January 2002

Help Name The New ICEPAC ILL Module ICEPAC, which has been very useful to libraries across the northern region for over a year, is about to undergo a change. A new interlibrary loan module is being brought on board to work with the ICEPAC catalog, and will provide a way to make sending and receiving interlibrary loans more efficient. The NNYLN does not yet have a name for this new module, and will be taking suggestions through January 31, 2002. If you have an idea for the name, please fill out the form below and submit it to the Network by 5 p.m. on January 31. Through this automated inter library loan system, a lending string will be created which allows libraries to see which other libraries own the desired books, and choose the order in which they will be requested. The lending string will begin with library number one, and continue down the list until a library that can provide the book is found. This new module will also allow for the status of the request to be checked at any time to see where it is. (This is very similar to checking the status of a UPS shipment on-line.) The new module is a fully featured library system that will also provide reports and statistics, and provide the address of the borrowing library. The new ICEPAC ILL module will be implemented in January 2002, with training workshops being held by the NNYLN the week of Jan. 14 in Canton, Watertown and Plattsburgh. There will be a test period of 24 libraries beginning the week of Jan. 21 and running through February. Between March and June, all remaining libraries in the Network’s service area will be added to the system, with an expectation that all libraries will be on board by the end of June 2002. ICEPAC is an on-line catalog of holdings of all the libraries in the Network’s seven county region. Anyone can utilize the ICEPAC catalog, but only library staff currently have the ability to request the materials through another institution. The first year of the new program will be funded by the Library Services Technology Act (LSTA) grant acquired by the NNYLN. Name: Institution: Phone: Suggested Name for ICEPAC Module: Please fax your suggestion to the NNYLN at 315-265-1881, or mail it to: Northern New York Library Network, 6721 US HWY 11, Potsdam, NY 13676.