May 28, 2007
Adam Matthew Digital Resources purchased
We now have access to a number of digital resources from Adam Matthew Publications which include:
Empire Online:
By the end of 2007 Adam Matthew Publications will have brought together over 70,000 images of original documents relating to Empire Studies. The images are sourced from libraries and archives around the world, including a strong core of document images from the British Library.
This project has been developed to encourage undergraduate work with rare primary documents. By using images of the texts rather than transcriptions, Empire Online enables students to connect with the past with greater immediacy. By retaining the look and feel of the original sources, we engender greater interaction with the material as students can understand better the circumstances in which sources were created and the ways in which the authors chose to present their arguments.
Eighteenth Centure Journals II (1699-1812): Eighteenth Century Journals II provides a wide-ranging view of topical issues that concerned readers of the period. In the eighteenth century, as today, the content of newspapers was dictated by the editor’s sense of what was desired by the general readership. This desire can be summed up in a single word: variety. Themes covered by the periodicals featured in this digital collection are highly diverse, including literature, the theatre; fashion; politics, revolution; agriculture; social issues and society life. Moreover, such range of topics is often discussed within the pages of a single volume, leaping from discussions of the latest ladies’ fashions, to the study of natural philosophy, to gardening methods, within a matter of pages. The sheer breadth of subject matter is astonishing. This essay will attempt to provide the user with a flavour of such subjects and how they were approached by eighteenth-century publishers. It concludes with a list of some relevant journals which users may find a helpful starting-point in their research on specific subject disciplines.
Literary Manuscripts:
17th and 18th Century poetry from the Brotherton Library, University of Leeds. The focus of this collection is to provide direct access to facsimile images of verses as catalogued in the Brotherton Library’s BCMSV database. The search engine and browse lists provide easy access to research enquiries and the original images are just a click away in a variety of formats.This collection also allows access to the complete manuscripts and their searchable catalogue data, including the available lt and ltq literary manuscripts in the Brotherton Collection that are not indexed in the BCMSV database. Please note that Lt q 46 does not exist and Ltq 36, 67 and 68 are currently unavailable for filming. The manuscripts range from contemporary copies of poems by writers like Colvil, Dryden, Fairfax and Pope to popular tags and epitaphs. Many of the manuscripts are miscellanies and commonplace books which have never previously been indexed. One example is Lady Hester Pulter's Poems breathed forth by the nobel Hadassas - a collection of poetry, c.1645-1665, comprising a single volume and several loose sheets, predominantly in a scribal hand with insertions and revisions in two other hands, one perhaps autograph. It also includes part of a novel, The Unfortunate Florinda. Another example is a poetical commonplace book, in several hands, c.1740-1804, partly compiled by Eliza Marriott.
Please note:
Two more collections will follow later this year;
Eighteenth Century Journals I -- 1714-1799 (due late Summer 2007)
Eighteenth Century Journals I is drawn from the Hope Collection at the Bodleian Library, Oxford. It brings together 76 rare journals printed between 1714 and 1799. The collection combines well-known publications with more minor works, offering users a wide-ranging view of eighteenth century publishing culture.
Medieval Travel Writing (due Autumn 2007)
This project provides direct access to a widely scattered collection of original medieval manuscripts that describe travel - real and imaginary - in the Middle Ages.
See Adam Matthew Digital Collections for more information.
May 25, 2007
Oxford Journals Online with Digital Archive
Access is now available to Oxford Journals Online including the Digital Archive.
Oxford Journals Online contains the searchable,full-text of 180 journals in the areas of medicine, life sciences, mathematics and physical sciences, law, humanities, and social sciences.
The Oxford Journals Digital Archive provides access to all content from volume one, issue one, for nearly 140 journals and includes content dating back to 1849.
Unlimited and remote access is provided
This is a CRKN purchase.
There are 10 titles excluded from the collection (Society decision). They include: Capital Markets Law Journal; DNA Research( open access); Epidemiologic Reviews; ESHRE Monographs; European Heart Journal Supplements; Evidence-based Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (open access); JNCI Cancer Spectrum; Journal of the National Cancer Institute Monographs; Nucleic Acids Research; Nucleic Acids Symposium Series.
Even better than Facebook??
Check out this new tool my friend just told me about - it's like Facebook, but super-sized!
New Password for Ref Desk Computers
The password was changed this morning - should be easier for us to remember now. Please check the little grey notebook.
May 24, 2007
U Washington and Wikipedia in the flow
Lorcan Dempsey's weblog: In the flow - Washington and Wikipedia
makes reference to this recent article in D-Lib magazine Using Wikipedia to extend digital collections.
May 23, 2007
Four habits of highly effective librarians
Chronicle Careers: 5/23/2007: The Four Habits of Highly Effective Librarians
Image builders
I've been playing with image builders, and having a great time.
Check out ImageChef.com ImageGenerator.org and CustomSignGenerator. Quick ways to spice up your material!
McMaster's new Endeca catalogue
This is the coolest... note the left hand menu bar, which lists limits to your results list - millions of them! Well, lots and lots...
This is the most useable catalogue I've seen in actual use. Check it out!
May 22, 2007
JASIST article on Google Scholar
Google Scholar citations and Google Web/URL citations: A multi-discipline exploratory analysis
"Google Scholar citations were more numerous than ISI citations in computer science and the four social science disciplines, suggesting that Google Scholar is more comprehensive for social sciences and perhaps also when conference articles are valued and published online. We also found large disciplinary differences in the percentage overlap between ISI and Google Scholar citation sources. Finally, although we found many significant trends, there were also numerous exceptions, suggesting that replacing traditional citation sources with the Web or Google Scholar for research impact calculations would be problematic."
May 17, 2007
Google Book search - now bigger and better
Google Librarian Central: Not your dad's Google Book Search
when you click "About the book", you often get reviews, web references and book references.
New Trial - Tests in Print
User Name - coppul
Password - ebscotrial
Produced by the Buros Institute of Mental Measurements at the University of Nebraska, Tests in Print (TIP) serves as a comprehensive bibliography to all known commercially available tests that are currently in print in the English language. TIP provides vital information to users including test purpose, test publisher, in-print status, price, test acronym, intended test population, administration times, publication date(s), and test author(s). A score index permits users to identify what is being measured by each test. Tests in Print is directly linked to the critical, candid test reviews published in the Mental Measurements Yearbook (MMY) series. Users can research current test information from the TIP series and continue their search to all available test reviews published in the MMY series. Tests in Print is an indispensable reference for professionals in areas such as education, psychology, business, as well as those interested in the critical issues of tests and testing.
May 09, 2007
The Hollywood Librarian
via Stephen Abraham's blog.
"The premiere of "The Hollywood Librarian: A Look at Librarians Through Film" will take place in Washington, D.C. on Friday, June 22nd during the ALA Conference.
All librarians are welcome to attend this free event, it is not limited to conference attendees (but of course you won't miss ALA Conference and the Expo.
The venue will be the Washington Convention Center, Hall D, where doors will open at 7:30 p.m. with a red carpet walk. The film premiere begins at 8:00 p.m. This is a free event, black tie optional."
May 08, 2007
McMaster Librarians to offer reference services on Second Life
Read all about it.
Mcmaster Librarians to offer reference services on Second Life
Reference Librarians at Syracuse University offer reference service via Facebook
Be where your users are...
This seems like a particularly well developed page. What do you think?
Facebook | Syracuse University Library - Reference
May 04, 2007
Scooped by a blog
The Scientist : Scooped by a blog
May 03, 2007
Trial - Keesing's World News Archive Online
Keesing's Record of World Events was designated for discard last month as part of the current Reference shelf-clearing project however we have online access until the end of 2007 to Keesing's World News Archive.
Description:Among the events covered are elections and changes of government; wars, treaties, appointments, and diplomacy; terrorism and issues of internal security; legislation, budgets, economic developments and international agreements; actions by the UN and other international organisations; natural disasters, environmental issues, and scientific discoveries.
Simulataneous Users: 3
Access from the Trial Page on the Gateway
History and the Changing Landscape of Information
The Monthly Publication of the American Historical Association has a thematic issue this month, called "History and the Changing Landscape of Information" - with articles on all aspects of research, web 2.0, library usage, publishing, and more - it's very interesting. It's interesting to see how we (the library etc.) are viewed by Historians. Y'all should check it out:
http://www.historians.org/Perspectives/issues/2007/0705/index.cfm
I especially liked THIS article on how to categories library resources in a way that makes sense - instead of lumping all of our electronic resources together. I may not agree with the conclusion (i'm still pondering it) but it's very well considered.
May 02, 2007
Online course "Virtual librarianship in Second life" is sold out.
LibrarianInBlack: Course on virtual world librarianship!
Too bad that this course is full. I have contacted the coordinator to see if she is maintaining a wait list.
Hudderfields University in England is experimenting with posting the 50 most recently checked out items
It actually links to the items in the catalog!!
Scopus adds 800 new titles including 200 social science titles
Amsterdam - April 30th, 2007 -Scopus, the largest abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature and quality web sources with smart tools to track, analyze and visualize research, today announced that it will be adding 800 new titles, including more than 200 Social Science titles, to its extensive database of 15,000 peer-reviewed journals. In addition to the Social Science titles, peer-reviewed journals originating from all corners of the world covering fields from biomedicine to engineering were added. The titles suggested by users went through a stringent selection procedure resulting in the approval of 800 titles by the Scopus Content Selection and Advisory Board (CSAB).
May 01, 2007
Best of Reference 2007
Best of Reference 2007: Big Top Reference | The New York Public Library
Best of Reference is an annual list of books, websites, and electronic resources selected by a committee of librarians for their usefulness in branch reference collections. Selection criteria include value and appropriateness for branch collections, organization of material, style of presentation, and authority of authors and editors.