After four years as the library's Information & Technology Librarian, we bid farewell to Lilian Li. We wish her well as she moves on to her new post.
If you read this blog and are interested in a job with Medicine Hat College Library Services, you can view our latest openings by clicking here.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Bowker's Book Analysis System
I believe that I figured out how to perform the processes for Bowker's Book Analysis System for collection development. Not that they are overly hard, but some of the system and required formatting tricks were new to me.
Since getting MARC records from our system was a tricky affair, I decided to upload specific MARC fields in a CSV file. Whether or not it is formatted correctly is another matter. At any rate, two different files were uploaded and are now processing. We will know tomorrow whether or not the procedure was successful.
If the test is success, other collection areas will be uploaded. The Reference Collection was the test file, so other significant areas (AV and Circulation Collections) will follow. Then it is on to Relais ILL form customization.
One cool thing that I played with is using an FTP extension in my Firefox Web browser. FireFTP proved to be an easy and successful FTP client.
Since getting MARC records from our system was a tricky affair, I decided to upload specific MARC fields in a CSV file. Whether or not it is formatted correctly is another matter. At any rate, two different files were uploaded and are now processing. We will know tomorrow whether or not the procedure was successful.
If the test is success, other collection areas will be uploaded. The Reference Collection was the test file, so other significant areas (AV and Circulation Collections) will follow. Then it is on to Relais ILL form customization.
One cool thing that I played with is using an FTP extension in my Firefox Web browser. FireFTP proved to be an easy and successful FTP client.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
General Update - MHCLS Blog and My Work
I made a few changes to the Medicine Hat College Library Services Blog. The changes include:
- LINKS
They are now underscored for easier visibility, however, the underscore will disappear when rolled-over. This adds, in my mind, a more animated/interactive approach to linking. - BANNER
I created a custom banner that employs the college's crest/logo. This replaces the default text banner that is provided by Blogger. - BACKGROUND
The background color has been changed to a dark sage green color. Previously it was pure white and looked too dull/stark.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
AAQ - Conception with Tubaligation & Partial Hysterectomy
Hello and thank you for using the “Ask A Question” service.
You are inquiring whether or not a woman who has had a tubaligation and a partial hysterectomy can conceive.
Unfortunately we are not medical experts and cannot offer any authoritative advice or interpretation in such matters. We suggest that you consult a medical doctor, nurse or medi-clinic in your area.
Thank you again for using the “Ask A Question” service. If you need more help, please use the service again or see the Information Desk in the Vera Bracken (Medicine Hat College) Library (Phone #: (403) 529-3867; Toll Free #: 1 (866) 282-8394 ext. 3867).
AAQ#: 33242
You are inquiring whether or not a woman who has had a tubaligation and a partial hysterectomy can conceive.
Unfortunately we are not medical experts and cannot offer any authoritative advice or interpretation in such matters. We suggest that you consult a medical doctor, nurse or medi-clinic in your area.
Thank you again for using the “Ask A Question” service. If you need more help, please use the service again or see the Information Desk in the Vera Bracken (Medicine Hat College) Library (Phone #: (403) 529-3867; Toll Free #: 1 (866) 282-8394 ext. 3867).
AAQ#: 33242
Sunday, June 24, 2007
AAQ Coordinators’ Meeting Report
The following is my report from the Ask A Question Coordinators’ Meeting that was held in Edmonton, Alberta on June 22, 2007 at the Greenwood Inn. I was there in my capacity as the Acting AAQ Coordinator for Medicine Hat College Library Services.
After the initial call to order, some of the following things were discussed:
STATISITICS. Since its re-launch in October 2006, there has been a significant increase in the volume of questions being submitted. From January to May 20007, there was an increase of 102%. The numbers for the specific service groups were broken down as follows: (a) post-secondary questions – up 45%, and (b) public libraries – up 105%. Of the latter group, there was a 13% increase in Alberta-based questions, and 181% in “Guest” questions (all of those from outside Alberta). 36% of the guest questions were referred to similar services in the home region of the questioner.
STUDENTS & VOLUNTEERS. The students in the Information Management and Library Technology program at Grant MacEwan College (GMC) participated in Ask A Question. The 29 students were tasked to complete 1 question per week over a 10-week period. Some were keener than others and a total of 361 questions were answered.
