Week 10

When I first searched for an article on Google Scholar, I didn’t have the “Pollak Library Find It!” showing, but this was easily remedied and then I was finding everything about global warming and identifying if our library had the particular articles. Here is the article citation I used in both Google Scholar and the “citation finder” from the library’s website:

Title: Acceleration of global warming due to carbon-cycle feedbacks in a coupled climate model Source: Nature [0028-0836] Cox yr: 2000 vol: 408 iss: 6809 pg: 184

Wow! What do you know…both the results I obtain from Google Scholar and “citation finder” appeared to be exactly the same. I then went back to the “citation finder” and changed the page number. Hmmm…the article was retrieved. So, I went back and changed the journal volume number. Uh-oh…no article was found. I’m assuming the “citation finder” must search within the particular volume and then match the article title. Page number must not be as important of a variable in obtaining the correct article. I then removed all components of the citation and tried to find what was the least amount of information I could enter and still obtain a direct path to the pdf file. I found that I needed the article title, journal title, and volume in order to retrieve the article. I imagine this could be different depending on the publication formats of different journals.

Here is the openURL to the global warming article I found:

http://sfx.calstate.edu:9003/fullerton?auinit=PM&aulast=Cox&atitle=Acceleration%20of%20global%20warming%20due%20to%20carbon-cycle%20feedbacks%20in%20a%20coupled%20climate%20model&id=doi%3A10.1038%2F35041539&title=Nature&volume=408&issue=6809&date=2000&spage=184&issn=0028-0836&sid=libx

Having many different sources for citation metadata/openURLs can be a benefit for those who are searching for information and doing research. However, there needs to be a basic understanding of the information provided in the citation itself. Seeing how a number of individuals creatively interpret citations to formulate interlibrary loan requests often highlights the many difficulties individuals have in understanding what information a citation is able to convey. The better understanding an individual has about citations and the citation's component parts, the more beneficial it would seem to have many different sources for citation metadata/openURLs. However, if there is a lack of knowledge about citations, many different sources of citation metadata could be confusing and overwhelming.

If you are bored or if you like hockey, here is an interesting article:

http://p9003-sfx.calstate.edu.lib-proxy.fullerton.edu/fullerton?genre=article&isbn=&issn=0038822X&title=Sports%20Illustrated&volume=110&issue=5&date=20090209&aulast=Farber&atitle=No%20Looking%20Back.&spage=56&pages=56-58&sid=EBSCO%3AAcademic%20Search%20Premier&pid=%3Cauthor%3EFarber%2C%20Michael%3C%2Fauthor%3E%3Cui%3E36354973%3C%2Fui%3E%3Cdate%3E20090209%3C%2Fdate%3E%3Cdb%3EAcademic%20Search%20Premier%3C%2Fdb%3E

Week Nine

In ILL, we have thought about using a wiki to document all our work procedures. Our procedures seem to change quickly or we often find better ways of doing old routines. Updating “print” instructions becomes time consuming since things change rapidly in the world of ILL. It seems as though once we finally get some instructions written, they are then out of date. A Wiki would allow us to update the needed parts in a timely manner. In addition, it would allow individual staff members to add any special “tips” or “tricks” they have discovered in our work processes. A wiki, used in this manner, could allow for greater information sharing and make a more knowledgeable staff.

Wikipedia can have both positive and negative impacts on information seeking depending on the way in which it is used. Wikipedia can be a starting point for information seekers. When looking up a topic or term that is unfamiliar, the information found on Wikipedia can provide the seeker with a direction to pursue further research. For example, I searched the term “hat trick” which I am sort of am familiar with, but I wanted to know where this term came from. Using Wikipedia, I was able to learn possible origins and the entries on Wikipedia provided me with ideas where I could learn more (the Hockey Hall of Fame web site). Wikipedia could have a negative impact on information seekers if the seekers assume that all the information obtained is final authority on the topic searched. The ease at which information can be edited needs to be considered before accepting all information on Wikipedia as true. However, good information seekers should always evaluate the sources from which they obtain their information for accuracy.

