GSU Copyright Case Development

A very intriguing protective order was granted in the GSU copyright infringement case. The Scholarly Communications @ Duke blog has a glaring typo, but a great summary.

GPC Libraries on Twitter and Facebook!

Just wanted to let you know that Clarkston's new Circulation Librarian, Ameet Doshi, has gotten us set up on Twitter and Facebook. If you'd like to check it out, I've put links on the Ask a Librarian page, under "Chat with a Librarian".

I don't know if Ameet needs any help managing these new web outposts of GPC Libraries, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind hearing from you.

Clarkston Water Leak

As you may have already heard, Clarkston has been visited by its now annual water leak. This time it got the circulating stacks, call numbers N through P.

Books that were in that area and not water damaged have been temporarily relocated to trucks on the right side of the aisle. Books that have been too damaged to circulate have been given the location "Clarkston Water Damaged" in the OPAC, which should prevent patrons from requesting them. Eventually, these records will be removed from the OPAC, but we need to leave them in there for the time being to run reports on the damage.

Note: This location will prevent students from requesting these items in the OPAC, but I have no way of preventing librarians and staff from requesting them in the Circulation Module, so please double check the location of any Clarkston book before putting a request on it in the back-end. If the location is Clarkston Water Damaged, please inform the patron that these books have been permanently damaged by a water leak and removed from circulation.

And please let me know if you have any trouble with the OPAC or the back-end not behaving as expected with these items.

Thanks, everyone!

Holds, Recalls, and Call Slips. Oh My!

Hi all. There's been a little confusion of late, about the ins and outs of holds, call slips, and recalls. It is all pretty unintuitive, so I've done my best to break it down here.

Hold = This can only be done by a librarian or certain staff members, through the Circulation module. A hold only works its magic when an item is discharged. That's when that "Item on Hold" slip prints out. So, you should never ever ever place a hold on an item that is not charged. That hold will never announce itself and will expire as the item languishes on the shelf. If an item is checked out, however, and another patron wants it, the hold is the way to go. Pay attention to which kind of hold you place, a title hold (for all items on the title) or a copy hold (for one particular item). Keep in mind a title hold essentially puts a hold on every item, and the OPAC display will reflect such. Also, please make careful note of the expiration date of the hold. It defaults to 10 days after the date the hold is placed, which really isn't very long. The hold could easily expire before the item is discharged, so I'd recommend setting that date at least a month out. [Update: If an item is In Process, a hold can be placed on it, by a librarian or staff member, in the Circulation module. Patrons cannot place holds on In Process items in the OPAC. Never place a call slip or a recall on an In Process item, only a hold.]

Recall = Again, only available to librarians in the Circulation module. This is kind of similar to a hold, except that a recall notice probably prints out for the patron who currently has the material charged, and they may start to accrue fines if they don't return the item by the recall date. (I'd have to really scrutinize the circ matrix to see if that's actually the case.) You can also place a title or copy recall. I don't think that we're really using recall too often, which is probably for the best. I'm not sure how well it really works, and I think the general consensus is that the patron who originally charged the item should have their fair time with it. [Update: Recalls are not currently enabled in Voyager and the Circulation Committee has chosen not to enable them at this time.]

Call slip = Call slip is available to librarians, and some staff members, in the Circulation module, but also to patrons in GIL@GPC. When a patron places a request for something in the OPAC, they're automatically using call slip. Whether from the Circulation module or from the OPAC, you can only call slip items that have a status of "Not Charged." If you try to call slip something that is charged, you'll get an error message. Call slips are automatically copy level actions, you cannot place a call slip for every item on a title. So, call slip should be used for moving specific, and uncharged, items from one campus to another.

A little caveat, don't try to put both a hold and a call slip on the same item/title. If the item is charged, you'll get an error message when you do the call slip, and if the item isn't charged, the hold will cause call slip to lock up, resulting in a cryptic error message. (Whenever you have a call slip that won't fill, it's probably got a hold on it too. Just make sure that the hold and call slip are for the same person, then cancel the hold.)

Nutshell version: If it's charged or has an In Process status, do a hold. If it's not charged, do a call slip. Never, ever do both. In the back end, you may place a hold or a call slip, but patrons requesting something in the OPAC are always doing a call slip.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Update: Mary Ann has graciously shared the handout she's created for Dunwoody's circ and reference desks, if anyone would like to use it. It's a great quick reference.

Getting the NAC of It

I've been told that everyone might like a little plain English explanation of the Network Access Control (NAC) project being rolled out this week by OIT. Now, I'm no authority on this, but as I understand it, the NAC basically authenticates you on the network, registering your computer's MAC address and verifying that you are who you say you are when you log in to any GPC-owned PC.

