SWIFT Migration Project Update – October 2022

Hope everyone had a great summer and that things are “falling” up in your neck of the woods. Since our last update, we’ve continued to expand SWIFT support resources, and  completed projects to offer lending and patron-initiated borrowing for more SWIFT libraries. Keep reading for the details!

New SWIFT Knowledge Base Content

Last spring we launched a new website devoted to the SWIFT service that includes a Knowledge Base with functional documentation, answers to frequently asked questions, and more. We continue to add information and resources to the Knowledge Base to help you get the most out of your participation in the SWIFT service. And, if you have suggestions for information you would like to see, or other topics we should cover, please let us know by emailing suggestions to swift-support@coloradovirtuallibrary.org.

In addition to the new website, we also implemented a new support ticketing system that will allow you to retrieve answers to SWIFT questions and requests that you make going forward. If you need assistance with SWIFT, you can simply send an email to swift-support@coloradovirtuallibrary.org, or you can fill out and submit a request form, and it will automatically create a ticket, and log all responses, resources, and attachments that are exchanged to resolve your issue or answer your question. The information will continue to show up in your email inbox, just like it does now, but it will also be available to review later if you create an account in the SWIFT Support Portal. For instructions on how to create an account, visit: https://swift.cvlsites.org/get-help/support-portal/

Website: https://swift.cvlsites.org/

Knowledge Base: https://swift.cvlsites.org/knowledge-base/

SWIFT Support Portal: https://swift-support.freshdesk.com/support/home

SWIFT Community Mail List: https://www.cvl-lists.org/mailman3/postorius/lists/swift.cvl-lists.org/

The SWIFT mailing list is the main channel that we use for sharing information about things like the Reconciliation process, software upgrades, system downtime, and updates about the SWIFT service. It is also a venue for SWIFT users to  discuss issues and questions related to the use of the Prospector/INN-Reach  platform. If you are not already subscribed, or have staff that would benefit from staying up-to-date on what is happening in SWIFT and Prospector land, subscribe via the link given above.

What’s Newest?

As we shared in our last update, five AspenCat libraries made the transition from staff-initiated borrowing in the RSB, to patron-initiated borrowing and lending through Direct to INN-Reach integration (D2IR) within the Koha integrated library system (ILS).  Though we started with a small group, we expect to move the remaining 55 or so AspenCat public and special libraries to the D2IR integration as a large group. We had hoped that that transition would happen this past summer, but because of some staffing changes at ByWater, which is the vendor that supports the AspenCat Koha system, and some development needs that were identified by the group of early adopters, that timeline has been pushed out, though we hope to resume this project soon!

We are also plugging along with Phase 2 of the migration project, which will allow automated libraries (that are not part of the AspenCat consortium) to offer patron-initiated borrowing, and lend materials in their collections to other Prospector libraries through the Resource Sharing Broker (RSB). Over the past few months we have completed full implementation projects  for two SWIFT libraries, who are now offering patron-initiated borrowing, and lending materials in their collections to other Prospector libraries through the Resource sharing broker. Estes Valley Library went live in late June, and Northeastern Junior College went live in mid-October. Other libraries that are interested in providing these additional features are queuing up. If you would like to schedule a full implementation project, please contact us at swift-support@coloradovirtuallibrary.org. Remember that if  you want to offer this additional functionality, you will need to be able to:

1. Provide a regular extract of patron, bibliographic and item data that meets the INN-Reach platform’s data specifications.
2. Promote the service and provide instruction to patron end users.
3. Place links to Prospector union catalog on library website and OPAC
4. Complete RSB client training for Lending requests and returns

What Else is Happening?

This past spring and summer, we completed extensive outreach to all libraries that were eligible to participate in Prospector through the SWIFT program, but hadn’t yet completed the steps outlined here: here: SWIFT Migration – Start your Engines! While some special libraries declined to continue participation, we are in the process of completing the back end set up for the remaining public and federal correctional facility libraries so that when they are able to complete the client download and firewall configuration, we can quickly flip the switch and get them going.

Finally, earlier this month we hosted a webinar about the Prospector Reconciliation Process with Jennifer Hoffman, the chair of the Prospector Document Delivery Committee. Reconciliation is an annual process that all Prospector participants complete in order to identify and track down items that were loaned in the past year but have not made it back to their home library. For those that weren’t able to attend, the recording can be found at: SWIFT | Reconciliation, Reports, and Migration Update.