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Revised RiverShare Migration Timeline and Transition Circulation Procedures Document
The final steps of the withdrawal of the 19 RiverShare libraries from PrairieCat will begin next Thursday, October 27, 2011. As of that day, those libraries will cease using PrairieCat for their primary circulation, for adding items, bibliographic records, orders, holds, etc. Linked to this message are a revised timeline of activities document as well as a document on transitional circulation procedures. Also linked is the list of the 19 RiverShare libraries pulling out of PrairieCat and their branches. Please share these documents with all staff, particularly circulation staff. Here are a few important highlights from the timeline:
On Thursday, October 27, 2011 - all PrairieCat and RiverShare libraries should not perform any transactions on RiverShare items or patrons. This is because the final extraction will be taking place that day, and it is important not to touch RiverShare records while that is occuring. This means that all PrairieCat and RiverShare libraries should not checkin, checkout or renew any RiverShare items. Libraries should also not alter patron records, items records, etc., that belong to RiverShare libraries for that one day. On October 28, once the extraction is complete, PrairieCat libraries will be able to resume checking in RiverShare items and/or checking out items to RiverShare patrons. We will actually give the "all clear" once the extraction is completed and libraries can resume transactions on Rivershare items and patrons.
Between October 28 and December 31, 2011 - RiverShare libraries are expected to checkin materials not only on RiverShare but also on PrairieCat. This is to ensure that bills and other transactions for your users on PrairieCat are cleaned up, and so that RiverShare reciprocal borrowing patrons in the Quad-Cities will have accurate records in PrairieCat going forward.
Between November 2 and November 6, 2011 - PrairieCat library and contract staff are asked to not add or edit any authority records in PrairieCat. This is because we will be shadowing all RiverShare library holdings on November 5 and this process could be slowed down by authority processing.
Currently, we are on the schedule for SirsiDynix to remove RiverShare information from PrairieCat the week of January 9. It may be possible for that schedule to be moved up to late December if both RiverShare and PrairieCat representatives working on this transition agree that problems have been resolved, and it is OK to begin the removal. The group has agreed that they will discuss the timing of the removal again at their next meeting on November 14. Should the decision be made to move the removal up to December we will make an announcement and revise the timeline.
Again, the full timeline of all planned processes is provided below. Basic circulation procedures for this transition are provided in the Transitional Circulation Procedures document. If you are unable to open these documents from the email, they are posted on the main page of the PrairieCat Secure Site (members.prairiecat.info). We will do our best to send out periodic email reminders as this process continues between now and January. If you have questions or concerns, please post them to the PrairieCat mailing lists or submit a Help Desk request.
