2 New Trials

Encyclopedia Britanica Great Books Collection http://lib.mylibrary.com

and

Pop Culture Universe http: //pop.greenwood.com

I don't have pricing information for Great Books yet. Pop Culture Universe is $959.

I will email the access information to the adult services staff, Mary & Darren.

C. L.

Business Source Elite

This database provides articles and contextual information on business and finance. Academic journals, trace publications and popular magazines and newspapers are indexed. After a search is initially taken, a column opens up to the right, allowing the searcher to modify their query to different search terms, limit types of publications or narrow to a particular company or industry. I think this database would be most useful to students who are researching policy because it could be used to track trends that the ways that businesses are responding to them. (Tim)

Business and company resource center

The B&CRC is a business database which allows the user to search for information by both company and industry. An entry about a particular company in broken down into two section, a column of available articles and narrative data running down the left side of the screen, and a selection of tabs across the top offering the user to access different financial data and reports. Reference USA is usually my first stop for financial information, but if the user is looking for in depth information on a particular company, this can be a useful database as the availability to cross-reference reports with news stories could be valuable. (Tim)

Geek Speak

I was listening to a tech podcast this morning and the group was talking about new vs. old media models, specifically the "old" media of newspapers, magazines and radio vs. the "new" media of RSS feeds and social networking. The interesting thing about the conversation was the idea that "old" media was a one way street where information was given by the providers, accepted by the receivers, and there was very little meeting in the middle or feedback. One of the defining aspects of the "new" media, however, was that it empowered the users to add their own content - collaborating with the original content providers. I was wondering if we could use this idea for the library to engage our users in conversations and collaborations through social networking services like Facebook and Twitter and through our web site.

Gale directories library

C.L. has passed on to me a flyer for the Gale Essential Directories database which has things like the Encyclopedia of Associations, Business Rankings Annual, Market Share Reporter and others. It might be worth taking a look at if the price is right. I left the flyer on my desk if you want to check it out.

Mango Languages

I spoke to a customer today who was interested in Mango Languages. She said that her granddaughter had access to it from her library and she was interested in learning Italian with her granddaughter.

I spoke with Ryan from Mango Languages (link to trial) and he said that they will be adding an additional 16 languages in the next few months including Hindi, Irish, Thai, ESL for Russian, ESL for Chinese & a generic ESL. He walked through a lesson to highlight some of the features they offer. On their homepage, customers can search to see if their local library offers the service. He said they set that up to drive people to the library sites (I'm sure they're also hoping that people will call the library and ask about it). Lessons are self-paced and can be bookmarked. The main focus is on speaking, but they do offer some grammar. If we decide to purchase the service for the start of our fiscal year, the cost is $3000/year. Otherwise, it will go up to $3500/year.

C. L.

Gale Virtual Reference Library Titles

Some time ago we purchased several titles from the Gale Virtual Reference Library. These titles are ours just like a book would be. They are not updated. The titles purchased are:

• Gale Excyclopedia of Surgery and Medical Tests, 2nd ed
• Gale Encyclopedia of World History: Governments
• UXL Encyclopedia of Biomes
• Great Depression and the New Deal Reference Library
• Industrial Revolution Reference Library
• U*X*L Encyclopedia of World Mythology

We haven't gotten them up so that users can access them. We can put them up in whatever way you think would be most useful. Some libraries have included them on their database pages: Worcester Public Library and Newark Public Library. Other libraries have created a separate page with information about each title (some with pictures of the covers, some without): Madison Public Library, Loudon County Library, Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library. Titles can also be linked in our catalog: Los Gatos Public Library Catalog.

What do you all think is the best way to get these titles out there so that our users can access them?

