| A Newsletter of the Reference Services Division, Olin·Kroch·Uris Libraries, Cornell University | |
| Vol. 10, No. 2 | Spring 2000 |
Have you ever had a question about the Library or any of its resources but didn't want to trek across campus or up the hill to ask at the reference desk? Or, have you thought about calling the Library but didn't know the number, couldn't get to a phone easily, or didn't want to leave your computer? If so, then we encourage you to try LiveHelp. Monday through Friday, from 1-5 p.m. you can click on the LiveHelp link on the OKU Reference Services Division home page (under CUL Web Sites in the Library Gateway) and have a real-time, private chat session with a reference staff member.
The URL for our LiveHelp page is http://www.library.cornell.edu/okuref/livehelp.html. Logging in is quick and easy. You simply click on the LiveHelp logo box, type in a user name (first names are fine) and click on the "send" button. You don't have to download any software or learn any commands. You can use LiveHelp on any computer with a Web browser (Netscape 3 and above or Internet Explorer 4 and above are recommended) and a connection to the Internet. If you're traveling out of town or studying abroad, LiveHelp is a good option for you. It might take a minute or so before the connection is made, but you will soon be in direct contact with an Olin or Uris Library reference staff member who can answer a variety of questions about your research and information needs.
A nice feature of LiveHelp is our ability to send you "live" World Wide Web links. If a Web site provides useful information for you, based upon your question, we can embed the URL in our response to you. When you click on that address, the Web page will open on your computer. Navigating can be a little tricky as you move back and forth between the LiveHelp page and a Web page we might send you, but it won't take long to become comfortable with this convenient way of sharing information.
When your chat session is finished, you should click on the "end call" button. A brief survey form will automatically open on your screen. We encourage you to answer the survey. Your answers will help us evaluate and improve the LiveHelp service. Please don't hesitate to contact us directly with your suggestions via LiveHelp, e-mail at okuref@cornell.edu, phone 254-2907, or in person at the reference desks in Olin or Uris Library.
Looking toward the future, we are hoping to expand the hours that LiveHelp is available. Wireless technology, currently available in Olin and Uris Libraries (see related article on page 3), will also make it easier for you to connect to LiveHelp if you have a laptop computer. With the right card installed in your laptop, you'll be able to connect directly to the Internet without having to use a modem or find an Ethernet outlet. You also won't have to stand in line for a library or computer lab workstation. But until then, if you are using a computer to find information or do research, please give LiveHelp a try next time you have a question -- no matter where you are.
Nancy Skipper, Assistant Head, Reference Services Division
Wireless Networking in Olin and Uris Libraries
As a result of the Nomadic Computing in Education project , wireless networking is now available in parts of Olin and Uris Libraries. The Nomadic Computing in Education project is a cooperative project between the Computer Sciences Department and the Cornell Human Computer-Interaction Group with support from Cornell University Library and Cornell Information Technologies. The project is funded by Intel and provides students in two different spring semester courses with portable computers and wireless access to the Internet.
Wireless networking allows a computer equipped with the proper card to access the campus network without being physically plugged into it. By installing four Aironet 4800 Series Turbo DS receivers in the two libraries, individuals with compatible hardware in their personal computers can access the Internet and online resources. A portable computer with an Aironet PC4800 Wireless PCMCIA card or other compatible card is required to use the network. Students in these project-related classes are able to read and send e-mail, surf the Web, collaborate with classmates, and perform other online activities.
There are several other locations on campus that also have wireless networking as a result of this project. The project map provides details of the other locations.
A wireless network uses radio frequencies to send and transmit data between personal computers or other network devices without the use of wires. The wireless technology used for this proejct provides for Ethernet-like speeds on a wireless network. The Aironet Web site includes additional details on wireless networking.
The Library plans to expand on the current wireless capabilities by installing additional access points and purchasing portable computers with wireless cards for library patrons to use in and around the library. This would enable patrons to borrow and use portable computers to search the library catalog and perform other network functions while studying in the library, browsing its stacks, or taking advantage of one of its many services.
Tony Cosgrave, Reference Librarian
New Library Management System to Premiere in June
In June, the library will introduce a new online catalog of our holdings to the Cornell community and remote users. The new catalog is Web-based and offers easy access -- from within the Library or remotely -- using any Web browser.
In addition to some of the advanced searching features patrons already employ, such as limiting search results by language, format or date of publication, enhanced searching capabilities of the new catalog include the ability to limit searches by campus location. For example, patrons will be able to construct a search for Spanish language periodicals in Olin Library or current information on environmental issues in Uris Library.
The new catalog will also provide hypertext links to those resources that are available electronically, such as full text online journals, e-books, or other Web resources. Patrons will be able to move between the catalog and Web resources with the click of a mouse. And, as with Web search engines such as Alta Vista or HotBot, search results can be ranked by relevancy. Factors determining relevancy include frequency and location of search terms.
Look for more information on the catalog transition in the Cornell Chronicle in June. In addition, a project Web page is available at http://www.library.cornell.edu/newcatalog. As with all new services, library staff will be available to assist patrons and receive feedback.
What classes do these comments refer to? Why the Reference Services Division's popular workshops, of course! Each semester reference librarians in Olin and Uris Libraries provide instructional sessions in a hands-on setting on topics of interest to hundreds of Cornell patrons. Topics covered include, effective Web surfing, creating multimedia presentations, an introduction to JavaScript, using Endnote to manage bibliographic references, GIS mapping using demographic data, and a series of four HTML workshops from creating a Web page to advanced tables and forms.
If you were unable to attend one of our workshops during the academic year, please plan to attend one or more of the following workshops offered this Summer:
Course descriptions and registration information are available on the Web at: http://www.library.cornell.edu/okuref/workshop.html.
Caroline Spicer Retires From Reference
After 39 years of Reference service to the Cornell community, Caroline Spicer will be retiring from the O•K•U Reference Services Division on June 30, 2000. For 32 years — from 1963 through 1995 — Caroline served as Head of Reference. Caroline came to Cornell from the Brooklyn Public Library in 1961. Prior to her tenure at BPL, she was on the staff of the Columbia University Library.
It is impossible to summarize Caroline’s enormous contributions to Olin Library, the Cornell University Library system, and the University over the years. Perhaps more important than her contribution to the Library and the University have been her contributions to the work of Cornell students and faculty. Generations of Cornellians have relied on Caroline for expert, in-depth Reference assistance and bibliographic detective work. While her tools and resources have changed over the decades, Caroline’s tenacity, her persistence and determination combined with her experience and knowledge, have made her an invaluable contributor to scholarship and teaching at Cornell.
In addition to her work as a Reference sleuth, Caroline leaves behind another legacy, a legacy that will continue to benefit the Library and our users. Many current Reference staff members — a group which to my mind makes up the best Reference Department in the country — were hired and trained by Caroline Spicer. While Caroline will be exploring new interests and new endeavors, she won’t be disappearing from the Library completely; rather, she will continue to act as Senior Administrator in the Wason Collection on East Asia. Please join us in wishing Caroline well!
Paul Constantine, Head, Reference Services Division