A Colour Copier That Does More . . .

The Vera Bracken Library has added a colour photocopier to its repertoire of services.

The new copier can do more than print in colour though; it adds the following new features as well:

• Duplex (double-sided) printing. This feature will help conserve paper which is good for the environment and backpacks.
  
• A document feed tray. This is a great feature for duplicating large articles from the Reserve Collection that students might want to retain for studying purposes.
  
• USB printing of PDFs. Patrons of the library can print files that are in the PDF format from their flash drives to the photocopiers via the copier's onscreen interface.

The copier can duplicate/print to legal and letter sized paper. Costs for duplicating are as follows:

• black & white:
  
  • $.10 (single-sided)
  • $.20 (double-sided)


• colour
  
  • $.50 (single-sided)
  • $1 (double-sided)
    

Assistance with the new machine can be provided by the Circulation Desk staff.

Interlibrary Loans' Post-to-Web is here!

WHAT IS POST-TO-WEB?

• It is a great new green delivery option from the library's Interlibrary Loans department that is designed to effectively increase your access, while decreasing your excess to acquiring periodical publications (journals, magazines, and newspapers).

HOW DOES IT WORK?

• When you select this delivery option, you can have periodical articles that you ordered sent directly to your desired e-mail account as a PDF.

BENEFITS?

• Since periodical articles that you ordered can be delivered directly to your e-mail, this means you can access the article: on-campus, in your office, at home, or anywhere else in the world. You will not need to trundle into the library on those wintry nights to retrieve your order. [Increasing your access.]
  
  
• You help save trees since paper will not be used in the delivery of the article, which is better for the environment. [Decrease your excess.]
  
  
• FREE! Despite this great new service enhancement, the service remains free to faculty, staff, and students of Medicine Hat College.

HOW TO GET IT?

• New Registrations: When you register for the service, select "Email Post to Web" in the "Delivery Method Copy:" drop-box.
  
  
  
• Existing Patrons: Log-in to your account, and access your "User Profile." In your profile, select "Email Post to Web" in the "Delivery Method Copy:" drop-box.
  

Please join us in making a difference. Think before you print!

Laptops to Loan . . .

Occasionally students might find that they need to do a little mobile computing around campus, but do not have a computer where they want to work. To this end, Library Services now provides laptops to students that need some mobile computing power where and when they need it. Internet services can be easily accessed using the laptops' built-in wireless cards and our wireless network.

Students can borrow and schedule laptops from the Vera Bracken Library for use on campus only. A laptop can be borrowed for 4 hours and renewed for an additional 4 hours if there are no holds on it. See the Audio Visual Desk in the library for additional details.

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The laptops' software profiles are as follows:

• Microsoft Office XP (SP3)
  
• Microsoft Office 2007 Professional (Access, Excel, PowerPoint, Word, etc.)
• Classroom Performance System (CPS)
• SMART Notebook 10
• CD/DVD burning application and more

Some quick hardware specifications include:

• 17" screen (great for collaboration)
  
• 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor
• 250 GB hard drive
  
• 3GB RAM
  
• Wireless network card & Bluetooth
• Built-in Web-cam and microphone
• CD/DVD player
• SD card reader
• Firewire (1394a)
• USB 2.0

Library On the Go!—Roaming Reference

If you cannot come to the library, the library will come to you. That is the simple idea behind our new roaming reference service—Library On the Go!

Starting on Monday, November 2nd and continuing throughout the month, the library will have Information Desk staff situated in the hallway between the campus café and cafeteria. We will be setup between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. The staff will be equipped with a laptop and our most popular handouts—APA and MLA—ready, willing, and able to provide you with on-the-spot assistance.


Please stop by and see us, we look forward to serving you.

Library Drop-in Classes

Library Services will be holding drop-in classes for individuals that want to learn more about some of services and tools provided by the library.

