Urgent Z39.50 access message

SCIS Z39.50 IP change Tuesday 23 Nov 2010

All SCIS Z39.50 subscribers should be using the host address name: z3950.scis.curriculum.edu.au as advised on the SCIS Z39.50 help page.

Today, Tuesday 23 November 2010, the Schools Catalogue Information Service (SCIS) is planning to turn off an old IP address (203.24.26.68).

For most SCIS Z39.50 subscribers this should have no impact at all, but for some systems it may require a change to router or firewall as outlined below.

If possible, please test your Z39.50 access to SCIS today to ensure it is working. If it is? Cheer and take no further action.

If you experience the ‘Failed to connect’ or other error message, please contact your library’s technical support in the first instance and provide them with the following router / firewall settings to allow an additional access list as follows:

IP SETTINGS

Source: SCHOOL_IP_ADDRESS_BLOCK/X
Destination: 203.24.26.124/32
Protocol: TCP
Port: 7090

In some cases the system may require a flush of the DNS to remove the old IP address.
Click on the Start button (bottom left of Windows computer)
‘Start’ -> ‘Run’ -> type the command ipconfig /flushdns (note the space between ipconfig and /)
and press <Enter>

CONTACT US
If you have any questions about this process, or require further assistance at any stage, please contact the SCIS helpdesk
By email: scisinfo@esa.edu.au
By phone: 1800 337 405 (free call within Australia outside Melbourne)  or +61 3 9207 9600 or +61 8 8334 3209

SO WHAT IS Z39.50?

An introduction to Z39.50 is the subject of a separate blog post.

Z39.50

X, Y, Z of  Z39.50

Over 800 schools using SCIS are now set up to get their catalogue records via Z39.50. They are enjoying the seamless way that Z39.50 searching allows them to search remote databases such as SCIS for library records from within their Library Management System and import individual records directly into their library catalogue.

So what is Z39.50?

Z39.50 is an international standard for information retrieval described in ISO 23950 and ANSI/NISO Z39.50. This standard is a protocol for searching and retrieving information from remote databases, and is maintained by the Library of Congress.

Can I use Z39.50?

All schools that have a current SCISWeb subscription are able to use Z39.50 for retrieving catalogue records directly from SCIS to their Library Management System provided that system supports Z39.50, Z cataloguing or Rapid Entry as some systems call it. Check this with your Library system support person.

If you would like to try out this workflow for importing your catalogue records from SCIS, send an email to scisinfo@esa.edu.au and ask us to activate Z39.50 in your SCIS profile.

There are some settings to change in your library system. These are available from the SCIS Z39.50 help pages. Then follow the instructions provided by your library system.

Feedback

For those already using Z39.50 please share your experience on how it has changed your cataloguing workflow for the benefit of schools just starting out. Let us know which library system you are using and any tips for new Z-cataloguers.

Future directions

Although many school libraries are relatively new to Z39.50, as Wikipedia points out Z39.50 is a pre-Web standard, originating in the 1970s. It has served the library world well since particularly in the area of consortium partnerships, interlibrary loans and shared cataloguing services. There is new work happening in this space and new formats for data which we will be watching with interest.

Z39.50

End of an era for QLD

On 18 November 2010, on advice from the Queensland Department of Education and Training’s Library Services, SCIS sent out an email to Queensland schools to inform them that the Department will be discontinuing in-house SCIS cataloguing services as of 10 December 2010. The in-house cataloguing service has for many years catalogued resources sent in by Queensland schools, as well as providing support and training in use of SCIS.

Access to SCIS for QLD government schools

The Department will continue to provide ongoing support for Education Queensland schools to access SCISWeb and retrieve catalogue records via a bulk service subscription to SCIS for all Queensland government schools.

Cataloguing of Queensland school resources

Education Services Australia will continue to provide cataloguing services. We are currently investigating options for schools who wish to send resources to be catalogued and to ensure Queensland resources continue to be added to the SCIS database in a timely manner. As soon as we have more information we will advise schools.

Questions

If you have further questions about SCIS cataloguing services, please email the SCIS cataloguers at catinfo@esa.edu.au, or call 1800 337 405.
For any SCIS login problems or general SCIS enquiries, please email scisinfo@esa.edu.au, or call 1800 337 405.

