[Libs-Or] ORULS annual news

[Deanna Iltis]

Earlier this week the ORULS annual newsletter was mailed to Oregon 
libraries.  Here’s a copy FYI--

OREGON REGIONAL UNION LIST OF SERIAL (ORULS)
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP LETTER

WHAT IS ORULS?
New staff may not know about ORULS, the Oregon Regional Union List of 
Serials.  For the past 30 years, ORULS has provided a listing of the 
serials holdings of Oregon libraries for reference and resource sharing 
use.  Currently, ORULS-Web provides free, internet access to serials 
holding data of 150 Oregon and 4 Washington libraries--public, academic, 
health science, special, and governmental.  Holdings data  in ORULS-Web 
are refreshed every two years, most recently in September 2004, at a 
cost of $14,000.

Since 1995 the ORULS Project has been funded entirely by Oregon 
libraries through annual membership, a voluntary, sliding-scale fee 
based on size of library budget.  The annual membership letter and 
invoice were mailed out to Oregon libraries earlier this week.

ORULS-WEB HAS BEEN UPDATED!
Have you seen the new, improved ORULS-Web at 
<http://www.osl.state.or.us/home/oruls/search.php>!
Over the summer, OSL’s Kyle Banerjee migrated the ORULS holdings data to 
a standard platform and redesigned the search screen for enhanced 
functionality.  Features include:
--simultaneous searching of current OCLC-based and historic ORULS 
Backfile holdings
--searching by title, corporate author, ISSN, and OCLC number (the NLM 
number search will be restored in the near future)
--direct access to the list of holding libraries from the holdings display.

Plus, for ORULS participant libraries:
--limiting search by individual library or sub-library collection (3- or 
4- character OCLC codes), and/or by total number of holdings
--ability to output search results in Excel (see section below on ORULS 
Backfile deletions)
--resulting Excel capability to sort on various fields for such purposes 
as:  collection development, ‘endangered species’ identification, 
identifying holdings needing to be updated
--convenient link to the online ORULS Backfile form to delete holdings 
when they are no longer needed.

Your comments about the new ORULS-Web searching options and capabilities 
are very welcome as we seek to improved the usefulness and usability of 
this resource sharing tool.


WEB SURVEY - AND FUTURE OF ORULS PROJECT
There have been many changes in the past few years in the ways serials 
holdings data are presented and used within OCLC, as well as changes in 
Oregon library budgets and staff.  For this reason, the ORULS Project 
conducted a web survey last spring to evaluate the current use of 
serials holdings data as compared with 3 three ago.  Special thanks to 
163 Oregon libraries for completing the survey!   An analysis of the 
responses led the State Librarian’s decision to continue the ORULS 
Project for the next two years, with another survey to be conducted in 
2006.  Survey results are viewable at: 
<http://www.osl.state.or.us/home/oruls/Web_survey_results.html>.


ORULS HOME PAGE
The ORULS home page  <http://www.osl.state.or.us/home/oruls/>  is in the 
process of migrating to the new State Library website, so you will be 
noticing some changes in the near future.  Currently, the ORULS webpage 
provides access to:
--ORULS search screen and lists of participating libraries
--news about the ORULS Project, ORULS Web, and OCLC union listing and 
offline products
--documents such as the ORULS/OCLC Union Listing Manual and Web Survey 
results.

Meanwhile, the ORULS search screen is directly accessible at: 
<http://www.osl.state.or.us/home/oruls/search.php>.


ORULS PROJECT SERVICES
The ORULS Project office at the State Library:
--conducts on-going development, quality control, and maintenance of the 
ORULS databases (both the ORULS/OCLC data and historic non-OCLC Backfile 
data).
--advocates regionally and nationally for union listing enhancements
--provides union listing consultation, documentation, and training.
	
MORE NEWS FOR ORULS PARTICIPATING UNION LISTING LIBRARIES

OCLC UNION LISTING IS ALIVE AND WELL
--OCLC recently announced that union listing via Connexion Browser will 
be ready by June 2005, when Passport will be retired.  Union listing via 
Connexion Client will follow.
--Batch loading of holdings data has developed from pilot project to 
full-fledged OCLC service < 
http://www.oclc.org/batchprocessing/options/holdings/default.htm>.
--Serials holding data is now accessible in FirstSearch, adding extra 
validity to all the union listing being done by Oregon libraries!  < 
http://www.oclc.org/support/tips/firstsearch/tip4.htm>.
--Union List Listserv "UL-L" established in Sept. 2001, with over 600 
members, is a forum for questions and comments about union listing 
issues.   e-mail:  listserv at oclc.org
--Guidelines for Electronic Serials in Union Lists issued in fall 2001 
(with ORULS participation in working group): 
<http://www.oclc.org/support/documentation/unionlist/using/guidelines/default.htm 
 >.


ORULS BACKFILE
The ORULS Backfile contains the remaining pre-OCLC holdings union listed 
1974-1983.  Our goal is to shrink the Backfile out of existence as ORULS 
participant libraries check their Backfile holdings and convert them to 
OCLC. Here are some suggested directions for producing a list of your 
library’s Backfile holdings:
--On the ORULS search screen, enter an asterisk (*) in the Search box 
and your OCLC library code in the Holdings Symbol box
--After the list is compiled, click on the link: “Output results in Excel”
--Sort the Excel spreadsheet by the OCLC column--Backfile records will 
be at the bottom
--Copy Backfile records into another Excel spreadsheet, arrange, and check
--Email ORULS Project with partial or complete list of Backfile records 
to be deleted.

Libraries that have completed this step include:  Pacific University, 
Walla Walla College, Umatilla County Special Library District (now 
inactive in ORULS), Clackamas Community College, Concordia University, 
and Willamette University.  In addition, Oregon State University, 
Portland State University, and Multnomah County Library have submitted 
massive Backfile deletions over the past eight years.   Thanks from all 
of us who use ORULS Web!

For questions, comments, and suggestions about ORULS and union listing, 
contact:
Deanna Iltis, ORULS Project Coordinator, deanna.w.iltis at state.or.us, 
(503) 378-4198, ext. 245.

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Deanna Iltis, ORULS Project Coordinator
Oregon State Library
503 378-4198 ext. 245
FAX: 503 588-7119
deanna.w.iltis at state.or.us
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