Project Name: Electronic Fund Transfer File Builder Program

Sponsor:
Julie Kwan (email: jkkwan@library.ucla.edu; Tel: 310-825-5342)

Partners:
None

Background:
Health sciences libraries in the United States share journal articles on interlibrary loan using a system called DOCLINE, developed and managed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM). NLM has contracted with the University of Connecticut to provide the Electronic Funds Transfer System (EFTS) to handle payments for these materials. Information about EFTS is available at http://efts.uchc.edu. We are just starting to implement EFTS in libraries in the Pacific Southwest; currently, we have 53 EFTS libraries out of 409 DOCLINE libraries in the Pacific Southwest.

Problem:
Libraries that want to charge other libraries for DOCLINE interlibrary loans must send data on their charges to the University of Connecticut to be included in their billing program. Some of these libraries use third party programs that have an EFTS report writing capability. However, many smaller libraries do not have these third party programs. Consequently, EFTS has developed a PC based “File Builder Program (FBP)” for their use. FBP may be downloaded from the EFTS website at http://efts.uchc.edu/program.htm. FBP has a number of limitations; it is not customizable, the field labels are incomprehensible, you cannot easily review the data you have entered, etc.

The University of Connecticut has recently hired a software company to convert their program – statements, accounting, data upload, etc. – to the Web. They expect that this will be completed by the end of the year (December 2003). The new system will replace FBP, but we are uncertain how the software company will determine and test system requirements. The University of Connecticut does not anticipate changing any of the fields or field names in the data file because they want the new system to continue to be compatible with existing third party programs.

This project is a race to the finish line! Will the new web based program meet the needs of individual libraries? Will it be customizable? Will they simply take the existing system, provide newer and better field labels, and consider that part of the project done? What if we don’t like the new product? (I have a copy of the RFP for this project.)

Constraints:
There is no guarantee that anyone will use this program. It may turn out that the system currently being developed for the University of Connecticut will be wonderful, and no one would even dream of using anything else.

Desired Deliverables:
At a minimum, a stand-alone program for the PC should be developed. This program would be used to prepare the data file to send to EFTS staff at the University of Connecticut. It should be faster to enter data into this system than the new web-based system, and it should be customizable. For example, each library has standard charges and delivery methods. With the current FBP, this must be entered individually each time. The end-product should be available at no charge to any DOCLINE library that wishes to use it. It must be exceptionally easy to install and use. It should prepare a datafile corresponding to EFTS specifications as given on http://efts.uchc.edu/policies.html#Uploading%20Transaction%20Data. This datafile can then be emailed to EFTS for inclusion in the system.