New Interface for Voyager OPAC

Today we were introduced to the new interface for the Voyage OPAC. It will be implemented on August so it will be ready for the fall semester.

Some of the new features are:

1) New look and feel for WebVoyage - the new interface includes user-focused search screens, improved navigation and labeling, and a re-designed Quick Search option.

2) Redesigned titles summary list display - new features include citation-style catalog entries, alternating background colors for items on the display, a "filter your search" box on the title summary display, new positioning for the print/save/export actions, and a reorganization of the "Edit Search", "Save Search", jump bar, and sort menu options.

3) Redesigned record display layout in the OPAC - the new WebVoyage provides updated bibliographic displays that include easily-understood labels and the most-commonly-used fields. A new feature, the "Action Box", is prominently displayed on the page to encourage users to place requests, download and print the record, and access additional information about the title. A jump bar located above the Action Box provides easy navigation within the record set and to the research results.

4) Google Book Search link - this feature was implemented in the previous software version (6.5.3). Library patrons can enhance their findings with Google Book Search features such as full text, book previews, cover jacket thumbnails, and a mashup from Google Maps linking pages in a book describing a specific place to its location on the world map. Users will see this link automatically when the title is available at Google Book Search.

5) New "Exit" actions in WebVoyage - A configurable countdown timer have been added that gives the users an alert before the session ends. Upon timing out, WebVoyage will refresh to a new start page, ready for another user to begin a new search in the catalog.

6) Redesigned patron information display in the OPAC - patrons will be able to view a summary of their account transactions with hyperlinks to the relevant sections of the display, and see additional addresses and telephone numbers the library has on record. These changes will provide patrons with an easier-to-use "My Account" display and offer them a more complete picture of their transactions and account information.

7) Printing, emailing or saving OPAC records - The print, save and email options in WebVoyage will be enhanced to add a "Select All" option, make the "Retain Selected" option automatically retain records when moving to a new page, allow emails to be sent to multiple addresses, and permit the users to enter comments to be sent with the email.

8) OPAC accessibility - The redesign closely following section 508 and W3C web accessibility guidelines; WebVoyage includes advanced markup and use of tagging to provide better navigation for patrons using assistive technology. Specific attention has been give to providing "alt" tags for all images and non-text elements, using CSS to govern display, limiting the use of tables, minimizing repetitive content where possible, and adding descriptive text to hidden data elements resulting in a better interface for library patrons.

9) Support for Firefox Web Browser - WebVoyage is supported on the Firefox web browser.

Long Term Project for the Reference Staff - An Online Information Literacy Textbook

I hope we are not being asked to rediscover the wheel. There are information literacy textbooks available, but they are aimed at librarians or library school students. We need to make the university administration aware of what we are doing, but is it necessary to write it in a textbook format?

I still feel that subject specific information literacy is not necessary at the lower undergraduate level. Many years ago when I was a chemistry student, I did not need to search the literature at the undergraduate level. Doing it too early in the curriculum will only bore students and perhaps even create hostility toward us. "Oh, do we really need a library lecture?"

Back to Work Today - Only 275 e-mails this time

When I left on Thursday July 16 I remembered to set for no mail on the reference librarian and chemical information listservs. Thus, I had 275 instead of 400 e-mails to answer. Most of them, of course were not important. I got a few requests for documents, but two of them were for journals that we already have in our print collection. It is always very annoying when users request items that we already have, but that's the way it is. The library usage is still very slow. The summer programs at NJIT are still going very strong. Hundreds of younger students are making their "joyful noise" on campus.

Took a MyMetro Webinar Today

Yes, I am still on vacation today, but I took a 30 minute webinar on Zotero given by Jason Kucsma of METRO. Zotero is is a free, easy-to-use Firefox extension to help you collect, manage, and cite your research sources. I had installed it on my work computer, but never really worked with it. The 30 minute webinar was just a basic introduction. When I get back to work, I'll have to spend some time working with it.

I do monitor my two journals using Google Analytics. I was please to see that "Bruce at the NJIT Library" received some hits while I was away from work. Thanks for stopping by.

Going on Staycation Again

If there are regular readers of this blog, I don't want anyone to worry if they don't see any postings for a week or so. I am taking vacation time next week and will not return to NJIT until Monday July 27. I will be staying at home for the most part. One day I will take a bus trip to Atlantic City. I have tickets to the Paul McCartney concert at Citifield on Tuesday July 21. Goodbye for now.

