This page provides a brief summary of major PC Reservation development milestones. Detailed information is published in the printed and electronic manuals provided with licensed products.
First Installation [2000]
Newton County Library. (18) Clients, (1) Management Console, (1) Reporting Module.
Dynamic Filtering Control [2000]
EnvisionWare introduced the first open architecture solution for controlling any proxy-based filter, allowing libraries to easily enable/disable filtering per session.
Granular control by area [2001]
Version 2.2 provided unique session lengths, color schemes, and other settings for each AREA within a branch.
PC Res at PLA/'Phoenix Release' [2/2002]
Phoenix Public Library was the host and had just successfully launched PC Reservation. Thousands of librarians saw the product in action at the reception and viewed the first public viewing of the 'Phoenix Release'.
Connection Manager / AAM Database [12/2002]
A few customers needed validation without linking live to a library circulation system resulting in EnvisionWare's development of a link to the AAM Access or SQL database in Version 2.3.
Patron API Introduced [2/2003]
In addition to ODBC, SIP, and SIP2, a Patron API ILS link was added to PC Reservation in version 2.4.
Guest Handling System [2/2003]
Version 2.4 also provided a special guest handling system and separate rules for guests.
First Agile Release [2/2003]
Version 2.4 was EnvisionWare's first release under the Agile model to provide frequent releases of small sets of features so that customers could have quick access to needed enhancements instead of waiting the traditional 6-9 month period for a major release.
Central History/Global Restrictions [3/2003]
Central history permitted multi branch systems to aggregate statistical information in a central SQL database. Libraries that prefer to enforce a system wide usage restriction could now implement this policy.
Last Name Validation [6/2003]
Version 2.8 provided last name validation in addition to PIN and barcode. A forced display of the use policy was added at the Client allowing users to specify a preferred method of displaying the information.
User Filtering Choice [1/2004]
Adding to the powerful capabilities of Dynamic Filtering Control, a new enhancement was delivered that provided the option to set a rule based upon age, type and other ILS criteria so that a patron could choose to turn filtering on or off.
Demographic Reporting[2004]
Statistical reporting was enhanced by the addition of criteria stored from the ILS that provides demographic analysis of PC utilization.
First Release of EnvisionWare Next Generation Code [6/2004]
EnvisionWare Next Generation represents new technology and a new way of creating product. Uniquely, customers will MIGRATE to Next Generation and not have to UPGRADE. EnvisionWare customers received the first installment of ENG in this release.
Privacy Modes [7/2004]
Responding to U.S. concerns over the PATRIOT Act, a new Privacy Mode was added that allows administrators to control what data is displayed in addition to the already existing capability to overwrite barcodes nightly. Libraries can configure the system to protect patron privacy such that staff cannot see which computer was used or even if a borrower was in the library on the current day.
Computer Use Policy Control [7/2004]
Administrators could now configure the system to display a word, text, or HTML document at Client login. The policy settings allow the Decline action to prohibit all use, disable Internet access, or apply a filtering setting.
SIP and API Enhancements [9/2004]
The EnvisionWare Rules Wizard which creates and manages access and filtering policies was enhanced to support a dynamic date variable, SIP was enhanced to permit rules based upon any ILS screen message as well as added support for Dynix custom fields, the III Patron API was updated to support DOT date separators. Other features in this release included a broadcast message for closing, group reservation deletion, and statistical data to log where a reservation was made.
LDAP [2/2005]
EnvisionWare released the LDAP interface for Management Consoles. The system requires no special gateway service. Each module connects to the network and uses LDAP server information to access and validate student users.
Citrix Support [5-9/2005]
The system was enhanced to natively support Citrix and Terminal Services with seamless integration of identical features on the same Client and Reservation Station. Other minor enhancements in this release included the recording of canceled reservations in history, option to ignore idle timeout for area reservations, TLC Enhanced SIP support was enhanced for the custom patron type data, user ID's longer than 24 characters added, update for the Patron API to deal with normalized user ID, anonymous logins for LDAP tree, major performance optimizations for large sites with twenty or more branches.
Minute Tracking [9/2005]
In addition to the legacy approach to limiting by sessions, PC Reservation 3.0 was enhanced to provide minute tracking. This new feature allows libraries to permit unlimited turns but establish a daily minute quota for users. The quota can be enforced per branch or system-wide, consistent with prior session limit behavior. Other minor enhancements in this update included the ability to decide whether to count x calendar days in advance for future reservations or count x open days, a new status was added to the Client to show "Unavailable Due to Closing Time" when there are less than 10 minutes to close,
Time Vending [9/2005]
This new release allows libraries and colleges to charge for time. The library can set a rate per minute and make a number of new policy decisions relative to charging for time. The system operates in session limit mode or time limit mode and uses the charging mechanism for minutes as the overriding limiting factor. Other updates in this release included support for Horizon's new SIP system introduced in 7.4.
Profile-based Dynamic Filtering [9/2005]
In addition to the legacy approach to Dynamic Filtering that interoperates with any proxy-based solution, a major new enhancement was added to the 3.x series that supports unlimited filtering profiles for Radius-based filtering systems. Administrators could create rules to establish filtering rules per patron type or other criteria returned via SIP the Patron API, or AAM database. Users migrating from a competitive solution found directly compatible support for their current hardware platform with added enhancements that provide the unlimited profiles plus the legacy features in Dynamic Filtering and policy control.
One-Click Guest Management [ 6/2006]
Designed using feedback from Nashville Public Library and other existing customers, EnvisionWare created a simple button that engages a powerful guest management system. At the touch of a button, a barcode and PIN guest pass is printed with privileges that can be the same as patron policies, or completely unique.
Enhanced Web Module; VTLS Support [12/2006]
New features added to the Web Module for viewing and cancelling reservations. Support for the VTLS enhanced SIP2 protocol was added,
Dynamic Windows Profile Switching [3/2007]
Buffalo Erie brought a great concept to EnvisionWare in the form of profile switching. As a user enters his or her barcode, the system validates and reads the Rules Wizard to determine an appropriate Windows Profile to match against a patron type (age, category, etc). Automatically, the Client invokes the Windows profile that matches the patrons profile in the ILS. Children use a CHILD desktop, Adults have a different desktop, different applications, and different permissions.
French Translation and Special PIN rules [4/2007]
PC Reservation delivered with French translation. A new feature was added to provide access control when a patron's PIN is set with a library default. This feature allowed libraries to require direct intervention with patrons when their ILS PIN had not be updated as required by library policy.
PC Reservation 3.4: Easier Installation - Auto-Graphics - More [1/2008]
New installers were released to provide consistent use of Windows Add/Remove Programs. Among the features in the new installers: easier, more intuitive installation choices, silent installers,hotfix support (install/rollback), automatic license integration, and other features that provide a more seamless installation experience and reduce dramatically, the dependence on installation documentation. Other enhancements include reservation table optimization; support for Auto-Graphics Verso enhanced SIP2; launching of the Self-Service Reservation Station in a dynamic default language.
Note, these features are not all-inclusive and do not represent minor updates or maintenance releases.
