By Chris Goodmacher
Daily Bruin Contributor
Almost a year after the delayed launch of ORION2, the system is
running smoothly, with new features being constantly added.
ORION2, the UCLA Library’s new online information system,
was installed in January, more than a year and a half after the
initial projected launch.
The original ORION was Telnet-based, restricted to users on UCLA
campus, while ORION2 is Web based and available everywhere,
according to Dawn Setzer, director of library communications.
Other enhancements for the new system include links to other
information on the Web, the ability to e-mail search results, and
the later implementation of audio and visuals on the system.
UCLA library administrators began looking for a new system to
replace ORION back in 1994. ORION was the old UCLA library
information system, in use since the 1980s.
In June 1996, the contract with Data Research Associates was
signed to implement ORION2 at UCLA, the launch date was projected
to be December 1997.
This date was pushed back to summer of 1998, and then to Sept.
27, 1999, when the original ORION system had to be taken offline in
anticipation of problems with Y2K.
Although testing in August indicated that ORION2 would be ready
by the Sept. 27 date, it was not. After it was unveiled as a test
version in January, the system was officially announced open to
students on March 10.
So far, the public catalog has been operating very efficiently,
according to Terry Ryan, associate university librarian for
information technology.
“The problems that ORION2 has experienced are not uncommon
with new software products,” Ryan said. “What made them
difficult for us was the need to deploy the system last fall before
the software was sufficiently robust. We continue to work in
concert with DRA to enhance the system.”
Libraries at other universities were able to put off their
library system upgrades because their systems were Y2K
compliant.
Harvard University Library and Minnesota’s Library
Planning Task Force pulled out of their dealings with DRA after
noting how the installation was going with UCLA.
But now that the system is functioning well, other major
universities, such as Duke University and the University of Toronto
are turning to DRA for their library system needs, Ryan said.
Faculty and students criticized the ORION2 system for its
numerous delays and the problems they caused, including forcing the
library to incur a cost overrun of more than $700,000 in December
1999, to keep ORION running a year longer than expected.
But, the library was able to mitigate these costs by
repositioning staff.
“In many areas we were able to redeploy existing staff and
resources to provide information and services by phone and
e-mail,” said Janice Koyama, associate university librarian
for public services, “So no additional costs were
incurred.”
Although the system has been in place for some time, some
students are still skeptical.
Many of the students were only taught how to use MELVYL during
their first year.
“I’m going to continue to use MELVYL. It takes time
to learn how to use another system,” said Ted Chang, a
second-year communications student.
MELVYL, the UC-wide catalog system had been used as the fall
back system during the period after ORION was removed, but before
ORION2 was installed.
But MELVYL does not give access to circulation status ““
whether a book is currently checked out or not.
The ORION2 system is constantly being amended by way of software
patches, which essentially fixes previous problems with
software.
The patches are not because the software came incomplete; they
were chunks of software coding that fixed problems identified,
according to Ryan.
“As with the development of the original ORION system that
ORION2 replaced,” Ryan said. “We will continue to add
enhancements in the coming months and years, but all basic public
catalog functionality is in place.”
ORION2 can be accessed at http://orion2test.library.ucla.edu
HOW ORION STACKS UP Side by side comparison of
catalog systems and additional features and coming enhancements of
ORION2. MELVYN ORION ORION2 What is it? UC-Wide Catalog System.
UCLA library system catalog since the 1980’s, offline Sept. 1999
due to Y2K problem. New UCLA library system catalog, online since
Jan. 2000. What can it do? Search holdings of all the UC campuses,
but not circulation. Explore searching, cataloging, and circulation
of UCLA libraries. Explore searching, cataloging,and circulation of
UCLA libraries. How can I access it? Web-based, available through
the Internet. Telnet-based, restricted to users on UCLA. Web-based,
available through the Internet. Additional features of
ORION2:
- Ability to email an individual record or a list of up to 500
results. - Records can include live links to Web pages containing related
material, such as finding aids for archival collections and
associateddigitized items, and other material published on the
Web. - Display of foreign characters.
Coming enhancements:
- Indication of the status of material that the library has
recently ordered or received. - Implementation of audio and visuals.
SOURCE: UCLA Libraries
Original by TERESA WOO Web Adaptation by MONICA KWONG/Daily
Bruin Senior Staff