News: October, 2002 - Vol. 7, No. 1
Table of Contents
Welcome and welcome back to UMass Dartmouth students, faculty and staff
Your university library is ready to assist you with a variety of collections, services and resources.
Information Technology Bond
As part of the new Division of Library Services, Information Resources and Technology (LSIRT), library staff members have participated in the planning and implementation of projects in the university’s recent bond initiative for Information Technology. For complete information about the entire Information Technology initiative, visit www.umassd.edu/itbond.
Some of the IT projects include:
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Expanded /find/Instruction Suite
The expanded /find/instruction suite, library second floor.
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Mobile Computing Lending Program (MCLP)
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Digital Photographic Services
New equipment, software and hardware have converted the library’s photographics department to digital format. The delivery of photographic and video services will be accelerated, with the digital format offering increased flexibility in the provision of prints and files. A lending program for digital cameras and photographic file downloading services for faculty and students will be introduced in the spring semester. For information, call 508-999-8693 or email mpereira@umassd.edu
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Digital Microfilm Reader/Printer/Scanner
A new reader/printer/scanner has been installed in the serials area on the library’s third floor and is available for use. This machine provides the option of saving microfilm images to disc or emailing them to an account.
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Browsing Area Sound System
We have completely modernized this area’s sound system to serve the thousands of people who attend classes and events there. Additionally, we've installed a transmitter and headphones to amplify sound for those with hearing impairments.
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Encompass Software
Library Instruction
The library offers instruction in the use and evaluation of library and information resources to UMass Dartmouth students at all levels, from first year courses to advanced graduate seminars. The /find/instruction librarians are eager to work with faculty members to design class sessions geared to specific courses and specific assignments. Beth Lindsay (508-999-8801) is coordinator of library instruction; please feel free to contact her with any general questions or comments.
Library Liaisons
Every faculty member has a contact person in the library: a library liaison. Each /find/Instruction librarian is responsible for specific academic departments (typically aligned with their own subject specialties, expertise and interests) for collection development and instruction. We encourage you to contact your library liaison any time you need library service. For more information, call the Reference Desk at 508-999-8678 or visit the library liaison page.
New e-resources
The library continues to offer new electronic resources. Check the e-resources page for the complete list of resources now available.
Professional Collection - Full-text periodicals for teachers and school administrators.
Health & Wellness Resource Center - Use this Resource Center to find magazines, journals, newspapers, definitions, directories, and information on fitness, pregnancy, medicine, nutrition, diseases, public health, occupational health and safety, substance abuse, prescription drugs, etc. Included are links to diet, cancer, and health assessment sites as well as government databases. The material contained in this Resource Center is intended for informational purposes only.
Biography Resource Center + The Complete Marquis Who's Who
Live Reference Online
Try Live Reference Online (instead of a search engine) the next time you’re faced with a research question. The UMass Dartmouth Library now offers reference help over the Internet.
Live Reference Online is the library’s real-time reference "chat" service, offered as part of the UMass Digital Library project. It’s gaining in popularity with students and faculty who are comfortable with email and instant messaging. Reference Online doesn’t require the researcher to interrupt what he or she is doing online to contact a librarian. And the service allows librarians to push relevant Internet pages back to the researcher.
Virtual Catalog
Looking for a book that’s not in our collection? Turn to the Virtual Catalog, which lets you search the holdings of libraries within the Boston Library Consortium and some of the Massachusetts Library networks. Current UMass Dartmouth students, faculty and staff may request books from participating libraries. (Have your library barcode ready.) An email notice informs you when the requested book is here at the Circulation Desk for you to pick up.
You can click on the Virtual Catalog from the library’s main web page. You’ll also have the option to use the Virtual Catalog when your Voyager search for a book here at UMD proves unsuccessful.
The Virtual Catalog was introduced last fall at UMD. Use statistics through June 2002 indicate that UMD patrons have borrowed 275 items using the VC; we have also lent 510 items to borrowers from other libraries. The rate of Virtual Catalog borrowing has increased steadily each month.
Videos reorganized
The video collections on the first floor have been reorganized into “call number” order to enhance access and retrieval. The new method will make it easier for patrons to find a specific video once they have a call number from the catalog.
Staff news
Beth Lindsay, reference librarian, was recently named co-chair of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) -New England Women's Studies Interest Group, one of the special interest groups within ACRL-New England. The group sponsors two programs per academic year. Recent programs have been held at the Maine Women Writers Collection, the Baker Library Historical Collections on women and work at Harvard Business School, and the Women Writers Project at Brown University. Lindsay’s responsibilities will include planning and coordinating the programs. Lindsay has also been elected Vice-Chair/Chair Elect for NELIG, the ACRL-NE Library Instruction Group, with duties that include coordinating the quarterly meetings and programs.
