The Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) Library is a long-time Inmagic DB/TextWorks site, using the software to manage collections in Richmond, Vancouver and North Vancouver. Andornot has helped library staff in many ways, including hosting a web-based search interface to the catalogue for 15 years.

IT requirements and procedures at the health authority have, over the years, made it challenging for library staff to keep their software up to date. After considering several options, Librarian Shannon Long opted to merge the VCH collections into an instance of the Inmagic Genie library system that is shared with the BC Cancer Agency and BC Children's and Women's Hospital libraries. This cost-effective approach allows the collection to remain in a familiar Inmagic environment, with the whole system hosted, maintained and upgraded by the Provincial Health Services Agency. Andornot helped set this system up in 2015, and blogged about it here. 

While the collections of all three of these health agencies is managed in the shared Genie system, each has their own public-facing search system. The new interface for the VCH library collection is available at https://librarycatalogue.vch.ca and is built upon the Andornot Discovery Interface, a modern search engine widely used by Andornot clients. 

Key features of the site include:

• Sophisticated search engine with relevancy scoring, spelling corrections and 'did you mean' search suggestions, and facets to refine search results.
• RSS feed of latest additions to the catalogue.
• Selection list to allow  library patrons to save items and request them from the library.
• Quick Start pre-defined searches lead patrons to unique materials within the library’s collection.
• Graphic design and branding to match main VCH website.

"Working with Andornot Consulting over the years has always been a pleasure. We are happy to be able to continue this relationship and are looking forward to using our new Genie and AnDI systems to manage our library collections. Andornot staff made this transition seamless; the conversion came in under budget and on time. We love the modern features of the new AnDI interface, especially the RSS feeds and Quick Start topics, and believe that our library patrons will find these helpful as well." Shannon Long, Librarian

All of the health authority libraries in British Columbia use Inmagic software to manage their collections, with a combination of systems supported by Andornot for web-based searching by staff and others. These systems include Andornot Discovery Interface, VuFind and the Umbraco Content Management System.

Catalogues for each health authority are available at these links:

• Fraser Health
• Northern Health
• Interior Health
• Vancouver Island Health Authority
• Vancouver Coastal Health

Andornot also works with health units and hospitals across Canada, and attends the Canadian Health Libraries Association annual conference each year.

Contact us to discuss systems for managing your health care library collection, patient education materials, and similar information.

Over the past couple of years, Andornot has helped the Alaska Resources Library & Information Services (ARLIS) launch, then upgrade, a VuFind-powered catalog of Alaska North Slope natural gas pipeline work from the past 40 years. 

A second VuFind catalog has recently been added to the ARLIS site: the Susitna Doc Finder

The Susitna Doc Finder is a comprehensive catalog of documents that have resulted from every phase of the historic 1980s Susitna Hydroelectric Project (SuHydro Project), as well as those documents continually being produced since 2010 under the current Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project (SuWa Project).

Records for this catalog are managed in both a MARC cataloguing ILS, as well as a local Inmagic DB/TextWorks database. Exports from both are indexed nightly by VuFind, using heavily customized import mappings and additional fields and browse indexes. 

Almost all records link to PDF reports from the project. Text is extracted from these and indexed, to complement the excellent initial metadata. 

Cover images of these PDF reports are generated during indexing and appear in search results, in several sizes, both for visual interest, and to give a glimpse of a report before clicking to download it.

The web interface uses a VuFind theme built from the ever-popular Twitter Bootstrap responsive web framework. Almost all of Andornot's web projects use this or a similar responsive framework to provide the same level of access on devices of all sizes and shapes, from full-size desktop browsers down to tablets and phones.

Results from this VuFind system are also available through Google, as Google has crawled and indexed the VuFind system.

Further information:

• About the Susitna Doc Finder
• A VuFind Index of Alaska North Slope Gas Resources
• ARLIS Upgrades "The Pipe Files" VuFind Catalogue
• Learn more about VuFind and Andornot's other VuFind projects

Contact us to discuss options for a discovery interface style of search for your catalogue or other collection, using VuFind or the Andornot Discovery Interface.

Library and Archives Canada has announced the launch of the 2017–2018 funding cycle for the third year of the Documentary Heritage Communities Program (DHCP).

The deadline for applications is January 27th, 2017.  Check out the lists of previous recipientsfor a guide to the type of projects that qualified.  Andornot clients were successful in getting funded in both previous rounds.

This program is a great opportunity for archives, museums, historical societies and other cultural institutions to digitize their collections, develop search engines and virtual exhibits, and other activities that preserve and promote their valuable resources.

