Filling the ILS Reporting Void

… PHP Web Reports & VRS

ELUNA 5 June 2007

Presenters: Bob Trotter, Coordinator

GIL Service Site @ University of Georgiarwt@mail.libs.uga.edu

Phil Williams, Director Virtual Library Support, University System of Georgia

Phil.Williams@usg.edu

GALILEO Interconnected Libraries - GIL

36 USG Institutions (map)Georgia Dept. of Archives

& HistoryAtlanta History Center

3 Service Sites - Ga. Tech (1) - Ga. State (21) - UGA (16)

Migrated from 7 ILS:DRA, Datatrek, GLS, Notis,

PALS, Sirsi, and UGA’s GALIN

Voyager Reporting Options

• Reporter

• Access Reports

• Analyzer

USG Libraries began their 3-year migration to Voyager in 1998.

Early in the migration process Library staff requests for data

started to disprove a basic assumption – the staff would easily

move to using MS Access to query the Voyager database.

Typical ReactionsThe Access Reports are okay, but ….

We don’t have time to learn SQL.

MS Access is too complex.

I just want a button to click.

GIL Reports Committee Recommendations (year 2000)

• GIL Web Reports– Fast– Ease of Use

• GIL Workstation Reports– Filters– Sort Options– Output Alternatives– Security

GIL Web Reports

• Following the GIL Reports Committee’s reporting recommendations, work was begun first on the GIL Web Reports which use PHP and Apache. Some reports were duplicates of Voyager MS Access reports, while others were designed with selected parameter input to fill the reporting void and meet staff demands for information.

• Welcome to GIL Web Reports – presented by Bob Trotter

Voyager Reporting System - VRS• As the first GIL Web Reports were being made available,

work on the workstation reporting client was started. The GIL Web Reports have bridged many reporting voids, especially for consortium reports. They provide data that Library staff need on a day-to-day basis through a web interface. While MS Access reports provide more selection criteria and detail, the Library staffs did not want to learn SQL and MS Access…they wanted a point-N-click reporting interface.

• Welcome to the Voyager Reporting System or VRS – presented by Phil Williams

Voyager Reporting System - VRS: Design Overview

Workstation Application

Voyager Database contains over 400 Oracle Tables

7 report options that include:

Titles on Order

Titles by Line Item Status

Donor List

Requestor List

Requestor Notice

Item Expenditures

Titles by User Fund

Acquisitions Reports

Cataloging Reports

29 report options that provide information on:

collection size

distribution

content.

Circulation Reports

26 report options covering:

statistics

charges, fines and status

patron information

Statistics

Circ. ListsPatron Rpts.

Multiple Print Format Options

And More …

7 report options that include:

Titles on Order

Titles by Line Item Status

Donor List

Requestor List

Requestor Notice

Item Expenditures

Titles by User Fund

Review - Acquisitions Reports

Review - Cataloging Reports

29 report options that provide information on:

collection size

distribution

content.

Review - Circulation Reports

26 report options covering:

statistics

charges, fines and status

patron information

Statistics

Circ. ListsPatron Rpts.

GIL Web Reports using PHP and the Voyager Reporting System – VRS

Filling the reporting void between what the vendor provides and what

the Library staff wants.

VRS is available at URL:

http://download.gil.usg.edu