Windows 10 was released to the general public on July 29, 2015. Since then, various issues and concerns have popped up among its users. One big concern is the telemetry (remote data collection) that is built into Windows 10. Windows IT Pro has written an article on how to turn off telemetry not only in Windows 10, but also in Windows 7 and Windows 8. Makeuseof has also written a number of articles regarding privacy concerns in Windows 10 and has links to various tools to help users change their privacy and telemetry settings. Relating to the privacy issues, KrebsonSecurity has addressed the concern that a default setting in Windows shares your WiFi connection with contacts you have in Outlook, Skype, or Facebook and offers suggestions on how to turn this feature off and make your WiFi network more secure.
If you are finding learning the ins and outs of Windows 10 a bit daunting, TechSoup has written a blog post that has information on the basics of Windows 10 and its features.
Throughout the course of several updates, Windows Update, the program that keeps the Windows operating system up-to-date, may have downloaded the Windows 10 installation files without the knowledge of the computer user. If you have noticed that your computer and/or internet connection has been slower, this may be the cause. Luckily, makeuseof has written an article that addresses what to do if the Windows 10 installation files have been downloaded to your computer. Sophos has also written a blog post related to removing unwanted Windows 10 installation files.
Have you downloaded Windows 10 yet? Tell us about it in the comments.
Windows 10 was released at the end of July, though you have probably been hearing about it for much longer than that. Even if you haven’t been keeping up on tech news, Windows 7 and 8 users will have noticed an icon on their desktops urging them to reserve their free upgrade. Microsoft states that this will be the last operating system they release. Going forward, Windows will provide all updates free of charge and do away with supporting multiple operating systems. In fact, some users will be forced to install updates whether they want to or not. While this will be helpful from a security and support standpoint, it could spell trouble if any of those updates go awry. If you have a genuine copy of Windows 7 or later, upgrading to Windows 10 will be free for a year. After that, you may need to pay for the upgrade. However, to clarify, there will be no charges after upgrading to Windows 10. Some readers have seen “free for a year” and assumed that Microsoft would start charging Windows 10 users after a year. That is not the case.
There is a lot of information about Windows 10 out there, and I have done my best to sort through it and provide links to some of the more helpful resources available.
Don’t want to upgrade, and you’re tired of that reminder icon in your taskbar? You can get rid of it.
You got excited when you heard about Windows 10 and signed up for an upgrade, but have since changed your mind? Cancel your Windows 10 reservation.
Not sure if you want to upgrade? Learn more. Here are some compelling reasons to upgrade. Though, you may want to wait until the general public helps Microsoft work out a few more of the bugs before taking the plunge, yourself.
Instead of starting from scratch, do you want to upgrade while keeping all of your settings and apps? Check out this article.
Because of third-party software concerns, the library will not be upgrading its public computers to Windows 10 for some time yet. However, I am planning to upgrade one of our staff computers in order to test the new operating system and help me answer questions patrons might have about their computers and other devices. If you have any questions or comments regarding Windows 10, we’d love to hear about them in the comments!
Welcome to my long overdue update on the software situation in the library. Since our library system (UHLS) moved to a new library management software at the end of March, the system’s techies have been working hard to get the kinks out of the new system. Believe it or not, there are still several modules and functions that are still being configured. The purpose of this post is to let you know which issues are still outstanding and where to get help if you need it.
1. Notifications
Some people are still experiencing minor issues receiving their notifications. Most commonly, emails are not received. Make sure to check your spam folder. Even if you have already “rescued” a library email from your spam folder and marked the sender safe, emails can come from different library email addresses. You may need to add several addresses to your email whitelist before the emails will stop going to junk mail. If you are not receiving notifications and you have already checked your spam folder, please contact the library and let us know.
Some patrons have pointed out that phone notifications do not mention the library where their items are being held. This can be an issue for power users who pick up items at multiple locations. At this time, there is no fix for this issue. We suggest that patrons who are unsure where their items are being held login to the online catalog and click their name in the upper right corner of the screen. On the left menu of the next screen, select “holds.” Any items showing “ready for pickup” under status will also list a pickup location.
2. Prompts to request specific items
In some cases, when requesting an item, a patron is prompted to request a specific copy of an item, even though all of the copies are the same. This is a cataloging issue that all of the libraries are working to fix. Reports of this issue are few and far between, but it still happens.
3. Blocked from placing a hold
On our previous system, patrons with outstanding charges on their library cards could place holds on items and would be prompted to pay down their fees when checking out an item. The new system no longer allows holds for any card not in good standing. Unfortunately, we cannot control this. If you are blocked from placing a hold, call the Reference Desk (477-7476, option 4) and we can override this restriction and place the hold for you.
4. Checking out an OverDrive item through the library catalog
Previously, we had two separate catalogs for our physical items (books, CDs, DVDs, etc.) and digital items (OverDrive). While the two separate catalogs still exist, our new library catalog contains our digital items as well as physical. You can even check out and download most digital titles without leaving the catalog! To test this, search the catalog for a title. In the left menu, look under “format.” If the item is available as a downloadable audiobook or e-book, there will be options for “downloadable e-book” or “downloadable audiobook.” You may need to click “more” to see all available formats.
If you are looking for a magazine or streaming video, the format categories are less helpful. Downloadable magazines show up as “downloadable e-books” and streaming videos show up as “DVDs.” Check the individual record for more clarification:
If you click on “Check out with OverDrive”, you will be prompted to sign in if you haven’t already. Then a window will pop up confirming checkout:
After you select “check out”, you can immediately download the title by selecting “Get eBook” if you are using the device you would like to read/watch on.
