Overview:

MyContents is the third service developed for MyLibrary.  It complements MyLinks, the portable web link organizer, and MyUpdates, the current awareness service for Cornell University Library holdings.

MyContents has been developed in response to patron requests and a desire to modernize paper TOC services in place at selected campus libraries.  MyContents is the second electronic TOC service on campus; the first was offered by Mann Library in 1997.  The original Mann TOC system was designed to serve a few hundred patrons with a few hundred journals, and MyContents can handle unlimited numbers.

We began crafting the MyContents system in September 2001, and in January 2002 Veterinary College faculty, staff, and students began receiving TOC. This was Phase One of our evaluation process.  In March 2002, the beta-test was expanded to include the  Engineering, Geneva, ILR and Mann libraries.  In August 2002, MyContents was launched campus-wide.

Journals selected are multidisciplinary, but a number of library journals are also available through the service. These include Cataloging and Classification Quarterly, Computers in Libraries, and Journal of Academic Librarianship.

Guest login access to MyContents is available for individuals who are not members of the Cornell community.  

More information is available about MyLibrary. 

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Features:

MyContents' key features include:

• TOC are received via e-mail and may also be viewed on the web.
• TOC may be received in a variety of formats, including formats for popular bibliographic management programs (EndNote, Reference Manager, Procite).
• TOC may be downloaded directly from the web in any of the available formats.
• One TOC format, known as "Standard", includes Cornell's holdings information. This information is drawn directly from Voyager and gives all library locations for an item. It also shows the networked resources link when applicable.
• Each time you visit the MyContents website you are told how many new titles have been added to the overall TOC list.
• TOC are distributed when they become available, not at pre-designated times.
• Dynamically-generated statistics are available.

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For Selectors:

As of August 27th, TOC for 959 journals are available in MyContents.   An alphabetical list of all subscribed journals is available from MyContents.  The "Choose Additional Titles" page contains a browsable title list.

We currently purchase TOC from two vendors:  ISI and Ingenta.  Their full title lists are available electronically:

• Ingenta title list (Click "browse publications)

• ISI title list

In the fall 2002 semester, selectors will receive information about selecting additional titles for MyContents.  In the interim, selectors are encouraged to collect title suggestions from faculty and other patrons.  We will be accepting new titles soon. 

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Activities:

• MyContents Milestones
• Publications

MyLibrary Milestones:

• September 2001 -- MyContents development begins
• January 2002 -- MyContents trial begins, Phase I
• March 2002 -- MyContents trial enters Phase II
• March 21, 2002 -- 500th patron subscribes to MyContents
• August 27, 2002 -- MyContents launched
• November 1, 2002 -- MyContents patron registrations reaches 1000

Publications:

• "MyContents:  Making a Dream into Reality", Kaleidoscope, April 2002, 2-4

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Suggestions Concerning our Activities? 

Do you have an idea for a new feature?  Do you represent a non-Cornell organization and would like to learn more about MyContents?  Is there additional information we could include on this page?

Please feel free to contact us individually.  You can also reach us by writing our team:  peswg-l@gould.mannlib.cornell.edu  We look forward to hearing from you!

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