Agora news bulletin: February/March 2000
This is the first Agora bulletin of the year and the first since Rosemary went on maternity leave in October. I started in January and have spent the last month or so bringing together all the threads so that I can present a comprehensive overview of where the project is and where it is going.
Much has happened since the last newsletter, the majority focussing on
the work being done by the UEA and FDI in conjunction with the Associates
Four major areas received attention as outlined by David Palmer below.
1. Installation & Configuration of Release 1
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After some discussion, it has been decided that the best way forward to
resolve the issue of installation and configuration would be to provide
each Associate with a UNIX server with an installation identical to that
which is now at UEA. The servers have been ordered and should arrive in
under 2 weeks. It still has to be decided between the Agora Team and FDI
how the system is to be loaded and who will ship. There also have to be
some alterations to both the User interface and the Admin Client before
shipment.
At the suggestion of Michael Breaks, the Team will be providing a full
technical specification of the server and will outline the process needed
to set up the server at each site.
2. Training
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Training on the Admin Client for Library Associates has been arranged for
the dates of March 13-14 in Sheffield with FDI. The purpose of the
training is to introduce Associates to the VDX 'backbone' of the Admin
Client and to ensure that they have enough knowledge of the system to
carry out activities critical to the work of the next phase of the
Project.
3. Evaluation of Release 1
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There has been some delay in receiving the evaluations from the Library
Associates but it is expected that they will be received in sufficient
time for a evaluation report to be submitted to the Agora Board meeting
on March 10.
4. User case studies
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As agreed in our meeting in Manchester in December, we are moving away
from a technology-focussed approach to one that is much more process and
policy-focussed. The Project believes that the way forward here is by way
of conducting user case studies at each of the Associate sites. These case
studies will examine an aspect of the HLMS that is of relevance or
interest to each institution. It is not our intention to just throw the
concept of 'user case study' at the Associates and let them get on with
it. After discussion with Michael Breaks, we intend to convene a meeting
of all Associates in early April to receive some 'training' on user case
study methodology, and to discuss collectively what the Associates wish to
examine with the case studies. The latter, in particular, will allow the
Associates to 'bounce' ideas of each other and ensure that they are all
doing something of use to both their own institutions and to the Project.
It is intended that Bridget Robinson will play a role in assisting
Associates with the case studies on an ongoing basis. This could take the
form of regular phonecalls, or meetings, or simply being on hand to answer
any enquiries essentially, anything we can do to make conducting the case
study easier, more effective and more relevant for the Associates.
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I am looking forward to my involvement in the case studies as it will
provide an opportunity to get to know the Library Associates and to gain
an insight into the impact of the HLMS at different institutions.
OCLC have been very accommodating and are allowing Agora access to all OCLC and IP content for the major part of the trial. This will fit well with the user case study work period.
Collection Level Descriptions
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David Palmer will be attending the eLib CLD concertation day on 7th March. He will be doing an informal presentation on Agora’s use of CLDs.
I will be attending the CLUMPS workshop on 11th April at the University of Glasgow.
These events should help us to place Agora within the current CLD work.