HSL Access Notees - April 24th

Hello,

 

 

Hours

Effective May 1^st, Health Sciences Library will be closed on Sundays - this weekend will see our final Sunday hours at Health Sciences Library!

 

Notification of this change has been posted, and webpage hours adjusted.

If staff have any templates or messages that include our library hours, please update to reflect the Sunday closure.

Sunday staff have been asked to notify Sunday clients in the library this weekend.  Staff are asked to please forward any client comments or concerns to susan or myself.  Thanks.

 

Sunday – Thanks

Many thanks to Kathleen and Jenna who have provided our Sunday coverage over the past months!

 

Knowledge Resource Service Site contacts

With many recent changes, Knowledge Resource Service staff lists and email lists are being updated,  however if staff are trying to contact the Knowledge Resource Service sites, using the general phone number or generic emails may be the best option.

 

 MCCQE

 The Medical Council of Canada exams begin next week.  This means that the Computer Commons will be booked for full days (8am -6pm) over the next few weeks.  They will also be using 1459, 1453, and 1454 on select days for accommodation.  Wilma Dodge is the UME contact coordinating the exams and she has library and commons keys.  She and team will be in the library early each day for set up. Wilma may also need to use the courtesy phone to troubleshoot any system issues.  There will also be an extra table and chairs posted outside the 1460A door for the exam team.

The Commons will be available during evenings and Saturdays.

This will cause limited access to some software programs such as SPSS during daytime hours.

 

LibAnswers

 Great discussion about questions types at our service meeting this week.  I have contacted RFDL with our questions, but have not received a firm response yet.

Watch for more info as it becomes available.  Please let me know if there are additional questions that need clarification.

 

Term Loans

The term loan due date will be reset to September 15^th effective Tuesday, May 5^th.  This is also the date the reminder notices will be sent to patrons to renew their books by May 15^th.

 

New transit Bins

We will be seeing new transit bins from Collections with new books and journals items arriving at Health Sciences Library.

These will be with red & blue bins to hopefully distinguish them from other deliveries.

 

HSL Access Notes - September 12th

Hello,

 

A few notes for the week……

 

Staff Contact List Updated

Welcome to HSL, Nicole!
Nicole can be reached at 220-8099 and by email at: nicole.talsma@ucalgary.ca

Term Loans

Clients with term loans checked out are now able to renew.  These books have a current due date of September 15^th , and clients will be receiving another reminder to renew or return items.  As long as there are no holds on the items they will renew for another term with a due date of January 15, 2015. 

 

Term Loans and Medical Graduate Records (PGME)

We have had some problems this year with Medical Graduate records updating properly in the library system, and systems administrators are investigating.  In the meantime, please continue to flag clients with privilege or access issues for me  –  I am pleased to follow up with the client and these examples are helpful in learning more about common system issues.

Most PGME who have not updated properly will show with an expiry of Sept. 30^th, 2014 rather than January 31, 2015.  If they are trying to renew their term loans these will only renew to the end of their privilege, for example, Sept. 30^th.  Staff can extend client privilege manually for PGME (medical residents who are still active in the program) to January 31, 2015, as a temporary measure while we investigate – but if this is done, please also add a note to the extended info field in Sirsi and also flag the client name and User ID for me – I am keeping a file of these clients.  If residents are caught in this situation, once the privilege is extended, items can then be renewed with a proper term due date.

Thanks.

 

Thesis Formatting

I am a bit delayed in sharing this information from the staff Thesis Formatting session that Chelsea provided a few weeks ago.   As Chelsea pointed out, one key resources for clients with thesis formatting questions that come to the desk include Leslie Potter’s libguide,   http://libguides.ucalgary.ca/thesisformatting

The graduate website also has thesis  information and the templates: http://grad.ucalgary.ca/current/thesis/resources

Chelsea has created a print handout that can be given to clients.  These are filed in the cabinet behind the service desk

 

Office 2013

Please let me know if you have any install issues with Office 2013.  Please share tips and tricks as we start to use the programs.  Staff are asked to activate the Lync program that will connect us on ‘chat’ .  Lync also offer screen sharing and meeting options.

 

Updated IM chat webclient

Bookmark url:  https://us.libraryh3lp.com/webclient/#/client

Logins and passwords remain the same

 

New Moneris Terminal

We have a new Moneris terminal installed at the front desk for credit and debit payments.  It is more streamlined, with a brighter display and updated buttons.  It operates much the same as the previous terminal, and has very clear prompts for transactions. 

As in the past, staff start by entering the amount of the transaction.

