What is Open Source Software?

[1]
“Open source software” is computer software that is distributed under a licensing arrangement that allows the computer code to be shared, viewed, and modified by other users and organizations. The software developers who support the open source concept believe that by allowing anyone who's interested in modifying the source code, the application will be more useful and error-free over the long term. Therefore, they encourage modification or customization of the software.

There are several criteria that must be met in order for software to be considered open source software:

• The program is free.
• Source code is included.
• Anyone can modify the source code.
• Modified versions can be redistributed.
• The license cannot interfere with the operation of other software.

Disadvantages associated with open source software include:

• The development of new software may not happen.

• Any new developments may infringe upon patented software.

• The status of software development is difficult to track. [2]

OpenOffice.org is an example of open source software. OpenOffice.org is a suite for word processing, spreadsheet, and related programs that can be downloaded and used by anyone with a computer and internet access. More information on OpenOffice.org can be found at http://why.openoffice.org/.

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[1] Open_source_software_logo_in_business_home_software.jpg. Open Source Software. http://www.php4windows.com/. Web. 26 Oct 2010.
[2] Gonzalez-Barahona, Jesus M. Free Software / Open Source: Information Society Opportunities for Europe? Working group on Libre Software. Web. 25 Oct 2010.

Content Enrichment in the Integrated Library System

Content Enrichment is the process of adding descriptive information, metadata, which describes the subject contents within a bibliographic record in an Integrated Library System (ILS). Identifying added context within the subject information of a bibliographic record allows libraries to add value to their content and provide more targeted research results to its patrons. For example, we use content enrichment in a limited capacity usually within the 505 field (Formatted Contents Note) of a bibliographic record. As can be seen from the picture above left, the table of contents of the book “The Creative Curriculum learning games: birth-12 months” is listed in the 505 field in addition to the subject fields (650).

As you probably aware from an earlier posting, we use SirsiDynix Workflows at our Campus. We now have the option of enriching the features or upgrading our ILS to Enterprise 3.1 which can be integrated into Workflows. April of this year, SirsiDynix released Enterprise 3.1 which allows libraries to integrate “Indexed Content Enrichment” such as “reviews, cover images, tables of contents, awards data, fiction profiles, excerpts, summaries, and author notes”. These are indexed and accessed through searches which provide more results and improved relevancy. A Press Release from SirsiDynix on “Enhanced content and user interface skins unveiled with Enterprise 3.1” can be viewed at
http://www.sirsidynix.com/sites/default/files/press-releases/20100427_ent_3_1.pdf .

Research Aids using Advance Search

Relational Operators

Relational Operators are used most times by our library staff when searching numeral expressions, such as a date. We use relational operators by enclosing the field name in braces { } followed by the relational operator and then the number. For example, if we wanted to find a catalogue record that has a publication date of “2006”, we would search the 260 field (Publication, distribution, etc.) by inputting {260}=2006. The results we get are shown above. The symbols we use include:

• Less than <
• Greater than >
• Equal to =
• Less than or equal to <=
• Greater than or equal >=

Substitution and Truncation

Substitution and Truncation uses “Wildcard” symbols to aid us in locating records in our catalogue. A Wildcard is a character that stands for any letter. Using Wildcards symbols in our search term forces the computer to locate records by filing in the blank space. We can use these symbols together or separately and only at the middle or end of a search term. They need to be enclosed within quotation marks.

Substitution is using the symbol “?” to represent a character within the word or term being researched. For example, by writing wom“?”n, our results would display all records containing “woman” or “women”.

Truncation uses the “$” symbol; it can represent one or more characters and can be placed anywhere within the search terms. For example, Collected “$” and other Plays will result in a display of records matching “Collected Searchlights and other Plays.” Another example, searching John“$” will locate records containing terms John, Johns, Johnson, Johnston, Johnsgard, Johnsonbaugh, and Johnstone.

Researching in iLink

Operators that Aid in Research when using iLink

We use Boolean Operators and Positional Operators to aid us in our research of resources when using our online catalogue, iLink. Each of these operators help us to focus our search by linking search terms. Understanding the relationship that exist between these terms and how they are used provides us with successful results.


