07-32 FLLS Weekly Bulletin 08/10/07

Vacation:Jan will be on vacation from August 10^th – September 4^th. If you have any questions during this time, please call x 37 for Rex or Eric. Thanks.

Please note:When running monthly Circulation reports from Report Manager that require a date range, there is a new procedure for entering in that date range.

The default time entered is always 12:00 AM. This is a Microsoft Windows parameter NOT a Polaris issue so it cannot be fixed. So if this report is run for 7/1/2007 12:00AM to 7/31/2007 12:00AM, you will not get statistics for 7/31. There are two things you can do to ensure accurate statistics for the month.

For an end date, select the first of the next month, i.e. 7/1/2007 to 8/1/2007.

Or insert the correct time after the end date, i.e. 7/31/2007 11:59PM.

Polaris Tip of the Week

There is a new SQL report in the Item Record Find Tool. This SQL report will display any item record whose price field is blank. Every item record should have an accurate price in this field. When an item goes lost, Polaris will automatically bill the patron the replacement cost, plus any processing fee if charged. If the item record does not contain a price the patron will be billed the average replacement cost linked to the material type. This price may or may not be accurate.

1.      To run this report under the Cataloging Menu, select Item Records.

2.      Select SQL in the Search Mode section of the Find Tool

3.      Select the report title Item Records Without a Price

4.      In the section of the report labeled OwningBranchID insert your library numeric code

(if you did not attend the Advanced Searching workshop, call or email Jan or Rex and they will give you your numeric library code)



5.  If you would like to create a record set of these items, under the Options Tab, select “Send Results to a New Record Set” and name your record set starting with your library name.

6.  Select the Search button

All item records that have a blank price field will be inserted in your record set.

Bring up each Item record and insert an accurate price.

ANNETTE BIRDSALL, Youth Services Coordinator

Youth Services:

You will find your bright yellow summer reading evaluation forms in delivery. Please complete and return by September 1, 2007. Those of you who return them without being “bugged,” will receive a buggy bookmark to get you thinking about next year’s theme, “Get Buggy @ Your Library!.” Thanks!

Vacation:I will be on vacation from August 10 through August 14; if you have any questions during that time please contact Marisa at x. 26.

Thanks, Annette

CAROL HENDRIX, Administration

Follow-up on Bulletins # 07-30, 07-31.

Division of Library Development (DLD) in Albany is requesting information from all member libraries estimated facility construction and renovation needs for a period of five years with a start date of January 1, 2008 through December 31, 2012. This list will enable DLD to project New York State Construction Grant funds needed for the future.

Please notify me ASAP of your library construction needs for the dates above so I can complete the paperwork and send to DLD.

If you have any questions, please contact me by email at chendrix@flls.org or by phone 273-4074 x21.

Thank you.

LINDA BEINS, ILL/Reference Coordinator

VACATION: I will be out of the office on from Monday, August 13 through Monday, August 20. If you have any ILL questions please call June Gilligan, ext. 42. I will return email and phone messages as soon as I can.

RECYCLED REFERENCE

If you are interested in receiving either of these previously owned reference books for your library, contact me by August 30.

American Book Trade Directory (2006-2007)

United States Government Internet Manual (2004-2005)

ILL

The due date we are putting on the goldenrod bookband is the actual Special Loan due date. This eliminates the need for you and your circulation staff to select a due date at check out. When we assign this due date we will take into consideration the lending library’s due date, your days of operation, and the delivery schedule.

DATABASES
OCLC FirstSearch Databases You can have a subscription to the OCLC FirstSearch database package which includes several web-based databases. If you are interested in having me contact the South Central Regional Library to set up a subscription for you, please contact me before August 31.

OCLC FirstSearch Database Package includes:

WorldCat - the OCLC union catalog

ArticleFirst – OCLC index of journal articles

ClasePeriodica – index of Latin American journals in the social sciences and humanities

ERIC – journal articles and reports in education

Medline – index of medical articles

GPO – U.S. government publications

Papers First / Proceedings – index of papers presented at conferences worldwide

Wilson Select Plus – full text articles in science, humanities, education, and business

World Almanacs

These databases are important tools in locating out-of-system resources which FLLS can then try to access for your patrons.

Test Preparation Database Trials

I’ve been able to extend the trials of the two test preparation databases.

1) To access Gale’s Testing & Education Reference Center w/ Career Module http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/special_tecm

Password:         Education through August 15

                  Criticism beginning August 16.

You will have to establish a user name the first time you begin a practice test.

2) To access Learning Express: www.learningexpresslibrary.com/evaluation

USERNAME: 99154 plus the first nine numbers of your 10-digit home phone number (Example: my home phone number is 607-995-9556; my USERNAME would be: 99154607995955).

PASSWORD: TRIAL

If you want, the computer will remember your username and password so you do not have to type it in each time.

When you, your staff, patrons, and friends review the two test preparation databases, Testing & Education Reference Center (TERC) and Learning Express, please consider these questions:

1.      Would either database be useful to your library users?

2.      Which database has the most useful content?

3.      Which database is easier to use?

4.      Which database would you recommend for purchase?

Please send your comments to me by August 22.

WEBSITES

DisabilityInfo.gov http://www.disabilityinfo.gov is the federal government's one-stop Web site for people with disabilities, their families, employers, veterans and service members, workforce professionals and many others. Information is organized in nine subject areas: employment, education, housing, transportation, health, benefits, technology, community life, and civil rights with an option to locate programs and information in your state and locality.

The Nixon Presidential Library and Museum became part of the National Archives on July 11.You can visit the website of this and other Presidential Libraries at http://www.archives.gov/presidential-libraries/visit/

LAST WEEK’S QUESTION OF THE WEEK Where is the Darfur located?

The Darfur region is in the western region of the Sudan, bordering Chad. See the U.S. State Dept. profile of Sudan at http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5424.htm and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum’s coverage of the Darfur conflict at

http://www.ushmm.org/conscience/analysis/analysis_all.php?category=01-locations&topic=01-sudan for more information about this African area which appears in the news so often.

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION OF THE WEEK Barry Bond has surpassed Hank Aaron’s home run record. Many feel accusations of alleged anabolic steroid use have tainted this accomplishment. What are possible legitimate uses of anabolic steroids?