IMPORTANT – VDX ILL System Maintenance / Upgrade
In preparation for the switch to an upgraded version, the VDX ILL System will be unavailable on Monday morning, January 12, 2009 beginning at approximately 8:00am while HSLC staff works with OCLC to convert the ILL system to VDX 3.2.2. During this time, you will not be able to place ILL requests, check the status of existing ILLs, or log into VDX to process requests for which you have received email alerts. Please note that rota movement and time at each step will stop for requests already in the VDX system and will begin again when the system is restored.
An announcement will be sent to all Access PA participants sometime Monday, January 12, 2009, when the conversion is completed. Upon logging into VDX, you will begin using version 3.2.2 to process ILL requests. Please note that while VDX version 3.2.2. contains new and improved features which are described below, you may continue to use all the features of the previous VDX version while becoming more familiar with the new ones. All of your existing requests and reports will be transfered to VDX 3.2.2. The new features, as described below, were presented during the fall Access PA/POWER Library training sessions.
A link to download handy VDX 3.2.2 Quick Start Guides for Requesters and Responders is available on the Access PA website’s hompage at http://www.accesspa.state.pa.us or by linking directly to
http://www.accesspa.state.pa.us/vdx_ill_sys.htm.
The complete VDX 3.2.2 Manual will be available on Monday, January 12, 2009, by linking directly to
http://www.accesspa.state.pa.us/vdx_ill_sys.htm.
Listed below are the major upgrades included in VDX 3.2.2, which include Work Queus and the Simple Search feature, both of which provide easy ways to locate individual ILL requests. Actions will now be performed with 2 clicks (down from 3) and the terminate action replaces the cancel action, making it possible to terminate requests in one easy step.
Highlights of VDX 3.2.2 include:
Work Queues
Requester and Responder Work Queues allow you to see snapshots of your library’s current ILL workload. The Work Queue display lists the status, total of non-completed requests, and the number of requests waiting to be actioned. Work Queues can be accessed via a botton along the top of the ILL Request Search screen.
Responder Work Queues will display Renewal requests, making it no longer necessary to search responder results lists for renewal requests. Requester Work Queues will display items that are Overdue or have been recalled by responders. When the the “Message” action is performed, Requester and Responder Work Queues will display message indications, making it no longer necessary to search for messages.
Actions Available on Results Lists
New in VDX version 3.2.2 is the ability to select and perform actions from either the Requester or Responder results list, reducing the number of clicks necessary to action requests from 3 to 2. NOTE: It is important to remember to click the down arrow located to the left of the Actions box to select the appropriate action in the Actions available box before clicking the Action button.
Terminate Action Replaces Cancel Action
The terminate action allows requesters to cancel unwanted items that are in the status of Pending, regardless of the number of libraries remaining in the Rota. Once the terminate action is successfully performed, no other library will receive the request, since the remainder of the Rota will be deleted.
Simple Search
A Simple Search interface allowing users to search for a single ILL request by Request #, Title, or due date, is now available by clicking the Simple Search button located along the top of the ILL Request Search screen. Recommended for use by libraries that have large Requester/Responder results lists, Simple Search may be used to quickly locate individual items that are shipped or returned to your library.
