Library & Literary Miscellany

What do research database providers such as EBSCOhost and JSTOR as research database providers, Overdrive as a digital media service company, and Koha as an open source ILS have to do with each other? They all have some news worthy of mention, so I thought I’d mention it.

EBSCOhost and JSTOR: Interface Changes

The following are just a few of the highlights of the interface changes and/or enhancements (complete with links to find out more):

EBSCOhost 2.0

General Layout

Simple Search: Simplified search screen (patrons can display additional search options if desired such as the new “smart search”)

Collapsible panes: Collapse left and right hand panes to hide or show options (much like the way you can collapse panes in EBSCOhost’s visual search currently)

Relevancy Ranking: Improved relevancy ranking—sort results by relevancy or by date (level of relevance is graphically displayed using green squares)

Left column Features: The left-hand column enables faceted browsing through results (narrow results by source type, subject, author, or journal); this is much like is available on Worldcat.org currently.

Right column Features: The right-hand column includes limits, related articles, and related images. Limiters include the new date slider that allows quickly selecting relevant date ranges by moving the slider. Suggested related articles display beneath the limits (similar to PubMed related article feature).

Main Search Results Pane

Search History: When selected, search history displays above search results.

Preview Articles: Articles can be previewed by hovering over an icon in the results list (click on the magnifying glass/document image (this is the same idea as when you click on the binoculars image to preview search results at ask.com)).

Adding articles to Folder: Add articles to your folder directly from the preview window

Image Quick View: Results list includes thumbnails of images from the document. It will be great to know up-front whether an article has charts or an illustrations.

Customization/Saving Options Enhancements: Displays all citation methods (includes an easy copy to clipboard)

Folder: Users can now preview contents of folders from the results screen.

Useful links:

EBSCOhost 2.0 overview: includes link to an Enhancements Overview PowerPoint and an Enhancements Overview Flash Demo

EBSCOhost 2.0 flash demo

JSTOR

The JSTOR sandbox lays out some information about the new interface. It says, “Individual and organizational access to JSTOR will automatically transition to the new platform. We are testing thoroughly our various access mechanisms in an effort to ensure that this transition is as smooth as possible for all users, and we have already contacted those institutions that may need alternate methods.”

New features include: limit search by discipline, enhanced proximity operators in advanced drop down boxes (near5, near10, near25), search within these results, results page with multiple tabs (articles, images in JSTOR, images in ARTSTOR), article page navigation by clicking side arrows, a personalized account, and thumbnail views of article pages. Scroll to the middle of the sandbox page for a listing of the new features and for additional training resources.

JSTOR also makes available its presentations from the 2008 ALA Midwinter Meeting including: Michael Spinella’s “Welcome and JSTOR Updates” slides and audio; Beth LaPensee’s “JSTOR Redesign” slides and accompanying audio; and Javanica Curry’s presentation slides and audio about Aluka updates.

Both of the new interfaces seem to offer enhancements improving functionality and usability.

OverDrive: Compatibility Enhancements

Speaking of enhancements improving usability, OverDrive has plans to begin offering MP3 audiobooks (initially, at least 3000 books will be available in MP3 format without digital rights management (DRM)). Also forthcoming is an OverDrive console for Mac users. This is definite progress towards openness and playing nicely together on both counts, not to mention that it will benefit users!

View OverDrive’s own announcement: OverDrive to Distribute MP3 Audiobooks to Booksellers and Libraries or view the Library Journal article: OverDrive Breaks the iPod Barrier for Downloadable Audio.

Koha 3

In past iterations, Liblime’s Koha has had a lot to offer. As a full-featured open source ILS with no vendor lock in, Koha serves as a viable (and many would say desirable) alternative to high-priced vendor specific systems. Now Koha is available for download in its Beta 3 version. Visit Koha’s Koha 3.0.0 Beta Released announcement for the link to the download and to read about what’s new in 3.0.0.

Note (added April 01, 2008): Also changing is Ovid’s platform.  View the flash demo or the full list of training materials for more information about OvidSP.

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In a past post, I provided the link to one of my graduate school projects entitled The Many Faces of WorldCat. WorldCat.org and Open WorldCat are the OCLC’s leap into the Web 2.0 world via using the information in its WorldCat database (information that is traditionally available through FirstSearch).

These WorldCat faces do have a lot going for them, and, lest we forget that in our Google/Amazon world (both excellent resources for sundry purposes in themselves), I wanted to champion for at least an occasional pit stop on the WorldCat.org website to find the book, music, video, or article information that you seek. So, here I go championing (check out my project for a more detailed overview)…

In addition to WorldCat’s traditional face as OCLC’s Online Union Catalog that is accessible as a searchable database within FirstSearch, WorldCat has a couple of additional faces that are illuminated in OCLC’s WorldCat FAQ:

“The Open WorldCat Program and WorldCat.org are both initiatives designed to make the collections and services of WorldCat-participating libraries more visible on the open Web, outside of the library environment”.

• Open WorldCat is a program that makes a limited subset of the WorldCat database—focused on popular materials—available for harvesting by major search engines as well as bookselling and bibliographic sites. Users at sites such Google and Yahoo! Search discover “Find in a Library” results for particular library-owned items among other results for Web content.
• WorldCat.org is a destination website released in August 2006 and remains in beta. Users search the complete WorldCat database and link to online catalog records and local OPACs. The site also provides a variety of free tools such as a WorldCat.org search box that can be placed on any website and browser toolbars and plug-ins.

By registering at WorldCat.org, users are able to add content to item records in the form of item reviews, notes, or table of contents. Registered users can also make lists. While I haven’t done many (okay, any) reviews, notes, or tables of contents, I have begun to use the list feature a bit in order to create display lists of books that coordinate with storytime plans. You can view the lists that I have created thus far here.

Now, I hear you thinking (neat trick, huh?), why not just go to Amazon or Barnes & Noble to read a review or to view or create a list? Well, you could, but by using WorldCat.org for these purposes you have immediate access to the library holdings information for that item (if you don’t see the library nearest you listed, you may want to check to be sure that the library is an OCLC member since only OCLC members’ holdings are reflected in the WorldCat database).

The best part about searching for items using WorldCat.org is the immediate access you have to be able to locate the item in a library; of course, if your local library does not own a copy, then WorldCat.org also makes the Buy it Now and the Buy from Amazon links available.

There’s also a handy interaction between the WorldCat.org website and the URL for each library catalog item so that users can easily jump to viewing the item in the catalog and then return to the item information on WorldCat.org. Lastly, I’d just like to point out that if the one-box simple search is too simple, then be sure to use the advanced search interface. And really lastly, be sure to utilize the faceted browse that will be available once the original search has been executed. This is a great way to narrow down results by author, content, format, language, or year of publication.

To facilitate your own or others’ use of WorldCat.org, OCLC provides users with the option to place a WorldCat.org search box on their own homepage or blog or to download the WorldCat.org search box and install as a browser plug-in. At any rate, OCLC continues to improve WorldCat’s amenities, and, consequently, it is rapidly turning into one cool cat (with many faces).

Awwww…

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