November/December 2002 vol.8 no.6 issn 1082-4383
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Highlights in this Issue
NEBASE Annual Meeting 2002 - East
The NEBASE Annual Meeting 2002 - East was held at the Cornhusker Hotel on October 3.
Last month, Norma Dannatt, Director of Imperial Public Library in Imperial was in Columbus, Ohio. Since Dublin, home to the OCLC headquarters, was just minutes away Norma couldn't resist the chance to visit the campus. She sent us her reflections on the unique experience.
This fall the Network Services Department sponsored a number of trials for various electronic resources.
Wrapping Up A Successful Tour of the Database Roadshow 2002
The 2002 Database Roadshow wrapped up its final workshop on November 1 in Norfolk.
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NEBASE |
NEBASE ANNUAL MEETING 2002
- EAST
The NEBASE Annual Meeting 2002 - East was held at the Cornhusker Hotel on
October 3. A total of 83 librarians and library staff registered for the event.
The morning was started with our special keynote speaker Dr. William Crowe,
President of the OCLC Board of Trustees. Dr. Crowe spoke to the group about the
OCLC cooperative and its new responsibilities as its membership definitions
change with new strategic directions. We also had updates from our NEBASE
Advisory Council, Members Council Representative, and OCLC News.
The afternoon was highlighted with a roundtable on Virtual Reference with Paul
Cappuzzello of OCLC providing a presentation on the QuestionPoint reference
product. After the QuestionPoint session we heard from three Nebraska
librarians working on their own virtual reference programs. Robin Bernstein
explained Bellevue University's work with DocuTek VRLPlus has progressed over
the past year. Roxanne Cox spoke about the University of Nebraska Medical
Center's Ask Mac virtual reference service on the LSSI platform, and Charlene
Maxey-Harris detailed University of Nebraska at Lincoln's experience as they
begin to move towards implementation of QuestionPoint. The panel took a variety
of questions from the audience afterward. From the number of questions it looks
like there is growing interest in virtual library service in Nebraska.
The last session provided attendees with a wide variety of break out sessions to
choose from.
Marcia Stout of OCLC provided Nebraska with its first presentation on OCLC's new
services related to digitization and preservation. Allana Novotny conducted a
hands-on class using netLibrary. Nebraska currently has two netLibrary
collections in place and is set to offer a third near the end of 2002. Christa
Burns held a Connexion class to help libraries get ready for the migration from
OCLC's Passport for cataloging to the new Connexion service. Susan Knisely
presented an informative session on using the FirstSearch Administrative Module
and its many new enhancements. Devra Dragos and Pam Scott provided a
presentation for libraries getting ready to automate their collections.
Participants learned of things a library and its staff need to consider as they
implement an automation project.
Next year's NEBASE Annual Meeting-East will be held at the Cornhusker on
Thursday, September 18. We would love to hear any ideas you may have for the
day's activities. Don't forget to mark the date down on your calendar. We look
forward to seeing everyone again next year.
Shannon Behrhorst
Network Services/NEBASE Director
Nebraska Library Commission
VISITING OCLC
Last month one of our own Nebraska librarians was treated to a
tour of the OCLC Campus. Norma Dannatt, Director of Imperial Public Library in
Imperial was in Columbus, Ohio with the help of a Nebraska Library Commission
Continuing Education grant to attend the Clarion Conference on Rural and Small
Libraries, II. Since Dublin, home to the OCLC headquarters, was just minutes
away Norma couldn't resist the chance to visit the campus. She sent us her
reflections on the unique experience.
Driving up to the OCLC campus I was greeted with lawns and trees that were
manicured with handsome looking buildings. One in particular was the stately "Kilgour",
a white three-story with tinted windows. As I walked through the front door the
first thing I saw was the Atrium with trees 15 feet tall, and as I looked up
each floor was open in the center. As you enter you have to sign in and get a
badge that you must wear. The receptionist was very friendly. As I was waiting
for Bob Murphy to take me on the tour I noticed under the third floor railing
were over forty flags representing all the countries that OCLC serves.
As Bob was giving me a tour one of the rooms that I found fascinating was the
computer room. This room is huge. Bob told me that when they first used
computers that this room was full. Well, we all know that in 1970's the
computers were somewhat bigger than they are now. Today they have five computers
that sit in the middle of this massive room in a pyramid shape. They use the
room for storage of paper and older computers that they are still working on.
Also, it is in here that they have these storage units that hold backup tapes
and each storage unit there is a robot that will get your tape you want and plug
it in so you can look at it.
Not far from this room are the mainframe computers. They have three people in
this room 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Another area I found fascinating was
where they tested new software. There are microphones and cameras at all angles
to watch the person figure out the new software in one room and in the other
room are the people that monitor this person. This is also the building where
you call if you have trouble and need some assistance. I know that I missed
other things in this building, but there was just so much to take in.
A nice leisurely walk to the Brown and Smith building brings you to where new
items are catalogued. New York City Public Library sent their collection of
catalog cards to be catalogued by OCLC. I saw shelves of boxes filled with
cards. They also get items from libraries. One staff member was cataloging
videos and CD's from the Dallas Public Library. She told me that libraries even
send such items as dolls to be catalogued.
I know I'm not doing my tour of OCLC justice, as there is so much to see. My
guide Bob Murphy was very nice and told me personal stories of each floor and I
met so many nice people as they were working that I wish I could remember all
their names. If you are around the Dublin, Ohio area I would suggest that you
call and get a tour. This is one tour that you will remember for years to come.
Norma Dannatt, Library Director
Imperial Public Library
Imperial, NE
OCLC REFERENCE SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE
REPRESENTATIVES
We would like to extend our thanks to Jim Soester of Chadron State College, who
recently completed a three-year term as a representative to the OCLC Reference
Services Advisory Committee. Jim's willingness to contribute to this important
body on behalf of NEBASE is greatly appreciated.
We would like to congratulate Mary Nash of Creighton University's Reinert-Alumni
Library. Mary was selected by OCLC as one of five new representatives to the
Reference Services Advisory Committee.
The Reference Services Advisory Committee provides OCLC with insight into issues
concerning online reference products and services, document delivery, electronic
publishing, and management of electronic collections. The Advisory Committees were
established to help provide OCLC with an informed group knowledgeable about
certain services and their impact on their own and similar libraries. OCLC
maintains three Product Advisory Committees to review new product concepts,
strategies, and ideas, and evaluate standards. The three committees are
Collections & Technical Services, Reference Services, and Resource Sharing.
For more information on the OCLC Advisory Committees visit: <http://www.oclc.org/about/membership/advisorycommittees/>.
Shannon Behrhorst
Network Services/NEBASE Director
Nebraska Library Commission
CRITICAS MAGAZINE SPANISH-LANGUAGE BOOK
DONATIONS
Every couple of months Criticas Magazine donates Spanish-language books,
videos, and audio books to libraries across the nation and in Latin America.
Críticas Magazine is a comprehensive review of the latest in
Spanish-language publishing written in English. Created by the editors of
Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and School Library Journal, Críticas
is an authoritative one-stop source for English-language reviews of new adult
and children's titles from the international Spanish-language publishing world.
Críticas also covers Spanish-language publishing news as it pertains to
U.S. readers, librarians, and booksellers. For more information on Críticas
Magazine, see their home page at <http://libraryjournal.reviewsnews.com/index.asp?layout=criticas>.
If you are interested in getting some free Spanish-language titles for your
library please contact:
Carmen Ospina
Associate Book Review Editor
Críticas Magazine
360 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10010
tel: 646-746-6853
fax: 646-746-6734
Christa Burns
OCLC Member Services Coordinator
Nebraska Library Commission
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Training |
The following workshops have been scheduled. The location and date as well as a description of each of the
workshops can be found at </netserv/nebase/oclcworkshopsdesc.html>.
