A MESSAGE FROM THE NEW COORDINATOR OF LIBRARY NETWORK AND COMPUTER SERIVCES

   
   Todd Boostrom, Coordinator of Library
     Network and Computer Services

        As the new Library Technology Coordinator, I would like to take a moment to thank everyone for welcoming me to the University Library and the CSUDH campus.  My reception by faculty and staff has been warm and supportive.  Furthermore, intradepartmental contacts have  provided Library Computer and Network Services with terrific help in our efforts to improve the information technology infrastructure of the library, and by extension, the campus. In the five months I have been here, we in Library Computer and Network Services have had the opportunity to collaborate with the campus Information Technology Dept. on a number of projects, including migrating University Library resources over to the Campus network.  The migration gives us increased stability and functionality through the ability to set fine-grained security policies on our public workstations, automatic software updates, and better reporting capabilities of network activity.

Other projects we have completed include:

  ·          adding a site search engine to the library website
  ·          automatic website statistics reporting
  ·          MySql database functionality for the website
  ·          bottom up reconfiguration of all Library public workstations to
            Windows 2000 platforms
  ·          setup of public printing on  public Internet workstations 
  ·          centralized management of antivirus protection
  ·          a much needed weeding of computer science/ CIS and            telecommunications books in the Library
  ·          setup of remote monitoring of library servers.

By using a mixture of standard proprietary, open source, and freeware software products, Library Network and Computer Services has been able to maximize benefits in cost savings, stability and functionality.  Open source software is software developed collaboratively for free by programmers dispersed around the world.  Freeware, similarly, is software provided freely without the collaborative dimension.  In the past several months, the Library has made use of  web server software (Apache), server monitoring software (Servers Alive?), site search engine software (Alkaline), web server statistics gathering software (Analog), database software (MySQL), and dynamic web page software (PHP), all free of cost.  Not all needed software solutions are free, but the Library  can take advantage of those that fit its needs. 

Looking into the future, Library Network and Computer Services will soon be setting up network virtual storage space for all Library staff and faculty members’ files with RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks).  RAID creates up-to-the-second backups of all data, ensuring the safety of all staff and faculty documents.  We also are moving to crash-proof the library website, so that patrons may truly have reliable around-the-clock access to library resources.  We look forward to helping address the technology needs of the University Library now and in the future.

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by Todd Boostrom
tboostrom@csudh.edu