LibNews@UB - for all your UB Library news...2010-03-12T21:22:07ZDanielle Johnson, Jason OderingCopyright 2010, Danielle Johnson, Jason OderingSPHPBLOGWeb of Science access to be discontinued As a result of this review, access to Web of Science will shortly cease.
While there are some research staff and students who will have a preference for Web of Science over Scopus, the review has highlighted the following:
- Both products offer a range of additional features and separating these in terms of benefit to UB researchers is difficult; - While WoS appears to have greater breadth of coverage, Scopus has greater Asia/Pacific content and has ERA endorsement for the full 2010 assessment; - A review of UB affiliated records in each database resulted in 1,064 records in Scopus and 808 in WoS; - Scopus functionality is simpler and more intuitive for new users.
In addition, it is clear from the results of the recent review of the Library's capacity to support research, that many research staff and students would like to see changes and additions to the current group of research databases that they have access to. Maintaining a subscription to both WoS and Scopus severely impacts our ability to expand or change the current mix of discipline specific and other research databases in response to this feedback.
We intend to monitor use of Scopus and feedback from research staff and students over 2010 and review our decision late in the year. In the interim feedback can be forwarded to Leeanne Pitman, Director Library Services (l.pitman@ballarat.edu.au) ]]>http://www.ballarat.edu.au/aasp/is/library/blog/index.php?entry=entry100311-1306342010-03-11T00:00:00Z2010-03-11T00:00:00ZTrial: Audio Drama Audio Drama: The L.A. Theatre Works Collection delivers, for the first time online, more than 300 important dramatic works in streaming audio from the curated archive of the nation’s premiere radio theatre company.
The plays - which include some of the most significant dramatic literature of the nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty-first centuries - are performed by leading actors from around the world and recorded specifically for online listening.
The collection presents classics of the Western canon, modern works by American luminaries, originally commissioned plays, and high profile docudramas—by both renowned and emerging playwrights.
Avanced search allows you to search by keyword / plot summaries, production title, playwright, director, actor, composer, gender, nationality, character name and more. You can sort results by relevancy, title, or date of recording.
If you sign in you can save playlists or even grab the RSS feed for updates to the website.
On trial until March 31st.]]>http://www.ballarat.edu.au/aasp/is/library/blog/index.php?entry=entry100304-1410352010-03-04T00:00:00Z2010-03-04T00:00:00ZNew search box on Library websiteLibrary homepage.
A new search box is on the first tab ( Find books and more ) underneath the Library Catalogue search box.
.
The yellow search box searches many online resources and the library catalogue at the same time. With one search you can get results for full-text articles, books and eBooks.
* NaviGatePlus continues to be available for subject searching via the 'Find journals and databases' tab.
]]>http://www.ballarat.edu.au/aasp/is/library/blog/index.php?entry=entry100304-1223302010-03-04T00:00:00Z2010-03-04T00:00:00ZNew! Getting started helpsheets available online To find the sheets: Go to the Library homepage , select the left hand Assignment and Research Help , then select Helpsheets from the drop down menu.
]]>http://www.ballarat.edu.au/aasp/is/library/blog/index.php?entry=entry100304-1208182010-03-04T00:00:00Z2010-03-04T00:00:00ZNew students and Library supportO’Week always creates an infectious energy around campus. It’s one of the busiest times of the year for Library staff, but the time spent welcoming new students is always one of the highlights.
You might not appreciate it just yet but the Library is here to support you in your study by providing resources (books, eBooks, journals, multimedia items and other items that you might not immediately think of such as 3D models and kits), training and services (such as classes on how to go about finding those items and borrowing or photocopying them) and workspaces that are conducive to both group and individual study.
After the buzz of O’Week, hopefully you’ll be comfortable with your new surrounds, meet some new and interesting people and are ready to settle into the course. Course content aside, there’s some study and life skills which you’ll need to develop to balance your study, work, family and social commitments so below we’ve put together a selection of items in the Library collection that you might find useful to set yourself up for study success.
Some of the titles are eBooks so you won’t even need to come in to the Library to use them (just enter your computer network username and password when prompted)… but we do hope you’ll visit us soon! Also, don’t be afraid or anxious about asking for research help. Have a chat to staff at the Information Desk and remember: It’s not a stupid question if you don’t know the answer!
Good luck with your first semester. Donna, Information Librarian.
