LIBRARY UPDATE

Published by the WSU Libraries for the WSU Faculty

No. 20 -- November 1999

CONTENTS

From the Director
New FirstSearch Interface Coming!
FirstSearch Password to Change
Direct Document Delivery
Usability Testing in the Libraries
World Civ Digital Image Collection
New Policy on Drink Containers
CORC
JSTOR -- journal backfile database
Commendation for WSU Spokane Library
ICNE Library Update
A New Health Center for Spokane

From the Director

In 1907, Washington State College Library was designated a selective Federal Depository Library to meet the government information needs of the people of what is now the 5th U.S. Congressional District of Washington. Through the U.S. Federal Depository program, the federal government insures that most government publications are readily accessible to the public throughout the United States. These publications are available to participating libraries free of charge, provided they continue to meet the requirements of the depository program. Increasingly, federal publications are available in electronic format, but many are still only available in print.

WSU currently shares responsibility for the people of the 5th Congressional District of Washington with Eastern Washington University, Whitman College, Spokane Public Library, and the Gonzaga School of Law Library. As a selective depository library, WSU may choose which of the available publications we want for our collections. We currently select about 65% of what is made available through the depository program, making WSU the largest collection of federal publications in this congressional district. For those publications that we do not choose, we are fortunate to be in such close proximity to the University of Idaho's Library, the regional depository for the state of Idaho. Regional depository libraries must accept all publications in the depository program and generally, there is one in each state. (Washington's regional depository library is the Washington State Library in Olympia).

Every seven years all libraries in the Federal Depository Program are inspected to determine what, if any, improvements are needed to insure full compliance with governmental regulations. This past summer, the Washington State University Libraries completed our inspection for 1999. This inspection consisted of a detailed written self-study, which was followed by an on-site post-inspection evaluation by a Depository Library Inspector. I am pleased to report that we passed this inspection with flying colors.

Needless to say, government publications are essential for many of the academic programs here at Washington State University. Continued participation in the depository program is important to WSU. My special thanks to Joy Suh, our former Government Publications/Datafiles Librarian, and the many library faculty and staff who prepared the written study and who work so hard to make these publications readily available to the public. (I am pleased to take this opportunity to announce that Marilyn Von Seggern, formerly a Science Librarian at Owen Science & Engineering Library, is our new U.S. Government Information & Electronic Resources Librarian). For more information on U.S. government resources available at the Washington State University Libraries, please check our website: www.wsulibs.wsu.edu/govdoc/main.htm

Nancy L. Baker
Director of Libraries

New FirstSearch Interface Coming!

A new FirstSearch interface will be phased in over the Fall semester and completed by December 12, 1999. This new interface will function most effectively with version 4.0 or higher of Netscape or Microsoft Internet Explorer, with JavaScript enabled. Version 3 will still work for all major features of the new FirstSearch but there will be differences in procedures or screen formatting.

This new interface will include the following features:

  • Cross-database searching that allows users to view records for all databases searched
  • Basic, advanced and expert search capabilities
  • Unlimited use of the Boolean "or"
  • Truncation
  • Wild card
  • Limit searches to full text
  • Database selection assistance by topic area
  • Relevance ranking
  • Sort capability (varies with database searched)
  • Exact phrase searching using quotation marks
  • Mark up to 100 full records / full text to e-mail or print
  • Search history for entire search session
Needless to say these improved features will greatly enhance the usefulness of this extremely valuable search service. FirstSearch can be accessed from the WSU Libraries Gateway (http://www.systems.wsu.edu/griffin/wsugate.htm) by choosing the "Article Indexes, Full Text and More" option. If you have questions about the new FirstSearch, please contact Janet Chisman (chisman@wsu.edu or 509 335-4941).

