CONTENTS
- New resources: Bibliography of Asian Studies and Science
- CDL Tools and Services Working Group
- New source for breaking news: CDLALERT-L
- "Help! We can't access our favorite database!"
- Options for Linking into the CDL Directory
- Improving accuracy of the CDL Directory
- For More Information
- CDL News
- Contacts for Questions or Problems
- Information about the CDLINFO-L Listserv
1. New resources: Bibliography of Asian Studies (BAS) and Science
These new resources are examples of the continuing success in cross campus collaboration on shared collections development.BAS
This digital version of the Bibliography of Asian Studies (BAS) contains more than 410,000 records on all subjects (especially humanities and social sciences) pertaining to East, Southeast, and South Asia published worldwide from 1971 to the present. Since 1992, newly published individual monographs are no longer being added to the database, and users seeking monographs are urged to consult other general resources and databases (such as RLIN, OCLC, etc.).The online BAS contains the full data of all printed editions of the BAS issued from 1971 up to the 1991 edition (published 1997), as well as thousands of entries compiled since. To quickly bridge the gap in coverage from 1991 to the present, the BAS staff have identified the most important 100+ periodicals in Asian Studies, and have given these high priority for indexing to make their coverage as up-to-date as possible. For any particular journal, full information on years of coverage is provided through the Journal Title Browse function. Various special projects have contributed substantial quantities of additional records to the database, thereby increasing the BAS coverage to include new and previously excluded journals as well as gaps in indexing of covered periodicals.
In addition to using the powerful search function in online BAS, users can also browse by country/region, by subject, or by journal title. A separate screen allows users to set their preferences for displaying and downloading data in different formats. The BAS is updated quarterly, with batch posting of thousands of new entries each quarter. More background information is available at the BAS web site.
Science Online
Published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, with assistance of Stanford University's HighWire Press, Science Online and Science Now are two digital resources now available.Science Online, which is updated weekly, offers abstracts and full text of every scientific paper and summaries and full text of every news article from the following day's issue. In addition, there are archives of abstracts and summaries back to May 1995 and full text is now being archived as well. Users can search by issue, by keyword, and by author name. Special features include searching back issues and ordering full text. Links from CDL-hosted abstracting and indexing databases to Science Online are in place.
Science NOW, which is updated daily, posts several 2-3 paragraph reports on breaking news of a research or science policy nature. These news items cover events occurring anywhere in the world and in all scientific disciplines, and are written by staff, freelance editors, and writers working for Science in Washington, Cambridge, England, and elsewhere worldwide.
CDL's licensing agreement with AAAS does not include access to Science's Next Wave, a career guidance resource for scientists.
2. CDL Tools and Services Working Group
CDL UL Richard Lucier has charged the CDL Tools and Services Working Group with focusing on tools and services for sharing, accessing, manipulating, and integrating scholarly content in all forms. The Working Group evolved from discussions with the Systemwide Operations and Planning Group and the Joint Steering Committee on Shared Collections as an appropriate structure for ensuring that tools and services are available for each collection.Examples of tools include search interfaces, profiling or customizing options, mechanisms to download search results, links between metadata and primary content, and options to request items. Specialized tools may emulate traditional tools used by various disciplines, or they may break ground by working with digital content in new ways. Tools also may be facilities that are invisible to the user but contribute to the smooth functioning of the system.
The development of some digital collections is dependent upon the availability of appropriate tools and cannot proceed until they are in place. Just as a strategy and overall framework were defined for developing the collections, similar guiding principles are needed for the development of high quality tools and services. There is also a desire to reduce duplication of tool development and leverage initiatives begun by individual campuses that might benefit all campuses. Therefore, the group will take a systemwide and inclusive viewpoint to this effort.
Please join the CDL in welcoming the following members of this important Working Group:
Laine Farley, CDL, Chair
Bill Landis, UCI
Margaret Mooney, UCR
Catherine Soehner, UCSC
Susan Starr, UCSD
Roy Tennant, UCB
Brian Warling (ex officio), CDL
3. New source for breaking news: CDLALERT-L
CDLALERT-L is sponsored by the CDL and publishes announcements of systemwide interest to our users (e.g., announcements of downtime, new access points, etc.). Subscribers will be alerted to important news about CDL resources and will be able to help us keep campus users up to date on current CDL system activities. The list replaces the User Services Group email distribution list. Anyone may subscribe to this list, but only CDL staff will post to it. CDLALERT-L is not a discussion list. To subscribe,
address a blank email note to
listserv@ucop.edu
(NOTE: Leave the Subject and CC Lines blank)
In the text area of the note type:
SUB CDLALERT-L FirstName LastName
4. "Help! We can't access our favorite database!"
