Newsgroups: bit.listserv.medlib-l
Date:         Thu, 27 Aug 1992 14:32:56 CDT
From:         Richard Jizba <rjizba@PARROT.CREIGHTON.EDU>
Subject:      Lib. services via e-mail
X-To:         MEDLIB-L@ubvm.cc.buffalo.edu

(also posted on LIBREF)


              A "FORMS" PROGRAM TO FACILITATE REQUESTS
                 FOR LIBRARY SERVICES VIA E-MAIL.



     At the Creighton University Health Sciences Library we have
  developed a system which uses e-mail to receive requests for library
  services (computer search, reference, photocopy, inter-library loan)
  and allows us to reply via e-mail when appropriate.

     While e-mail handles the nitty-gritty of message delivery, we developed
  a "FORMS" program that lets us create customized input forms for the user.

  When a user signs on to our system, he is presented with a menu of
  services:

            _______________________________________________________
           |                                                       |
           |        * * * INFORMATION SERVICES MENU * * *          |
           |                                                       |
           |  1. Request a literature search.                      |
           |                                                       |
           |  2. Request Assistance from the Drug Information      |
           |     Service. (School of Pharmacy & Allied Health)     |
           |                                                       |
           |  3. Request Reference Assistance.                     |
           |                                                       |
           |  4. Request photocopy or document delivery services.  |
           |                                                       |
           |  5. Send a message to someone on the library staff.   |
           |                                                       |
           |  6. Other options.                                    |
           |                                                       |
           |  7. Pick up your requests/messages.                   |
           |                                                       |
           |  8. Quit / Logoff                                     |
           |_______________________________________________________|


  When the user has selected a service such as "Request a literature
  search" he is provided with a "computer search request" form.  A form
  generally looks like this:

     ___________________________________________________________________
    | Tab = Next Field    _________________________   Ctrl-Q = Quit     |
    |                    | Computer Search Request |                    |
    |                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~                     |
    | FIRST NAME: Leslie                 LAST NAME: Smith               |
    | DEPARTMENT: Microbiology           PHONE:  987-6543               |
    | STATUS: faculty                    E-MAIL ID: lsmith              |
    |                                                                   |
    | COMPREHENSIVE SEARCH: no           YEARS TO SEARCH: 1985-present  |
    | ENGLISH LANGUAGE ONLY: yes                                        |
    |                                                                   |
    | DESCRIBE YOUR TOPIC/PROBLEM: _                                    |
    |                                                                   |
    |                                                                   |
    |                                                                   |
    |                                                                   |
    |___________________________________________________________________|

  The form can have up to 25 fields, but must fit on a single screen. The
  description for a form is kept in an ascii file. Field labels are
  highlighted and boxes are drawn with graphics characters. Field values
  may be filled in by default. The user's name, department, phone number,
  etc. are read in from a file in the user's home directory. The form
  provides editing features common to most full screen editors.


  The FORMS program reads the ascii file then sets up the screen. Different
  forms have different ascii files. There is no limit on the number of forms
  which can be created.  A FORM can be changed in a few minutes by modifying
  its ascii file description.

  After the form is filled out and the user verifies that the request is
  ready to be submitted, information on the form is transferred to an ascii
  file which is then sent via email to the user id of the appropriate
  library department.

  The forms program was written in C to run in a UNIX environment. When a
  user has submitted a request, another program attempts to send a message
  to the terminal in the reference area alerting the staff that a request
  has arrived.  In addition, a program was added to the UNIX cron system
  to monitor several mail boxes and alert the staff if the mail boxes aren't
  empty. As a result we are able to acknowledge and begin processing requests
  no later than 10 minutes after they are received.

  For a more information on our system or for a demonstration id and
  password contact:

                    Richard Jizba
                    Reference Librarian
                    Health Sciences Library
                    Creighton University
                    2500 California Plaza
                    Omaha, NE  68178

                    (402) 280-5142
                    rjizba@creighton.edu



  We are considering how to make these programs available to other libraries.
  We may charge a small price for the code, but nothing has been decided.
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU