RCLS Integrated Library System Handbook

Libraries that receive IT services from RCLS can report PC hardware and software problems, networking problems, pricing information/orders, inventory/shares, etc. by calling the RCLS IT Help Desk at 845-243-3747 x 230 or email helpdesk@rcls.org

Specific Koha software issues including patron records, item records, reports, software training, etc., please call 845-243-3747

• Martha Sullivan, ext. 247 
• Alex Carver, ext. 246

If we cannot resolve the problem or answer your question, we will route you to the appropriate person:

• John, ext. 228 – RCLS IT Manager and Network Administrator
• Dave, ext. 241 – Assistant Network Administrator
• Lenny, ext. 229 – Senior Automated System Technician
• Ryan, ext. 236 – Automation Technical Specialist: (often in the office or on call after hours)

IF ANY OF YOUR SERVICES ARE DOWN, PLEASE DON’T HESITATE TO CALL IF YOU HAVEN’T FIRST HEARD FROM US (see below)

-- call 845-243-3747 x 230. On the weekend, call 845-243-3747 option 4.

The following protocol will be followed in the event of unscheduled down time. Informational updates will be sent via the following methods depending on the type of failure we are experiencing.

ALL USERS UNABLE TO LOGIN TO KOHA: e-mail will be sent to allrcls@rcls.org. Updates are sent as soon as we become aware of them.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS “BLACKOUT”: the phone chain (see Appendix) will be initiated. RCLS contacts are: Middletown, Newburgh, Pearl River, New City, and Ellenville. It is the responsibility of each library to call their phone chain link contacts. The phone chain will be used again to let everyone know when we are back in service.

SCHEDULED DOWN TIME: Advanced notice of scheduled downtime will be communicated with an e-mail to allrcls@rcls.org.

Please send an email to closings@rcls.org to indicate an unscheduled closed date or early closing of your library. In the subject line, name your library. These emails will be used by RCLS ILS/IT staff to enter Closed Dates in Koha for your library.

Setting a Closed date in a Koha Library account record has the effect of subtracting that date during the calculation of the overdue fine, i.e. the interval between the due date and the return date.

However, if the date being set to Closed is the due date itself, the system will not automatically extend the due date--it remains the same.

Examples:

Item due on 11/20. Bad weather on 11/20 causes that date to be set as a Closed date. Items returned on 11/21 are still one day overdue. Items returned on 11/22 are two days overdue, etc.

Item due on 11/20. Bad weather on 11/21 causes that date to be set as a Closed date. Item is then returned on 11/22--it is calculated as one day overdue, because 11/21 was skipped in calculating the fine.

Given this logic, the procedure should be to:

1. Continue to report to RCLS all days for which you want no fines charged. They will be entered as Closed dates and will be skipped when calculating overdue fines.
2. On the day AFTER a closed day, select "Book drop mode" from the check-in settings and backdate check-ins to the last date you were open. This will forgive fines for items due when you were closed.

Closed Dates and Holds

Entering Closed Dates in Koha has a number of effects of holds. Closed dates adjust the “Pickup By” date for items on a library’s hold shelf. In Koha, this period is set to 5 days. Holds will not expire on days that the library is set to closed. 

Holds that have been awaiting pickup for more than 5 days will appear on the "Holds waiting over 5 days" tab in the Holds Awaiting Pickup report. These holds must be manually cancelled by staff and then checked-in to fill new holds, or for items to return to the home library.

Koha will not assign items to the Holds queue for a library that is marked as closed.

A cooperative library automation project was originally started among 9 RCLS member libraries. As more libraries became interested in automating, RCLS became the licensing agent and system administrator. Software from CLSI, Inc. was used from 1989 until 1994. Before joining this group, Finkelstein Memorial Library maintained a separate CLSI system and Middletown Thrall Library maintained a separate GEAC system.

