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Hunter Library's major mission is to support the teaching and research
needs of the university community with materials and information.
In order to accomplish this mission, it collects, organizes, maintains,
circulates and provides access to materials and data. Each unit
of the Library is responsible for various parts of these functions
and each is critical to the overall success of this support. In
order to understand the applications of technology, it is important
to understand critical library functions, what units are responsible
for providing these functions, and the technology used in providing
them.
Public Services
Public Services is the highest priority function of Hunter Library.
Public Services' purpose is to provide access, circulation, and
reference support for materials and information. The main responsibility
for these functions are assigned to the Circulation and the Reference
Units.
Circulation Unit:
- Circulation of materials to patrons
- ABC Express services for books
- Processing and circulation of items placed on Reserve by
faculty
- Shelf management of the general book, reference, microforms
and periodical collections
Reference Unit:
- Provides individualized assistance in finding materials
and information
- Group training and instruction on using the library and
its databases
- Interlibrary loan services ABC Express services for journals
Critical Factors
Critical factors in the operation of Public Services include
physical access to the library building and access to the INNOPAC
library system. Recovery/backup remedies must be enacted within
2 hours after the denial of physical access or the denial of access
to the INNOPAC library system.
Disaster Scenarios
The particulars of the backup/recovery remedies depend upon the
type of emergency, the state of the building and collections,
what time of day the emergency takes place and the availability
of electrical power and telecommunications. Recovery/backup
remedies must be enacted within 2 hours after the denial of physical
access or the denial of access to the INNOPAC library system.
Lack of power and/or Physical access to the building
The lack of electric power creates a state of emergency
at the library. Electric power runs the lighting, emergency
exits, alarm system and computer/telecommunications equipment.
Without power, physical access to the materials on the shelves
becomes an issue. It can be hard to see in many areas of
the library even during daylight hours. If a power outage
happens at night, it can be especially difficult. At night,
the library must be closed very quickly if it is without
electric power.
The emergency exits and the alarms system run on electric
power. Some emergency lights and the alarms will operate
until the backup power is used up. However, the emergency
doors throughout the library unlock when the power is cut
off and can be opened by patrons without library staff knowing
about it. This compromises the security of the collection
and may require the library to close quickly.
A power outage affects all computer and telecommunication
equipment making access to the INNOPAC library system and
other remote databases impossible. All the computer equipment
requires that the power be on and that the telecommunication
equipment up and running in order to operate fully.
In the case of denial of physical access to the Hunter
Library building because of other reasons (water, fire,
etc.), the Public Services functions must be quickly reestablished.
An assessment of the building must first be made. Is it
possible to occupy part of the Hunter Library building or
is all of it inaccessible? If it is possible to occupy on
a part of the building (in excess of 30,000 square feet)
within 10 days then steps would be taken to make
that identified area accessible to the public and move Public
Services into it. Computer equipment and telecommunication
must be established in that area quickly. Hubs, routers
and cabling may be needed for the area if it is not currently
wired and depending upon the damaged area. If access to
the entire building is denied for more than 10 days,
then the Library will need to be assigned an alternative
site to provide public services. Staff might need to be
reassigned to other departments of the University.
Access to INNOPAC denied
If connection to the INNOPAC is down, the Circulation
Unit has CircBackup software that can capture on disk the
patron ID numbers and material barcode number during network
access outage. When the system is accessible again, this
information can be FTP (transferred) to the INNOPAC system
in a batch to bring it up to date on transactions that have
accrued. The software is loaded on a number of microcomputers
in the Circulation Unit's area and can be used at the front
desk. In the event of power outage, the transaction number
(patron ID number and material barcode numbers) can be handwritten
on paper. This is very time consuming but is possible for
short outages. If access to INNOPAC is or will be down for
2 hours, the CircBackup software must be brought
up.
The most common emergency for the Library is problems with
accessing the INNOPAC library system or any of the many
databases available via the Internet (Academic Search Elite,
Infotrac, FirstSearch, NCLive, etc). In the case of problem
with accessing the Internet, the Computer Center HelpDesk
is called.
