| v. 2 no. 2 | April 1998 |
In recent weeks
the Lehigh University "virtual library" has added a large quantity of very
high value science and engineering journals through subscription to several
new electronic packages and through negotiations to enroll Lehigh as a
participant in an innovative project at the University of Michigan. The
full text of these journals is available via the Lehigh Virtual Library
on the Web in Portable Document Format (PDF). Using PDF readers such as
Adobe Acrobat, users can view and print charts, pictures, and other illustrative
matter as well as the actual text of articles.
The University of Michigan program, known as PEAK (Pricing Electronic Access to Knowledge), couples Lehigh with eight other academic and corporate participants to access articles from more than 1100 journals published by Elsevier Science, the leading commercial publisher of scientific and technical literature. Journals from Elsevier subsidiaries Butterworth, North Holland, and Pergamon are included as well. Among the titles accessible to Lehigh users are a dozen expensive journals such as Brain Research and Immunology Today that have been on faculty "wish lists" for some years. The full PEAK program is available to Lehigh faculty, graduate students and professional staff and a more limited version to undergraduates.
The joint project
between Elsevier, Michigan, and the other participants is designed to explore
new pricing models for scholarly journals. Many academic libraries, including
Lehigh, have had to make sizable reductions in their journal subscriptions
even when budgets are increased because of the steep price escalation of
scientific and technical journals. Publishers are anxious to offer improved
products through electronic publication but at the same time have been
reticent to risk the revenue from the paper journals. Libraries have difficulty
sustaining paper subscriptions, let alone finding funds to add electronic
ones. In a vicious cycle, prices continue escalating as numbers of paper
subscriptions decline.
Another program makes available electronic versions of all American Chemical Society (ACS) journals to which PALCI members subscribe. Client Services Librarian for Arts & Sciences Mary Moulton observes that "The ACS web publications represent the most comprehensive and respected collection of journals for the chemical sciences. The text is in HTML and PDF, with links to supporting information." Another new program (Electronic Collections from OCLC, Inc. in Dublin, Ohio) adds electronic versions of journals published by the major British chemical and engineering societies such as the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Institution of Chemical Engineering, and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Soon to follow are more than 100 scholarly journals published by the British firm Blackwell.
Lehigh Librarians unveiled the new suites of journal publications to departmental liaisons on April 7th and 8th at this semester's meeting of the Library Materials Advisory Council. Introductory sessions will be scheduled by librarians with affected departments and general programs of instruction will be offered as well. Services may be used directly through the Virtual Library offering: Electronic Journals by Publisher (http://www.lehigh.edu/~intext/ejournals/ejournalpub.html.). Photographs by D. Krause.
In the "low tech" and "in-between" category more than 30 overhead projectors have been purchased by IR and deployed in classrooms. Combination television/VCR units have been installed permanently in 6 classrooms, and new monitors in the Lewis Laboratory auditorium. Portable carts with VCRs, laptops, and computer/VCR projectors are deployed in Rauch Business Center, Williams Hall, and Packard Lab. Elia Schoomer noted that the computer/VCR projectors (sometimes referred to as "InFocus" projectors, the name of a leading brand) continue to improve in quality and decline or stabilize in price.
The "high-tech" solutions over the last three years have produced new options for faculty as well. The Media Center classroom was upgraded so that it now meets the requirements for more users. In an application using both the Media Center classroom and laptops, Professor Robert Wei in Mechanical Engineering has students in his fracture mechanics course use the laptops for hands-on experience as he instructs them, via the classroom computer projector in the use of AFGROW, fatigue analysis software.
With funds allocated from the university, three large high technology classrooms were created in the last 18 months: Packard Laboratory Auditorium, Chandler 248, and most recently Whitaker 303. In the most recent project at Whitaker a custom-made podium with all technology controls integrated within one touch control panel was installed. With this simple panel, pressing the button for the computer projection system causes the lights in the room to dim to the appropriate level, the screen to drop, and the large computer projection system installed in the room to activate.
New proactive and reactive help procedures, detailed documentation now located onsite and at the IR help desk, and signs and telephones installed in high-tech classrooms are among IR efforts to assist faculty using classroom technology as quickly and comprehensively as possible.
Repair or replacement of technology components in campus classrooms has also been a priority as IR attempts to address the life-cycle demands of new technology. Carol Lidie and her Technology Installation and Maintenance Services Team have been instrumental in repairs and upgrades at Whitaker 203, Packard 416, Rauch 171 and 271, Grace hall, Neville I and 3, Perella Auditorium, and Maginnes 480. More repairs and upgrades are scheduled this summer.
The 8HELP (84357) phone number was created to offer assistance and referral for a wide range of services within Information Resources. 8HELP staff can answer many questions immediately and can refer other questions to the appropriate IR resource.
When should I call 8HELP?
Call 8HELP (84357) to receive assistance with questions pertaining to all divisions of IR, including the libraries, computing, and telecommunications. 8HELP staff respond to inquiries in a broad range of areas, including software, hardware, classroom computing, research assistance and library holdings, or phone problems and services. Previously published numbers for the Linderman Library help desk and the EWFM Computing Center are becoming obsolete as members of the university community discover 8HELP.
How does 8HELP work?
The 8HELP service is offered through the help desk at the Fairchild-Martindale Library. This desk also offers walk-up and in-person assistance to library and computer users. When you call, a member of the help desk staff will listen to your query and may request additional detail about your situation. We will attempt to answer your question with available tools and resources, but in some cases your call may be referred to another IR specialist.
QUESTIONS?
If you have questions, comments, or suggestions about the help desk service contact Team Leader Stacey Kimmel at sek2@lehigh.edu.
