OCLC Canada Newsletter
Fall 2004 - Winter 2005
A Word from the Director
Happy New Year! Once again in 2004, OCLC Canada has been able to assure that its services remained valuable to Canadian libraries. We have added many new member libraries and some of them are listed in the next section. Libraries demonstrated a steady interest toward virtual reference across the year (six new libraries acquired QuestionPoint for their local needs) and the merger with 24X7 Reference Service will allow us to provide additional layers of service to libraries and groups. Moreover, we were able to add new databases to our FirstSearch service: Philosopher's Index, RIPM, eBook database.
Outsourcing cataloguing services keeps on generating new interest from all types of libraries and for various projects (languages, backlog, conversion, etc.). Is it because of a chronic shortage of cataloguers graduating than those retiring? Needless to say, our LTS office can certainly handle most of these projects and if we do not have a given language expertise, we can always rely on our friends in Ohio.
Regarding LTS, we were extremely pleased to announce the opening of a digitization centre out of our Winnipeg office in 2004. Being responsible for digitizing the Peel Bibliography at the University of Alberta, we had to build a sustainable facility here in Canada. Since then, we have now started projects with the Alberta Legislative Library, the Manitoba Library Consortium and the Archives of Manitoba. We are planning to offer a "mobile service" in 2005 over and above the equipment currently in place (microfilm scanner andcamera, paper scanner for various size, equipement for producing bitonal, greyscale and color images) which allows us to already fulfill many of the requirements of the library, archives and museum communities. Similarly, a diverse range of institutions such as the QEII Library at Memorial University, Dalhousie University, the Glenbow Museum and the Legislative Library of Alberta decided to acquire or upgrade CONTENTdm to provide access to their digital collections.
In addition to opening a Canadian digitization studio, we succeeded in adding quite a few new Canadian publishers to our NetLibrary eBook solution. Publishers such as Dundurn Press, Quarry Press, CCNM Press, Canadian Scholar's Press (CSPI), Chenelière/McGraw-Hill and Wilfrid-Laurier University Press have all agreed to work with OCLC NetLibrary. For the past two years, our eBook solution has proven to be one of the best for our library users and the publishers trust toward our organization and the electronic format has definitely matured as well. We are confident in continuing to add more Canadian publishers in 2005 including, hopefully, French Canadian publishers.
Suffice it to say, there is a growing demand for French titles and in 2004, we were able to sign quite a few new French European publishers. I invite you to consult the list of French titles on our TitleSelect site. Similarly, do not hesitate to call one of our three offices in Canada to learn more about audio books. This is a completely new format for us that allows unlimited use and downloads.
As you can see, we are working hard at finding great solutions for libraries around the world. Most importantly, we are also doing our best in finding solutions for our Canadian members and users but alas, we cannot do this unilaterally. We need your help to identify solutions and content we can add to our offerings. If you think you have such an opportunity to share with us, please do not hesitate to contact one of us at OCLC Canada directly and we will gladly investigate this opportunity with you.
Daniel Boivin
Welcome to new Canadian member libraries
- Lethbridge Community College
- Winnipeg Public Library
- École polytechnique de Montréal
- University of Guelph Library
PDAs & EBooks at the University of Alberta Libraries
By Pam Ryan (pam.ryan@ualberta.ca) and Denise Koufogiannakis (denise.koufogiannakis@ualberta.ca)
Introduction
The University of Alberta Libraries began to offer services to users of personal digital assistants (PDAs) in 2001. Since that time, we've developed a wide range of services and collections to support PDA users' information needs. In 2003, we surveyed the participants in our PDA instruction sessions and held a series of focus groups and interviews to determine the kinds of library support our campus PDA users were looking for. The ability to access licensed information resources that are formatted for PDA use and provided by the library was a common request. In response to this request, we have developed a PDA-accessible collection that includes three licensed products: PEPID, MDC Mobile, and netLibrary.
Licensed Resources
PEPID is a medical reference tool that has proven extremely popular with our physicians, nurses and medical students. We now have over 400 users registered to use this product. MDC Mobile is the PDA-accessible component of our subscription to the MD Consult database. It provides users with a daily summary of medical news; drug alerts; journal abstracts, and the ability to record and initiate MD Consult searches from a handheld device.
