March/April  2004  vol.10  no.2 issn 1082-4383  

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Highlights in this Issue

OCLC Now Offering Services for Groups

OCLC now offers services that allow consortia to build group online union catalogs and provide resource sharing and reference services under one locally customized interface.

netLibrary Introduces New Interface

netLibrary subscribers, have you tried the new netLibrary interface? The new interface is designed to be more streamlined and to provide better performance.

Web Training Sessions for SIRS and ProQuest Products

Did you know the ProQuest Company offers free web-based training sessions on a number of their products? To participate all you need is a computer with Internet access, a phone, and one hour.

Bowker Introduces Patron Books In Print

On February 17 Bowker released the new PatronBooksInPrint.com, a more streamlined patron-friendly interface. Complimentary access to the new interface is provided along with the regular statewide subscription to Books In Print paid for by The Nebraska Library Commission.

Database Renewal Season is Here!

If your library subscribes to databases through the Nebraska Library Commission's discount purchasing program, it's time to start thinking about renewing!

OCLC CatExpress Offer for New Subscribers: 13 Months for the Price of 12

NEBASE is again offering a free trial month of the OCLC CatExpress service to new subscribers. CatExpress provides web-based copy cataloging to small libraries at a low, flat-fee subscription price.

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Past issues of N³

NEBRASKACCESS: NEW HOME TO THE STATEWIDE DATABASES

On January 31, 2004 the Nebraska Library Commission unveiled NebraskAccess, the new home to the statewide databases. The new web site provides a few new features for users. Nebraska citizens now have the ability to logon to all but one of the statewide databases from an Internet connection using their Nebraska Driver's License or State Identification number. The new NebraskAccess site also features slideshow tutorials for database searchers and a Librarian's Toolbox full of material and information just for library staff.

Though the NebraskAccess site is new, many libraries will find there is no need to make any changes to the way they currently provide access to the statewide databases. Smaller libraries that don't have web sites from which they can link to the statewide databases may find that NebraskAccess helps their patrons better understand what resources are available. The site also provides a way for those Nebraskans who are not served by a library to gain access to the databases paid for the Nebraska Library Commission and the State of Nebraska.

If you currently provide direct links to the databases from your library web site, you will have no problem continuing to connect to the databases in the same manner. All of the URLs used to connect to the databases and all of the passwords previously issued to libraries continue to work as they did before. We also encourage you to continue to provide the passwords to your patrons for remote access if you are not using an authentication system already. Even though citizens can now connect to some of the databases using a Driver's License or State ID number, this new authentication method should not be viewed as a replacement for local authentication methods such as IP recognition, proxy servers, or username/password distribution. Also remember the bigchalk eLibrary database is not accessible through the Driver's License login since it is only licensed for public and academic libraries.

If your library has its own web site and wants to provide direct links to the databases or a link to the NebraskAccess site you can find instructions in the Librarian's Toolbox or you can go to: </nebraskaccess/toolbox/addlinks.html>.

If you have any questions or suggestions about the new NebraskAccess site from the Nebraska Library Commission, please let us hear from you. E-mail us .

Shannon Behrhorst
NEBASE/Network Services Director
Nebraska Library Commission
 

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OCLC NOW OFFERING SERVICES FOR GROUPS

OCLC now offers services that allow consortia to build group online union catalogs and provide resource sharing and reference services under one locally customized interface.

OCLC group catalogs are based on library holdings set in WorldCat. OCLC creates a catalog from WorldCat holdings contributed by group members so that library users can find what they need close to home. If users are unable to find what they need in their local area, they can expand their search to a larger region within the group, or to the entire WorldCat database for what they need.

"Creating a group catalog is like creating your own slice of WorldCat-a subset of the world's most comprehensive database of bibliographic information," said Frank Hermes, Vice President, OCLC Cooperative Discovery Services. "Libraries can leverage the investment they have already made in cataloging with WorldCat. And basing a group catalog on WorldCat affords scalability, allowing the catalog to be searched for items held within the group-or held anywhere in the world."

Gathering holdings information within a group helps facilitate item discovery and resource sharing through OCLC services that many libraries in the group are currently using. Libraries that do not use WorldCat for cataloging can batchload records into the database to make their holdings information available for a group catalog. And libraries can customize and brand their group catalog-for example, they can add logos for both the group and for a library within the group.

The Military Education and Research Library Network (MERLN) was the first to implement the OCLC group catalog model. The MERLN group catalog provides access to over 1.5 million items in the collections of 13 MERLN libraries through a single database for easy identification of the materials group members need from any of the participating MERLN libraries.

The MERLN group catalog provides easy access to the holdings of a variety of military libraries, based nationally and internationally, on a variety of military topics.

A group catalog for Missouri libraries became available in December 2003. It is an extension of Missouri's "Show-Me The World" project, a virtual library program that uses WorldCat to connect users with information in the state's libraries-and beyond.

"Missouri libraries have a long history of cooperation and a commitment to equal access to information across the state," said Sara Parker, Missouri State Librarian. "The Missouri group catalog will help us to build on the progress we have already made."