Physical Requirements
The requirements for minimal Public Services within a part
of Hunter Library are at least five (5) microcomputers (one
with a barcode/magstrip reader) and access to the INNOPAC
library system or the CircBackup software. If access to
the entire building or power is denied for 10 days
or more, Circulation and Reference might need to be moved
to another site with multiple PCs such as a microcomputer
lab or electronic classroom. Depending upon the emergency,
a courier/paging service between the temporary Public Services
area and the library's collection might also be needed.
Reserve materials, basic reference tools, and ABC Express
pickup might also be moved to an area more accessible for
students and faculty.
Technical Services
Technical Services has the second highest priority function in
Hunter Library. Technical Services' purpose is to provide and
maintain data to the INNOPAC library system database, to provide
physical processing of materials and to manage budgets for new
materials. Technical Services supports and maintains the functions
of Public Services by keeping the Library's collections and information
about those collections current and up-to-date. The main responsibility
for these functions are assigned to the Serials Unit, Acquisitions
and Cataloging Unit and Collection Development Unit.
Serials Unit
- Keeping inventory of the items received by subscription
- Shelf management of the serial collection
- Management of serials budgets
Acquisition and Cataloging Unit
- Acquiring new materials to add to the collection
- Maintenance and oversight of the INNOPAC library system
database
- Physical processing of materials
Collection Development Unit
- Selection oversight for all new materials
- Management of materials budgets
Critical factors
Critical factors in the operation of Technical Services include
access to the INNOPAC library system, access to the OCLC database,
access to accounts on the campus VAX, access to the WCUNW2 fileserver,
access to various software programs (FTP and PREP.BAT), access
to the campus's FRS system , and equipment and supplies for processing
the new materials that arrive.
Disaster Scenarios
Temporary interruption in the critical factors of Technical Services
can be tolerated if the duration of the interruption is less then
48 hours. If these critical factors are denied greater
then 48 hours, recovery/backup remedies must be enacted. In
particular, if access to any of the computer systems or programs
is denied or down, personnel can usually be reassigned to other
tasks for short periods of time, but the work interrupted accumulates
and can quickly create large backlogs. In the case of denial to
a particular piece of equipment, personnel can usually be temporarily
assigned to other equipment in the library.
Backup/recovery remedies depend upon the nature of the emergency.
If the entire physical location that these Units operate and work
in is disrupted or unavailable, many of the tasks associated with
their work will still need to continue. The mail and parcel services
that supply new materials will continue to be delivered to campus.
Something must be done to at least inventory the new material
as it comes in so that invoices can be paid. Access to the INNOPAC
library system, and OCLC are required for inventory.
Physical Requirements
If access to the entire Hunter Library building is denied, Technical
Services will require 6 microcomputers with Internet access and
a barcode reader and a printer. These microcomputers will not
need to be located together. A supply of label stock, inking stamps
and tattletapes will also be required if new materials are to
be processed as well as inventoried.
Collections
Hunter Library supports several unique collections of materials
that operate like miniature libraries. These include the Government
Document collection, the Curriculum Material Center, Special Collections,
and the Map Room. In order for patrons to use these collection,
each requires a special subset of Public Services and Technical
Services in order to support the special qualities of the materials
gathered.
Government Documents Unit
- Keeps inventory of items received from government agencies
- Provides individual assistance in finding materials and
data
- Physical processing of materials
- Shelf management of its collections
Curriculum Material Center Unit
- Selection of audio/visual, curriculum, and children's materials
P
- Provides individual assistance in finding materials
- Physical processing of materials
- Shelf management of its collections
Maps Unit
- Selection of maps and cartographic materials
- Provides individual assistance in finding materials
- Physical processing of materials
- Shelf management of its collections
- Creation of indexing tools
Special Collection Unit
- Selection of archive and special materials
- Provides individual assistance in finding materials
- Physical processing of materials
- Shelf management of its collections
- Creation of indexing tools
Critical Factors
Critical factors in the operation of these collections include
physical access to the materials in the collection, access to
the INNOPAC library system, equipment and materials for processing
the new materials that arrive, preservation, and access to their
specially created indexing tools.