C. L.

Trial of Language Learning Software from Tell Me More

Tell Me More is offering a free 45 day trial of their Language Learning Software to NJLA attendees if we contact them by 5/22. The contact number is 888.388.3535 Ext. 652

According to the email, they offer:

* 11 languages and 15 software interfaces available
* Easy to use, even for computer novices
* Serves all skill levels - beginner through advanced
* Speech labs featuring advanced Speech Recognition provide for perfect pronunciation
* Occupation, Geography & Cultural Awareness modules
* Printable lessons and quizzes for mobile learning
* Personalized learning paths for students
* In-depth learner tracking & reporting



C. L.

Update from Michael World

Mr. Lamb wishes to draw our attention to MELCAT which he thinks is a meta search engine that the New Jersey State Library will eventually use as a model. He also gave me some printed information about potential databases for consideration - it's on my desk if you want to take a look. (Tim)

Databases for consideration?

C.L. passed on to me a flyer of some of Gale's offerings, and a couple caught my attention. What do you think of these?

Gale Legal Forms: Standard legal tasks can become less daunting, thanks, in part, to Gale LegalForms. This online resource delivers everything do-it-yourselfers need to take charge of their legal affairs with confidence. Gale LegalForms offers an easy-to-use, step-by-step approach to addressing basic legal matters. Simply locate the form that’s needed by using any of the links found on the home page and download the specific form. Then, enter all relevant information and print it. Completed forms also can be saved to a computer’s hard drive or e-mailed to a home address. The information entered is held in absolute privacy.

Testing and education reference center: Whether it's preparing admission materials or getting a heads-up on preparatory tests, the Testing & Education Reference Center (TERC) is Gale's online tool designed to help students — from high school to graduate school to specialty school — prepare to make their further education decisions easier. Loaded with information on colleges, technical schools and executive programs, practice entrance, certification and professional license exams that show students what to expect and how to prepare to get to — and excel at — the next level. TERC also helps interested scholars prepare financially for their endeavor by identifying financial aid and other monetary sources available to them and offers tips on how to secure these available funds. Students and seasoned professionals TERC with Careers helps users identify a career path with a career assessment test and key information on more than 1,100 occupations. Plus, the Resumé Builder and Virtual Careers Library makes this perfect for job seekers by providing specific examples and tips for the job search.

Antiques database

Clark County/Las Vegas Library and the Berkeley Heights Library talk about the P4A Antiques Database. Do you think it would be more helpful than out current antiques database, Price-It?

Proquest renewed

Gail gave me a note saying the ProQuest New York Times full-text database has been renewed through June 2010.

Did anybody see any interesting databases for consideration at the NJLA Convention?

Coming EBSCO Trials

Just asked C.L. about the "home repair" databases. They are Home Improvement Reference Center and Hobbies & Crafts Reference Center. I asked and she said I could set up free trials of them. They look very interesting. Will do that and let you know the access info when I'm finished. Nancy

Database updates and offers

Maria gave me some printouts about the Facts on File database updates and sheets of database offers of dubious quality. If you want to see them, please see me.

New Database Directory Live

The new database directory is live - check it out.

New Trials

Hello all!

I sent out a link to some new trials... well, a reboot of an old trial with another DB added to it due to a 'special offer'. Tim should have details.

Darren

Interesting Article

Mixed Answers to "Is It OK for a Library To Lend a Kindle?" Norman Oder -- Library Journal, 4/7/2009

* Amazon rep tells library OK
* Amazon official tells LJ no
* Librarian says Kindle well-received

As a few more libraries begin lending the Kindle, the ebook reading device from Amazon, the company continues Kindle 2 Libraryto offer ambiguous messages regarding its policies. Asked by the Howe Library, Hanover, NH, if it was OK to lend a Kindle, an Amazon support staffer said yes—and the library has proceeded to do so, with much positive response.

However, another support staffer told blogger Rochelle Hartman that the Amazon Terms of Service bar lending of Kindles. Amazon spokesman Drew Herdener confirmed to LJ—as he did last year—that the policy bars library lending, but “we don't talk about our enforcement actions.”

