1 6th HKIUG Annual Meeting, Lingnan University, 9 Dec., 2005 Li Yiu On Assistant Librarian (Systems) Hong Kong Baptist University Library Innopac Patron API and Online Room Booking Systems in HKBU Library

2 Outline 1. Group Discussion /Viewing Rooms in HKBU Library 2.Online Room Booking System Where can I find a room in the Library for group discussion?

3 1. Group Discussion / Viewing Rooms in HKBU Library

4 Rooms in HKBU Library Rooms for group discussion and group viewing in HKBU Library: A. Main Library 3 Group Discussion Rooms 2 Group Viewing Rooms B. Chinese Medicine Library (CML) 1 Study Room

5 Rooms in HKBU Library 3 Group Discussion Rooms Located at Main Library Level 2 Seats: 8 ~ 12

6 Rooms in HKBU Library 2 Group Viewing Rooms Located at Multimedia Learning Centre, Main Library, Level 4 Equipment: 42” Plasma, VCR, PC, Seats: 3 ~ 12

7 Rooms in HKBU Library 1 Study Room Located at Chinese Medicine Branch Library Equipment: TV, VCR, PC Seats: 12

8 2. Online Room Booking System 2A. General Introduction 2B. Public Mode 2C. Staff Mode

9 Online Room Booking System Goals: A.To allow patrons to make room reservation online B.To facilitate library staff to manage the online booking request Room checkin/checkout function Setup system parameters, i.e. change library open days and hours C.To provide usage statistics for better room management

10 2. Online Room Booking System 2A. General Introduction 2B. Public Mode 2C. Staff Mode

11 Online Room Booking System In-house designed program, implemented in Sep 2005 System Requirements Software Innopac Patron API MS ASP, Access Hardware Windows NT server

12 What is Innopac Patron API The Innovative Patron API allows a library to offer patron information to an external system An external system requests patron data or patron PIN verification by sending an HTML request to a reserved URL on the INNOPAC machine. When patron data is requested, INNOPAC returns all fields of the Patron record in HTML format. -- Innopac Manual, page #

13 Workflow of API and Room Booking System Library Patron INNOPAC  Patron verification  Patron data  Booking Request Online Room Booking System

14 Work of the Patron API Patron authentication Only HKBU patrons are allowed to place booking requests Limited booking to some special user group, i.e. SCE students are not allowed to use CML Study room Return patron record data to the Online Room Booking System Save patron’s time and effort to key in data himself

15 Patron Data returned from Patron API Personal data -- used for making a booking request: Name, Barcode, address, Mobile Phone Number Patron record fixed fields – used for statistical purposes PCode1, PCode2, PCode3, PType

16 Modules Public Mode: For library patrons to make booking online Staff Mode Used by staff for room checkin/checkout Generate statistical reports Changing library opening hours, and close days

17 Now, it’s show time… Demo Testing site:

18 2. Online Room Booking System 2A. General Introduction 2B. Public Mode 2C. Staff Mode

19 Public Mode Contains two modules Calendar: for patron to make booking online View/Delete My Booking Record

20 Public Mode -- Calendar Only two months are displayed for booking

21 Public Mode -- Calendar Today: 6 Dec 2005 Display in Yellow Current time: 12:28a.m.

22 Public Mode -- Calendar Color of day and time boxes are changed automatically with system day/time Past day and time boxes are turned to Grey NOT for booking NOTE: A sophisticated system should NOT allow “backward” booking

23 Public Mode -- Calendar Advance booking. Display in Red

24 Public Mode -- Calendar Time-table Column: Room Row: Hours Each box=30 min RESERVED: Time sessions already reserved by someone, Can’t be selected To protect personal privacy, patron name won’t be displayed AVAILABLE: Free sessions. Click for selection Status displayed in each box: Available / Reserved

25 API Form Patron API Interface Ask for barcode and PIN

26 API Form Patron API work as a electronic gate for patron authentication Invalid users are blocked

27 Online Booking Form 2. Lower portion in white: Patron data 1. Upper portion in blue: Room booking information This form contains two main portions

28 Online Booking Form Max. booking hours allowed : calculated and given by the system automatically In order to save requestor’s time to fill in the form, Booking Date, Room, Start Time are copied from the Calendar Patron has to enter the total number of users Only this field needs to be filled in by requestor in this form

29 Online Booking Form Patron data are extracted from Innopac via API University address stored in Innopac patron record. Patron may change to his private in google/yahoo if necessary