Boolean Operators

Boolean operators aid us in locating records containing matching terms. Understanding how to use the following Boolean operators guides us in our research. The four terms are AND, NOT, OR, and XOR. We use “AND” and “OR” frequently at our campus.

AND

Using AND helps us to locate all records containing all the specified terms. For example, “apples AND oranges” locates all records that contain information on both apples and oranges and excludes any records that reference only apples or only oranges.

NOT

The term NOT will locate records that contain only the first search term but not the second search term. For example, if we search “apples NOT oranges”, we locate all records that contain information about apples and excludes any records that contain the term oranges.

OR

Using the term OR will locate any and all records that contain the specified terms. For example, our search on “apples OR oranges” will return records that contain information only about apples, records that contain information only about oranges, and records that contain both terms.

XOR

This term locates records that match any one of the specified terms but not all the specified terms. For example, our subject search on “apples XOR oranges” will display results only about apples and only about oranges. There won’t be any records that contain both terms.

Positional Operators

Positional operators are used to connect words or phrases within a single term search. We don't use these operators as much as the Boolean operators. The positional operators are SAME, WITH, NEAR, and ADJ.

SAME

Using this term locates all records in which a bibliographic record contains al the specified terms. SAME is the default positional operator. For example, Stephen SAME King displays all items by the author Stephen King, but not “Martin Luther King” by Stephen Jones”.

WITH

WITH is used in specific database searches such as title, subject, or author. It locates records which contain all specified terms. For example, Kathryn WITH Laura would display Kathryn and Laura went to St. John’s, but not Kathryn went to St. John’s. She met Laura there.

NEAR

This term locates all records where all search terms are adjacent to each other. The order does not have to match the order they were entered. For example, “rose NEAR red” would display something like “My Love is like a Red, Red Rose” and “Snow White and Rose Red”.

ADJ

ADJ locates records that are adjacent to each other taking into consideration the order they were entered and the number of words that space the searchable terms. For example, ADJ2 means that the terms will be within two searchable words to each other such as “From Here to Eternity” (“From” is two words from the word “Eternity”). It would be written as “from ADJ2 eternity”. Another example using ADJ3, “collected ADJ3 plays” would locate a record “Collected searchlights and other plays”.

In addition to Boolean and Proximity operators we use Relational Operators and Truncation to expand or narrow our research. More on these search aids is forthcoming.

iBistro / iLink, Our Library Catalogue

Our library uses iBistro/iLink software, a product of SirsiDynix, to accommodate our staff and students. It has the tools required to increase productivity, help identify opportunities for cost savings, and give insights that will improve our patron’s experience. Our patrons expect speedy and relevant search results, and the added content and social networking features that ilink has to offer. This software from SirsiDynix makes it easy for our patrons to connect with our library. Our patrons can expect to:

• Have access to “easy-to-use” search techniques 
• Have online access to library accounts; allowing them to place holds, order interlibrary loans, or request books for purchase
• Avail of flexible circulation policies
• Be capable of renewing materials
• Be alerted when new materials of interest arrive
• Have access to the library database from home or an outreach location

Within SirsiDynix Symphony, iBistro/iLink is our online public access catalog (OPAC). It provides access to information and resources from within our library or over the Internet. It “uses the latest Web technologies to provide personalized service, ease of searching, and information that library patrons are accustomed to seeing on websites, with no additional work for library staff”.[1] Our patrons have access to:

• Library catalogue
• Catalogued websites
• Subscription databases
• Electronic books, journals and magazines
• Digital collections

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[1] “Symphony:  Overview”.  SirsiDynix.  SirsiDynix, 2010.  http://www.sirsidynix.com/products/symphony.  September 23, 2010.

Are Blogs a Benefit to Libraries?

We don’t blog at our library! That’s not to say that we won’t someday…blogs can be an excellent tool that a library can use to help fulfill its role as an information provider.