Marshall, L., & Rowland, F. (2006). A guide to learning independently (4th ed.). Frenchs Forest, NSW, Australia: Pearson Education. ]]>http://www.ballarat.edu.au/aasp/is/library/blog/index.php?entry=entry100224-1634042010-02-24T00:00:00Z2010-02-24T00:00:00ZLibrary Lovers Day Feb 14February 14th Library Lovers Day – Books Library staff are going to bed with
While February 14 is synonymous with Valentine’s Day , over the past four years libraries across Australia have been celebrating Library Lovers Day.
This call to snuggle up with a book is affirmed by recent research that found 35 per cent of Australians would read a novel if they had extra time compared to 20 per cent who’d spend the time one-on-one with their partner. OK, the research wasn’t scientific - conducted in an online poll by Swedish furniture company IKEA - but those who love libraries suspect it’s true.
If you haven’t read anything for pleasure lately, perhaps you’ll be turned on by some of the below titles that Library staff are currently going to bed with.
Ange Jenkins, Library Assistant (Loans) Ange works at the Loans Desk at the SMB campus library and is currently busy welcoming all our new and continuing students! On Ange’s bedside table: Runners world - I have recently taken out a subscription to this magazine and it is inspiring me to keep running and training Remarkable creatures / Tracy Chevalier. The story of Mary Anning, who has a talent for finding fossils, and whose discovery of ancient marine reptiles such as that ichthyosaur shakes the scientific community and leads to new ways of thinking about the creation of the world. The book also explores female friendships and the characters and plot are based around a true story, with some gaps filled in. A great read! Moral disorder / Margaret Atwood. A collection of intertwined short stories by one of my favourite authors.
Angela Thomas, Library Assistant (Loans) Angela works at the Loans Desk at the Mt. Helen campus library and is looking forward to the completion of the library refurbishment. On Angela’s bedside table: Fractured / Karin Slaughter. Murder mystery. On the back seat of Angela’s car (for emergencies): The alphabet sisters / Monica Mcinerney.
Carol Wren, Acquisitions Officer Carol orders and receives material for the library collection, liaises with suppliers and processes invoices. On Carol’s bedside table: Long time coming / Robert Goddard. His best novel for a few years. Set both in 1976 and 1940 it’s a suspenseful mystery and very well written. The QI book of advanced banter / Stephen Fry (ed.).. A very good coffee table book full of quotations, e.g. “A man's got to believe in something. I believe I'll have another drink.” (W.C. Fields ), “What would this country be, without this great land of ours?” (Ronald Reagan) and, “Erotica is using a feather, pornography is using the whole chicken” (Isabelle Allende). Eating for IBS / Heather van Vorous. A diet for IBS sufferers and advise for people with lactose intolerance; a bit too American though.
Donna Byrne, Project Librarian (Research) and Information Librarian (SMB campus library) Donna is working on a project examining how the Library can effectively support UB research staff and students. On Donna’s beside table: Once a runner / John L. Parker Jr. First published in 1978, it’s the cult classic novel for runners. The girl who kicked the hornet’s nest / Stieg Larsson. The final (and best!) instalment of the Lisbeth Salander trilogy. The flexitarian diet / Dawn Jackson Blatner. Ideas for moving towards a predominantly plant-based food diet without becoming a strict vegetarian.
Helen McCarthy, Information Librarian (International Student Support) Helen assists our international students. On Helen’s bedside table: Vitamin discoveries and disasters: History, science, and controversies / Frances Rachel Frankenburg. Highlights the value of observation, wonder and occasional blind luck of science. Wanting / Richard Flanagan. Fictionalised Australian history, gutsy warm writer. Dry gardening Australia: Sustainable drought-proof gardening from the soil up / Jonathan Garner and Sarah Baker. Great Australian advice for a current project.
Jenny Wright, Lending Services Supervisor (SMB and Western campus libraries) Jenny works with the Mt. Helen Lending Services Supervisor to ensure the smooth running and consistency of service at the Loans Desks at all campuses. On Jenny’s bedside table: Three Cups of Tea : one man’s mission to fight terrorism and build nations…one school at a time / Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. A true account of an adventurous American and his way of addressing terrorism by building schools and engaging with the tribal people in the remote border regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Lives of the Papunya Tula artists / Vivien Johnson (ed.). For those who love indigenous Australian art. Dreams of my father: A story of race and inheritance / Barak Obama. Written before he became President. The incantation of Frida K. / Kate Braverman. A novel based on the life of the real artist. Dead point / Peter Temple. Another of his Jack Irish thrillers set in Melbourne. Wolf totem / Jiang Rong. A novel set in 1960’s China and a vanishing way of life.
