Melvyl Software Upgrade

The CDL has begun moving the Melvyl Catalog to version 16.02 of Ex Libris’ Aleph 500 software (the Melvyl Catalog is currently on version 15.3.).  Previously, we anticipated that the upgrade would be complete by the end of 2005.  The timeline has been updated; the move is now expected to be complete by the end of 2006.  All enhancements to the Melvyl Catalog are on hold until after the update completion.

The CDL spent unanticipated time working with the catalog vendor, Ex Libris, to address a problem in the speed of loading the campus updates.  The importance of focusing on this issue overshadowed the move to the next version of the software. With two major fixes brought in, record loading has improved 40 percent since last summer (2005), when loading was at its slowest.

In moving to version 16.02, CDL technical staff are spending time behind the scenes planning; installing copies of the software in multiple environments (development, staging, production); converting the user interface; reindexing the catalog; and running quality assurance tests.  These operations combined take months to accomplish.  With a database as large and as complex as the Melvyl Catalog, reindexing alone takes six to eight weeks.

The CDL will keep you informed as we make this transition.