Library Bulletin

September 1999

A New Year and a New Look for the Library's Web Site
By Christopher Stewart

With the advent of the new students comes changes in the Library.  Among the more obvious ones are the changes in web access - both in-house and externally - to the Library's services.

External access to the Library's resources is achieved through the Library's newly designed web site.  Designed to be more visually striking, the new site boasts easy-to-use buttons and graphics that emphasize our connections to the Brooklyn community.  But the changes are more than just aesthetic.  A re-organization of the site makes popular resources more easy-to-find.  The five "Quick Link" buttons put the Library's most popular resources right at your fingertips.  Another important change is the ability to access resources geared towards particular audiences including faculty, students, administrators, physicians, nurses, and allied health personnel.  The addition of the "My Library" link lets you customize the Library's resources to your own particular needs.

Internally, the Library's Online Reference Center provides access to resources that Library researchers find indispensable.  In addition to the Library's online catalog and literature searching databases, the Online Reference Center provides access to the list of journals owned by the Library; a list of materials placed on reserve and direct access to those available electronically; information about Library services; and online help for the various resources available.   These terminals, located on the first floor of the Library are for use for Library research only, and do not provide access to outside resources like email and the Internet.

But those outside sources are still the ones that Library users treasure.  So the Library's Quick Check stations, located by the  entrance to the Library, provide the opportunity to access these resources.  Four sets of links take users to the Institutional email system (cc:Mail); university and hospital web sites (including the Library's new web page); the Library's text-based computer electronic access application (BMEC); and internet search engines.

This redesign reflects the efforts of many people in the Library: Jennifer Brown, Mary Doherty, Violet Evans, Luis Gonzalez, Mohamed Hussain, Ross Ljungquist, Andrea Markinson, Angela Melton, David Solomonoff, and Christopher Stewart.  You, too, can be a part of the redesign.  Take a few moments to fill out the User Survey (accessed from the "Contact Us" button) and let us know what you think.

Electronic Reserves Pilot Project
By Luis Gonzalez

The Medical Research Library started implementing a pilot project during the month of August to provide access to electronic reserves for students of the College of Medicine. Electronic reserves or E-reserves will allow students to access reserve course readings via the library's Web Page. Reading materials will be scanned, converted into electronic documents, and then placed on a dedicated server. Users will be able to access the server via the Library's Web page by opening the ELECTRONIC RESERVE link located on the Library's Main page.This new service will be gradually expanded and offered to all classes.

The first courses that will benefit from this service will be classes of the Doctoring Experience program; also past exams for classes that are kept at the Access Services Desk of the Library will be included. Material placed on E-Reserves will be password protected (in compliance with copyright laws).  Faculty will inform students in their classes of the password(s) in order for them to be able
to access the materials electronically.

How to place documents in E-Reserves?

Faculty will be able to submit documents by bringing the materials in person to the Library's Access Services Desk.  Faculty will be required to fill out a
Reserves form that will be available at the Circulation Desk, or a copy of it may be printed from the Library's Web Page.  When faculty wish to submit materials that are copyright protected, they must take the necessary steps to secure copyright permission.  The Library will not accept copyrighted materials that have not been properly authorized by the copyright holder.  (For more on copyright and copyright infringement see the next section on Copyright on this bulletin).  The library staff will need a certain amount of time to the process materials that will be placed on Electronic Reserve.  That is why the library will set a due date (usually two weeks before the start of classes) for submission of materials.

About Copyright ©

With the new Electronic Reserves service the issue of copyright continues to be of great concern for the Library.  Section 107 of the Copyright Law, "Fair
Use" is important.  Section 107 permits the use of copyrighted materials for educational purposes for classroom use under very limited time frame.  After the initial use, faculty must secure copyright permission from the copyright holder.  To maintain "Fair Use" guidelines",  the Library policy is that:
1. No more than two copies of a textbook will be on reserve.
2. No more than two photocopies of an article from a periodical or journal. ( Note also that no more than five different articles from the same journal may be placed on Reserve in the course of a year)
3. Repeated placement of the same books and  journal articles on Reserve require that copyright permission be secured for every semester or course session.
4. When making slides of photographs or other graphic materials, from books or journals, etc., copyright permission must be secured for the specific item to be used. (Sometimes this requires securing permission from the publishers AND from the person who created the photograph or graphic).

