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.
Monday, February 20, 2017
Friday, February 3, 2017
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 1st 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.
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
Operating System Transition
This academic year, we are in the process of transitioning our operating system, Voyager, to a new system. The new system has two sides: Alma, in which the library staff will be able to do maintenance and daily upkeep, and Primo, the public user interface of the new system. Gordon State isn't the only school to make the switch to Alma/Primo. In fact, the entire University System of Georgia will be making the switch this academic year. With technology advancing every day, Voyager has become outdated. Alma/Primo provides new and more efficient ways of handling our day to day operations, here in-house and as we connect with other schools via ILL/GIL Express.
Technical Services Librarian Jim Rickerson is our institutional lead on this transition with our college archivist and Reference Instructional Librarian, Beth Pye, as our back up administrator. We have five different teams working on different aspects of this transition. One of the more difficult aspects during the transition, according to Rickerson, would be reevaluating our work flows. In order to prepare our system for the transition, we had to look at the way we configured our data in the old system and adjust so that it would fit in the new system. This includes system configurations for check out periods, fines, books on reserve, and notices. Pye believes that one of the biggest obstacles we have faced is time, specifically that we do not have enough. Ex Libris also provided us with a lot of cleanup tasks in order to prepare our library for the transition. This included weeding through our collection, pulling unused or duplicate books, and cleaning up our GIL-Find Database.
With Alma/Primo, we will no longer have multiple zones housing our GIL information. Currently, each institution has their own institutional GIL-Find zone as well as their own zone within GIL-Universal. Under the new system we will have one shared community zone between the schools in the university system in addition to their own institutional zone. This will improve GIL sharing.
Our next step in the transition process is testing our institutional sandbox. This is our opportunity to test out the new system within our institution to check for any bugs, issues, or inconsistencies. Our sandbox will essentially be a beta version with our institutional records that we will use to get more hands-on experience before the system goes live throughout the University System of Georgia.
Both Rickerson and Pye, as well as the rest of the library staff, feel good about the transition and agree that it will be a great next step for The Hightower Collaborative Learning Center & Library. Staff training will continue through the end of December and the University System of Georgia will role out the new system in May 2017.
With Alma/Primo, we will no longer have multiple zones housing our GIL information. Currently, each institution has their own institutional GIL-Find zone as well as their own zone within GIL-Universal. Under the new system we will have one shared community zone between the schools in the university system in addition to their own institutional zone. This will improve GIL sharing.
Our next step in the transition process is testing our institutional sandbox. This is our opportunity to test out the new system within our institution to check for any bugs, issues, or inconsistencies. Our sandbox will essentially be a beta version with our institutional records that we will use to get more hands-on experience before the system goes live throughout the University System of Georgia.
Both Rickerson and Pye, as well as the rest of the library staff, feel good about the transition and agree that it will be a great next step for The Hightower Collaborative Learning Center & Library. Staff training will continue through the end of December and the University System of Georgia will role out the new system in May 2017.
ALMA Training with Dr. Gaither
The Ex Libris® Group, a world leader in the provision of library automation solutions announced in July 2015 that the University System of Georgia selected the cloud-based Alma® library management service and Primo® discovery and delivery solution to create a new shared library system.
Using Alma collaborative networks for acquisitions, cataloging, resource sharing, and analytics, the University System of Georgia will be able to streamline its processes across the entire network and support new consortium-wide initiatives, with the goal of enhancing library and user services (Ex Libris, http://gil.usg.edu/alma_implementation/announcements/P21, 2015).
Library staff at each USG institution including Gordon State are divided into functional teams related to the collaborative networks for acquisitions, cataloging, resource sharing, and analytics. These teams meet biweekly, and receive training online and face-to-face. Dr. Sonya S. Gaither, Director of Library Services serves as the USG Alma Analytics Team Lead. The Analytics Team will receive online training on November 1 and 15, 2016 and face-to-face training at Gordon State on November 15-16, 2016.
