Automation Migration: Migration Process Updates

Updates

Our pilot sites are up and running, and we’re happy so far with what we’re seeing! Exciting times!

Some action items and reminders:

1. The last day to add new items is May 25. Please do not add any new items after this time (this includes fast-adds and copies).

2. We are planning on pulling data on June 13. There should be no more changes in the system after this time (withdrawals, checkouts) you should aim to have all circulation stopped on June 13. We will be pulling the data the week of June 16. There is a lot of data to migrate - item data, circulation data, patron data, reports, and resource list data. We are pulling data starting this week for several reasons.

   • Our license with Follett expires on June 30.

   • It takes several hours to pull data for each district, and we can only do one site at a time

   • We have to work within the timeframe of when you are available in case there are questions. 

What does “all circulation stopped” mean? In general, it means that after June 13, if you check books out to students in Follett, that information will NOT be reflected in Alexandria. If you do inventory after June 13, it will not be reflected in Alexandria. If you receive returns after June 13, they will not show as returned in Alexandria. Essentially, all movement of materials in Follett ceases.

What does this mean?

1. Please do your best to collect books and check them in on or before June 13. 

2. If you can complete an inventory by June 13, that’s great. If you cannot, the data will be what it is currently. Remember - inventory can be done at any time, and it does not need to be completed for an entire library. Consider targeting a section you think might be problematic. Here are the directions for Follett.

3. Returns after June 13 - Please hold all returns until September 2025. When the school year starts, you will then be able to check those books in using Alexandria

4. Summer checkout - If you usually check books out in the summer to students please consider: 

• Suspending summer checkout for this year only

• Focusing on Sora for access to reading materials over the summer

• If you MUST check books out, please reach out to the SLS and let us know

• If your school is hosting summer school, we need to know now to plan accordingly

Questions or Concerns

Please email Annie and Bri if you have questions or concerns about this timeline.

• It would be very helpful if you would let us know when you are done circulating. If you are don’t before this date, we can pull your data sooner. This will help us make the process go faster.

Please!! Let us know if you will have summer school with circulating library items at your site this year. It is imperative that we know so that we can plan accordingly.

If you have any reports that you would like to be rebuilt in Alexandria, please heart them in Follett by May 25. 

We understand that this is different from what may usually happen in your libraries. We will work with you to try to maintain operations as much as possible, but please understand that this is a very large project, and we need your support and flexibility this summer.