Tuesday, December 11, 2012

hours, new website, and meeting

 ▪ The Fall Schedule  must be changed again because as it turns out we will indeed be open on Dec. 21st.

 ▪ OmniUpdate is getting closer, but we haven't been granted access yet

 ▪ The ULMLWPC will have a meeting on Wed. Dec. 12th, 2012 ay 11:30am in the Passman Room. Here is an agenda:

I.  OmniUpdate
a. project time frame options
II.  EBSCO Discovery Service
a.  search box for old/new home page
b.  EZproxy time frame?
c.  other customization options
III. Integrating the ulm.edu/~name sub-directories
a. librarians
b. The reference and Gov Docs sub-directories

IV. Speculative re-design ideas
a. The new ULM.edu template, general
b. reducing & combining pages and links
1) Usage statistics
V. Other



Thursday, December 6, 2012

OmniUpdate, hours, meeting, etc.


  •  During the Thanksgiving break, the hours were changed for the holiday and then back to normal. The Fall Schedule has been changed also to show that we will be closed and not open on Friday the 21st after all.
  • The outlook for the library's STAP grant proposal to upgrade EZproxy is looking good, but it's not over yet. Grants will not be decided upon until Dec. 7th.
  • If we get the grant, it will be possible to use EBSCO Discovery Service more often because then it'll work off campus. How we decide to integrate it into the site will change how the site is used.
  • OmniUpdate is getting closer, and has been deployed on the home page and other pages like Residential Life. Because the library's website is more complicated that others, it and other like it haven't been changed over yet, and I haven't been given an OmniUpdate account yet. I have been thinking about how the library website will be set up, including making a few demo pages based on the new site template.
  • Unless there any any objections, a ULMLWPC meeting will be held on Mon., Jan. 14 at 10 am to discuss the upcoming re-design. Location TBA.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

EZproxy, Counseling & Therapy in Video


  • This week I submitted a STAP grant proposal asking for the EZproxy to be fixed. CR and I met with CE at the Computing Center, and we concluded that the best route to go was OCLC's EZproxy hosted service, since the CC doesn't have the time and personnel free to administer a new server. It was also recommended to us by SZ at LOUIS. If the grant is approved, this will become a recurring cost, which ULM will pay for every year.
  • Counseling and Therapy in Video now works off-campus as of yesterday.  I've fixed the URL, posted news about Counseling and Therapy in Video remote access to our blog, Facebook, and home page. It will also be added to the databases by subject page. Hopefully the grant proposal will be accepted so it won't take so long anymore.
  • The new OmniUpdate ULM website has been released on the ULM Home page, but  not the rest of the ULM site. RG has said via email that he'll give depts. access to the system fairly soon so we can see it and make design plans. The project was delayed a bit.
  • So, the ULMLWPC will need to have a proper meeting at some point to decide which pages stay and which must go. But I don't know when just yet.
  • For a while, our EBSCOhost hasn't been showing ULM logos. It didn't look broken, so I didn't know anything was wrong, but someone at LOUIS has informed me that it's not supposed to be that way. I've made some new ones which I might upload if I find a way to do so. 
    120x120px
    82x82px
    180x70px
    louis-test-200x60
  • I'll also make some logo images for our version of EDS, which also doesn't have any. I've also offered to make more for other LOUIS member institutions.
  • I've looked into getting Google Scholar for the library, which is free, but as ever, it would likely work better with a proper EZproxy.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

EZproxy, Special Collections

Monday, October 8, 2012

Hours, EDS, EZ Proxy

Since last time...
  • The Fall Break hours were shown on the home page, and returned to normal after break
  • Added direct links to ULM's Louisiana Digital Library collections on the Special Collections/Archives page
  • Investigated EBSCO Discovery Service; assessments sent via email. Bottom line: EDS handles off-campus access better because it knows when you've connected to both EZ Proxies and puts them together for you, which EBSCOhost will not, but that doesn't solve our EZ Proxy problem. EDS doesn't allow users to see what databases are connected before a search. Since those connections can have errors, we need to see those.
  • Found and report some errors in LOUIS' off-campus database list. LOUIS has fixed them
  • Note: DS has given me (KN) the ability to open incident reports in LOUIS footprints.
  • A request to the Computing Center to set up MarketLine Advantage to work on EZ Proxy instead of Datamonitor 360, which it has replaced, has been sent; no word yet on when it will be done.
  • Idea: When the ULM website is redone, will anyone archive the old one? Should the library?