The objectives of the program are to:

• Increase access to, and awareness of Canada's local documentary institutions and their holdings; and
• Increase the capacity of local documentary heritage institutions to better sustain and preserve Canada's documentary heritage.

The program is aimed at non-governmental organizations specifically, including:

• Archives;
• Privately funded libraries;
• Historical societies;             
• Genealogical organizations/societies; 
• Professional Associations; and
• Museums with an archival component.

As before,businesses, government and government institution (including municipal governments and Crown Corporations), museums without archives, and universities and colleges are not eligible.

Types of projects which would be considered for funding include:

• Conversion and digitization for access purposes;
• Conservation and preservation treatment;
• The development (research, design and production) of virtual and physical exhibitions, including travelling exhibits;
• Conversion and digitization for preservation purposes;
• Increased digital preservation capacity (excluding digital infrastructure related to day-to-day activities);
• Training and workshops that improve competencies and build capacity; and
• Development of standards, performance and other measurement activities.
• Collection, cataloguing and access based management; and
• Commemorative projects.

Two categories of funding available:

• small projects under $15,000; and
• large projects up to $100,000.

Further program details, requirements  and application procedures are available at http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/services/documentary-heritage-communities-program/Pages/dhcp-portal.aspx

How can Andornot help?

Andornot has worked with many clients on the types of projects which would qualify for this grant. Some examples are detailed in these blog posts:

• Société historique de Saint-Boniface Upgrades Archives Search Interface
• Bulkley Valley Museum Collection Now Online
• Ottawa Jewish Archives Collections Now Searchable Through CJHN.ca
• Collections of the United Farmers Historical Society now online
• New website for the Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre
• College of Registered Nurses of BC Offers Digitized Archives
• Canadian Jewish Heritage Network Launches Enhanced Search and Mobile Interface
• St. Andrew's College Photographs, Yearbooks and Alumni Magazines Online

We have extensive experience with digitizing documents, books and audio and video materials, and developing systems to manage those collections and make them searchable or presented in virtual exhibits.

Contact us to discuss collections you have and ideas for proposals. We'll do our best to help you obtain funding from the DHCP program!

The Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) has used Inmagic DB/TextWorks for many years to manage their library collections. This year, VIHA joined other health authority libraries around British Columbia in upgrading their web-based library catalogue search interface to a modern, feature-rich system: the Andornot Discovery Interface (AnDI).

The new catalogue is available at http://viha.andornot.com 

The updated system is comparable to the search interfaces found in most university and public libraries, with a quick search box and then the ability to drill down through the results. Features include:

• A sophisticated search engine and relevancy-ranked search results put the most useful items in front of users quickly.
• Automatic spelling corrections and "did you mean?" search suggestions improve the search experience, especially when dealing with medical terminology.
• Facets such as library location, material type, subject, author and date and allow users to quickly and simply refine their search.
• An eResources facet allows users to bring up materials that are available online as e-Books or links to websites.
• A selection list helps users to mark items of interest as they search, then view, print or email the list, as well as complete a form to request those items form the library.
• The new interface is fully usable on tablets and smartphones for on-the-go access.

The site includes canned search links for special topics and collections and a more prominent listing of new titles, also available as an RSS feed. Book covers from Open Library are included automatically if available, based on ISBNs in the record.

The site is hosted and maintained by Andornot with automated updates from DB/TextWorks, which remains the back-end data management tool.

Contact Andornot to discuss similar upgrades to your search interfaces.

The Nova Scotia Health Authority is the latest Andornot client to launch a library catalogue using the Andornot Discovery Interface, available at http://library.nshealth.ca

The site provides patients, the public and health care professionals with a modern, mobile-friendly way to search for health information resources across the province, in physical libraries and online.

The collection includes the holdings of hospital libraries throughout Nova Scotia, including e-books, e-journals, patient education pamphlets, books, and audio-visual materials.

Previously, the library holdings of the former Capital Health Authority in Halifax alone were searchable online. Now, the new tool allows for searching of province-wide library holdings throughout the newly established Nova Scotia Health Authority, as well as the IWK Health Centre, the regional pediatric and maternity hospital in Halifax.

The Andornot Discovery Interface provides the features users expect in a modern search engine, such as spelling corrections and search term suggestions, relevancy-ranked results, and facets such as Subject, Author, Date, Location, Language and more, to quickly narrow a search.

Behind the public face is a DB/TextWorks database of holdings from individual libraries, as well as a separate database containing patient pamphlets The catalogue is managed by a team of library staff who co-ordinate data arriving from other libraries.

Contact Andornot to discuss making your collections available online in a modern way.