To register for any of the workshops, please complete the online registration
form at </netserv/nebase/oclcworkshops.html#reg>.
The workshop fee for NEBASE libraries is $10. If you are not a NEBASE library*,
please check the registration form for your workshop fee. If you have any
questions, please email Jeannette Powell or phone 402-471-7740 or 800-307-2665 for registration fee.
*NEBASE libraries are Nebraska libraries who use OCLC cataloging or interlibrary
loan services or who subscribe to FirstSearch. Although libraries who subscribe
only to FirstSearch are eligible to pay the $10 workshop fee, they must pay by
check.
Jeannette Powell
Network Services Staff Assistant
Nebraska Library Commission
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Databases |
Disabling Topic Areas
in FirstSearch
FirstSearch topic areas are designed to assist users in selecting databases.
Users who aren't sure which FirstSearch database to search can click on the
"List by Topic" link that appears on the blue navigation menu on the left-hand
side of the screen. This will take them to the List Databases by Topic screen,
from which they can display lists of databases assigned to particular topic
areas. There are 15 OCLC-generated topic areas available, ranging from Arts &
Humanities to Social Sciences. Libraries also have the option of modifying
OCLC-generated topic areas or creating their own custom topic areas using the
FirstSearch Administrative Module.
In addition to generating lists of databases assigned to particular topic areas,
users can also use the "Suggest Best" feature to perform a broadcast search
against all databases in a topic area in order to retrieve an estimated number
of results for each database. Users can perform this type of search from the
FirstSearch Home screen by typing keywords into the "Search for" box and
selecting a topic area from the "Select a Topic or Database" drop-down menu.
They can also perform this type of search from the Suggest Best Databases
screen, which they can get to by clicking on the "Suggest Best" link on the blue
navigation menu.
Topic areas can be very useful if a library provides access to a large number of
FirstSearch databases. For example, if your library purchases a block of
searches and provides access to the 50+ databases available via the per-search
billing method, your users may need assistance in figuring out which databases
are appropriate to search in for any given topic area. For libraries that only
provide access to a few databases through FirstSearch, however, topic areas may
not be at all useful.
In the case of an account that only accesses the 10 databases paid for by the
Nebraska Library Commission, topic areas don't make a lot of sense. Indeed, in
these accounts, six of the fifteen OCLC-generated topic areas are identical,
having been assigned just the WorldCat and ECO databases. This is due in part to
the fact that only three of the ten databases-ERIC, GPO, and MEDLINE-have any
sort of subject orientation.
If your library only accesses the 10 databases paid for by the Library
Commission and you'd like to disable the topic area functionality altogether,
you can do so using the FirstSearch Administrative Module. Removing all topic
areas affects the FirstSearch search interface in the following ways. First,
when no topic areas are displayed, the "List by Topic" and "Suggest Best" links
disappear from the blue navigation menu on the left side of the screen. Second,
on the FirstSearch Home screen users no longer have the option of performing a
keyword search across all databases in a topic area. This is because the "Select
a Topic or Database" drop-down menu is revised to just allow users to select a
database.
Here are the steps to follow to disable topic areas in FirstSearch:
If you have any questions about using or disabling topic areas, please feel free
to contact Susan Knisely at
402-471-3849,
800-307-2665, or e-mail Susan Knisely.
If you follow these steps, all topic area functionality should be disabled.
Susan Knisely
Online Services Librarian
Nebraska Library Commission
FIRSTSEARCH TRIAL CONTINUES
THROUGH NOVEMBER 30
This fall Nebraska librarians have been enjoying free trial access
to the full suite of FirstSearch databases. This trial has included
access to more than 70 FirstSearch databases, plus access to all of
OCLC's Electronic Collections Online full-text, full-image journals.
Trial access to all databases except PsycINFO and PsycARTICLES began
in late September; access to these two databases began on November
1. Trial access will end on November 30.
For a full list of FirstSearch databases and descriptions, please
see <http://www.oclc.org/firstsearch/about/content.htm>.
