Member Access to SWAN

Approved by the SWAN Board 10/18/2013.

Access to SWAN is provided in the following ways: 

Dedicated support units

  1. Only Full Participants, Enhanced Access Participants and File Building Libraries may license a dedicated support unit.  The initial SWAN log-in password will be unique to and established by each Participant. This information will be shared only with management personnel of the SWAN Computer Room and with the permission of the Administrator of the participating library.
  2. Full Participants, may license a dedicated support unit to provide dedicated access, from their library, to the public.  When this support unit is being used by the public, its access is restricted to only bibliographic searching.
  3. Full Participants upon approval of the SWAN Executive Director, may license a dedicated support unit to share such a license with another Full Participant.
  4. Full Participants may license a dedicated support unit to provide Internet access to a non-SWAN RAILS member library. The non-SWAN library may only use this support unit for bibliographic searching. If the non-SWAN library wishes to place online holds or receive any SWAN Internet Access services, the non-SWAN library must also sign a SWAN Internet Access Agreement. 

Other means of access

  1. Non-SWAN RAILS libraries may contract for access to SWAN via Internet Access or Enhanced Access at a fee. Any such fees collected will be placed in the SWAN General Fund.
  2. As part of statewide resource sharing, Illinois library systems may access the database for purposes of Bibliographic Searching and Holds Processing. Those who connect for this purpose must have established cooperative procedures and guidelines with SWAN
  3. To promote resource sharing, the SWAN bibliographic database is available on the Internet.

Assignment of support

  1. It is the responsibility of SWAN staff to determine the best configuration of support units for system-wide use.  In making decisions about support unit assignments, consideration will be given to criteria such as:
    1. Optimum load of the System
    2. Number of user licenses purchased from the vendor
    3. Response time effect
    4. Date on which order was received
  2. If there is a situation where more support units are requested than are available, consideration will be given to the date on which the order was received, and priority will be given in the following sequence:
    1. A Full Participant scheduled to begin on-line circulation
    2. A Full Participant scheduled to begin data entry
    3. A Full Participant scheduled to install OPAC workstations
    4. An Internet Access User or Enhanced Access User
    5. A File Building Library
    6. Special Request
  3. Full Participants have priority of system access in the advent of a partial failure of central-site hardware or software.