In practice, that apparently means that Amazon doesn’t pursue enforcement, given the negative public relations impact from going after libraries, coupled with the potential ambiguity of the Terms of Service, which bar a user who wishes to "sell, rent, lease, distribute, broadcast, sublicense or otherwise assign any rights to the Digital Content or any portion of it to any third party."

One library's story
Mary White, director of the Howe Library, told LJ that she and a colleague called Amazon Kindle support last August 29 to explain what they wanted to do with the three Kindles that were to be purchased with donated funds. Among the questions: how to deactivate the library’s account so patrons couldn’t add titles to the device. The library was not told its plan was not permitted.

White pointed to the Terms of Service. “I am not an attorney,” she acknowledged, “but it seems to me we are doing none of those things,” suggesting that "distribution" of an ebook is not the same as lending one item to one person--the same as buying a printed book.

(In fact, the Amazon rep told the library could load its 13 titles, which cost $10 each, on each of the three devices, for a total cost of $130, not the expected $390. Hartman points out that this policy does not seem to be on the Kindle 2 page.)

Maybe Amazon didn’t contemplate library lending, White noted, but the Kindle has been on the market for a year and a half now. “Amazon is missing a great opportunity,” White observed. “If Amazon donated Kindles to public libraries, many patrons would discover that they love this newer technology and would then purchase a Kindle for personal use.”

User response
White said that Howe got three Kindles last October, keeping one in-house for people to try and lending the other two. Then, given a long holds list, they started lending the third. “We just bought our fourth Kindle, a Kindle 2, and it will stay in-house," she said. "We intend to call the 80-plus people on the holds list and tell them.”

Although the library has not changed the 13 titles yet it probably will do so down the line. “I think people here understand that right now our primary objective is to just let them play with the technology, not to satisfy everyone’s individual reading desires,” she said.

White can envision the Kindle becoming very useful for libraries, offering a low-cost alternative to sometimes costly interlibrary loan, and even providing access to newspapers for which on-time daily delivery is difficult.

And what if someone damages a Kindle? Howe users must sign a form acknowledging they’re responsible for the $360 replacement cost (plus a processing fee). They also must agree not to download additional books.

Databases to look into

Thinking about databases we might want to purchase or demo - is there any database that you or your colleagues are craving?

C.L. said there is an EBSCO database for home repair, does anyone know anything about this or if it's available for demo?

How about a podcast?

What do you think about us producing a podcast or You Tube program for the Library?

We could do it like a news magazine with section about storytimes, programs and services. I think it would be cool, and it wouldn't be that difficult to do...

TI Monthly Report - March 2009

The Tech Illuminati group was formed at the Library with the goal of serving as a liaison between the staff and the wider world of technology. The group made great progress during its first month by reviewing existing databases and trials for potential purchases, as well as investigating social networking opportunities for the Library.

The TI Committee has made recommendations for the reorganization of the Library's Internet databases. These recommendations were approved by the group's advisor, Darren Miguez, and have been sent to the Electronic Resources department for implementation. The group also recommended the purchase of the Biography Resource Center database. This purchase was approved and integrated into the web site for staff and public use - it will be a very useful too in our arsenal, especially for student assignments.

Continuing into the spring the group will evaluate databases the library owns for potential weeding, and make recommendations for further trials and potential purchases. We will also investigate a Facebook page for the Library, Internet message boards for user feedback, and re-implementing instant messaging as a user interface tool. (Tim)

EBSCO Animals

Another database in the EBSCO suite, Animals offers Boolean search, related items and an image search. The results seemed to be brief, concise articles on various animals. I think this website would be of primary use to children and teenagers who are looking for information about animals for projects or pictures for collages. Photographs of animals are either on color or black and white. The toughest part of recommending EBSCO Animals to the public is the relative difficulty in getting to the website, it is buried and required four clicks to get to the search page. I think that if this website was broken out and more prominently displayed on our website I think this database could be moderately helpful especially to children and teens. (Tim)

Message Board; Database Tutorials

A message board hosted by OBPL is just another idea to toss around. It may provide feedback about services and programming and encourage our users to talk about new things they'd like to see offered by the library. Users would probably have to register on the board but the degree of anonymity they'd have might make their comments more candid. We could have a link on our website. This may be a longer-term project to develop.

