CDLINFO LISTSERV, June 14, 2001, Vol.4, No.10
CONTENTS
- CDL Database Transitions
- GeoRef Vendor Chosen
- Transition Steering Committee (TSC) Makes Recommendations
- Some Vendor Interfaces Are Available Now
- UC Library Staff Briefing Sheet
- Update on the Request Service
- Special Collections Pilot
- Relation to A&I Databases Transition
- Staffing Changes
- Consortial Borrowing System
- Robots or Intelligent Agents and IEEE Xplore System
- Library Staff News
- Request Service Staff Appointments and Departures
- For More Information
- CDL News
- Contacts for Questions or Problems
- Information about CDLINFO
1. CDL Database Transitions
a. GeoRef Vendor Chosen
The Transition Steering Committee (TSC) has recommended Cambridge Scientific Abstracts (CSA) as the vendor for GeoRef. GeoRef access via CSA will begin July 1, 2001. As with all recommendations, this one comes after the committee members reviewed analyses by Resource Liaisons and their colleagues, the web survey responses to vendor trials, and vendor responses to technical issues. CSA's GeoRef includes GRIP, the American Geological Institute's GeoRef In Process file, which includes translated articles and some older materials.As stated in the CDL-hosted Database FAQ [http://www.cdlib.org/news/cdlhosteddatabases.html#5], the GeoRef@STANFORD database is on a different transition timeline from the other databases being transitioned off the CDL system. Due to changes in the GeoRef data processing from OCLC, Stanford's GeoRef file is out of date. Stanford plans to discontinue its version by the end of summer 2001. CDL staff are working with Stanford to determine exactly how long it will continue to provide access.
Links to holdings and content from GeoRef via CSA will become available this fall; CDL technical staff are working with CSA to provide this necessary component as soon as possible.
b. Transition Steering Committee (TSC) Makes Recommendations
The TSC has made its recommendations for vendors for the remainder of the CDL-hosted databases. At this time, the recommendations are confidential since negotiations with the vendors are in progress. As soon as the business model and summary of terms have been agreed upon, the names of the chosen vendors will be announced.The Transition Steering Committee will continue to advise on implementation issues, including planning for training and other education efforts. More information will be forthcoming as vendor agreements are signed.
Information about the A&I Transition for library staff is available at: http://www.cdlib.org/libstaff/sharedcoll/a-i-trans/.
Information about the A&I Transition for the public is available at: http://www.cdlib.org/news/cdlhosteddatabases.html.
c. Some Vendor Interfaces Are Available Now
This is a reminder that for most of the CDL-hosted Z39.50 Databases the source vendors will not change (either the existing vendor is the sole licensed provider of the database or, as is the case with H. W. Wilson, we recently licensed some of their databases).Below is a list of these databases. Access to them is currently available through their native interfaces. When the CDL-hosted versions of these databases departs as part of the A&I Transition, access to these databases will move entirely to the vendor's native interface no later than December, 2002.
However, you may preview these databases now via their native interfaces from the CDL Directory by searching either the individual database title (e.g., Francis) or by vendor name (e.g., H.W. Wilson). Individual campuses may also license other databases from these vendors; these will appear when a search is conducted under the vendor name.
From H.W. Wilson:
ArtAbstracts
Art Index Retrospective
From OCLC:
ArticleFirst
PapersFirst
ProceedingsFirst
WorldCat
From RLG:
Anthropological Literature
Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals
Chicano Database
English Short Title Catalog
History of Science and Technology
FRANCIS
Index to Nineteenth-Century American Art Periodicals
RLIN Bibliographic File
SCIPIO
d. UC Library Staff Briefing Sheet
A two-sided briefing sheet explaining the CDL transitions of the Melvyl Catalog and vendors for the CDL-hosted abstracting and indexing journal databases is available for all UC library staff at http://www.cdlib.org/libstaff/comm/outreach/UCLibrary_Staff_briefing_sheet.rtf .The sheet is intended to inform staff about upcoming changes in access to these databases. The information is in rtf format so it can be adapted for use in campus library publications.