Libraries participating in OCLC group services do not have to invest in new hardware, software or staff training because the services are hosted by OCLC, and staff members in participating libraries are already quite familiar with OCLC services. Ms. Parker said the ease of adoption and use of OCLC group services will inspire Missouri libraries to be even more innovative.

"My hope is libraries which might have been reluctant to try new service approaches will be persuaded this is a new tool to better meet the needs of their users," said Ms. Parker.

This month, library users in Florida will be able to search the collections of all public, community college and state university libraries through the Florida group catalog, a new addition to the Florida Electronic Library.

Florida libraries have been contributing holdings to WorldCat for 30 years, so the creation of a Florida union catalog was the next logical step in making the most of their work-and their investment.

More group catalogs are being created and will be available in the coming months.

For more information on services for groups, visit http://www.oclc.org/groupservices/.

[OCLC]

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2004 NATIONAL DIVERSITY CONFERENCE TO FOCUS ON LIBRARY USERS, STAFFING, COLLECTIONS

SOLINET, HBCU Library Alliance, and ASERL Are Co-Hosts

The fourth National Diversity in Libraries Conference will be May 4 and 5, at the Georgia Tech Hotel & Conference Center in Midtown Atlanta. The Conference is co-hosted by the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL), the Southeastern Library Network (SOLINET), and the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Library Alliance.

The 2004 National Diversity in Libraries Conference continues a tradition initiated in 1998 by the Association of Research Libraries (ARL); this is the first time it will take place in the Southeast. As in previous years, the 2004 meeting will bring together hundreds of library leaders from across the country to explore methods for increasing diversity within library staffs and collections, as well as discussing ways to improve service to diverse users.

New to the 2004 Conference is the active participation of the HBCU Library Alliance, founded in 2002 to help strengthen the unique role of these libraries in the education of minority students and in preserving African-American history.

Also new for the 2004 Conference: Programs focusing on public libraries and smaller academic libraries. Presentations and speakers are currently being sought.

For more information please visit the web site at: <http://www.librarydiversity.org/>.

[SOLINET]

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TECHNICAL SERVICES ROUND TABLE SPRING MEETING

The Technical Services Round Table spring meeting will be held Monday, April 26, from 8:30 am - 4:30 pm, at the Nebraska Library Commission, Crane Room, lower level, 1200 N Street, Lincoln, Nebraska.

The meeting, a Serial Holdings Workshop, is being cosponsored by NASIG (North American Serials Interest Group) and is one of the SCCTP (Serials Cataloging Cooperative Training Program) courses. Mike Wright from the University of Iowa will be the instructor.

The workshop is limited to 20 participants and will also be offered to states surrounding Nebraska. Registrations received by March 12 from Nebraska participants will be given priority.

A registration fee of $50 will be charged to Nebraska Library Association members and $60 to non-members. TSRT will hold its spring business meeting during lunch. Those wishing to attend the lunch/business meeting will be charged an additional $8. The registration form is available on TSRT's website at <http://www.nebraskalibraries.org/TSRT/TSRThome.htm>

Please contact Corinne Jacox 402-280-2283, e-mail: <jacox@creighton.edu> with any questions.

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SERIALS SOLUTIONS ENHANCES SERVICES

Several NEBASE member libraries already take advantage of the tools and services offered by Serials Solutions to help them get the most out of their electronic journal subscriptions. Now Serials Solutions has enhanced the design of its services to help ensure that your valuable electronic resources are not under-used because it is too time-consuming for your staff and too difficult for your patrons to search for a specific full-text journal.

Serials Solutions has renamed its A-to-Z Title List and Journal Linker services. They are now known as E-Journal Access & Management Suite, or E-Journal A.M.S. With the E- Journal A.M.S. service, you can choose from the following options:

• E-Journal Portal: provides a single, customized library-branded interface that includes the same accurate data found in a standard HTML report format.
  
• A-to-Z Lists: a comprehensive, searchable list of your library's full-text, electronic format journals in HTML and/or print format.
  
• Journal Linker: enables users to link from an abstract or index to the full-text journal, anywhere in a collection.
  
• Subject Browsing and Title Searching: enables patrons to quickly find and access your library's e-journals by subject, title or ISSN.
  
• Ulrichsweb.com linking: offers bi-directional linking between Serials Solutions' HTML report and <http://www.ulrichsweb.com/ulrichsweb/>.
  
• Data files: can be delivered in a wide variety of formats to suit your needs. The most common requested is Microsoft Excel, but other options include CSV, XML and pipe-delimited formats.

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netLIBRARY INTRODUCES NEW INTERFACE

netLibrary subscribers, have you tried the new netLibrary interface? The new interface is designed to be more streamlined and to provide better performance. Other changes include:

• Selecting the language of the interface. In the Edit My Account area, you can choose from five different languages including Spanish. Currently there are over 40 Spanish titles in the 2003 collection.
  
• The Bookmarks, Notes and My Favorites areas have been combined into one new area called My List and Notes. You are allowed one note per page of a book. If you try to add a second note your first note will be erased.
  
• Change the size of the Tool Palette by clicking and dragging the line that separates the tool palette and contents. The line is highlighted with small red arrows on either side.

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