Obtaining Copyright Permission

Copyright permission can be obtained by directly contacting the copyright holder via letter, or by using the specialized services of the Copyright Clearance Center (www.copyright.com).  Often the copyright holder will be named in a formal copyright notice within the original work.  Such notices, however, are no longer required by law. Nonetheless, this material , if published within the last 25 years, is automatically protected by copyright. Faculty may begin the search for copyright ownership by contacting the author or publisher of the work.

In many instances a fee for copyright permission will be required by the copyright holder.  If the process is mediated by the Copyright Clearance Center, an
additional charge will be involved.  The length of time involved to secure permission can vary from several days to many weeks. Faculty need to
plan ahead when copyright permission is needed. Copyright holders have wide discretion when responding to requests for permission.  They also have no obligation to respond at all, which is why it may be preferable to use a specialized service like the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC). Faculty should be prepared to negotiate permission for a specific time period, usually the duration of the course, but sometimes for the whole academic year.

http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/copyright/
(Virginia Polytech policies)

http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright
(US Copyright Office home page, including how to apply for copyright)

http://www.utsystem.edu/ogu/intellectualproperty/
(for a crash course in copyright)

http://www.benedict.com/
(for links to many more copyright web sites)

#109 Medline Tutorials
Description: An introductory tutorial in how to use
the OVID search system. While we use OVID's Medline database as a teaching tool, principles learned are applicable to other OVID databases.
60-minutes hands-on tutorial
Deposit required.
Offered:  Tuesday, September 14   1:15 - 2:15
Tuesday, September 28   5:15 - 6:15

#103 Computer Basics
Description: A one-hour hands-on presentation discussing the basics of using an IBM-compatible personal computer. Topics include: how a computer works; accessing software applications and files; using input devices like a keyboard and mouse; and
saving files.  The presentation will use the Paint software included with Microsoft Windows 95 to introduce these concepts.
Deposit required.
Offered:  Thursday, September 16     1:15 - 2:15

#100 Internet Basics
Description: A one-hour presentation encompassing: what the Internet is; how to use the various protocols; what kind of information is available on the Internet; a brief introduction to directories and search engines.  This presentation is designed for beginners who have had little, if any, experience with the Internet.  Browser discussion focuses on the Netscape browser.
Deposit required.
Offered:   Wednesday, September 15   1:15 - 2:15

#101   Searching The World Wide Web
Description:  A 60-minute presentation on searching the World Wide Web.  Attention is paid to the three ways of locating information: directories (Yahoo), search engines (AltaVista and InfoSeek), and meta-engines (Dogpile and InferenceFind).  Includes information on evaluating web resources.
Offered:  Wednesday, September 22  1:15 - 2:15
 

#105 PowerPoint
Description:  A 60-minute  presentation discussing the uses of Microsoft PowerPoint. Includes: creating slides; applying backgrounds; formatting text; using  layouts; creating and importing graphics; using outlines and notes; creating handouts; using animation and transitions; and presenting a slide show
Deposit required.
Prerequisite:  Internet Basics course, or some Internet experience..
Deposit required.
Prerequisite:  Computer Basics course, or familiarity with personal computers
Offered: Wednesday, September 29 2:00 - 3:00

#111 Evidence Based Medicine
Description: An introduction to the EBM databases available on OVID- Best Evidence and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Intended for those new to EBM or who wish to know more about these resources.
Deposit required.
Prerequisite:  None (but some experience with OVID recommended)
Offered: Thursday, September 23   1:15 - 2:15

Ladies and Gentlemen, please be seated!
By Dr. Richard Winant

Over the last few months there have been complaints from faculty and students about the comfort of the chairs in the Library. After checking, we began to seek a vendor to repair the chair seats which were sagging and becoming too soft. We began repairs in June, using a Brooklyn vendor who is doing a great job. We have asked those using the repaired seats for their opinion and all have said they are comfortable. So we in the Library provide not only provide information for your brain but a comfortable seat for your...

New Book Titles: June-July 1999
List Compiled by Cheryl M. Perkins