Automatic Generation of Circulation Notices/Reports: A New Knowledge Management Approach 6th Annual Hong Kong Innovative Users Group Meeting Lingnan University - December 9, 2005 Automatic Generation of Circulation Notices/Reports: A New Knowledge Management Approach Loletta Chan, Assistant Librarian (Circulation & ILL) Li Yiu On, Assistant Librarian (Systems) Hong Kong Baptist University Library

2 Outline 1.Introduction 2.Reviewing current practices 3.Knowledge Management (KM) approach 4.Implementation of KM approach 5.Conclusion

3 1. Introduction

4 Past Practices  Notices CIR Staff  Notices & Reports INNOPAC Acquisitions Section (ACQ), Chinese Medicine Library (CML) & Multimedia Learning Centre (MLC) Library Patron  Mail Notices Notices without addresses Notices requiring a hard copy Notices requiring special processing Reports  

5 Types of Circulation Notices & Reports Notices - to remind patrons to return library materials or collect held items: Reports - to various counter staff (CIR, CML & MLC) for the management of hold shelf: 1.HKALL paging slips & 5 related reports 2.Clear hold shelf report 3.View outstanding holds report 1. Pre-due date reminder 4. Lost book notice 2. Overdue notice5. Hold pickup notice 3. Recall notice6. Hold cancellation notice

6 2. Reviewing Current Practices

7 Why Review Current Practices? 1.Notices & reports generated by INNOPAC system: –Not fully automated –Require manual operation –Tedious –Routine operation: repetitive & time-consuming –Knowledge is kept in the head of this skilled staff, no information sharing –Mainly rely on a CIR staff’s skill & knowledge to print reports for various sections: CML & MLC Individual Knowledge, Tacit Knowledge

8 Why Review Current Practices? 2.HKALL implementation (Sep 2005): more reports have to be generated every day –HKALL Paging Slips –List of PAGED TOO LONG items –List of RETURNED TOO LONG items –List of REQUESTED TOO LONG items –List of IN TRANSIT TOO LONG items –List of RECEIVED TOO LONG items 3.Limitations of MilCir Auto Notices WORKLOADWORKLOAD

9 MilCir Auto Notices

10 Advantages of MilCir Auto Notices New feature in Millennium Silver (2004) Good graphical user-friendly interface Able to save notice parameters & configure MilCir to generate notices automatically Able to specify different subject lines for different types of notices Availability of pre-due date reminder

11 Limitations of MilCir Auto Notices 1.Can’t print hard copy of notice for user who doesn’t have an address –MilCir will save all these notices in one file –Format of the notices will be disorganized (broken into 2 pages) –A macro is needed to reformat and repaginate the notices to a desired format for printing

12 Limitations of MilCir Auto Notices Gromit Chu 11 Tai Po Road, Tai Po, N.T. Reformatted notice Disorganized notice Gromit Chu 11 Tai Po Road, Tai Po, N.T.

13 Limitations of MilCir Auto Notices 2.Can only support sending notices via (e.g. recall notice) 3.Can’t handle notices that require library staff to add additional information before sending e.g. Lost book notice - ACQ staff to add the item replacement cost on the notice

14 Limitations of MilCir Auto Notices 4.Run special command before generating notices –e.g. Run “Clear Hold Shelf” command before generating “Hold Pickup” notices 5.Circulation reports cannot be generated by MilCir Auto Notices –Clear Hold Shelf report –View Outstanding Holds report –6 HKALL management reports

15 3. Knowledge Management (KM) Approach

16 Given the above background, we tried to apply the principle of Knowledge Management (KM) to re-engineer the process of generating notices & reports

17 What is Knowledge Management? “A deliberate, systematic business optimization strategy that selects, distills, stores, organizes, packages, & communicates information essential to the business of a company that improves employee performance & corporate competitiveness.” (Bryan Bergeron) KM is a systematic approach to manage intellectual asset (knowledge) that enhances organization performance & competitiveness

18 To enhance comprehension, awareness & understanding To build corporate knowledge To make the best use of existing knowledge To define all steps & procedures clearly, thus information can easily be captured, stored & transmitted electronically Share Knowledge with Others Goals of our KM Approach

19 System Requirements A.Hardware: 1 – 2 PCs B.Software: 1.INNOPAC System MilCir Auto Notices Related commands & printing functions 2.Macro Magic 3.Microsoft Windows Task Scheduler (MS Window components) 4.Microsoft Outlook (MS Office components) 5.Microsoft Word ** Many people think that KM must be associated with high-tech. This is not true. No high-end tools & special computer programs are required for this project. The investment cost is low.

