Minutes of November 13, 2006 Meeting

Present:

Au (chair), Bartz (recorder), Gardner, Hartman, Haynes, Hoover, McDonald, Mullen, Ruggiero

Excused:

Nahory

1) Front page graphics

A new version of the homepage with a link from the center image to a gallery of images with captions was reviewed. The page was approved for release, pending confirmation that the photo release forms allow for the inclusion of names in the captions. Au will also contact Harry to ask about the possibility of getting a picture of the football team at one of the libraries to add to the rotating gallery of photos.

2) Searchlight update

Three demo pages to illustrate the placement of Searchlight on the Libraries pages were reviewed. The committee agreed that adding it to the grey bar at the left with a rollover like other menu items was the best choice. Rather than listing Searchlight as the first item on the grey bar, as it was in the demo, IRIS should be listed first, followed by Searchlight and then Find Articles.

The placement of additional links to Searchlight still needs to be decided, and appropriate text written. A new graphic for Searchlight is also needed.

Citation Linker was mentioned as another  new  tool  that  needs  additional  placement  on  the website, possibly on the Find Articles page and the How do I… get my article? Page.

3) Indexes and Databases

Database description updates still outstanding:
Web of Science - Mullen
Journal Citation Reports - Mullen
ACM Digital Library - Mullen to contact Lo
Computing Reviews - Mullen to contact Lo
Biosis Previews - Mullen to contact Hoffman
CQ Researcher - Haynes

Cancelled databases that will need cancellation pages:
Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology - Mullen to contact Dess
Scopus - ????
D&B Million Dollar Database - Au (Done)

Three new databases are coming and will need descriptions:
Film Literature Index - Sloan
PrimateLit - Gardner (Done)
DigiZeitschriften - Niessen

4) Multilingual pages

The Diversity Committee has asked about the possibility of adding multilingual pages similar to those linked from the bottom of www.library.yale.edu. The consensus was that the question should be referred to Public Services Council. There were also several suggestions made in the event that the proposal is approved:

1. The Visitors Guide could be the basis of the text for each non-English page.
2. Pages in other languages will need to be updated each time the Visitors Guide is updated.
3. Links to the non-English pages should say "Welcome" in the relevant language instead of just listing the language as the Yale page does.

5) Webmaster Report

No report.

6) Systems Report

No report.

7) Instruction Report

No report.

8) IPAC Report

No report.

9) Other Announcements

RefWorks:

• RefWorks will begin appearing on the Libraries' website following the training session on Wednesday, 11/15.
• Au is the RefWorks contact for the Libraries.
• An import filter will allow citations to be imported from IRIS, but direct export from IRIS to RefWorks is not currently an option.
• Au will update the RefWorks FAQ to include a section on what happens to saved citations when someone leaves the university.
• Links to RefWorks will be added to several additional pages:
  • Faculty Services (bottom of page) - RefWorks[link] is a web-based bibliographic citation manager which works with most library databases.
  • Learning Tools for Students: Additional Research Resources (bottom of list) - For a web-based bibliographic citation manager, refer to the Ref
  Works FAQ[link].
  • How do I… …save my citations using RefWorks? (Fourth in How do I list) - link to RefWorks FAQ.
  • Indexes and Databases (top of page after How do I find an article…) - link to RefWorks FAQ.
  • Site Index - add RefWorks and appropriate cross-references

Database descriptions:

It's been suggested that the databases description pages are too long and that we should link database names directly to the databases without the interim pages. A separate link for information could then be added next to each database name for those who wanted to see a full description. The general consensus was that this approach would bypass certain information that's crucial for some databases (e.g., browser and plug-in requirements), but that the issue should be referred to Public Services Council by the person(s) who suggested it if they wish to pursue it.

Next meeting: December 11, 2006
Next recorder: Mullen