Twenty-two students at the University of Alberta’s (U of A) School of Library and Information Studies (SLIS) also participated. They were tasked to complete 3 questions over as many months. This group answered fifty-seven questions.
Some of the students were hoping to continue their participation in the program, but it was not possible at this time for everyone to continue. SLIS students were allowed to continue, but their supervisor would still monitor them. The experience was positive for the service and students, with one notable exception. [One student took exception to the feedback and their reaction was less than positive – that particular issue was referred back to the instructor.]
POLICY MODIFICATIONS & REMINDERS. We were all reminded about the importance of safeguarding our patrons’ person information – we are not to archive questions (make information publicly accessible) that contain names of individuals or other personal details. Some of the other issues include: inclusion of licensed information in answers (we are not to copy/paste information from databases into our answers), and referrals (whenever possible, refer non-Alberta-based questions to similar regional services). [There are a variety on tools built into the AAQ management system, including “canned” answers and links to related regional services.]
SERVICE COMMITTEE. This is the working committee that oversees the AAQ service. It is composed of the Chair (TAL’s AAQ manager), and 4 reps (2 from the public library sector, and 2 from post-secondary). There is currently a vacancy in one of the post-secondary positions. AAQ is not my first love and my position is merely as acting-coordinator, though it is tempting.
2007 AAQ WORK PLAN OVERVIEW. AAQ will continue to refine and review: answering procedures, customer satisfaction, policies, and surveys. One project that was on the horizon was an instant messenger (IM) style of AAQ. It did not appear as though there were many interested parties at the table, though MHC Library Services is launching its own service in the Fall of 2007. AAQ will continue to try and employ the services of students from GMC and the U of A.
WEBSITES. We reviewed the website and some of its features – particularly, how it assists administrators/facilitators in answering questions. MHC staff did have training in this area a few weeks prior, so it should be relatively fresh in our minds. The main things for us to remember were the aforementioned canned/template responses, and the list of referrals to similar services (http://del.icio.us/aaq).
PRESENTATIONS. We had presentations from two organizations – the Centre for Suicide Prevention and the Kids Help Phone. Both groups presented us with information packages and resources that we can employ. Fortunately we are, as a post-secondary institution, somewhat insulated from some of the more difficult social issues that public libraries have to deal with. The public libraries have been known to get some rather sensitive questions related to abuse, suicide, and other legal and medical matters. AAQ does have policies in place with regards to dealing with such matters. If such a case were to be entered into our queue, we should refer them to the AAQ coordinator/administrator – typically they will be left to TAL’s Virtual Reference Librarian to deal with.
ITEMS FOR DECISION/DISCUSSION. This portion of the meeting was dedicated to an assortment of housekeeping duties. Some of the issues discussed included: our social responsibility, branding, staffing, and system upgrades.
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. The issue of the increased question volume was raised again. AAQ currently receives as more than 800+ questions per month. The volume is almost too much – a consequence of its own success. The service was meant for Alberta citizens, but there is a significant amount of traffic coming from India and the Middle East. Whenever possible external questions are referred to regional services that perform a similar AAQ function. [We are able to determine location based on IP address or postal code.] There were more than 1,400 referrals in the 6 months prior to this meeting. There was also discussion about blocking IP addresses from areas – something I rejected, because I have answered legitimate questions from out-of-province patrons related to Medicine Hat College. With the exception of one individual, it was agreed that referrals were the best course of action. [The contrary person felt that we -- as Albertans, in the richest province, in one of the most prosperous nations -- should serve the world’s interest. This was quickly kiboshed by others that were already overwhelmed with AAQs.] This led directly to the next issue, which was…
If you have any further questions, please feel free to make inquires of me. You can read more about AAQ by visiting:
After the initial call to order, some of the following things were discussed:
STATISITICS. Since its re-launch in October 2006, there has been a significant increase in the volume of questions being submitted. From January to May 20007, there was an increase of 102%. The numbers for the specific service groups were broken down as follows: (a) post-secondary questions – up 45%, and (b) public libraries – up 105%. Of the latter group, there was a 13% increase in Alberta-based questions, and 181% in “Guest” questions (all of those from outside Alberta). 36% of the guest questions were referred to similar services in the home region of the questioner.
STUDENTS & VOLUNTEERS. The students in the Information Management and Library Technology program at Grant MacEwan College (GMC) participated in Ask A Question. The 29 students were tasked to complete 1 question per week over a 10-week period. Some were keener than others and a total of 361 questions were answered.
