BCReview newsletter

September 30, 2008

Bailey-Hainer Speaking at Nordic ILL Conference

BCR’s President and CEO Brenda Bailey-Hainer is traveling to Stockholm, Sweden, to present the keynote address on October 7 at the 8th Nordic ILL Conference.

Her presentation – “Rethinking Resource Sharing: What If We Should Start from Scratch?” – will provide an overview of the concepts of the Rethinking Resource Sharing Initiative including new ideas and services various libraries have implemented. Complete program information is available on the conference website.


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September 26, 2008

Morningstar Offers Free Trial, PSS Sessions Scheduled

Morningstar, Inc., a leading provider of independent investment research, is offering BCR members a free trial of its investment database from October 1 through November 15.

Morningstar Investment Research Center is an all-inclusive investment research database designed specifically for libraries. The database boasts an easy-to-use interface with remote access capability, a comprehensive Help and Education section featuring Morningstar Investing Classroom and the widely acclaimed Morningstar Portfolio X-Ray Tool.

Morningstar Investment Research Center provides data and analysis on nearly 9,500 stocks, 24,000 mutual funds and 800 exchange-traded funds as well as Morningstar analyst commentary on more than 4,000 securities. All Morningstar Investment Research Center clients receive access to the database Client Site, which features COUNTER-compliant traffic reports, investing education and library marketing resources and free database training services.

Free Trial Registration
Contact BCR's Maura Hadaway (mhadaway@bcr.org). She will provide you with a username, password and URL to access the trial.

Product & Services Showcase (PSS) Session — Wednesday, October 22 (11 a.m.-12 noon or 2-3 p.m. MT)
This one-hour session will provide an overview of Morningstar's Investment Research Center and will cover the following topics:

  • Screening Tools — Find the right investment for your portfolio
  • Stock Reports — Evaluate Morningstar’s proprietary features
  • Fund Reports — Find out what stocks are in your fund
  • Industry Returns and Reports — How do things look in the current market?
  • Portfolio Analysis Tools — Do you need to diversify?

Register through the BCR website. Questions, contact Chris Cook (ccook@bcr.org).


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Greenwood Redesigns, Enhances Daily Life Online Website

Greenwood Publishing has just released its new fall enhancements, including a redesign of the homepages for its Daily Life Online (DLO) suite of products. With the addition and reorganization of content on the homepage, searching and browsing is easier than ever before.

Redesigned Homepages
Users will find a new look on the redesigned homepages for each of the DLO products, including Daily Life through History (DLtH) Basic, DLtH Premium, Daily Life American (DLA) and World Folklore and Folklife (WFF) — providing more content on the homepage and to make searching and browsing additional content easier. Some of the changes include:

  • Left-hand column search and browse options — Quick Search, Advanced Search and Browse by Subject, Time Period, Region and Title.
  • Right-hand column links — Resources, Most Viewed Articles, Top Searches and a featured Lesson Plan.
  • Middle section information — focuses on editorial-driven, featured content to help users navigate popular topics.
  • Access to different products in the DLO family — For libraries that subscribe to more than one DLO product, there are now tabs in the middle section of the homepage for each product. By clicking on a product tab, the user is immediately brought to the featured content for that particular product. Users can easily alternate between products, highlighting a product's content, while retaining the left and right navigation columns.

New Titles
Greenwood has included 40 new titles in its fall enhancements, adding new content to all areas of the DLO suite.

  • DLtH Basic — Nine new titles, including the Booklist Star-reviewed six-volume The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Love, Courtship, and Sexuality through History.
  • DLtH Premium — Twenty new titles, including two new Culture and Customs series titles and two new Histories of Modern Nations series titles.
  • DLA — Sixteen new titles, including the American Soldier's Lives through History series.
  • WFF — Four new titles, including the three-volume The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Folktales and Fairytales.

For additional information on BCR's list of Greenwood Publishing's products, visit the BCR website. BCR's Maura Hadaway can answer subscription and pricing inquiries.


