SCLS Technology News

Software updates for SCLS-supported PCs

While you're sleeping, SCLS-supported PCs receive regular software updates.

What should you know about SCLS software updates?

Leave your PCs on at night
Regular updates are performed at night. To make sure your PCs receive their updates, leave them on at night (you can turn off the monitors if you like, but leave the PCs themselves on). For patron PCs that are normally frozen to prevent changes, SCLS sets them to thaw, perform updates, and then re-freeze themselves. If the PCs are off at night, they miss receiving updates, and may even get confused when they are turned on in the morning and try to perform their nightly maintenance tasks at the wrong time. 

SCLS updates standard SCLS-supported software
"SCLS-supported" software includes:

• Browsers (IE, Edge, Chrome, and Firefox)
• Common browser plug-ins (Flash, Shockwave, Java, Silverlight)
• Adobe Reader
• Windows operating system
• Antivirus software

If you have other library-specific software (Quickbooks, graphics programs, etc.) installed, you may call the Help Desk to request a software update if you need one.

Don't update the software that SCLS updates
Updating the software that SCLS manages can create confusion and problems, especially with Firefox.

Although it may be tempting to install the latest, greatest version of Firefox, don't do it!  We configure Firefox with special print settings for use with Koha. Before SCLS pushes out a Firefox upgrade, SCLS staff does thorough testing of the new version, and then a few pilot libraries do testing to make sure the new version of Firefox works correctly with Koha. Skipping this testing can be a recipe for unexpected Koha problems and extra work to try to set things right again.

 Photo by Casey Horner on Unsplash

Retiring Firefox from public PCs

In March 2017, we announced that the Firefox browser would not be included when we rolled out Windows 10 on public computers. Because there isn't an easy way to manage Firefox centrally, in the past we had to create custom scripts and tweaks to customize and maintain it on public PCs. When planning for Windows 10 for public PCs, it made sense to replace Firefox with Edge, a browser that can easily be centrally managed. The Tech Committee approved eliminating Firefox from Windows 10 public computers at the February 1st, 2017 Tech Committee meeting.

After a significant update to the Firefox browser last week, we discovered problems on older public PCs with the way the new version Firefox behaves when combined with out custom security and privacy measures. Because of these issues, at this week's Technology Committee meeting the committee approved the decision to also retire the Firefox browser on Windows 7 and 8 public computers. When Firefox is retired on Win7 & 8 public PCs next week, the LINKcat desktop shortcut will be reconfigured to open in Chrome.

Mouse Settings Now Accessible on Public PCs

We received a request to grant patrons access to the mouse settings on public computers.  The settings can now be accessed on Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 computers by opening the Accessibility folder on the Desktop.  On Windows 7 computers, you will go to the Desktop and open the Ease of Access folder.

The speed of the mouse pointer can be changed after selecting the Pointer Options tab.  This could be useful to people who have difficulty controlling the mouse at its default speed.

Another nice feature is the ability to change the primary button configuration of the mouse.  Many left-handers prefer to use the right mouse button for selecting and dragging.  This can be changed on the Buttons tab.

PCs with the MyPC reservation system reboot automatically at the end of a patron session.  The mouse settings will revert back to the default configuration after the restart.  On catalog PCs and full internet stations without MyPC, the settings will only revert back if the patron initiated a reboot or logoff at the end of his/her session.

Advance notice for network printer installs

Just a quick reminder -- if your library is getting a new network printer or copier that will be used by your SCLS-supported PCs, please schedule this in advance with the SCLS Help Desk. With a little notice, we'll be able to make sure we have staff available to make any necessary network configuration changes and to help install the new driver on your supported PCs.

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Ordering PCs in 2016

If you still need to order PCs, barcode scanners, or printers in 2016, please pay close attention to these dates:

Friday, November 11 - 2016 bill to you by December 2016.
Order by this date to guarantee you'll have a bill in your hands from SCLS by the end of 2016.

Friday, December 9 - 2016 bill to you by January 2017.
Order by this date if you need a bill dated 2016 but can accomodate the bill being delivered to you in January 2017.  

To help libraries plan for PC replacements, SCLS regularly updates libraries' PC Status Reports. If you have any questions about ordering, please contact Craig.