I also think that the 360 search is interesting but needs more prominence on the site. After taking a look at most of the databases we give users access to, I had the idea that perhaps we can have classes on database use. They could include info on where to go to find information as well as the more technical aspects of searching within the databases. This is pie in the sky but another approach would be to make up CD tutorials which we could give to users. Either or both could be broken down into subject areas or very specific things like biographical research or genealogical research. Needs a lot more fleshing out. (Nancy)

Facebook for Librarians workshop

The second portion of the program was most valuable; during this period we set up a Facebook page for our Library to experiment with (not accessible by the public) and worked on how to include photos, library events and other accessories. This was a valuable workshop, demonstrating the value of the social networking programs that are available on the Internet, and the ways in which we can use them to further out mission. I think the Library should make a public profile page, because if this is managed carefully by the staff and overseen by administration it will an excellent way to reach out to our users and raise the Library’s profile among the public.

Global Issues in Context

Darren asked me to look into something on GIC I had skipped. Apparently you can create a log in and tag articles, create folders to save articles in and, best of all, set up feeds.

The folders and tagging are easy to use once you realize they're there. You have your own dashboard to go to, like we have with the blogs. If people use these there'll be less "I found this article, printed it and lost it. Now I can't find it again!" And now they'll be able to build a collection of articles over time.

The news feeds are interesting, and something I think many people will enjoy once they know we have them. You can get a feed to a newspaper in general (and they of course have papers from around the world) or you can get a news feed on a certain topic or place. You can pretty much just put in a search term and create a feed off of it. So you could get a Child Labor news feed, or a news feed on Burma.

As long as we made sure the public knew about these options, I think it would be a big deal. It would help the high school students, but I think it would be best used by the adults - especially college students.

Mary

General Reference Center Gold

GRCG is a database that offers full text and abstracts of mainstream and some academic magazines and journals. Although it is similar to the EBSCO Masterfile, there are some significant differences. After a search is done, the database offers matching subject headings, subdivisions and related subjects. While this can be confusing to the novice user, it does allow focused narrowing of results for greater accuracy. After the results list is displayed, there are tabs available for easy toggling between formats like magazines, books, multimedia and the like. I think this is a worthwhile database with some intriguing options. If there is not too much overlap with EBSCO, it can make a fine complement to that standard database. (Tim)

EBSCO Student Research Center

The basic search is simple and well designed, offering check boxes for different types of information. Also helpful in assisting students is the ability to restrict results to reading level of elementary, middle and high school. A column on the left hand side of the main screen offers searching by academic subject for quick navigation. The biggest problem with this database is that it is obscured on our web site, needing five clicks or rollovers to reach: OBPL--> Teens --> Databases and Newspapers --> Student Research Center --> Student Research Center (again.) I think this database would receive much more use if it was "broken out" and made more accessible. Despite the accessibility problem, I think this is a valuable database for helping students with papers and assignments, and I think that it should be given a more prominent place on our web site. (Tim)

Hello everyone!

Darren here.

A few reviews seem to be pro-BRC. I'm definitely getting that barring counter arguments at the next TI meeting this week.

Do other folks have any interest in Global Issues in Context?

Also, PriceIt seems a bit wonky. Are there better alternatives?

Masterfile premier database

The Masterfile Premier is the "Big Kahuna" of databases, at least as far as the adult services department is concerned. It contains periodicals in both full text and abstract form, along with full text access to reference books, images and maps. This database becomes most useful when doing advanced searches which allow users and librarians to narrow the search to primary sources, pictures, biographies, government docs, etc.