In addition to these medical resources, we have taken a broader subject approach to the development of our PDA-accessible collection through our netLibrary ebooks collection. The University of Alberta Libraries has subscribed to netLibrary for several years beginning with a Council of Prairie and Pacific University Libraries (COPPUL) consortial purchase.
In the fall of 2003 we purchased netLibrary's Adobe Offline Content Server in order to provide access to netLibrary ebooks that are available for offline viewing in PDF format, on devices such as PDAs or laptops. To date, we have selected over 200 titles that are available in both the traditional netLibrary format and in the offline format, covering disciplines including education, medicine, sciences, and the humanities and social sciences.
In addition to our online licensed resources, we've also acquired a small number of PDA ebook titles from Franklin Electronic Publishers on copy-protected expansion or multimedia cards. Users wanting to borrow the ebook cards need a PDA with a compatible expansion slot and operating system but titles have been acquired for both the Palm and Pocket PC operating systems. The ebook cards are available for regular patron loan periods.
More Information
For more information about the full range of University of Alberta Library services for PDA users, visit our PDA Zone web site at: www.library.ualberta.ca/pdazone/
*** OCLC Canada Northern Exposure to Leadership Institute (NELI) Bursary ***
Our Northern Exposure Experience
By Debbie Feisst, Edmonton Public Library and Robert Janke, Okanagan University College
On January 22 through 27, 2004 we were privileged to attend the 7th "Northern Exposure to Leadership Institute" held at the beautiful and remote Emerald Lake Lodge in Yoho National Park, British Columbia. We are both very thankful to CLA and OCLC Canada who jointly sponsored two one thousand dollar bursaries that offset registration costs and enabled us to attend.
Northern Exposure to Leadership, or NEL, is an intensive 5 day leadership institute "by and for Canada's future library leaders." It is held approximately every 18 months and is expertly organized by NEL's Executive Director, the University of Alberta's Ernie Ingles, Associate Vice-President (Learning Services) and NEL facilitators Karen Adams, Pat Cavill, Donna Brockmeyer and Trevor Hamans. The mission of NEL is to "assist professional librarians to develop, strengthen, and exercise their leadership skills" through individual and personal learning experiences. A major focus of NEL is to support personal risk-taking while encouraging participants to create innovative solutions. Other concepts included leadership styles, personality and the future of libraries and our profession.
The 2004 NEL had 25 participants, or "Nellies," from all over Canada, and 1 participant from Washington state; we Canadians figured that since she was so close to the border that she could be an honorary Canadian for the duration of the Institute! Of these 25 Canadian participants, 5 were from British Columbia, 6 were from the Prairies, 8 were from Ontario, 3 were from Quebec, and 3 were from the Atlantic provinces. Besides being from all corners of the country the participants also represented different library sectors—8 were from public libraries, 16 from academic and 2 worked in special libraries. It was a well-rounded group and it was excellent to get to know this fantastic, like-minded, peer group.
NEL's program concepts are based on experiential learning activities, both individual and group. Another real strength of the institute lies in its supportive mentors and mentor-to-participant ratio. Over and above the facilitators the Nellies worked closely with eight mentors who, like the Nellies, represented diverse geographical and professional roots. Unlike the Nellies, however, they represented, in many ways, the pinnacle of the profession. The benefits were enormous, if not readily apparent—to work alongside some of the most respected library leaders in Canada in such an immersive atmosphere would invariably boost confidence when one finds oneself in the outside world, library or otherwise.
The activities that the Nellies participated in were extremely creative, fun and at times, moving. Time was set aside for self-exploration as well as 'gelling' as a group, and also for the opportunity to speak with NEL mentors, facilitators and sponsors one-on-one. The importance of the Institute's location to the success of the NEL experience cannot be overstressed. It's our feeling that, content aside, the ambiance of location is commensurate with the feeling of import that is imbued upon the participating body. Or, to state more simply, we lived and ate like Fortune 500 CEOs and therefore felt like we were or could become such!
One of the central activities that we engaged in as a group was a preferred futuring exercise. At its core this exercise asked us to revisit the past, acknowledge the current and future forces that will influence the world of libraries, and then work together to shape a vision of what we would like librarianship to look like ten years into the future. Our very capable Visioning Committee, Deborah Hutchison (Vancouver Public Library), Daniel Lee (Navigator, Ltd., Toronto), Gwendolyn MacNairn (Dalhousie University) and Joanne Oud (Wilfred Laurier University) drafted the following document, Coming Out in 2014: A Vision for the Library Profession.
