EFTSThe Electronic Fund Transfer SystemThe University of Connecticut Health Center

A History of the Program 1995-2005

The Electronic Fund Transfer System, more commonly called EFTS, is a transaction-based electronic billing system. It is used to charge for interlibrary-loan and document delivery services.

In 1995, the Lyman Maynard Stowe Library at the University of Connecticut Health Center was serving as the Regional Medical Library for New England. Director of the library, Ralph Arcari, envisioned an electronic billing system to replace the paper coupon system in use at the time. The conceived benefits of the new system would include cost reduction, improved cash flow, increased efficiency, monthly detailed reports and flexibility in billing.

19

95

A University computer science student, Lito Dino, was enlisted to design the new system. He utilized Microsoft Access and created processing modules and reporting functions. The system was conceived and built for use by the health science library community as it was based on the DOCLINE transaction.

In late 1995 twenty libraries were chosen to beta-test the new system. Development was closely coordinated with Jay Daly, developer of the QuickDOC ILL management program. This meant a familiar tool could be used to quickly create the transactional files.

19

95

1995

20

Part

icip

an

ts

19

95

19

96

The EFTS became officially operational in the six New England states (Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and Maine - NN/LM Region 8) in early 1996. The 250 active DOCLINE libraries were given accounts. Libraries would then create files, either with QuickDOC or manually, and upload them via FTP to a server in the RML office.

Once a month, Lito Dino, would come in after business hours. He collected the files from the server and moved them to a PC (not on the network thus providing security). He then processed the files and printed out paper statements. This was done anytime after the 10th of the month to provide libraries time to create, review and upload their file.

19951996

20

185Part

icip

an

ts

EFTS becomes operational replacing coupon system in Region 8

19

96

The RML staff was able to manage the minimal time needed to operate the EFTS in addition to their regular duties. Associate Director John Stey coordinated the fledgling program with Administrative Assistants Elizabeth Clark handling the finances, and Cheryl Sinkler mailing statements. Network Coordinator Ed Donnald worked with the medical libraries on interface issues and Technical Coordinator Vince Boiselle provided technical support.

As the concept proved successful, more libraries signed up, with 223 participants by the end of 1997.

19

97

19951996

1997

20

185 223Part

icip

an

ts

EFTS becomes operational replacing coupon system in Region 8

19

97

The Mid-Atlantic Region 1, (New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware) had been running its own version, the Electronic Payment System. Although the EPS was also a billing system, it differed from the EFTS in that it used quarterly DOCLINE data (provided by the NLM) instead of individually uploaded files and all charges were assumed to be $10 (the National maximum).

In 1998, Region 1 stopped using the EPS and migrated their 300 participants to the EFTS system. This doubled the number of participants but more importantly allowed EFTS to act as a common billing mechanism crossing over the traditional “Regional” barrier and expanding resource sharing partners.

19

98

To improve administrative functions, PCC, Inc. was chosen to do the development for EFTS version 2.0. New, user friendly screens were created and modifications made to the database structure in preparation for the NLM change of LIBID.

19

98

19951996

19971998

20

185 223

505

Part

icip

an

ts

EFTS becomes operational replacing coupon system in Region 8

EFTS replaces coupon system in Region 11

99

8

In 1999, the South Central Academic Medical Libraries (SCAMeL) in Region 5 (Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and New Mexico) licensed (for free) the EFTS software and implemented it within their region only. There were 114 participants.

At this point, the two systems (Region 5 and Regions 1 & 8) were completely independent of each other and transactions could not be billed between systems. The number of participants in the Northeast continued to grow slowly.

19

99

19951996

19971998

1999

20

185 223

505520

Part

icip

an

ts

EFTS becomes operational replacing coupon system in Region 8

EFTS replaces coupon system in Region 11

99

9

In 2000, a system was worked out where intra-regional 5 transactions stayed within the SCAMeL system for processing, but any inter-regional transactions between Region 5 and Region 1/8 libraries would be filtered out and sent to New England for processing. Although this meant two statements for the participants in Region 5, it was another step towards removing billing barriers and again increasing resource sharing partners.

The web-based DOCLINE was released in July and EFTS made the switch to using the new LIBIDs.

