SOARIntegratedLibrarySystem2


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What is SOAR?
S.O.A.R., Seeking Online Access to Resources, is the name CPS (Chicago Public School) librarians chose for the new centralized school library automation system for the district. This system is implemented by TLC (The Library Corporation).

*How do we prepare our library for centralized library automation?
 Fill out the interest survey. ([])  Weed the collection.  Clean up the catalog records.  Complete a Retrospective Conversion (for currently non-automated libraries). This [|presentation] will answer some of your presentation questions.

*How do we join the new system?
 First, complete the online Interest Survey at the following link: [] If you are interested in joining, but have questions, please attend one of the SOAR Cycle 3 Interest Meetings on February 8 or February 22 (registration in CPS University).

 **The due dates for Cycle 3**, which will implement at the start of the 2010-11 school year are as follows:


 * **Participation Agreement, due April 1, 2010**
 * **Data from automated schools, due May 1, 2010**
 * **Data from retrospective conversions (MARC, Set, Go), due July 1, 2010**

Please see below for a detailed list of items due.

If your school is currently **automated**: 1. Export and email your MARC records to Christie Thomas (clthomas1 at cps.k12.il.us) or Connie Amon (clamon at cps.k12.il.us). Click here for [|instructions]. Note that any MARC reports that are imported in to your local system after you have submitted your MARC record export will not be included in the new system. You will be able to add these records after you are live on the new system. 2. Collect and submit Barcode samples. Click here for [|instructions]. Click here for the [|spreadsheet] to use. 3. Sign and submit a participation agreement. 4. Attend a required informational meeting on April 19 (9-11 AM) or April 20 (3-5 PM).

If your school is **not currently automated**: 1. Sign-up for Retrospective Conversion (MARC Set Go) training. Two-hour sessions will be offered from 9-11, 12-2, and 3-5 on **January 25, February 18, March 18, April 8 and May 10** in the Professional Library. 2. Complete your Retrospective Conversion by July 1, 2010 to be included in Cycle 3. 3. Sign and submit a participation agreement. 4. Attend a required informational meeting on April 19 (9-11 AM) or April 20 (3-5 PM).

Participation Agreement Participation Requirements

*Forms (for ordering scanners and barcode labels, and reserving equipment)
 Barcode Scanner Order Form and Instructions  

Barcode Labels Order Form


 * TLC Vendor #: 13137**

Click [|here] to reserve a laptop(s), scanner(s) or printer.
 * Equipment Registration Form (for Retrospective Conversion Schools ONLY)**

*About SOAR/TLC
TLC’s Library.Solution will provide CPS libraries with automated circulation, an online catalog of the books and resources in our libraries, and online searching that will include selected web resources and library subscription databases. The catalog will include enhanced content such as images of book jackets, book reviews, and descriptive summaries and tables of contents of our library books. Students and teachers will have the ability to review books for other readers as well as create and share reading and research lists of resources. Students, teachers and parents will have access to the catalog over the Internet from home or school.

**Preview the** [|Classic OPAC] **for the Professional Library.**
 * Preview the** [|LS2 OPAC (with the book river)] **for the Professional Library.**


 * TLC also provides the library automation system for the Chicago Public Library, which can be viewed at** []**.**

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">*Barcode Specifications
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> The CPS barcode specifications were updated in June of 2009. While we are still using the Codabar 14 symbology, the characters have changed. The five-digit Oracle number will now be used instead of the four-digit unit number. All strategic source vendors as well as some of our other vendors have been assigned a two-digit vendor number (please refer to the attached document). Vendors will now assign item numbers and check digits. If you have any questions, please contact your Area Library Coordinator.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">*FAQs

 * Q. What are some of the features of the new system?**
 * A. **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Library.Solution from The Library Corporation provides automated circulation; an online catalog of the books and other resources in the school library; and integrated searching of the school collection, teacher-selected web sites, and subscription databases such as Encyclopedia Britannica, NewsBank, and Gale. The system also includes an interface, KC Web, that is created just for primary students. In addition, users will benefit from enhanced content such as book jacket images, critical reviews, descriptive summaries, and tables of contents. Students and teachers will be able to save searches, share lists of resources, and tag books to make them easier to locate in the catalog.


 * Q. What is a retrospective conversion?**
 * A.** A Retrospective Conversion is the process of creating an electronic catalog of the items in the library collection. To aid in this process the Department of Libraries is providing MARC Set Go software that makes it easy for your school librarian to enter all of the information about the items in the library collection. A single item can be entered in to the system in less than a minute! To complete a Retrospective Conversion, your librarian should attend training on how to use the MARC Set Go software and plan to spend 1 minute per item entering the collection. A collection of 5000 items should take one person approximately 80 hours. The school librarian should manage the process, but the software is so easy to use that school staff or volunteers can assist in the process so that it proceeds more quickly.


 * Q. What are the costs associated with the new ILS?**
 * A.** The Department of Libraries and Information Services will cover the cost of the software, training, and central hardware. The school is responsible for providing a workstation for the librarian (approximately $1000), a barcode scanner (options ranging from $250-$650), and miscellaneous materials for processing items (barcode labels at $35/500 pairs and spine label printer stock ($23/1000 labels). Some hardware for preparing for the library can be checked out from the Department of Libraries and Information Services such as laptops and barcode scanners for performing the Retrospective Conversion and spine label printers for processing library materials. Starting in the third year of implementation, schools will share annual maintenance and support costs at a rate of approximately $300 per school.


 * Q. What if I already have a workstation and barcode scanner in the library?**
 * A.** You may not need to purchase another workstation or barcode scanner. Any workstation that is able to run Internet Explorer 7 or Safari should work with the new system. Barcode scanners that are able to scan a barcode correctly in to a plain text document (Notepad or Excel) should work with the new system.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">** A. ** The system will launch with 38 pilot schools in March 2009. Immediately after, district-wide implementation will begin. It is anticipated that 70 schools will implement in the spring of 2009 and be ready to Go Live at the start of the 2009/2010 academic school year. Thereafter, over 100 schools per year will be added until all school libraries have converted to the new system.
 * Q. What is the timeline for implementing the new system?**


 * Q. What is required of the school library during the implementation process?**
 * A. **The implementation process is a 12 week period during which The Library Corporation will convert your electronic catalog and holdings information in to the new system. During this time the librarian(s) should be available to answer questions about the catalog. The librarian(s) will be required to attend 3 days of training over the 12 week period (if needed, sub coverage is the school’s responsibility).