Coming Out in 2014: A Vision for the Library Profession
Librarians are letting the world know about who they are as professionals. We are coming out. Out of the library building, our from behind the desk, out of our silos, and out of retirement.
Coming Out of the Library
Librarians are part of daily life. Every member of the community has their own personal librarian, someone they regularly consult, wherever and however they need, for assistance with their information needs. By stepping out of our buildings, and taking our skills and expertise to our communities, we have made ourselves an integral part of our cities, schools, and organizations.
Librarians are building communities by bringing people and information together. We are designing information literacy curriculum. We are taking ownership of the information technology tools we use. We are working with architects to develop collaborative learning spaces and consulting with local politicians to ensure that constituents' information needs are being met.
We are constantly engaged in refining the services that we provide, ensuring that our services match information needs, user lifestyles, and user preferences for how they access information.
Coming Out From Behind the Desk
You won't find librarians sitting behind their desks. We're in virtual classrooms, teaching information literacy. We're sitting at the bedsides of hospital patients, helping them make informed treatment decisions. We're bringing families to the library for multilingual story times and contributing to the cultural life of our communities. Information literacy is the "new math," a core subject in the curriculum at all levels, and is recognized as a necessary skill for daily life.
Coming Out of Our Silos
We are working across units within our libraries and collaborating on collections and services with librarians in other settings. Diversity and teamwork are key, and through cross-functional and interdisciplinary teams we have begun to recognize our complementary roles and strengths. Together we are working to solve the complex problems we face as information professionals. We rely on a growing body of quality research, and librarians in all settings are empowered to carry out research and share it via open source online publishing tools.
Coming Out of Retirement
Recently retired librarians have formed a movement. These librarians emeriti continue to contribute to the profession by lobbying on behalf of librarians and libraries. By exploiting their political connections and experience, they are influencing public policy on libraries and access to information. Some have even sought political office.
Whether out in our communities or inside the walls of our libraries, we continue to be committed to the success of others on their own terms.
Attending NEL was an extremely worthwhile experience that we will treasure always. We highly recommend attending this unique leadership institute. Nominations to attend NEL can come from employers, library associations, library schools and the corporate information sector. Nominees must have received their library degree within the past 7 years, and must have a minimum of 2 years professional library experience. Moreover, their record should show: demonstration of leadership potential; excellent communication skills; professional involvement; successful employment experience. If you or someone you know fits this description, be on the look out for the announcement for the 8th Northern Exposure to Leadership.
For more information please see http://www.ls.ualberta.ca/neli/index.html.
Coquitlam and Port Moody Public Libraries Receive Web Junction Award
Coquitlam, BC - The WJ Award winners for Innovative Content and Use of Technology for 2004 are the Coquitlam and Port Moody Public Libraries. The two libraries won the award, in the category of communities serving a population of more than 100,000 people, for connecting users more effectively through their Two Libraries: One Search Service, a service which was designed as part of the Smart Choices project. This gateway allows community members to:
- search Port Moody Public Library, Coquitlam Public Library, and the British Columbia Outlook database of library holdings in the Province, as well as several different subscription databases (many of which offer electronic full-text articles, magazine articles and encyclopedias);
- access other library services (reference help, homework helper and recommended web sites);
- search a database of community organizations through citysoup.ca and the Red Book.
The common user interface was developed for the project by Auto-Graphics, Inc. "Citizens can search Two Libraries. One Search from either library's web site (Coquitlam Public Library or Port Moody Public Library) or through citysoup.ca", said Karen Harrison Director of Coquitlam Public Library. "Since we launched this service in the spring, both libraries have experience phenomenal growth in their virtual services".
Diana Guinn, Chief Librarian at Port Moody agrees. "Not only has our internet presence improved, but other libraries in Canada and the province have noticed our efforts. One of the goals of the recently announced Strategic Plan for public libraries is to create a common gateway for public libraries and our project is being held up as an example of cooperation and innovation".
