Notes From The Library, Issue No. 9

Abstract

[evdate 1993-09-15] Notes From The Library Issue No. 9 - SEPTEMBER 1993 IMAGING IN THE HKUST LIBRARY As part of our continued efforts to enhance services, the Library has implemented a pilot project of fulltext image database of the course reserve articles/papers. The articles/papers, normally on 2-hour loan period, are available online through a LAN set up on the first floor of the Library, next to the relocated Reserve Counter, offering more flexibility and convenience to our students. The program stores documents as if in an electronic filing cabinet. There is a rawer?for each Department, and a older?within the drawer for each class. Documents can be retrieved in several different ways. It is easy to just browse the filing cabinet to find the desired department, course, and document. Or, it is possible to do searches on any of the control fields, including department name and class number. Finally, full-text keyword searching is available on the OCR created text file. Once a document is retrieved, the image size can be adjusted to fit the screen to whatever is most comfortable for the user. Then it is easy to just page forward and read the article on the computer screen. Because the computer does not care how many people are viewing the same document, this program eliminates the problem of patrons waiting for the return of checked out Reserve articles. A laser printer is connected to the LAN, and articles may be printed out if desired. The transmission of images places a heavy load on the network. During the coming months, this traffic will be carefully monitored to determine the extent of usage, and how this affects other network services. Depending on the results of this study, it is hoped that the Reserve Imaging Database can be made accessible to any machine on the campus network that is able to run a Macintosh or MS-DOS Windows client. The Reserve material was selected to be the first for this project because of our concern for observing the Copyright Act in the Library, as well as reducing the queues of students waiting to read specific articles. We also hope to reduce queues around the photocopy machines and, perhaps, save some paper. As this technology comes of age, it is possible to make more and more information available electronically. The potential exists to create databases which can be shared not only throughout our campus, but throughout Hong Kong and the rest of the world. Future plans in the HKUST Library include a database of the university archives and a database of newspaper clippings and current awareness material. The prospects are exciting, and limitless. COLLECTION SPOTLIGHT - SERIALS It ain what it used to be Some call them periodicals, some serials, some continuations; you may like to call them journals. But whatever the label, when one asks for a serial title nowadays, one might expect to find it in a variety of formats, from paper to microform (microfilm or microfiche), CD-ROM, magnetic tape, or electronically through telecommunication networks such as INTERNET. In the CD-ROM or other electronic files, the contents displayed on the computer monitor might be abstracted, in full-text, or as full image (as it would appear in the original print version). As a new Library, we believe that it is paramount to have the broadest possible access of the journal literature, to best support the research activities of our users. We achieve this by subscribing in three basic formats--paper, microform, and electronic (CD-ROM, magnetic tape, etc and by effective document delivery through Inter-Library Loan. The HKUST Library now has more than 2,800 paper subscriptions with another 1,500 full-text journals available electronically, and more than 34,500 accessible locally at the citation and abstract level. Accessing information electronically is an efficient use of funding and of space. This has been greatly expanded since 1992, when the INTERNET made possible cost-effective searching at the article level with CARL ncover? Most of the journals currently subscribed by the library are available in paper from about 1990 forward. Prior to that date, journals acquired are more likely to be in microform. While we do not purchase backfiles utomatically?for each journal subscription, we do acquire backfiles for titles that are important to a department curriculum and

research. The most effective procedure is for the department as a whole to agree on the titles and the most needed years, and prepare a list for library ordering. These should be titles that will be used frequently by several people. For unique items that are needed for specific purposes, they may be obtained through our Inter-Library Loan service. We urge the Library Coordinators of each department to assist us in this matter. Our raditional?periodicals are located on LG1 of the library, with current issues on one side and older (mostly bound) issues on the other, under the same call number; and the microforms are kept in a nearby room. Our staff at the newly opened enquiry counter on this floor will be glad to assist you in matters concerning serials. For titles not kept in our library, we have inter-library borrowing arrangements with academic libraries in Hong Kong and overseas. Among Hong Kong tertiary institutions, there is a daily courier service for Inter-Library Loan. We also send our own staff to Chinese University to do copying for rush requests. The British Library Document Supply Centre and commercial document suppliers provide additional support for procuring materials which are not available in Hong Kong. We are at the final stage of developing a current awareness and document delivery service with an international vendor, and expect to greatly enhance this service in the near future. FINDING YOUR WAY IN THE LIBRARY This Fall, the library will be introducing three new ways to learn about the library resources. The first way is a videotape of library services and locations. The videotape is approximately 14 minutes long and can be checked out from Media Resources for use within the library. This videotape is not intended to be comprehensive, but to give a general overview of the library. The second way is a audiotape self-guided tour. This consists of an audiocassette tape with player and a map. The length is around 10 minutes. The tape is not intended to be in-depth information, but primarily an overview of locations and services. The audiocassettes and players will be available at the Circulation Counter and can be checked out with a staff or student I.D. card. The third way is the interactive media library tour. This is intended to be more extensive in coverage and more instructive than the other products. The interactive media library tour is located on Macintosh terminals across from Circulation on the Ground Floor. Included will be maps, digitized pictures of the library, a ow to?section for procedures, and general information. We will continue enhancing these tools. Please come to the Library and use any or all of these products. UPGRADING SERVICES AND FACILITIES Based on our experiences during the past two years of operations, we can now better assess the usage of the Library's space and facilities. During the summer months we have made substantial improvements in the Library's layout and services. The most noticeable change is that the Information and Reference Counters have been combined, allowing us to consolidate functionality and to more than double the size of the Database Search Room. In Media Resources, storage space has also been doubled, to accommodate the scheduled expansion of this collection. On LG1, three other services have been moved to new locations which will better suit their functions. The microform collection has been moved into a larger space, where it will eventually be administered by the Library Serials Manager, and where a Serials Enquiry Desk will be set up to assist users. Compact shelving for microfilm has been ordered, which will allow for future acquisitions of these materials. The Library Photocopy Services have moved into the former microforms room, where the additional space available will improve the efficiency of their services. Finally, the Library classroom has been moved into a more appropriate space near Photocopy Services. The Reserve Collection has been moved back to its originally designated location on the first floor. Please read the lead article on page one of this issue for more information about the exciting changes in the Reserve Collection! You will also notice that three additional public photocopiers have been acquired to ease the impact on these machines (and those waiting in

line for them!) caused by our rapidly expanding student population. YOU MIGHT LIKE TO KNOW ?the School Contact Persons are: Science Steve Yip & Carol Lunce Engineering Tom Lundstrom & Terry Leung Business Diana Chan & Louisa Kwok Humanities & Social Sciences Danny Chin Chinese Language Coordinator Linda Lee ?Library notices are sent to all HKUST users by electronic mail. Don't forget to check your e-mail. ?Notes From the Library can be found on-line in the Electronic Notice Board. OVERSIZED BOOKS Books which are too tall or deep to fit on the standard bookshelves are shelved at the end of each range. The location of these books is listed as "OVERSIZE" in the Main Catalog. SUGGESTIONS, WE GET SUGGESTIONS In this column we respond to some of the suggestions and comments placed into the main catalog suggestion box. Brief responses to common suggestions may also be found in one of the main catalog I>Library INFORMATION screens. PHOTOCOPIERS: To accommodate the increased demand expected from the growing student population, three more copiers have been installed. Please keep in mind the Copyright Act when you photocopy materials. Refer to the signs on copyright law posted near the copiers. Also, last year 2,207,135 photocopies were made on the public copiers in the Library. This is a very high number. Please try to copy less, and conserve paper. E-MAIL NOTICES: All Library notices are sent to UST users via e-mail. Non-UST users can request that their notices be sent via e-mail. Contact the Circulation Department at LBCIRC@usthk.ust.hk or call 358-6772 for details. ACCESSING DATABASES FROM OFF-CAMPUS: Due to licensing restrictions, the databases available on the Library CD-ROM network, and those loaded in the Main Catalog cannot be accessed through dial-up connections, or from other locations on HARNET or the internet. These databases can only be used from on campus. TELEPHONES: Free campus telephones were originally provided in a number of areas of campus, but they were vandalized. We see no reason why the Library would fare any better. We are now investigating sources for more durable phones for public use. AIR CONDITIONING: Some users have complained that the Library is too cold. Others have said it is too hot. The Estates Management Office works with us to keep the Library environment as stable and comfortable as possible. Due to the large open spaces, it is impossible to individually regulate most areas in the Library. LIBRARY HOURS: Many have suggested extending the hours of the Library. During the academic year, the HKUST Library is open more hours than any other UPGC library. Due to staffing and resources constraints, and to the limited availability of staff quarters coupled with the University's remote location, we do not think it is possible to further extend the Library's open hours. LIBRARY E-MAIL ADDRESSES

Please use the following e-mail addresses for questions relating to specific library operations: LIBRARY - for general comments. LBACQ - ACQuisitions LBCIRC - CIRCulation LBCOLL - COLLection Development LBILL - Inter-Library Loan LBONLINE - Online Services LBREF - REFerence LBRSRV - ReSeRVe

The Library of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology