Report and Recommendations from the Proxy Service Task Force

Background:
The Proxy Service Task Force (PSTF) was convened by the Public Services Council in October 1999 to:

1. design a beta-test of the service, including documentation and publicity
2. create end-user help and publicity documentation for the production service
3. determine a workable mechanism for generating and maintaining a list of Internet domain names for all online resources licensed on behalf of UCB faculty, staff, and students.

The PSTF initiated a beta test of the service in December 1999. As part of the service documentation was created. The documentation was expanded and now includes a Library Orientation Leaflet, a Proxy Server Service FAQ, and a Troubleshooting Checklist, the last two are available on the proxy server web site. A web form was developed for selectors to submit titles to be added to or removed from the proxy server list of licensed UCB web resources (proxy.pac). This form is available from the UCB Library Collection Development Policies and Procedures web page.

In March 2000, the proxy service was officially unveiled to library patrons and the feedback on the service has been very positive.

Recommendations:

AUL for Public Services or designee:

1. Appoint a PSC representative to work with Systems Office to review comments coming in from the Questions/Comments form
2. Coordinate with the Teaching Library to publicize proxy service in Fall 2000

AUL for Collections or designee:

1. Incorporate into selector procedures addition of URLs for licensed resources to the proxy.pac file
2. Create mechanism for selectors to be able to access proxy.pac file
3. Review the proxy.pac file annually
4. Review mechanism developed for adding or removing licensed web resources annually

Teaching Library and Systems Office:

1. Review documentation as new web browsers become available

Proxy Service Task Force Members:
Fleur Helsingor, Kresge Engineering Library
Oliver Heyer, Teaching Library
Jeff A. Hjelt, Northern Regional Library Facility (ended March 2000)
Debbie Jan, Public Health Library
Nancy Lin, Library Systems Office
Beth Weil, Marian Koshland Bioscience and Natural Resources Library

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