MAGNETIC MEDIA ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES

Attention to administrative detail is a must. It will help assure that media are properly maintained and ready for use. Control logs, pass-down log, library listings, and reports are all a part of the everyday administrative functions. Administrative duties and responsibilities include the following:

. Maintaining tape cleaning, verification, and degaussing logs 

l Checking magnetic media in and out, using appropriate logs Labeling magnetic media 

l Making entries in tape and disk control logs 

l Making entries in pass-down log 

Establishing and updating current and history files

Preparing library listings and reports for distribution

To accomplish this task requires a specially designed program that is able to read the internal label information that is stored on the magnetic media. The program extracts whatever information it needs to build a record onto the library master file (or database file). Once a record is established, you can make changes or deletions as necessary.

Most AIS installations have incorporated or are capable of installing some type of automated tape library control (ATLC) program. Various manufacturers supply these software programs for their _{computing systems.} These programs provide an automated capability for preparing various user and management reports to assist in the operation and control of your installation's magnetic media library. These reports reflect the current status of each tape reel, disk pack, and diskette in the library. You will find that various manufacturers give different names to their library accounting programs; however, the majority of these software systems accomplish the same functions. The names may change, but the game is the same. For this chapter, we use ATLC.

A good ATLC system should be capable of providing you with the library edit and error, reel master list, application, user/programmer, media to be released, library maintenance, off-site storage, and history reports.

LIBRARY EDIT AND ERROR REPORT- This report provides you with information and error-type messages pertaining to the ATLC system transactions; those submitted, rejected, and processed.

MASTER LIST REPORT- This report provides you with information pertaining to each type of media contained in the ATLC system. This report is normally listed in identification number sequence.

APPLICATION REPORT- This report provides you with information pertaining to media assigned to any particular project (supply, payroll, and soon). This report is normally listed by project number and identification number.

USER/PROGRAMMER REPORT- This report provides you with information pertaining to media that is assigned to a particular user or programmer. It should be in user/programmer number, release date, and identification number sequence.

MEDIA TO BE RELEASED REPORT- This report provides you with information pertaining to the media that are scheduled to be released (scratched according to purge date). It is normally listed in identification number and/or in file-ID sequence.

LIBRARY MAINTENACE REPORT- This report provides you with information regarding the media itself, indicating when the media was last cleaned, when it was last stripped (magnetic tape only), and recertified. This report is normally listed by media type (tape or disk) and identification number.

OFF-SITE STORAGE REPORT- This report provides you with information pertaining to the media that are stored off-site. This report is normally listed by media type, release date, and identification number.

HISTORY REPORT- This report provides you with various information pertaining to all magnetic media classified as history files. This report should be listed in media type, release date, and identification number sequence.

All input, changes, and deletions to the ATLC systems database (master file) should be accomplished by the librarian to ensure database integrity. You should have up-to-date information on how to properly maintain the ATLC system so you can key-enter (via CRT) new records, make changes to existing records, or delete records entirely. You must also know how to use input parameters and possibly SCL parameters to produce the appropriate output products.

The main purpose of any ATLC system is to relieve you of having to maintain numerous logs and library files by hand. So, if your AIS installation has an automated library control system, take full advantage of it; otherwise, you can look forward to many, many hours of manual labor. You will also find that the number of tape and disk accountability problems will be lessened considerably under an automated system.