Twenty-two students at the University of Alberta’s (U of A) School of Library and Information Studies (SLIS) also participated. They were tasked to complete 3 questions over as many months. This group answered fifty-seven questions.
Some of the students were hoping to continue their participation in the program, but it was not possible at this time for everyone to continue. SLIS students were allowed to continue, but their supervisor would still monitor them. The experience was positive for the service and students, with one notable exception. [One student took exception to the feedback and their reaction was less than positive – that particular issue was referred back to the instructor.]
POLICY MODIFICATIONS & REMINDERS. We were all reminded about the importance of safeguarding our patrons’ person information – we are not to archive questions (make information publicly accessible) that contain names of individuals or other personal details. Some of the other issues include: inclusion of licensed information in answers (we are not to copy/paste information from databases into our answers), and referrals (whenever possible, refer non-Alberta-based questions to similar regional services). [There are a variety on tools built into the AAQ management system, including “canned” answers and links to related regional services.]
SERVICE COMMITTEE. This is the working committee that oversees the AAQ service. It is composed of the Chair (TAL’s AAQ manager), and 4 reps (2 from the public library sector, and 2 from post-secondary). There is currently a vacancy in one of the post-secondary positions. AAQ is not my first love and my position is merely as acting-coordinator, though it is tempting.
2007 AAQ WORK PLAN OVERVIEW. AAQ will continue to refine and review: answering procedures, customer satisfaction, policies, and surveys. One project that was on the horizon was an instant messenger (IM) style of AAQ. It did not appear as though there were many interested parties at the table, though MHC Library Services is launching its own service in the Fall of 2007. AAQ will continue to try and employ the services of students from GMC and the U of A.
WEBSITES. We reviewed the website and some of its features – particularly, how it assists administrators/facilitators in answering questions. MHC staff did have training in this area a few weeks prior, so it should be relatively fresh in our minds. The main things for us to remember were the aforementioned canned/template responses, and the list of referrals to similar services (http://del.icio.us/aaq).
PRESENTATIONS. We had presentations from two organizations – the Centre for Suicide Prevention and the Kids Help Phone. Both groups presented us with information packages and resources that we can employ. Fortunately we are, as a post-secondary institution, somewhat insulated from some of the more difficult social issues that public libraries have to deal with. The public libraries have been known to get some rather sensitive questions related to abuse, suicide, and other legal and medical matters. AAQ does have policies in place with regards to dealing with such matters. If such a case were to be entered into our queue, we should refer them to the AAQ coordinator/administrator – typically they will be left to TAL’s Virtual Reference Librarian to deal with.
ITEMS FOR DECISION/DISCUSSION. This portion of the meeting was dedicated to an assortment of housekeeping duties. Some of the issues discussed included: our social responsibility, branding, staffing, and system upgrades.
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. The issue of the increased question volume was raised again. AAQ currently receives as more than 800+ questions per month. The volume is almost too much – a consequence of its own success. The service was meant for Alberta citizens, but there is a significant amount of traffic coming from India and the Middle East. Whenever possible external questions are referred to regional services that perform a similar AAQ function. [We are able to determine location based on IP address or postal code.] There were more than 1,400 referrals in the 6 months prior to this meeting. There was also discussion about blocking IP addresses from areas – something I rejected, because I have answered legitimate questions from out-of-province patrons related to Medicine Hat College. With the exception of one individual, it was agreed that referrals were the best course of action. [The contrary person felt that we -- as Albertans, in the richest province, in one of the most prosperous nations -- should serve the world’s interest. This was quickly kiboshed by others that were already overwhelmed with AAQs.] This led directly to the next issue, which was…
- BRANDING. AAQ is a strong, but generic brand. It was felt by some that it was not strongly, or implicitly, targeting Albertans. This leaves us open to international inquiries. It was motioned that it be rebranded as “Alberta Ask A Question”, or something to that effect. The idea is to create a stronger brand that more directly targets Albertans – our primary market/responsibility.
- SYSTEM UPGRADES. Several staffers from TAL’s technical team were present to hear suggestions from coordinators about desire upgrades. Some of the suggested upgrades included: better cross-browser compatibility, single interface for answering questions, maximize use of screen space, spell checker, spam protection, formatting control, ability to attach files, and “do not archive” option on multiple pages.
