Upload not overload! Implementing ATHENS at the University of York with the minimum of fuss
| Pages | 38-42 |
| Date | 01 March 1998 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb040694 |
| Published date | 01 March 1998 |
| Author | Sue Cumberpatch,Chris Joy |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management |
Upload
not
overload!
Implementing ATHENS
at the University
of
York with
the
minimum
of
fuss
by
Sue
Cumberpatch, ATHENS Site
Administrator,
J. B.
Morrell Library
and Chris
Joy,
REGI Database Manager
Computing Service, University
of
York
The
article describes the approach taken
to
implementing ATHENS
at
the University of
York,
and
the close cooperation of library and
computing service that made this approach
possible. Users register themselves for a
personal account on
a
local database.
Accounts
are
then created at ATHENS
by a
transfer
of
data,
overwriting existing
information. This allows York
to
give users
the
benefits of a personal
account,
with
the
minimum of manual effort for
staff.
Initial discussions regarding ATHENS implemen-
tation
at the
University
of
York took place between
the Computing Service
and the
Library
in
Septem-
ber 1997, after the ATHENS Site Administrator
attended
one
of the NISS workshops. There
was
initial concern about
the
administrative overload
of
self-registration directly into
the
ATHENS data-
base,
both
for
users
and for
support
staff.
These
early discussions meant that the technical, adminis-
trative
and
user needs were
"on the
table" from
the
start,
and
both departments were
in
agreement
about
the
desirability
of
making
the
system
as
simple, automatic
and
foolproof
as
possible
for all
concerned.
Our broad aims were
to
simplify
the
process
as
follows:
• That Library staff input
to the
registration
process should
be
minimal, leaving them
free
to
concentrate
on the
training
and
support issues related
to
ATHENS
and
databases.
• That Computing Service Information Desk
staff should similarly have minimal
workload
in
relation
to
ATHENS
registration.
•
To
require
the
minimum
of
input from users.
•
To use the
automatic upload facility, which
was
at
that time just being developed.
To avoid using the ATHENS Self
Registration
Web
page.
•
To
avoid having sub-administrator accounts.
•
Not to
group accounts
in
any way.
All staff,
researchers
and
students have equal access
to
all
ATHENS resources
at
York,
so
comparison of use
by
department
or
other
group
is not an
issue.
The background: availability
of
databases at York
At York, users have access
to a
variety
of
databases
via the
campus network. There
are
links
to these from
a
Web page "Databases
at
York"
which
is
accessible only
to
valid University mem-
bers;
this validation
is
either via
IP
address-
checking
for
campus network machines,
or via a
check of their computing login
for
remote access.
The "Databases
at
York" page gives information
about how
to use
each database (with
a
further link
to
the
HTML
or
PDF version of the Library's
guide
to
each individual title),
and
where
it can be
found. There
are
several types
of
database:
YorkDataNet
-
locally held CDROMs,
networked
via
Ultranet software
and ICA
client
• ARC databases
-
running from
a
WinSPIRS
server
at UCL
• Nationally hosted databases including those
authenticated using ATHENS
• Electronic journals
• Other Internet databases
Students, staff and researchers
are
familiar with
using
the
University's Web pages (YorkWeb)
to
find information,
not
only about databases
but
about
all
aspects of teaching
and
learning, includ-
ing
use of
computing facilities.
The
approach
38
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