Books In Print 2.0

Your are welcome to try out the new version of Books In Print.  Please be sure to leave comments about the new version.  This update will go live in July and Bowker is offering staff training.  If you are interested please let me know and I will be happy to schedule sessions.

MorningStar Patron Online Training

On September 30, Morningstar will host another online patron training class.  Attached is a PDF promoting the session.  Please feel free to use the flyer to hand out to your patons. Morningstar – September Online Training Session MorningstarSept

Lexis/Nexis Letter

Last week at home I received a letter from Lexis/Nexis [database vendor] about the possiblity of my personal information being stolen.  If any patrons who also received this letter and wonder if it was because they used any of our databases, the answer is no.  Lexis/Nexis does background check for companies around the country (mostly insurance, [...]

New Gale Literature Volumes

Titles Contemporary Literary Criticism Vol 269 Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism Vol 209

Gale Power Search 2.0

PowerSearch 2.0, an enhanced version of the original PowerSearch platform, brings greater “power to the user.”  Beginning in July, PowerSearch 2.0 will be fully implemented for all customers.   Libraries can get a head start on learning how to use the new design by clicking on the “Find Out More” link on the PowerSearch website: www.gale.com/powersearch. [...]

Patron Training Ideas from Orange County – From Morningstar

From Morningstar Library Notes: Many libraries took part in our first virtual patron training session earlier this year. In an attempt to help provide you with some marketing ideas for the next patron training session in September, I talked with longtime client Orange County Library System, which is located in the Orlando, Fla., area, which [...]

Library User Experience

I attented a very interesting audio conference on Wednesday.  The discussion was on The Future of  the Library User Experience. Here are a couple key points I came away with: People before systems Logical is not intuitive It takes 10 years in the lab before technology is moved into general use and then it takes [...]

Biography Reference Bank – From Wilson

The database Biography Reference Bank will be dropped from the database collection on August 1. This database received very little use and tended to run very slow. We have renewed the Core Collection database which is heavily used by Collection Development.

Lexi-PALS Drug Guide

< The Lexi-PALS Drug Guide is a database of Patient Advisory Leaflets from Lexi-Comp that provides vital education on medications for patients. The approach for each pamphlet is to present each medication in an easy to follow and understand question-and-answer format. The database consists of over 1,450 medication and natural product leaflets, with an additional [...]

Coming Soon – Gale Directory Library Enhancements

Coming Soon… With expanded data and state-of-the-art search and export features, Gale Directory Library will allows you to select the directories you want and make them available to your users any time, from anywhere. Here are some of the search and export features that will create a better experience for your users, making Gale Directory Library [...]

Questions About OverDrive Downloads?

September is OverDrive Training month.  If you are interested in participating in any of the sessions please leave a comment of which area(s) you are interested in. The curriculum covers each area of our download service: Collection Development, User Experience, Patron Assistance, Community Outreach, and Reports. Plus, don’t miss OverDrive’s 2009 Partner Update to learn [...]

OverDrive Media Console™ v3.2 for Windows!

It’s here! The new version of OverDrive® Media Console. Nearly all WMA Audiobooks in the download collection are now compatible with the iPod®, iPhoneT, iPod touch®, and iPod nano®, as well as Zune® and thousands of other portable devices, with a simple upgrade of OverDrive Media Console to version 3.2 on Windows® PCs. With OMC [...]

Did You Know?

In OverDrive patrons can set their own personal lending periods.  Back in April, we added the feature of allowing patrons to select their own lending – example:  7, 14, or 21 days for books.  This was added because there is no “Return” feature available. Patrons who read or listen to books quickly can choose a [...]

Library Catalog Tweaking

As you may have noticed there has been a sightly changes in the Library Catalog. When we upgraded to III 2007 they provided new catalog pages.  Our old catalog pages worked in most cases.  However, there were  some small issues which needed to be addressed.  I’m in the process of addressing those issues, hence the [...]

WebFeat Tweaks

After reviewing the usage of our federated search –  WebFeat the Virtual Library made a few minor tweaks to help improve the results patrons get when they use it to search the databases. Changed the ranking of articles to Relevancy ranking from grouped. (This was done to both Kids and Adult webfeat).  Previous results we [...]

2009 E.B. White Read Aloud Awards

The 2009 E.B. White Read Aloud Awards were announced at BEA, and our BookLetters Award list and Widget have been updated.  The 2009 winners were: Visitor for Bear By Becker, Bonny Denton, Kady MacDonald 2008/02 – Candlewick Press (MA) 9780763628079 2009 E. B. White Read Aloud Award for Picture Books Cheery persistence wears down a [...]

New Gale Titles

These new titles can be found in the following databases: Drama Criticism Vol 033 – Literature Criticism Something About the Author Vol 197 – Something About the Author Note: They are no longer available in Gale Virtual Reference Library.  The catalog records for these two titles are in the process of being updated. Their links [...]

Nevada Statewide Digitization Initiative

The final report for the Nevada Statewide Digitization Initiative is now published on the NSLA website at: http://nevadaculture.org/nsla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1702&Itemid=1 It is linked on the right side of the page in the category of digital initiative documents.  The final report includes the plan and the survey as appendices.  The plan and the survey are also linked as [...]

NetLibrary MP3 Downloadable Audio Books

Note: spreadsheet opens in your browser so be sure to click the tabs at the bottom of your screen to see children, Spanish and Modern Scholar titles. You can also go directly to netLibrary and search by format MP3

New OverDrive Books

The following eAudio Books have been added to the eMedia Catalog. The Problem with the Puddles by Kate Feiffer Swimsuit by James Patterson Finger Lickin’ Fifteen: Stephanie Plum Series, Book 15 by  Janet Evanovich Obsession: An Erotic Tale by Gloria Vanderbilt The Last Olympian: Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series, Book 5 by Rick Riordan Series: Percy Jackson and the [...]