- STAFFING. TAL has been faced with some shortages in the technical arena, but has hired several new talents – including a user interface specialist. All present technical staffers were very positive and receptive to suggestions.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to make inquires of me. You can read more about AAQ by visiting:
Thursday, June 21, 2007
AAQ Coordinators Meeting
I am off to Edmonton tomorrow for the AAQ Coordinators Meeting. For two days I will be living that jet setting librarian lifestyle. I am not looking forward to the 5:45 AM takeoff time.
AAQ - Bylaw Enforcement Officer Salaries
Hello and thank you for using the “Ask A Question” service.
You are inquiring about the salary of a bylaw enforcement officer. We will attempt to answer this question posthaste.
If you were inquiring about the wage for an officer in Medicine Hat, a call to the city’s Human Resources department would clear this up. Their website can be found at: http://www.city.medicine-hat.ab.ca/City%20Government/Departments/Human%20Resources/. We took the necessary steps and contacted them on your behalf.
According to their office, bylaw enforcement officers are known as “Community Peace Officers” in the city. Those officers are in Range 20 of the CUPE Local 46 Collective Agreement pay scale (http://www.city.medicine-hat.ab.ca/City%20Government/Departments/Human%20Resources/CUPECollectiveAgreement.pdf). This means that, as of 18 January 2007, they will start at a wage of $24.50/hour and that will increase to $26.72/hour once they have reach 4000 hours of service.
For more general information about bylaw enforcement officers, you can locate a career profile at: http://www.alis.gov.ab.ca/occinfo/Content/RequestAction.asp?aspAction=GetHTMLProfile&format=html&OCCPRO_ID=71003113. This article (produced by the Government of Alberta) documents things such as duties, educational requirements, employment/advancement, and salary. You will find that salaries range between $20,100 and $86,500 per year. The average salary was $43,500. All numbers are according to the “2005 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey”.
You can locate print versions of various career profiles in the Vera Bracken Library’s Reference Collection. The “Occupational Information Monographs” have the call number: HF 5381 O22 (Vols. 1-3).
A similar online resource can be found at: http://www.alis.gov.ab.ca/occinfo.
If you are looking for more local information though, feel free to contact the employer and make inquiries of their Human Resources department. Good luck.
Thank you again for using the “Ask A Question” service. If you need more help, please use the service again or see the Information Desk in the Vera Bracken (Medicine Hat College) Library (Phone #: (403) 529-3867; Toll Free #: 1 (866) 282-8394 ext. 3867).
AAQ#: 33092
You are inquiring about the salary of a bylaw enforcement officer. We will attempt to answer this question posthaste.
If you were inquiring about the wage for an officer in Medicine Hat, a call to the city’s Human Resources department would clear this up. Their website can be found at: http://www.city.medicine-hat.ab.ca/City%20Government/Departments/Human%20Resources/. We took the necessary steps and contacted them on your behalf.
According to their office, bylaw enforcement officers are known as “Community Peace Officers” in the city. Those officers are in Range 20 of the CUPE Local 46 Collective Agreement pay scale (http://www.city.medicine-hat.ab.ca/City%20Government/Departments/Human%20Resources/CUPECollectiveAgreement.pdf). This means that, as of 18 January 2007, they will start at a wage of $24.50/hour and that will increase to $26.72/hour once they have reach 4000 hours of service.
For more general information about bylaw enforcement officers, you can locate a career profile at: http://www.alis.gov.ab.ca/occinfo/Content/RequestAction.asp?aspAction=GetHTMLProfile&format=html&OCCPRO_ID=71003113. This article (produced by the Government of Alberta) documents things such as duties, educational requirements, employment/advancement, and salary. You will find that salaries range between $20,100 and $86,500 per year. The average salary was $43,500. All numbers are according to the “2005 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey”.
You can locate print versions of various career profiles in the Vera Bracken Library’s Reference Collection. The “Occupational Information Monographs” have the call number: HF 5381 O22 (Vols. 1-3).
A similar online resource can be found at: http://www.alis.gov.ab.ca/occinfo.
If you are looking for more local information though, feel free to contact the employer and make inquiries of their Human Resources department. Good luck.
Thank you again for using the “Ask A Question” service. If you need more help, please use the service again or see the Information Desk in the Vera Bracken (Medicine Hat College) Library (Phone #: (403) 529-3867; Toll Free #: 1 (866) 282-8394 ext. 3867).