 One new feature is the ‘Tap’ option for cards.  So clients, have the option to swipe, insert or tap card.  Cards need to be activated for this function and often there is a transaction limit associated with this function.

The paper rolls for the terminal are a bit smaller and the supply is in the cabinet behind the service desk.

The blue ‘admin’ button that we were used to on the previous model is now replaced with the # button.

 

Coming Soon

Audio –Digest titles in MP3  (online) format.

Doing Right  2014 edition – the popular medical ethics title.

 

SPSS

Our SPSS license has now been updated on all the workstations in the Commons.

 

HSL Access Notes - August 22nd

Hello,

 

A few notes for the week….

 

Thanks and Farewell Wishes to Yoojin!

Be sure to join us to wish Yoojin all the best!

Thursday, August 28^th

10 AM – 11 AM

Health Sciences Library staff room

 

Fall Student Schedule

Many thanks to our student assistants who have assisted with our vacation coverage over the past summer months.

We will begin our regular weekly shifts again on Saturday, September 6^th.

 

Saturday: Mary A.            1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Sunday:  Kathleen           3:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Monday:  Mary A.            5:30 PM- 10:00 PM

Tuesday:  Krsytal              5:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Wednesday:  Mary A.  5:30  PM – 10:00 PM

Thursday:  Robin              5:00 PM  – 10:00 PM

Casual:  Jessica 

We wish our student assistants all the best with their programs of study as the new term approaches!

 

Journal Project for HDL Transfer –Phase 2 Complete!

The work to prepare our pre-2005 closed journal holdings for transfer to HDL is complete!   This involved pulling, barcoding, and creating individual Sirsi holding information for each and every issue.   The project spanned 4 months and an estimated  35995 items! 

 

Congratulations and thanks to Chelsea who coordinated this collections project and to the team who made it happen, including Lourdes, TerriLynne, Brian, Leslie, and all our student assistants.  This truly was a comprehensive effort that highlights the high level of commitment and dedicated teamwork of staff involved. 

 

We are coordinating with HDL and hope to be able to transfer most of these items sometime in September.   If HDL is able to accept all of the phase 2 HSL items, it is estimated that it will provide 91 bays of free space!  The transfer will be followed by some serious shifting of the remaining collection.  Other uses of the extra space will be considered over the longer term.

 

Once again, congratulations on such a successful project, and many thanks to all involved!

 

Term Loans

I am forwarding a message from Lucille Wallace regarding term loans.

This is to advise that the term loan renewals will start on Wednesday, September 3rd.  The first e-mail reminder notice will be sent on this date.  The patrons will get their second notice as the normal pre due notice on September 12^th  .  The new term loan due date (if there are no holds on the items) will be January 15th.

 

Fall Instruction at Health Sciences Library

Our summer instruction program was completed this week.  The fall instruction kicks off on September 10^th with Refworks Basic and advanced sessions.

The Endnote (including new sessions for Macs), Refworks and Thesis sessions are scheduled in the Library Workshop registration calendar on the LCR website. 

Go to Services>  Library workshops and look for the blocks in bright green – these will be the Health Sciences Library course offerings.  Clients can register by clicking on the course date and completing the online form. 

 

Neuroscience Collection

We are expecting 47 boxes and 18 bins of additional History of Neuroscience materials at HSL  next week.   These will be held for Susan’s attention upon her return.

 

Document Delivery Service

Our University of Calgary student, staff and faculty can request articles and book chapters from our own University of Calgary collection by submitting a request through the Interlibrary Loan form. 

 

Current Journal Shift

The January – through June  holdings for the following journals have been moved from Current shelves to Backsets:  Biochemical Journal, Blood, and Journal of Neuroscience. Jan-June issues for the following journal titles have now been relocated to the Backsets: Journal of Immunology, New England Journal of Medicine.

 

Recycled Bottle Bins

The funds from the recycled bottles in the bins in the  public area of the library are saved for the Student Union.  This week an older female member of the community came in with shopping bags and began to help herself to some of the bottles from the bins.  A member of the Faculty happened to see this and informed her that the bottles were for the Student Union.  The community member accepted this explanation and departed.   If necessary, please let people know that the recycled bottles in the bins are collected for the Student Union.

 

Supplies

Thanks to all who provided feedback about frequency of supply orders.  Beginning in September, we will be moving to a bi-monthly supply order routine.  We hope this will work well for all.  If this creates concern for anyone over the next few months, please let me know and we will re-assess in the new year.  Next supply orders will be in September and then November.