Farewell and thanks to the QLD SCIS cataloguing agency

We would like to acknowledge the outstanding service that the Queensland Department’s Library Services have provided to SCIS and Queensland schools over many years. According to statistics available since 1996 a total of 25,550 learning resources have been catalogued by the QLD agency, an average of 1,825 records per year.

Particular thanks to the most recent team members Mary Gough, Frances Todd and Debbie Trollip and to all those over the years who have been involved in this team including Mary Lincoln, Edwina Dunn, Sam Andreata, Lisa Dorney, Jan Johnson, Peggy Hebblethwaite and June Richardson.

Feel free to record your experiences of the team and its service in the comments area or send us an email.

SLANZA 10 years on

slanza_headerHappy Birthday to the School Library Association of New Zealand Aotearoa (SLANZA) whose members are meeting in Auckland and via video conference this afternoon to celebrate their 10 year anniversary, and to conduct the 2010 AGM.

We extend congratulations to current SLANZA President, Senga White and to recently announced President-elect Fiona Mackie, and wish the association all the best for the next 10 years.

SLANZA was launched in 2000 with the vision of strengthening and promoting the role of school libraries and enabling all school communities to become information literate, and has already had many successes in delivering the goals it sets itself to:

  • provide a national voice for school library teams
  • advocate for the critical role of school libraries in reading, teaching and learning
  • improve the professional standing, working conditions and qualifications for all staff involved with school libraries
  • support professional development through conferences, network meetings and regular newsletters
  • develop links with associated national and international professional organisations.

SLANZA conferences are always friendly and professionally stimulating events and planning is underway for July 2011 at St Cuthbert’s College, Auckland. Check out also the stunning latest issue of Collected magazine.

$20 voucher for ELR participants

Educational Lending Right (ELR) is an Australian cultural program administered by the Office for the Arts, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. ELR scheme makes payments to eligible Australian creators and publishers whose books are held in school libraries.
600 schools have been invited to participate in this year’s Educational Lending Right school library survey. If you are one of the lucky ones chosen, we hope you are able to follow the instructions to provide a data file report or back-up file. And that is the survey done!75. ELR image 1This year participants will be given a $20 gift voucher from Curriculum Press, redeemable until end of term 1 2011. More information is available about Educational Lending Right.

International School Library Day 2010

The SCIS team extends greetings and best wishes to school library staff everywhere as International School Library Day 2010 is celebrated today in Australia.

ISLD logo

Diversity Challenge Resilience
School Libraries Have it All

This year’s theme reflects well the reality of students, schools and collections diversifying, of the challenge of new buildings and technologies, and of the resilience required by library staff, systems and associations.
It also reminds us that good school libraries deliver positive outcomes in so many areas: cultural diversity, multiliteracies, literature and community learning.

Further information about International School Library Month is available from the International Association of School Librarianship and 2010 Coordinator Marie O’Brien.

A number of celebration events and awards are part of this significant day.

Australian Teacher Librarian of the Year Award 2010

Congratulations to Janice Wilson from Lake Tuggeranong College, ACT for winning the Australian Teacher Librarian of the Year 2010 awarded by the Australian School Library Association (ASLA) and Pledger Consulting (LinksPlus/Weblinks).
Described as a curriculum leader and effective manager in a very complex school library-public library environment, Janice exemplifies the criteria for this award as an exceptional Australian teacher librarian in a school setting whose professional practice has a positive impact on student achievement and information literacy. ASLA describes the role of a teacher librarian as having three key professional specialisations: curriculum leader, information specialist, and information services manager.

ASLA NSW Teacher Librarian of the Year 2010

NSW Teacher Librarian of the Year 2010 is Elizabeth Greef, St Andrew’s Cathedral School. Elizabeth’s citation refers to her work managing the resourcing of new programmes in the school including the International Baccalaureate and Gawura, the school’s indigenous program.

ASLA Tasmania Teacher Librarian of the Year 2010

Tasmanian Teacher Librarian of the Year is Kate Reid, of the Kindergarten – Year 8 Library at The Hutchins School Tasmania
Connect with @katemreid on twitter

Western Australian School Library Association

WASLA is holding an International School Library Day dinner in Subiaco tonight to celebrate the announcement of awards.
WA Teacher Librarian of the Year is Jane Graham, Wesley College, South Perth
WA Library Officer of the Year is Bronwyn Hogg, Helena College

School Library Association of Victoria online

SLAV celebrates today by inviting you to join in an Elluminate online webconferencing session at 11.00am (AEDST – check your time zone here) to launch the 2012 National Year of Reading (NYOR). Get your headset on, follow the link to Elluminate and join Sue McKerracher who will present details of the NYOR and the promotional material that is available for you to use in gaining support and interest at your school.

