Tuesday, Sept. 29, 11:55 a.m.: The server hosting the NHAIS-L and NHAIS-ILL e-mail lists is back in business. Messages sent to the lists since Saturday afternoon have now been posted. This week's server problem appears to be unrelated to last week's change in how messages from subscribers are handled on these lists.
Monday, Sept. 28, 2:45 p.m.: Messages sent to NHAIS-L and NHAIS-ILL today (and possibly yesterday as well) haven't been getting through to the server. The problem has been reported to the state department which controls the server.
Friday, September 25: NHU-PAC searching will be disabled for a few minutes starting at 7:35 a.m. This is to allow installation of an updated index. Searching service should be restored within 10 minutes.
Don't miss the Children's Book Review, which will be held at the NH State Library in Concord next week from Monday, September 28 - Friday, October 2 during library hours (8:00 am until 4:30 pm).
Librarians can come anytime during the week and preview new titles in picture books and juvenile and teen fiction and non-fiction. All attendees will be able to choose one or more titles for their collections to be sent following the Review. For more information, contact Ann Hoey, Youth Services Coordinator, New Hampshire State Library.
Starting yesterday, messages sent to NHAIS-L and NHAIS-ILL from subscribed addresses are being posted to the lists without review. Messages from unsubscribed addresses continue to be held for review by a list administrator.
All new subscriptions still require confirmation from the subscriber and approval by the moderator. This is to make sure that only members of New Hampshire's library community are on the list, not spammers or vendors.
NHAIS Services began reviewing all messages to NHAIS-L and NHAIS-ILL many years ago after the lists had been shut down for several weeks because of viruses being spread through the lists. It's hard to believe these days but at the time several libraries were using the Internet without benefit of antivirus software.
With a smaller NHAIS Services staff following Charlie Le Blanc's retirement, we've been taking a look at how some of our chores can be handled more efficiently. And, importantly, it's been five years since we found an infected piece of mail sent to the lists. That's probably because everybody uses some sort of antivirus protection these days. If you don't, it's time you did--and make sure you update it regularly.
For subscribers, this change means there's be no more delay between the time messages are sent and when they're posted. It also means we aren't able to intercept erroneous messages on your behalf so please review your messages before you hit the send button.
Also check where your message is addressed to before sending it. NHAIS-ILL was created a decade ago because many NHAIS-L subscribers had nothing to do with interlibrary loan and wanted to bypass the many messages each day on this topic. Please respect the different audiences for the two lists by directing your message to the correct one. Requests for materials you couldn't borrow through NHU-PAC, ILL policy questions, queries about items lost in transit, or requests to receive or complete an ILL transaction belong on NHAIS-ILL. Anything else should go to NHAIS-L.
Also note that there is an upper limit to the size of messages as one user found recently when her message with 4 large photos attached was rejected by the maillist server.
Your NHAIS-L and NHAIS-ILL administrators,
Mary Russell
David Harris
271-2141
From a recent posting to the NHAIS-L list:
"Does anyone know of a good place to find MARC records for DVDs that can be imported? I have a pile of them that need cataloging and I can’t avoid them any longer. I believe they were purchased through Amazon, so no vendor records available."
NHAIS members may download MARC bibliographic records from the NHU-PAC at no charge. The database contains thousands of records for DVDs held by New Hampshire libraries but if what you're looking for isn't there you can enter information through NHU-PAC's Add Brief Records form and NHAIS Services will add (at no charge) a full record to the database based on your submission.
Those unfamiliar with this process are encouraged to sign up for 2 classes (also free!) coming up in Concord on October 27: Searching the NHU-PAC and Copy Cataloging with NHU-PAC. Sign up with our online registration system.
And here's a free tip for those trying to find records for DVDs and CDs in the NHU-PAC: if the item you're trying to catalog doesn't have an ISBN, try entering a UPC or publisher's stock number in the "Numbers appearing on materials" search under Browse Indexes. If you just got the new Wolverine movie on DVD, either 024543602859 (found near the retail bar code) or 226028 (found elsewhere on the packaging) will lead you to the right record.
Browse searches give you an alphabetical (or, in this case, numeric) list of results. Click on the number in the left-hand column to see details on a particular record.
Wednesday, September 23: NHU-PAC searching will be disabled for a few minutes starting at 7:35 a.m. This is to allow installation of an updated index. Searching service should be restored within 10 minutes.
Thursday, September 17: NHU-PAC searching will be disabled for a few minutes starting at 7:40 a.m. This is to allow installation of an updated index. Searching service should be restored within 10 minutes.
Wednesday, Sept. 16, 9:45 a.m.: Because of server maintenance, you may find the NHU-PAC out of service at times this morning.
I will be attending co-op meetings throughout the state over the next couple of months to talk with libraries about staff changes in NHAIS and to answer any questions people may have about NHAIS services and programs. Here are the scheduled dates I have so far:
I have spoken with the chairs of several othere coops as well and will announce additional dates when they are confirmed.
I hope to see you at a coop meeting!
Thursday, September 10: NHU-PAC searching will be disabled for a few minutes starting at 7:40 a.m. This is to allow installation of an updated index. Searching service should be restored within 10 minutes.
There is a problem going on with some telephones in the state system. It doesn't at this point seem to be messing up the NHAIS Help Desk phone (603-271-2141). However, if you call and don't get through to either one of us or the voicemail please send an email message to nhu-pac@dcr.nh.gov and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
On August 1, 2009 there were 1,916,964 bibliographic records in the NHU-PAC to which 5,948,154 were attached.
On September 1, 2009 there were 1,922,074 bibliographic records in the NHU-PAC with 5,967,837 items attached to them.
The NHU-PAC grew by just over 5K bib records and nearly 20K items in the past month!
