To Edit System Preferences:

1. Select Administration >Preferences >System Preferences from the main menu.
2. To edit 'variables'.
   1. Click on the 'Edit' link found in the right column,
   2. Modify the variable.
   3. Click Save.
3. Edit the 'libname' variable to change the library name that displays at the top of the main menu and on the Home page.
4. The "link1_name" displays as the first link at the bottom of all Opals screens.
5. The "link1_url" is the url that the user will go to when they click on the name at the bottom of any screen.
6. The "link2_name" and "link2_url" is available for a second url that a user can click on at the bottom of any screen.
7. A slogan for the library can changed by editing the "slogan" variable..
8. Be careful NOT to edit the theme from the default setting of "opals". 
9. The OPALS Advanced Search can be configured using the searchAdv variable. Call support for more information.
10. Any other settings can be edited if you wish. However, try to keep defaults as much as possible.

Thumbnail Registration

OPALS can display many free book jacket thumbnails for your items from various vendors. The first vendor to allow us to use their thumbnails is Amazon.com. You must register with Amazon in order to receive access to the images.

Register With Amazon

1) Click on the following URL to register a Amazon Web Services account at Amazon"
https://aws-portal.amazon.com/gp/aws/developer/registration/index.html

2) Add your personal information in the needed fields and press continue.

3) Be sure and select the check box to indicate that you have read and agree to the terms of the Amazon Web Services Customer Agreement, then click the continue button.

4) The account will be created.

5) You may now go to your e-mail client to find the e-mail from Amazon Web Services and follow the link they provide and login with the login name and password with which you registered in step two (above) to obtain the registration number.

6) Highlight and copy this number and get ready to paste it into the Preferences table.

7) Select Administration >Preferences >System Preferences from the main menu.

8) Select 'Edit' for the variable called "amazonId" Put your Access Key ID in the "value" box and press Save.

Your OPALS OPAC display will now show cover Thumbnails for many of your books.

User Types

To Add or Edit User Types:

User Types are where you allow certain user types a maximum number of loans or reservations for an item.

1. Select Administration >Preferences >User Types from the main menu.
2. To edit the maximum number of loans or reserves, click Edit beside the user type.
3. Edit the settings, Click Save.
4. To add a new User Type, Click Add at the bottom of the screen.
5. Type the name, enter the maximum number of items for loans and reserves, Click Add.
   

Item Types

Item Types are applied to each holding. The Item Type is used by the system to calculate loan, renew, reserve, or hold periods for each type of resource in the library. Select Administration> Preferences> Item Types from the main menu.

• Each type can be created or modified as you wish. 
• As many can be created as desired.
• The system default is "G".

Each OPALS MARC 852 holding field must have a subfield $3. This subfield is used to identify the Item Type you wish to use. Most of your records will be imported with a "G" in that subfield $3 (see NOTE below for the exception). If you wish to change the Item Type of a holding make sure the item type you wish to use is spelled correctly in the 852$3.

(NOTE: As New records are imported, (e.g.. from a vendor) any prefixes (852$k) in the holdings will be used as the Item Type and placed in the subfield $3. See Item Type Reassignment below if you wish to quickly merge one item type to another.)

Item Types apply to each user type, e.g. the 'Student' user type can have different loan periods for a 'G' (General) item type than a 'Faculty' user type has for the same 'G' item type (a teacher can have a book longer than the student).

To Edit Item Types:

You may edit the number of days a selected user can loan, renew, reserve, or hold an Item. You may also edit the Grace period in days and the maximum number of renewals a User Type can have.  (Select Administration> Preferences> Item Types from the main menu, if you haven't already.)

1. Click the hyperlinked Item Type Name in the ID column. 
• You will see an option to make this type a 'Default'. Only one Item Type can be set as the default. The 'default' item type setting is what the system uses for settings if you create a new Item Type. (Usually "G" is set as the default.)
2. Every User Type is represented in each Item Type. Set the periods needed for each user type.
3. Press the Save Button.

To Add a new Item Type:

1. To add a new Item Type, Click Add at the bottom of the screen.
2. Type the Item Type ID, description and all the settings for each User Type, click Save.
3. To delete an Item Type, Select the Item Type by clicking in the box left of the name. Click Delete at the bottom of the screen. An Item Type can not be deleted if any holdings with that Item Type are linked to it. To see how to move Item Types from one type to another see the next procedure.

Item Types Reassignment

To Reassign Item Types from One Code to Another:

1. Select Administration> Preferences> Item Types Reassignment from the main menu.
2. Select the boxes of the Item Type IDs to change FROM and the Item Type ID to change TO. Click Re-assign.
3. A message will appear "System will change the following item type(s): Are you sure? Click OK.
4. A line of information will appear at the bottom of the screen. This may take several minutes to complete the operation.
5. Once done, you can then delete the Item Type by using the previous procedure.

