Catalog Updates

SirsiDynix, our integrated library systems vendor, has released a new version of Horizon. This release of Horizon requires that we upgrade our database, staff client, public catalog, reporting tool and more. In addition, our server hardware is near end of life so we will also be replacing our physical hardware. In short, it's a very major upgrade. We want to take advantage of the improvements in this release but also want to make sure we don't run into any unexpected problems.¹.

Upgrade Timeline

• In late April the hardware for the new server arrived and was prepared for the install of the newest version of Horizon.
• Last week, SirsiDynix installed the newest version of Horizon on our server.
• As soon as I have verified that the system is stable, I will let staff test the new public interface. I expect that this will probably happen sometime next week.
• During the rest of the summer I, along with other library staff, will work on thoroughly testing each component of the new software. We want to make sure that all the functionality we currently have continues to work correctly in the new version.
• In November, after we have made sure the new system is good, we plan to move all the data from our current system to the new software. We are scheduled to do this while the library in closed in hopes of minimizing the inconvenience to our staff and library borrowers.

¹A little bit of history: Back in the summer of 2004 SirsiDynix released the now infamous Horizon Information Portal (HIP) 4.0. Fortunately, we did not upgrade at that time. However, some of the libraries that did upgrade claimed to be down for weeks trying to get the catalog to work correctly. The release we will be upgrading to is built on the much more stable HIP 3 series instead of the now defunct HIP 4 series. In any event, it is still very important that we thoroughly test this new software to make sure it meets the needs of both our staff and library borrowers.