30 Booking Accepted

31 Confirmation automatically sent out by the system Booking information are clearly stated As a reminder to requestor Requestor may forward this to inform other group members

32 Booking Rules 1 booking per day Maximum 3 bookings per week Booking will be rejected by the system automatically if any of the above rule is NOT followed

33 Booking Rejected

34 Booking Rejected

35 View/Delete My Booking Record

36 API Form Patron API Interface Ask for barcode and PIN

37 View/Delete My Booking Record Usage records of the past 7 days are also shown Delete a booking, click on this button

38 2. Online Room Booking System 2A. General Introduction 2B. Public Mode 2C. Staff Mode

39 Staff Mode – Password Protected

40 Staff Mode Command Line

41 Staff Mode Main Functions Room Checkin/Checkout 2. Statistical Reports 3. Alert Function 4. Changing Room Open Hours and Library Days

42 Room Checkin/Checkout Function Can be performed in either module 1. Event List List all the booking requests in a table 2. Calendar List the booking requests on a day- calendar

43 Checkin/Out in Calendar Module Click on this button for checkin Each box contain a booking record: User Name Barcode Status / No. of Users: (Booked, Used, Replaced, Walkin) Command button: Checkin, Replace, Edit

44 Checkin/Out in Calendar Module Status changed from “Booked” to “Used”

45 Checkin/Out in Calendar Module Original booking time: 15:30 Current time is 16:25 Patrons do not show up Some users come to circulation counter to request to use this room Click on the Replace button to assign this room to them

46 Checkin/Out in Calendar Module 1.Scan patron barcode 2.Enter no. of users 3.Click the submit

47 Checkin/Out in Calendar Module Non-filled booking request Replaced by walkin users

48 Checkin/Out in Calendar Module Checkin a Ava (i.e. AVAILABLE) room for walkin users

49 Checkin/Out in Calendar Module 1.Scan patron barcode 2.Enter no. of users 3.Click the submit

50 Checkin/Out in Calendar Module Checkin status = Walkin users come without booking

51 Checkin/Out in Calendar Module 4 checkin status provide useful information on counting: How many patrons have made booking? How many of them have come? (status = Used) How many of them have NOT shown up? (status = Booked) How many patrons are walk-in users (i.e. status = Replaced or Walkin) 4 checkin status are used to indicate the different usage types

52 Staff Mode Main Functions Room Checkin/Checkout 2. Statistical Reports 3. Alert Function 4. Changing Room Open Hours and Library Days

53 Statistics Powerful built-in statistical report generator Report can be arranged by different types

54 Statistical Report by Checkin Status Statistical report by 4 Checkin Status By different checkin status 2nd Column: No of times used 3rd Column: No of Hours 4th Coolum: No of Users

55 Statistics -- Hours Total used hours for 2 Group Viewing Rooms in MLC = Replaced + Used + Walkin = = 518 hours Average 259 hours / room Total Library Open hours in Nov: 383 hours Occupancy rate = 259 / 383 x 100% = 67.6%

56 Statistics – No. of Users Total users for 2 Group Viewing Rooms = Replaced + Used + Walkin = = 1,313 users Total Library user entrance in Nov: 67,604 User rate (room users / total library users) = 1313 / x 100% = 1.94%

57 Statistics – Checkin Status Booking rate -- High = Booked + Used = hours = 327 hours Walkin Rate -- Low = Replaced + Walkin = hours = 58 hours Non-Show up rate -- High = Booked / Total booking = 105 / 327 x 100% = 32%

58 Staff Mode Main Functions Room Checkin/Checkout 2. Statistical Reports 3. Alert Function 4. Changing Room Open Hours and Library Days

59 Alert Reminders In order to reduce non-show up rate, the system was enhanced in mid Nov to generate two alert s automatically 1. Booking Alert Reminder 2. Not Checkin Reminder

60 Courtesy Notice A automatic courtesy notice sent out 3 days before a booking To remind user to come on time or to cancel the booking

61 Not Checkin Reminder A automatic reminder for non-show up users Sent 1 day after the non-filled booking

62 Staff Mode Main Functions Room Checkin/Checkout 2. Statistical Reports 3. Alert Function 4. Changing Room Open Hours and Library Days

63 Setup Library Closed Days Enter the day and closing reason

64 Library Closed

65 Open Hours

66 Acknowledge API scripts are written by Mr. Helium Hung, ex-Assistant Computer Officer Mr. Patrick Wong, Information Technology Officer