FirstSearch Password to Change

For those who are still connecting directly to FirstSearch and entering the authorization 100-130-252 and our password, we will be changing the password for this authorization at the end of Fall semester. For security reasons and to ensure compliance with our license agreement, we will not make the new password public. You will be able to access all FirstSearch databases without needing authorization or password by accessing the system from the WSU Libraries Gateway (http://www.systems.wsu.edu/griffin/wsugate.htm) and choosing the "Article Indexes, Full Text & More" option. If you have any questions, please contact Janet Chisman (chisman@wsu.edu or 509-335-4941).

Direct Document Delivery

Have you tried our Direct Document Delivery service yet? Contact your department's library liaison for more information. The library liaison for your academic department is listed on our homepage at http://www.wsulibs.wsu.edu/general/subjspe3.htm.

Usability Testing in the Libraries

Librarians at WSU Pullman and WSU Vancouver have done two rounds of usability testing to gain insight into whether the Griffin catalog and the Libraries web pages are effective in meeting the need of the WSU community. Usability testing involves having users sit at a computer and answer a set of questions that test their understanding of what they are seeing. Their experiences are observed by librarians who record what the user is experiencing and turn their observations into recommendations for improvement of the systems. The premise of usability testing is that eight test subjects will give the observers 80% of what they need to know. Practical experience has proven this to be true.

World Civ Digital Image Collection

Did you know that much of the World Civilization slide collection is available for viewing in the Libraries' online catalog Griffin? More than 3,000 images are fully searchable and viewable. To search the collection, choose WSU Image Database in the location list. For a complete list of the slides, search key word ariadne. You can also search under subjects and keywords found in the bibliographic record. The Libraries are eager to integrate more such image collections in Griffin. If your department has a collection that is already digitized, or you have a collection that you would like to have digitized, please contact your department's library liaison, or John Webb (509-335-9133, jwebb@wsu.edu), Sharon Walbridge (509-335-9623, walbridg@wsu.edu), or Trevor Bond (509-335-6693, tjbond@wsu.edu). This is an ideal way to bring wider access to digital image collections and get more use out of them.

New Policy on Drink Containers

When the WSU Pullman Libraries opened for fall semester, a new policy on beverage containers went into effect. That new policy allows spill-proof containers to be brought into the Libraries. This changes a long-standing policy of no food and drink in the Libraries. There is still a prohibition on food in the Libraries and on open containers such as cans and bottles. Signs at library entrances and around the Libraries show the kinds of containers that are library-safe. The new policy recognizes that sports water bottles and similar containers have proliferated and are safe enough from spills that they do not endanger library materials. Library users are asked to be aware of the damage that spilled food and beverages can cause to library materials as well as to the library facilities. Spills should be reported quickly so they can be dealt with before real damage occurs. For more information, contact Lynn Chmelir, AD for Public & Research Services, lchmelir@wsu.edu, 509-335-8139.

CORC

In late September, the WSU Libraries joined 100 other libraries to participate in a research project sponsored by OCLC (Online Computer Library Center). This project is intended to provide improved access to Internet web sites by building a searchable catalog of them. Known as CORC (Cooperative Online Resource Catalog), the goal of the project is to enable librarians to add cooperatively built catalog links that they are creating to quality web sites, to help Internet users find sites that are relevant to their subject interests. By sharing such information, libraries can save redundant efforts that would have to take place on every campus.

JSTOR -- journal backfile database

The WSU community now has access to JSTOR, a fully searchable electronic database that will soon contain the scanned images of 117 major research journals covering a variety of academic disciplines. The database contains backfiles of journals, some published as early as the 1870's. JSTOR is a collaborative effort among libraries, publishers, and the academic community that provides a solution to the challenge of maintaining and storing the growing volume of scholarly research. There are currently four million pages available. When the initial project is completed by the end of 1999, it is estimated that there will be five million. WSU joins 500 college, university, and public libraries as a JSTOR participant.