Using the easy-to-use FirstSearch interface, patrons can search a
host of well-known bibliographic, full-text, and ready reference
databases and then view links to library holdings, whether print or
electronic. The Electronic Collections Online service offers access
to more than 4,000 full-image electronic journals. Electronic
Collections Online is particularly powerful in combination with
FirstSearch, as any citation from a subscribed ECO journal shows a
link to the full-text article. In addition, Electronic Collections
Online offers a terrific archiving solution -- your library retains
the right to access all journals to which you have subscribed even
after you discontinue subscriptions to any of them. A complete list
of titles can be found at <http://www2.oclc.org/oclc/fseco/index.asp>;
in many cases, electronic journal titles are available for only a
minimal annual access fee. More information on the ECO service is
available at <http://www.oclc.org/oclc/menu/eco.htm>.
Trial access instructions were distributed via a September 23
message to the Trial mailing list. If you did not receive this
information or would like to have it sent to you again, please call
the Nebraska Library Commission at
402-471-2045 or 800-307-2665 and ask
to speak to a Network Services staff member or e-mail Network Services.
Trial access is limited to Nebraska libraries.
Susan Knisely
Online Services Librarian
Nebraska Library Commission
FALL TRIALS
This fall the Network Services Department sponsored a number of
trials for various electronic resources. If you would like to
provide any feedback on the trials from these past few months,
please feel free to contact a member of the Network Services staff
with your comments or questions. We would like to hear from
libraries interested in any of the products we have featured on
trial this fall.
Listed below are the products that have been on trial or are still
available for trial through the Nebraska Library Commission. If you
need access information for any of the ongoing trials, call us at
402-471-2045 or 800-307-2665 or e-mail Network Services.
| Database | Status |
Begin |
End |
| INET Library / INET Classroom | completed | 8/30/02 | 9/30/02 |
| Safari Tech Books Online | completed | 9/1/02 | 9/30/02 |
| bigchalk | on trial | 10/16/02 | 11/30/02 |
| BioOne | on trial | 8/30/2002 | 11/30/2002 |
| FirstSearch | on trial | 9/23/2002 | 11/30/2002 |
| H.W. Wilson | on trial | 9/5/2002 | 11/30/2002 |
| NewsBank | on trial | 10/17/2002 | 11/17/2002 |
| OriginalSources | on trial | 10/16/2002 | 11/30/2002 |
| Alexander Street Press | on trial | 11/8/2002 | 12/30/2002 |
For current trial news be sure to check out the Fall 2002 Database
Trial Fact Sheet for Nebraska Libraries found at
</netserv/trial.html>.
You can always find out what products have been featured as a
statewide trial in the past by viewing the Trial History web site
at: </netserv/history.html>.
Are there any resources your library is interested in purchasing?
Let us know and we can contact the vendor for a statewide trial and
possibly special pricing for Nebraska libraries.
Shannon Behrhorst
Network Services/NEBASE Director
Nebraska Library Commission
WRAPPING UP A SUCCESSFUL TOUR
OF THE DATABASE ROADSHOW
2002
The Database Roadshow
2002
wrapped up its final workshop on November
1 in Norfolk. This year the Roadshow was presented at 12
sites across Nebraska and over 188 Nebraska library personnel
attended the 4 ½ hour workshop.
Each year Network Services staff members Susan Knisely and Allana
Novotny travel throughout the state bringing training on the five
statewide databases to a variety of library staff.
Next year's Roadshow planning is already underway. With over 280 libraries receiving
Gates computers and over 22
libraries gaining Internet connectivity for the first time there
will be an entirely new group of database users across Nebraska.
Also, the Wilson Web and Electric Library interfaces are undergoing
changes this winter. The new Roadshow will be revamped to include
completely new sections on these two new interfaces.
Be on the lookout next spring as the snow thaws for new
Database Roadshow
2003
training dates and mark you calendars. You can
check for updates on the Database Roadshow at: </netserv/roadshow.html>.