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Digitizing Audio Collections Workshop Offered

The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) is sponsoring Digitizing Audio Collections, a three-day workshop designed to teach everything you need to know about planning, managing and publishing your institution's valuable audio collections. Scheduled for October 22-24, at the Metro/Davidson County Archives, Nashville (TN), the workshop is being taught by BCR'S digital initiatives consultant, Leigh Grinstead.

Digitization of fragile audio materials preserves the cultural materials and information captured using an audio device, whether years ago or just yesterday. This workshop will walk you through the steps you need to know to plan and manage an audio project specific for your institution. Each day is broken out into sections to help you get to the final product — an appropriately preserved digital recording available to users of historical societies, museums, archives and special collections around the world.

The workshop begins with registration at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 22, and concludes on Friday, October 24. Cost for the three days is just $200 for AASLH members or $265 for nonmembers.

The workshop also is being offered July 22-24, 2009, at the Missouri Historical Society, St. Louis (MO). For more information, including an agenda, and to register for either workshop venue, visit the AASLH website.


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Register Now for Oxford Webinars

October 1 is the last date to register for a series of webinars offered by Oxford University Press. Discover four of the most popular electronic resources available through BCR, including Electronic Enlightenment, Oxford African American Studies Center, Oxford Language Dictionaries Online and Oxford Islamic Studies Online.

There is still time, but you must register through BCR. Questions? Contact BCR's Chris Cook (ccook@bcr.org).

  • Electronic Enlightenment — Tuesday, October 7 (2-3 p.m. or 4-5 p.m. EST)
    Electronic Enlightenment offers unrivalled access to the web of correspondence between the greatest thinkers and writers of the 18th century and their families and friends, bankers and booksellers, patrons and publishers. Cross-search letters from more than 6,500 writers, scientists, philosophers, politicians, political thinkers and others. Electronic Enlightenment is a scholarly research project of the University of Oxford Humanities Division and is available exclusively from Oxford University Press. New letters and documents will be added to this database twice per year.
  • Oxford African American Studies Center — Thursday, October 9 (2-3 p.m. or 4-5 p.m. EST)
    The Oxford African American Studies Center provides students, researchers and librarians with more than 8,000 articles by top scholars in the field. The core reference content includes the highly acclaimed Africana, the new Encyclopedia of African American History, Black Women in America, 2nd edition, and the African American National Biography. Additional content hand-selected by editors has been drawn from numerous fine Oxford University Press titles. More than 1,000 images and 200-plus charts, tables, graphs and media clips from Encarta Africana, along with more than 250 primary sources with introductory essays round out this incredible resource in African American studies. The site is updated three times a year to maintain the most recent scholarship in the field.
  • Oxford Language Dictionaries Online — Tuesday, October 14 (2-3 p.m. or 4-5 p.m. EST)
    The innovative Oxford Language Dictionaries Online offers essential language resources never before available online: fully searchable, completely comprehensive bilingual dictionaries and unique study materials that provide extra help with learning and using an expanding range of languages. Languages included are: French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian and Chinese. Discover the recently added revolutionary new audio pronunciation software.
  • Oxford Islamic Studies Online — Friday, October 17 (2-3 p.m. or 4-5 p.m. EST)
    Encompassing more than 3,000 A-Z reference entries, chapters from scholarly and introductory works, Qur'anic materials, primary sources, images and timelines, Oxford Islamic Studies Online offers a multi-layered reference experience designed to provide a first stop for anyone needing information on Islam. This fully integrated resource features reference content and commentary by renowned scholars in areas such as global Islamic history, concepts, people, practices, politics and culture and will be regularly updated as new content is commissioned and approved under the guidance of the editor-in-chief, John L. Esposito.


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Rosen's Teen Health & Wellness Pricing Remains Unchanged

Subscription pricing through BCR for Rosen Publishing Online's Teen Health and Wellness database package is being held at current rates for both renewals and new subscriptions. With school budgets being cut or remaining stagnant, Rosen's announcement is good news.

Since its launch in 2007, Teen Health & Wellness: Real Life, Real Answers is the choice for integration into a school's health, fitness and family life curricula, as well as a reference and support resource for middle and high school students. The database continues to expand with new features, including customizable Hotlines, RSS feed capability and larger reading lists.

