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Library enhances digital features

Published March 8, 2004; Category: ADMINISTRATION

From 'Best Bets' to new databases, research gets easier

In response to user needs, the Dartmouth College Library has expanded and enhanced its digital component in recent months. These developments - everything from a "Best Bets" area, which displays the key research databases in a subject, to electronic course reserves spanning the curriculum - have been designed to speed research, provide a forum for campus participation in shaping the development of the digital resources, and offer more information in electronic form.

The digital library can be found at http://diglib.dartmouth.edu.

The new "Best Bets" area, which was implemented based on user and bibliographer feedback, is a new addition to eResources and quickly displays the most important and useful databases for research within a subject. The library's subject specialists have highlighted key information reserves in order to reflect the needs of incoming freshman, who may not be well versed in research and who may not know how to single out crucial resources. Best Bets will help students save time by quickly displaying the most useful databases for research within a subject.

"The skills of our user base vary greatly," said Mary LaMarca, Head of Digital Library Services.  "Right now our resources are displayed in alphabetical order, so instead of pushing a long list of electronic resources at users, we now give them an option to only look at the most important resources in their subject."

Click on a subject folder, then the Best Bets star icon, to view the Best Bets for that subject.

http://diglib.dartmouth.edu/eResources/home.php

New "Trials" area

The "Search/Browse" section of the Digital Library now includes a "Trials" area. Users can help the library evaluate potential additions to the collection that support their research, teaching and learning. The library is testing an Engineering and Applied Sciences Portal and Corbis Education (an image database). Future trial announcements will be posted to library news, and the Library Announcements Blitz Bulletin.

http://library.dartmouth.edu/trials/

Electronic course reserves

The electronic course reserves service is now available for all courses. A central site is available for instructors for all course reserves in all types of media. This will give students easier access to course materials, access to reserves from anywhere, and access to reserves whenever needed for as long as needed. There is no waiting and no competition with other students. Faculty members can now submit their course reserves online, and the library will assist with copyright and fair-use issues.

For students pressed for time, the electronic course reserves can mean the difference between a late-night run to the library and a more relaxed in-house perusal.

"The best part is that you can access it at any time from your room," said Daniel Williams '05, who explained that the electronic course reserve is especially valuable to the quarter system, which encourages students to work toward new methods of time management.

"Because I've experienced what the library had to offer before, I can say that the digital library is a vast improvement," added Laura Crowson '03. "It saves me considerable time and is a great resource. With the electronic course reserves, I can look at books from anywhere on campus including my dorm room. I have a class this term that doesn't have a book - everything is online. And the film collection is great - before Jones, I think Videostop served as my Media Center."

Assistance and education

Services offered to help with research and library services include:

• A team of subject specialists.
• Reference librarians, who are available to answer questions.
• A How do I...? section, which points to services such as "Ask a Librarian," scheduling research consultations with a librarian, and in-depth subject guides.
• A Research and Informatics Learning program, which helps faculty members integrate the library and its resources and services into the curriculum, and guides students in learning the research process and developing information literacy.

New digital resources

The library is constantly upgrading and adding to its collection. A sampling of some electronic resources added during the last year are listed below. For more information about a database, talk to a reference librarian or view its description by searching for the resource in eResources and clicking on the "i" for information.

http://diglib.dartmouth.edu/eResources/home.php

New databases

• Web of Science backfiles including Science Citation Index, 1945-; Social Sciences Citation Index, 1956-; and Arts and Humanities Citation Index, 1975-.
• Academic Search Premier (EBSCOhost)

New digital full-text resources

• Factiva
• Evans
• Oxford Reference Online
• Early Encounters in North America: Peoples, Cultures, and the Environment
• The Nation
• Wall Street Journal historical archive
• Newspaper Source
• Westlaw Campus
• Hein Online
• Universal Database of Russian Newspapers
• Universal Database of (Russian) Social Sciences and Humanities (Journals)

Send comments through the Digital Library's homepage via the "Send Feedback" link.

By NOAH TSIKA '05

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