AAQ#: 33092
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Relais ILL Update
We have opted to employ patron self-registration as a means of enrolling community, faculty/staff, institutions, and students in our new interlibrary loan system. To this end, we are hoping that the vendor, Relais, can customize some of the forms' appearances. You can view our desired preferences for the front-end forms at: http://www.mhc.ab.ca/library/relais/.
Current Relais ILL patron login page:
[Click image to enlarge.]
Desired [?] Relais ILL patron login page:
[Click image to enlarge.]
Current Relais ILL patron login page:
[Click image to enlarge.]
Desired [?] Relais ILL patron login page:
[Click image to enlarge.]
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
MHC Library Quotes #2
Another discussion that was heard in the Vera Bracken Library:
"I can't get it up. I'm 2 or 3 inches too short." - female staffer
"That's supposed to be the man's excuse." - male staffer
This discourse took place as the female staffer attempted to hoist a box to a tall shelf.
"I can't get it up. I'm 2 or 3 inches too short." - female staffer
"That's supposed to be the man's excuse." - male staffer
This discourse took place as the female staffer attempted to hoist a box to a tall shelf.
OPAC and Database Updates
There are a few things to let you know about in this bulletin. Among them are OPAC and database updates.
OPAC
The Spell Check feature is active in the staging catalogue. You can view it at: http://eureka.uleth.ca:2082/search~S2/X [NOTE: This page can only be viewed on campus.] The UofL has activated in in their live catalogue (http://eureka.uleth.ca/search~S1/X), but I am not fond of a particular "Go" button that accompanies the feature - it really does not fit into the overall aesthetic of either OPAC. I changed this in the staging server, but I cannot make this change in the live side until my UofL contacts return from vacation to discuss this. I will design some alternative buttons for deployment if they do not approve of my alterations in the staging server. View each and try making multiple misspellings and see what happens. It is a really cool feature.
DATABASES
EBSCO made some alterations to its database URLs - moving from epnet.com to ebscohost.com. The links from our pages to EBSCO databases have been altered to reflect this change. The news release can be found at: http://support.epnet.com/support_news/detail.php?id=222&page=.
Additionally, the Clinical Pharmacology database has been discontinued by EBSCO. Health Source (Consumer Edition and Nursing/Academic Edition) databases have been upgraded with equivalent content. You can read the press release from EBSCO at: http://support.epnet.com/support_news/detail.php?id=359&page=.
OPAC
The Spell Check feature is active in the staging catalogue. You can view it at: http://eureka.uleth.ca:2082/search~S2/X [NOTE: This page can only be viewed on campus.] The UofL has activated in in their live catalogue (http://eureka.uleth.ca/search~S1/X), but I am not fond of a particular "Go" button that accompanies the feature - it really does not fit into the overall aesthetic of either OPAC. I changed this in the staging server, but I cannot make this change in the live side until my UofL contacts return from vacation to discuss this. I will design some alternative buttons for deployment if they do not approve of my alterations in the staging server. View each and try making multiple misspellings and see what happens. It is a really cool feature.
DATABASES
EBSCO made some alterations to its database URLs - moving from epnet.com to ebscohost.com. The links from our pages to EBSCO databases have been altered to reflect this change. The news release can be found at: http://support.epnet.com/support_news/detail.php?id=222&page=.
Additionally, the Clinical Pharmacology database has been discontinued by EBSCO. Health Source (Consumer Edition and Nursing/Academic Edition) databases have been upgraded with equivalent content. You can read the press release from EBSCO at: http://support.epnet.com/support_news/detail.php?id=359&page=.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Ms. Stackman - A Library Game?!
You can either curse or thank Anne as you play Ms. Stackman - the only game, that I am aware of, for library staffers.
As Ms. Stackman, you must lead patrons to computer terminals to assist them, however, neither you nor the patron are allowed to occupy the same square at any time. So avoid occupying the same space as a patron, collect misshelved books, and use coffee brakes and tokens to buy yourself some space.
As proof of my prowess at this game, I have posted a screen capture of my high score.
Click for a larger image:
The gauntlet has been thrown down to my coworkers. Beat that! Previously I scored 1975 points in round 19. It is only now that I see how sad this accomplishment is.
You can locate and play Ms. Stackman at: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/aboutus/game/. You will see that it was worth shipping her to the Canadian Library Association's annual conference to discover this gem. Enjoy.