Otherwise, you can download it later by logging into your account in the OverDrive catalog. Occasionally, an error message will display, and you will need to go to the OverDrive catalog and sign in to download, anyway. We’re working on that, too.
5. New item notification
We had more direct control over our last system, which allowed UHLS to create add-ons that would use the power of our library catalog to provide extra features for patrons. One of these add-ons was the ability to subscribe to a “New Items” feed. This feed would notify subscribers when a new item was added to the catalog. The popularity of this feature was made clear to us by patrons who were very frustrated when it disappeared. UHLS knows how much patrons want this feature, and they are working to bring it back. Because there are still some higher priority bugs to work out with the everyday functioning of the catalog, this feature may need to be on the back burner for a while. However, it is definitely on the to-do list.
6. Getting help
We have created several types of training resources to help you navigate our new catalog. Our Online Catalog Help page includes short videos and text instructions for common tasks, as well as a print-friendly (PDF) guide to using your library account online. Of course, if you’d rather get assistance from a live person, our reference librarians are always happy to help. Give us a call (518-477-7476, option 4) or stop by at your convenience.
Again, we’d like to thank all of our patrons for their patience and understanding during this time of transition. What are your thoughts on the new catalog? Have you discovered a bug not discussed here? Let us know in the comments.
Last week, the Upper Hudson Library System (UHLS) upgraded its catalog and patron management software. We were unable to remain with the old software, as the vendor had stopped supporting it years ago and it was really showing its age by failing in critical ways. Moving to a new library management software is an enormous project that takes lots of planning and configuration. In fact, the project has several phases, and it will remain ongoing for several months. While the new software has many exciting features for both patrons and staff, many of them are not yet available and will roll out over time.
Phase One Complete
Because this was not simply an upgrade to our current software, but changing software entirely, much of the battle here was getting the data from our current system to move successfully and meaningfully to the new system. I won’t bore you with the details, but at times this can be like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.
The priority for our first day working live in the new system was to make sure that we could check items in and out and they would attach/remove appropriately with a patron’s account. Now we are identifying glitches that may have occurred in translation (a.k.a. stuff that got lost or broken in the move) and working to fix them. If you believe something may be amiss with your patron account (lost requests, inability to login to your account, etc.), please let us know ASAP so we can investigate and fix the issue.
Getting Help with the New System
Another part of phase one of the project is staff and patron education. The library staff has been trained on the new software, but it will take time for us to get used to using it. We truly appreciate your patience, as transactions at the checkout desk and information desk may take longer than usual. If you would like help searching the catalog or managing your account, please see our catalog help page for videos, text, and a printable guide, or our YouTube channel for videos only. If you would prefer to walk through the new catalog with a librarian, please visit the reference desk, and we’ll be happy to show you the finer points of the new catalog and answer any questions you may have.
Phase Two Underway
The next part of the project is to integrate the new software with our other library software and turn on additional features. Here are some examples:
We have integrated our online article subscriptions (databases) with the catalog, making it possible to search for digital newspaper, magazine, and journal articles right alongside our physical books, music and movies. Unfortunately, there is still a bit of an issue getting these articles to display consistently when accessed through the catalog. Until we work this out, you can search the databases separately from our online resources page.
OverDrive, our service for downloading books, audiobooks, magazines and streaming video, is currently partially integrated into the catalog. Some, but not all, titles show up with links that will open the separate OverDrive catalog for checkout. In the coming weeks, a feature will become available that will show all current OverDrive titles and allow you to check them out without ever leaving the main catalog!
Libraries that use software for managing public computers, printing, self-check machines, and point-of-sale systems (taking payments) are working to make sure that this third party software communicates effectively with the new system. At the East Greenbush Community Library, these particular services are up and running. Your experience may vary at other libraries.
Known Issues
Aside from the issues above, the following missing features have been brought to our attention. Issues we may be able to fix have been submitted to UHLS support.
The My Account login page does not offer an option to save your barcode.This has been addressed. There is now a check box you can click if you would like the browser to remember your barcode.
The New Items feed is no longer available. We are aware of how important this feature is to our patrons, but are unsure if this can be configured as part of the new system. It is on the list of features to explore.
When viewing the catalog in the Internet Explorer browser, the input fields on the login page are too short (though they do accept a full barcode), and sometimes the popup windows become transparent and don’t respond to clicks. So far, we have only seen these issues in IE. If you experience these issues, we recommend using an alternate browser, such as Firefox or Chrome.
We Appreciate Your Feedback
As always, your feedback on the new system is important to us. We want to make sure your library experience is a positive one. In the first week, we received a lot of feedback at our service desks, which helped us report issues we may not have seen otherwise. Have questions or comments about the new system? Please let us know in the comments below.
If you have placed a request on an item in our catalog, you may have noticed that your request was automatically suspended. This is a temporary measure to ensure that the migration to our new catalog software goes smoothly. By temporarily suspending requests until we go live on the new software, we will reduce the likelihood that items will get lost in transit during the change. Your requests will automatically reactivate when we go live with the new system on 3/31/15. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
If you click on “Check out with OverDrive”, you will be prompted to sign in if you haven’t already. Then a window will pop up confirming checkout:
After you select “check out”, you can immediately download the title by selecting “Get eBook” if you are using the device you would like to read/watch on.
Otherwise, you can download it later by logging into your account in the 
If you have placed a request on an item in our catalog, you may have noticed that your request was automatically suspended. This is a temporary measure to ensure that the migration to our new catalog software goes smoothly. By temporarily suspending requests until we go live on the new software, we will reduce the likelihood that items will get lost in transit during the change. Your requests will automatically reactivate when we go live with the new system on 3/31/15. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.