Quick Links
What is SWAN?
Member Benefits from SWAN
Current 80 Member Libraries of SWAN
SWAN Catalog
SWAN Governance
Database Group Purchases
Member's Only Information & Resources
SWAN Pricing
SWAN Statistics
Bibliographic Services
SWAN Staff
Hours & Availability

What is SWAN?

Eighty libraries in Rearching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS) share ownership, with RAILS, of an integrated library automation system known as SWAN (System Wide Automated Network). By sharing the cost of central site equipment, computer and database maintenance staff, and telecommunications, libraries of all sizes (including public, academic, school and special) have found it possible to join the consortium and to realize the advantages of automated resource sharing.

SWAN maintains an online consortium catalog for its 80 members. The catalog lists more than one million titles of books, periodicals, cassettes, videos, CDs, DVDs, electronic resources and other library materials. The catalog shows which libraries own a given title and if the item is currently on the shelf.   Through catalog patrons can check their own accounts, place holds, track their reading history, and pay fines with a credit card.

 

SWANcom email distribution list

Subscribe to SWANcom for the lastest SWAN news.

You can subscribe using one of the two following ways:

1. You can fill out an online form at http://sls.lib.il.us/mailman/listinfo/swancom OR
2. You can subscribe via email.

• Send an e-mail to swancom-request@sls.lib.il.us
• In the subject line type the word: subscribe
• Once you have sent your e-mail, you will receive an immediate reply stating, “Your subscription request has been forwarded to the list administrator.”
• SWAN staff will process your subscription to SWANcom within 3 business days.

 

Member Benefits from SWAN

1. Support for most SWAN related hardware and telecommunications issues. SWAN staff run and maintain Integrated Library System (ILS) servers, including software application, data security, backup, and the Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC).
2. Centralized printing and distribution of a variety of reports including daily circulation notices, monthly circulation statistics, and monthly status reports.  Other reports can be requested. 
3. Software helpdesk services and training.  Included in these services are workshops, documentation, consulting, and parameter set-up and maintenance.
4. Centralized cataloging for most SWAN libraries, where the integrity of the SWAN bibliographic database as a whole is managed. 

Current 80 Member Libraries of SWAN

View SWAN libraries in a larger map

SWAN Catalog

SWAN supports two public catalog interfaces.

Traditional SWAN catalog: http://swan.mls.lib.il.us

The traditional catalog has the ability to "scope" to a single member library in SWAN, as well as the ability to search all 80 libraries collections all at once.

SWAN Encore Discovery catalog: http://swanencore.mls.lib.il.us

The next generation catalog introduced in 2006 leverages contemporary user interface concepts like facets for refining searches.

SWAN Governance

The SWAN organization incorporated as an independent organization in 2010. The board for SWAN is comprised of seven library directors elected from the SWAN membership. The membership of SWAN is arranged into three groups based on percentage of financial support to SWAN.

More information on the SWAN Governance and Administrative Council can be found here.

View the SWAN Governance Groups here.

Database Group Purchases

Find information and documents for the Proquest: Chicago Tribune and the larger FY2012 Group Purchase

Members Only SWAN Information & Resources

The members only documents in this area contain proprietary information and require a login and password. SWAN member library directors have the login and password to access the proprietary information (in director's login). SWAN members can also join the SWAN mailing list, SWANcom. Please see the SWAN "Members Only" Documents FAQ for more information.

SWAN Tech

IT staff at SWAN member libraries can request special access to the SWAN Tech website. Repository of files for SWAN Members to download are available on this website, in addition to documentation specific to IT staff or contracted IT companies affliated with SWAN member libraries.

Link to SWAN Tech is here: http://www.mls.lib.il.us/swantech

SWAN Remote Help

You should only use SWAN Remote Help if you are working on an issue with SWAN staff, and they have instructed you to click on the link in order to provide you with remote help.

SWAN Pricing

Libraries interested in joining SWAN will need to contact the director of SWAN Services. Current membership fees are available on the SWAN Governance webpage, under the section

SWAN Pricing Page

SWAN Equipment Scheduling and Installation

Login and password are required.

SWAN Statistics

Monthly statistics for SWAN member libraries.

SWAN Bibliographic Services

SWAN Bibliographic Services provides centralized cataloging for most SWAN libraries, and is responsible for the integrity of the SWAN bibliographic database as a whole. To view and download specific tables and codes for bibliographic and item records, visit SWAN Bibliographic Services Unrestricted Tables and Codes. To view the Data Entry Manual for SWAN Libraries, visit SWAN Bibliographic Services Members Only Documents.

SWAN Database Maintenance provides professional and vendor links for cataloging, classification, and acquisitions. To view these links, visit SWAN Bibliographic Services Professional and Vendor Links.

Electronic Subscriptions

Libraries are required to give SWAN at least one month’s notice when individual libraries or groups of libraries plan a subscription to an electronic resource service and wish to have the bibliographic records for the respective titles represented in SWAN.  Libraries must fill out the Request for Electronic Subscription form before SWAN can proceed.

If a group of libraries plans such a subscription, one of the libraries should be designated as the contract library with SWAN staff.

Libraries should never sign a contract with a vendor until SWAN staff has signed off on the vendor’s format and network security procedures. If you have any questions, please contact Tony Siciliano at tony.siciliano@railslibraries.info or (630) 734-5143.

SWAN Staff

• SWAN Whom to Call list

Hours & Availability

SWAN is up and available online nearly 23 hours a day, 7 days a week. SWAN staff are available to you during the following hours:

• 7:30 a.m. - 10:30 p.m. Monday-Friday
• 8:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Saturday
• 11:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Sunday

SWAN is NOT available during the following hours:

• Sun 9:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
• Mon 10:00 p.m - 12:00 a. m.
• Tue 10:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
• Wed 10:00 p.m. - 10:15 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.
• Thu 10:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
• Fri 10:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
• Sat 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

NOTE: Reports should not be left running overnight on the Report server on Thursday evenings since a maintenance reboot of the system is done weekly at 9:45 p.m.