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SWIFT Migration to Prospector

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Updated
ByMarisa Wood

Why is SWIFT Migrating to Prospector?

For many years, SWIFT used VDX, an ILL software from OCLC. However, OCLC is sunsetting VDX (meaning that they will no longer do development for it, and ongoing support will eventually go away). Prompted by the sunsetting of VDX, the Colorado State Library chose to migrate SWIFT libraries to Innovative Interfaces’ INN-Reach system and connect with Prospector. By partnering with the Colorado Alliance of Research Libraries to connect SWIFT members to the Prospector network, we have expanded the resource sharing landscape. Bringing these groups together in one service will be bringing the state closer to achieving a “statewide” catalog than it has been able to do up until now.

How does Prospector work for different types of SWIFT libraries?

INN-Reach, the software platform used by Prospector, offers different types of integration based on a library’s Integrated Library System (ILS). How you interact with Prospector will look a little different depending on whether your library is automated, or not, and which ILS you use.

Borrowing for libraries that use an ILS that is not an Innovative product (i.e. Millenium/Sierra/Polaris) or AspenCat

Libraries that use a non-Innovative ILS and who are not part of AspenCat, will download and install locally a Windows client application called the Resource Sharing Broker (RSB) to complete staff functions.

  • Placing Requests: In Prospector, Borrowing requests are placed via the online Prospector union catalog. Library staff will search for the requested title, and then place the request on behalf of patrons during the initial phase of the migration process. Libraries that are able /choose to offer Patron-Initiated Requests will be able to do so during a later phase of the migration. Once that functionality has been enabled, patrons will place requests for themselves via the Prospector union catalog.
  • Receiving Borrowing Requests: Library staff will receive requested items via the RSB client, and track the requests locally by replicating the transaction information in their ILS, or through whatever method is currently in use.
  • Returning Borrowing Requests: Library staff will return requested items via the RSB client, and track the requests locally by replicating the transaction information in their ILS, or through whatever method is currently in use.

Lending for libraries that use an ILS that is not an Innovative product (i.e. Millenium/Sierra/Polaris) or AspenCat

  • Fulfilling Lending Requests: Library staff will be notified of Lending requests from other libraries via the RSB client, and track the requests locally by replicating the transaction information in their ILS, or through whatever method is currently in use.
  • Returning Lending Requests: Library staff will initiate the return of items borrowed from other libraries via the RSB client, and track the requests locally by replicating the transaction information in their ILS, or through whatever method is currently in use.

Borrowing for libraries that use an Innovative product (i.e. Millenium/Sierra/Polaris)

Because INN-Reach is an Innovative software platform, libraries that use an Innovative product as their ILS will not need to use the RSB for borrowing because INN-Reach is fully integrated with the ILS.

  • Placing Requests: In Prospector, Borrowing requests are placed via the online Prospector union catalog by eligible patrons.
  • Receiving Borrowing Requests: Library staff will receive requested items within their ILS
  • Returning Borrowing Requests: Library staff will return requested items within their ILS

Lending for libraries that use an an Innovative product (i.e. Millenium/Sierra/Polaris)

  • Fulfilling Lending Requests: Library staff will fulfill Lending requests within their ILS
  • Returning Lending Requests: Library staff will initiate the return of items borrowed from other libraries from within their ILS.

Borrowing for AspenCat Libraries

Because ByWater, the vendor that supports CLiC’s implementation of Koha for AspenCat libraries, has completed development and certification with Innovative’s Direct to INN-Reach (D2IR) API, AspenCat libraries will not need to use the RSB. AspenCat transactions will be integrated with the central INN-Reach system via the API.

  • Placing Requests: In Prospector, Borrowing requests are placed via the online Prospector union catalog by eligible patrons.
  • Receiving Borrowing Requests: Library staff will receive requested items within their ILS
  • Returning Borrowing Requests: Library staff will return requested items within their ILS

Lending for AspenCat Libraries

  • Fulfilling Lending Requests: Library staff will fulfill Lending requests within their ILS
  • Returning Lending Requests: Library staff will initiate the return of items borrowed from other libraries from within their ILS.

Borrowing for libraries that are not automated

Non-automated libraries will download and install a Windows client application called the Resource Sharing Broker (RSB) to complete staff functions.

  • Placing Requests: In Prospector, Borrowing requests are placed via the online Prospector union catalog. Library staff will search for the requested title, and then place the request on behalf of patrons. Libraries that are not automated will not have the option to offer patron initiated requests.
  • Receiving Borrowing Requests: Library staff will receive requested items via the RSB client, and track the requests locally by replicating the transaction information through whatever method is currently in use.
  • Returning Borrowing Requests: Library staff will return requested items via the RSB client, and track the requests locally by replicating the transaction information through whatever method is currently in use.