Teen Health & Wellness has received critical acclaim and won numerous awards, including being voted a 2007 Top 10 Digital Resource by School Library Journal and a "Must Have" Product for Fall 2008; being selected as one of Library Journal's Best Reference Sources of 2007; and being named Best New Product, 2007 Readers' Choice Awards by The Charleston Advisor. The database has also been honored with an EDDIE (Annual Education Software Review) Award, an Association of Educational Publishers (AEP) Distinguished Achievement Award, a World Wide Web Health Award and a Best Educational Software (BESSIE) Award.

For additional information, please visit the BCR webpage. BCR's Chris Cook (ccook@bcr.org) can assist with subscription and pricing inquiries.


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Oxford English Dictionary Online Updated, Celebrates 80 Years

The latest quarterly update to the Oxford English Dictionary Online has been released by Oxford University Press. In addition, OED is marking its 80th anniversary of print publication with a special purchase offer.

September 2008 Update Highlights
More than 1,800 new and revised words are included, continuing the update of major terms outside the main alphabetical sequence (M-R) that OED editors have been working on since March 2000. In Chief Editor John Simpson's latest article, he discusses a selection of revisions published in this update as he examines the evolution and still-shifting meaning of works like English, British, atom, lady, word and more. Staying on top of the ever-evolving lexicon, the OED editors also make note of words like foodie, hot dog!, street cred and tabloid. Visit the OED online website for more interesting words and notes.

The OED Celebrates its 80th Anniversary
This month marks the 80th anniversary of the publication of the OED in print, and thus the beginning of numerous events celebrating this landmark work. If you'd like to celebrate from the comfort of your own desktop, make sure to listen to the On Point interview with Ammon Shea, author of Reading the OED, and Jesse Sheidlower, editor at large for the OED. If you’ve always wanted a copy of the Oxford English Dictionary (or if your current copy has seen better days), now's your chance: the magnificent 20-volume printed set is now available through January 31, 2009, at the special offer price of $895.

Contact BCR's Chris Cook (ccook@bcr.org) for additional information about the OED as well as the other Oxford University Press products offered through BCR.


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September 23, 2008

Take the WorldCat Resource Sharing Survey

OCLC is requesting the participation of WorldCat Resource Sharing users in a survey that will be used to create new "best of breed" interlibrary lending statistics reports for the Interlibrary Loan services OCLC offers. You are invited to share your input on the statistics reports you currently use, including access, metrics and formats.

The survey should take less than 15 minutes to complete. Responses are due by Friday, October 3.

Please feel free to share this with others at your institution as appropriate.


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October Conferences: Visit BCR in Idaho, Wyoming, Oregon, Iowa and Hawaii

October continues a busy conference season for BCR staff. Join your colleagues in Idaho, Wyoming, Oregon, Iowa and Hawaii, and visit the BCR booth and programs at these wide-spread venues.

Idaho Library Association — October 1-4, Idaho Falls (ID)

    Gillian Harrison, BCR's director of Marketing and Outreach, is presenting Plugging Into the Numbers: Using Data to Make Some Noise about Library Services, on Friday, October 3, from 1:45-2:45 p.m. Discover how to use the statistics you have collected to tell your library's story. Harrison also will be staffing the BCR booth, so take a few minutes to stop by and share your comments and questions.

Wyoming Library Association — October 1-3, Casper (WY)

    BCR's emerging technologies trainer, Shelly Drumm, is presenting two programs this year: Big Reference on a Little Budget, Friday, October 3, from 1:00-1:50 p.m. and Making the Magic Really Happen: Real Tools and Real Applications for Really Simple Syndication (RSS), Friday, October 3, from 2:00-2:50 p.m.

    In Big Reference on a Little Budget, attendees will learn about some of the tools that enable libraries with caviar dreams and ramen budgets to deliver top-notch reference and instructional services on the cheap.

    Making the Magic Really Happen: Real Tools and Real Applications for Really Simple Syndication (RSS) will provide librarians with ideas to help deliver the content their patrons want directly to them using RSS technology.

    In the exhibit hall, take the opportunity to visit BCR staff member, Jay Ford, library services consultant, to learn more about BCR's newest products and services.

Oregon Association of School Libraries/Washington Library Media Association(OASL/WLMA) — October 9-11, Portland (OR)

    Chris Cook, BCR product support specialist, is staffing the BCR exhibit booth (#43). Her in-depth knowledge of BCR's products and services will help you discover the right fit for your library or school.

Iowa Library Association — October 15-17, Dubuque (IA)

    Help your library save time and money. Jay Ford, BCR's library services consultant, is presenting the perennial favorite, BCR Update, an overview of BCR's activities, products and services, on Friday, October 17, from 11:20 a.m.-12:10 p.m. Ford will also be in the BCR exhibit booth (#46), ready to provide answers to your questions.

Hawaii Library Association — October 24-25, Maui (HI)

    If you don't know who BCR is or what we do, attend the BCR Update, presented by Jay Ford, Saturday, October 25. Vendor demonstrations are scheduled from 9 a.m.-12 noon. Ford will also be staffing BCR's exhibit booth during the conference, so take a few minutes to stop by and chat.


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September 22, 2008

Participate in National Public Library Survey

Calling all public librarians in the BCR network region! A national survey of public library funding and technology access was mailed to public libraries in early September. The survey, part of a broader study of public library funding and technology access issues, is funded by the American Library Association and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The survey results will provide public libraries, state library agencies, the American Library Association, policymakers and others with extremely important data regarding public library computer and Internet access issues, what it takes to sustain public access computer and Internet services in your library and the impacts of such public access services on the communities your library serves.

The last date to submit the web-based survey is November 7. It has a total of 21 questions, and will take about 40 minutes to complete.

Libraries will need their FSCS Library ID code which was included in the survey announcement letter sent out to initiate the survey. If you have lost your ID number, go to the survey site to look it up.

The survey is being conducted by researchers from Florida State University's Information Use Management and Policy Institute and the University of Maryland's Center for Library Innovation, and builds on research conducted since 1994. Visit the ALA website and the Florida State University website for more information on this and previous studies as well as the most recent study report.

This announcement also is being distributed via state libraries as well as ALA chapter electronic mail lists. For questions or further assistance, contact support@plinternetsurvey.org. Don't miss your chance to be heard.


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Facts on File Resource Features 'Electing the President'

Help your patrons, students, teachers and anybody who votes bring the presidential election into focus. Facts on File's American History Online reference resource has new content and features highlighting both the current election cycle and placing today's events in a historical perspective.

With the start of the new school year and the homestretch of the 2008 presidential election, the new Focus On feature, "Electing the President," presents the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the discounts available just to BCR members. Users will find a biography on vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, new image groups, more than 110 new primary sources with 140-plus new images and visual aids, and new biographies and content from related Facts on File print titles.

The new content covers everything from a biography of Supreme Court Justice John Roberts to 19th century political cartoons to George Washington's inaugural speech to the 2008 party platforms. New features include:

  • Primary Source Documents
    More than 100 new primary source documents have been added, including a multitude of Supreme Court cases, important pieces of legislation such as the Alaska and Hawaii Statehood Acts and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 as well as excerpts from Progressive Era literary works such as Mark Twain's The Gilded Age. Use these documents to better understand controversial issues facing U.S. leaders today and to help students understand the importance of primary source documents to historians.
  • Images, Maps and Charts
    Ninety new black-and-white and color images and 53 new maps, charts and graphs have been added, along with color portraits of 21st-century political leaders such as Ted Kennedy, Joe Biden and John Roberts; color photographs of national parks and national historic sites including four presidential homes; and 19th-century political cartoons by Thomas Nast and others. Maps in this update cover a wide range of topics, including major hurricanes, colonial boundaries, U.S. foreign policy and the growth of transportation routes. In addition, two new highlighted image groups appear on the Images and Videos page: "Historical Maps" and "Historical Documents." These groups feature maps from the colonial era through the start of the 20th century along with color and black-and-white images of treaties, declarations, amendments, title pages and other historic ephemera.

