GPO Access is on the way out

Did you know that the GPO Access Web site is about to be replaced by FDSys?

In typical government fashion, the undated FAQ says the switchover will occur "mid-winter," with no mention of a calendar year.

Claimed enhancements include the ability to:

• Easily search across multiple publications or collections of government publications from a single search box.
• Perform an advanced search against robust metadata about each publication from a single advanced search page.
• Construct complex search queries using advanced Boolean and field operators.
• Refine and narrow searches by applying filters, sorting search results, and searching within search results.
• Retrieve individual government documents and publications in seconds directly from each search result.
• Utilize enhanced help options including context specific field level help and a searchable online help system.

Computer Support Desk

As Christy mentioned in an earlier e-mail, Jerrica Williams is the daytime supervisor at the Computer Support Desk. Her email is jlw7m[at]mtmail[dot]mtsu[dot]edu and her phone number is 904-8542. Al is the interim night supervisor (yay for us).

Also, oversight of the computer support area has passed from Ann to Mike Wheaton.

Journal Passwords - an exception

You may remember that we used to have a long sheet of journal passwords in the reference binder. This was problematic in terms of maintenance and licensing since access to many titles was not intended for campus-wide users. It has led to a general collection development policy to avoid providing online access to sources that cannot be accessed through IP authentication. Recently an exception was made at the request of a faculty member to set up access using username/password for Forum journal : the journal of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The publisher gave permission for the password to be shared. The password is listed on a sheet behind the blue database passwords sheet in the Reference Binder. It can be given to those who ask for it. Since it is linked to a library subscription it is intended for use by MTSU students, faculty and staff, and walk-ins. The journal is also listed in Journal Locator.

Library Maps and room numbers

I have added room numbers to the library maps, so now when a person asks where room 446 is, we can easily tell them.

--Amy

Sage subject-specific collections

Sage 'improved' their interface and apparently did away with the subject-specific limiter (http://mtsurefstaff.blogspot.com/2009/07/sage-full-text-collection.html).
On all the pages where a subject-specific Sage collections appeared, it's been replaced with the Sage Journals Online resource in the 'Find Articles in Other Databases' category.
Sage journals are widely indexed in other databases like Academic Search Premier, ERIC, PsychInfo, etc., so most users are going to get to a Sage journal through an Article Linker link anyway.
Sage Journals Online now appears on the following subject guides and Databases A-Z:

Business Communication and Entrepreneurship
Criminal Justice
Education
Electronic Media Communication
Health and Human Performance
Journalism
Nursing
Political Science
Political Science
Psychology
Social Work
Sociology
Speech and Communication

Instant Messaging Tip

I spent several minutes chatting with a frustrated student today who was having trouble opening an e-reserve file. I finally realized the student is in the RODP program and was stopped at the ezproxy screen.

So, just a reminder about the possibility that you're chatting with an RODP student who is off campus and not familiar with that mode of access to our materials.

Also, we spent several minutes hung up on the fact that I asked if the student was "in the library" and he or she said "yes." Yes, he was in the virtual RODP library, so to speak, but not physically in the MTSU library, which is what I wanted to know. So, when you ask a question, be specific!

Kristen

Language learning program - Byki

I signed up for a short trial to a language learning product called Byki. I'm not sure how much interest there would be in a language learning program.
Let me know what you think.
You can take the guided tour before starting.
http://library.mtsu.edu/userservices/eresources/trials.php

New ProQuest Platform

Amy and I have run into some trouble while navigating Historical Newspapers and American Periodicals Series on the new ProQuest platform. I'm compiling a comprehensive list of problems to give Mary Ellen. If you have a question or see a problem in the new platform, post a comment here and I'll add it to the list.

I can tell you that as of Friday, Jan 14, off-campus access to Historical Newspapers and American Periodicals is not working.