These libraries migrated from CLSI to Dynix software in Nov. 1994 and came online with Dynix in late January 1995. At that time, the goal of automating every RCLS member library to further resource sharing became explicit. In late 1997, RCLS activated the ability to place “holds”, i.e., inter-system ILL requests, using the Dynix software. A software migration from Dynix Classic to Horizon occurred in August 2005; and from Horizon to Symphony in December 2011. SirsiDynix Enterprise was adopted as a discovery layer in 2011.

A move away from proprietary software and toward open-source solutions came in 2021. A discovery layer migration from SirsiDynix Enterprise to Aspen Discovery occurred in 2021. A software migration from SirsiDynix Symphony to Koha occurred in August 2024.

LIBRARY AUTOMATION TIMELINE--CIRCULATING ONLINE

• NWC June, 1990
• CHS Dec. 1990
• NAN Jan., 1991
• EPL Jan. 2, 1991
• MFL Jan, 1991
• VCL Feb. 19, 1991
• NYK Feb. 25, 1991
• HA1&2 May 1, 1991
• NFL May 23, 1991
• FML May, 1992
• TAP July, 1992
• SLO Dec. 10, 1992
• GOS Apr., 1993
• WNY Apr., 1993
• TUX Jun., 1993
• BLV Oct., 1993
• MID Mar, 1995
• WAR May, 1995
• SUF Aug. 28, 1995
• PAL May, 1996
• WAS June, 1996
• PRL Nov. 4, 1996
• PTJ Apr. 1, 1997
• TCL Apr. 15, 1997
• GAR May 21, 1997
• FPL Jun., 1997
• LIV Sept. 22, 1997
• MTC Sept. 29, 1997
• LIB Nov. 13, 1997
• PMT Jan. 6, 1998
• WAL Mar. 9, 1998
• STP Apr. 14, 1998
• GRL Sept. 8, 1998
• CVL Oct., 1998
• HML Oct., 1998
• WAK Jan. 6, 1999
• ORG Apr. 5, 1999
• JEF Sep. 15, 1999
• BLB Dec. 7, 1999
• GRH Feb. 1, 2000
• COR Mar. 24, 2000
• PBL Apr. 12, 2000
• MNG Aug. 22, 2000
• ROS Nov. 20, 2000
• NAR Dec. 18, 2000
• CRG Jan. 8, 2001
• DEL Feb. 14, 2001
• HFL Aug. 6, 2001
• ELD Feb. 12, 2002
• FBR Nov. 6, 2002
• FML Nov. 14, 2010 left to run independent III system
• FML Jul. 29, 2020 (rejoined Symphony ILS)

Executive Director: Grace Riario

IT Manager and Network Administrator: John Hurley
Manages the IT department of RCLS; supervises staff and supervises network administration.

Automation Technical Specialist: Ryan Smith
The Automation Technical Specialist is the primary contact point; maintains the ILS/IT Help Desk, assigns work orders to the technical staff, maintains inventories of IT equipment, orders new equipment.

Assistant Network Administrator: Dave Krawczyk
Implements and maintains the hardware and software components of the telecommunications network. With other technical staff, also helps troubleshoot, install, and maintain IT equipment at member libraries and in the central computing facility.

Senior Automated System Technician: Lenny George
Responsible for installation and maintenance of IT equipment at member libraries and in the central computing facility.

Automated System Technician: Aidan O'Riordan
Responsible for installation and maintenance of IT equipment at member libraries and in the central computing facility.

Software Analyst & Administrator: Alex Carver
In addition to non-ILS related activities, the Software Analyst Manager is responsible for the configuration and maintenance of the ILS system software (Koha & online catalog).

Software Support Specialist: Martha Sullivan
Assists the Automation Technical Assistant by handling software-related problem reports; assists the Software Analyst Manager in the configuration and maintenance of the ILS system software; provides ongoing ILS software training for member library staff.

