Book Request Process

Each year our library has money set aside to purchase books. To request books, faculty members must fill out the New Library Material Request Form. The library will not purchase textbooks, only materials related to the curriculum being taught. All submissions will be reviewed and materials ordered accordingly until funds run out. The selection of materials will be purchased in GOBI- our electronic service to select and purchase from Yankee Book Peddler (YBP). Once the ordered books have been received, they will be processed and shelved. The requesting faculty member will be notified. Faculty members may contact Jim Rickerson or Lisa Millican for details. For questions about your subject area, please contact your personal librarian.

If you have any other questions or concerns please contact Jim Rickerson or Dr. Sonya Gaither.

New GIL-FIND Library Catalog Coming Soon!

Good afternoon Highlanders!

Every library has a system to select, purchase, organize, search, and lend library resources. These systems have many features and capabilities and like other systems they can become obsolete over time. The current library system, Voyager, also known as GIL-Find (used to find books and periodicals in the library and Guillebeau Hall) is currently 15 years old. All of the University System of Georgia (USG) libraries has this system. Two years ago the USG approved and paid for a system-wide upgrade to a new system called Alma for all academic libraries. The Hightower CLC & Library staff has been working hard alongside our USG library colleagues to make this implementation and transition as smooth as possible. The new system will receive a new user interface and logo but continue with the same familiar name GIL-Find. The library staff look forward to the new functionalities that will help us provide resources more effectively and efficiently using updated cloud technology.

Searching GIL-Find, the library catalog, will be more user friendly. Making requests from Guillebeau Hall, Interlibrary Loan, and GIL Express will be more seamless and hopefully easier. With a new user interface and logo, you will have a search experience similar to that of searching the GALILEO online resources. Our new system also allows us the opportunity to review, revise, and add new library procedures and services. More information to come but here are a few changes we are implementing using Voyager and/or Alma:

-         Place holds and recalls on library materials that may be checked out [now]

-         No limits on number of items checked out per subject [now]

-         Streamline check-out procedures for our users [now]

-         Total item check-out per student [15] and Total item check-out per faculty/staff [30] {at a time] [now]

-         Allow community users & emeritus faculty to check-out library materials with library card [May]

-         Provide continuous reminder notices for ALL users regarding item due dates, overdue materials, & lost items [May]

-         Utilize the book self-checkout machine more [May]

-         Ability to communicate with Banner easier for record keeping & collecting replacement cost for lost items [May]

-         Merge book purchasing process with vendors and streamline data reporting & collection [May]

-         Add electronic (databases and open access) resources into catalog [now]

The Hightower CLC & Library staff will attend a mandatory 3-day USG libraries training in Athens on February 14-16. The library will be opened during this time but with very limited staffing available. More information will be provided soon.

The Hightower CLC & Library staff look forward to introducing the new GIL-Find to you. So mark your calendars for the following dates:

February 14-16            library staff GIL-FIND training in Athens

April (TBD)                  new GIL-FIND training for students and faculty/staff

May 26                         new GIL-FIND Go Live date!

May 31                         1^st Day of Summer School using new GIL-FIND

June 12-14                   new GIL-FIND training for students and faculty/staff

As always, we THANK YOU for being patient and understanding with us as we complete another transitional project. We especially want to send our appreciation to the GSC Administration and Information Technology staff for helping us make this possible on our campus. We look forward to serving you while using the new GIL-FIND. This Is Your Library!!

If you have questions or need additional information regarding the new GIL-Find or this transition please contact the Hightower CLC & Library Alma Institutional Leads: Ms. Beth Pye (bethp@gordonstate.edu) and Mr. Jim Rickerson ([jrickerson@gordonstate.edu]jrickerson@gordonstate.edu), or the Director of Library Services (Dr. Sonya Gaither, sgaither@gordonstate.edu). More information can also be found online - http://gil.usg.edu/alma.