As Ms. Stackman, you must lead patrons to computer terminals to assist them, however, neither you nor the patron are allowed to occupy the same square at any time. So avoid occupying the same space as a patron, collect misshelved books, and use coffee brakes and tokens to buy yourself some space.
As proof of my prowess at this game, I have posted a screen capture of my high score.
Click for a larger image:
The gauntlet has been thrown down to my coworkers. Beat that! Previously I scored 1975 points in round 19. It is only now that I see how sad this accomplishment is.
You can locate and play Ms. Stackman at: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/aboutus/game/. You will see that it was worth shipping her to the Canadian Library Association's annual conference to discover this gem. Enjoy.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
First IT Professional
Information technology (IT) people sometimes get a bad rap about being discourteous, but there are cases when they are very patient with some of us. View the following video and see how the IT professional first handled a trouble call: [NOTE: Press the play button, otherwise you will be redirected to the clip's YouTube page.]
Thanks to Reni for bring this video to my attention.
Thanks to Reni for bring this video to my attention.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Goodbye LibraryBurner Folder
For the last 3 years-or-so the LibraryBurner folder that sits on the desktop of the Vera Bracken Library's patron computers will soon become defunct. There are two principle reasons for this: (a) the Phoenix server that it sits on is dying and a replacement is not expected in the immediate future, and (b) students will have personal storage space on the network that can be accessed via personal computer logins - this negates the need for the temporary storage that LibraryBurner offers.
With personal logins, the need for the generic logins that are currently being used by students and community members is also at an end. This means that the logins that are currently used (i.e., dropin_XX, libinet_XX, and reference_XX) will be gone. Library management is coordinating with Computer Services to determine how community patrons will be served under the new scheme.
Other network storage folders that are used by staff will be unaffected. So the Relais application that is housed on a network folder will be untouched. The latter is the biggest relief for myself - I was not looking forward to having to reinstall Relais and I am sure the ILL staff was not keen on retesting the configuration.
With personal logins, the need for the generic logins that are currently being used by students and community members is also at an end. This means that the logins that are currently used (i.e., dropin_XX, libinet_XX, and reference_XX) will be gone. Library management is coordinating with Computer Services to determine how community patrons will be served under the new scheme.
Other network storage folders that are used by staff will be unaffected. So the Relais application that is housed on a network folder will be untouched. The latter is the biggest relief for myself - I was not looking forward to having to reinstall Relais and I am sure the ILL staff was not keen on retesting the configuration.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
OPAC Upgrades Near Completion
The light at the end of the tunnel is quickly nearing for the WebPAC Pro upgrade. The principle features are installed and activated. I will be refining some of the Spell Check features before posting it in the live interface.
If you are on either of the campuses, navigate your Web browser of choice to: http://eureka.uleth.ca:2082/search~S2/X, type: testr [yes, it is an intentional misspelling], and see what happens. Though it is not quite Google, it is a nifty new feature with lots of promise.
A formal announcement of the WebPAC Pro launch should be made by the end of the week.
If you are on either of the campuses, navigate your Web browser of choice to: http://eureka.uleth.ca:2082/search~S2/X, type: testr [yes, it is an intentional misspelling], and see what happens. Though it is not quite Google, it is a nifty new feature with lots of promise.
A formal announcement of the WebPAC Pro launch should be made by the end of the week.
Monday, June 11, 2007
MHC Library Quotes #5
With the Curriculum Collection (for Education students) comes some unique challenges to maintaining the integrity of the collection. Some items are "toys" and you need to have the right number of pieces to "play" properly. To this end, some staffers have to mark/tag the individual pieces - whether there are 10, 100, or 1000. This is a conversion that took place around such "tagging."
The scene: a female staffer begins the tagging colourful plastic tiles at a desk. Two male staffers take notice, and do what guys do with colourful blocks: they start to build thing [blame Lego]. After a while they ask, "What are these used for?", and so it begins...
"Well, you take a group of 12 tiles and you play math games with them." - female staffer
[One male staffer has 12.]
"Okay and now what?" - male staffer #1
"Well, if you have 12 and split them into 3 groups, how many do you have in each group?"
"4." [Both male staffers respond simultaneously.]
"Nooo."
[A look of befuddlement is expressed by each male.] "Huh?"
