New databases are being created on a regular basis and we often have an opportunity to run these free for a short period of time.  Recently we ran trials of African American Newspapers 1827-1998 and Civil War Antebellum Period to Reconstruction.  Both of these were available through November 1.  We also have a trial of Gale Digital Collections that will be available through November 4. 

Running trials of databases is one of the ways we make decisions concerning which databases to offer as part of our resource collection.  The most important thing we ask of you is that you test these databases and then leave us feedback.  You can email comments, complaints, requests that we Please, Please, Please add this to our collection to infodesk@rhodes.edu.  Or you can always contact your Library Liaison! 

I also want to let you know that we have added a new database, Grzemiek’s Animal Life!  This is an electronic version of a resource that we already have in print form.  This new database covers massive information on over 4,000 animal species.  It also offers special features such as interactive range maps, conservation updates, photos, audio clips and videos.  Enjoy!

Or, you have a specific journal title and you need to know if Rhodes has full text access.  You have no idea which database to begin searching in…

Sigh, don’t you wish there was a way to search multiple databases at once?  Rejoice, dear friends, because there is!  You simply go to the Barret homepage and click the 360 option. 

You can search all databases, or you can choose specific databases to search.  It may take a little time to run the search – especially if you are searching all.  When finished, 360 will list your results.  It automatically weeds out any duplicates for you, and also allows you to view the results in different categories.  For example, you can view the results by topic or by journal.  These different views may help you refine your search by leading you to specific journals or authors. 

Just remember, not all of Barret’s databases are included in 360.  However, enough are included to make the task of searching multiple databases a breeze.  Now jump in and have some fun!

Your professors may suggest specific databases when assigning projects, or you may be left to discover on your own.  If given suggestions, simply type in the name of the database in the search box (be sure you’ve tagged the database search and not the catalog), and you’ll be taken directly to a link for that database.  For example, ProQuest will provide links to two ProQuest database collections.

If you have not been given suggestions by your professor, don’t panic.  Simply type in a subject term (history, religion, art, education, etc) that best describes your area of interest.  A list of suggested databases will appear and you can begin your search. 

Searching databases if fast and rewarding.  They can be accessed from anywhere that you have Internet access, and they’ve taken a lot of the grunt work out of the research process.  Remember, if you have any problems, or would like a run through on using the databases, you can visit any of the information professionals at the Help Desk.  We’re always happy to help you succeed!

You find the catalog by visiting the library home page (go to Barret home page, click on academics, click on library and information technology).  Once here, you’ll see the first search area on the left of the page.  The catalog is the default search item.  You can click on “Barret Library Catalog” to go straight to the catalog page. 

This is where you will begin your search.  You’ll see by the drop down menu that you can search by word or phrase, author, title, periodical title, subject or series.  Once you type in your search term/s, the results page will tell you the type of resource, where it is located, if it is available or checked out, or provide a URL to access an electronic resource.  

Remember, if you need additional help searching the catalog, you can go to the “need help” section on the library home page and click “locating library materials“, and you can always ask one of your information services professionals for assistance.  Have fun!

So what exactly is this program?  In a nutshell, it’s an effort on our part to create a stronger connection between the Rhodes teaching community and Information Services.  Some of our goals include:

• Strengthening the library as a partner in research and lifelong learning
• Teach library research skills to the students
• Keep each department updated on Library/IT issues
• Provide research consultations for faculty
• Seek input in collection development
• Working collaboratively with faculty to manage access to scholarly literature including books, journals and electronic resources

Each department will have one Liaison assigned as their contact person.  However, we consider this a team effort.  Your liaison is your direct connection to over 14 professionals trained to meet your information needs!  In the next post I’ll break down the liaisons and their specific departments.  We’re excited about the opportunities this program will provide for faculty and students.  Let us know how we can better serve you!

