[Wactclc-alma] Connexion Client

[Thomas, Kirsti]

There's no charge to install and use Connexion Client.

OCLC members used to have to pay per-minute connection fees in addition to transaction fees for the number of records you did something to.  OCLC developed Connexion Client to help out its smaller customers with smaller budgets and give them a way of editing offline and then updating holdings quickly in batch so that connection time was minimized.

OCLC stopped charging per-minute connection fees several years ago (5-8?) but Connexion Client is still useful because it allows you to run macros that can automate routine editing or cataloging checks.

For example, we use a macro that will run through a list of bib records and flag any that are coded as "online" so that we can ignore them when trying to find records for print books.  We have other macros that automatically create special call numbers that use the first X letters of the author's name followed by the first X letters of the title, or that flag records which have a personal name as a subject heading but which aren't coded as biographical works.

One of the things that I really like Connexion Client for is the ability to quickly and easily print correctly-formatted call number labels for a bunch of titles all at once with a just a few mouse clicks. This includes multi-volume sets that require labels with different enumeration for each volume.  I haven't used Connexion Browser much at all, so I don't know how it does label printing.

There are some IT-related things to be aware of if you use Connexion Client:

1) To be able to use macros, *all* users need read/write permissions for all files and subfolders in folder:
C:\Program Files (x86)\OCLC

2) If your local computer network uses roaming profiles, you *MUST* create a local profile on the machine where Connexion Client is installed for each person who uses Connexion on that machine.

3) When you install Connexion Client, there's sometimes a bug that makes the desktop shortcut that gets created for basic users link to installation file instead of the program file.  After installing, I usually have to have my staff log in and then I fix the desktop shortcut so it points to the right file.

Hope this helps!

Kirsti S. Thomas
Library Technical Services Manager
Seattle Colleges
kirsti.thomas at seattlecolleges.edu




From: Clams-l [mailto:clams-l-bounces at lists.ctc.edu] On Behalf Of Guidry, Wade
Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2018 13:56
To: College and Media Librarians of WA <clams-l at lists.ctc.edu>
Cc: wactclc-alma at lists.ctc.edu
Subject: Re: [Clams-l] Connexion Client

Louise,

You may have already seen this feature comparison of different Connexion clients:

https://www.oclc.org/en/connexion/chart.html

I think one main benefit of the Windows client over the browser that some people make use of is Connexion macros, to automate some repetitive editing tasks. That may be more useful for people who do lots and lots and lots of cataloging.

And yes, if you have access to Connexion browser, you should also be able to use Connexion Windows. You can download it here:

https://www.oclc.org/support/software-reports/cataloging-software-downloads.en.html

Also, I am cross-posting my response to wactclc-alma, as I think we could get some valuable thoughts from people like Kirsti, Paula, George, et al (no pressure folks :) )


Wade Guidry
Library Consortium Services Manager, WACTCLC
wadeg at bigbend.edu<mailto:wadeg at bigbend.edu>
(509) 760-4474


From: Clams-l [mailto:clams-l-bounces at lists.ctc.edu] On Behalf Of Choate, Louise
Sent: Tuesday, February 27, 2018 12:13 PM
To: 'clams-l at lists.ctc.edu' <clams-l at lists.ctc.edu<mailto:clams-l at lists.ctc.edu>>
Subject: [Clams-l] Connexion Client

Hi all,

We use the Connexion web browser for cataloging and adding/deleting holdings, but I've also heard about Connexion Client. Is there any added benefit to using Connexion Client? Is there an additional cost?

Thanks!

Louise Choate
Library & Archives Paraprofessional 4
Lower Columbia College
360 442 2668

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