Aleph 3.2.5 patch 4 was implemented in February 1996.
Patch 13 will be implemented at DTV in October 1996. Is being tested at the moment.
The WWW server / interface to ALIS (DTV's Aleph installation), which has been visible on the net as a prototype under construction for almost a year, was launched as a full fledged service in April 1996. DTV's computer and development staff have worked to improve the functionality of Web-ALIS and have developed the following facilities, which they conceive to be important to all users of the Web version af Aleph.
1. Design of interface. Eg. new icons etc.
2. We have modified the issue display and the request screens. We added some checks on borrower and material type.
3. We added checks for copy number when setting the due date in order not to display a copy that is not lent out.
4. FIND
We added parentheses to the search string so if the user uses operators in their search it will still work.
5. FULL screen
We split up the screen into bibliographic data and holdings.
6. We added headings for issues and copies.
7. REQUEST screens
We added bibliographic information to the screens.
8. Borrower update
We changed the borrower update to e-mail. We did not want the update online.
9. We corrected the show on the SCAN. It did not take the base into account.
10. We added error messages.
11. We reversed the order on the short screen.
12. We moved some hardcoded text to an external table.
In addition they are considering implementing the following facilities in the future.
1. Improve the HTML-encoding.
2. Add a print facility.
3. Add the que-function on the request screens.
4. Add more checkes to requests to be consistent with the online version.
5. Add a delete request function.
All these facilities are as yet not implemented in standard WWW Aleph and their implementation there may depend upon customer demand.
DTV has uploaded several externally produced bibliographical databases into the ALIS system. DTV offers users at the campus WWW access to:
Uploading and updating weekly the data has required so much datapower and storage, that running this service together with ALIS has led to performance problems in general. DTV has reported the problem to ExLibris / AlephYissum and they have been very helpful in trying to find solutions, but a completely satisfactory solution has not yet come about. DTV is looking for and testing other database software products, that may be able to handle such data quantities.
DTV is generally speaking concentrating on developing WWW services and the library's vision of the future electronic library.
The contents and scope of DTV's CWIS i growing rapidly and DTV has simultaneously implemented its Internet connections as well as an Intranet for the staff. This is proving to be a powerful tool for the documentation of procedures and exchange of information between staff members and departments in the library.
DTV has prepared an "Internet Pointer Index" especially for the users at the university. This includes annotated information and links to other Internet sites as well as to 15 full text periodicals from the Institute of Physics. DTV's subscription to these periodicals is a start on the making a "collection" of full text electronic periodicals available to users at the campus.
In the coming year we expect to expand with 15 full text periodicals in collaboration with Elsevier.
DTV has also during 1996 implemented several databases on cd-rom with ERL software from SILVER Platter and expect this and hopefully other cd-rom products as well to be searched with a WWW interface.
DTV has been experimenting with using the online version of the UDC Master Reference File for creating an English language thesaurus for the subjects relevant for a technical engineering library.
However testing proved that this product was not yet structured to be useful in an online environment.
DANWEB
DTV is involved in a special project (DANweb) that contrives to link the Danish Union catalog (DANBIB) to different local libraries to seamlessly convey document delivery orders directly to the local system after location in the union catalog.
DTV has during the year continued to work with ExLibris and Aleph Yissum developing client/server software, especially the WWW server, the Z39.50 server and the implementation of Java. DTV expects to continue this collaboration in regard to ALEPH 500.
October 1st. 1996 / Inger Hoey Nielsen