If you still need to order PCs, barcode scanners, or printers in 2016, please pay close attention to these dates:

Friday, November 11 - 2016 bill to you by December 2016.
Order by this date to guarantee you'll have a bill in your hands from SCLS by the end of 2016.

Friday, December 9 - 2016 bill to you by January 2017.
Order by this date if you need a bill dated 2016 but can accomodate the bill being delivered to you in January 2017.  

To help libraries plan for PC replacements, SCLS regularly updates libraries' PC Status Reports. If you have any questions about ordering, please contact Craig.

Snipping Tool added to public PCs

On February 3rd the Technology Committee approved the addition of Microsoft's Snipping Tool to SCLS-supported public PCs, and SCLS staff rolled it out soon after. This tool can be used by patrons to capture part or all of the PC screen, add notes, and save the snip. The Snipping Tool is already part of SCLS-supported staff PC configurations.

Interested in learning more about the Snipping Tool? Microsoft's How-To page for the Snipping Tool has all the details!

 

Updated workstation status reports

SCLS publishes updated Workstation Status Reports on a regular basis. These reports detail the names, purchase dates, locations and some hardware specs for a library's SCLS-supported computers. The reports are color-coded and are an easy way to get a visual on the age of the PCs:

• PCs with a green ship date are less than 2 years old.
• PCs with a black ship date are 2 - 3 years old.
• PCs with an orange ship date are more than 3 years old. You should plan on replacing them before they reach 5 years of age.
• PCs with a red ship date are more than 5 years old and are obsolete. They should be replaced.

SCLS recommends libraries replace about 20% of the library's PCs each year so that none are older than five years. 

Ordering SCLS-supported PCs and peripherals can be done through the Hardware Ordering webpage.  Contact Craig for help with planning for equipment replacement or for questions about ordering.

Moving from Library Online to MyPC

As you probably already know, SCLS is moving from Library Online to MyPC (time management) and Papercut (print management). We are happy to report that we have 4 sites up and running on both MyPC and Papercut and 1 site up and running MyPC only. Many thanks to Oregon Public Library and Madison Public Library's Meadowridge, Goodman South Madison, Hawthorne, and Central locations for taking the initial plunge with us! We've received great questions and feedback which will help make the rest of our rollouts go more smoothly. 

If your library uses Library Online, here's how you can prepare for the upcoming rollout:

• ​Read over the MyPC documentation and FAQ
• Watch the archived "MyPC Basics" webinar if you haven't already done so

For libraries that will be going live with MyPC only (no Papercut)--- last week we sent an email to each library's contact asking them to sign up for their library's "Go Live" date. In the next couple of weeks, we will be getting in touch with each library's contact person again to talk more about desired MyPC settings.

For libraries that will be going live with MyPC and Papercut---- we're already in touch with some of you to talk about plans, and the rest of you should be hearing from us soon.

Planning for PC replacement

It's mid-year -- the perfect time to review your library's PC Status Report and plan for your remaining 2015 PC replacements!

At the beginning of each month, SCLS posts updated PC Status Reports for each library that receives technology support from SCLS. These reports include purchase date, PC name, model, location, and more for SCLS-supported PCs, and can be used to plan for PC replacement. SCLS recommends libraries replace about 20% of the library's PCs each year so that none are older than five years.

Ordering SCLS-supported PCs and peripherals can be done through the Hardware Ordering webpage. Orders for 2015 PCs can be made until the 1st week in November (after that, the bills will be for 2016). Contact Craig for help with planning for equipment replacement or for questions about ordering.

PC services - factory defaults

SCLS offers cradle-to-grave support for PCs ordered and supported by SCLS. 

Sometimes when a PC hits the "grave" and is retired from the SCLS network, the library still wants to use that PC for something else. In these cases, SCLS tech staff can, as a courtesy, set a PC ordered through SCLS back to a basic Windows configuration like the one the PC had when it shipped from Dell.

There are some limitations:

• The PC must have been ordered through SCLS and have been recently removed from the SCLS network.
• This is a one-time deal. Tech staff will re-install the basic Windows configuration  for a library only one time per PC.
• This does not include Microsoft Office. PCs ordered through SCLS are not ordered with Office. If a library wants Office on a retired PC, they will be responsible for procuring their own copy of Office for the PC.