So how did you spend International School Library Day? We’d love to hear about it.

Connections 75 ready to read

You can read the latest issue of Connections online. Copies have been mailed to all Australian schools.
There are articles of interest for everyone involved in school library activities. Let us know what you think of this issue.

Thinking about ebooks

75. Thinking about ebooks image 3
Ebook demonstration at Web 2.0 expo, San Francisco 2010, courtesy of Flickr

Stephen Abram describes and discusses the ebook, looking at what it is, and what it is not. He discusses fiction versus non-fiction, reference material and textbooks, and how the ebook can enhance usability. Read more …

Your school library collection: a catalyst for creating writers
Maxine Ramsay discusses the use of text types in the teaching of writing to young students. She explains how teachers and library staff can identify and assist in the effective discovery of good text examples within their library collection. Read more …

The highs and lows of establishing an online community
Kerry Franta describes EnhanceTV’s experience of creating an online community. It is important for members to share a common interest and to be passionate enough about it to contribute online. Read more …

Digital participation, digital literacy and schools
Through developing digital literacy in their students, educators are enhancing young people’s ability to use digital media, strengthening their knowledge and learning skills, as well as providing them with the capacity to participate and interact in wider social and cultural settings. Read more …

From little things big things grow
The third instalment of Nigel Paull’s account of a new BER library focuses on library design essentials. Read more …

RDA changes from AACR2

During July and August 2010 SCIS cataloguers took advantage of the free trial period to preview Resource Description and Access (RDA), the new standard which is intended to replace the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules (AACR2).

SCIS will make initial preparations for the implementation of RDA by activating new MARC fields in our Voyager library management system when we upgrade to Voyager version 7 during the latter part of 2010. This will allow us to produce test records created according to RDA rules and evaluate the likely impact for schools. We will of course be consulting with school library management system vendors to ensure that any changes to SCIS records are compatible with school library systems.

RDA changes likely to have the most impact on school library systems are the replacement of the GMD with three new MARC fields: 336 (Content type), 337 (Media type) and 338 (Carrier type). For example a DVD title coded according to AACR2 as:

245 00 |a Avatar |h [videorecording]

would be coded according to RDA as:

245 00 |a Avatar
336      |a two-dimensional moving image |2 rdacontent
337      |a video |2 rdamedia
338      |a videodisc |2 rdacarrier

Most of the other RDA changes can be readily accommodated in the MARC fields currently used by SCIS. These changes will impact on data consistency rather than systems. For example in RDA the abbreviations N.T. and O.T. are spelled out as New Testament and Old Testament, but omitted in headings for individual books of the Bible. Thus a heading such as Bible. N.T. Corinthians becomes simply Bible. Corinthians.

For more information, including links to key presentations and articles about RDA, see the Australian Committee on Cataloguing.

Strategic review of SCIS

In June 2010 we invited SCIS subscribers to respond to a user survey, as part of a strategic review of SCIS. This review is being undertaken by library consulting company Libraries Alive! The review is to develop strategies to ensure that SCIS continues to meet the needs of its users into the future.

Strategic planning helps future direction
Strategic planning helps future direction

We were delighted to receive more than 1300 responses, which is a high response rate for a survey. Thank you to all the schools who took time to provide us with their views. Your comments clearly show that time savings are fundamental to the appeal of SCIS.

The consultants have delivered a draft report which notes the many benefits our customers experience using SCISWeb. These include school-ready subject headings, consistent quality records, effective support and use of the database to identify materials for purchase or classroom use. More information about the outcomes of the review will be provided here in our blog when the final report is available.

Connections 74 hits the streets and online!

Courtesy of flickrCC: www.flickr.com/photos/96741530@N00/4136024835

The current issue of Connections has a bumper crop of original articles! 

If you want to share information of relevance and importance to school libraries, please contact the Connections Editor.

Image courtesy of flickrCC.