In conjunction with this, OIT is installing a little program called the "Cisco Clean Access Agent." It will run in the background and renew your information once your credentials time out. You may have seen this pop up on your desktop and in your system tray recently. The icon is a little green square with a key inside.

If the NAC has been rolled out on your campus, but the PC you are trying to use does not have the Cisco Clean Access Agent yet, you will have to open a browser window and log in there (using the same login and password that you do for email) in order to gain access to the network.

All this is intended to prevent non-GPC folks from hopping on the network without authentication and making mischief. It also allows the network guys in OIT to know what port each user is logging in through. Basically, it's a security measure, and a very good one I'm sure. For the libraries though, it presents the problem of how to provide computer access to community users lacking GPC credentials. I haven't heard a solution on that yet, but I'm sure OIT will work something out for us. Also, I have heard that the initial roll-out on Decatur campus has been a little bumpy, so brace yourselves for students not being able to log into the library PCs, and report these problems to the Help Desk as they arise.

That's the extent of my knowledge, but I'll happily contact OIT for further clarification if anyone wants it.

Odd Block Behavior in Voyager

I've learned a couple of things about the way blocks behave in Voyager, and I wanted to share with everyone.

1.) Occasionally, in a patron's web account, you may see that they are blocked, but it doesn't say why. Under the "Patron Blocks" section, it will say "Block Reason," then fail to elaborate. If you come across this, please let me know. (I'll need the patron's name and 900#.) This is a bug, and our server site can often fix it, making the block reason appear.

2.) Patrons will be blocked in their web accounts simply for reaching their charge limit in a particular item type. This is the only way that limits can work in Voyager. Sad, but true. For example, if a student has 3 DVDs charged out (the limit for the GPC STUDENT patron group), they will be blocked in their web account and will be unable to renew any charged items online, regardless of item type. However, they can still request items in the catalog, charge other item types, and staff with Circulation Supervisor privileges in Voyager can renew items for them in the Circulation module. (Unfortunately, I think the system would let them request another DVD, but it won't let them check it out until they return one of the 3 they have charged.)

If anyone has any questions about this, please just let me know.

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.

Let The Database Trials Begin!

It's database evaluation time, and here is the URL for trial access to the databases under review for 2007.

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

The review period runs from March 1st to April 2nd, but some of the providers wouldn't run the trials past the end of March. So, if you try to get in after that and are denied, drop me a line and I'll see what I can do.

You'll notice that there are three links at the top of the page, one for the procedures and timetable, one for a database evaluation form (graciously created by Sherry), and one for a printer-friendly database list. All these are MS Word documents. I'd recommend printing out the database list while you're looking at the trials, so you'll have it handy for some of the more complex access instructions like the Encyclopedia of Religion.

We want everyone's input, so if you won't be attending the reference committee meeting to discuss the databases, please fill out some evaluation forms and pass them along to your committee rep or myself. And let me know if there's anything else that I can do for you.

Student Email Username and Password Retrieval

In answer to the question that was raised at yesterday's discipline meeting, OIT says that the limit for retrieving a student's email user ID and password is 5 times. After that, a student will need to go to a computer lab where supervisors and other designated employees can obtain the information or contact the Help Desk for assistance. There may be a brief (15 minute) lag time before the student can actually log on to a computer.

Hello, and wildcard searching

First of all, hello! I am Amy Eklund, one of the new catalogers in Tech Services. I am really glad to be here at GPC and I am really enjoying working here (I started Dec. 1). I look forward to meeting those of you I haven't had the chance to meet yet.

Secondly, I wanted to mention something I noticed while doing a recent database maintenance project. I have been using truncation and wildcard searching in the Voyager cataloging module (which I didn't know was possible until I began working here) and that got me wondering about those capabilities in GIL, as well. So, after some playing around in GIL and reading all the "Help" documentation (particularly the sections on "Searching" and the "Technical Documentation"), I discovered that both right-truncation (using ?) and wildcard searching (using % anywhere in the word) are possible in keyword search and command search in GIL. Truncation is mentioned in the "Help" documentation, but wildcard searching is not. I can see how wildcard searching might be very useful if you haven't been aware of it before, for instance if a patron comes in asking for a book about Powerpoint by "Munson" but they are not sure whether it is spelled "Mansen", "Munson", "Monsen", or "Munsen" (so you could do a fielded keyword search for "M%ns%n" with a keyword search for Powerpoint).

Hope this is useful for you if you didn't already know about it, and happy searching!
Amy

Problems with the OPAC? Part Deux

I'm still working with Bob Trotter on our various and sundry OPAC problems, and he's asked me to give him the full URLs of the oddities.