To  Add or Edit Z39.50 Servers:

1. Select Administration> Preferences> Z39.50 Servers from the main menu.
2. To edit the local database description, click Edit,  type name of Library in the description field. This name will appear in the first OPAC tab.
3. To enable the local database to be searched with Z-import, Select enabled for the List. Click Save.
4. To add a new Z39.50 Server to either the OPAC tabs or the Z-import list, Click Add. 
5. Type the url or IP address of the Z39.50 Server in the host field.
6. Type the port number in the port field.
7. Type the database name in the name field. It may be "case" sensitive.
8. Select the syntax, usually USMARC. However, all opals sites use XML.
9. Select the character Encoding - usually MARC-8 , all OPALS sites and many sites that are in a language other than English use UTF-8.
10. If needed, type the username and password for the Z39.50 Server.
11. The description field will display as an OPAC tab or from the Z-import List.
12. Select enabled for the tab field if you want to have a tab shown in OPAC. Otherwise, select disabled for tab and enabled for List if you want this Z39.50 Server for Z-import only.
13. Click Add.

External Databases

To Show External Databases in the OPAC:

1. Select Administration> Preferences> External Databases from the main menu.
2. There are 3 external databases that can be added as tabs to the OPAC, CERF, NOVEL databases and Quest-All. However, all 3 databases need IP or User Authentication.
3. CERF and Quest-All are subscription databases that need to be purchased from Media Flex Inc. A 2 month free preview can be requested at www.cerfinfo.com or toll-free at 877-331-1022.
4. NOVEL databases need IP authentication and registration can be found at www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/novel/
5. Select whether to show or hide the 3 databases from the pull down menus, click Save.
   

System/Library Editor

To Add or Edit the System/Library List:

1. Select Administration> Preferences> System/Library List from the main menu.
2. The OPALS system will take the codes found here and insert them into all records when any importing is done.
3. The System code will be inserted into 852 subfield "a" and the Library code will be inserted into 852 subfield "b".
4. In the case of a UNION database, you will be asked which System code and which Library code to use when importing records.
5. If using ILL, the complete address and contact information should be added.
6. The correct system must be listed on the left before you can add a new library to the right. When the information is complete, click Save.
   

Closing Dates Editor

To Add or Edit Dates Closed:
The Library opening and closing dates must reflect the current school year. You may check them by choosing >Administration > Preferences >Closing Dates Editor from the OPALS main menu. At the top of the page you will see two calendar icons that can be used to set the First and Last Date of your school year. NOTE: The "Last" date setting will also become the last possible due date for that year.

• If you are setting the Calendar for a new fiscal year, use the calendar icons to set the dates then press the "New" button. 

• If you are only changing the holiday dates, do not press the "New" button because it will delete all the previously selected holidays

Profile
The 'Profile' is selectable and represents which list of holidays will be presented when you select your Closing dates and Holidays (below) from the 'Statutory Holiday Picklist'. There are several countries available along with various states and provinces. If you cannot find your Country to select, holidays and closing dates may still be entered manually.
To change Opening Hours
The opening hours table is a simple text edited table. The system is installed with example hours, that can be edited in any way that you wish. If you are closed any day in a week, leave that day totally blank - otherwise OPALS will count that 'closed' day as an open day, and your loans may become due on one of those "closed" days. For example: If you Type "Closed" in Saturday and Sunday then you will be working with a 7 day week (14 days = 2 weeks). If you leave Saturday and Sunday completely blank, then your loan "week" is 5 day (10 days = 2 weeks).

Library Holidays and closing dates
There is a table at the bottom of the screen to display the days that the library will be closed. 

• If no Library Closing Dates are displaying in the Table:

1. Click the link called "Statutory Holiday Picklist"
2. Select the dates that the library will be closed
3. Press "Add"

• There are two ways to add dates that are not on the list.

1. Selecting the icon in the "Dup" column of a chosen holiday will add a copy of the same holiday below and automatically increment the date by one day. (This is a  good way to select Christmas and New Years holidays.)
2. Use the "Add more Closing Dates" button for any other date you wish to add. 
1. Add a description to the blank line
2. Click on the calendar icon and select the date

Custom Files

To Add or Change Logo for Opening Screen:
The Logo on the opening screen may be changed to any picture you wish. The digital formats recognized are - GIF, JPG, or PNG. The Picture will not resize automatically so it is best to use a picture that is between 200 and 300 pixels wide.

1. Select Administration> Preferences> Custom Files from the main menu.
2. The Type should be image and the Name should be logo.
3. Click Browse to find file for the Location box. Click Set.
4. Click Default, to get the original OPALS logo back.

News/Events List Editor

News / Events will allow you to post on line any information important to the library. This option will allow you to create and edit each item on the list.

• To Add a new event or Save the edit of an existing event, use the appropriate buttons at the bottom of the page: "Add More News/Events" and "Save News/Events
• Use a title and event expiry date for each event. (Click on the little calendar icon to change the date)
• URLs (clickable Internet links) can be added to any description page by placing "http://" before the URL. Or simply cut and paste the URL of your chosen site into the News / Events editor.
  

Web Links List Editor

This option will allow you to create and edit any link on the Web Links list. You may place any website that they wish in the  list. Access the editor by selecting >Administration >Preferences >Web Links List Editor

• To Add a new link or Save the edit of an existing link, use the appropriate buttons at the bottom of the page: "Add More Web Links" and "Save Web Links

Title

Grade Level(s)  /  Subject(s): 

URL

Description

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