Wireless Internet Access in the Vera Bracken Library

The Vera Bracken Library (Medicine Hat Campus) has introduced barrier free access to the Internet via our wireless (Wi-Fi) network. You can read more about this exciting service by clicking here.

E-Resources Launched

Medicine Hat College Library Services has launched its E-Resources page. This addition to our website bundles access and information to e-journals and e-books.

Though the e-journals have existed for more than a year, the e-books are a new addition to our collection. Library Services primarily focused on information and office technology related books. There are 132 titles in our initial release, but more than 3, 000 titles (primarily public domain works) will be added in the future. All of the e-books will eventually be searchable and accessible via the online catalogue.

There are currently more than 10, 000 journal titles available via our SFX enabled Find It service.

Thanks to our partners at The Alberta Library (TAL) for allowing us to maximize our access to these resources for staff and students on and off campus.

Online Catalogue Refreshed

Medicine Hat College Library Services has refreshed its Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC). The OPAC adds several new features, which includes:

• ADVANCED SEARCH. This new search method includes drop boxes for additional keyword search options and drop boxes with Boolean Operators.
  
  
• DEWEY DECIMAL SEARCH. The Vera Bracken Library added a Curriculum Collection for Education Degree students and employs the Dewey Decimal Classification for this collection. The Library of Congress Classification is employed for the remainder of its collections. The Dewey Decimal Call Number Search can be found under the Call Number search heading on the OPAC's homepage.
  
  
• PERIODICAL TITLE SEARCH. The Periodical Title Search is no longer handled by our library system software. The SFX based Find It search will now process periodical title searches. Searches that are conducted will locate periodicals in the Libraries, as well as those available via the databases/online periodical indexes. The Find It search is made possible due to our partnership with The Alberta Library (TAL) and 12 other Alberta postsecondary institutions.
  
  
• BANNER & IMAGES. With any refresh comes a new look. While retaining the essential functionality of the previous catalogue, the revised version employs new graphics and linking effects to enhance the user experience. The combined Vera Bracken and Brooks Library Catalogue search employs a blue theme, while the Brooks Library Catalogue employs a violet theme.

Thanks to our partners at the University of Lethbridge for their aid in refreshing the OPAC.

Online Services Active

Upgrades to Medicine Hat College Library Services' system have been completed. All online services have returned to normal operation.

If you experience any problems with accessing any of our online services, please call one of our service desks - call (403)529-3867 for the Vera Bracken Library at the Medicine Hat Campus and (403)362-1690 for the Brooks Campus Library.

Thanks to our partners at the University of Lethbridge (who we share an online library catalogue with) for the work they performed to complete the upgrade.

Online Services Disruption - 14 August 2006

Medicine Hat College Library Services will experience a disruption of online services starting at 7:00 a.m. on Monday, August 14, 2006. Normal online operations should resume early in the afternoon. This disruption will include both the Brooks and Medicine Hat campuses.

System upgrades are taking place and the Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) might not be accessible. This means that you will not be able to search for Library materials online. Other online services such as database authentication (for home users) and Interlibrary Loan Services will also be disrupted.

All other services (Circulation Desk, computers, databases (on campus), Information Desk, and Internet access) will not be disrupted by the system upgrades.

We apologize for the inconvenience. All online services should be back to normal operation early in the afternoon.

For more information, please see the Libraries' Circulation or Information Desks, or phone: 529-3867 in Medicine Hat, 362-1690 in Brooks.

Employment Opportunities

Medicine Hat College Library Services currently has several vacant positions in its Libraries.

The Brooks Campus Library has a vacant Library Clerk position.

The Vera Bracken Library (Medicine Hat) is taking applications for an Audio Visual Clerk and for a Shelver (ideal for a student wanting a casual job).

Click on each job's title for more information.

Yes, we are open and do work in the summer.

Yes, we are still open and quite busy. Despite a lower volume of students at the Medicine Hat College Campus in the Summer Semesters, we are still busy behind the scenes.

Some of the active projects that we are currently engaged in are:

• Development of the Curriculum Collection for the Bachelor of Education Degree.Medicine Hat College, by means of a partnership with the University of Alberta, offers an Education Degree.Acquisitions and Cataloguing Technicians (with the Serials Clerk) are feverishly ordering, cataloguing, and preparing materials for this new area in our collection.The Curriculum Collection will be housed at the Vera Bracken Library (Medicine Hat Campus).

• The Curriculum Collection will employ Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC; call numbers) – which is most popular at public libraries and schools. The Audiovisual, Circulating Books, and Reference Collections will continue to use the Library of Congress Classification (LC) – which is employed by colleges and universities throughout North America.
  
  
• Updating of the Libraries’ (Medicine Hat and Brooks) websites. Medicine Hat College updated its logo, colours, and website over the summer time, and Library Services is updating its look to match.
  
  
• Updating of the online catalogue public access catalogue (OPAC). The revised OPAC is still in the test phase. Though it is not a dramatic update, it will have some new visuals and features. Among the new features, includes an Advanced Keyword Search and Dewey Decimal Call Number Search (for the Curriculum Collections materials).
  
  Periodical searches will now be handled by SFX (Find It!) – a tool that was developed in partnership with The Alberta Library (TAL). The SFX (Find It!) search allows students to locate periodicals in the Library, but also online periodicals available via the online databases. This expands our resources from 450+ print publications to more than 9,500 online periodicals – which includes journals, magazines, and newspapers.
  
  
• E-book collection development. Library Services is working on development of full-text electronic books being made available online through the OPAC. The e-book collection will focus on computer and office technologies.
  
  
• Online library tutorial. Library Services continues to develop an online tutorial based on the Western Michigan University’s Searchpath. This tutorial will offer a basic introduction to locating and evaluating resources from the OPAC, online databases, and the Web. Though we have experienced some development setbacks, we are still expecting this to be online in early September.

So, as you can see, we are busy this summer. Staff are hard at work expanded our services and your access to information. Despite all the development, we are never too busy to help our patrons and look forward to serving the faculty, public, students, and staff in August and the months that follow.