Monday, October 1, 2012

Last week: LDL, Floor Plan, etc.

Last week:
  • With help from CR, made individual banner art for ULM's Louisiana digital library entries. I also found individual links to each:
    Edna Tiny Tarbutton Collection
    Northeast Louisiana Historic Images Collection
    Griffin 1932 Flood Collection
    I'll probably add these links to the Special Collections page soon.
  • Thanks to MW, fixed error in hours box on home page
  • Improved Floor Plan to have a Library Locations List similar to those made for print on the elevator windows. This directory will be linked to from the catalog after CH adds it. It was his idea to do this, because another library has a directory linked in its catalog to help patrons find books.
  • Also improved the appearance of the Floor Plan so that it is larger, has clearer font, and updated it to show new library offices. Also made new PDF version.
  • Removed more instances of Classical Music Library
  • This weekend, tested off-campus access to DBs including EBSCO Discovery Service. I'll have more to say about EDS soon.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Errors, updates, + more

  • Returned site to normal after Isaac
  • Updated and fixed many errors on the the Staff And Departments and Faculty/Staff listed by name pages
  • Updated some of the Floor Plan map. I have been considering the idea of re-doing it all over, since it's going to be hard to fit everything on it. But for now, it looks like it used to.
  • EBSCO Discovery Service is still under investigation. I'd like to replace the current EBSCO with it, since they're very much the same
  • Classical Music Library has not been renewed. It has been removed from the website
  • Louisiana Digital Library allows custom page graphics for ULM's Special Collections pages. Some drafts have been made with CR, and hopefully they'll be ready either this or next week (note: only CR has the ability to LDL pages).

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Isaac stuff + hours

  • The hours were adjusted again to show that library depts. close at 11:30am on Fridays now.
  • added news about Hurricane Isaac and the new closed/open days of the library.
  • MW posted the info to facebook.
  • New Annual Report released by Dean Smith

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Much database news + hours

This weekend, changed the hours (.pdf) file again. Our extended finals hours used to be 1am, but now that we're open to 2am, we don't know if we'll have late finals hours. So I changed it to say "the closing hour may be extended," giving us room to decide.

 New things going on with the databases
  • Datamonitor 360 will become MarketLine Advantage *on Sept. 1st; Off-campus access should be possible, but I don't know if it'll be ready right away. I'm working on it.. The link to the new one is in the news blog and news box for now, and I've added it to the DB list with an *
  • Classical Music Library might have run out; I don't know if we still subscribe to it or not. It doesn't work on or off campus. So I've left it in the list but crossed out: Classical Music Library 
    • Edit: after input from ML, now I just have "(inactive)" written next to CML's links
  • The new EBSCO Discovery Service is out, customized for ULM. http://atoz.ebsco.com/link.asp?id=1412&rid=2794470  By some miracle, it is able to search MEDLINE with Full Text and CMMC, which the current EBSCO cannot. We could use it as our new EBSCO link, but we're not sure yet if it really truly does everything right. I have not mentioned EDS on the website yet, but I think we should soon.
    • If it's possible, I'd like to figure out how EDS authenticates MEDLINE w/ Full Text, eBooks,  and CMMC  along with the LOUIS databases. Could we use it to eliminate all our EZ Proxy problems?
    • Folder accounts haven't been tested and are still an issue for regular EBSCOhost
  • Through LOUIS, I presume (or the BOR), we now have access to Counseling and Therapy on Video. It doesn't work off campus yet. So It's now in the DB list with an *, and in the blog/news.
  • I'm looking into possibilities for getting a customized version of Google Scholar for our library...

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

New hours, new website

 The hours have changed again to go to 2 am., and I changed the home page, made new hours PDF, and made a blog entry about it.