Karen Pruis, Library Assistant (Loans) (SMB campus library) Karen works at the Loans Desk at the SMB campus library. On Karen’s bedside table: Clan of the cave bear / Jean Auel. In the kitchen: More than 1000 recipes for every day / Allan Campion and Michele Curtis. Written by two of Melbourne’s best known foodies, this is a modern food bible to sit alongside Stephanie Alexander’s books. The Worst jobs in history and The worst children’s jobs in history / Tony Robinson. Books by one of my favourite documentary presenters.
Leah Torly, Digital Repositories Officer Leah is responsible for acquiring and maintaining content for UB Research Online, the University Library's institutional repository. On Leah’s beside table: Tank girl volume 1 / Alan C Martin (Author), Jamie Hewlett, Jamie Hewlett (Illustrator). She is a comic book icon! This volume collects some of Tank Girl's most hilarious adventures as she and her tank wreak havoc across the Australian outback, accompanied by a cast of outrageously colourful characters. A graphic novel in classic black & white. Virtual light / William Gibson. This is the first book in William Gibson's Bridge trilogy; a cyber-punk, science fiction thriller set in a dystopian future.
Leeanne Pitman, Director Library Services On Leeanne's bedside table: The road / Cormac McCarthy. From the same author as No Country for Old Men and also just released into the cinemas. Compelling, disturbing story of survival in a post armageddon world. Wolf Hall / Hilary Mantel . Henry, Katherine, Anne and Cromwell, what more is there to say? 2009 Man Booker Prize winner.
Marian Chivers, Information Librarian (SMB campus library) Marian helps students and staff find information they need for assignments, essays and research. She can help by showing them how to search the catalogue, databases and the Internet. The elegance of the hedgehog / Muriel Barbery - a very Gallic novel of life, death and philosophy. Renee, the concierge hides her talents beneath her spikes. From dead to worse / Charlaine Harris’s Southern Vampire series, on which the TV series True Blood is based. Vampires “come out of the coffin” when the Japanese develop a synthetic blood, True Blood, so that humans are no longer in danger, or are they? And if vampires exist what other supernatural beings are real? The thrifty kitchen / Suzanne and Kate Gibbs, daughter and granddaughter of Margaret Fulton. This book is full of the kitchen wisdom of four generations with economical recipes and tips. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to eat healthy and well.
Mica Meerbach, Library Assistant (Loans) Mica works evenings during term time at the SMB campus library and loves the variety of helping students with anything from printing issues to fascinating and ticklish research questions. On Mica’s bedside table: Engaging the enemy, Command decision and Victory conditions / Elizabeth Moon. The final three novels in the space opera Vatta’s war. Unseen academicals / Terry Pratchett. The 37th novel in Pratchett's Discworld collection. The Barrakee mystery / Arthur Upfield (first published in 1929). Reading this having been intrigued by the author's biography, the positive international reception of his stories and a rather astonishing opinion that a white author ought not write fiction portraying a half-aboriginal character.
Nancy Lange (TAFE Librarian) Nancy looks after the 3 libraries based at SMB, Horsham and Stawell. On her bedside table at the moment, and sometimes on the table in the sunroom where she does most of her art work: The woodblock painting of Cressida Campbell / (ed) Peter Crayford.My favourite at the moment. A book of beautiful soft prints and an inspiration to a fledgling printmaker. The complaints / Ian Rankin. His latest crime novel. Not an Inspector Rebus story which I enjoy the most so finding it a little slow. The grave tattoo / Val McDermid. My favourite crime novelist. Sucks you in straight away with mystery, tension and great plots. Any of her books are a good read if you are into crime novels. The last lecture / Randy Pausch. What wisdom would you impart to the world if we knew it was your last chance? This book is about overcoming obstacles, enabling the dreams of others and seizing every moment.