Notice the use of that “collaborating” word!  Information services is making a great effort to make its presence more known in the Rhodes Community.  One of our biggest efforts will reveal itself with our new Library Liaisons.  New faculty will be introduced to this tomorrow during their orientation.  The two times designated are 1:00 – 2:15 and 3:00 – 4:15.  In the next few posts, I’ll tell you more about Library Liaisons and what this will entail…

D-Lynx is compatable with Moodle and provides access to stored work from anywhere.  It’s a great place to archive professional publications, photos, faculty collections, newspapers, committee documents, department records and more!  It’s organized using the college’s organizational categories of Divisions, Departments, Offices and so forth. 

Barret’s archivist, Elizabeth Gates, and a diligent RSA have already entered most of the Rhodes Syllabi into D-Lynx, and soon the archives crew will begin the special project of digitizing all of the old Sou’wester issues for inclusion in the repository.  Elizabeth and Stacy Pennington have worked hard to make D-Lynx user friendly by creating templates and forms that make creating a collection fast and easy to follow.  Check out this great space @ http://dam.rhodes.edu:8080/dspace/, and contact Ms. Gates (3902) to discover how valuable D-Lynx can be for you!

Well, not quite.  It’s a little more detailed than this. 

VHS tapes must first be converted to DVD.  Once this is finished, the new DVD must then be encrypted and decoded.  This means that every frame has to be pixilized.  This can take 24 hours or longer.  Longer movies are usually set up to run overnight.  Once this is completed, the next step is referred to as “hand break”.  This converts the file to Mp4 and it can now go onto the server.  Total time for all of this can be 3 days or more. 

Also, the Media Center only has two sets of machines that will create these files, and items are completed on a first come first serve basis.  In other words, there may be quite a line in front of you.  All this to say having an item streamed for your class takes some time, so plan accordingly. 

A few more facts and hints:

You can have old LP’s streamed.

Cassette Tapes do not seem to do well. 

If the movie has subtitles, please tell the Media Center crew if you want those subtitles left on the film.  This requires some additional work on their end.

Some VHS tapes have a copyright block.  We can’t do anything about this. 

Remember:  The College must own the materials you want streamed.  The Media Center CANNOT do personal copies.  It is illegal!  Department owned is ok, but nothing you taped at home on your own VCR!

For more information on streaming please contact Rose Ann Hicks  @ 3886, or Joe Wack @ 3125.  They will also be hosting a Lunch & Learn on Tuesday, April 28th from 11:30 – 12:30 in the Alburty Room.

Summer is a great time to have materials prepared for the fall term, so think ahead and pace yourself!

This is not the first time Darlene has been recognized for her outstanding leadership and service.  In 2007, Rhodes honored her with the Outstanding Administrator Award, “acknowledging her dedicated service to students, faculty, staff and visitors of the library.”  Recently, Ms. Brooks was accepted to the Frye Leadership Institute, hosted by Emory University.  This is an intensive program designed to train the best leaders emerging in IT and Librarianship.  Awesome!

Come in to Barret and meet this incredible leader striving to ensure we deliver the best possible service to all of the Rhodes Community!

WRONG!  It doesn’t have to be, and it shouldn’t be.  Nobody does their best work crunched like this.  Stop trying to fool yourselves.  There’s a reason this assignment has been on your syllabus since the beginning of the semester.  There’s a reason your professor started mentioning this assignment weeks ago.  Research, Writing, and Decent Projects take planning and T-I-M-E!!

Yea, Yea, I know this is falling on deaf ears, but hear me out for a minute.  I promise it will make your life easier and actually give you more time to do the fun things you want to fit in.  Waiting until the last minute only adds stress and anxiety.  It’s much easier to do some of this work a little bit at a time than to have an overnight cram session.  Not waiting until the last minute gives you freedom and the opportunity to make choices that procrastination does not allow.  You might even have fun working on this project/paper, and you might just WOW yourself with what you are capable of pulling together. 

And remember, we’re here to help you any time during this process.  Can’t figure out how to find the article you just pulled up on the computer?  No problem, come see one of us!  Need help putting that killer table you’ve created in your PPT presentation?  No problem, come see one of us! 

Time is indeed on your side, if you’ll use  and manage it wisely.  Your first step may just be a trip in to Barret!  Come see us.  We can help!

Later!