Patron Catalog (OPAC)

Patron Catalog (OPAC) First Thoughts Required (New ILS must have these features) Strongly Preferred Optional but Nice to Have Not Needed

First Thoughts

I'm using this section to jot down my initial thoughts but eventually everything should be listed in one of the categories below: Required, Strongly Preferred, Optional but Nice to Have, and Not Needed.

Required

(New ILS must have these features)

• Sorting by Relevance Ranking, Title, Author, Pub Date
• Ability of patron to renew items through PAC
• Patron can cancel holds through Patron Information in PAC
• Patron-placed holds
• Holdings Info & Circulation status
• Ability to see circulation status info in results list
• Ability to create limits by media format or collection
• Ability to create limits based on locations
• Personal List Manager function (users can check off and add titles to a list that can be used as a bibliography, can be emailed, downloaded, printed, etc.)
• Enhanced content (book jackets, table of contents, chapter summaries, excerpts, author information and professional book reviews)
• Ability to suspend holds
• Online payments
• Browse, exact and keyword index options
• Authority Control – (e.g., use and creation of see also & other cross-references when doing subject and other searches – except keyword) this relates to the overall structure of the bibliographic database, but affects search capabilities in the OPAC
• Ability to modify URLs to create searches (i.e. http://216.17.186.244/ipac20/ipac.jsp?index=ISBNEX&term=[any ISBN])
• Link to library website in catalog
• Persistent link throughout web catalog to seamlessly lead patron into their Account information / Patron Info in PAC
• Patron Information in PAC available (shows charges, overdues, losts, holds, fines, etc.)
• Patron can view/verify address, phone number, email, name, or other info via Patron Information in PAC
• Ability log patrons out of account based of predetermined inactive time
• Ability to run own monthly OPAC catalog hit statistics
• In order to use list features, must login
• Usable with or packaged with a  broadcast search engine tool (a search engine that searches the catalog and commercial databases simultaneously), such as WebFeat or MUSE  Global or other products that may emerge in this market
• Utilizes standard protocols to enable communication with such hardware/software products as (but not necssarily limited to) computer reservation systems, debit card systems, etc.
• Ability to sort results
• ADA version of catalog
• Ability for each location to have their own PAC profile
• Multiple language options for interface
• Back button works

Strongly Preferred

• On the fly creation of RSS feeds (i.e. patron wishes to be notified when a new John Grisham is added to the catalog)
• Web 2.0 features (rss feeds, ratings, reviews, tagging, faceted searching, etc)
• Combine exact indexes with keyword indexes
• Easy way to search non-district library holdings (such as being able to search OCLC in same interface)
• Request ILL items straight from search screen
• Option for patrons to see history of holds
• Easier way to redo searches
• Group different editions and formats of items together
• Easier limit options
• Easier way to reserve books and DVDs in series (such as TV episodes)
•  Work with GSA (Google Search Applicance)
• Compatible front end for moblie devices
• Patron have ability to create own portal within the OPAC
• Not lose search when idle for 5 minutes
• Ability for patrons to choose whether or not to keep reading history (default to NOT keeping history)
• Ability to control which limiters appear on search screen
• Ability to create limits based on item status
• Ability to create limits by item creation date (for new items)
• Ability to limit by language
• Ability to use limiters on the fly (while searching, to add in date, availability, branch, or other limiters from menu of choices)
• Community Information/Organizations link in catalog (like community resources in HIP for Greeley Tribune, etc)
• Children’s catalog should include filter (optional/customizable by library) to limit search results to juvenile section
• URL Checker should be deployed as part of product to automatically check if the web content is no longer available / website has been shut down
• Separate interface for children that employs same basic searching strategies found in adult catalog (keyword, title, author searches), but with friendly icons, lots of pictures & large print [Type Search]
• Graphical icons grouped by thematic subjects to help guide the child through the search.  Final icons should be linked to a dynamic search against the live catalog [Explore]
• Ability to customize search indexes that are available for users (customizable by library) – can add or remove number of searches seen by user
• Customizable help screens
• Links to commercial databases from within library catalog
• If no results found, ability to link seamlessly to external/commercial databases (e.g., EBSCO, Gale, etc.)
• If no results found, ability to link seamlessly to virtual reference service
• Library webmasters can create their own preset searches/electronic pathfinders (e.g., on certain subjects, for certain authors, titles, etc.)
• Ability to email and print search results
• Spell-checker and Thesaurus
• Circulation status include due dates
• No more than 3 clicks to actual bib record/status information (starting the search counts as one click)
• Search modifiable on the fly (can add operators, etc., while in results list or bib record, without having to click back to new search)
• Advanced search screens or limiter screens should allow not only searches, but exact searches (e.g., ability to run a exact title search at a specific branch)
• Ability to have multi-index search (e.g., showing number of hits via keyword, title, author, subject if user has not chosen a search or in addition to search type they’ve chosen)
• Display format icons as well as display format terms available
• Ability to show current library location's items first
• Ability to create limits by pub date
• Ability to change pick-up location after hold has been requested
• Ability to track name of staff member/location when a patron record is modified/added
• Ability for library to choose which personal information patrons can edit
• Ability for Google to search HPLD catalog
• Ability to integrated with Prospector like service

Optional but Nice to Have

• Ability for individual libraries to have opening page notices:  i.e: Platteville Library will be closed on mm/dd for staff day, etc.  Or:  special program on: mm/dd
• Ability to add videos and other media content to OPAC
• Ability to determine what MARC fields to display depending on format of item (like should widescreen/full screen be displayed, etc)
• Faceted Navigation
• Breadcrumb trail
• Ability to hide lost/missing items
• Link to loan policies in catalog
• Ability to create lists of recommended reading
• Catalog’s ability to suggest new titles to a patron based on their reading preferences (patron profile / automatic reader’s advisory, such as seen in Amazon.com)
• Ability for each library to work live on ILS/catalog server to change logo, colors, search types, etc., at will on web catalog themselves, without affecting catalog functionality
• Customizable wording and/or look of navigation icons, search buttons, etc
• Web catalog logo customizable
• Fonts customizable
• Patron portal product available, which can frame and take on look of your website. It would include streamed info/content and preset searches for titles in your catalog (for New York Times Best Sellers, e.g.)
• Linkable to external web search engines
• Ability to switch to/see the MARC version of a bib record
• Ability for user to choose number of titles to be shown on results list page
• Live guided help option
• Ability to choose PAC profile based on IP address
• Bulk pull option for holds (request how many copies you need of items requested instead of having to do many specific copy holds-- book club type feature)

• Patron ability to change email, phone, alert staff of other changes

   

Not Needed