Showing posts with label services. Show all posts
Showing posts with label services. Show all posts

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Book an Appointment with Library Staff

Don’t know where to find a scholarly article?  Need help using the library catalogue?  Not sure where to begin with your research project? 

Library Services is pleased to announce the launch of a one-on-oneappointment service for students, faculty, and staff.   Enjoypersonalized assistance from a library staff member dedicated to helping yousucceed! 
To get started, visit theLibrary Services home page and click the “Book An Appointment” button locatedin the “Get Assistance” menu.  After youfill in and submit the form, Library Services will contact you to confirmappointment details.
  • This service is available Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
  • Student appointments usually take place in the Vera Bracken Library
  • For faculty and staff, we are happy to meet you in your office on campus if preferred

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Save Your Borrowing History!

By default, Library Services does not track your borrowing history (i.e., once returned, we do not know what books, periodicals, videos, etc. you borrowed).

If you want to track your personal borrowing history, you need to log-in to your library account and opt in to that feature. Library Services staff do not have access to your borrowing history if you elect to track it—assuring your privacy.

To opt in, follow these directions:

STEP 1: Log in to your library account (see Figure 1). You can log-in from the Library Services homepage or the online catalogue.

Figure 1. Library account log-in page (click to enlarge).
STEP 2: Select "Reading History" from the left-hand column (see Figure 2).
Figure 2. Select "Reading History"
(click to enlarge).
STEP 3: Select the "Opt In" button. It will then switch to "Opt Out" (see Figure 3). NOTE: Your record will start to build/retain your checkout history when you next borrow an item.

Figure 3. Opting in (click to enlarge).
VIEW YOUR HISTORY

When you next log-in to your library account and select the "Reading History" option, your borrowing history will be displayed (see Figure 4). NOTE: You can opt out to stop the tracking history or delete selected records.
Figure 4. Borrowing history display (click to enlarge).

If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please make use of our information or social media services.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Text Message a Record from the Online Catalogue

Library Services has introduced a new feature in our online catalogue. This feature will allow patrons to text message the primary information of a record to themselves. The information that will be texted includes: title, call number, and location.

WHY?
  • With this service, patrons do not have to write down the record information to retrieve the material from the shelves. Patrons will also be able to retain that record information on their cellular device.  

HOW IT WORKS
  1. When in a record, look for the "Send via Text Message" text and icon (see Figure 1) and click it.
  2. Figure 1. "Send via Text Message."
    (click to enlarge)
  3. In the dialogue box (see Figure 2) enter your cellular phone number with all 10 digits (without dashes, spaces, etc.).
    Figure 2. Enter cellular number.
    (Click to enlarge)
    You will also need to select your cellular provider (see Figure 3; we currently provide service to all of Canada's major cellular providers).

    Figure 3. Available cellular providers.
  4. Click "Send" and a "Message sent!" dialogue box will appear.

    If you decide not to send a text, click "Clear" to return to the record.

  5. You will then receive a text message similar to the one in Figure 4.
Figure 4. Received record information.
WHAT ABOUT QR CODES?
  • This services does not replace the use of QR codes in the catalogue—it is a complement or alternate means of delivery to the use of QR codes.
Special thanks to our partners at the University of Lethbridge that made this service possible.

Please note that charges may apply if your service plan does not include free/unlimited text messaging. If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please make use of our information or social media services.

Monday, January 10, 2011

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.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Library Staff Complete Successful Lecture Circuit

Pictured (l-r): L. Li; J. Malinsky; J. MacDonald; L. Cunningham

Staff from the Vera Bracken Library has been busy on the library lecture circuit this spring. Working in teams, staffers have been presenting to professional (Alberta Association of College Librarians, 15 April 2010), provincial (Alberta Association of Library Technicians, 29 June 2010), and national (Canadian Library Association, 4 June 2010) organizations on the merits of using the short message service (SMS; a.k.a.; text messaging) as a remote information service.

During the course of their presentation, they shared their research, experience, and successes with the audiences. The presentation was always well received and is proving to be a model for other libraries as they consider launching their own services.

Medicine Hat College Library Services has demonstrated innovation and leadership in information services—being the first post-secondary institute in Alberta to offer this service to its patrons.

To learn more about our text messaging service information service, click here.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Library Survey Results Now Available!

In February and March 2010, Library Services asked Medicine Hat College students, faculty, and staff to participate in a library survey. We are pleased to share the results of our survey with you.
Comments are also on display in the library entrance.

Thank you to everyone who completed the survey. We appreciate your feedback! If you have further comments, or missed the chance to complete the survey, please feel free to comment here on the blog, or contact the library.

For more information on the survey, please contact:

Keith Walker, Director of Library Services
403-504-3539
kwalker@mhc.ab.ca

Leigh Cunningham, Collections and Instruction Librarian
403-504-3654
lcunningham@mhc.ab.ca

Thursday, March 25, 2010

LibQUAL+® Draw Winners

With 304 entries and 152 comments submitted to the Library Services' LibQUAL+® survey, we are greatly appreciative of all of those individuals that took time to participate. No good deed goes unrewarded and the reward is greater for some of you. Congratulations to the following participants in the survey who won one of our 10 prize draws:

$25 Campus Store Winners:
  • Ray Bosomworth
  • Lindsey Kowalchuck
  • Dean Milne
  • Carrie Noack
  • Judi Santos
$25 iTunes Store Winners:
  • Brianne Debler
  • Jacqueline Freeman
  • Jamie Herman
  • Jennifer Knudsen
  • Joelle Thibault
For our other participants, we will take your suggestions to heart and continuously work to build a better library for all our patrons. Thank you again for participating and look forward to the results of the survey in the near future.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Help Us Help You!



UPDATE: SURVEY NOW CLOSED


All current Medicine Hat College students, faculty and staff are invited to participate in a library quality improvement survey to help us serve you better. Check your college email for the link or take the survey here.

Results of the survey will be shared with the college community and will be used to improve library services and resources.

How can I complete the survey?
  • You will receive a link to the web-based survey in an email from Campus Announcements on Monday February 22 and on Monday March 1. Check your college email account. Missed the email? Take the survey here. If you have problems accessing the survey, please contact Leigh Cunningham.

  • Completing the survey will take about 5 minutes. The survey will remain open until 4pm on Friday March 12.
Is there an incentive?
  • Yes! To thank you for your participation, we invite you to enter a prize draw for a chance to win one of five $25 iTunes gift cards or one of five $25 gift certificates for the college bookstore. Be sure to provide your college email address when you submit your survey. Your email will not be linked to your responses.
Are my responses confidential?
  • Yes. No identifying links between responses and the individual responding will be retained. Only combined data will be reported. Your participation is voluntary. This project has been reviewed by the Medicine Hat College Ethics Review Board.
Do I have to answer all questions?
  • Yes. If you do not know how to answer a question, you can select “N/A” or “I don’t know”. The survey format is designed to capture your expected, desired and perceived levels of service and this is why there are three responses required for each question.
What is the LibQUAL+® survey?
  • LibQUAL+® survey measures library users’ perceptions of their libraries’ service quality and identifies gaps between minimal, desired and perceived levels of service. LibQUAL+® is a rigorously tested web-based survey offered by the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) that helps libraries assess and improve library services. Over 1000 libraries in Canada, the United States and internationally have used the survey since 2000.
For more information, please see the LibQUAL+® website: http://www.libqual.org

Many thanks for your help!

Questions about the survey can be directed to:
Leigh Cunningham, Collections and Instruction Librarian
Phone: 403-504-3654
lcunningham@mhc.ab.ca

Thursday, October 29, 2009

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.

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