JSTOR provides scholars, researchers and students with better and easier access to important information, allowing you to use journals that may not be available at your own institution's library. JSTOR is accessible through Griffin, the WSU Libraries online catalog. Click on "Article Indexes, Full Text and More," and select JSTOR. The individual titles included in JSTOR will be linked to the bibliographic records in Griffin so a journal title search will link you to JSTOR and full text of the journal.

Commendation for WSU Spokane Library

The ten-year accreditation process may be "old hat" to some on the Pullman campus, but for those of us in Spokane, there was a combination of anticipation and anxiety. The anticipation arose from being able to demonstrate to the accreditation team where we had been, where we were at the moment, and what road and direction we were headed on for the future. The anxiety was akin to an individual preparing for her first day of work at a new job, e.g., will they like me, am I good enough, do I look okay, and so on. As the date drew near, the last minute rush to complete the finishing touches was on. At times it was comical to observe the frenzy, while at other times it was just plain exhausting. Like all other departments, the library was prepped for this special visit. Eventually the day and our visitors arrived. Dutifully, the Director of Information Technology, Director of Student Services, our Network Coordinator, and I marched into the conference room and met with our appointed person. The phrase, "that wasn't so bad" applied to our experience. In fact, if this is even possible, it was an informative and pleasant experience. The best part of all for the library was that we were singled out for special commendation for the services that we provide at WSU Spokane and for our excellent customer service. Of course, it wouldn't be possible to do this without our students and faculty supporting us as we assist them. It's very encouraging to have what you do for your institution and its community, validated. (Kathy Schwanz, WSU Spokane Campus Librarian, schwanz@wsu.edu, 509-358-7925).

ICNE Library Update

The Betty M. Anderson Library at the Intercollegiate Center for Nursing Education (ICNE) in Spokane was refurbished this summer by a team of painters and carpet layers from WSU Pullman's Facilities Operations, as part of a major refreshing of the entire college building. After 19 years of service, the old, worn brown carpet was replaced with new blue carpeting. The carpet was even installed in the security gate area, which provides a pleasing continuity throughout the library. Anderson Library personnel are very pleased with the results and extend their thanks to Facilities Operations for their great job. Library users have noticed and appreciate the Library's new "look." (Bob Pringle, Head Librarian, ICNE, rpringle@wsu.edu, 509-324-7342).

A New Health Center for Spokane

The Intercollegiate Health Sciences (ICHS) building that has been in the planning and design stages for some years is finally going to become a reality. The groundbreaking ceremony for this $39 million structure was held September 2, 1999 at Spokane's Riverpoint campus. More than 300 people were on hand to celebrate what will be the Riverpoint campus' third building. The ICHS will house not only WSU Spokane programs, but in keeping with the cooperative use tradition, Eastern Washington University and WSU will share the space. WSU Spokane programs to be located in the 144,000 sq. ft. ICHS building are Speech & Hearing Sciences, Food Science & Human Nutrition, Pharmacy, Health Policy & Administration, Health Research & Education Center (HREC), Washington Institute for Mental Illness Research & Training (WIMIRT), and the Area Health Education Center (AHEC). EWU programs locating to this new center are Communication Disorders, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Dental Hygiene.

This ICHS building is scheduled to open for fall semester/quarter in 2001. It will be equipped with technologically advanced clinics, labs and classrooms. While the library will not be located in this building, with all health science programs being centrally located at Riverpoint, delivery of library services to our heaviest users will be enhanced by their nearness to us. (Kathy Schwanz, WSU Spokane Campus Librarian, schwanz@wsu.edu, 509-358-7925).

Library Update is edited by Kathy Schwanz, Cooperative Academic Library Services-Spokane, schwanz@wsu.edu, 509-358-7925, and Sharon Walbridge, AD for Technical Services-Holland/New Library, walbridg@wsu.edu, 509-335-9623, with the assistance of Nancy A. Wagner, Library Administrative Office, Holland/New Library, wagnern@wsu.edu, 509-335-4558. Visit the WSU Libraries Homepage at http://www.wsulibs.wsu.edu.