20 2. Macro Magic Macro Magic website:

21 2. Macro Magic To automate command sequences for computer applications Record multiple keyboard & mouse actions & then save them as a macro When running the macro, these actions will be executed in a recorded sequence Advantages: –Automated tasks are created without writing a single line of computer program code –Can be run by a computer layman –Allow automated tasks to be rapidly developed, easily modified & maintained at lower cost

22 3. Windows Task Scheduler Free window program To schedule when a macro to be run

23 4. Microsoft Outlook To receive notices & reports generated by INNOPAC system Use Outlook macros –To organize & save s into different folders –To forward s for reformatting & printing

24 4. Implementation of KM Approach

25 Types of Circulation Notices/Reports Sending Method Generated by Auto Notices Type of Notices/Reports NOTICENOTICE 1. ONLY  Pre-due date reminder 2. OR Mail  Overdue notice Hold pickup notice Hold cancellation notice 3. AND Mail  Recall notice 4.Mail after special processing  Lost book notice REPORTREPORT 5. AND print copy ONLY  HKALL paging slips & 5 reports Clear hold shelf report View outstanding holds report

Only (Pre-due date reminder) Auto Notices Library Patron

or Mail (Overdue notice) Patron with address  Patron without address Auto Notices  Mail Library Patron   Outlook Task Scheduler 

& Mail (Recall notice) Patron with address  Patron without address  a Bcc. of notices Auto Notices Outlook  Mail Library Patron  bb cc  Outlook Task Scheduler 

29 4. Mail Requiring Special Processing (Lost book notice) ACQ CIR Auto Notices  Mail   Library Patron  (Add replacement cost) Outlook Task Scheduler 

30 5. Reports (HKALL paging slips)  HKALL paging slips INNOPAC Task Scheduler  Outlook    CIR, CML 

31 ACQ New KM Approach : New Role Reports notices Library Patron Outlook Task Scheduler CIR, CML & MLC Notices requiring special processing CIR INNOPAC Mail notices Auto Notices  Notices without addresses Notices requiring a hard copy

32 Designated Work Schedule No.Time Schedul e Task 14:00Mon-Sunsend dummy notices 25:00Mon-Satauto overdue notices 35:00Mon-Satauto hold cancellation notices 45:00Mon-Sunauto recall notices 55:30Mon-SunMacro Magic reformat & organize notices 66:00Mon-SunMilcir auto notices log 76:00Mon-Satprint CIR overdue, recall and hold cancellation notices 86:00Sunprint recall notices 96:45Mon-Sunsend to CIR & MLC for hold items of location is, t & in-process items 108:00Mon-Frisend dummy paging slip 118:10Mon-Frisend paging slip (1st time) 129:10Mon-Friclear hold shelf and print pick up hold notice 1311:30Mon-Suncancel hold dummy item 1412:00Mon-Frisend dummy paging slip 1512:15Mon-Frisend paging slip (2nd time) 1614:00Mon-FriHKALL reports 1714:20Mon-Friauto bill notice 1815:10Mon-Sunmake hold dummy item

33 Advantages of KM Application in Notices/Reports Re-engineering Cost-effectiveness –Save staff time & cost to generate some 15 types of notices & reports every day Efficiency –Reports in appropriate formats (electronic and/or print) are directly sent to various sections for processing –e.g. Clear hold shelf report, HKALL paging slips  CIR & CML Paging slips for in-storage materials  CIR & MLC

34 Advantages of KM Application in Notices/Reports Re-engineering Systematization –Over 15 types of notices & reports are automatically generated in appropriate formats (electronic and/or print) for various sections’ staff –Steps, commands & procedures to generate notices & reports are designed in logical & systematic sequence e.g. clear hold shelf before generating hold pickup notice Security – A backup copy of all notices & reports ( & print copy) is saved in computer

35 Advantages of KM Application in Notices/Reports Re-engineering Accuracy –All tedious & repetitive tasks are performed by computer automatically –No human intervention  No human mistake Routine –All tasks are performed at a pre-designated day & time by computer –No delay is caused by human factors e.g. staff who take leave or work on night shift

36 5. Conclusion

37 Knowledge Generation Process Past PracticeNew Practice in KM Approach Creation / Acquisition Ad hoc & passive carried out by CIR staff solely Well-planned & systematic Collaborative Using / Organization Individual knowledge Unwritten & manual operation Involve human experiences, skills & intuition Corporate knowledge Written & performed by computer program automatically Steps & procedures are clearly defined Sharing Among a few staff only Complicated Cross-sections (ACQ, CIR, CML, MLC, SYS) Storing Oral, discrete, unformatted, poor organization & classification Difficult to retrieve, low re-use value Well-formatted, organized & classified Easy to retrieve, high re-use value Past Practice vs. KM Approach

38 Re-engineer / Transform Knowledge Traditional ApproachKM Approach UnmanagedManaged IndividualCorporate TacitExplicit Implementation of the KM Approach

39 Conclusion Through better management of knowledge, we can achieve 2 goals: –Better use in human resources (free from manual operation) –Deliver quality library services CEO of Hewlett Packard “Successful companies of the 21st century will be those who do the best job of capturing, storing, and leveraging what their employees know.” -- Ganesh Natarajan, p.6

40 Mr. Li Yiu On - Systems Mr. Yip Wing Chung – Systems Mr. Patrick Wong - Systems Miss Karen Ng – Circulation & ILL Miss Lydia So – Circulation & ILL Acknowledgment Bibliography Bergeron, Bryan. Essentials of Knowledge Management. Hoboken, N.J. : J. Wiley, Natarajan, Ganesh. Knowledge Management : Enabling Business Growth. New Delhi : Tata McGraw-Hill, 2000.