need in one document for easy retrieval.
Secondly, when visiting our participating libraries – especially the smaller branches – we discovered that the circ desk workers were finding it easier to search for user information in their paper training materials (marked with post-its) than to try to search documentation online while patrons were lined up and waiting. We wanted to give them an option that would allow them to have a printed User Manual in a binder at the circ desk, as well as online access.
Third, as we worked with the Evergreen system during the pilot phase, new enhancements and processes were developed that were not included in our original training materials, and we wanted to find a way to get that information to our participating libraries.
The folks at Equinox (ESI) are also in the process of developing a more comprehensive documentation tool for Evergreen using XML which will eventually replace our User Manual. Think of our Word format User Manual as a stopgap effort until more usable online documentation is readily available. We are also encouraging other Evergreen shared systems to use material from our User Manual freely in their local documentation and to share their suggestions for improvements as well.
We’re looking forward to hearing your feedback! Thanks!
September 15th 2008
Oscoda County Library to join Michigan Evergreen
We’re pleased to announce that the Oscoda County Library Board voted unanimously to join Michigan Evergreen in 2009. A big welcome to Oscoda County Library Director, Amy Knepp, and her staff and Library Board!
After the completion of our pilot project this Fall, Michigan Evergreen will be open to other libraries to join. If you are interested in joining Michigan Evergreen, or in hosting an Evergreen demo at your library, please contact Ruth Dukelow (dukelow@mlcnet.org or 800-530-9019 x121) at MLC.
August 11th 2008
Branch District Library First to Go Live on Michigan Evergreen
The Michigan Library Consortium (MLC) is thrilled to announce that Branch District Library is our first Michigan Evergreen library to migrate to the open-source Evergreen software. Their new catalog is part of Michigan Evergreen, Michigan’s open-source ILS project. Migrations for the remaining Michigan Evergreen pilot libraries are scheduled for this fall: Grand Rapids Public Library on September 29, Niles District Library on October 6, and Traverse Area District Library on November 10.
“Congratulations to the staff at Branch District Library for taking the plunge and becoming the first public library in Michigan to migrate to Evergreen,” said Randy Dykhuis, MLC Executive Director. “We at MLC are very pleased to be involved in the project.” MLC staff Evette Atkin, Ruth Dukelow, and Elaine Ross worked with the Grand Rapids Public Library and with Equinox Software, Inc., to convert and migrate Branch District Library’s records to the new Michigan Evergreen shared catalog.
“W00T! Nothing exploded!” said Evette Atkin, Systems Librarian for the Michigan Evergreen project. “With the amazing staff at Branch District Library, Equinox, and Grand Rapids Public Library, the migration was a success, and every minor speed bump will aid us making each migration smoother. Thank you so much to Branch District Library for being our first library to go live!”
John Rucker, the point person for the Michigan Evergreen migration at Branch District Library, said, “The level of service and responsiveness we have received from both Equinox and the staff at Michigan Library Consortium has far exceeded our expectations based on past experience with other vendors. There were a number little glitches to work out in the first couple of days and these were promptly resolved, sometimes in just minutes. We already knew that we and our patrons would be getting a superior library system, but it’s a pleasant surprise, indeed, to have this high level of customer service.”
In addition to migrations, MLC staff are responsible for providing training and support to the Michigan Evergreen libraries. “Training in Evergreen is proving to be a challenging experience, but I am pleased with its overall stability,” said Elaine Ross. “Trainees seem to learn very quickly and easily.”
After the pilot libraries have migrated this fall, the Michigan Evergreen project will be opened to other libraries who wish to join the shared catalog. To schedule a demo of Michigan Evergreen at your library, please contact 800-530-9019 Evette Atkin (ext. 152), Elaine Ross (ext. 153), or Ruth Dukelow (ext. 121). For ongoing information on the Michigan Evergreen project, see the Michigan Evergreen blog and the Michigan Libraries Wiki page.
August 1st 2008
Michigan Evergreen in the news
The Grand Rapids Press posted an article today about the Grand Rapids Public Library’s switch to Evergreen, “Grand Rapids Library says new online catalog will be easier, but limit interaction with other libraries.” The scheduled “go live” date for Grand Rapids is Monday, September 29.
Branch District Library is still on track to “go live” on Monday, August 4. Evette Atkin of MLC, Bill Ott of GRPL, and John Rucker of Branch, along with the Equinox staff, will be hard at work this weekend to finalize the migration. For a sneak peak at Branch’s new OPAC, see http://bdl.michiganevergreen.org