The Sparrow | Daniel Boone Regional Library | BiblioCommons

The Sparrow Daniel Boone Regional Library BiblioCommons


This is the link I added as part of the scavenger hunt. Read my comments on "the new catalog" (previously known as Bibliocommons).

I love the new catalog, but I think there are improvements that can continue to happen.

Below are some comments I sent to Pat last week, followed in turn by her answers. Some of these issues have already been resolved!

1. On the old OPAC, on the advanced search page, there is a window on theright titled "Catalog Searches." Apparently, several staff use that all the time to determine things such as the exact wording for subject headings, etc. We cannot find any functionality like that on the new catalog.

If you do an author or subject search using the main search box that is at the top of each page, the system shows you matching headings as you type in your author name or subject.

2. I think it is confusing that, if an item is checked out, the call number does not appear at all on the item record. VERY often, a patron will want to go to that call number area even if that particular item is not available.

You are not the first person to mention that. The call no. does appear with each title in the results list, whether or not it is available. You also can see it if you choose browse the shelf or click on Availability details. I would suggest using the feedback box at the bottom of each page (if you are logged in). Bibliocommons staff reads all the feedback and seriously considers all suggestions when they consider new features and improvements for future releases.

And, even if there are copies available, the user must scroll down to view the call number. Could the call number be moved up to the left corner with the other essential identifying info for the item (title, author, format,etc.)?

This is also a design issue that I suspect won’t be changed just for us. Some things they customize, some things you just get. However, I again suggest using the feedback box. I do not have this problem on my monitor. I can see the call no. on most records without having to scroll down. I’ll ask IT if there is something about the screen resolution on other staff computers that could be causing this inconvenience.

3. On the old catalog, under the drop down menus for material type andlocation, there is one for "collection." I don't see this at all on the new catalog. I use this ALL the time, especially to limit to easy or juvenile fiction or nonfiction. I don't see an easy way to do this on thenew catalog.

I miss this, too. It is on the list of things they will change for us in the not too distant future. We already had an open ticket for this, but a couple days ago, one of the two head honchos sent me a note. He said he’d read in one of our blog responses that someone missed this feature and did we want them to add it in. How’s that for service?

newsfeeds

I am a news junky. However, I have to admit that I enjoy the process of going from site to site each day to see what's new. It's kind of a ritual for me. I had actually already set up my Google Reader prior to this exercise, but honestly I don't check it very often because I still go from site to site each day. Anyway, my newsfeeds include:

Cake Wrecks (my very, very favorite)
CNN
Columbia Missourian
Dictionary.com Word of the Day
ABC News

From the web 2.0 awards, I chose to browse urbanspoon from the food category. It is great! It provides reviews and locations of restaurants categorized by city, style of food, etc.

The Columbia section would be very useful when patrons (particularly those from out of town) ask about local places to eat--my mind always goes blank!

And the Montreal section would have been very useful for my recent trip! They have gathered in one place a lot of the information I was trying to put together on my own from all around the web.

Playing with Google Docs

I recently developed a library program on the features of Google, and started using Google Docs so I could be familiar with it for my program. It's amazing how quickly one becomes addicted to having her documents accessible from wherever she may be! No need to remember a flash drive or an email attachment. Just open Google Docs and everything is right there!



It's a little stripped down compared to MS Office, but for most things, it works just fine!

My husband and I recently traveled to Montreal. Neither one of us is very good at remembering to take pictures, but we did manage to come home with a sorry few.

Montreal is such a cool city. Very European-feeling. Being surrounded by French-speaking people made me feel so..I don't know...cosmopolitan or something.

Loved the Museum of Fine Arts and the Basilica Notre Dame and the whole feeling of Old Montreal.

7 1/2 habits

Excited about this learning opportunity!

The habit that's most difficult for me is remembering to view problems as challenges. I tend to view them as, well...problems! This is especially true when the problem involves my inability to accomplish something correctly the first time I try--which is why I don't sew...or draw...or play sports...or...!