Shannon Behrhorst
Network Services/NEBASE Director
Nebraska Library Commission
"TIS THE SEASON TO
CHANGE INTERFACES
While libraries can begin using the new WilsonWeb at any time, they
should keep in mind that databases viewable through this new
interface are still being revised and improved upon. The H.W. Wilson
Company has not yet indicated when access to the current WilsonWeb
will be discontinued.
The new eLibrary 2 is scheduled to replace our current Electric
Library at some point in the not-too-distant future. We have not yet
received specific information about when this will happen, but right
now it looks like the switch might occur in late December or
possibly in January.
Repeat after me: change is good, change is good, change is good. Did
it work? Are you convinced? Probably not! Nobody likes
change-especially if it's to a system we've spent a lot of time
learning how to use-but most of us have come to accept change, if
not make our peace with it. That's a good thing, because this season
two of the database services available through the Nebraska Library
Commission statewide database program--WilsonWeb and Electric
Library--are undergoing interface changes.
WilsonWeb
If you have recently used the Wilson OmniFile Full Text Select and
Wilson Biographies Plus Illustrated databases available through the
Nebraska Library Commission, you may have noticed that you now have
the option of selecting "Current WilsonWeb" or "New WilsonWeb" when
you login to the WilsonWeb service. Highlights of the new WilsonWeb
interface include:
Note: Libraries that subscribe to additional Wilson databases above
and beyond what the Library Commission pays for may not have the
option of selecting "Current WilsonWeb" or "New WilsonWeb" yet; this
choice appears only after all databases included in a subscription
are available through the new interface.
Electric Library
Earlier this fall, bigchalk.com, inc. announced the availability of
eLibrary 2, an updated edition of the Electric Library database
currently available at no cost to Nebraska public and academic
libraries through the Nebraska Library Commission.
According to bigchalk, eLibrary 2 will provide users with the
following new features:
For the time being, the familiar Electric Library interface and the
new eLibrary 2 will both be available. Users can continue accessing
the familiar interface by clicking on the Electric Library logo on
the Library Commission's Electronic Databases web page
</databases/> or by going to
<http://www.elibrary.com/education/>.
If you'd like to begin using eLibrary 2 right away-or if you'd just
like to sneak a peek-it is available at
<http://elibrary.bigchalk.com>
Your current authentication methods (IP-address recognition and/or
username and password) should get you in.
If you have any questions about these upcoming changes, please don't
hesitate to let me know. You can contact me by phone at
402-471-3849 or
800-307-2665 or e-mail me.
Susan Knisely
Online Services Librarian
Nebraska Library Commission
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Discounts |
OCLC MARS DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE TO NEBASE
MEMBERS
NEBASE now offers all new subscribing libraries to the OCLC MARS service greater
savings!
OCLC MARS provides comprehensive solutions for authority control and database
enrichment. This service includes a broad range of bibliographic and authority
services for any library, regardless of size.
Authority control and database preparation standardizes your bibliographic
records across collections, cataloging staff preferences and local system
changes. Bibliographic records are returned to your library "clean" and upgraded
to the current MARC 21 format.
This high-quality service also gives your library individual attention with
optimal accuracy rates, along with a customized profile and needs analysis to
determine which components of the MARS processes are right for your library.
NEBASE libraries new to the MARS service will benefit from a minimum savings of
10% and could receive a savings of as much as 50% off standard prices for
basefile processing when another MARS service is contracted. OCLC will also meet
or beat any price quotes from other authority control providers. Best of all, if
your library already benefits from the high-quality MARS service and you refer
another library to the service you will receive a one-time Notification service
run FREE of charge.
For additional information about OCLC MARS, go to <http://www.oclc.org/western/products/mars/index.htm>
To request a price quote, contact NEBASE at 402-471-3107 or 800-307-2665.
Christa Burns
OCLC Member Services Coordinator
Nebraska Library Commission
