Ebsco 2.0

Ebsco will be undergoing a major makeover this summer: Please follow the link and familiarize yourself with its new functions. Ebscohost 2.0 is also to be found on the firefox toolbar. This training can be done while you are working the desk.


http://support.ebsco.com/ebscohost2/training.php

Heater at the Ref Desk

Update: The new heater is here.

Dr. Sparks has ordered a new space heater to replace the old one at the Reference Desk. In the meantime, please do not plug in another heater at the Reference Desk. The old heater drew too much power to be on the same circuit as the color laser printer and the PC.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Sparks.


Jon W.

Color printer at the Ref Desk

To print to the new color laser printer select "HP Color Laser" from the pull-down printer selection menu.

If you have any problems with the printer please let me know at 7074.

Jon W.

TOXNET - Toxicology Data Network

I learned about a useful resource in my class on Monday. It's a free government site called TOXNET. It contains various databases on "toxicology, hazardous chemicals, environmental health, and toxic releases." One source on this site that might be especially helpful to students is ChemIDplus. It provides information about various chemicals as well as the chemical abstract number. There is the option to search by the chemical structure in addition to the chemical name. If you go to the advanced search, there is a box that you can click on and then create a particular chemical structure. Then you just click search and it will provide information about that particular structure.
I thought this was an interesting site and thought you might like to explore it as well.

(P.S. TOXNET can be accessed from the Pharmacy resources library page.)

Netlibrary titles added to catalog

I've added records for about 4,100 Netlibrary e-books to the library catalog. To search only e-books use the "E-books" Quick Limit.


Jon W.

30,000+ e-books added to the catalog

You can now search the library catalog for Ebrary e-books. The Ebrary collection has over 30,000+ digital books in wide range of subject areas.

To view any e-book in the library catalog, go to the full record and click the "Click here for electronic book" link near the bottom of the page.

You can pick "E-books" from the library catalog's Quick Limits menu to restrict your keyword searches to Ebrary and Netlibrary titles.


Jon W.

Preparing for your ACS examination in organic chemistry

Preparing for your ACS examination in organic chemistry : the official guide is housed at the circulation desk. A number of students have been coming in and asking for it. They often don't know the title, hence this blog entry.

Library catalog update, 3/14/08

I've finished restoring cover images and our customized record displays to the library catalog. One improvement you'll notice is that multiple cover images don't show up in the full records anymore.

I've also added a couple of tweaks to the full records:

• Full records now show persistent links. This makes bookmarking individual catalog records much easier for patrons. For example, instructors can cut and paste persistent links into their Blackboard pages to guide students directly to library resources in WebVoyage.
• There's now a "Save & tag" link for bookmarking records with de.licio.us, the popular social bookmarking service.
• The "More info" link to the Syndetic catalog enrichment data is more descriptive -- the hyperlink text is now "Check for summaries, excerpts, and contents."
• Open WorldCat links now default to the 73096 zip code. When patrons click the Open WordCat link they'll automatically be directed to the closest libraries that also own the item. This is helpful when we own an item, but it's charged or missing.

Remaining glitches:

• All subject headings types are displaying in subject heading searches, not just the LC. I'm working on a fix.
• If you come across other problems, please let me know.

Jon W.

Library catalog update, 3/6/08

I haven't finished restoring our local customizations in the library catalog, so the record displays look a little different right now. For example, to see subject headings you'll need to click the button.

Book cover images aren't displaying, but they'll be back soon (and the when the images return, they'll only show up once in the record -- no matter how many ISBNs the record contains!).

Patron self-renew has been turned back on.

Thanks again to everyone for their patience!

Jon W.

Basal Reader

It's that time of the year when our Eduction students come looking for Basal Readers. These books can be found in the Curriculum Collection.

A basal reader is a kind of book that is used to teach reading. It is based on an approach in which words are used as a whole. The words are used over and over in each succeeding lesson. New words are added regularly.

A Good Example: Baby Hippo E1
25.70
4211
BK.18

A great many of the readers can be found at this call number