Skip to content

Category Archives: unclassed

Pluck Feed of the Day

If you like to learn about interesting RSS feeds, check out Pluck’s Feed of the Day. Available via RSS, of course.

Beta Beta Beta

“Beta” is a word I used to associate with a snobby high-school sorority, but, thanks to Google and some time spent learning Greek, the word now has other connotations. I was happy to read this over at It’s All Good, posted by Alane Wilson,
One piece of advice George, Cathy and I pass along to people [...]

Google at SMUG

My previous post was getting a bit long, so here, in its own entry, is the scoop on Google Scholar and SFX.
Roy Tennant gave a presentation called “Is Metasearch Dead?” Tennant says no, and he highlighted some of the weak points of Google Scholar. Coverage and timeliness are two of the big issues, as are [...]

SMUG Roundup

Verde workshop: Lots of good information, much more detailed demo than what ExL showed on campus a few months ago. ExL has tried to stay as close as possible to the DLF specs. The database can be populated with data from SFX, and includes links between both SFX and Aleph (v. 16 & 17), with [...]

Tool-Lending Libraries

Wikipedia has an entry for libraries that lend tools, two of which are in Upstate NY. Interesting idea, and interesting to see the sorts of entries being written for Wikipedia that would never be found in a traditional encyclopedia.
Via the MAKE blog.

NASIG Notes Days 2 & 3

Cross-Provider Search
Jenny Walker of Ex Libris drew a distinction between federated searching (just in case) and metasearch (just in time). Most of her presentation concerned the developments of the NISO Metasearch Initiative, which is working “to identify, develop, and frame the standards and other common understandings that are needed to enable an efficient and robust [...]

NASIG Notes Day 1

Using OpenURL in Creative Ways

capture citation service that allows people to copy and paste citations
direct export into EndNote
use of OpenURLs for e-reserves links
Citation Linker tutorials with screen capture software
desire to integrate into course management software (nobody actually doing this yet)

Examining Workflows and Redefining Roles

need to review serials/acquisitions in light of move to electronic environment
reviewed data [...]

Hilton Welcomes NASIG with Library Theme Drinks

Anyone who’s not a librarian must be a little confused by the drink specials at the Minneapolis Hilton tonight:
Kardex KoolerMicroform MojitoRLG RazziniVerso LemonadeMini-Bib Margarita

Recreating Services with New Technologies

Last Friday I attended a day-long workshop by Jane Dysart and Stephen Abram at the Broome County Public Library. (It was called a workshop, but it was actually more like riding down Lincoln Drive in a car going 100 mph.)
Dysart provided tips for reviewing library services and planning for new technologies. She recommended [...]

Fog Area

I learned last weekend that those “Fog Area” signs on the Interstate are not very helpful. Either it’s foggy or it’s not, and by the time you see the sign you know what you’re dealing with (in our case about 50 miles of thick, soupy fog).
The web redesign project has me [...]