WebJunction is an online community of libraries and other agencies sharing knowledge and experience to provide the broadest public access to information technology. In 2002, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation awarded the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) a three-year grant to build a portal for public libraries and other organizations that provide open access to information. Building on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's five-year-old U.S. Library Program, which has provided over 40,000 computers with Internet access to more than 10,000 libraries across the United States and Canada, WebJunction is the work of five organizations, led by OCLC.
Any library located in one of the 50 states, the six jurisdictional territories of the United States, or Canada that provides more than 20 hours per week of public access to the Internet is eligible for consideration.
Tribal and First Nation community organizations providing public access are also eligible.
For more information, please contact:
Karen Harrison, Director
Coquitlam Public Library
575 Poirier Street
Coquitlam, B.C.,
Canada V3J 6A9
kharrison@library.coquitlam.bc.ca
office: 604-937-4131
Diana Guinn
Chief Librarian
Port Moody Public Library
100 NewPort Drive
Port Moody, BC
V3H 3E1
Diana.Guinn@cityofportmoody.com
office: 604-469-4580
Miscellaneous
New Library Consultant for Ontario
OCLC Canada has named Michael Aprieto as Library Services Consultant for the province of Ontario.
Mr. Aprieto is based in Toronto, Ontario, and is responsible for introducing existing and new products such as virtual reference (QuestionPoint), digitization (CONTENTdm and Olive) and eBooks (NetLibrary) to the library, archive and museum communities.
Prior to joining OCLC Canada, Mr. Aprieto worked four years for CEDROM-SNi Inc. (an online provider of French content) as an account manager covering the library industry in Ontario and Western Canada. He also worked at Enerlec Sales, Semad/Sterling Electronics Canada Inc. and Arrow Electronics Canada Inc.
"His knowledge of the library market as well as his overall technical experience with online and electronic resources will make him a great addition to the OCLC Canada team" said Mr. Boivin, director of OCLC Canada.
Michael can be reached by email at michael_aprieto@oclc.org or by phone at 1-416-203-9660 or 1-866-339-2790.
Resource Sharing Advisory Committee (RSAC)
We are pleased to announce that Mr. Michael Ireland from CISTI - National Research Council Canada, has been elected to represent the OCLC Canada membership on the RSAC committee at OCLC in Ohio. The RSAC meets two or three times per year through conference calls to discuss various items related to resource sharing such as trends, improvements, opportunities, etc.
Michael Ireland, Manager, CISTI Document Supply, is a professional librarian with an M.L.I.S. from the University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario.
Mr. Ireland began his library career at CISTI in 1982 working in a succession of increasingly responsible positions in Acquisitions, Cataloguing and Document Delivery. He became the Document Delivery Manager in 2000. As a member of CISTI, the Canadian national science library, Mr. Ireland is a great believer in the importance of resource sharing whether it is Canada, the United States or across the planet as a way to spread information and knowledge and improve the quality of life everywhere. His own role is to facilitate the rapid and efficient transfer of scientific, technical and medical information from the CISTI, and its Canadian Agriculture Library partner collections, to a worldwide clientele.
Migration
OCLC Cataloguing, Resource Sharing and Union List migration dates
OCLC will retire Passport for cataloguing or ILL, ILLWeb, ILL ME and ILLiad 6.X as of May 1, 2005. CatME, CJK, and Arabic Cataloguing as of July 1, 2005.
Current OCLC members who are using these interfaces should plan to migrate prior to these dates.
Retirement
May 1, 2005: OCLC retires Passport for Cataloging and resource sharing, ILL Web, ILL ME and ILLiad 6.x.
- Those who use Passport for cataloging must migrate to the Connexion browser or client.
- Those who use Passport for ILL, ILL Web, ILL ME or ILLiad 6.x for resource sharing must migrate to WorldCat Resource Sharing or upgrade to OCLC ILLiad 7.0.
- OCLC is already seeing considerable migration of users from ILL Web to WorldCat Resource Sharing. If this trend continues, OCLC will work with remaining libraries to speed up the migration process. This may result in an earlier retirement date for ILL Web.
June 2005: OCLC retires Passport union listing functionality. Those who use Passport for Union List activities must migrate to Connexion
July 1, 2005: OCLC retires CatME, CJK and Arabic. All users of these access points must migrate to the Connexion browser or client.
Note: In June 2005, libraries will be able to use the Connexion Browser to maintain local holdings (LDRs) and OCLC will retire Passport for Union Listing. Libraries will still be able to use OCLC Batch Processing to maintain local holdings in WorldCat, and local holdings will continue to display in FirstSearch databases and in WorldCat Resource Sharing.
Information on migration to Connexion's Web and client interface.
Information on migration to WorldCat Resource Sharing.
Do not hesitate to contact Manon Barbeau (manon_barbeau@oclc.org or 1-888-658-6583) if you would like training or more information on the new interfaces.
Cataloguing
OCLC Canada provides custom cataloging services for Canadian universities
In 2004, OCLC Canada has catalogues between 15,000 and 20,000 titles for the University of Saskatchewan.
The University of Manitoba has renewed its cataloging contract for library services with OCLC Canada for a four-year term, beginning April 1, 2004. The contract calls for the custom cataloging and processing of 25,000 items annually. The University of Manitoba first contracted with OCLC Canada in 1994. A variety of formats will be cataloged by OCLC Canada, such as audiovisual, musical scores and sound recordings, in a variety of languages such as French, German and Slavic. "OCLC Canada is extremely pleased to be able to continue working with the University of Manitoba Libraries through a new long-term agreement and the University of Saskatchewan. We feel the commitments by these two universities show the quality of service provided by OCLC Canada in the area of custom cataloging." said Daniel Boivin, Director of OCLC Canada.
In Canada, all custom cataloging services are provided by OCLC Canada LTS Library Technical Services located in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
FirstSearch
Now available - PAIS Archive, Part II
The PAIS Archive database on the OCLC FirstSearch service has been updated with a second installment (Part II). The PAIS Archive is a retrospective database chronicling global public policy and social issues from the early twentieth century through the mid-1970's, and complements the contemporary social sciences coverage of the PAIS International database on FirstSearch.
With the addition of Part II, the The PAIS Archive database now contains more than 850,000 records, originally published in the Public Affairs Information Service Bulletin, 1937 - 1976. The full file, including records for material published since 1915, will be available this winter and is projected to contain 1,000,000 records. Additional information about the PAIS Archive, including a Search Guide and list of Frequently Asked Questions, is available on the PAIS Archive Information page: PAIS.
For pricing information, please contact OCLC Canada.
The Philosopher's Index database now available on OCLC FirstSearch
OCLC is pleased to announce that The Philosopher's Index database is now available by subscription on the OCLC FirstSearch service.
This database, produced by the Philosopher's Information Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to serving philosophers, is the pre-eminent philosophy database in the world.
The Philosopher's Index covers more than 550 journals in all fields of philosophy from more than 40 countries in eight languages. It contains citations and author-written abstracts for journal articles, books, contributions to anthologies and book reviews, published from 1940 to the present, and is updated quarterly.
The Philosopher's Index complements the rich philosophy resources in WorldCat and the humanities collection on FirstSearch and NetLibrary.
As with other databases on FirstSearch, OCLC has enhanced The Philosopher's Index by providing links to full text from Electronic Collections Online and other databases, links to library holdings in WorldCat and to OCLC interlibrary loan, links to local OPACs, Z39.50 links to shelf status, links via OpenURL and links to JSTOR.
For pricing information, please contact OCLC Canada.
OCLC Canada was there
| Photo: OCLC Canada was at the ASTED in 2004
Upcoming sessions at conferences
Come and see us at one of these seminars or activities
- · Ontario Library Association Super Conference
- Toronto, Ontario - February 3 to 5 2005
- · Centennial Saskatchewan Libraries Conference
- Saskatoon, Saskatchewan - April 21 to 23 2005
- · British Columbia Library Association Conference
- Burnaby, British Colombia - April 23 to 25 2005
- · Alberta Library Conference
- Jasper, Alberta - April 28 to May 1 2005
- · Manitoba Library Conference
- Winnipeg, Manitoba - May 2 to 4 2005
- · Atlantic Provinces Library Association
- Halifax, Nova-Scotia - May 26 to 29 2005
- · Canadian Library Association Conference
- Calgary, Alberta - June 15 to 18 2005
Conferences and meetings in Canada
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We want to hear from you!
Please do not hesitate to send us your questions, comments or topics for future articles to canada@oclc.org. For help or additional information, give us a call at 1-888-658-6583.
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