CDLINFO readers and the patrons whose interests they represent are reminded that reporting or investigating access problems is best done via the CDL Helpline at (510) 987-0555 or via email at cdl@www.cdlib.org. Staff answering the Helpline and email are in the best position to confirm existing problems or to act quickly to resolve reported problems.5. Options for Linking into the CDL Directory
Creators of web pages have a great deal of flexibility in how they provide access to the CDL Directory from their web sites. While the simplest approach is to create a single link to the CDL Directory's home page at http://www.cdlib.org/directory/, or to the Directory search page at http://www.cdlib.org/cgi-bin/directory_search, it also is possible to create links that will take users into the Directory. For example, a web manager can create a series of links on his or her library's web site that will take users immediately to Directory lists of electronic journals, by subject or alphabetically by title. One can imagine an almost infinite variety of "portals" into the CDL Directory that library web managers can design. Some libraries may chose to use frames, where the direct links appear in one frame (along with links to the important library-based pages), and the results of these links appear in another frame. In this way, the library maintains control over how these pages look and feel, and the content that can be delivered through them.In almost all cases, creating these links is as simple as going to the desired Directory page and then "cutting-and-pasting" the URL. The CDL has developed some instructions that describe how to create links into the CDL Directory. Go to the CDL Directory User's Guide at http://www.cdlib.org/guides/directory.html and select the "Creating Links into the CDL Directory" link.
6. Improving accuracy of the CDL Directory of Collections and Services
The CDL continues to use staff and user comments to update many entries in the CDL Directory. Two of the most important recent revisions cover Highwire Titles and additions to the database that supports the Directory:A. Highwire titles
The records for all Highwire Press titles (except those listed below) were updated to reflect the fact that the CDL and/or the campus libraries do not license most of these titles and most are no longer freely available. Highwire titles were showing up in Directory listings when campus availability limits were applied (e.g., limiting your browse/search to a particular campus). According to a number of comments we received last week, this was causing some confusion at the campuses. As you may know, the situation regarding access to many Highwire titles is very fluid at this time. Some are currently in a free trial period, with a variety of expiration dates; others are only available to campuses that also subscribe to the print; some do not yet have institutional licensing policies, etc.The access permutations are quite staggering, given the number of titles, their access policies, and campuses. We simply are not able to accurately reflect the current access status for these titles in the CDL Directory at this time. In an effort to create less confusion (the lesser of two evils, perhaps) these titles now will NOT be included in lists when a campus availability limit is applied. They WILL be included when "No Limit by Campus" is used. Once the CDL Directory management interface (which we have started developing) is in place, we will be able to make changes quickly and keep information about resources like these more immediately up-to-date. The ultimate goal, as you know, is for the campus libraries to assist with the accuracy of the Directory by helping track and maintain local information themselves.
Highwire titles that are licensed by the CDL/campuses and do have complete access information in their Directory records (and thus will appear even when a campus limit is in effect) include:
- Journal of Biological Chemistry
- Journal of Neuroscience
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
- Science
And those titles that are available with no access restrictions:
- British Medical Journal (BMJ)
- Journal of Clinical Investigation
Two new Highwire titles were added to the Directory:
- American Journal of Botany
- American Journal of Psychiatry
B. New resources added to the Directory include:
- New Journal of Physics (IoP)
- Environmental Information Resources (CDL/LOC EIP)
- Academic Universe (LEXIS-NEXIS)
- MathSciNet
- Chicano/Latino Net (CLNet)
7. For More Information
a. CDL News
Several items of interest, including "Milestones," "Highlights 1997-1998," and "What's New" are now posted on the CDL informational web site (http://www.cdlib.org/) under News and Developments. Please share news of this resource with your colleagues!b. Contacts for Questions or Problems
If you have problems accessing or using the system or have questions, including questions about the status of electronic journal collections and Internet resources, you can contact CDL staff in one of the following ways:
- For immediate assistance, call the CDL Helpline at (510) 987-0555. Callers with TDD equipment, please call 1-800-735-2929 in California for the telephone relay operator.
- Send an e-mail message to cdl@www.cdlib.org.
- Click on "News" at (http://www.melvyl.ucop.edu) for information about system outages, problems with particular databases, the status of a resource, etc.
For information about whether your UC campus has access to a particular electronic journal or Internet resource, contact your local collection development officer.
c. Information about the CDLINFO-L Listserv
The CDLINFO-L Listserv is designed for UC library employees as a first step in CDL efforts to build an active communications program to inform the UC community about progress in creation of the CDL, policy issues under discussion, and newly available electronic resources. We hope that subscribers from the UC libraries will pass on selected information from the Listserv to faculty, staff, and students on their campuses, as appropriate. On January 20, 1999 the descriptive web site at http://www.cdlib.org will change to become an integrated site providing access to CDL collections and services as well as updated descriptive information.Eligible subscribers: UC library employees
To subscribe: Please send the following line to listserv@listserv.ucop.edu: SUBSCRIBE CDLINFO-L (your name)
Frequency of publication: Biweekly, or as new information warrants.
Communicating with the Listserv: While the CDL Listserv does not accept submissions, subscribers are encouraged to send suggestions, thoughts, and comments on material in the Listserv or on related issues to the CDL at cdl@ucop.edu.