Full Text

University Libraries Newsletter

Spring 1998

Table of Contents

OVID HAS ARRIVED

http://gateway.ovid.com/autologin.html

BIOETHICS LINE, CINAHL, EI COMPENDEX, MEDLINE, SPORT DISCUS, & SOCIOLOGICAL ABSTRACTS, FULL-TEXT BIOMEDICAL, NURSING, AND MENTAL HEALTH ELECTRONIC JOURNAL COLLECTIONS FROM OVID

On January 19, GMU Libraries initiated campus-wide Internet access to six major databases and collections of electronic journals accessed through the OVID Web Gateway. The databases include BIOETHICS LINE, CINAHL, EI COMPENDEX, MEDLINE, SOCIOLOGICAL ABSTRACTS, SPORT DISCUS, the FULL-TEXT BIOMEDICAL COLLECTION CORE - IV, the FULL-TEXT NURSING COLLECTION, and the FULL -TEXT MENTAL HEALTH COLLECTION.

The OVID Web Gateway is a true gateway to a new level of scholarly academic bibliographic and full-text resources previously not available outside the physical confines of the GMU Libraries. In addition to the convenience of having the ability to search the database from virtually anywhere anytime, OVID Web provides access to the most current updates of the database. Before initiating the OVID Web service the libraries subscribed to some of the above databases in CD-ROM format and though the users had access to the information in electronic format the currency of the data was no better than the printed indices. For the most part the CD-ROMS are updated quarterly and then shipped to the libraries in the same manner as a printed book. Now faculty and student researchers can be ensured access to the latest information available provided by the database producer as most of the databases are updated monthly, weekly for MEDLINE and bi-monthly for BIOETHICS LINE.

Another of the really exciting features of the OVID Web Gateway is the ability of any faculty member to have a personal password with the ability to save searches and in essence have ongoing SDI's. Faculty may request a personal password through their liaison librarian.

Of the bibliographic databases EI COMPENDEX is new to the GMU Libraries. EI COMPENDEX covers the worldwide engineering and technical literature including bibliographic and abstract citations to journal articles, conference proceedings, and technical reports encompassing all engineering disciplines. Prior to the OVID Web Gateway, faculty and students from the School of Information Technology and Engineering needed to come to Fenwick and use the printed compilations of Engineering Index.

The BIOMEDICAL, NURSING, and MENTAL HEALTH COLLECTIONS are full-text electronic journal databases with coverage from 1995 onward. Users can search any of the full-text collections as a separate database, track the table of contents, and go directly to the full-text article complete with graphics, tables, charts and references. Within MEDLINE and CINAHL users need only to click on the link to Full-Text to go directly to the article if the journal is included in any of the above collections. Over the next year the GMU community can expect to see additional full-text journals with direct links from the bibliographical citations in MEDLINE and CINAHL.

PRINCE WILLIAM LIBRARY

The Prince William Campus Library is a 10,000-square-foot facility housing four study rooms and two media viewing rooms, a limited media collection, periodicals, circulating books, library instruction space, and 20 research terminals to access library resources, such as, the Library Catalog (the new library on-line information system), networked CD-ROMs, the Internet, and Web resources. The PWC Library offers a full compliment of services including reference and information assistance, reserves, interlibrary loan, and instruction on the Library Catalog and the Internet. The telephone number for the PWC Library is (703)993-8340 and its email is pwlnode@osf1.gmu.edu .

Additionally, the following PWC Reference Instructional Liaison Librarians and PWL Staff are in residence. Liaison librarians are available by appointment, walk-in, phone, or e-mail for assistance:

Administration of Justice/Criminal Justice, IET and HFRR:

Kimberly Kowal kkowal@osf1.gmu.edu 993-8348

Biological Sciences/ IB3:

Eileen Chandhoke echandho@osf1.gmu.edu 993-8346

Computer Science/Engineering:

Jennifer Edelman 4/1/98

The PWC Library is directed by:

Heather Groves Hannan Prince William Librarian hhannan@osf1.gmu.edu 993-8344

PWC Library Staff:

Circulation Desk - Day Supervisor:

Hellen Panos hpanos@osf1.gmu.edu 993-8352

Circulation Desk Evening Supervisor and Stacks Manager:

Tamene Asmare tasmare@osf1.gmu.edu 993-8357

Reserves/Media Coordinator and Reference Assistant:

Jan McConnell jmcconn1@osf1.gmu.edu 993-8358

Circulation and Interlibrary Loan Coordinator:

Debra Robertson droberts@osf1.gmu.edu 993-8364

SPRING SEMESTER hours: 

Monday - Thursday	7:30 am - 10:00 pm
Friday			7:30 am - 8:00 pm
Saturday		9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sunday			Noon - 8:00 pm

A unique and wonderful achievement has taken place on Prince William Campus with the partnership between George Mason University and the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) being realized. The GMU Library System will benefit from this relationship through the addition of ATCC's library collection into the PWC Library. ATCC will provide unique materials in the bio-sciences disciplines, broaden the University's scope and base of knowledge in bio-technical areas, and contribute to the university's research abilities through the addition of ATCC researchers. The PWC Library is pleased to be a part of this historic achievement.

JOHNSON CENTER LIBRARY

The Johnson Center continues to attract university visitors from across the country and through-out the world. These visitors are struck by and compliment us on the many innovations and enhancements found in the Johnson Center Library. Individuals take note of a vast array of features, from the full range of electronic databases and World Wide Web resources accessible at all of the library computers, to the large media collection and viewing/listening area, to the international newspapers located in La Patisserie to e-mail express computer terminals, burritos in the library, and neon lights on the windows. Of all of the design elements, the open circulating stacks attract the most interest and generate questions regarding how the library manages this collection. Many of our own faculty and students ask these questions as well.

After some initial growing pains, the library has been successfully managing and securing this collection while providing open access to students as they utilize the Johnson Center for collaborative learning. In response to concerns expressed by the university community, during the Spring 1997 Semester, the Johnson Center Library conducted a random survey to determine what type of materials were causing the security gates at each of the outer doors to alarm. About fifty per cent of the alarms were activated by bookstore books and as many as twenty eight per cent were activated by metal objects, cellular phones and other materials. Videotapes from off-campus commercial establishments also caused a large percentage of the alarms. Of the alarms activated by library materials, most were a result of malfunctioning self-check book kiosks, books that had been improperly deactivated or books from other libraries. Over the summer, the library also conducted an inventory of the Johnson Center Library collection and found that the rate of loss for the circulating collection was only about three percent. All materials reported missing in the inventory have either been located or replaced. Although a loss rate of three percent is not large (and is even a quite "acceptable" rate for a university library), the library has given very serious attention to the issue of security in the Johnson Center.

Since the security gate survey and the inventory, the library has taken a number of measures to improve security for the collection and to reduce the number of false alarms. First, all of the security gates have been adjusted and will continue to be serviced on a regular basis; second, the original self-check kiosks were replaced with new 3M Self-Checks; and third, the Campus Book Store now desensitizes books sold in the store. In addition, the library has hired book security staff that monitor the self-checks and security gates at each of the outer doors. Scheduled for all hours that the building is open, this staff is responsible for requesting individuals to stop when an alarm sounds, assisting people in using the self-check kiosks, checking the equipment regularly, reporting malfunctions, and providing general information regarding the library to people needing assistance. These staff members wear forest green vests and the Johnson Center Staff Badge so that people using the building know who to ask for assistance. These actions have reduced the number of alarms at the Johnson Center doors and we anticipate will result in an even smaller loss rate in our next inventory.

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS & ARCHIVES

Through the generous support of the Virtual Library of Virginia (VIVA), Special Collections & Archives (SC&A) has continued digitizing important holdings in its major collections. Currently, images from the Ollie Atkins Photograph Collection are being scanned for Internet access. Atkins was a Virginia resident who had a long and distinguished photographic career, including stints with the Washington Daily News; Saturday Evening Post, where he was a close colleague of the illustrator, Norman Rockwell; and as Chief White House Photographer for President Richard M. Nixon. By means of a careful analysis of the nearly 50,000 photographs in the collection, eight categories of images have been chosen. These categories include African-American Political and Cultural Events; Presidents of the 1950s and 1960s; Demonstrations; and Celebrities. Internet access to the Atkins homepage is as follows:

http://www.gmu.edu/library/specialcollections/ollie1.html

For Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday and for Black History Month, SC&A has already finished scanning the African-American Political and Cultural Figures module, which highlights persons like Dr. King, Coretta Scott King, Jesse Jackson, and Roy Wilkins. The scanned images are accessible through the following:

http://www.gmu.edu/library/specialcollections/atkins-aa.html

In the past couple of months there has been a marked increase of gifts to SC&A. Most notable has been a collection of books about books donated by Philip M. Teigen, whose research areas have included statistical evaluations of inks used to print the Gutenberg Bible and developing techniques for digitizing Arabic and Persian manuscripts. His donation of nearly 300 titles reflects these interests, concentrating on works that enable students and scholars to better understand the physical make-up of primary documents and how they work to transmit texts. Included is a facsimile of the Biblia Pauperum (an exceedingly scare fifteenth-century illustrated Bible for the poor), texts on analytical bibliography, and histories of university presses. The collection provides important ancillary materials to SC&A's reference collection.

LIBRARIAN ON LOAN TO NEW CENTURY COLLEGE

In an effort to further integrate information literacy skills into the NCC curriculum, Jim Young, Reference Instructional Services Librarian at the Johnson Center Library, was granted leave during Fall Semester to teach in an NCC Learning Community. NCC 110 or "Community of Learners", a.k.a. Unit I, is one of four courses of the first-year curriculum in NCC. Each course is team taught by a group of faculty from many disciplines and backgrounds. Each member of the ten person team brings his/her specialty to the table to collaboratively work on course content, assignments/projects and overall organization of the course.

Unit I, in particular, introduces students to college habits of mind: critical thinking, problem solving and communication (reading, writing, speaking) in a technologically rich environment. The course satisfies composition, communication, analytical reasoning and computer science general education credits. In addition to Jim Young, several other library staff, including Kevin Simons, Lara Bushallow-Wilbur, Scott Breivold, Paul Koda, Steve Spohn, Miriam Bridges, and Larry Storey (graduate assistant), played a role in the NCC first-year program. Librarians taught basic Library Research Skills and an Introduction to the Internet class and assisted in the assessment of classroom portfolios. Paul Koda, Associate Librarian for Special Collections & Archives, assisted in Unit I by contributing to the Case Study in Disciplinary Paths.

The JCL and NCC partnership is unique in several respects. Due to the common first-year curriculum, all students go through the first-year program together. This gives librarians the opportunity to work with a finite, unchanging group of students and the opportunity to measure yearlong growth. A main intention in reaching the students and working with the faculty was to conform to the NCC way of teaching/learning:, high-level communication, small group interaction and hands-on learning. Proximity also serves to enhance the relationship. Since both the JCL and NCC are in the same building it is advantageous in making both the library and librarians visible to students. A special thanks to the NCC administration and faculty. They are and continue to be welcoming of input and ideas.

CHECK YOUR RECORD ON THE LIBRARY CATALOG

Patron records can be checked via the Library Catalog on the Web. Choose Search Library Catalog, click on the PATRON button at the top of the page, and enter the barcode from your GMU ID (omit the A's on each end). The record will show which books you have checked out and their due dates, any holds you have placed and their status, as well as any changes on your account.

RESEARCH ASSISTANCE IN THE JOHNSON CENTER FOOD COURT

During the Spring Semester the Johnson Center Library will be providing reference assistance and one-on-one instruction to students and faculty at the Kiosks located in the food court of the Johnson Center. During the lunch and dinner time periods on selected days of each month, library reference staff will give brief assistance in learning how to use the library's online catalog, periodical databases, the World Wide Web and other library resources. Information about the Johnson Center's Walk-in Electronic Information Classes, where students may learn the basics of library and Internet resources, will also be distributed. Individuals needing more specialized assistance or consultation with a librarian may be referred to Johnson Center Library or Fenwick Library.

This service was initiated during the Fall 1997 Semester, as a component of GMU Libraries' initiative to inform the university community of the Library Catalog, the new library online catalog. Individuals visiting the Kiosks were interested in learning how to use the Library Catalog but also requested general information about GMU Libraries and library resources. In response to the positive response from students and faculty, the library is continuing the service this semester. Look for library staff in the Johnson Center Food Court on March 30, 31 & April 2 and again on April 27-30.

WELCOME NEW STAFF

Fenwick Library

Karen Chan will begin her Serials Librarian position on June 1. She presently is at Eastern Washington University Library. She has a B.S.Sc. from Chinese University of Hong Kong and an MLS from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Christopher Frick, Office Services Assistant in Circulation, was a former student assistant in Circulation while working on his BA in History. He graduated from GMU in December.

Robert Harvey is currently attending NOVA with course work in accounting. He is an Office Services Assistant in Circulation.

Mary Fran McDavitt is a Program Support Technician in Library Administration. She has worked at several offices on campus including SITE, Office of the Controller and the Office of the Associate Vice President.

Kim Moyer-Crabtree is the new Fiscal Technician in the Administration Office. Kim worked for QuesTech at Vint Hill prior to coming to GMU. Kim has a BA in English from James Madison.

Dianne Schnurrpusch is the new Fiscal Assistant in Collection Management. Dianne has worked in the area since 1990 and has a BS in Home Economics from Illinois State University.

Everett Seamans, Office Services Assistant in Circulation, has a BA in History from GMU and has worked as a campaign intern and a volunteer historian at Fredericksburg national Battlefield Park.

Johnson Center Library

Darcelle Campbell is working on a degree in education. She worked as a Library Assistant in Prince George's Community College Library before becoming an Office Services Assistant in Circulation.

Phat Le is an Installation and Repair Technician with the Systems Office. Le was a Computer Consultant with the accounting firm of Link Ho. He is expecting to receive an Associate Degree in Computer Science in 1999.

Prince William Library

Tasmene Asmare is the new Evening Supervisor in Circulation. He has worked with the Washington Post, Asmar News in Ethiopia, and also in Fenwick Circulation '87-91. Tasmene was a BJ candidate in the University of Missouri School of Journalism.

Kimberly Kowal is the new Social Science Reference/Instruction Librarian at the Prince William Library. She has a BA in Art History and Anthropology from UVA, a MA in Geography & Anthropology from Louisiana State University where she also obtained her MLS. Kim was formerly at Tulane University.

Janice McConnell came to GMU from the Prince William County Public Library System. She serves as Reserves/Media Coordinator and Reference Assistant. Janice has an Associates Degree from Point State College.