Welcome Back!!

Now we have overcome the trauma of the new regime and the latest project of wich we dare not speak - Lets get Blogging again!!!!

Here are some topics to get going on ....

A Rose By Any Other Email Address .....
What short and to the point, yet all embracing, name should we have for the Collection Management generic email. It will need to start with LIS and then the bit that really describes who we are.

So, 'LIScollectionmanagement@uclan.ac.uk'? - but that is too long.

Ideas anyone ... ????

Why on earth have we never done that?? ....
While we were 'rationalising' the journals to the two middle floors many of us had ideas of how we could have been doing, or should, in the future, be doing, things better. These ranged from ideas that arose simply because we had a bit of peace and quiet, to ones that would have made the job in hand a lot easier. Also some of us have had ideas about the journals for years and no where to pass them on to ...

For instance, after my fifth trip across the floor and up the stairs I really thought a hand held device with online access to search the catalogue and the wider net would have been really useful. Also, why don't we put more useful information on the box labels ....

Now we've had some tiime to mull things over since the move and there is a chance to get some changes in train - lets have them ideas down here ... ????

Metamorphosis ...
The Restricted Loan collection is moving around and changing its identity so much during these structural and geographical developments that we need to find a new name for it. The plan is to make the collection self-service for the students to collect their own texts. Reservations will also be available in the room on the same basis. There will be a Self Issue machine, a photocopier/scanner and study desks with computers. The doors will have security gates and will be in sight of the Enquiry Desk.

There is room in the room for more texts than the current Restricted Loan so it is likely that it will include a wider criteria of material. In addition we have the opportunity to make nmore use of the e-Book format and ERL which will, if anything, reduce the number of traditional restricted items that we will need to house there.

So, we need to consider both the basis on which texts are included/excluded, and the basis on which students get to use them. But mainly we need to think of a name for this room and the items it holds - both old RL and Reservations, and the access to, and use of them facilitated by the equipment there. So, what do you think ... ????

E-Books Update

Our team, together with Resource Services, have been evaluating current e-book provision in our library in light on making some changes.

A consultation document (in draft form) is available in our shared folder
Collection Management\eresources\ebooks\e-booksupdate0308.doc

Please post any comments about the document, or the proposals contained within it, on here.

ERL and the CLA

Under the CLA Trial Licence we are allowed to scan and offer for online use anything that has a UK publisher and that we own a copy of (with some exceptions). This means that we must not withdraw those copies. In order to be sure we continue to hold copies of scanned material we will be identifying one copy of the title on the catalogue by changing its item type to CLA and by putting a sticker in that copy.

We will put the sticker in the reference copy of anyone title. Where there is not a reference copy we will make a copy reference and where thjere is only one copy we will advise the purchase of a new copy to facilitate a reference copy for the sticker and item type.

This will affect any title where a chapter or article is scanned and made available by ERL. To date this has been very few items but as we move away from a print restricted loan collection it will involve more and more titles. For futre addition this consideration will be addressed at the time of requesting and ordering.

Meanwhile, LoisLane and The Allottment Plotter have identified those items that are affected by this legal requirement already and are changing item types and putting in stickers. For the most part these and health titles but you may come across one and wonder what it is.

This procedure is a requirement of the CLA TRial Licence and may not last forever .... Watch this space.

Market Line Trial

From 7-11 April 2008 I've arranged a trial of the database Marketline.

Apparently they are the direct competitor of GMID and as we're wanting to extend our provision in the area of international company/industry/country information, they may be a suitable provider.

I'm waiting for the URL and trial details to be sent, but as soon as they are I'll get them up on Library Online.

World Advertising Research Center (WARC)

Our subscription to WARC ends on 31st March 2008. After this date no access will be available and all links will be removed from library online.

Should anyone ask, the reason we've cancelled our subscription is because the annual subscription cost rose by over 100% - with no warning - and therefore it could not be accommodated by the departmental budget.

Alternatives that could be used include Business Source Premier, Emerald, Mintel or Nexis.