Kangaroos & Didgeridoos

As Charlie mentioned in a recent post, in addition to the other problems with NHU-PAC recently we have been without dynamic indexing as well. When the dynamic indexer is working as it should as a record is added to NHU-PAC here in NHAIS services you can find that record with a NHU-PAC search right away. Actually, "right away" means within about 5 minutes, but that is pretty close to actually being "right away," except on those occasions that I am sitting there waiting for a specific record to be available in the NHU-PAC.

Anyhow, during the week that we were without dynamic indexing roughly 1200 NEW bibliographic records were added to the NHU-PAC. These records came from NHAIS Services staff finding and loading records from OCLC to match brief records added to the NHU-PAC by libraries; from libraries with OCLC access sending us files of OCLC records that we loaded to NHU-PAC; and from original cataloging completed here in NHAIS Services and loaded to both OCLC and the NHU-PAC.

The new original cataloging records include a sound recording many of you may have been using this summer as part of the "G'Day for Reading" Summer Reading Program. The cataloging record for Steve Blunt and Joseph Carringer's CD Kangaroos & Didgeridoos: Kid-friendly Australian Songs & Stories is now in the NHU-PAC and ready for your use. It is NHU-PAC record number 2204767. Other recent NHAIS original cataloging titles include Women of Granite (added to NHU-PAC in June as record #2183489) and The Story of Jonathan M. Daniels: Hero for Civil Rights (added in August as record #2198768). You can see what else has been added to NHU-PAC as part of the NHAIS Original Cataloging program by going to the "Original Cataloging" subtab of the "About NHAIS" tab in the NHU-PAC.

NHU-PAC Wed. outage update #3

Thursday, August 28, 7:55 a.m.: The NHU-PAC is up and (at last!) most of its parts are running on a new server. The migration of Holdings Maintenance to a new server (a long-awaited move to address a capacity issue) will take place in the near future. You might not notice any performance changes from yesterday's server switch but the transition to new equipment was necessary and paves the way for the Holdings Maintenance upgrade. Please contact the NHAIS Help Desk at 271-2141 if you find parts of the NHU-PAC not working as they should.

NHU-PAC Wed. outage update #2

Wednesday, August 27, 3:30 p.m.: NHU-PAC ILL searching has been partially restored but you still may get no results for some search terms. Previously missing links have been restored but still yield no results. These problems continue to be worked on.

NHU-PAC Wed. outage update

Wednesday, August 27, 2:35 p.m.: Searching has been restored in the NHU-PAC EXCEPT in the ILL program. Some recently added links (for example, for records for downloadable audiobooks added during the 3rd quarter of 2008) also need to be restored.

NHU-PAC outage Wed. midday

Wednesday, August 27, 1:15 p.m.: The NHU-PAC has had its ups and downs in the past hour and a half and continues to have problems. This is related to the server switch noted in numerous previous postings. At this writing, the chief issue is that all keyword searches yield a "could not find anything matching" message (or, in ILL, "Search terms resulted in NO items found"). While we work to correct that, you can search the browse indexes (not an option in the ILL program).
[clarification added at 2 p.m.: Generally, numeric and title searches on the Browse Indexes subtabs should work but author and other searches will not get you to an individual record. Work continues to resolve this problem.]

New server??

System information

A word on the new server. Frustration. What has to happen is that the IP addresses for the old server and new server have to be switched, followed by a reboot. This is probably a five minute operation with perhaps a 2 minute outage while the servers are re-booted. In the orderly world of State government permission must be received from someone in authority to allow this innocuous change to be performed. This is usually a simple matter of picking up the telephone and making a telephone call. For the State’s IT department, which seems to issue pagers, cell phones, e-mail addresses, and blackberries to everyone and anyone, one would think this was a walk in the park. Well, not so fast, buster. The first of these calls was placed last Thursday 8/21/2008!
On Monday, I made a phone call to Terry Pare (Curtis-Pare) to see what could be done to expedite this process. Yesterday I got another e-mail, about 30 minutes after talking to Terry, from the NET-OPS people informing me that another telephone call had been made to an important person who was not answering the telephone at that moment. That was Monday noon.