ILS/IT Budgeting and Contracts: Stephen Hoefer
Develops ILS/IT Budgets and Fee Structure

Each RCLS member library should designate their director or other staff member to be the library’s ILS contact. ILS contacts are given authority to request circulation and item linking changes that would affect their library; and to have access to report tools that could affect batch changes of items and/or access to borrower records through a web interface. The list of ILS contacts is maintained through subscription to two RCLS email groups: rclsils-it@rcls.org (for full support and hybrid libraries) and rclsils-only@rcls.org (for independent libraries). Subscription to this list must be requested by the director of the member library.

From the Director’s Association Bylaws:

The ILS Committee shall:

• Regularly evaluate ILS and/or survey Directors' Association regarding future needs
• Review the ILS annual budget as developed by RCLS for recommendations to the Directors’ Association, and approve budget transfers during the budget year
• Develop ILS policies for recommendation and presentation to the Directors’ Association
• With System Services Committee, serve as the line of communication for Users' Groups to the Association

ILS Committee Minutes are posted at: https://guides.rcls.org/DAarchives

From the Director’s Association Bylaws:

• Users' Groups shall report to the ILS and/or System Services Committees.
• Users' Groups' membership shall be drawn from the staffs of the member libraries.
• Users' Groups should convey communications to the Association through the ILS or System Services Committee.
• Users' Groups' chairs shall be confirmed by the Chairs of the ILS and System Services Committees.
• The Users' Groups are charged with recommending those items in need of clarification or change in policy to the ILS and/or System Services Committees, identifying problems with the hardware, software, and database which affect procedures and/or policies set by the ILS Committee, recommending solutions after consultation with the Software Analyst and Administrator, sharing concerns, and exchanging information as well as providing feedback on group services to the System Services Committee.

Users' Groups are: Reference (RUG) and Circulation and Technology (CTUG)

RUG Minutes are posted at: https://guides.rcls.org/rug

CTUG Minutes are posted at: https://guides.rcls.org/DAarchives

RCLS maintains several email subscription lists to facilitate the communication of ILS-related issues:

• ILS Committee - ilscomm@rcls.org [Only subscribers can post, private subscription]
• ILS Contacts - rclsils-it@rcls.org & rclsils-only@rcls.org [Only subscribers can post, private subscriptions]
• CIRC/TECH User's Group - ctug@rcls.org [Only subscribers can post, self-subscription allowed]
• Reference User's Group - rug@rcls.org [Only subscribers can post, self-subscription allowed]

For the most recent equipment pricing, refer to the RCLS web site under Services -> IT Services

Every Koha user logs into the system using a unique login. Users in the RCLS MS365/Entra environment log in using their @rcls.org email address. Users who do not have an @rcls.org email address log in using a unique local account, provided to them by the RCLS ILS Department. New local accounts must be requested by the library director or their designee. 

• Do not discuss or display passwords in front of the public.
• Do not hang notes with passwords on or near workstations.
• User passwords will be changed periodically with advance notice given.

• Last Borrower information will stay on an item record for 1 month and then be anonymized.
• All bills will be removed when older than 3 years. 
• Inactive Holds (filled, cancelled, or not picked up) will be removed from Patron records after being inactive for 45 days by the cleanup_database cron job that runs nightly.
• Records of patrons inactive for five years will be purged. See Schedule A for policy.
• Items set to Lost or Missing for more than 24 months will be deleted on an annual basis. Items set to Claims Returned more than 5 years will be deleted on an annual basis.

Our ILS Vendor, ByWater Solutions, manages backups on the following schedule: three days of dailies, a month of weeklies, and a year of bi-monthlies; with point in time capacity. 

Catalog Errors/Union List of Serials Update/ITEM TYPE Addition and Change Form: https://guides.rcls.org/c.php?g=1200571&p=8779592

ByWater Solutions website: https://bywatersolutions.com/

Koha Community website: https://koha-community.org/

Koha-US website: https://koha-us.org/

There are several newsletters and email lists open to anyone in the Koha community. Information about subscribing is available from the Koha Community website and Koha-US. There is also a listserv and Slack channel specific to ByWater partners. In order to subscribe, you need to arrange for access via RCLS Software Analyst Manager.