Database Trials Page

John has added some info to the database trials page. A couple of the trials for products we discussed at the last reference meeting are already active. He'll keep adding new ones as he gets them set up.

Not sure we should link to the page in a technically open forum since it has passwords and such but the link is the same as last years page. Someone should know it on each campus for the newbies.

GALILEO Quick Search

Has anyone played around with the new GALILEO interface which is currently in demo mode? GALILEO Quick Search incorporates WebFeat's federated search, allowing you to search multiple databases in a single search box. So far the feedback I've heard from UGA librarians is that they want the general topic search be limited to a single multi-subject journal databases, like Academic Search Premier rather than including several databases and an encyclopedia as it currently does. If left the way it currently is, the new interface will certainly change the way we teach GALILEO. Comments?

"Web Sites Judge in a Blink"

Interesting Reuters article about the time it takes someone to respond favorably or negatively to a web site.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/internet/01/17/canada.websites.reut/index.html

Changes to Oversized Book Processing Procedures

I just wanted to alert you to a change in our processing procedures for oversized books. Beginning immediately, we are no longer adding a lowercase "q" to the handwritten call number on the verso or to the call number label.

After checking extensively with the campuses, we discovered that this "q" is not frequently used as a shelving device, and often overlooked entirely. Most of the campuses use spine labels to identify their oversized books. Therefore, the “q” is an unnecessary step in our procedures and has been eliminated. Call numbers for oversized books will now be handled in exactly the same way as those for any other monographs.

So this:

PQ1248
q.K32
2002

Will become this:

PQ1248
.K32
2002

The permanent location will not be affected by this revision of procedure. Oversized books will still be assigned to the appropriate oversize location for each campus.

Thanks everybody! Please share this information with anyone it may affect and let me know if you have any questions.

Database Evaluation Form

Take a look at the database evaluation form we used last year and let John Lassiter know if you have suggestions for changes. We'll post the link to the db evaluation page when the trials for this year get set up.

Reference Committee Minutes and Agenda

The minutes from the previous Reference Committee meeting and the agenda for tomorrow's meeting are available on the committee website. Meeting tomorrow (1/19) from 10-12 in the JCLRC Library Instruction room on the Clarkston Campus.

BBC NEWS | UK | Librarians 'suffer most stress'

Good article to show folks when they say "it must be nice to get to read all day!". From Library Link of the Day.

Changing A Cultural Icon

The Distant Librarian today pointed out an interesting article from Educause called "Changing A Cultural Icon: The Academic Library As Virtual Destination" by Jerry D. Campbell. Campbell, who is library dean at UCLA, talks about how libraries have primarily become a virtual destination for most users and discusses issues such as use of physical space, virtual reference, and information literacy instruction.

Another item of interested from DL today: a note about a Kept Up Academic Librarian post on an Educause series called "7 Things You Should Know About..." different emerging learning techniologies. The series includes blogs, IM, collabotative editing, social bookmarking etc. How's that for some metablogging?

Happy weekend!

OCLC Acquires the Assets of Openly Informatics

Whew! Say that five times fast.

Openly Informatics' database will be used to enhanced WorldCat and vice versa. For more details, see the OCLC news release.

LCSH Changes: A Mixed Bag

With Voyager down, I have a little time to tend to the drifts of papers on my desk, filling things, trashing things, putting things in completely different piles. Very satisfying. In this excavation, I unearthed the last couple of issues of the Cataloging Service Bulletin, which have been shamefully languishing on my desk, and I thought I’d let you all know about a few changes that might be of interest in our catalog.

[Old Heading ==> New Heading]

Breast feeding ==> Breastfeeding

Restitution and indemnification claims (1933- ) ==> [Headings for individual ethnic groups]—Claims

Restitution and indemnification claims (1933- ) ==> Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Reparations

Restitution and indemnification claims (1933- ) ==> World War, 1939-1945--Claims

Restitution and indemnification claims (1933- ) ==> World War, 1939-1945--Reparations

Treasure-trove ==> Treasure troves

I haven’t gotten to all these yet, so you may see the older forms still lurking around GIL until Voyager comes back up.