LIBRARY News:
The Los Alamos County libraries are transitioning Thursday to a new catalog and record-keeping system called Symphony.
“It will offer a number of enhanced features and we’re excited to share it with you,” Library Manager Steven Thomas said.
During the three-day transition period, March 16-18, the libraries will be open and able to do most of the normal operations, just in offline mode. Patrons are asked to bring their library cards with them to make the check-out process run more smoothly.
What to expect as the Library moves to Symphony:
- From March 16-18, circulation will be offline – materials will be checked in and out, but the information won’t appear on accounts until the data is loaded on the 19th.
- Library patrons will have both the catalog and the patron account information via the old Horizon system from March 16-18. However, information such as whether the materials are checked out or not will become increasingly dated since Horizon will not be updated after March 16.
- Holds will not be able to be placed within the catalog from Monday, March 16through Wednesday, March 18 and renewal dates during that time won’t show up.
- Remember that the library doesn’t collect fines, so you won’t be charged for items that are a few days late being checked in.
- Because the library will not be ordering materials from March 9 through M, Wowbrary listings will be limited over the next 2-3 weeks. Items you’ve asked the library to purchase will also be slowed as we won’t start buying materials again until the March 24.
- The Library won’t be able to issue new library cards for those three days.
What to notice after March 19:
- Patrons will see the new Symphony catalog starting March 19. There will also be a new web address for the site: http://losalamos.ent.sirsi.net.
- The catalog will have a new look and feel that features a rotating book carousel on the front page.
- New and enhanced features of the system will include:
- Mobile compatibility – search from your phone.
- eBooks and eAudiobooks fully searchable and holdable within the catalog.
- Simple single-box searching.
The Library will still probably be working through some data issues and software tweaks in the first few weeks and months, so bear with them. Also, the library is rolling out new features of the catalog as they move through the next 12 months.
The staff is trained in the use of the new system, which is much more user-friendly than the old one.
The company responsible for importing the data has been working with the library’s data since November 2014, in preparation for the big transition, which will happen after close of business Wednesday. Sirsi Dynix is used by more than 23,000 libraries around the world.
Mesa Public Library, 2400 Central, and the White Rock Branch Library, 133 Longview Dr., are open seven days each week. For more information, call 505.662.8250.