On a side note …the term Wiki always brings a song by “The Wiggles” to my mind and then I just can’t get the song out of my head. There is a line in the song where a high pitched voice sings “hmmm wiki, wiki, wiki, wiki. Hmmm wiki, wiki, wiki, wiki.” Ahhhh! Now I’m singing that song again! --- If you don’t know who “The Wiggles” are, you can find out by looking them up on Wikipedia :-)

Week 8

Hmmm...I must say I was a bit disappointed that cloud computing didn't involve any travelling or outdoor activity. However, cloud computing does appear to have the ability to make some computer activities quicker which means less time sitting in front of the computer and more time to go outside or more time to travel. Yeah! :-) I have used Google docs to gather statistics from all of the CSU ILL offices. Google docs has been very helpful in streamlining this process which we had previously done via email and attached files. Many of the other CSUother ILL offices were hesitant to use Google docs (mainly because it was new and unfamiliar), but once they tried, few wanted to go back to emailing statistics. I can see Google docs or other types of "cloud computing" being used with many collaborative tasks done in the library.




http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dd7dpj3s_0c5jnbbdf&invite=533246256

Week 7

Tagging seems to have advantages of increasing the organization of information by using familar, easy terms to describe the information (such as bookmarks). In looking through the Pollak Library's delicious account it was easy to browse several websites related to one topic quickly. It was nice to be able to click on one of the tags and find relevant information with ease. Tags appear to have the ability to group together library tools/services using simple terms. However, as more and more tagging takes place it seems that it would be necessary to have some consistency in the terms used for tags if they are to be used by large groups of library patrons. Having tags that are understandable for the users will be essential for tags to be effective for any library tools/services. My favorite example of how a seemingly common library term can be misunderstood is when I had a patron list a telephone number on a form that was asking for "call number."

Here is the link for my delicious account: http://delicious.com/staycnoe

Week 6

I have use IE, FireFox, and Safari. Usually I seem to use IE since it is the default on most computers. When I tried to download FireFox on my computer at home it initially said it would take an hour to complete. That was strange. I stopped the download because I am too impatient to wait an hour. However, I tried again another day and it only took a couple minutes to complete the download. This downloading experience resembles many of my experiences with the different browsers. I don't really have a preference, but if one seems to be "acting up," I'll switch to another.

The plugins I have tried all seem to be helpful and have benefits. Libx makes it very easy and convenient to determine if our library owns things while searching other sites. I like that I can immediately search the library's catalog without having to go to the library's site first. I also use the Google toolbar. Again, it is a nice convenience. A small drawback for me is that as with the additional plugins/toolbars, the screen gets a little cluttered. Although I'm sure I could take some time to organize the toolbars to "clean" things up and make things prettier for me.

Week 5

Jing or other multimedia tools will be useful in providing instructions as to how to navigate around the library's website and its databases. Particularly for ILL, it will be beneficial to be able to "show" patrons how to use ILLiad more effectively. Many patrons have trouble finding their articles; a simple video can show the patrons where to go to find their information rather than a longer text-based set of steps. For those who learn quicker visually, such multimedia tools may encourage more patrons to use many more of the library's available tools.

Here is the link to my video which shows a simple search for a full text article in Academic Search Premiere. http://screencast.com/t/9Rmdknds3 Enjoy!

Week 4

The Pollak Library Flickr site is a nice way to keep a central spot for pictures for all the different events that take place in the library. It was interesting to see the current pictures at the library's Flickr site such as the earthquake damage and the READ poster ceremony/event. The fact that different users can add to the group of pictures makes it convenient in that not one person has to be responsible for gathering and maintaining information about the library events.

For our community, images could provide a useful way to show what the library is all about. As an example, when I was at the Reference Desk, a patron asked me where more computers were located. I mentioned the computer lab in the basement and the patron responded, "I'll have to check it out, I've never been down there." With the use of images on the website or elsewhere, it could spark patrons' and the community's interest to further explore the library.

To get you interested in ILL, here is a picture of "Ryan the Birthday Unicorn". If you come by ILL, you surely get to see Ryan and, if it happens to be your birthday...you'll even be in for a better treat!