Archive for July, 2007
MeL Databases will be getting some new databases this fall when the new contracts begin on October 1st. Gale has generously started access to their new databases early.
To access the new Gale databases – Chiltons and Business & Company Resource Center – log into any Gale MeL Database through http://mel.org or via your library’s web page. When you are logged into a Gale database, click on the link to “Change Databases.” This will bring you to a menu of all Gale MeL Databases, including the new additions.
These Gale databases and other new MeL Databases will be added to the database lists in MeL in the near future. It is really helpful of Gale to open access to their databases early, especially prior to the start of the new school year, and we’re hopeful that the other vendors will do the same!
July 31st, 2007
The Michigan Supreme Court issued a decision today (July 26, 2007) in Goldstone v. Bloomfield Township Public Library in favor of the Library.
Click here for link to Supreme Court opinion (PDF – 51 pages).
In a four-to-three split, the Supreme Court held that Article 8 section 9 of the Michigan Constitution does not require each individual public library facility in Michigan to offer nonresident book borrowing privileges.
July 26th, 2007
Nader Qaimari, InfoTrac Product Manager at Gale, has announced PowerSearch enhancements coming soon:
During the week of August 13th, Gale will release a set of new features to Gale’s InfoTrac databases and the PowerSearch platform. These new features will automatically be turned on and be made available to all PowerSearch users.
We are extremely excited about launching these features, especially since many of them were developed in response to end-user feedback. Please review the slides and do not hesitate to contact me (Nader Qaimari at Gale or MeL Suport staff at MLC) if you have any questions. Gale will be updating user guides, navigation guides and other materials in the coming weeks, prior to the release.
For an overview of the enhancements to PowerSearch, click here: http://www.gale.com/Technical/PowerSearchSummer.ppt
Some key features to note:
Search Alerts with RSS export: Set up instant search alerts and journal alerts, with the added ability to create RSS feeds of InfoTrac content.
Did You Mean? When a search fails to bring desired results, you’ll be given alternate spellings and more preferred search terms to find appropriate results.
Search Within Results: Dynamically refine search results to pinpoint specific information by adding or excluding more terms to queries.
Enhanced Limiting: After a search is completed, the left sidebar will be repurposed to provide users with the option of selecting subject terms, subdivisions, article types and publications to allow further limiting of results.
Enhanced Navigation: Based on feedback, changes have been made to improve the interface navigation, including the creation of document tools (print, email, cite, download, translate) that appear in a visible box on each document.
Enhanced Tabs: The number of results now will appear on each tab, and color variation will be added to the tabs to signify more content behind the other tabs.
Enhanced Bookmarks: Direct access to individual documents, searches and collections of documents will be made available through PowerSearch Bookmarks, which are clearly visible, easy to use, and always persistent.
Improved “How-to-Cite†Functionality: MLA and APA formats for citations will be provided, with accurate elements, correct spacing and formatting.
   Publication Details: More information about each publication will be provided, including embargo     periods, publisher address and contact information, and publication descriptions
July 26th, 2007
Evette Atkin from MLC is attending the Gaming, Learning and Libraries Symposium in Chicago this week. She’s blogging the symposium live at The unLibrarian blog.
July 23rd, 2007
With the impending release of the final Harry Potter book this weekend, yesterday the New York Times posted the questions “who was your Harry Potter? what were your favorite books when you were a kid?” on their blog, and they’ve already received more than 1000 responses from readers. See: http://news.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/07/19/who-was-your-harry-potter/
For those of you out there with library blogs, “who was your Harry Potter?” sounds like a great question to ask your library users on your blog. Based on the NYTimes response, the question seems likely to drum up a lot of interest among your readers.
And on a personal note – what were your favorite books when you were younger? Mine was Nancy Drew (ironically – not available at my public library in the 1960s b/c series books were not seen as suitable for public library collections back then – nice to know that times have changed in public libraries!).
July 20th, 2007
Association of Research Libraries (ARL) has released a white paper on ILL written by Anne K. Beaubien, Director, Cooperative Access Services, University of Michigan Library. The paper analyzes trends in ILL activity in US academic and research libraries over the past two decades.
One trend that Beaubien notes in the white paper is that ILL activity in the U.S. is increasing and that the majority of the increase is for returnable items (books and other physical formats). ILL for nonreturnables (photocopied articles or electronic format articles) is decreasing, perhaps due to the increase in e-journal subscriptions now held by many academic libraries. Beaubien cites reasons for increase in ILL of returnables, including increase in discovery tools (such as online index databases, online search engines, etc.) and simplification of the ILL ordering process for library users.
I found it interesting to read this white paper and the national trends it analyzes, because MeLCat has shown similar trends in ILL on a smaller scale. Here in Michigan, we’ve experienced the increase in ILL of returnables with the implementation of MeLCat. MeL has improved discovery for library users – both through the MeLCat shared catalog and through links from MeL Databases (such as WorldCat). MeL has also greatly simplified the ILL process for MeLCat library users – allowing users to place ILL requests through a few clicks and entry of a library card bar code. Plus, the fact that MeLCat loans are free is also a big factor in increasing ILL of returnables in MeLCat libraries. I don’t know if ILL of nonreturnables has decreased in Michigan, but I think that it is a likely possibility – especially with the availability of an increasing amount of full-text articles through the MeL Databases.
The white paper also notes that most borrowing requests are through OCLC ILL. In Michigan, we still do a great deal of ILL through OCLC ILL – for libraries not yet in MeLCat, for nonreturnables, and for materials not held in MeLCat — since MeLCat has about 7 million items and OCLC ILL has about 70 million items, there are going to be instances where MeLCat does not meet all users’ ILL needs.
The white paper also notes that some academic libraries routinely purchase items requested on ILL if they meet selection criteria. I’m lucky enough to be a library patron of a MeLCat library, Capital Area District Library, and many of my reading needs have been met through CADL’s collection and through MeL. But – in those instances where neither CADL nor MeLCat has the book I want, I’ve been able to place a “suggestion for purchase” through CADL and so far they’ve bought the books I requested for their collection.
July 19th, 2007
In February 2007, the OCLC Board of Trustees authorized a review of OCLC’s governance structure. The review, which will be facilitated by the Higher Education Consultancy Group in the United Kingdom, will evaluate current and alternative governance forms for OCLC as it becomes an increasingly global cooperative. To ensure wide consultation for the study, the Board, OCLC management and the HECG are seeking contributions from librarians throughout the library community.
This is an important issue for anyone concerned about the future of OCLC. For information about how you can participate, see this page on the OCLC web site.
July 16th, 2007
As part of its LJ Industry Leaders’ Library Advocacy web page, ProQuest has put together a Library Marketing Kit. The tools in the kit are designed to help libraries promote their online resources to their patrons. The kit includes a how-to guide on marketing online resources, a digital ad that can be downloaded to a library’s home page, and customizable promotional materials — patron brochure, promotional flier, press release and radio script.
Whether your library purchases subscriptions to online resources or provides access only to the MeL Databases, the ProQuest marketing kit looks like it can be helpful in promoting these resources to your patrons. And it’s free – thanks, Proquest!
July 16th, 2007
An interesting NY Times article about Public Libraries and the Dewey Decimal System.
“Neighborhoods” vs Dewey for shelving and cataloging.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/14/us/14dewey.html
July 16th, 2007
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