Current subscribers to American History Online can access all of these new features using their username and password. For additional information on the database, visit the BCR website or contact BCR's Chris Cook (ccook@bcr.org).


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Taylor & Francis Information Session Offered

The Taylor & Francis Group and BCR invite you to an online demonstration of Taylor & Francis eBooks, the CRCnetBASE collection and Europa World Plus online, the online version of Europa World Year Book and the nine-volume Regional Surveys of the World series, October 15, 11 a.m.-12 noon or 2-3 p.m. (MT)

The Taylor & Francis eBooks offer more than 19,000 titles in the social sciences and humanities. The CRCnetBASE products are a collection of 33-plus different, subject-specific science and technical online libraries. The highly acclaimed Europa World Plus is a versatile political and economic reference database providing detailed information about more than 250 countries. Learn more about what will be highlighted during this PSS session at the Taylor & Francis website.

To register, please visit the BCR PSS registration page. For additional information, contact Chris Cook (ccook@bcr.org).


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Emerald Publishes Hurricane Katrina Special Issue

The International Journal of Social Economics, published by Emerald Group Publishing Limited, has devoted a special double issue to "The Katrina Disaster and New Orleans." BCR members who subscribe to Emerald Management Xtra database have access to this journal online.

Guest-edited by Walter Block from Loyola University New Orleans, the publication offers a collection of 14 articles taking a multidisciplinary approach to analyzing the impact of the event on the area. A downloadable PDF copy of this issue is also available for purchase for $45 from the online Emerald Shop.

If you have questions about subscriptions or would like more information, please contact BCR's Chris Cook (ccook@bcr.org) or visit the BCR Emerald webpages.


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September 19, 2008

New Resource Added to BCR LexisNexis Product List

Looking for a statistical tool that saves time, is completely interactive and can find the right answer and put it in a usable format? BCR is now offering LexisNexis Statistical DataSets, a web-based research solution, that can do all this and more.

LexisNexis' new Statistical DataSets provides fast and easy access to more than 750 million data points from licensed and public domain datasets within an easy-to-use interface. Scan the contents of a collection, select subjects and variables of interest and view data in side-by-side tables and charts in 20-, 30- and even 100-year time series. Findings are:

  • Customizable — All of the interface components work in sync with one another to allow you to build your own table and/or chart based on the statistical datasets you are interested in.
  • Interactive — The interface is interactive, versatile and easy to use.
  • Instant — Just click on the data you need and the table and chart instantaneously display in the Data Display panel.
  • Accurate and timely — Data are often available on the day of release.
  • Comprehensive — Your results are comprehensive sources and datasets. You can compare datasets from numerous sources, both public and proprietary, and display the most recently available data.
  • Easy — This new tool makes statistical correlation easy. Because LexisNexis Statistical DataSets makes data from many sources available within a single interface, you can select two or more variables and view them in relation to one another, a correlation capability not found in any other product.
  • Analytical — Perform basic statistical analysis of the results. Create a new column in a table or a new line in a trend chart to show rankings, the ratio of one value to another, percent change, etc. The column editor contains 18 buttons that perform different mathematical functions.
  • Printable and downloadable — Print data in any one of several display modes, capture your data in a PDF or download the data in Excel or comma-delimited format.

LexisNexis Statistical DataSets is available as a module within the LexisNexis Statistical, or it can be purchased separately. For more details, visit the BCR product webpage. For questions about pricing, subscriptions and payment, contact BCR's Maura Hadaway (mhadaway@bcr.org).


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September 15, 2008

Bibliographic Formats and Standards: Last Print Edition Published

Bibliographic Formats and Standards, fourth print edition, is now available for ordering through the OCLC Online Service Center. This guide to cataloging using OCLC's WorldCat database provides essential information on creating and using bibliographic records in WorldCat.

The print edition includes:

  • Input standards and guidelines for catalogers
  • Tagging conventions
  • Links to sources of related cataloging information

The fourth edition of Bibliographic Formats and Standards is the final edition available in print. The fourth edition will continue to be updated online, and major revisions will be announced at Abstract & revision notes. Updates will be made available at Bibliographic Formats and Standards in PDF format so that holders of the fourth edition can keep their print copies up-to-date.

Bibliographic Formats and Standards, fourth print edition, is available for $50 U.S. Every order includes shipping to U.S. and Canada addresses. Shipments outside the U.S. and Canada may require additional duties and taxes.

Go to the OCLC Online Service Center to place an order. For more information, visit the Bibliographic Formats and Standards website.


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Credo Reference Offers Special Pricing/Free Webinar

Credo Reference, BCR's newest partner in reference resources, is extending a special offer to BCR members who subscribe before September 30. Take a look at what Credo Reference has to offer your library at a free webinar on Thursday, September 18, 2:30 p.m. (MT).

The webinar will highlight some of the newest and most innovative features of this multidisciplinary online reference library, including:

  • Technology that connects more than 340 titles from 60-plus publishers with more than 100 million cross-references
  • Seamless one-click searching of your library's other resources and catalog
  • Concept map to help visual learners or anyone who might get stuck finding a research topic
  • Librarian Admin site to customize your subscription, download usage statistics and MARC records and set up OpenURL linking
  • Much more

Register for the free webinar by contacting Heather Blaine (heather.blaine@credoreference.com).

Special Offer Expires September 30
Don't miss this opportunity to add two free months to your 12-month subscription term. Contact BCR's Jay Ford (jford@bcr.org) for details.


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September 10, 2008

Oxford Webinars Highlight Electronic Resources

Oxford University Press has scheduled a series of interactive webinars designed to provide an overview of resources sure to help your library's patrons, students and researchers. Register with BCR before October 1 to take advantage of this opportunity to learn more.

Electronic Enlightenment — Electronic Enlightenment offers unrivalled access to the web of correspondence between the greatest thinkers and writers of the 18th century and their families and friends, bankers and booksellers, patrons and publishers. Cross-search letters from more than 6,500 writers, scientists, philosophers, politicians, political thinkers and others. Electronic Enlightenment is a scholarly research project of the University of Oxford Humanities Division and is available exclusively from Oxford University Press. New letters and documents will be added to this database twice per year.

  • Sessions: Tuesday, October 7 (2-3 pm or 4-5 pm EST)

Oxford African American Studies Center — The Oxford African American Studies Center provides students, researchers and librarians with more than 8,000 articles by top scholars in the field. The core reference content includes the highly acclaimed Africana, the new Encyclopedia of African American History, Black Women in America, 2nd edition, and the African American National Biography. Additional content hand-selected by editors has been drawn from numerous fine Oxford University Press titles. More than 1,000 images and 200-plus charts, tables, graphs and media clips from Encarta Africana, along with more than 250 primary sources with introductory essays round out this incredible resource in African American studies. The site is updated three times a year to maintain the most recent scholarship in the field.

  • Sessions: Thursday, October 9 (2-3 pm or 4-5 pm EST)

Oxford Language Dictionaries Online — The innovative Oxford Language Dictionaries Online offers essential language resources never before available online: fully searchable, completely comprehensive bilingual dictionaries and unique study materials that provide extra help with learning and using an expanding range of languages. Languages included are: French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian and Chinese. Discover the recently added revolutionary new audio pronunciation software.

  • Sessions: Tuesday, October 14 (2-3 pm or 4-5 pm EST)

Oxford Islamic Studies Online — Encompassing more than 3,000 A-Z reference entries, chapters from scholarly and introductory works, Qur'anic materials, primary sources, images and timelines, Oxford Islamic Studies Online offers a multi-layered reference experience designed to provide a first stop for anyone needing information on Islam. This fully integrated resource features reference content and commentary by renowned scholars in areas such as global Islamic history, concepts, people, practices, politics and culture and will be regularly updated as new content is commissioned and approved under the guidance of the editor in chief, John L. Esposito.

  • Sessions: Friday, October 17 (2-3 pm or 4-5 pm EST)

Register for any of the sessions through BCR. Questions? Contact BCR's Chris Cook (ccook@bcr.org).


