All entries for January 2006

CiteULike

Writing about web page http://www.citeulike.org/

Looks pretty good to me. It's limited as to which providers it works with, but it covers some of our biggies including JSTOR, Ingenta and ScienceDirect.

It seems like its related to the whole Web 2.0 thing that I posted about earlier today, since the tagging system could be one of those "folksonomies" that I keep reading about.

I think its got potential, but I'd be interested to hear if there are any academics out there using it in anger!

Jenny Delasalle : 27 Jan 2006 14:39 |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Library 2.0 ???

Writing about web page http://www.talis.com/downloads/white_papers/DoLibrariesMatter.pdf

Well, I've heard of Web 2.0. It's something that Tim O'Reilly talks about, although its still something of a mystical concept to me. Can't help thinking that its all about the logical progression of existing web technology.

Anyway, now Kevin Chad of Talis and Paul Miller have coined the term for libraries. Read all about their ideas in detail in the paper I've linked to. The basic idea seems to be that Library 2.0 is all about library services that people use without visiting the library itself.

In Library 2.0 the library can use various different technology packages from different providers which can integrate with each other to provide the best service possible. It sounds good if Talis is going to get all the providers of Library Management systems and serials management systems and OpenURL resolvers and cross searching techologies and various other products to talk to each other. Then we could choose the best product from the best provider regardless of whether or not our catalogue comes from that provider. Of course, if it was really going to work, the library technology would have to work with all the University's other systems like student records and authentication packages, etc.

Does that mean that someone, somewhere is talking about University 2.0?

Jenny Delasalle : 27 Jan 2006 14:17 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Gadget desire

Writing about web page http://products.sel.sony.com/pa/PRS/reader_features.html

Oh dear, a techy chum of mine just sent me this link. I've suddenly felt an overwhelming desire to buy one – though not quite sure how I'll justify the personal expense. Can't quite see me managing to persuade work to buy one right now…

Wonder if the screen is not as hard on the eyes as other e-book reader-type things? One's I've used in the past have always tended to be a bit hard to read for very long.

: 26 Jan 2006 15:24 |  Tags: Personal |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Audio tour

Had a go at the Library audio tour this morning (if you've not tried it – I'd have a go, it's rather good). Realised that despite being here a year I still don't have a particularly good idea of where things actually are in the building. Much clearer now.

Took me around 30 minutes, and now I do know:
-how many items we had when we first opened and now
-all about study carrels
-which service is where
-all about the richness of the collection

: 25 Jan 2006 10:12 |  Tags: Audio Tour Personal |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

The good news is that libraries are getting £80m of lottery money

Writing about web page http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,1694044,00.html

The bad news is that they can't spend it on books (And these are public (not academic) libraries…)

: 25 Jan 2006 10:08 |  Comments (2) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

3 green highlighters…

Writing about web page http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/library/subjects/riu/concluded/readinglistaudit/

...8 months of effort, 28 figures, 27 tables, 1126 lists, 75 pages and 19,991 words later we come to the end of the grand reading list audit project.

I've now submitted the report to the Library Management Group and the Subject Librarian Teams – and it's up them now to decide just what they want to do with the findings.

I can honestly say that if I never see a module reading list ever again that my life will be so much the richer.

For those who might be daunted by the whole report, there's a short summary on the RIU Web site linked to above.

: 24 Jan 2006 15:17 |  Tags: Project Results Reading Lists |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

The beginining of the end

With today Jen has started her secondment to Careers, easing herself in at 1 day a week before ramping up to more or less full time over the next month or so.

And with my departure in a little over a month as well, it looks like we've come to the parting of the ways for the RIU as it stands. What will come after I think is very much open to discussion…

In part to help ease this change we’ve set up a general riu@warwick.ac.uk email alias that will send messages to (currently) either one of us, and as new people are brought in to backfill our posts then on to them.

However, if around early March there is a slight slowing in the speed of response, well our apologies but at that point it won’t really be up to us to sort out…

: 23 Jan 2006 09:40 |  Tags: Personal RIU |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Barcode scanner arrived

Today is an exciting day because our barcode scanner has arrived! We need it to issue books to "Mrs Digitisation" so that we can have a record of the exact copies we scan material from under the CLA Trial scanning licence. It will save a lot of time if we don't have to type all the barcodes in.

Jenny Delasalle : 18 Jan 2006 09:43 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Medical student focus groups

Follow-up to Participants still wanted – Medical/Library Focus groups from Innovating Research!

Well not sure it's the power of the blog, probably more the power of the mass-email but I've had a few more volunteers for these sessions. Huzzah huzzah!

But still plenty of spaces for interested medical undergraduates – and don't forget that £10 Amazon voucher lure…

: 17 Jan 2006 09:29 |  Tags: Focus Groups Medical School |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Participants still wanted – Medical/Library Focus groups

Follow-up to Medical student focus groups from Innovating Research!

There are spaces open to phase 1 & 2 medical students to participate in short (and painless) focus groups. Students will have the opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues relating to the University library, its physical and electronic resources in a free and frank exchange of views.

Sessions will run at the following dates, times and venues:

Monday 6th, Medical School, Gibbet Hill Campus
Grp 1: 9am
Grp 2: 10:30am

Tuesday 7th: Medical School, Gibbet Hill Campus
Grp 3: 2pm
Grp 4: 3:30pm

Friday 10th CSB, University Hospital, Coventry
Grp 5: 9am
Grp 6: 10:30am

All participants will receive a £10 Amazon voucher as a thank you for their input.

If you are interested – then please email Gareth Johnson (gareth.johnson@warwick.ac.uk) with the dates and times you are interested and available for before 27th Janurary 2006.

: 16 Jan 2006 16:20 |  Tags: Focus Groups Medical School |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem