Let the Database Trials Begin! (FY09 Edition)

Hi everyone. I just wanted to remind you that the official trial period for the databases has begun.

http://www.gpc.edu/library/technicalservices/db/databasetrials.htm

I checked them all when I got in this morning, and they all appear to be working properly, except for BioOne. It will let you do searches, and it seems to be recognizing our IP range, but it won't show you the full text of articles. This may just be the way their trials work, but I have a call in to the rep to confirm this.

You will also notice that the Proquest trials have a limited number of logins (700), it should be plenty for the month, but if you see we're running low, just let me know and I'll see if I can get a few more.

If you'd like to offer input on the databases, but won't be able to make the meeting (April 8, 10:00am, JCLRC-2220), please fill out an evaluation form for each database you'd like to comment on and give them to one of your colleagues who will be attending.

Please let me know if you have any questions or problems. Happy evaluating!

Database Selection Meeting Tomorrow

The Reference Committee will be meeting tomorrow to compile the list of databases to be evaluated for addition in FY09. You can find the agenda and the database calendar on the Reference Committee website.

http://www.gpc.edu/library/committees/reference/

If you have a database you'd like to be considered for trial, but will be unable to attend the meeting, please email it to the committee chair, Lora Mirza, or send it along with someone from your campus who will be attending.

As always, you can drop me a line with questions, suggestions, etc.

New Committee Page Created

Hi all. Just wanted to let you know that the web pages for three committees have moved from David Free's directory to the main library pages. Please update your bookmarks accordingly.

I've created a directory just for these committee pages. Here is the URL for the index page.

http://www.gpc.edu/library/committees/

David burned a disk of everything for us, but I had to relink a lot of things, so please take a look over your respective pages and let me know if you see any mistakes.

From here on out, you can send your minutes to me and I will post them on the appropriate page.

Thanks everyone.

GPC Ad Hoc Website Review Committee

Some of you may have heard that Interim President Watts recently formed an ad hoc committee to begin a website review process. Eva was gracious enough to get me on this committee and I just wanted to give you a brief overview of our work. This committee was not in charge of actually redesigning the webpage, only of making recommendations for the process. However, during the course of our meetings, we saw several examples of what the new GPC homepage could look like. I was iffy about some of the color choices, but that’s not carved in stone, and the designs themselves were very clean and professional. I'm pleased to say that the Libraries featured prominently in the main links in each of these mock-ups.

The committee began meeting on March 30, 2006. I was unable to attend the first two meetings due to prior commitments, but David Free went in my place. (Thanks, David!). The committee was charged by the Interim President to make recommendations to address the following directives:

• Ensure that GPC’s mission and goals are served by its website


• Promote coordination, consistency and cohesiveness throughout the website


• Recommend revisions or updates to the GPC web policy


• Recommend major design, content, or structural changes to GPC’s main web page and those linked directly to it


• Recommend design standards for deeper levels of GPC web pages or sites


• Provide recommendations on web-related issues or disputes

Our 17-page report was presented to Interim President Watts on July 3, 2006. The report contained ten recommendations for conducting the website redesign. On the redesign itself, the framework will be the same as ours, a college “gateway” serving as a door to individual department and/or campus pages.

Of course, there is a lot more detail than this and I’ll be happy to discuss it with anyone who is interested.

Staff Development Program!

The Staff Development Committee is presenting a program entitled "Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Medical Information But Were Afraid To Ask" on Monday, May 15th. Dr. Stephen Koplan of the Dunwoody Campus Library will demonstrate the PubMed database.

The program will take place from 11am-1pm in the JCLRC Instruction Room (2220) on the Clarkston Campus. The committee will provide drinks, chips and sweets but bring your own brown bag lunch!

Please let your campus Staff Development person(s) know if you will be attending by Thursday, May 11.

See you on the 15th!

Reference Committee Minutes

The minutes from the last Reference Committee meeting, including the database roundup, are available on the committee website.

The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 2 from 10am-12pm in the JCLRC instruction room.

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.