Research Question of the Day

Today I was asked to compile a list of printed and online resources that give information about scholarships for adults. To find printed resources I searched WorldCat. None of the printed resources were available in the NJIT Library. I relied on Google to find online sources. I limited my search to resources that inlcuded only scholarhsip information for adults or veterans. Many of the general scholarship resources included scholarships that did not specify ages of the applicants.

Web Site with Resources of Interest to Pharmaceutical and Computational Chemists

It took me a day to compile the web site I discussed in yesterday's entry:

http://library.njit.edu/researchhelpdesk/subjectguides/Pharmaceutical-Chemistry.php

Please check it out

Compiling a List of Resources for Pharmaceutical Chemisty/Chemical Engineering

In the course of a week I must read hundreds of postings from various listservs of interest to science librarians. Most of the time I look at the posting briefly and delete it. Today I read a posting by Rajarshi Guha of Indiana University on CHMINF-L, the chemical information listserv. The thread was concerned with free resources with information about chemical substances especially those with medicinal activity. He made reference to the following article in the Journal of Cheminformatics:
http://www.jcheminf.com/content/1/1/10

This paper inspired me to compile a page of resources supporing the programs in pharmaceutcial chemistry/engineering at NJIT. The paper does mention some commercial sources that we don't have at NJIT.

Do Librarians Come on Too Strong With Information Literacy?

It is the librarian's role to convince faculty and students of the need to develop information literacy skills to become competitive in their academic endeavors and more important when they eventually enter the business world in their chosen profession. Professionals must know how to recognize the need for information and know how to use the proper tools to find and evaluate the information they need. There is no argument about the importance of acquiring these skills.

I do perceive that very often academic librarians come on too strong in advocating for information literacy. We should not impose ourselves on people when we promote our services. Very often students will say "I know that already" and similarly faculty will state there is no time in this course for information literacy training. Do you ever feel intimidated by an overly aggressive retail salesman? I feel that often librarians come on too strong in their advocacy. I certainly would not want to antagonize a student or faculty member that way.

Should Librarians Promote Searching with Google

Much has been said and written about the Google phenomenon. I have actually heard on the radio and read in books the following statement which I am paraphrasing "Years ago when we needed information, we had to go to the library. Now all we have to do is search Google." Librarians have tried to steer students away from search engines to the bibliographic databases to find peer reviewed articles. We also teach students how to evaluate web sites.

Perhaps librarians in their information literacy classes give examples where students can find reputable information using Google. There is an old saying 'if you can't beat them, join them." Examples can be given where false information is found using Google. Another exercise may ask students to compare results using Google and a bibliographic database.

List of Librarian Blogs

Librarians reading my blog may be interested in this list of librarian blogs:

http://www.thelibrarynews.com/librarian-blogs/

Students should rent textbooks instead of buying them

Since I was off from work today, I sat in Alley Pond Park and readseveral sections of yesterday's New York Times. There was an article titled We Rent Movies, So Why Not Textbooks. At the beginning of every semester reference librarians are bombarded by students doing simple book searches for required textbooks. I always show the student how to find a book, but my standard response is the library does not collect required textbooks, your professor feels that it is in your best interest to buy the book. Certainly, textbooks especially in the science and engineering disciplines are expensive, but the cost of textbooks is part of the cost of an education. What bothers me is that publishers constantly change the editions of textbooks to dry up the used book market. Does basic calculus, chemistry, or physics, change in a few years?

This article describes two online services where students can rent books:

• Chegg.com
• Bookrenter.com

Back when I was a student, I kept books in my major (chemistry), but sold other subjects to the book store or to another student at the end of the semester. Renting textbooks can save money for students.

4 Day Weekend

The NJIT Library will be closed until Tuesday July 7th. Time to rest.

Project Seed Students Visit the NJIT Library

Project SEED, administered by the American Chemical Society, is a summer research program for economically disadvantaged high school students to experience what it’s like to be a chemist. Today I spoke to groups of students who will be working this summer with Professor Lisa Axe of Civil and Environment Engineering and Professor Trevor Tyson of Physics. I taught them the basics of library research, that they should search for basic information in books before they even consider searching databases for articles. Some of the students were interesting in high temperature superconductors. Another was interested in the chemicals that existed in glass beads that are used as highway markers.