Roger Clark Acquisitions Librarian Roger co-ordinates the purchase of all Library resources, both print and electronic. On Roger's beside table: The battle for Spain / Antony Beevor. The updated edition, with information from Soviet archives, of Beevor's classic history of the Spanish Civil War. Collected poems / David Campbell. Always near to hand, one of the best Australian poets to emerge in the 50's and 60's. Cultural amnesia: Notes in the margin of my time / Clive James. Remarkable cornucopia of snapshot biographies of important people of the twentieth century, and why they are important. Midnight in Sicily / Peter Robb. Incredible, dense, descriptive, almost noir evocation of Italy and the pervasive reach of the mafia into society. Hotter than that: The trumpet, jazz, and American culture / Krin Gabbard. A history of the trumpet in Jazz and in American culture....as a horn player myself, I couldn't resist!
Vicki Rethus, Information Librarian (Horsham Campus) Vicki's brief involves helping students and staff to navigate their way around the University's vast collection of resources. On Vicki's bedside table: Book of longing / Leonard Cohen. A collection of poems from the heart, enhanced by Cohen's own playful and provocative illustrations. The Dutch I presume? Icons of the Netherlands / Martijn de Rooi. A colourful and informative book, very amusing for both foreigners and Dutchmen. So who is Hans Brinker? Don't ask a Dutchman. Mao's last dancer / Li Cunxin. Li Cunxin's own story from his beginnings in China, a story of courage, a mother's love and a young boy's longing for freedom. Truly inspirational!
]]>http://www.ballarat.edu.au/aasp/is/library/blog/index.php?entry=entry100212-0847432010-02-11T00:00:00Z2010-02-11T00:00:00ZRSS, blogs & iGoogle For anyone not in the know about some of the terms I just used then, here is a quick explanation.
Blogs: A contraction of Web Log. Akin to an online diary. Personal thoughts or professional opinion. I find them a great way of keeping up with developments in my field as well as opinion.
iGoogle page: A personalised homepage using Google. You can have multiple tabs, each one with either games or little applications for almost anything - weather, time, quote of the day, as well as an RSS reader. If you don't already have an iGoogle page, you can sign up for one on the top right hand side of the Google homepage.
RSS (Really Simple Syndication): I started really noticing RSS feed icons on various sites probably in 2007-ish. Then one of my favourite bloggers wrote up an entry about it. Then in 2008 one of my colleagues gave a short professional presentation on RSS feeds which really inspired me to get establish my own page of RSS feeds.
In a nutshell, instead of you going to websites to see what is new, an RSS feed will pipe the new content to you via an RSS reader. Here is an excellent explanation about RSS feeds.
If you want to know more indepth about RSS you can check out Wikipedia's entry on the subject.
So, what are you waiting for? Go forth and create your own RSS feed.
Technocrati is well known blog search engine if you don't know of any blogs in your area.
Here are some sites or links to get you going I found in a quick search.
So if you are curious as to how things are looking visit the Better Libraries Project - Pictures of the progress webpage.]]>http://www.ballarat.edu.au/aasp/is/library/blog/index.php?entry=entry100210-1212552010-02-10T00:00:00Z2010-02-10T00:00:00ZWhat is the catalogue really telling me?catalogue or WebPAC (Public Access Catalogue) provides us with a wealth of information. Some of the terms are clear, for example, which campus an item is located, e.g. Mt Helen Main or SMB Quarto. Whether it is in the Main or Quarto (quartos are just books that are bigger than average and kept on the bottom shelves). It shows whether an item is available or ‘out’ and the due date is listed.
There are also books on Counter Reserve – for these you have to go to the library where they’re held and the material can only be borrowed for two hours at a time as these items are in high demand.
The catalogue tells you what form an item is: anything which is described as Print Material , with a call number to help you locate it, is usually a book. Other materials held are DVD/Video or CD,
REALIA(real things such as games, models, etc.) or eBooks (electronic books) that cannot be accessed via the OPAC, you must be logged into a computer to open an eBbook. The good news is that these books are available at home if you have the internet – providing a virtual library in your PC. For more information on eBooks see UB Library eBooks webpage . Material on E-Reserve is also accessible from home or if you’re logged onto a PC at UB.
Sometimes the item doesn’t have a call number or location instead it has one of these two terms:
On order – an entry in the catalogue that has these words usually has a date after it showing when it was ordered. You can put a hold on items on order.