"Oh! No! Wait...! [A look of shock followed by laughter.] Sorry." [An extreme look of embarrassment.]
[Laughing] "Uh, yeah, I was going to say...."
The second male staffer breathes a sigh of relief that he wasn't wrong.
The scene: a female staffer begins the tagging colourful plastic tiles at a desk. Two male staffers take notice, and do what guys do with colourful blocks: they start to build thing [blame Lego]. After a while they ask, "What are these used for?", and so it begins...
"Well, you take a group of 12 tiles and you play math games with them." - female staffer
[One male staffer has 12.]
"Okay and now what?" - male staffer #1
"Well, if you have 12 and split them into 3 groups, how many do you have in each group?"
"4." [Both male staffers respond simultaneously.]
"Nooo."
[A look of befuddlement is expressed by each male.] "Huh?"
"Oh! No! Wait...! [A look of shock followed by laughter.] Sorry." [An extreme look of embarrassment.]
[Laughing] "Uh, yeah, I was going to say...."
The second male staffer breathes a sigh of relief that he wasn't wrong.
MHC Library Quotes #1
We all say some goofy things once in a while. Some real gems fly around here, so I cannot help but record some of the things that I have heard or said. In all cases, including my own, the identity of the speaker(s) is confidential with the exception of the gender. Additionally, these are not exact quotes, but very close paraphrases.
Case #1:
"I don't like putting hard things in my mouth. No, wait, that's not true." - a female staffer discussing her preference of candy
Stay tuned for more.
Case #1:
"I don't like putting hard things in my mouth. No, wait, that's not true." - a female staffer discussing her preference of candy
Stay tuned for more.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
AAQ - Child and Youth Care Counselor Program Requirements
Hello and thank you for using the “Ask A Question” service.
You are inquiring about what requirements are necessary to enter the “Child and Youth Care Counselor” diploma program at the Medicine Hat College as a mature student.
To meet the minimum admission requirements of this program as mature student, you must: have a minimum of 60% in English Language Arts (ELA) 30-1 or ELA 30-2, and you must have one 30-level academic subject (including Applied Math 30). This information is from page 15 of the MHC Calendar 2007/2008.
The college calendar is free and you can get a copy from the Vera Bracken Library at the Medicine Hat campus. If you do not have a high school diploma or need to make further inquiries, contact the Dean of Students/Registrar at (403) 529-3821 [long distance: 1 (866) 282-8394, ext. 3821], or the Coordinator, Admissions and Advising at (403) 529-3825 [long distance: 1 (866) 282-8394, ext. 3825]. Either of these departments will be happy to assist you.
Thank you again for using the “Ask A Question” service. If you need more help, please use the service again or see the Information Desk in the Medicine Hat College Library (phone #: (403) 529-3867).
AAQ#: 31641
You are inquiring about what requirements are necessary to enter the “Child and Youth Care Counselor” diploma program at the Medicine Hat College as a mature student.
To meet the minimum admission requirements of this program as mature student, you must: have a minimum of 60% in English Language Arts (ELA) 30-1 or ELA 30-2, and you must have one 30-level academic subject (including Applied Math 30). This information is from page 15 of the MHC Calendar 2007/2008.
The college calendar is free and you can get a copy from the Vera Bracken Library at the Medicine Hat campus. If you do not have a high school diploma or need to make further inquiries, contact the Dean of Students/Registrar at (403) 529-3821 [long distance: 1 (866) 282-8394, ext. 3821], or the Coordinator, Admissions and Advising at (403) 529-3825 [long distance: 1 (866) 282-8394, ext. 3825]. Either of these departments will be happy to assist you.
Thank you again for using the “Ask A Question” service. If you need more help, please use the service again or see the Information Desk in the Medicine Hat College Library (phone #: (403) 529-3867).
AAQ#: 31641
Friday, June 1, 2007
Relais and TAL's 'Find It'
TAL's Online Support was able to have its Find It/SFX service successfully propagate Relais's interlibrary loan article request form. Jason and I performed some tests from off and on campus locations to confirm its functionality. We should be ready to switchover the Find It service's targeting link once we have established patron login methods/procedures.
As with the current system, Find It does not push information from book/monograph citations properly into the default article request form. As ever, ILL staff will be ever vigilant of those odd instances.
As with the current system, Find It does not push information from book/monograph citations properly into the default article request form. As ever, ILL staff will be ever vigilant of those odd instances.
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