2. Update on the Request Service
a. Special Collections Pilot
A pilot extension of the Request service to special collections materials is now being tested and is expected to debut for users this summer. Under guidance from the Resource Sharing Committee and the Heads of Special Collections, the Request team has changed the programming to identify Requests of special collections materials and, where appropriate, forward the request and inform the user that the material may be loaned and used in a controlled setting. Material that can be safely transported to a reading room on the user's campus from a participating owning library will be delivered through Request. When they use the Request button for these specially managed materials, users will see a message describing the process and some restrictions on use, which are often necessary for the protection of rare or fragile materials. Requestors will also be informed about those special collections materials that are not available for loan.b. Relation to A&I Databases Transition
Request is an important part of the CDL-Hosted A&I databases transition (see http://www.cdlib.org/libstaff/sharedcoll/a-i-trans/). The ability of vendor systems to link to the Request system has been a key criterion used by the Transition Steering Committee to help guide the formation of its recommendations. Several vendors have existing components that could be used to link from search results to the Request system. Most others indicate a willingness to work with the CDL to add the feature via the OpenURL standard and "localization" techniques, such as those provided through SFX, which the CDL has purchased from Ex Libris.c. Staffing Changes
The CDL is pleased to announce that Claire Bellanti, Head of Access Services at UCLA's University Research Library and Director of the SRLF, has begun a 25% appointment as coordinator of operations for Request. Mary Heath, manager of CDL Technologies' access group, will chair the Request Project Team.Karen Butter will step down from nearly two years as CDL Senior Associate for Resource Sharing and the chairship of the Request Project Team when the CBS procurement is complete. Tammy Dearie, who has been coordinator of campus operations since the beginning of the Request project, will step down from her 25% appointment in order to concentrate on her new position at UCSD as head of the Social Sciences and Humanities Library. Tammy will continue to share her expertise as a member of the Request Project Team. Tammy's and Karen's leadership have been invaluable to the development and success of the Request service, and we ask that you join us in thanking them and in welcoming Claire and Mary to their new roles.
d. Consortial Borrowing System
Progress continues on the selection of a UC-wide Consortial Borrowing System(CBS) which will link to the Request system. The CBS will combine workflows for filling interlibrary loan requests, provide patrons with new features such as the ability to check the status of requests, and facilitate desktop delivery of non-returnable items.
3. Robots or Intelligent Agents and IEEE Xplore System
Licenses negotiated by the CDL often describe and limit certain types of use. For example, some licenses do not allow activity from robots/intelligent agents. (Robots/intelligent agents are programs that automatically traverse the Web's hypertext structure by retrieving a document and recursively retrieving all documents that are referenced.)Recently we've received notice through IEEE Resource Liaison Camille Wanat (UCB) of such activity from IEEE. They have asked us to remind our users that robots or intelligent agents may not be used on the IEEE Xplore system. IEEE monitors this type of activity and recently an instance of it was discovered as emanating from a UC campus. The individual in question has been located and has agreed to stop. However, it is important for us all to be aware that it is not allowed.
IEEE has sent some language along that we can use as appropriate in reminding our users that no robots or intelligent agents are permitted:
"The IEEE wishes to promote appropriate usage of its content through the IEEE Xplore site and encourage proper access among all users. Robots or intelligent agents damage the performance of the system, and are not allowed on IEEE Xplore.
IEEE regularly monitors site activity to identify robots and intelligent agents. Suspicious activity may result in suspension of service to the individual user as well as to the subscribing institution. Continued violations will result in possible cancellation of our subscription by the IEEE."
Please pass the IEEE notice on as appropriate on your campus. We would like to remind readers that descriptions of resources in the CDL Directory include a link to a generic appropriate use statement as well as to specific redacted licenses governing use where available.
4. Library Staff News
a. Request Service Staff Appointments and Departures
See Item #4c above for news of the appointments of Claire Bellanti and Mary Heath and departures of Tammy Dearie and Karen Butter.
5. For More Information
a. CDL News
Several items of interest, including "Milestones," "Progress Reports," "What's New," and previous issues of CDLINFO are posted on the CDL web site (http://www.cdlib.org/) under News and Developments. Please share news of this resource with your colleagues!Remember also that reports, working documents, and status information of particular interest to library staff, are all available at http://www.cdlib.org/libstaff/.
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.dbs.cdlib.org/ (also known as 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 CDLINFO
CDLINFO is designed to inform UC Librarians, and the UC community, about the progress 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 newsletter to faculty, staff, and students on their campuses, as appropriate. More complete information about the CDL, as well as the Directory of Collections and Services which leads to digital resources, is available at the CDL website at http://www.cdlib.org.
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