Kristen W

Federal Reporter redux

As you all will have noticed, my calculations for the shelving were off and we have plenty of space for the Federal Reporter, albeit at the end of the ranges. Apparently my original calculations were correct and my mid-shift panic was misplaced.

My proposal: Let's shelve them at the end of the reference range, leaving a gap between the end of the 900s and the start of Federal Reporter. Then we can put a dummy book at the location where the series should fall, directing them to the back of the ranges. This will take care of things for the short term.

This approach will let us wait until the Learning Commons is fully designed before we decide whether to keep the volumes. If we don't need any additional real estate for the Commons (as expected) we can have a discussion at the end of the semester on whether to keep the volumes. If so, students can shift during summer to fit them back in place.

If this sounds OK I would suggest that Gale's students take on the reshelving, once they have a chance to get things straight back in Periodicals. Neal's students will be very busy with shifting and shelving the books being relocated to the stacks.

Mayo

E-journal records

We're experimenting with including coverage information in the e-journals records.

Because of the problems with Millenium earlier in the week, currently only about 1/2 the e-journal bib records are loaded. Beverly was going to purge and re-load the records tonight but can't cause the server will be down for another reason. She will purge and reload tomorrow morning
We can go back to the old display when we reload again if needed.

Paying Library Fines and Fees

The long awaited dream of taking fee payments online is a reality, thanks to much hard work by Christy, Amanda, Valerie, and others.

Starting Thursday, Jan 13, fees may be paid as follows:

• Cash: In person during library hours.
• Check or money order: In person during library hours, or mailed to Gwen's attention.
• Credit/Debit (AmEx, Visa, MC): Online through Marketplace. The link to Marketplace is on the Circulation web page at http://library.mtsu.edu/circulation and says "Pay Library Fines." Patrons will need to know fine amount and M Number to pay online..

If patrons have questions, please refer them to Circulation. If YOU have questions, ask Christy or leave a comment here.

Proquest platform migration

I've finished migrating some Proquest/CSA/Chadwyck Healey databases to the new platform. Some databases are still hosted on the legacy platforms for the time being.
Sometime this week the CSA Power Search link on the Research Gateway will change to a Proquest Power Search link.

Proquest databases on new platform

Proquest:
ABI/INFORM Complete
American Periodicals Series
Dissertations and Theses Full-text from Proquest
Current Research at MTSU
Ethnic NewsWatch
Historical Atlanta Constitution

Chadwyck/Healey:
International Index to Music Periodicals Full Text

CSA:
Physical Education Index
Sociological Abstracts
Safari Tech Books Online

Proquest Databases not on the new platfrom (yet)
Proquest:
CultureGrams Online
Digital Sanborn Maps
Heritage Quest
Ulrich's Periodicals Directory
Serials Solutions interfaces

Chadwyck/Healey (many of these are sub-collections of LION, but they are listed separately):
ABELL
African American Poetry
American Drama, 1714-1915
American Poetry
Archive Finder
Bibliography of American Literature
Canadian Poetry
Early American Fiction 1789-1875
Early American Fiction, 1789-1850
Editions and Adaptations of Shakespeare
EEBO (Early English Books Online)
Eighteenth-Century Fiction
English Drama
English Poetry
English Poetry, Second Edition
Faber Poetry Library
Gerritsen Collection: Women's History Online
LION (Literature Online)
Nineteenth-Century Fiction
Twentieth-Century African American Poetry
Twentieth-Century American Poetry
Twentieth-Century English Poetry

CSA:
ERIC (sadly it is true)
Social Services Abstracts

Where are the reference books

Until shelves are removed from the front tier of reference and added to the back tier, and we start shifting again, the location for reference books is as follows:

000 - 770 In81 On the remaining reference shelves

770 - 796.352 A156 On the trucks lined up at the back of reference (lower numbers to the back)

796.352 - 809.04 C76 On shelves in Circulation (shelves nearest Peggy's office)

809 - 999 On last range of shelves in Periodicals, facing the back windows.

Let me know if you have questions. -- Mayo