SWAN Catalog

Search the SWAN catalog.

SWAN Governance Groups

View the SWAN Governance Groups here.

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 Statistics

Monthly statistics for SWAN member libraries.

SWAN Database Maintanence

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

SWAN Database Maintenance provides professional and vendor links for cataloging, classification, and acquisitions. To view these links, visit SWAN Database Maintenance 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 sicilianot@mls.lib.il.us or (630) 734-5143.

SWAN Staff

• SWAN Whom to Call list
• MLS Staff Directory

About SWAN

80 libraries in the Metropolitan Library System share ownership, with MLS, 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, high school and special) have found it possible to join the cluster and to realize the advantages of automated resource sharing.

SWAN maintains an online catalog for its 80 members. The catalog lists more than one million titles of books, periodicals, cassettes, videos, CDs, DVDs and other library materials. The catalog shows which libraries own a given title and if the item is currently on the shelf. SWAN's online catalog may be searched by Author, Title, Subject, Author/Title combination and Keyword. Keyword searching includes contents notes and Boolean searching. All searches may be limited by format, publication date and language.

Hours & Availability

• SWAN Computer Room Days Closed - 2008, 2009 and 2010 (pdf)

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
• 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Saturday
• 11:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Sunday

SWAN is NOT available during the following hours:

• 9:45 p.m. - 11:15 p.m. Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri
• 9:45 p.m. - 11:45 p.m. Wednesday
• 5:30 p.m. - 6:45 p.m. Saturday
• 8:45 p.m. - 10:15 p.m. Sunday

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.

Online Mouse Skills Tutorial

Improve your mouse skills using the hands-on mouse tutorial Mouserobics!

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 Tech

Repository of files for SWAN Members to download.