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Books24x7 Demo Offered to BCR Members

Discover what Books24x7 has to offer your library. Register now for either the September 23 or September 24 live webinar. Starting with a model review, attendees will learn about best practices, Books24x7's patented search & learn technology, as well as new content and publishers. A Q&A period is set aside at the end of each session.

Follow the instructions provided below to register for each session.

September 23 Session

  • Start Time: 10:00 a.m. Mountain Daylight Time
    Estimated duration: 60 minutes
  • AUDIO PORTION: Call-in number: 866-955-4255
    Call-in code: *(star)5356309(star)*
  • In order for you to access this meeting/presentation, you must register before 10:00 a.m. Mountain Daylight Time on September 23 or you will not have access to the session.
  • PRE-REGISTRATION: Register for this session.
  • Once registration is completed, you will be sent an email with the session URL to login to the session along with the password.
  • Check your browser compatibility before you join the session [RECOMMENDED]

September 24 Session

  • Start Time: 02:00 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time
    Estimated duration: 60 minutes
  • AUDIO PORTION: Call-in number: 866-955-4255
    Call-in code: *(star)5356309(star)*
  • In order for you to access this meeting/presentation, you must register before 02:00 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time on September 24 or you will not have access to the session.
  • PRE-REGISTRATION: Register for this session
  • Once registration is completed, you will be sent an email with the session URL to login to the session along with the password.
  • Check your browser compatibility before you join the session [RECOMMENDED]

For questions or additional information, please contact BCR's Chris Cook (ccook@bcr.org).


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September 08, 2008

WorldCat.org Enhancements Released

Check out the latest enhancements to WorldCat.org, covering everything from making it easier for users to search for relevant articles in a journal publication to improved material type icons on brief results.

  • Search within journal feature — On the detailed record for articles, users will find a search box below the bibliographic information that will allow them to search for other, relevant articles in the same publication.
  • Improved material type icons on brief results — OCLC is implementing new icons on the brief results page to better reflect the item type of the displayed record. This will make it easier for users to determine if the record in the results list is what they want to view.
  • New editions page — OCLC is moving editions from a tab to a page that will open when the user clicks on the "view all editions and formats" link, displaying the results list as well as the detailed record. The editions page will reflect the scope searched, making it more apparent to users that there are additional items they may want to look at for a particular record. For example, if a user scopes to the Ohio State University instead of Libraries Worldwide, the editions will reflect only items held by the Ohio State University.
  • Serial records no longer display personal authors under the title — In serial records, personal authors (100 and 700 MARC fields) no longer show up under the title in the brief or detailed display. Now they show up as "editors" in the details tab, eliminating the confusion that sometimes occurs when users are shown an individual author of a serial, since serials are not written by single individuals, but are made up of articles by individuals.
  • Buy from the British Library — British Library buying option will be displayed for articles supplied by the British Library, providing users the opportunity to purchase articles directly from the British Library. Note that this option will only be visible for the libraries who display the "buy it" link.


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September 05, 2008

Important News for Some BCR Shared NetLibrary Collection Users

Libraries that purchased either the BCR 2007 A Shared eBook Collection or BCR Shared Collection Set II after April 1, 2008, may need to make changes to the 856 field in a small number of records. Due to changes in ownership, links in the 856 field may point to the wrong Book ID number and be ineffective. If you purchased either of these collection sets after April 1, 2008, contact BCR's Marisa Wood at mwood@bcr.org.


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New WorldCat Resource Sharing Documentation Available

A new WorldCat Resource Sharing User Guide is now available online. This document is your complete resource for information on all aspects of resource sharing and interlibrary loan procedures through OCLC's WorldCat Resource Sharing system.

Some sample topics include:

  • The Basic Interlibrary Loan Cycle
  • Access and Authorizations
  • Additional Loan Cycles
  • OCLC Policies Directory
  • OCLC ILL Fee Management Service
  • Creating ILL Requests
  • Choosing Lenders
  • Completing a Loan Cycle
  • Printing from Request Manager

The WorldCat Resource Sharing User Guide is available in PDF format. During fall 2008, OCLC's Documentation department will publish an HTML version.