20

00

19951996

19971998

19992000

20

185 223

505520 537

Part

icip

an

ts

EFTS becomes operational replacing coupon system in Region 8

EFTS replaces coupon system in Region 1

EFTS licensed and implemented in Region 52

00

0

In the spring of 2001, the NN/LM New England Region contract moved to the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. This left EFTS in a reorganization mode. John Stey, previously the RML Associate Director NN/LM NER, became Program Manager and continued to do the monthly processing and mailing out of printed statements.

Now, without RML obligations, EFTS had more time for marketing. An Invitation to join the EFTS without any initial deposit of funds was sent out to all of the Resource Libraries in the NN/LM.

20

01

19951996

19971998

19992000

2001

20

185 223

505520 537

674

Part

icip

an

ts

EFTS becomes operational replacing coupon system in Region 8

EFTS replaces coupon system in Region 1

EFTS licensed and implemented in Region 52

00

1

During the Spring of 2002, John Stey left the program. Ed Donnald, formerly responsible for network development in the RML program, came back on a part time basis to assist with the transition process.

Formal discussions with the NLM took place asking for a 3 year support contract to take EFTS national. In addition, an RFP was written to migrate EFTS to the Web.

In May, the National Library of Medicine announced its support of the EFTS as a national initiative and indicated it would eventually participate.

20

02

Colleen Giblin was hired June 8th as a full time Program Coordinator. Region 5 ceased its independent operations and folded into the New England system, thus creating the impetus for a unified National Program with one Business Office located at the UConn Health Center in Farmington, CT.

On August 1st , EFTS signed a 3 year support contract with the National Library of Medicine. The goals of the contract were to establish the EFTS program as a fully self sufficient operation with national participation as the primary means for ILL billing activity amongst the NN/LM.

20

02

In November, the web site was revised with assistance from the Network Office at NLM and the Network Coordinators at the RMLs.

The RML Office at UMass agreed to provide the EFTS-L listserv. This provided an important communication component .

Finally, as the year came to a close, the RFP was reviewed and revised in preparation of its issuance.

20

02

19951996

19971998

19992000

20012002

20

185 223

505520 537

674748

Part

icip

an

ts

EFTS becomes operational replacing coupon system in Region 8

EFTS replaces coupon system in Region 1

EFTS licensed and implemented in Region 5

Regions 5 and 8 consolidate operations into single Business Office in CT

20

02

An article entitled “You Submit Interlibrary Loan Requests Via Computer; Why Not Pay For Them That Way?” was sent to all of the RMLs on February 6th, 2003. It was submitted for consideration in their regional NN/LM newsletters.

The RFP was formally issued on February 13th. Seven proposals were received by the March 17th deadline. Improved functionality would include secure online accounts, direct submission of transaction files, real-time balances and online reports.

On February 27th, the National Library of Medicine announced on DOCLINE-L that it was joining EFTS as of April 2003.

20

03

In April, EFTS released a redesigned website.

At the MLA annual conference in San Diego, CA on May 1st-7th, Ralph Arcari and Ed Donnald met with Bev Brown, CISTI and Re Mishra, SCR, about Canadian and Mexican participation. Ralph and Ed received the MLA ISI/Frank Bradway Rogers Information Advancement Award for their work on EFTS.

The EFTS Advisory Committee was formed in June with a Resource Library, a Primary Access Library and an RML represented from each region. The NLM also had representation on the committee.

Presentations were given from perspective software developers in June and July.

20

03

On August 1st, Entegram was awarded the contract to develop the web-based EFTS system. The work was projected to be completed by December 2003.

August 18th was a landmark for EFTS. Firstly, the National Library of Medicine submitted its first file for processing by the system. The single file billed 16,365 transactions to 558 libraries. Secondly, this day represented the first International participation. McMaster University became the first Canadian library to use EFTS. Due to exchange rate issues, it was initially planned that they would be only billed by US libraries and not submit files themselves.

The EFTS Office stopped accepting transaction files sent by e-mail on December 16th.