As some of you may know, ULM will be switching to a CMS and re-designing its website.  He is a sumarry of what we know:


All of the ULM website will be redesigned to fit a standard template
  • Will use a Content Management System called "OmniUpdate"
  • Must be implemented by the end of Spring 2013
  • This is generally a good thing
  • Each dept. will be able to access and edit its pages
  • Rob Glaze in charge; he is affable and fair

What we need to do:
  • Some pages are OK to go on the site as-is
  • Others will need re-arranged
  • Others should be deleted  (based on needs and usage stats)
  • Rob Glaze is already aware that our website is special and will talk with me/us about it




Questions:
  • How will each reference librarian access the site?
  • Will we be allowed to use reference librarian faculty pages? (ex:  ulm.edu/~lowe/ )
  • Will each librarian be able to access the library site or a sub-domain of it?
  • What will happen to the http://www.ulm.edu/govdocs/ and http://www.ulm.edu/reference/ domains?
  • Should Moodle be used in addition to (or even instead of) the library site for storing class materials?

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Lots of new semester changes

This past week and weekend, there were quite a few updates and changes:

• Added new library schedule PDF, twice
• Changed hours to interim period
• Uploaded and linked new scan and reserves request forms from circulation
• updates and some text changes to the For Faculty page http://www.ulm.edu/library/forfaculty.html
• updated hours graphic to Fall, posted about the Fall Schedule to the blog
• made updates to FAQ page
• Updated old LOUIS links on various pages
• updated some things on the Visitor Information page
• Added a link to the full library schedule on the Special Collections page http://www.ulm.edu/library/archives/
• updated some things on the Community page http://www.ulm.edu/library/community.html
• Small updates to the Computer Lab page http://www.ulm.edu/library/computerlab.html
• Changed broken link on Library Instruction page, "Louisiana Board of Regents Statewide General Education Requirements" to http://regents.louisiana.gov/index.cfm?md=pagebuilder&tmp=home&pid=130 (is that right?)

Please let me know if there is something else that needs fixed.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

hours, gov docs

This week, I changed the hours PDF file to be more specific about when departments open. It now says: "M-Th: 7am – 4:30 pm; Fri: 7am-1:30pm"
http://www.ulm.edu/library/hours.pdf

 Also fixed a dead link on the ulm.edu/govdocs pages.

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Library Map

The Library map has been updated:
http://www.ulm.edu/library/mappage.html

Please let me know if there's anything else on it that needs fixed.

Monday, July 2, 2012

hours, various edits, + sanborn maps

Since the last post...

·  Subject Librarians and "Instruction and Tours" pages updated to show new liaison assignments:
http://www.ulm.edu/library/subjectlibrarians.html
http://www.ulm.edu/library/instruction.html

·  4th of July and Intersession hours have been posted

·  Removed Sanborn Maps from the website because LOUIS no longer carries this resource

·   Changed old LOUIS URL to new LOUIS URL. Some remain on older pages, but not on the public ones.

Friday, June 15, 2012

retired faculty room 326

Since the last update, further adjustments to the hours have been made due to a typo.

Add info about the retired faculty room in 326 to the faculty page:
 http://www.ulm.edu/library/forfaculty.html

And to the FAQ:
http://www.ulm.edu/library/FAQ.html#Can_I_use_the_library_if_I_am_not_a_ULM
http://www.ulm.edu/library/FAQ.html#Is_there_a_place_to_study_in_a_group

How do retired faculty get in? How to we verify if the patron is indeed retired faulty? I don't know yet... more on that later I suppose.

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Hours + ATC workshop

The hours were readjusted for after memorial day.

New pages made for the ATC workshop which CR and Special Collections is hosting.
http://www.ulm.edu/library/archives/atc/
I added it to the archives page and reported it in the site news because it's the most notable news we have at the moment. More will be added to the workshop page if more details are needed.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Hours and more

Since the last update, the hours have been updated for the end of semester and now the Memorial Day holiday.
Also fixed an error on the Staff & Depts. page thanks to MW

Coming soon, some information on a archival workshop hosted by Special Collections.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Credo + blog

Today, fixed a problem with the Credo Literati link on the web pages.
Also added a blog story about the new books area.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Hours and HP's new page

Last week the hours were changed back to normal, and today HP's web page was added to the Subject Librarians page:

http://ulm.edu/~pilcher/

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Page updates, EZproxy, Facebook

In the past week or so, a few changes have been made...
  • New changes to the staff pages to show new staff
  • subject liaisons changed
  • Sheau Yun also found a mistake on the hours list, which I've corrected online; we're not open this coming Monday. I'll make print ones for the doors soon.
  • Fixed various errors on the reference desk page
  • Unfortunately, the status on the EZproxy problem: the computing center is unable to help us at this time due to server load capacity
  • new Facebook page image
  • MW is sprucing up the Facebook page and adding history to the timeline

Thursday, March 8, 2012

New pages

Today, I added new subject guides from ML:
http://www.ulm.edu/library/subjectguide.html

The staff pages will be changed to show new changes as soon as I get official information on what those changes will be.

