Check out the new “Find It!” tool, which was launched in mid-January shortly after the MLK holiday. It is now the first item in the “Start Your Search Here” box off of the USF Tampa Library home page. If you wish to offer feedback about this new tool, click here. Better yet, encourage your patrons to give you feedback about this new product. Here are some talking points about Find It should you receive queries from our patrons (thank you Nancy Cunningham!):
USF Tampa Library’s discovery tool is an EBSCO product that has a similar interface as all EBSCO databases (PsycINFO, Academic Search Premier, etc.).
“Find It” is paid for by student technology fees.
Library usability studies with students indicate that they want one search box for both articles, books and other library materials.
“Find It” incorporates articles in search results (from many library periodical databases).
It incorporates catalog contents in search results (i.e., ebooks, print books, dvds, etc.).
It provides greater access and visibility for articles to appear from low use or hard to reach databases.
“Find It” does not replace the library’s catalog.
“Find It” does not replace features or functions of subject databases.
“Find It” does not include results from all databases to which the library subscribes (i.e., Criminal Justice Periodicals).
As new agreements are reached with vendors, databases currently not included in Find It! results will be added.
We expect to include new improvements to “Find it!” as we get feedback from faculty and students working with EBSCO to resolve issues. Special thanks go to Monica Metz-Wiseman, Coordinator of Electronic Collections, and Paul Trusik, Webmaster, for their hard work in launching this new product in record time.
USF Information Technology is accepting proposals for the next cycle of the Tampa Technology Fee funding proposals which have a deadline of February 14, 2012. The Technology Fee was authorized by the University starting in the Fall 2009 semester in order to “enhance instructional technology resources for students and faculty.” The approved proposals will improve instructional technology by enhancing classroom technology, increasing reliability of learning systems and networks, expanding wireless and cell phone coverage, greater access to applications through virtualization, increasing instructional resources on-line, and improving access and security. More information on the proposals that were awarded in the last cycle can be found at www.it.usf.edu/standards/techfee.
On January 5th Tampa Library’s Academic Services Unit had its first annual meeting. The purpose of the half day meeting was to enhance communication among staff and librarians in the reference/instruction, circulation, and interlibrary loan units. Another meeting goal was to raise awareness about other Tampa Library departmental projects and to discuss ideas about improving communications, services, and job performance. The day started with coffee and refreshments while speakers Dean Bill Garrison, Mark Greenberg, from Special & Digital Collections, Nancy Cunningham, Director of Academic Services, and LeEtta Schmidt, Head of Interlibrary Loan Services updated meeting participants about new developments and future goals for the library. Next, the group participated in an exercise in getting to know co-workers better. One of the highlights of the meeting included short presentations by representatives from outside Academic Services. The small group discussions and presentations were lively and were about new projects and developments within other departments. Finally, the meeting concluded with collective brainstorming in small group sessions about a variety of key questions such as, “What kinds of training do all Academic Services staff need to do their jobs better?” Each group presented their ideas about answers to their questions in an open discussion forum. Many thanks go to the planning committee, which include Claudia Dold, Drew Smith, Pam See, Brenda Raiford, and Matt Torrence. Pictured above is Matt Torrence as Master of Ceremonies starting off the day’s meeting. Pictured below is Merilyn Burke leading a discussion about ideas from her small group session.
Special Collections is pleased to announce they have just launched a blog, eCodex: News from USF’s Special & Digital Collections, to share news and updates about their collections, events, exhibits, and ongoing projects. You can follow along at http://lib.usf.edu/special-collection-news/ or subscribe to the blog’s RSS feed at http://lib.usf.edu/special-collection-news/feed/. A recent post is authored by Andy Huse who features Jules Verne’s book, From the Earth to the Moon (the 1874 American edition) as well as highlights the special collections science fiction resources.
LeEtta Schmidt, Library Operations Supervisor for Interlibrary Loan, has recently accepted the position of Assistant Editor of the Journal of Interlibrary Lending, Document Delivery & Electronic Reserve. The journal is looking for submissions; if you or anyone you know is interested, you can find instructions for authors here: http://www.tandfonline.com/action/authorSubmission?journalCode=wild20&page=instructions.
On December 18, 2011 Academic Services Librarian Joe Floyd and Ilene Frank did the second in a series of presentations they were doing for Association of College & Research Libraries online in Second Life. The presentation, titled “Beyond Second Life: New Immersive Worlds for Educators and Librarians” provided an update to the poster session Joe did at ALA in New Orleans this past summer. The program focused on online virtual worlds other than Second Life, which librarians and educators are currently exploring and using to provide both distance learning classes and library support. Pictured here are “Joe Cupola” and “Ilene Pratt” preparing to speak at the ACRL Meeting held at the Community Virtual Library Auditorium in Second Life.
If you haven’t done so already, please welcome new employee Julie Fielding as Library Operations Coordinator in Academic Resources. She finished up her final class for her MLIS from Wayne State University in Detroit when she moved to Tampa. She also attended Wayne State as an undergraduate in English and Linguistics. Before arriving at the USF Tampa Library she worked as an Information Services Associate at Gale Cengage Learning where she split her time between serials management, cataloging, and metatdata creation. Julie’s position in Academic Resources is similarly multi-faceted and she works on serials, e-resources and open access journals.
This new short video created by Adonis Amparo, introduces users to the new Find It! tool. Feel free to link or embed it in your outreach and instructional messages to the USF community!
Aura Perez recently joined Academic Resources in November. She will be analyzing the USF Tampa Library’s role in creating student success, collecting and reporting library statistics, and supporting open-access initiatives. Prior to her coming to the library, Aura M. Perez earned a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, an M.A. in Guidance & Counseling and an M.A. in Library & Information Systems at the University of South Florida. She has been with USF for over 15 years, working in various departments–including the Career Center, the Center for Academic Advising, University Experience, Student Academic Support System (SASS), Student Information Systems (SIS), the University Registrar’s Office.
Registrations are now being taken for the upcoming NN/LM Hurricane Summit on Wednesday, February 8th, in Miami, Florida (click on the registration link below). Seating is limited, so if you are in the Miami/Dade area and would like to attend, please register soon. The event will be well documented and tweets will be displayed during the summit in the NEPRTimes section of the Toolkit. A full report of the summit will be made available on the Toolkit in late February or early March.
When: Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Where: Louis Calder Memorial Library, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Purpose: To provide a forum to discuss best practices and to develop new strategies for how libraries can prepare and respond to natural disasters.
Moderator: Dan Wilson, Coordinator, National Network of Libraries of Medicine Emergency Preparedness & Response Initiative
