The new Library system went live successfully on Wednesday 3 August 2011. Thank you all for your patience during the migration period. The following notes give guidance on the current status in relation to each of our key services.

Borrowing and returning books
Full issue and return functionality in now available.

Reserving books
The facility to reserve books on loan to other users using the Library Catalogue has been restored.

Requesting
The request service has been restored. Requests may be placed via the Library Catalogue as before. It is not possible to view requests which were placed before the move to the new system.

Library Catalogue
The new Library Catalogue has been launched and the My Account functionality has been restored. It is not possible to view the history of your book loans before the move to the new system.

Online journals
The e-journals A-Z list (which can be accessed from links on the Catalogue and honni home pages) is the current mechanism for accessing e-resources. In due course, these records will be fully integrated in the Catalogue.

Notices, overdues, reminders, recall notices etc.
The Library has resumed sending out notices. Please note that in future the primary method of sending out library notices will be by email. It is therefore important that the Library has your correct email details.

If you have any questions, please contact one of the Medical and Healthcare Library staff on 028 9063 2500 or med.info@qub.ac.uk.

Recently we announced plans to introduce a new integrated Library System. This is just a brief message to keep you informed about progress.

The new system will be implemented in two phases. At the start of August the existing honni catalogue will be replaced. Towards the end of the year the 2nd phase of the project will be implemented. At that point there will be a new honni website with enhanced and integrated search facilities.

During Phase 1 you will need to use honni e-lib to locate all your e-resources and use the new catalogue to check our print collection.

Please also note that:
• You will not be able to reserve books on loan to other users for a short period of time in late July/early August (provisionally 21 July-8 August).
• Some features of the Library catalogue (eg My Account) may be unavailable for a short period.

Further details and confirmation of the dates quoted will be communicated as soon as possible.

If you have any questions, please contact one of the Medical and Healthcare Library staff on 028 9063 2500 or med.info@qub.ac.uk.

The British Library has just issued an update with regard to their delay in supplying some inter-library loan requests. Although the restoration work is unlikely to be completed before the end of this year, there has been significant progress with regard to the availability of stock.

Journal articles
The most heavily used serials which accounts for 55% of the affected document supply orders will become available from the end of this month.

Books
From June, work to restore access to current monographs will get underway.

Alternative sources
The British Library have introduced a number of initiatives to try to complete orders from alternative sources. Also, local Library staff will continue to obtain material from other locations whenever possible in an effort to satisfy requests more quickly.

Further information
If you would like an update on any of your outstanding requests please contact the Inter-Library Loan Department on 9063 2551 (The Medical Library).

The British Nursing Index database is no longer available on the EBSCO platform and has been removed from the list of electronic resources.  At present it is not yet clear who will be the new provider but we are keen to hear your views if you think this is an important database that we should try and retain. If you would like any further information or assistance with searching Cinahl (Cumulative index to nursing and allied health) and restricting searches to UK material, please contact the nursing subject librarian, p.watt@qub.ac.uk.

We are continuing to experience delays in supplying some inter-library loan requests due to maintenance work being carried out at the British Library.  Parts of the building have been closed temporarily, leading to the unavailability of some items.

Whenever we are unable to obtain an item from the British Library we then try other locations.  This takes time and may delay the process by a week or more.  

The British Library recently issued a statement saying that their priority is “to get higher use collection items back in service as quickly as possible, with some of the most heavily-used material now scheduled to be back in use by mid-April”.

If you have any concerns, or want an update on your request please contact the Inter-Library Loans Department on 028 9063 2551 (Medical Library).

The Medical & Healthcare Library carried out a survey of HSC users in January 2011 to obtain feedback on the service provided. The results of the survey are now available in PDF format below, or from the Issue Desks of the following libraries: Medical, Biomedical, Antrim Healthcare, Craigavon Healthcare, Altnagelvin, Knockbracken and Causeway.

Medical & Healthcare Library Survey Report April 2011

Plans are well underway to introduce a new integrated Library System for the University. Following a detailed tender process, a suite of products from Innovative Interfaces has been chosen to provide a complete management and access solution. In addition to the Millennium System, the Library has selected the Encore Platform and an electronic resource management system to provide access to its extensive collections.

The initial rollout of the products is expected to take place in August 2011 and the transition will involve improvements to the Library Catalogue, the issue system and the method of locating and accessing electronic resources. While there is the potential for a range of exciting and enhanced services in all of these areas, the primary focus in summer 2011 will be to replicate the functionality provided by the current system.

We will communicate a detailed schedule of the changes and any implications for service delivery throughout the spring and early summer. However, disruption will be kept to an absolute minimum and contingency measures put in place where necessary.

If you have any immediate questions, please contact Trevor Lyttle, Assistant Director (Resources Management) on extension 6223 or e-mail library@qub.ac.uk.

This problem was resolved on 23/3/2011.

There is currently a problem with accessing ProQuest journals from the honni A-Z list, and journal articles from ProQuest via CrossSearch.  The problem is under investigation and, until a resolution is found, please go to ProQuest from Find Database and search for material in the native interface.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused and will rectify the problem as quickly as possible.

As an integral part of the ongoing refurbishment project, improvements to the Clinical Science B car park, external steps and Mulhouse walkway are now planned for the coming weeks. From Saturday 19 February the Clinical Science B car park will be closed and consequently, access to the Medical Library in the Mulhouse Building will not be possible by the usual route. The pedestrian diversion will be via the footpath between the Microbiology Building and the School of Dentistry.

We apologise for the inconvenience caused by this diversion.  The end result will be a much improved access route and car parking facilities.