BRC & GIC

Biography Resource Center - I adore it. It will be good for all ages. The tabs across the top give you choices of longer biographies, short biographies, newspaper and magazine articles, and websites. Each article gives you its own bibliography as well as further readings. It provides pictures and can be a great starting off point for anyone needing to do a more in depth project. It also has recent updates on new people of interest. It even has the Jonas Brothers, as a group and as individuals. And finally, best of all, you can search for people using different parameters. You can look for a woman born before whenever who worked with animals, etc. It also gives the citation for each article.

Global Issues in Context - Definitely aimed at more mature users. You can get a simple article, but the purpose is obviously to help you hone in on a more detailed topic. High schoolers and college students would find it useful. Searching works best when you know exactly what you’re looking for, or when you’re doing preliminary idea catching. Someone going in with a vague idea of what they need won’t be too happy, but I don’t know that there’s anything they would be happy going into then. I give it a thumbs up.

Mary

Database review - Price It Antiques

Price It allows users to search for information on antiques by keyword, date, category or price range. Typing in a search brings up a list of items that meet the query, with varying levels of detail ranging from the very detailed to the monosyllabic. With much of the data taken directly from Ebay and other auction sites that are available for free on the web, it brings into question whether this database is worthwhile for our users. Its one redeeming quality is that there are several articles on collecting in there help section that could be useful to our users.

Meebo

Not sure if IM is the best way to make ourselves and our programs known to younger people after some more investigation with my young contacts. Mostly due to having to be in the mode of receiving the IM when it's sent. However, I had the thought that perhaps we could embed a Meebo link in our web site which would take patrons to a chat room we set up on Meebo. Visitors seem to be automatically added to the buddy list when they enter. Maybe this would help chat up library services and programs.

Websites of Note

Hello all! Darren here.

I'm wondering if you might want to post here any technology related websites or articles that might be of use to us.

One of interest:
http://librarygarden.blogspot.com/

Has contributions by some of the more tech savvy librarians in NJ, and includes:

What Libraries can learn from Facebook

I only have time for one today. Now, to prepare for Dr Seuss!

360 search

Darren was talking at yesterdays meeting about the Las Vegas Library system's integrated library catalog/database search. This is actually available to our users, but it's buried on our site: 360 search. The interface is cumbersome, and the time lag is considerable, but it's good to know we have this resource if it is needed.

Welcome to the TI Blog

The first meeting of the Tech Illuminati group was held on March 5, 2009. Meeting minutes:

Tech-Illuminati Meeting Minutes - March 5, 2009

Attendees: Darren, Mary, Nancy, Tim

New Group's Goals

* Technology Interface: The group is to act as the conduit between the Library staff and the wider world of technology.
* Increased online presence: Raise the Library's Internet profile through social networking, targeted blogs, vlogs, podcasts, vlogcasts and wikis. Determine how to best incorporate user created content into the Library's online experience.
* Revamp the Library's databases: re-organizing, and promoting the Library's databases in functional categories.

Blog and Wiki

* The group's blog address is: http://techilluminati.blogspot.com/
username = techilluminati@gmail.com
password = koalabearhat
* The group's wiki address is: http://techilluminati.pbwiki.com/
username = techilluminati@gmail.com
password = koalabearhat
* Feel free to post to the blog and edit the wiki often, the more information and collaboration we have the better off we'll be.

Projects

* Mary will analyze databases and organization from a teen perspective.
* Nancy will work on re-categorizing databases and brainstorming Meebo.
* Darren will talk to Gail about Gale databases, and research an e-mail distribution list.
* Tim will review databases and attend a "Facebook in the Library" presentation on March 18.

Next Meeting

* Thursday, March 26 @ 2:00 p.m.

Next Meeting Agenda Items

* Review the Library's blog presence.
* Review databases and categories
* Social networking ideas.