Library System Resolves Catalog Problems

By Daniel E. Slotnik

The New York Public Library has worked out most of the technical problems that marred the introduction of its new online catalog on July 6.

Heidi Singer, a spokeswoman for the library system, said in an e-mail message that “the Catalog was operating much more smoothly” by July 8, and that “all major functions were restored” by July 10.

The new catalog integrates the catalogs for the library’s research and circulating collections, making it easier to go through the library’s 14 million cataloged items. Ms. Singer said the Catalog features a “clean, simple search interface similar to an Internet search engine such as Google.”

The Catalog also offers new circulation and user account options like greater control over holds, allowing a library patron “to save a list of books for future reserves, specify different delivery locations for individual books and other materials, and change delivery locations up to the point materials are put in transit.”

The hardware and software for the Catalog cost $7 million, supplied by city and private financing. The new system was tested over the past several months using a database of one million records.

Ms. Singer said the library hoped to add “public interfaces in Spanish, Chinese and Russian,” and a feature that would “allow patrons to pay fines via credit cards.”

Comments are no longer being accepted.

George L July 20, 2009 · 1:09 pm

The graphic interface with NYPL’s new catalog searching is so saturated with bells and whistles that a serious and experienced researcher will be left extremely frustrated and heading elsewhere for information. The “word cloud” in the “refine by tag” section is a gimmick that is fun to play with for a few minutes, but does not assist anyone doing research. NYPL needs to consult actual researchers on how to design the new catalog, not video game designers from art schools! With the inauguration of this new OPAC the world has just lost contact with the NYPL Collection. Is that what they want?

ileen July 20, 2009 · 1:20 pm

Why is it not possible to know where you are on the reserve list for any given item in the new system? The old system had a column that would say 24 of 79 or wherever you are on line. It seems like the new system should give us more information, not less.

No Balkanization July 20, 2009 · 1:42 pm

Now if the NYPL would only integrate the Queens and Brooklyn library holdings into one unified database!

And why more than a hundred years after the consolidation of New York do we still have three separate public library systems that require separate cards, duplicative administrative staffing, etc?

Arshad Sherif, M.A., M.Ed. July 20, 2009 · 1:45 pm

Now you can get through all 14 million items before you die, before you checkout.

Melissa July 20, 2009 · 2:26 pm

I agree with Ileen. I hate that you can no longer see where you are in the hold queue. I always found that to be a useful tool in planning what to reserve and if to start a new book while waiting for what was on hold. I sent an e-mail to the library about it and received a canned response that this was one of the many things that were being resolved. I guess since the catalog problems have been resolved, this feature will not be coming back.

Kay July 20, 2009 · 2:52 pm

I just got back to the office from trying to return a dvd. Unfortunately while my account says that I have the disc checked out, the system also says that this dvd does not exist and cannot be checked in.

The librarian tried and failed to reach anyone at tech support, so she printed out my account summary and hand wrote on it that the item was returned.

Sarah Sarai July 20, 2009 · 4:50 pm

I’ve written City Hall every time there’s been a hue and cry from the Library, in favor of funding. Now I write about the latest financial bamboozle — this new system which, many librarians say, was not designed by anyone familiar with the interface between the public and the database.

Here’s more of my thoughts:
//my3000lovingarms.blogspot.com/2009/07/nyc-library-screw-up-lucy-ricardo-hired.html#comments

MM July 20, 2009 · 4:54 pm

Like Ileen, I am frustrated that I can no longer see where I am in the queue. Also, your account no longer tells you if someone has a hold on an item you have checked out. You used to be able to put things in an order – someone is waiting for this so I’ll read it first, & so on. Also, the homepage is ugly ugly ugly – the typeface is ugly, the color is ugly, the design is ugly. It looks like the first-ever web pages. There are so many things wrong with the catalogue that were right before – does ANYONE think this is an improvement?

Sarah Sarai July 20, 2009 · 4:59 pm

Also: I wanted to find the book “Family” by J. California Cooper. Under “title” I input “Family” only to see hundreds of choices, none of which was “Family.” When I input the author’s name to find the book I did find it, but not the reviews from Publishers Weekly and the Library Journal which used to accompany books (on the left).

//my3000lovingarms.blogspot.com/2009/07/nyc-library-screw-up-lucy-ricardo-hired.html

Amy July 20, 2009 · 5:51 pm

It is indeed frustrating not to see where my hold request is on the reserve list. It was a very helpful feature and as others wrote, I used it to plan my reading log. Since the new system was in place I’ve been checking to see if this feature has returned. I’m dismayed that it seems it’s not coming back.

Jessica July 20, 2009 · 7:32 pm

I hope the library will stop congratulating itself long enough to admit that implementation of this new system was a failure. There are growing pains with any new system, but it is obvious that this one was not fully tested, had inadequate controls to ensure that all the data was converted correctly and dropped functionality that many users considered critical (such as where your hold is in the queue). Some of us may think of the library as a “free” resource, but it is our tax dollars that pay for this service and those responsible for this terrible new system should be held accountable.
If anyone knows what city agency or official we should complain to, please post.

Paula July 21, 2009 · 1:12 pm

I was so curious to see what you all thought was so awful, but instead found a fairly clean, straight-forward online catalog. Nothing I thought was terrible. As a librarian in the Los Angeles area, I have to look at our ugly, outdated catalog every day. I do agree that the colors and font on the “classic” catalog could be improved, but honestly, it seems very functional. Maybe those features you folks are missing, like the queue position, will be phased in to your new system? It’s been up for what, 2 weeks? Give it a chance.

Vic July 22, 2009 · 1:12 pm

This new system creates a barrier to the collections. I pity those who are not comfortable with technology or the English language. It is much less user friendly than the system it replaced.

I noticed today that they have restored the feature of knowing the order of your book reserve in the queue.
Keep calling the library technology department with your suggestions.

Access to the collections has been futher eroded by the recent reduction in the number of holds permitted from 15 to 10. Under the old system, once a hold was fulfilled, you had an open spot to put another book on hold. In this new system, the books are counted as part of your total of 10 items until they are picked up.

Another feature that was lost was the ability to place a hold on a book that was on order, but not yet delivered. I would think that this was an important tool for planning the number of copies finally purchased and the eventual distribution to the branches.

MM July 23, 2009 · 9:06 am

Why would the library care how many items a patron has on hold? If they’re available, that means no one else is looking for them & I may as well have them. And if other people do want them, then first come first served.

Kathleen Thomas July 30, 2009 · 10:17 am

Could someone please, please explain very simply just how to request a book from LEO?– I can no longer even perform this simple task, which was totally intuitive on the old system.

Searches? Lists?, No Request Button, and where in the world is the “Mark for Email” box?