 

Lexicomp and Dynamed Codes

While Lourdes is away Brian will be the main contact for Lexicomp and DynaMed codes.

 

SPSS in Computer Commons

At the moment we only have SPSS available  on the following computers in the Commons: stations 740, 741, 742.

We are working to get the licensed renewed asap.

 

Food and Drinks Policy

LCR is updating their Food and Drinks policy, and this should be available soon.  It will not affect the way we are managing Food and Drinks policy at Health Sciences Library.

 

Back Up Public Printer

A few times over the past weeks we have receiving an error message on the backup printer which reads “Controller error 116-324.  Restart printer”.  However re-starting seems to bring you back to the same message. It was reported and our service ticket # is BL195705.  In the meantime, clearing the print queue on the computer seems to work to clear the error message. Click on Start>Printers and Faxes>select hsl-Ref (or hsl-Ref colour)> if there are jobs listed in the queue, select and delete. Then restart the printer.  Another option for clients if this occurs would be to select the other service area printer.

 

 

 

HSL Access Notes - January 3rd

Hello Everyone,

Happy 2014!

A few notes to begin the New Year….

 

New Term and Term Loans

We have seen a number of graduate students at the desk this week asking why their term loan items are only renewing to January 31^st rather than the May 15^th term loan due date.

This will happen if their registration process for the new term is not yet fully processed in the system (ie. Fees not yet paid or not yet processed due to holidays), so their library privileges show as expiring on January 31^st.   Once the registration process is complete their privilege date should automatically update to September 30/14.  Their library items will not automatically renew beyond January 31, 2014, however the client will receive a renewal reminder 3 days prior to the due date.  I am pleased to follow up with any clients who would like additional assistance or information.

 

Student Assistant

I will be interviewing for a new student assistant next week to cover our Tuesday evening shifts.

 

Service Walkarounds

As another way to bring service to the client wherever they are in the library, staff at the desk are asked to do one walkaround during each shift to provide a helpful presence and offer assistance to anyone who might have questions.

Thanks.

 

NVivo

A doctor called in before Christmas asking about access to the software NVivo. 

The University of Calgary IT website does make available free software downloads to members of the university community with a valid IT Account, that includes Nvivo and quite a list of other software.  The full list, that also shows eligibility for faculty, staff and students is available at: http://www.ucalgary.ca/it/software/downloads.

 

Withdrawal of Vet Med DVDs

The decision was made late last year to withdraw Vet Med DVDs from the Health Sciences Library collection because, given the nature of these products, we could not ensure compliance with Canadian licenses and copyright terms.  A few examples would be: The Art of Equine Auscultation, the Glass Horse and The Glass Horse Equine Colic.

Please let Lorraine T.  know if you get vet professors who ask about Vet Med DVDs.

 

SharePoint on Service Desk Stations

Since the service desk workstations have not yet been upgraded, we have been seeing some odd file behavior when working with files saved in SharePoint.  ITS has provided this easy work around for the time being.  This will apply mainly to the student project files.

 If you are going to be working on project files that are saved in SharePoint at the service desk workstations, it is best to:

·         First open Word 2007 and/or Excel 2007 and minimize these windows on the desktop,

·         Then open SharePoint  and find and open the files.

The files should then automatically open in the 2007 version of the Office program.

 

Excel Resources

Chelsea shares some Excel resources that she has found helpful:

·         I most often references Excel Magic Trick #… videos through the Excel is fun youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/ExcelIsFun?feature=watch

·         And sometimes MrExcel videos through Bill Jelen’s youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/bjele123

·         I also sometimes find help through Contextures Inc. as well: http://www.contextures.com/

 

Sessions Next Week

The Photoshop, Xibo and Colourbox Toolkit session scheduled for January 9^th will likely need to be rescheduled – watch for more details so you don’t miss out on this fun and interesting session!

 

Outlook Tip

One Outlook feature that I like is the Autocorrect to help expand acronyms.   It is a great feature – I type AHS and it automatically expands this to Alberta Health Services and I type UofC   and it automatically turns it into University of Calgary.  You can create your own autocorrect rules to use this in many different ways.

Select the File tab: Select Options: Select Mail: Under Compose Messages click on Spelling and Autocorrect button: Select autocorrect options: then in the dialogue box fill in the appropriate fields.  Replace : type in your acronym or short form word With:  type in the expanded form

Would anyone else like to share on Outlook tip?

 

Please let me know if you have any questions, suggestions or concerns.

Looking forward to an interesting year ahead at Health Sciences Library!

Mary