Here is what you need to know:

• Times: Tuesdays and Thursdays from November 3rd to 26th, starting at 11:00 a.m.
  
• Duration: 20-30 minutes.
• Where: Library Classroom (B130)
  
• Registration: Sign-up at library Information Desk or drop in.
  

Topics/Schedule:

• November 3rd - APA citation.
  
• November 5th - Finding journal articles.
• November 10th - Finding books and audiovisuals.
• November 12th - MLA citation.
• November 17th - Finding journal articles.
• November 19th - APA citation.
• November 24th - Finding journal articles.
• November 26th - Finding books and audiovisuals.

Participants are eligible to enter a draw for one choice of the following grand prizes on Nov 26:

1. printing credit: $15
2. bookstore gift certificate: $15
3. cafeteria gift certificate: $15

If you have further questions, please see the Information Desk or call: 403-529-3867.

We hope to see you there.

"Text Us" Service Launched

It is a mobile world and Library Services has created a new service to meet the demands of the mobile student community. Today we launched Text Us, a mobile library information service that will deliver answers to our patrons in 160 characters or less.

 You can ask us questions like:

• When do you close?
• Do you have [title] in?
• Can you put [title] aside until I get there?
• How do I renew an item?
• Who is the Prime Minister of Denmark?

It is all fair game. If we cannot answer your query through Text  Us, we will refer you to one of our other service options which include Ask A Question, Library Online Agents (IM Services), by phone,  or in person.

You can text the Vera Bracken Library Information Desk Staff at: 403-866-5872.

For more information, click here.

Quiet Summer? Not Likely.

Some people think that Library Services shuts down for the Summer, but little do they realize that it is one of the busier times of the year for staff. Over the Summer time, we are actively engaged in preparing for the upcoming Fall and Winter semesters. We are preparing for new technologies and upgrading existing ones. Some of the projects that we have on the go include:

• ENCORE – This new search tool will allow patrons to search the online catalogue for books and audiovisual materials as well as our most popular databases for periodical articles. The Encore interface also allows registered patrons to tag, rate, and comment on materials found in the library. A patron can build a custom collection of materials using the tagging system.

• INTERLIBRARY LOAN SERVICES’ POST-TO-WEB – This is a great new service that we want to roll out for our patrons that take advantage of our Interlibrary Loan Services. Our testing has proven to be popular and successful with our test clients. What is it though? In the past you would have to come into the library to pickup periodical articles that you ordered, but now you can get the articles delivered directly to your e-mail inbox. Once you receive the article, you can print or save the article. The services is easier and faster for you, and good for the environment since it is now paper free. You will still have to come into the library to collect any audiovisual, book, or alternative mediums.

• OFFICE RENOVATIONS – With new staff and changing demands for space, the Vera Bracken Library will undergo some minor renovations. Though most patrons will not see them, a new office is being built and the audiovisual storage area is being expanded. Unprocessed materials (books and audiovisuals that need to be paid for, catalogued, and prepped for circulation) will now be stored in the library’s Work Room. It might look like we are building a staff lounge with our own private book collection, but our Work Room does serve a utilitarian purpose.

• WEB SITE REDESIGN – As part of the overall college Web site redesign, the library is examining its homepage and trying to determine how we can best maximize the access to our key online services – resource location and in-person/online assistance. Though we love our current site, we will had to change sometime to integrate new search and assistance tools that will make things easier in the long run.

• PRINTING ENHANCED FOR STUDENTS – We will be getting a new student printer with more features such as faster/greater printing and paper capacity, photocopying, and scanning options. Our previous printer printed 600,000+ pages in less than two years – more than every other printer in the college put together! This seriously pushed the machine to its limits. The new machine promises to be bigger and faster, so hopefully no more stalls in the printing queue caused by large file sizes.