I think I’m a reasonable person and as such try to give others the space and time needed to deal with the weighty matters of State business. After all, our system is working, except for the State Library’s version known as Moose. Perhaps its time for me to become a bit more cantankerous.

One day, SOON, the new server will be functioning and life will be all sweetness and light again.

Another point of interest. The indexer, which deals with changes to the database and presents the results of search criteria, decided to take a short holiday yesterday. What this means is that the records loaded into the system yesterday will not be available for searching until sometime this evening when the re-index of the over 2 million records is completed.

Have a happy and productive day!

Charlie

NHU-PAC is back, for the moment

(Monday, 10:45am) NHU-PAC is once again available for use. Work on the server switch continues, however, and at least one more (brief) period of down time is anticipated today.

NHU-PAC Outage

(Monday, 9:45am) The NHU-PAC is currently unavailable and we expect it will remain unavailable for at least 30 minutes or so.

September Van Delivery News

1. The NH State Library will be closed on Monday, September 1, 2008 in observance of Labor Day. There will be NO VAN DELIVERY on that date. If you are a Monday only stop you may want to make other arrangements with your van driver for a delivery that week.

For a complete list of all of the holidays the State Library is closed, please visit http://www.nh.gov/nhsl/services/librarians/van_delivery/instructions.html (the van delivery instructions) and scroll down to "NO Van Service".

If for any other reason (e.g. bad weather) van service on a particular route(s) does not operate, libraries will be notified via an e-mail message. If your library does not receive van service on a particular day, please check your e-mail before calling the State Library.

2. Beginning the first week in September, the Tucker Free Library in Henniker will switch their van delivery day from Tuesday to Thursday.

The change will be reflected in the online van directory which can be found at http://www.nh.gov/nhsl/services/librarians/van_delivery/directory.html.

To print a current van directory list arranged in alphabetical order by library, please use the PDF version which is available at http://www.nh.gov/nhsl/services/librarians/van_delivery/documents/vandirectory.pdf

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print this pdf file.If you do not have it installed on your machine, you may down load it for free from http://www.adobe.co.uk/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

3. Please remember to properly label your items which you are sending via the Van Delivery Service. This will help ensure these items make it to the correct destination in a timely manner.

If you need a refresher on how items should be marked for the van, please refer to the Van Delivery Service - Instructions, http://www.nh.gov/nhsl/services/librarians/van_delivery/instructions.html, and scroll down to number 3 of the guidelines, "Addressing material to be sent on the van".

New server

The Gilford Public Library got early word of the server upgrade and held a premature ribbon cutting ceremony for the event. The are just so enthusiastic in Gilford and are willing to celebrate before the event - even a long awaited event like our server upgrade. Congratulations to the Town of Gilford on its new library.

The programmer from SirsiDynix has promised that about 9:00 AM EDT the new server will be pressed into active duty. This will create a short outage of about 15 minutes around that time. The programmer has been involved in the original configuration of out iPACs so I do not anticipate any problems - however ...

There MAY be other outages if and when problems are found and solutions are made to the iPAC presentations.

Charlie

NHU-PAC changes

Friday, Aug. 8, 1:15 p.m.: The backup used to restore the NHU-PAC web interface lacked a few links which had been added recently. These links will be restored as we identify what's missing. This does not affect your searches; bibliographic records added to the NHU-PAC up to and including today are included in search results.

NHU-PAC restored Aug. 8

Friday, Aug. 8, 1 p.m.: NHU-PAC is back in service after an outage of several hours.

NHU-PAC outage Friday morning Aug. 8

Friday, Aug. 8, 7:40 a.m.: NHAIS Services staff found the NHU-PAC out of service early this morning. SirsiDynix was immediately notified and we await resolution of this matter.

Server Upgrade - again

Server upgrade.

Unfortunately, the brand new server that’s been sitting in the Server Farm on Hazen Drive since March will just sit there until another time can be arranged between the needs of NHAIS libraries and SirsiDynix. I have requested that the upgrade be accomplished on 18 August, my first day back from the wilds of Lake Umbagog.

Thank you for your patience and kind words to me about the services offered by NHAIS staff. A pat on the back is always appreciated.

Charlie

Server swap Thursday update

This Thursday morning (August 7) update about this week's NHU-PAC server upgrade is from Charles Le Blanc:

The planned migration from the old server to the new more powerful NHU-PAC server started a day later than planned. I have not received an explanation of this from SirsiDynix. The setup of the applications that make the iPAC look the way it does is going forward. The problem is that this is not a simple one iPAC server migration. There are actually 4 different iPACs running on our current server. Because of the complexities, the setup time is greater than SirsiDynix had allotted and thus instead of the final testing taking place yesterday, the actual move will be sometime today.

I am really upset that you have been inconvenienced by this unplanned schedule change. Hopefully, everything will be moved and functioning today. There will be a short time while the IPs are being changed that the system will be unavailable, but that should be the only outage today.

I thank you for your patience and forbearance.

Charlie

Light Hearted Books for Book Groups

In July 2008 Steve at Libbie Cass Library in Springfield said, "My book group has declared in no uncertain terms that we've read too many depressing, heavy books of late and want something that is light hearted, if not laugh out loud funny, and upbeat and uplifting would be considered pluses as well. Any suggestions?"

Here are the suggestions he received (in no particular order):

1) Janet Evanovich (many suggested this)
2) Bill Bryson (on several people's lists)
3) Walking to Egypt (multiple suggestions)
4) Home to Harmony
5) No 1 Ladies Detective Agency (again multiple suggestions)
6) Wilbur Winkle Has a Complaint
7) A Year Down Yonder and A Long Way From Chicago (although they are YA
books)
8) Travels With Charlie
9) The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio (a couple mentioned this one)
10) David Sedaris
11) Kick Me
12) Rita May Brown
13) Dave Barry
14) A Girl Named Zippy (although I was warned against the sequel)
15) Tender at the Bone
16) Fried Greed Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe
17) Last Days of Summer
18) Standing in the Rainbow
19) Funny in Farsi
20) True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters
21) The Mammy
22) Stern Men
23) Farewell my Subaru
24) Sophie Kinsella (Can You Keep a Secret)
25) Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood
26) The Garden club and the Kumquat Campaign
27) Rebecca Rule (several suggested her)
28) Carl Hiaasen (again several suggested this)
29) Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man
30) Big Stone Gap (several suggested)
31) Jeanne Ray (Julie and Romeo)
32) The Spellman Files
33) Pontoon
34) Never Have Your Dog Stuffed
35) Miss Julia series

A second installment of replies included:
1) I Feel bad About My Neck
2) Short Walk in the Hindu Kush (I loved Slowly Down the Ganges but the group didn’t like it, maybe you have to have traveled in India to find it
funny)
3) P.G. Wodehouse (my first thought when the group wanted light-hearted—-finally someone (actually a couple of folks) suggested it)
4) J. Weiner books (several recommended her)
5) I Capture the Castle
6) Peter Mayle
7) Secret Life of Lobsters
8) Bridget Jones (chick lit)
9) Tony Bourdain
10) Zorro by Allende

Quite a few books or authors on the lists were recommended multiple times by different libraries. I'm a little surprised that Lorna Landvik was never suggested but perhaps folks were looking more for the out and out funny. Which is probably why Maeve Binchy's name didn't show up.

Additionally, I (Mary Russell) would suggest Annie Friedman's Fabulous Travelling Funeral. It has some sad parts, but is a totally "feel-good" book and some of it is quite funny. The various choices the characters make about their lives would provide a lot of material for discussion.

Reminder - Planned NHU-PAC Outage

As Charlie reported two weeks ago, the NHU-PAC server will be upgraded this week. That means that you will not be able to access NHU-PAC (searching, cataloging, or ILL) all day tomorrow (Tuesday, August 5).

On Wednesday (August 6) the system is expected to be available intermittently, so use it at your own risk as it will be up and down often and you are likely to lose your work.

We hope to have everything running good as new by Thursday.

If there is additional information to report it will be posted here on the NHAIS Blog. If you typically get to the blog through the link on the NHU-PAC take a minute to bookmark (or whatever your browser-of-choice calls it) this address so you can get here when the NHU-PAC is unavailable.