Resource Sharing

We’ve heard from a number of libraries and genealogists who are concerned they may be losing access to resources they value and want to reassure Wisconsin libraries and patrons that BadgerLink will continue to provide access to historic newspapers and genealogy content from Wisconsin and beyond.

While the contract for Access NewspaperARCHIVE will not be continued, the Department is contracting with ProQuest to provide historic newspapers via Newspapers.com Library Edition World Collection. Access NewspaperARCHIVE is no longer provided through BadgerLink, and Newspapers.com Library Edition World Collection will be available as soon as possible. We are confident the Newspapers.com interface and ProQuest customer support will be a step forward for BadgerLink users. The collection contains newspapers from around the world, not just Wisconsin. Once a contract is signed, DPI will share the full title list.

Our current vendor of genealogy/local history resources, HeritageQuest Online, will continue to be our genealogy collection provider.  Access to their resources will continue without interruption.

The contracts should be finalized in the next few weeks and we will continue to provide updates about our resources on the Badger Bulletin as well as the Wisconsin Libraries for Everyone Blog.  We are working to restore access to historic newspapers as quickly as possible and apologize for any inconvenience.

To receive email notifications about our updates, sign up at https://badgerlink.dpi.wi.gov/subscribe.  Contact us at https://badgerlink.dpi.wi.gov/contact-us with any questions.

Written by:  BadgerLink Team, Resources for Libraries & Lifelong Learning

Most WISCAT libraries have several Quick Menu shortcuts set up in their staff accounts. Typically these include Request Manager, Borrower Title Browse, Lender Title Browse, Borrower Request Number Search, Lender Request Number Search, and Staff Menu Dashboard. But did you know you can customize your Quick Menu to add additional shortcuts?

To customize your Quick Menu, log into your WISCAT account and click on your username in the upper right hand corner. From there, click on Your Quick Menu. Use the Select a Menu drop-down list to choose which menu you'd like to display below, then select the options you'd like to add in to your Quick Menu. See the image below, where I'm in the process of adding the Maintain Shipping Labels page from ILL Admin to my Quick Menu.

Once you've made your selections, don't forget to click on Save! Now your new selection will show up in your Quick Menu, and with its own keyboard shortcut. You can use these keyboard shortcuts from any WISCAT page when logged in to be directed to the shortcut's corresponding page.

Note that these new shortcuts only apply to your specific WISCAT staff account. If your library has multiple staff accounts in WISCAT, a change in one account will not apply to the other account(s). 

Please Contact Us if you have any questions!

Written by Gail Murray, Resources for Libraries & Lifelong Learning

As many WISCAT libraries are aware, the staff at Resources for Libraries & Lifelong Learning (GZRB) have the option to try out-of-state lenders if a request isn’t able to be filled by another WISCAT participant. Out-of-state lenders are not on the delivery route, and as such, borrowers need to pay return shipping if receiving items from out of state.

Several WISCAT updates ago we shared that Auto-Graphics, the vendor of the WISCAT platform, was working on a way to allow libraries to indicate their preference for receiving items from out-of-state in their participant record, without having to write a borrower’s note on every request if your library doesn’t borrow from libraries outside of Wisconsin.

On June 22nd this feature will go live. If you DO want to borrow items from out of state, you don’t need to take any action -- this feature will be in effect automatically starting June 22nd. If you do NOT want to borrow items from out of state, please take the following action prior to 1pm on June 22:

• Log into your WISCAT staff account and click on Maintain Participant Record under the ILL Admin heading.
• From there, locate the option titled “Customer field 6 on Request Form checked as default.” Select NO to indicate that you do not want your requests to go out of state.
• Please continue to indicate “no OS” in your borrower’s notes until this change goes live.

Note that this option on the participant record results in a “Try out of state?” option to be default selected or not on every request form. Staff will still have the option to change the selection on individual requests if desired by unchecking or checking the box on the loan form, but patrons will not see this option, and their requests will indicate the default selection chosen in the participant record.

Your selection in the participant record (above) is reflected in your library’s loan form (below):

If you change your mind about the selection you made prior to the feature going live on June 22nd, you can always change your default again in your participant record.

This change will save borrowers time when submitting requests, as those who don’t borrow from out-of-state lenders will no longer have to type their preference in the borrower’s notes of every request they submit. Removing the “no OS” from the borrower’s notes field will save lenders time as well, since the push pin will be eliminated from these types of requests, eliminating the need for lenders to check these borrower’s notes to review notes that only apply to GZRB staff.

This change does not affect access to MINITEX resources – since they are searchable in WISCAT and on the delivery route, we lump them in as part of WISCAT when discussing WISCAT lenders vs. out-of-state lenders.

This change was initially suggested by a WISCAT library during a user group meeting. If you have other ideas for how to streamline the WISCAT workflow, please let us know.  Please Contact Us if you have any questions!

Written by Gail Murray, Resources for Libraries & Lifelong Learning

Over the summer, many libraries using WISCAT for interlibrary loan may need to suspend service briefly -- if your academic library will be closed for renovations, if your school library closes over the summer, if your ILL staff will be on vacation, etc.  Make sure to use your Holiday List in your library's Participant Record to indicate your library's temporary inability to lend.  This way, requests won't go to your library when you're unable to fill them, and they can move on to the next possible lender without intervention from you.  If on an extended holiday, for example, a school library closing over the summer, be sure to stop lending early enough to allow loaned materials to be returned while staff is available to update the returned materials.

To update your Participant Record with a “Holiday,” log in to WISCAT and do the following:

• Click Staff Dashboard to access the administrative modules
• Under the ILL Admin menu choose Maintain Participant Record
• Click the Holiday List link at the top of the page or scroll down to that section in the record
• Enter the Start and End dates using the format MM/DD/YYYY
• Click the Submit button at the top right or bottom right of the record

The suspension of lending will automatically be removed when the End Date you entered in the Holiday List has passed. Note that the Holiday List does not affect borrowing, only lending. If you have patron-initiated borrowing set up,  patrons may still submit requests during your "holiday" that will remain in Awaiting Approval until your return.

If you have questions, please contact WISCAT staff at dpirllill@dpi.wi.gov

Written by Gail Murray, Resources for Libraries & Lifelong Learning