• NEW TECHNOLOGIES – We are working towards expanding our multimedia services available to students with the acquisition of a more multimedia friendly computer – quite possibly a Mac. Additionally, we are exploring the addition of more laptops to our current pool of available machines – potentially being able to lend them to students for use on campus. Finally, we continue to explore and can hopefully acquire some assistive technologies to enhance services for those individuals that face auditory and visual related issues, and learning related issues. We continue to consult and work with groups such as the Deaf and Blind Support Specialist (DBSS) on campus to enhance these services.

• APA & MLA HANDOUTS – This year both academic citation methods underwent an overhaul. We are rapidly working to update our handouts and presentations for the Fall semester. It does take a considerable amount of time to distill the essential information from the new volumes, edit, and enhance our existing handouts because of the rigid demands and precision that is required of academic writing.

So, yes, we are very busy preparing for the upcoming semesters. All this effort is made to provide our patronage with the best possible resources and services available. We take a great deal of pride in our achievement and efforts and we hope it shows. Cheers!

Library Services Launches New & Enhanced Services

Over the Summer time, Library Services has launched a series of new services designed to make your access to information and resources easier than ever. Some of the new services include an instant messenger based information service, a new interlibrary loan system, Find It, and a revamped online catalogue.

Click here to read more about the new and enhanced services that we offer.

Fall Technolgy Preview

As years progress, so does technology. Past years have introduced new online features, and technology services that are designed to empower students and make their access to resources easier. Some of the past technologies and services that were introduced, include: Blackboard, Campus Connect, Student Webmail, and Wi-Fi access in the college's café and the Vera Bracken Library.

This Fall Semester will introduce a number exciting new technological innovations. Some of the things that you can expect to see include:

• UNIQUE STUDENT USER NAMES AND PASSWORDS. Students will no longer use generic terminal IDs and passwords to access computers. This user name/password set gives you access to your print privileges and the next feature, which is...
  
  
• NETWORK DRIVE SPACE. You will no longer have to worry about forgetting you flash drive or [YUCK!] floppy disk and not being able save your work. Students will be allocated space on the network drive system, and they will be able to store information on the drive and access it from any other machine that they can login to on campus.
  
  
• NEW E-MAIL SYSTEM. A new e-mail system has been implemented on campus and students will get broader and more reliable service from the new system than the previous system. All critical communications from the college will be delivered to this e-mail address.

In all cases, stay tuned as more details are released.

Fall Semester Services Preview

People often say to library staff, “Really, you’re still open? In the Summer?!” We simply respond, “Yes. Yes, we are.” Despite the slower Summer Semester at the college, there are many things that need to be taken care of, especially as the Fall Semester approaches. New materials and services are always being developed, in addition to maintaining our current high level of resources and services.

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

• Development of a new interlibrary loans (ILL) software package. The vendor we selected is Relais International. Once the system is in place, all patrons will have greater control over their accounts (you will create and manage your own ILL accounts now) and submitting loans will be easier and more reliable than ever – either manually or through the online databases.
  
  
• Updating of the online catalogue public access catalogue (OPAC). The revised OPAC is the most significant update that we have made in the last 7 years. A host of new features have been added that include: news feeds via our blog, easier navigation (all features are accessible from any page), spell check added to Advanced and Basic keyword searches, and cover preview/additional publication information in records. In the latter case, a user might see the cover image of the book they are interested in. If you click on the image, you can get more information on the title that might include: author notes, larger cover image, reviews, summary, and table of contents. A prime example can be found by clicking here.
  
  
• A new instant messenger system will be used so that patrons will have another means to communicate with the library’s information team. You can use the instant messenger client of your choosing (AIM/iChat, Google Talk, ICQ, MSN Messenger, or Yahoo! Messenger) or the built-in Meebo widget to “talk” to us. Stay tuned and keep an eye open for the launch in September.
  
  
• We also continue to develop and maintain both our print and online collections. This is a never-ending task to bring our patrons the best possible resources we can.

As you can see, we are busy this summer. The library staff is hard at work expanding 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 throughout August and the months that follow.