New Library System Live - a week ahead of Harvard!

The new Library system went live on Wednesday 3rd July for circulation, cataloguing and the Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) at http://cat.lib.lancs.ac.uk. Lancaster is the first library in the world to go live with the new 15.2 version of the Aleph 500 system - we beat Harvard University to it by a week! The Library remained open to users throughout the changeover, and users were only without service for 2½ hours. This reflects great credit on the Library staff. (Other comparable libraries undertaking the same process are closing completely for three weeks.)

The new system will offer Lancaster University Library users a whole range of new and enhanced functions, including a web-based catalogue with customisable features, online requesting, emailing of search results, Library of Congress Subject Headings for the majority of stock, and a 'second tier' Short Loan system, whereby one copy of every in-demand text in the collection will be bookable for a three-hour slot. Further details and regular system updates are available on the Library's web pages at http://libweb.lancs.ac.uk/

New features currently available include being able to save search statements and re-run them the next time you look at the catalogue (using the History function). You can save useful lists of books and other materials on your personal E-Shelf. You can now renew books by web, by telephone or in person on up to four consecutive occasions.

Other new and exciting features offered by the system will become available over the summer months, as soon as they have been set up and tested by Library staff. These include the online Reading List and Short Loan functions, and facilities that will allow academic staff to request items online for purchase or for transfer to Short Loan.

The Library welcomes views on the new system. Messages can be sent via the Feedback option at the top of every screen of the Catalogue.