20

03

Middle Atlantic 315Southeastern Atlantic 20Greater Midwest 27Midcontinental 32South Central 110Pacific Northwest 14Pacific Southwest 35New England 194Total 747

April 20032

00

3

19951996

19971998

19992000

20012002

2003

20

185 223

505520 537

674748

934

Part

icip

an

ts

EFTS becomes operational replacing coupon system in Region 8

EFTS replaces coupon system in Region 1

EFTS licensed and implemented in Region 5

NLM provides support contract to bring program national

Regions 5 and 8 consolidate operations into single Business Office in CT

Website revised, EFTS-L established

20

03

On January 12th, 2004, EFTS version 3.0 was released on the web. It brought both improvements as well as challenges. Online access to account information was welcomed, but there was still a learning curve as participants made the transition. A change from the old system was that files now needed to be 100% process able before being accepted by the system. This meant that if a single transaction was in error (e.g. insufficient funds), the whole file was rejected and the library needed to edit the file and resubmit. This quickly became an issue for many participants who expressed their frustrations to the Office directly and on the EFTS listserv.

20

04

On February 19th, the EFTS operations became an official part of the Collections Access Department of the Lyman Maynard Stowe Library at the University of Connecticut Health Center. Colleen Giblin and Ed Donnald now reported to Jackie Lewis, Head of Collection Access. This brought the needed continual supervision the growing operation needed.

20

04

In March, discussions with Entegram took place as specifications for development of an online data entry tool were developed. This would take the place of the existing File Builder Program and would allow users to build a file online and then submit for processing when done. This project had been discussed for some time. Julie Kwan, Region 7 Network Coordinator, was involved in developing the prototype as this tool was being used by several of her members.

20

04

In June, Cristina Alegria was hired to assist with the growing demands of processing checks and account management. Colleen Giblin resigned her position shortly after Cristina started.

A revised article was submitted to the JMLA for publication. This was the first professional publication EFTS sought to disseminate information about itself. [“Electronic Fund Transfer System”, J Med Libr Assoc. 2004 October; 92(4): 493–495. (http://

www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=521521)]

An article was also published in the Network News. [“EFTS Saves Time and Money for Hospitals”, National Network /Medical Library Association, July, 2004, vol 29 no. 1, p. 17]

20

04

Jolanta Sliwinski joined the EFTS staff in July to assist with marketing and office management.

On September 14th, the Online Transaction Entry enhancement was released.

The major milestone of EFTS accepting the 1000th member was reached on December 7th. Medcenter One Health Systems Inc. (NDUQRB)in Bismark, North Dakota pushed EFTS participation over this historic mark.

The first issue of the EFTS Quarterly newsletter was published on the web in November.

20

04

Middle Atlantic 354 Southeastern Atlantic 39 Greater Midwest 60 Midcontinental 47 South Central 116 Pacific Northwest 25 Pacific Southwest 85 New England 203 Canada 1Total 930

20

04 April 2004

19951996

19971998

19992000

20012002

20032004

20

185 223

505520 537

674748

934 978

Part

icip

an

ts

EFTS becomes operational replacing coupon system in Region 8

EFTS replaces coupon system in Region 1

EFTS licensed and implemented in Region 5

NLM provides support contract to bring program national

Regions 5 and 8 consolidate operations into single Business Office in CT

Website revised, EFTS-L established

National Advisory Committee established

EFTS becomes International with first Canadian library

NLM joins EFTS and uploads first file

20

04

The first quarter of 2005 was spent testing enhancements. Entegram implemented them in April and ended their development contract with EFTS. A major enhancement was that files no longer needed to be 100% process able. Transactions with an error were placed in an online file where they would be automatically looked at to see if they could be processed (either they were edited or a library’s status changed). This meant files only needed to be uploaded once, eliminating a lot of participant frustration.

Bill Leslie was hired to provide technical support and begin developing version 4.0 (additional improvements and dealing with foreign currency conversion.)

20

05

Both Ralph Arcari and Ed Donnald left the program on June 30th. Ralph retired as Director of the Library and Ed, having accomplished his goal of seeing the program through its period of transition, moved on to other endeavors.

20

05

19951996

19971998

19992000

20012002

20032004

2005

20

185 223

505520 537

674748

934 978

Part

icip

an

ts

EFTS becomes operational replacing coupon system in Region 8

EFTS replaces coupon system in Region 1

EFTS licensed and implemented in Region 5

NLM provides support contract to bring program national

Regions 5 and 8 consolidate operations into single Business Office in CT

Website revised, EFTS-L established

EFTS releases web based system

National Advisory Committee established

EFTS becomes International with first Canadian library

NLM joins EFTS and uploads first file

EFTS staff expands and marketing effort begins

20

05