Using Partners

Innovative libraries can offer the option to transfer a search to another Innovative system or a local reference database. To search on another system, both libraries must have Internet access and must have entered into a cooperative agreement with one another (a library can enter into agreements with more than one Innovative library). When the user selects one of these databases, the WebPAC automatically performs the same search on that database.

On WebPAC systems that have Innovative Partners, the system offers link options to repeat the search at any of the partnered libraries. For example:

If the user selects one of these options, the WebPAC repeats the search in the partnered library's catalog. The WebPAC displays transferred searches in a two-frame screen, with the main record display in the bottom frame and a Return to Catalog option, which takes the user back to the original library's WebPAC, in the top frame.

Service Levels and Partners

You can specify a Service Level (a number between 0 and 9, inclusive) for each partner (see the Service level for "Y > Search another DB" option. If a login has a lower Service Level than the one assigned to a particular partner, the system does not offer the menu line for that partner (see Limiting Network Access for a discussion of limiting access by service level). If a login does not have privileges to access any partners, the system does not offer the Partner options.