The IR Enterprise Information Consultants are continuing to alert the campus to this problem and to advise the campus on where to find advice and solutions. Because new sources of information are continually being found, there are a variety of ways for you to keep up to date. A web site (http://www.lehigh.edu/y2k/y2k.html) has been created to provide links to detailed information that is available on the web. Y2K, a user group has also been created on the network server for posting information, questions and answers. You can subscribe to listserv@lehigh.edu, a list server to post and receive messages related to Y2K issues. (To subscribe send an e-mail to listserv@lehigh.edu and in the body of the message type the following: SUBSCRIBE Y2K-L your name.) And, software seminars given by IR will advise users on how that particular software uses and stores dates.
To get the full story be sure to attend one of the EIC Y2K presentations for your area in a conference room or class room near you. If you would like to schedule a presentation for your area, please contact Sherri Yerk-Zwickl (shy2).
Jane Frounfelker
Group Leader Tim Foley will present a paper entitled "The Metamorphosis of Libraries, Computing, and Telecommunications into a Cohesive Whole" at CUMREC'98 (The College and University Computer Users Association) in Atlanta in May.
Computing Consultant Gale Fritsche conducted two computer literacy seminars for the Reading Leadership Institute in February. The Institute is a cooperative undertaking between Albright College and the Reading School District.
Vice Provost for Information Resources Arnold Hirshon co-authored "Hanging Together to Avoid Hanging Separately: Opportunities for Academic Libraries and Consortia" for the March 1998 issue of Information Technology and Libraries. In February Hirshon addressed the Swets & Zeitlinger Annual Meeting in Amsterdam on "Academic Library Consortia: Past, Present, and Future."
Peter Ivanick, Library Systems Specialist, will give a presentation in May to the International Sirsi User's Group meeting in Huntsville, Alabama, on customizing the SIRSI Webcat product.
Team Leader Jean Johnson, chair-elect of the Lehigh Valley Chapter of the Pennsylvania Library Association, planned the upcoming May 20th meeting at Lehigh. Team Leader Roseann Bowerman will speak on electronic reference resources and Dean of the College of Education Ron Yoshida will give the luncheon address.
"Using Imaging Technology for Reserves" was the topic of Team Leader Gail Kriebel's talk to the spring meeting of the Tri-State College Library Cooperative. The meeting was held in Malvern, Pennsylvania on April 2nd.
Senior Analyst Gerry Lennon presented a paper on "Maximizing Matching Gifts" to development professionals attending the SCT Banner Summit conference in San Diego in March.
As part of the Association for Computing Machinery Special Interest Group Peer Review program, Team Leader Carol Lidie evaluated technology at Truman State University (Kansas) in early April. Group Leader Tim Foley will be part of a similar team for Miami University of Ohio (Hamilton campus) at the end of April.
Information Management Group Leader Joe Lucia contributed a chapter on client/server automation to the new book Information Imagineering: Meeting at the Interface (Chicago: ALA, 1998).
Senior analyst Wayne Mery serves as one of 18 manager/planners for World Alliance of VSE and VM (WAVV), an organization for VSE and VM operating system professionals.
Cataloging Specialist Judy McNally will be a discussion coordinator for the Cataloging/Authority Control Module session at the Sirsi User's Group Meeting in Huntsville in May.
In April Revelly Paul presents "Integrating the Internet into the Regular Classroom" at the Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education. She will also receive PAGE's highest award for long-term commitment to advocacy and advancement of gifted education.
Once enrolled, participants dial a toll free number listed on the back of the ID card to place long distance calls throughout the United States with direct billing to the individual's home address at the specified rates. These per minute rates are far less than the "debit cards" found at convenience stores. Further information is available at http://www.lehigh.edu/~inluid. Call the number (1-800-445-6063) provided on the back of your Lehigh ID card for direct enrollment with AT&T.
Services will continue during the construction phase beginning in mid-May, but there will be increased noise levels at some times and services may be moved to temporary locations, especially when carpet is laid. Signs and news bulletins will keep the Lehigh community apprised of any impact on users.
Information Resources will hold a briefing on the Internet2 project for interested faculty on Friday, April 24 at 4:00 in Packard Lab room 416. Lehigh has joined with over 100 other institutions in creating the Internet2 initiative to: "Facilitate and coordinate the development, deployment, operation and technology transfer of advanced, network-based applications and network services to further U.S. leadership in research and higher education and accelerate the availability of new services and applications on the Internet." This session will explain the I2 project history, goals, current activities, and what it means for Lehigh. Faculty with interests in remote collaboration, network-based education, and other high speed networking applications are encouraged to attend. General information on the I2 project can be found at: http://www.internet2.edu.
At left students
enjoy a tour of the Silicon Graphics "Magic Bus" during its April 7th visit
to campus. The bus is an 18-wheeler truck outfitted with workstations running
Unix applications.
At right
President Hittinger chats with Vice Provost Arnold Hirshon and the SGI
representative during his visit to the bus. IR has recently purchased SGI
workstations for public sites and servers on campus.Photographs by J. Kish.
At the Alumni Rise and Shine breakfast in March IR Group Leader Sue
Cady (aka Lucy Linderman) and Art & Architecture Chair Bruce Thomas
(aka John Ruskin) shared the podium in Linderman's room 200 to discuss
unique features of Linderman Library on its 120th anniversary.Thomas addresses
the attendees at left. 
In attendance
were Captain and Mrs. John Linderman of Gaithersburg, Maryland, pictured
at right with John's ancestor Lucy Linderman (aka Sue Cady). Photographs
by P. Shealey