Lending for libraries that are not automated

Libraries that are not automated (i.e. do not have an ILS) will not be eligible to lend to other libraries.

How will the migration work?

The migration will take place in multiple phases and which phases your library completes and how they are completed will depend on if your library is automated, which ILS you use, and what services you are able to offer.  

If you use an ILS that is an Innovative product, your library will complete a single phase to enable Borrowing and Lending functionality within your ILS. Migration tasks and work will be completed by the library and Innovative, with CSL staff observing and available to provide assistance where we can.

If you use an ILS that is not an Innovative product and you are not a member of the AspenCat consortium, you will minimally complete Phase 1, as outlined below. The completion of Phase 2 is dependent on a couple of factors. The focus of Phase 2 is enabling borrowing and patron initiated requests – if you do not want to offer these service, or are not able to provide patron, item, and bibliographic data in a format that meets Innovative’s data requirements, you do not need to complete Phase 2.

If your library is not automated, you will complete Phase 1 only.

Phase 1: During the first phase of the migration process, all eligible SWIFT libraries will have the ability to place librarian initiated requests for their patrons via the online Prospector Union catalog, and receive and return requests via the RSB Client. In order to participate, libraries will need to complete the following steps:

  1. Provide the IP Addresses or IP ranges for ILL workstations
  2. Configure the library’s firewall to enable the connection to the Prospector server
  3. Download and install the RSB client
  4. Complete RSB client training for Borrowing requests and returns.

Phase 2: During the second phase of the migration process, libraries that are able/choose to offer patron initiated requests and lend material via Prospector will have the opportunity to enable this functionality. In order offer this service, libraries will need to:

  1. Provide a regular extract of patron data that meets Innovative’s standard data specification.
  2. Provide a regular extract of bibliographic and item data that meets Innovative’s standard data specifications
  3. Complete RSB client training for Lending requests and returns
  4. Promote the service and provide instruction to patron end users
  5. Place links to Prospector union catalog on library website and OPAC

If you are a member of the AspenCat Consortium, implementation work for borrowing and lending will be completed by Innovative, CLiC, and Bywater, with CSL staff observing and available to provide assistance where we can. Because some AspenCat libraries completed Phase 1 to implement staff-initiated borrowing through the RSB client, there will be some work required to close out any outstanding requests before fully transitioning off of the RSB. Instructions for exit procedures will be provided during functional training for processing Prospector requests in Koha.

What is the timeline for each phase?

Phase 1 began in December 2020, and is ongoing. The work is complete for most SWIFT libraries that do not use an Innovative ILS, but there are still some libraries that have not been set up for staff-initiated borrowing. If you are not an AspenCat library, and you have not yet completed the steps outlined here: SWIFT Migration – Start your Engines! you will need to do so before we can put you on the schedule to begin staff-initiated borrowing. If you have questions, or encounter issues, please reach out to swift-support@coloradovirtuallibrary.org.

As of November 2021, we have begun work with a group of early adopters on Phase 2 of the migration project, which will allow automated libraries (that are not part of the AspenCat consortium), to offer patron-initiated borrowing, and lend materials in their collections to other Prospector libraries through the RSB client. We expect to be able to provide more details on timelines, data requirements, and project steps for other libraries that are interested in providing these additional features.  later in 2022.

In fall of 2021 we also began working with ByWater Solutions, CLiC, and III, to implement Direct to INN-Reach integration (D2IR) within the Koha integrated library system (ILS) for AspenCat libraries. In February of 2022, a small group of AspenCat libraries went live with patron-initiated borrowing, and preparation for the lending site of the implementation is underway. We also expect to expand the availability of this integration to more AspenCat libraries later in 2022.

I haven’t used SWIFT since the migration to Prospector. What should I do?

If you have not yet completed the steps outlined here: SWIFT Migration – Start your Engines! you will need to do so before we can put you on the schedule to begin staff-initiated borrowing. This entails:

  1. Gathering IP Addresses for workstations that will be used for ILL,
  2. Opening Your Firewall for traffic to and from the SWIFT Resource Sharing Broker Server,
  3. Providing your IP Addresses to CSL,
  4. Downloading the Resource Sharing Broker client, and 
  5. Confirming that all steps above have been completed.

If you have questions, or encounter issues, please reach out to us at swift-support@coloradovirtuallibrary.org.

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