Disaster Scenarios
For the Public Services part of these collections, if the Government
Documents Unit or the Curriculum Material Center are denied physical
access to their collection, recovery/backup remedies must be enacted
within 48 hours and within 24 hours for CMC's reserve
collection. If access to the Map Room is denied, recovery/backup
remedies must be enacted within one semester. For the Special
Collection unit, physical preservation of the collection is the
major concern. If access is denied for reasons that jeopardizes
the collection, immediate recovery remedies must be enacted perhaps
even enacted during the course of disaster. If the collection
is not jeopardized, recovery/backup remedies must be enacted within
one semester.
Each unit is this section has different levels of responsibilities
for the Technical Services' part of these collections. For the
Government Documents Unit, much like the section above, the critical
factors in the operation of its Technical Services include access
to the INNOPAC library system, access to the WCUNW2 fileserver,
access to various software programs, and equipment and supplies
for processing the new materials that arrive. Temporary interruption
in Government Documents Unit's critical factors of Technical Services
can be tolerated if the duration of the interruption is less
then 48 hours. If these critical factors are denied greater
then 48 hours, recovery/backup remedies must be enacted.
In particular, if access to any of the computer systems or programs
is denied or down, personnel can usually be reassigned to other
tasks for short periods of time, but the work interrupted accumulate
and can quickly create large backlogs.
In the case of denial to a particular piece of equipment, personnel
can usually be temporarily assigned to other equipment in the
library. For the other three units (Maps, CMC, and Special Collections
Units), much of their Technical Services is done by the Acquisitions
and Cataloging Unit. Most of the Technical Services that is done
by these Units deal with the physical processing of the items
before placing them on the shelves or creating their specialized
indexing tools. The critical factors include access to equipment
and supplies for processing the new materials that arrive, preservation,
and access to their specially created indexing tools. If these
critical factors are denied for more then 1 week, recovery/backup
remedies must be enacted.
Backup/recovery remedies depend upon the nature of the emergency.
If the entire physical location that these Units operate and work
is disrupted or unavailable, the collection and personnel might
have to be relocate. Depending upon the emergency, a courier/paging
service between the current location of these collections and
the main Circulation Desk might also be needed. CMC's reserve
materials or basic reference tools from the collection might also
be moved to an area more accessible for students and faculty.
For Technical Services remedies, processing might need to be done
by another unit or in another location. See backup/recovery remedies
in the section above.
Physical Requirements
If access to the entire Hunter Library building is denied, Collections
Unit's EDP needs will be covered by the two sections above (Public
Services and Technical Services).
Administration
The main purpose of the Administration of Hunter Library is to
support the operations of the other units of the Library. The
units within the Administration (Systems, University Librarian's,
and Human Resources) are responsible for management, planning,
communication, and support. These units have the lowest priority
function of Hunter Library during an emergency. While these services
are very important (most are required for the proper functioning
of the other units), in the case of an emergency, full operation
of these units can wait until the direct services to the patrons
and working conditions for a majority of the library staff has
been fully restored.
Systems Unit
- Computer and telecommunication support and planning
University Librarian's Unit
- Management, planning, and communication
- Office and paperwork support
- Financial administration and oversight
Human Resources Unit
- Personnel operations
- Public relations
Critical Factors
Critical factors for Administration include physical access to
their offices and files, access to the WCUNW2 fileserver, access
to email (Outlook and VAXmail) and access to data on the campus
VAXs such as the FRS and SIS systems.
Disaster Scenarios
Besides physical access to information in paper form and supplies
that might be needed by other units, most of the operations of
the Administration can be done anywhere that the rest of library
staff is located. Currently, much of the Administration computer
files and data are on the WCUNW2 fileserver, on floppy disks and
backed up on the hard disks of Administration staff's computers.
Physical Requirements
In an emergency that requires the Administration to move to another
location, at least 2 microcomputers, and access to data on the
campus VAXs, email, and phone will be needed.
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