First of all, we need to gather the facts. To find out exactly what a blog is and how it can support us in our daily work. Blogs, for the most part, are websites to which an individual can add content expressing his/her opinion on a given situation or to comment on some event. The site is open to receive responses from readers who also have an opinion or comment on the posted content. Individuals post to his/her blog usually on a scheduled basis; otherwise, they may lose interested readers. Blogs can link images, text, media data and objects, and can link to other blogs that are posted in chronological order.

Blog services are cost effective, provide a user friendly interface, are easy to update, and can increase communication between creators and readers. There are many other advantages to developing a blog. They offer:

1. A form of Archiving

Blogs offer a way to keep track of all postings in a site and the ability to organize and present articles by author or alphabetically; at the personal preference of the blogger.

2. Instant Notification using “Feeds”

“Feeds” is special software that allows readers to access sites of interest automatically. Whenever new content is posted or if content is updated, readers are instantly notified. This provides a way for readers to keep up with the latest information that is posted on their sites of interest. Some “Feeds” include RSS, Atom or RDF files. RSS and Atom is more or less the same thing: a “feed” of regularly updated content.

3. Easy Access to Sites of Interest: Blogrolls

Blogrolls are a list of links to weblogs or web pages the author of a blog finds interesting. The links in a “blogroll” are usually to other blogs with similar interests and is located on the "sidebar" of a page.

4. Instant Feedback using Comments

“Comments” is a feature used in blogs that allows users to comment upon articles posted in a weblog. The author of a blog has the ability to monitor and control the comments of comment posts such as deleting unwanted comments and approving wanted comments.

5. Orientation Opportunities using Video

Blogging using a video can provide information visually, increase the audience to include those individuals who prefer watching over reading, and provide a different format of presentation such as making it easier to demonstrate tutorials.

Blogs can provide up-to-date information on events, activities, news, and services. It can be used as a promotion tool the library can use to notify its readers. It is easy to publish content online and offers an instant feedback resource. Upon knowing all the advantages and benefits of having a blog, the next step is getting the approval from our superiors. Why wouldn’t a library have a blog if the site is inviting and assists in increasing traffic to its doors?

Academic Libraries

Circulation Desk
Corner Brook Campus Library

Because I work in an academic library my postings will consist of information that is pertinent to the students and staff at College of the North Atlantic.

Academic Libraries:  What we offer

We provide a collection of resources and services, organized for easy access, that provides support to the College’s curriculum, and also serves the instructional and research needs of our students and staff.  The resources that we offer comes in many different formats including print, audio, and visual materials.  We are experts at finding, organizing, and interpreting information needs.  The most important and exciting part of our jobs as librarians is dealing with the students and staff of our institute. Our Library is an essential tool at our College.

Students may have access to the following services at many Academic Libraries:

·                        Qualified Staff

·                        Convenient Hours of Operation

·                        Information Relevant to their Course of Study

·                        Convenient Online Access to a Library Catalogue

·                        Library Tours

·                        Quiet Study Area

·                        Access to Instructor Reserves

·                        Intercampus and Interlibrary Loan Requests

·                        Journal / Periodical Requests

·                        Online Database Access

·                        Research Assistance

·                        Online Renewal of Resources

·                        Access to Local / Provincial Newspapers

Students also have access to equipment that is readily available for use in the Library:

·                        Binding Machine / Supplies

·                        Photocopier / 10¢ per Sheet

·                        Cutting Board

·                        Laminating Machine / Supplies

·                        Video Viewing Room with TV / DVD

As library representatives to the faculty, academic libraries serve as an information resource and advocate.  To this end, the following services may be available for faculty:

·                        Library Tours and Orientations for their students

·                        In-class Instruction

·                        Reserve Services

·                        Intercampus and Interlibrary Loan Requests

·                        Journal / Periodical Requests

·                        Online Database Access

·                        Research Assistance

·                        Video Viewing Room

·                        Requests for Purchase

Equipment that may be available to faculty include:

·                        TV / DVD Equipment

·                        LitePro / Projection Units

·                        Laptops

·                        Projection Screens

·                        Flip Charts