The Circulation staff is working hard in the bound Periodicals area in the lower level (east side). You will notice some empty shelves as we make adjustments to allow for our expanding collection of periodicals. During this transition please let us know if you are unable to locate the volumes you need.
Also, please make use of the Periodicals notebook located above the re-shelving cart. This notebook lists (in alphabetical order) all of our current Periodical holdings.
Rachel
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
Sudden Switcheroo
On Wednesday last week, the EBSCO company suddenly transformed the interface of three of our most valuable indexes : Old Testament Abstracts (OTA), New Testament Abstracts (NTA), and the Catholic Periodical and Literature Index (CPLI).
We worked for three days to rewrite our guide to these databases, with new explanations and images. You will now find the updated guide on our Tutorials page. We are continuing to monitor this situation, however, because some of the features of the new interface don't seem to be functioning properly. We hope these are temporary glitches that will soon be corrected.
Library users need to be aware that ALL electronic resources can morph without warning -- the access location changes, the interface is redesigned, we lose our license to a resource entirely. Unfortunately, the vendors have sole control over a lot of these factors. We try to be vigilant about these changes, post announcements and keep our instructional materals current. But if you spot problems with our tutorials and guides, or broken links on any of our web pages, please let us know!
Paula
We worked for three days to rewrite our guide to these databases, with new explanations and images. You will now find the updated guide on our Tutorials page. We are continuing to monitor this situation, however, because some of the features of the new interface don't seem to be functioning properly. We hope these are temporary glitches that will soon be corrected.
Library users need to be aware that ALL electronic resources can morph without warning -- the access location changes, the interface is redesigned, we lose our license to a resource entirely. Unfortunately, the vendors have sole control over a lot of these factors. We try to be vigilant about these changes, post announcements and keep our instructional materals current. But if you spot problems with our tutorials and guides, or broken links on any of our web pages, please let us know!
Paula
Friday, July 18, 2008
Browsing the DVD Collection
Libraries have always offered several ways of finding material and browsing the shelves within a subject range has certainly always been an option!
In the IRC, browsing a call number range isn't particuarly helpful, because our call numbers aren't based on subject headings. The catalog becomes essential, then, for finding material.
However, it is clear that our patrons like being able to browse the DVD collection! For some time, we have put empty DVD cases in display cabinets in the IRC and you could easily see what was in at any time for loan. However, we are running out of space in the display cabinets and would like to use the display cabinets for their intended purpose - displays!
We will continue to designate one cabinet for our DVD feature films, but by September, you will need to use the catalog to search for documentary/academic or Christian education titles.
If you need help in learning how to find our visual material that isn't in a display case, please come by and Norma or I will be glad to show you.
Ann
In the IRC, browsing a call number range isn't particuarly helpful, because our call numbers aren't based on subject headings. The catalog becomes essential, then, for finding material.
However, it is clear that our patrons like being able to browse the DVD collection! For some time, we have put empty DVD cases in display cabinets in the IRC and you could easily see what was in at any time for loan. However, we are running out of space in the display cabinets and would like to use the display cabinets for their intended purpose - displays!
We will continue to designate one cabinet for our DVD feature films, but by September, you will need to use the catalog to search for documentary/academic or Christian education titles.
If you need help in learning how to find our visual material that isn't in a display case, please come by and Norma or I will be glad to show you.
Ann
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Why Summer Orientation?
In the past, some summer language students have found it hard to get interested in Library orientation. I won't be writing papers till the Fall, you might say -- why learn this now? And my brain is so stressed trying to deal with Greek or Hebrew that I can't concentrate on it anyway!
Well, here's the thing ... summer language students generally return to campus AFTER the fall orientation events are over. So if you don't get it now, you might not get it at all. That would prove to be a big disadvantage to you, because this is your chance to start finding out how the Library functions and what it can do for you.
Remember : your instructors will assume that you are ready to cope with the research demands of their courses when the academic year begins. We are trying to help you prepare yourself to meet their expectations.
Paula
Well, here's the thing ... summer language students generally return to campus AFTER the fall orientation events are over. So if you don't get it now, you might not get it at all. That would prove to be a big disadvantage to you, because this is your chance to start finding out how the Library functions and what it can do for you.
Remember : your instructors will assume that you are ready to cope with the research demands of their courses when the academic year begins. We are trying to help you prepare yourself to meet their expectations.
Paula
Monday, July 14, 2008
More Detail on Storage
A little more explanation about which materials have been moved into storage, and why. These are minutes of judicatories in the former Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUS), which merged in 1983 with the UPCUSA to form today's PCUSA (are you confused yet?). Because these units are no longer active, there are no new records being added to the collection, making them prime candidates for removal from the open stacks into secure storage.
We have left the minutes of the Synod of Virginia in place, along with minutes of its component presbyteries, because these are used for historical research. Records of the other PCUS synods and presbyteries, and of the PCUS Women of the Church regional units, are seldom used and have been moved. For a complete list of the records now in storage, click HERE.
This move has freed 78 shelves of space on the overcrowded Second Level West! Redistribution of the materials on that floor by our hard-working Circ staff is now under way.
Paula
We have left the minutes of the Synod of Virginia in place, along with minutes of its component presbyteries, because these are used for historical research. Records of the other PCUS synods and presbyteries, and of the PCUS Women of the Church regional units, are seldom used and have been moved. For a complete list of the records now in storage, click HERE.
This move has freed 78 shelves of space on the overcrowded Second Level West! Redistribution of the materials on that floor by our hard-working Circ staff is now under way.
Paula
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Second Floor Moving Project
You may notice some empty shelves on second floor west. We have moved some of the PCUS Presbytery, Synod, and Women of the Church minutes to a storage area downstairs. If you need to access these minutes and don't see the one you need, we will be glad to help you at the Circulation desk.
This summer we will continue to move books on the second and third floors to provide additional space for our expanding collection. If you have difficulty finding the book you need please let us know. Hopefully the moving will be completed before the fall term begins.
Rachel
This summer we will continue to move books on the second and third floors to provide additional space for our expanding collection. If you have difficulty finding the book you need please let us know. Hopefully the moving will be completed before the fall term begins.
Rachel
Monday, June 30, 2008
New Access Policies
On Tuesday, 1 July 2008, our new access policies go into effect. Please be sure to read the details HERE.
Many people are questioning why we are making these changes. We all wish we could leave things just as they were, but circumstances outside our control are forcing us to limit access. It seems there is a lot of misunderstanding and false information being passed around ... we urge you not to believe every rumor you hear. We will try to clarify the issues for you.
Our Library Director, Dr. Coalter, will be happy to meet with anyone who has concerns or questions, and you may also express yourself here on this blog. We welcome comments and discussion. Just click on COMMENTS at the end of this post.
Paula
Many people are questioning why we are making these changes. We all wish we could leave things just as they were, but circumstances outside our control are forcing us to limit access. It seems there is a lot of misunderstanding and false information being passed around ... we urge you not to believe every rumor you hear. We will try to clarify the issues for you.
Our Library Director, Dr. Coalter, will be happy to meet with anyone who has concerns or questions, and you may also express yourself here on this blog. We welcome comments and discussion. Just click on COMMENTS at the end of this post.
Paula
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