Using Alma collaborative networks for acquisitions, cataloging, resource sharing, and analytics, the University System of Georgia will be able to streamline its processes across the entire network and support new consortium-wide initiatives, with the goal of enhancing library and user services (Ex Libris, http://gil.usg.edu/alma_implementation/announcements/P21, 2015).
Library staff at each USG institution including Gordon State are divided into functional teams related to the collaborative networks for acquisitions, cataloging, resource sharing, and analytics. These teams meet biweekly, and receive training online and face-to-face. Dr. Sonya S. Gaither, Director of Library Services serves as the USG Alma Analytics Team Lead. The Analytics Team will receive online training on November 1 and 15, 2016 and face-to-face training at Gordon State on November 15-16, 2016.
The Regents Academic Committee on Libraries (RACL) is an academic advisory committee established by the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. The membership consists of one voting member appointed by the President of each institution. In most cases, the member is the institution’s library director, dean, or university librarian. The function of the committee is:
* To make reports and recommendations concerning the improvement of instruction, curriculum, research, and service in matters related to libraries
* To exchange information and ideas
* To improve resource sharing and coordination of services between units of the University System
* To consider any other matters requested by the Senior Vice Chancellor or his/her representatives.
RACL meets twice a year. The last meeting was held at Gordon State College on November 10-11, 2016 and hosted by the RACL Vice Chair/Chair-Elect, our very own. Dr. Sonya S. Gaither, Director of Library Services.
* To make reports and recommendations concerning the improvement of instruction, curriculum, research, and service in matters related to libraries
* To exchange information and ideas
* To improve resource sharing and coordination of services between units of the University System
* To consider any other matters requested by the Senior Vice Chancellor or his/her representatives.
RACL meets twice a year. The last meeting was held at Gordon State College on November 10-11, 2016 and hosted by the RACL Vice Chair/Chair-Elect, our very own. Dr. Sonya S. Gaither, Director of Library Services.
Library Hours for Final Exams
The Library will have special study hours for students to prep for final exams. They have been listed below.
Final Exam Week
December 2, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.December 3, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
December 4, 2:00 p.m. - midnight
December 5, 8:00 a.m. - midnight
December 6, 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
December 7, 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
December 8, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
December 9, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
State of the Stacks September 21, 2016
DOROTHY W. HIGHTOWER COLLABORATIVE
LEARNIG CENTER & LIBRARY
“STATE of the STACKS” REPORT
SEPTEMBER 21, 2016 MEETING
TOPICS OUTLINE
Annual Goals
Revise/update
policies/procedures
-Alma
transition
-Day-to-day
operations
Revise/update web page
Revamp
library instruction program
-Learning
objectives
-Expand
instruction beyond 1st year to include upper level
subject specific & colloquium classes
subject specific & colloquium classes
-CREDO Information Literacy
English
1101/1102
QEP
assistance
SSC
Review/increase
Assessment program
Budget &
Purchasing
-Print v. electronic database
spending
-Rate of increases for annual
database subscriptions
-Book purchasing
- Faculty recommendations
-Department accounts can be created
and recommendations
submitted online – training available
submitted online – training available
Building Usage
Instruction & Research
Timeliness
of research assistance given to students
ILL v. GIL Express
Library staff unfamiliar
with research assignments prior to
distribution
distribution
-Resources
unavailable/never owned by library
-Desire
to work closer with faculty to ensure resources are
available
available
Review & update
on 2015-2016 Library Committee Recommendations
SACSCOC Initial
Report & Focus Report
Staffing and Professional
Development
What’s New
Alma
– new library management system (All USG libraries
participating)
participating)
Electronic newsblog –
library news for faculty
Upcoming events
-Library
Directors’ Meeting – Dr. Gaither to host at GSC –
Nov. 11, 2016 (planning stage)
Nov. 11, 2016 (planning stage)
-Alma
Analytics training - Dr. Gaither to host at GSC –
Nov. 15-16, 2016 (planning stage)
Nov. 15-16, 2016 (planning stage)
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