Mount Hood

It’s OK to order things OnDemand!

When you run across an article in your research that is available through “Get It Now” or “OnDemand,” don’t let that stop you from getting the article you need.

These terms mean that Hamersly doesn’t have access to the journal that published the article you are looking for, but we can still get the article for you. In order to get access, you will go through a short process – since the library pays (on average around $30) each time an article is viewed through the Articles OnDemand provider’s website, we want to make sure you actually want the article. We budget for Articles OnDemand use though, so we want you to use it when you need it! We simply ask that you:

  • Read the abstract of each article to determine how likely it is to suit your needs before viewing the full text and incurring charges.
  • Be sure to save the article somewhere you will be able to get back to it (e.g. your H:/ drive, My Documents folder on your personal computer, a USB drive) so that the library only pays for it once.

Happy researching!

One more reason to plan ahead when researching

There are two systems through which WOU students, faculty, and staff can obtain books from other libraries that we don’t have in Hamersly: Summit and Interlibrary Loan. What does this mean for you? It’s a matter of time: Summit items get to you in 3-5 days, while Interlibrary Loan items take longer, sometimes up to two weeks.

Summit logoSummit is the shared catalog and borrowing system of the Orbis Cascade Alliance, a consortium of academic libraries in Oregon, Washington and Idaho. This special partnership makes it faster for us to borrow items from Summit libraries and for this reason, it is used to request most books, videos, and CDs that WOU does not own. Interlibrary Loan, consisting of all libraries except the Summit libraries, is used to request articles from journals and any books, videos, and CDs not available in Summit libraries.

The moral of the story? If WOU doesn’t have what you need, request through Summit when possible. If requesting through Interlibrary Loan is your only option, just be aware that it will likely take longer than you’re used to with Summit. No matter what system, however, the library can almost always get you what you need!

Streamlined Summit Requesting

Summit logoYou may remember that last summer, Hamersly Library migrated to a new system, Primo. Our library was part of the third cohort of the Orbis Cascade Alliance’s shared library system project. Now that the final cohort has migrated, we are now ready roll out an enhancement to the Summit requesting process.

Currently the Primo link “Request item (about 5 days)” moves you to another system, summit.worldcat.org, to handle the request. Even when you’ve signed in on Primo, you have to authenticate again on the requesting server.
Starting next Tuesday, Jan. 20, Primo will handle requesting as well as discovery. Fewer authentication prompts for you, and Primo’s My Account area will display the status of your requests alongside your loans, saved queries, and e-Shelf collections.

What do you need to do? 

Probably nothing except to enjoy the better process. Hooray! Just a few things to consider:

Do you have links in Moodle, browser bookmarks, citation management software, etc. to records on the summit.worldcat.org server? (or to our old catalog server, library.wou.edu?). They will need to be changed to link to the Primo server. (See Get the URL for a Primo record.)

Likewise, if you have linksto the general search page summit.worldcat.org, change to the new search URL:

https://alliance-wou.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?vid=01ALLIANCE_WOU:WOU

While the Summit group within WorldCat is going away, WorldCat in the larger sense remains a valid resource to discover and request items that are beyond the holdings of the Summit libraries, through Interlibrary Loan.  Please continue to find the link to WorldCat in the bottom right corner of the Primo Search box on the library’s main page.worldcat

You can learn more about the system, see video tutorials and screenshots, and share comments and questions at our Primo Guide.

“Can I send someone to check out those books?”

We often get asked if a family member, friend, or graduate assistant can pick up materials on behalf of a borrower. Our system now makes it easier for us to manage these requests by documenting a borrower’s proxy. As a Hamersly Library patron, you may grant permission for another person (or persons) to check out materials from the library on your account.designate a proxy to checkout library materials

Proxies can pick up materials that arrive for you through Summit and Interlibrary Loan, and Hamersly-owned items that are on hold for you.

You can designate a proxy for just a few days, to accommodate an illness perhaps, or longer term, for continued access–it’s up to you.

Need a midterm break? Check out Films on Demand

films on demandWatch online streaming videos about everything from biographies of famous musicians to the history of unions in the U.S. to tips for writing fiction from famous writers (and much more!) for free. Watch the videos in Films on Demand for class or for a study break – there’s something for everyone.

Films On Demand is almost like the library’s version of YouTube, except it’s all legal and appropriate for use in class assignments!

The vast Films on Demand archive currently includes more than 6,100 complete titles and 63,000 shorter video segments. You can browse by subject, such as Health & Medicine, World Languages, Nursing, Criminal Justice & Law, or Archival Films & Newsreels, under the ‘Collections’ menu option. Or you can simply search for videos using keywords.