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September 04, 2008

Workshop Highlights Workflow Analysis and Redesign for Academic Libraries

Minitex Bibliographic & Technical Services is sponsoring "Creating the Capacity for Change: Transforming Library Workflows and Organization," a special workshop presented by R2 Consulting, LLC, a firm specializing in workflow analysis and redesign for academic libraries. Registration is now open.

Libraries face unprecedented demands to adapt to the digital environment. New and emerging tasks related to institutional repositories, non-MARC metadata, networked resources and new generations of users place additional pressure on staffs and workflows built to handle print materials. Yet print-related workloads are not diminishing as fast as digital workloads are growing. Meanwhile, the growth of external competitors such as Google increases the need for libraries to focus on user expectations and highlight their own unique attributes.

How can libraries turn these pressures into opportunities? How can librarians adapt workflows, priorities and organizational structures to provide those services most important to users? How can library leaders create the capacity to pursue critical new initiatives-without increasing staff? Join R2 to hear advice both strategic and practical, drawn from their experience in workflow analysis and organizational redesign for academic libraries of all sizes and types.

Sessions will include:

  • Why Workflow Redesign (An Environmental Scan) — We will review relevant trends in the information environment that are shaping new demands on libraries; topics include Predictions, Changing Users and Trends in Collection Development, Acquisitions and Cataloging/Discovery.
  • Workflow Redesign: Principles and Practices — This section outlines R2's own approach to conducting workflow audits, and the business principles that guide their recommendations.
  • Creating Capacity in Collections, Acquisitions, Serials, E-Resources, Cataloging and Preservation — We will look at sample recommendations and outcomes in specific areas. The goal is to model the kind of thinking and interaction that will be needed by library managers to undertake a successful workflow analysis.
  • MINITEX and OCLC updates, demos, etc.

Schedule

  • Tuesday, Oct. 21, 8:30-4:00, Hennepin County Library-Brookdale, Brooklyn Center, MN
  • Wednesday, Oct. 22, 8:30-4:00, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND
  • Thursday, Oct. 23, 8:30-4:00, Siouxland Libraries, Sioux Falls, SD
  • Registration Fee
    $200 for the first attendee from an institution, $50 for each additional attendee from that institution. Lunch is included.

    For additional information and to register, visit the MINITEX website.


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    Change Management Workshop Open to BCR Members

    Join colleagues from the greater Kansas City, Missouri, area for a special training opportunity sponsored by the Missouri Library Network Corporation (MLNC), on October 23, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. "Just When I Get Comfortable ... Everything Changes," takes a look at how change in the library environment can be managed effectively.

    Andrew Sanderbeck of the People-Connect Institute will lead the workshop, examining the changes occurring all around — from Library 2.0 technology to changes to the look of a library's buildings and personnel to policies and procedures — changes that are sometimes welcome and sometimes "dumped" on you.

    Attend this workshop if you want to learn:

    • To identify strategies for helping change be accepted and implemented in the workplace
    • How changes in technology and social networking tools are being used by libraries to better serve their users and communities
    • The reasons why people resist changes in the workplace, including the four stages of coping with change
    • To understand the five levels of organizational change management
    • The seven steps to becoming a change leader in their organization
    • To see change as an opportunity for self-motivation and innovation

    At the conclusion of the workshop, participants will be encouraged to complete an action plan for implementing specific goals created during the session.

    BCR members are invited to participate at the MLNC member workshop rate of $125. For more details and to register online, visit the MLNC workshops webpage.


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    Proquest Databases Focus of New PSS Sessions

    A new season of BCR Products and Services Showcase (PSS) sessions has begun. These free, one-hour web forums are designed to educate you and your library staff about new BCR products and services or changes to existing products and services.

    Join Proquest's Aimee Leverette to learn tips that distinguish the indexing and search functions for the historical and current databases, and discover the tools that make family research easy for beginners and experts alike.

    September's series of presentations take a look at the Proquest platforms for historical and current databases. In October, you can follow up with introductory overviews to Proquest's HeritageQuest Online and Ancestry Library Edition products. Follow the links below for more details.

    For questions or subscription details, please contact BCR's Chris Cook (ccook@bcr.org).


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