ITWeb Conversions

Between 1994 and 1998, most new IAC online subscriptions were implemented using the SearchBank web application. In 1997, IAC released the InfoTrac Custom database application, with a new customizable interface, and later (announced at the June 1998 ALA meeting) introduced this application to the public as the new InfoTrac Web interface. By January 1999, this new interface (UI) was the default setting for any new subscriptions.

Between June of '98 and January '99, however, libraries were asked to submit a request to be converted from the old SearchBank (SB) interface to the new InfoTrac Web (ITW). The conversion process for each insititution has to be individually formulated, taking into account such things as timing, allowing for staff only previews, multiple locations and default settings, simultaneous usage enforcement, etc. In some instances, the conversion had to be put off entirely, pending changes to the provisioning mechanism that would allow the conversion of certain locations that were part of larger consortia.

In March of 1999, a code base migration was completed that simplified the SB to ITW conversion for most institutions. On April 1 the same year, a final provision was made that allowed for the migration of consortia members whose location profiles are linked together by a common service level (i.e., library record; more on this below). The instructions below take in to account these new features of the provisioning system. A review of the previous method is provided to create some context for current TGG administrators (see 3).

Service Level and URLs

Two key variables affect access to the SB or ITW (UI) interface: the Service level (set in the RLIS Library record) and the URL used by the user to reach the application(1).  In order to reach the ITW UI, the Service level in the location's library record must be set to 'ITCustom', and browsers must be directed to their search URL using the form(2)

infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/<locationID>

Thus, changing the Service level alone is not sufficient to implement the change; the customer must also modify the URLs used by browsers to reach the search UI. This is desirable for several important reasons, among them:

For large consortia, the service level can be changed, in advance of any specific requests, without affecting all locations at once.  Servicing these requests is covered below.

Conversion Procedure (3)

The customer is asked to fill out the InfoTrac Web conversion request form, currently located at

http://www.informationaccess.com/webconvert

This form should include the URL(s) currently used by the library, making it possible to identify the relevant location and library record(s) in RLIS.

A. Identify, retrieve and review the location and library profile data in RLIS; note whether the location record is one of several linked to a common library record.

B Change the library record's service level to 'ITCustom'.

C. Create an administrator username/password, and default preference in the library's configuration UI at

infotrac.galegroup.com/itconfig/<libraryID>

If the site requesting the conversion is represented by only one among several location records linked to one library record, (i.e., not all locations are to be affected by the change), be sure that only that location's profile and preference information is assigned to the administrator account.

D. Notify the customer. Include the following information:

- the new search URL: infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/<locationID>
- the config URL: infotrac.galegroup.com/itconfig/<libraryID>
- config UI username/password

The customer should be informed that the new search URL must be used to reach the new search UI, that they may continue to use the SB URL until ready to deploy the new search UI, and that use of the config UI is optional, and not required to make use of the search UI. A notification template is available <here>.

Large Consortia

A special problem has been the handling of conversion request by members of consortia, especially those that relied on the gathering of usage statistics at the group (library) level, or had implemented simultaneous usage enforcement, which also occurs at the library level and over the entire group. Because the previous method for converting the search UI required the creation of a separate Library record with a new service level (see 3), as well as reconnecting of individual location record(s) to the new library ID, a single consortia was now represented by two library records; common usage stats were no longer possible and accurate usage enforcement impossible. For this reason, many consortia have had to wait for the March 1999 code migration, after which the service level of existing library records (representing the entire consortium) could be modified, leaving intact the groups of location records linked to that library.

Independant of any requests from consortia members or the group administrators, the service level for library records representing these groups will have been changed on or around April 1 1999. A superuser account will be created for use by the consortia's central administrator(4). Requests from individual members of the group can be processed in the following way (this is also discussed in Multiple ITWeb Locations):

1. Create a new preference, as required, for each location

2. Modify each Location profile; assign the appropriate interface profile (preference) for each location

3. If needed, create new user accounts and assign access to the appropriate location(s) and preference(s); do not assign these users access to Privileges for All Databases, All Locations or All Preferences, or to any User Administration Privileges

The location's administrator(s) should then be notified as indicated in D. above. For them, the effect of logging on to the config UI is that they will only see their own location(s) and assigned preference(s).

(1) Prior to March 1999, only the service level defined the UI, so that any URL pointing to a location with service level set, say, to ITCustom, would get the ITW UI.

(2) Prior to March 1999, customers were directed to URLs of the form

www.infotrac-custom.com/itcustom/<locationID>

which is still acceptable, and will be redirected to infotrac.galegroup.com.

(3) Conversion Method prior to March 1999

(4) Because the config UI requires that creation of additional accounts be based on the first account created in the system, it is useful to create a 'template' account first; this account should have none of the access privileges set. Only then create a superuser account with full access privileges to all location and preference profiles. Subsequent requests for accounts used at individual locations can be processed using the template, simplifying the assignment of privileges.