So, from here on out, report any OPAC weirdness to me as follows.

1.) Copy and paste the URL of the problem page into the body of a plain text email.

2.) Include as full a description of the problem as possible [what problem is occurring (we have three right now), time, date, what kind of search you were doing, did you go in through the Quick Search originally, what you clicked on right before the bug occurred, etc.] There is no such thing as too much detail here. Give me everything you can think of.

3.) Email this to me at tminchew@gpc.edu.

You no longer have to send me printouts, just follow the above instructions.

To recap, these are the three different instances of "weird" OPAC behavior we are working on now:

1.) Sometimes the Item Status in a record display will read "No Information Available" even though there are clearly item records attached, as the number of items will be set. Then the Item Status will revert "Not Checked Out". I'm not clear on whether or not this happens automatically, or if the user has to hit Refresh. On the one instance report I have of it, the item status read one way on one computer, and a different way on the other during the same one minute period.

2.) When leaving search results idle for a little while, then coming back and clicking on the Quick Search link at the bottom of the screen, people are being thrown into a plain white screen containing only the text "lost+found".

3.) After taking some action in the OPAC, people are thrown into a screen entitled "Builder Search". The style sheet changes from our usual blues to reds, and the search itself doesn't always work. The majority of the time folks seem to have been doing an exact search, then left the connection idle for a while, then clicked on New Search, and were thrown into the red screen. However, this is not always the case.

Thanks everyone! Keep these reports coming. Hopefully Bob will be able to figure something out. And please let me know if you have any questions or encounter any new problems.

Pharos

In a recent gen-mail from Keith Chapman, he stated that students can access their printing account either by swiping their card or by entering their official GPC login and password at the print release station. When I asked Barry Bailey about this in December, however, he said students can only access their account by swiping their access card. I checked with Keith about his e-mail and he said his understanding was that, "Dexter's group with OIT is installing a password authentication program on all print release stations." Keith said he thought maybe Dexter hasn't gotten to Dunwoody with it yet. I haven't heard any more updates since then. So, does anyone know about this? Do other campuses have this password authentication program? We need to clarify this because we have had students ask about this (yes, apparently someone actually read the gen-mail).

Problems with the OPAC?

I've gotten a couple of reports about problems with the OPAC since the upgrade. The scenario is always the same, after taking some action in the catalog, people are thrown into a screen entitled "Builder Search". The style sheet changes from our usual blues to reds, and the search itself doesn't actually work. The only option to get the OPAC working again is to completely exit and start over.

I've had this happen to me a couple of times over the years, but not often enough to worry about. After the upgrade, I've had it reported by two librarians on two different campuses, and each says that it's happening several times a week or more. Bob Trotter and I can't seem to replicate it, so there isn't much that we can do right now, and I was just wondering if this is happening to anyone else. If so, please drop me a line and give me as many details as you can (time, date, what you were trying to do in the catalog when it happened, etc.). Thanks!

Sign Up System PPT

At some point in the future, OIT is going to implement the Sign Up PC reservation system on all of the library public access PCs. This is the same reservation ystem used in the student computer labs. Take a look at this PowerPoint from Dexter in OIT to learn more about the system.

Sign Up Presentation (PPT)

The Directors named the following folks to a subcommittee of the Reference Committee to look into common issues such as session length that will need to be decided before the system goes live.

Kip Cates (Rockdale/ Newton)
Carmel Chaille (Dunwoody, Chair)
David Free (Decatur)
Ann Mallard (Clarkston)

We'll briefly discuss Sign Up at the holiday party on Tuesday. And you can contact your campus rep with any questions.

Food (for thought)

Hey everybody,
I know you're thinking, "Pete, it's the holidays; the last thing we want is more food!" Well, the good news is that this food really doesn't have any calories (whether someone sees you ingest it or not).
Actually, I am wondering about how other folks deal with strange/difficult assignments, and I would like to hear some ideas about how others would approach one particular reference question. The question comes to us like this, "So... what does the American Government stand for?" Students have shown us the assignment sheet, and that is exactly how the instructor wrote it. The handout also includes some other suggestions such as talking to friends, family, and veterans of the armed forces to see how they would answer the question. The students are required to cite at least four academic/scholarly sources, but it is not clear what exactly constitutes an academic source. This is for a Political Science class.
How would you approach this question?
Also, how do you generally handle questions that cause confusion or difficulty at the Reference Desk? Do you contact the instructor to discuss difficult assignments? If so, what kind of reaction do you get? Do you share ideas for handling specific problematic questions with others on your Reference staff? What other approaches have you used?
~Pete