ACRL College & Research Libraries News

College & Research Libraries News

News from the Field

Stephanie Orphan

ASERL opens programs to nonmember libraries

Members of the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL) voted to allow nonmember research libraries to participate in ASERL programming. The new program category, “ASERL Program Affiliates,” allows research libraries anywhere to join ASERL’s shared catalog, document delivery system, implementation of competencies for research librarians, and upcoming cooperative virtual reference and journal storage efforts. Information about ASERL programs and “ASERL Program Affiliates” can be found at http://www.aserl.oig.

NYU kicks off library renovation

The December 2002 opening of the Mamdouha S. Bobst Gallery in New York University’s (NYU) Elmer Holmes Bobst Library and Study Center marked the official kick-off of the first phase of renovation of the library. In addition to the gallery, which will enable the university to exhibit rare and important items from its collections of fine art, rare books, and historical documents, renovations will include modernization and upgrades of some of the library’s most heavily used spaces, including the reference center and 24-hour reading rooms. The opening of the gallery also marked the 30th anniversary of the Bobst Library.

Proquest offers electronic dissertation submission program

In conjunction with the Berkeley Electronic Press, Proquest has developed a Web-based application for the submission, review, and approval of electronic theses and dissertations. The application, which will be made available to graduate schools, is expected to improve and speed the dissertation publishing process for graduate students, faculty, and graduate schools. Proquest publishes more than 55,000 dissertations and master’s theses each year through its UMI Dissertation Publishing program.

The new system allows a graduate student to upload his or her approved dissertation into the publishing system, where it is automatically reformatted in Adobe PDF and sent directly to the graduate school. The graduate school can then review the document for compliance with school policy and format and either accept the document or request changes. Once accepted, the document and all relevant data are delivered to UMI Dissertation Publishing and the university library. The service is available now and will be rolled out to graduate schools throughout the year.

EBSCO to acquire RoweCom operations

RoweCom, Inc., doing business as RoweCom, Faxon, or divine Information Services (RoweCom), has signed a nonbonding letter of intent with EBSCO Industries, Inc. for the proposed purchase of the RoweCom worldwide subscription agent business.

The proposed transaction is subject to due diligence and definitive documentation, among other customary conditions to be satisfied prior to completing the transaction. The proposal will require publishers and libraries to work with EBSCO regarding the fulfillment of prepaid RoweCom orders.

The U.S. transaction will be implemented through a chapter 11 bankruptcy filing of RoweCom.

ALA extends subscriptions to Divine/ Rowecom customers

ALA has announced it will extend subscriptions for customers affected by the recently reported business crisis at Divine/Rowecom to ensure that there is no disruption of service. ALA and its divisions and offices will extend existing subscriptions until March 2003, pending further analysis and the receipt of additional information on the number of subscribers affected. For more information on this issue, visit https://cs.ala.org/faq/ faq. cfm#topifive.

Palmer School developing rare books program

Long Island University’s Palmer School of Library and Information Science is developing a rare books and special collections concentration at the master’s level to begin in fall 2003. The program, to be headed by Deirdre C. Stam, will be closely allied with the University of Virginia’s Rare Book School. It will offer specialized courses suitable for students pursuing their master’s in library and information science, students pursuing continuing education credit, and collectors and other book enthusiasts. Students already enrolled in the Palmer School will be offered credit in the new program. The New York Center for the Book, for which Stam currently serves as director, will move to the Palmer School from its current home at Syracuse University; it will continue to be affiliated with Syracuse University Library and the Columbia University Libraries.

Readers' Guide online via WilsonWeb

The entire retrospective content of the Readers ’ Guide to Periodical Literature is searchable online via WilsonWeb. With the two-phase release of “Readers’ Guide Retrospective: 1890-1982” complete, nearly a century of Reader’ Guide content is available. When combined with “Readers’ Guide Full Text” or other current Readers’ Guide databases, more than 110 years of article citations are accessible for electronic searching.

The database incorporates a library holdings indicator that links to libraries’ OPACs to let users know if they will find cited articles on the shelves; users can also acquire articles through built-in interlibrary loan and document-delivery links.

ScienceDirect offers Encyclopedia of Social & Behavioral Sciencesonline

The International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences (IESBS) is available online on ScienceDirect. Consisting of 26 volumes, it is the largest reference work ever published for the social and behavioral sciences and is the first to appear in both print and electronic formats. IESBS is the second in a series of reference works planned for online availability through the Elsevier Science Reference Works Program on ScienceDirect. The 11-volume Comprehensive Clinical Psychology was launched in January 2002 and additional encyclopedias and other comprehensive reference works will be launched in 2003 and onwards. Institutes with no prior ScienceDirect license will be able to purchase the reference works on ScienceDirect, and those institutes with prior licensed content can seamlessly link from abstracts to the full-text article.

Malcolm X Papers placed on deposit at NYPL's Schomburg Center

A large collection of Malcolm X’s diaries, photos, letters, and other materials have been placed on long-term deposit at the New York Public Library’s (NYPL) Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture by administrators of the estate of Betty Shabazz. The papers will be available to researchers after approximately 18 months of processing and preservation work is completed. The collection includes a wide range of materials handwritten or typed by Malcolm X, in addition to a collection of photographs, many of which are presumed to have been taken by Malcolm X.

The documents placed on deposit at the Schomburg Center include those that were offered for sale by Butterfields Auctioneers in March 2002. When the Shabazz family became aware of this effort, they asserted their ownership rights and threatened legal action to prevent the sale. Researchers and scholars also expressed concern that materials of such historical importance might be purchased by individual collectors and dispersed to multiple owners. In the current arrangement with NYPL, the Shabazz family is depositing the papers at the Schomburg Center for a period of 75 years.

Endeavor releases ENCompass 3.0

The fourth release of Endeavor Information System’s digital library solution, ENCompass 3.0, is now available to libraries. The latest version of the product includes a redesigned end-user search interface for overall improved navigation. The new interface offers personalization features, such as personal collections of retained search histories and resources popularly used by an individual user and e-mail alerts to notify users of new citations that match a saved search criteria. ENCompass 3-0 also includes a new XML gateway to Scirus, a free scientific search engine developed by Elsevier Science that searches more than 69 million science-related Web pages, in addition to proprietary abstracts and citations of full-text articles. Support for the Open Archive Initiatives for digital object management and harvesting of metadata is also included in the new release.

Kenan Research Center opens at Atlanta History Center

The Atlanta History Center opened its expanded archives, dedicated as the James G. Kenan Research Center, to the public. With a total of 42,000 square feet, the Kenan Research Center offers expanded public research space with open access to the main library collections on Southern and Atlanta history, as well as an improved microfilm room. The Kenan Research Center offers rooms devoted to special interests, including, decorative arts, genealogy, military history, and southern gardens. The center also includes two special events facilities: the Woodruff Auditorium, a theater-style auditorium that seats 400, and the Draper Members Room. In addition to the Kenan Research Center, the Atlanta History Center includes the Atlanta History Museum, two historic houses, and 33 acres of gardens.

Mediafinder provides online subscription reference for periodicals

Oxbridge Communication’s Media Finder is an online subscription reference tool to search the databases of the Standard Periodical Directory’, the National Directory of Magazines, die Oxbridge Directory of Newsletters, and the National Directory of Catalogs. The product covers more than 75,000 Canadian and U.S. magazines, newsletters, journals, Web sites, newspapers, directories, and catalogs. In many instances there are click-throughs direct to the publication’s Web site and e-mail address. Subscribers can search by circulation, publication type, title, location, advertising or list rental rates, print/production specifications, publisher, and printer or list management company and download information from any search result list. ■