IN PROCESSING – use REQUEST button : this is better than on order as it tells you that the item on the catalogue is physically on the library premises but in the process of being catalogued, stamped, bugged, labelled, etc. Don’t despair – it is not a case of so near and yet so far, as you can now Request the item/s by pressing the button. This means the item will be fast tracked through the processing system and you will be the first person to receive it. The usual email will be sent to your student, or staff, email to notify you when the item is ready to be picked up.
Don’t forget if you can’t find what you’re after on our catalogue you can also check the BONUS+ button which searches the catalogues of seven other university libraries and you can request books from them to be picked up at your campus library. ]]>http://www.ballarat.edu.au/aasp/is/library/blog/index.php?entry=entry100205-1629342010-02-05T00:00:00Z2010-02-05T00:00:00ZShort loans now 7 days From the start of 2010, all short loan items can be borrowed for one week.
Short loan items, such as textbooks and recommended readings, are usually in high demand and so must be returned by the due date. However, they can be renewed for an additional week up to three times, as long as there are no holds by another patron. Students will incur one demerit point per day per item that is overdue.
Note: 7 day items are for the exclusive use of UB students and staff; they cannot be lent to external borrowers via BONUS+, CAVAL, ULA or InfoLink schemes.
EBL has updated its interface, simplifying the look and navigation, making it easier to read eBooks, as well as adding some useful new features.
New features for users:
* Bookshelf: access current loans, collections, and recently accessed titles from a centralised location. * Collections: add and organise titles in "My Collections". * Bookmarks: access and export patron eBook notes without having to enter the eBook itself, and bookmark eBooks at page level. * Search Result Filtering: filter down search results at the click of a button, by Publication Date, Publisher, Category or Language.
]]>http://www.ballarat.edu.au/aasp/is/library/blog/index.php?entry=entry100127-1424072010-01-27T00:00:00Z2010-01-27T00:00:00ZAlexander Street Press downtime, overnight Jan 30/31Alexander Street Press databases - American Song & International Theatre in Video will be unavailable:
Saturday, January 30 10:00pm - Sunday January 31 9:00am [Local time] Saturday, January 30 11:00am - Saturday, January 30 10:00pm [GMT]
Related post ]]>http://www.ballarat.edu.au/aasp/is/library/blog/index.php?entry=entry100125-1157572010-01-25T00:00:00Z2010-01-25T00:00:00ZLibrary Opening Hours 2010The UB Library opening hours for 2010 are available on the Library website's Opening hours webpage.
You may also find the University Of Ballarat's 2010 wall planner (PDF, 108 KB).]]>http://www.ballarat.edu.au/aasp/is/library/blog/index.php?entry=entry100106-0945522010-01-05T00:00:00Z2010-01-05T00:00:00ZCCH platform change remindertransition to the new platform Intelliconnect that provides enhanced features for users doing research relating to will mean that the old CCH platform will be unavailable from the end of 2009.
The old CCH databases (now available though the new platform) are: * CCH - Law Libraries * Corporations Law (CCH) * Industrial & Intellectual Property Law (CCH) * Industrial Law Library (CCH) * OH&S Library (CCH) * Torts Law Library (CCH) * Trade Practices, Consumer & Contract Law (CCH)
For more information: read the post about the new CCH platform.]]>http://www.ballarat.edu.au/aasp/is/library/blog/index.php?entry=entry091208-1004412009-12-07T00:00:00Z2009-12-07T00:00:00Z
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(real things such as games, models, etc.) or eBooks (electronic books) that cannot be accessed via the OPAC, you must be logged into a computer to open an eBbook. The good news is that these books are available at home if you have the internet – providing a virtual library in your PC. For more information on eBooks see UB Library eBooks webpage . Material on E-Reserve is also accessible from home or if you’re logged onto a PC at UB. 
order as it tells you that the item on the catalogue is physically on the library premises but in the process of being catalogued, stamped, bugged, labelled, etc. Don’t despair – it is not a case of so near and yet so far, as you can now Request the item/s by pressing the button. This means the item will be fast tracked through the processing system and you will be the first person to receive it. The usual email will be sent to your student, or staff, email to notify you when the item is ready to be picked up.
which searches the catalogues of seven other university libraries and you can request books from them to be picked up at your campus library.
Short loan items, such as textbooks and recommended readings, are usually in high demand and so must be returned by the due date. However, they can be renewed for an additional week up to three times, as long as there are no holds by another patron. Students will incur one demerit point per day per item that is overdue.