Happy watching!

 

New library system is live

Primo logoIt’s here! Our new library system is now up and running. The biggest change for you, as a library user, will likely be the new online search interface called Primo, which you will use to locate library materials within Hamersly Library and at our Summit partner libraries.

Find Primo at the top of the library homepage and try it out. If you find any bugs or have questions, please let us know, and know that we will be working in the weeks to come to smooth out the bumps that inevitably come with a large-scale project like this one.

Speaking of which…here are a few things to keep in mind as you begin to use the new catalog in these early days: [wpspoiler name=”More about new library system” ]

  • For quick answers to the most commonly asked questions about the new system (such as, why did the library make this change?, what is this thing called Primo?, what about my favorite database, has it changed?) take a look at our FAQ. We are continuing to add to this as we encounter new questions and issues.
  • WorldCat, Primo, and Research databases are elements of a complete searchSearching in Primo can get you different types of results depending on the options you choose. However, even though there is a lot of material searchable in Primo, it does not include everything. Here are a couple examples:
  • Once you do an initial search in Primo and are on the results page, look to the upper-right corner for the sign-in link. We strongly encourage you to sign in as it helps you get better results and is the only way you can order books through Summit. A couple more things about the sign-in that you should know for now:
    • Once you click on the link to sign in, you will be taken to page where you can sign in with your WOU Pawprint ID and password.
    • The first time you sign in, you will be prompted to “Personalize Your Results.” In addition to selecting one or more subject areas of interest, you can indicate your “Degree,” which is simply a way of asking what part of the WOU community you belong to (student, staff member, etc.) If you are a member of faculty, the best option on the menu at this point is “Researcher.” Selecting these options will provide better search result relevance rankings for you. You can also skip this personalization, however, and/or change your settings later.

We appreciate your patience during this transition and are committed to maintaining library services at the level that you expect and require. As always, please feel free to let us know if you have any thoughts, questions, or concerns about the new system. [/wpspoiler]

Academic Excellence Showcase online schedule is up

Academic Excellence Showcase 2014The annual, campus-wide Academic Excellence Showcase is coming up on Thursday, May 29. Use the online schedule to help you navigate this busy day.

With the online schedule you can:

  • Browse all campus presentations or jump to a specific department
  • Search for a particular presenter by name or keyword
  • Plan your day by downloading individual session information to a Google Calendar
  • Share and promote sessions electronically via email, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media

Stream videos for class or fun with ‘Films on Demand’

films on demandWatch online streaming videos about everything from biographies of famous musicians to the history of unions in the U.S. to tips for writing fiction from famous writers (and much more!) for free. Use the videos in Films on Demand for class, to learn something new, or just to satisfy your curiosity.

Films On Demand is almost like the library’s version of YouTube, except it’s all legal and appropriate for use in class assignments!

[wpspoiler name=”More about Films on Demand” ]

The vast Films on Demand archive currently includes more than 6,100 complete titles and 63,000 shorter video segments. You can browse by subject, such as Health & Medicine, World Languages, Nursing, Criminal Justice & Law, or Archival Films & Newsreels, under the ‘Collections’ menu option. Or you can simply search for videos using keywords.

Happy watching!

[/wpspoiler]

 

Meet your Hamersly staff: Samrid Aryal

Each term, we introduce you to a few of the people who work to make Hamersly your favorite place on campus to do research, study, print your papers, meet with a group, or simply kick back and read in a quiet place.

This week, meet Samrid Aryal, the student employee who has been with us the longest in our current batch!

—

SamridWhat do you do in the library? I work at the Information Desk. I help patrons with technical troubleshooting, general questions, and help them with finding research materials/articles.
How long have you worked in the library? About three and a half years
What is your major and year in school? Information Systems major, Senior
What is one thing about the library you think everyone should know? That they can check out board games, video games, projectors, laptops, and other equipment from us.
What is the last good book you read? The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
What was your favorite book as a kid? The Arabian Nights
Tell us a fun fact about you! I am the first international student from Nepal to attend WOU.

WOU’s history is at your fingertips!

Valentines from WOU scrapbooksUniversity Archives (located in Hamersly) houses a treasure trove of WOU materials dating back to our founding in 1856. Some of these items are digitized and available online, such as past yearbooks and letters from early Monmouth settlers. Some are physical and can be accessed by contacting Archives staff, such as student scrapbooks from the 1920s.

So, whether you’re working on an assignment, looking for photos of a WOU-alum family member, or just hoping to satisfy your curiosity about WOU’s rich history, University Archives can help!