Also, changed a typo left by an anonymous tip this week.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Hours, typo

The hours have been changed back to normal.

Thanks to Sheau Yun for finding a typo on the off-campus page; it has been fixed.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Hours, drinks

Today,
  • changed the FAQ and student page to show changes to the drinks policy
  • changed the hours to show the Mardi Gras hours
  • Uploaded new Spring 2011 Schedule

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Subject shuffle

Last Week
  • Although I had removed DH's name from the site, I had not removed links to her files. All of DH's old stuff http://www.ulm.edu/~dhwilliams directory is gone now. So all links to that directory have been removed.
  • Found a removed a mention of the old "webfeat" product.
This week:
  • Repaired an HTML coding error that I made last week
  • Placed CR as the contact person for the College of Education on the Subject Guides page
  • Shifted subjects and placed CR on the Subject librarians page
EDIT:

Also today, CR made a new subject guide for Education subjects, which I made into a webpage and put on the subject guides page:
http://www.ulm.edu/library/education_guide.html

Monday, January 30, 2012

Staff changes + Wilson Web

Today...
  • ML informed me of what changes need to be made to the site concerning staff/faculty. For the time being, CR is double-listed, and I'll make more changes as things develop.
  • In the meantime, subjects without a librarian, or other places where DW used to be, will be replaced with "TBA" and the reference email address, so that there will be someone to help with those
  • Since Wilson Web is going away at the start of Feb., I've removed its links from the site. Again, here are the details from EBSCO on that if you didn't get it:
    Dear H.W. Wilson Database Subscribers,
    As has been communicated several times recently, WilsonWeb will not be available as of February 1, 2012.  This means that WilsonWeb folders will no longer be available at that time, so if you are still using WilsonWeb and have not planned for the conversion, this is a final reminder to please do so as soon as possible.
    Important:   Please be sure to download your WilsonWeb statistics before the cutover on February 1, 2012, to avoid losing access to this information.   
    A reminder from the December 16, 2011 and November 3, 2011 announcements:  There are some databases that will no longer be made available, and as such, customers will receive automatic upgrades to the more comprehensive versions, as they become available.  For example, customers subscribing to Book Review Digest will automatically receive Book Review Digest Plus, and customers of Education Index will be upgraded to Education Abstracts.  There are several other examples which can be found in the “EBSCOhost Transition Plan” document located at www.ebscohost.com/wilson
    If you have questions or would like assistance with setting up the authentication URLs to your H.W. Wilson databases on EBSCOhost, please contact us via the EBSCO support site at http://support.ebsco.com or call (800) 758-5995.  Both WilsonWeb and EBSCOhost support will continue to be provided by EBSCO’s Technical Support Team, and we remain focused on providing strong support to successfully guide you through the transition process.  

    Sincerely, 

    Marcie Brown, Technical Communications Manager
    EBSCOPublishing

    Tuesday, January 17, 2012

    Product Launch Analytics gone + Hours


    The database "Datamonitor Product Launch Analytics" has been removed from the website, its subscription expired (it had been a part of a deal with Datamonitor temporarily). The main Datamonitor 360 database is still here, however.

    The hours for the library have been set to the Spring 2012 normal hours, also.

    Friday, January 6, 2012

    Hours, Mergent, Special Collections....

    This week:
    • Removed holiday hours and put up Wintersession/Intersession hours
    • removed all instances of Mergent Online from the library web site since our subscription ran out.
    • Uploaded new Special collections newsletter, and uploaded an appended version of the Spring 2011 issue for CR
    • Changed the location of the ULM police dept. on the Community page. Thanks to Mr.Glaze for finding it