Ball State University Libraries' Emerging Media Technologies

The landscape of educational technology is constantly and quickly evolving, and the University Libraries are fully invested in adapting to the fast-paced emergence of new media in order to provide our students and faculty with state-of-the-art information channels into the rich resources and products provided and produced by the University Libraries.

As the information hub of the university, the Libraries are continually re-imagining our services and collections to discover new ways to serve as the integrated information nexus for teaching, learning, and research in a future that demands a robust, physical library with relevant collections, user-centered services, and cutting-edge technologies as well as a widely-accessible library without walls available 24/7/365 from virtual worlds, online classrooms, and computer desktops.

The University Libraries have maximized a number of emerging media formats and technologies designed to increase student and faculty opportunities for knowledge discovery, synthesis, and creation:

· Second Life — The Libraries are working in partnership with the Center for Middletown Studies to create virtual archives of text, photographs, audio, and video to be made available in Second Life. Ball State University is establishing a more substantive presence in Second Life, and the University Libraries continue to develop content and services for the expanded user population in the virtual world.
· Blogs/RSS Feeds — The Libraries currently maintain nine blogs/RSS feed publications designed to inform students and faculty about collections, services, and library programs.
· Intensive Multimedia Computing — The Libraries have installed a pod of high-performance PC and Mac stations that are equipped with specialized features and software applications for data analysis, gaming, video editing, and animation rendering. Software includes Adobe Production Premium Creative Suite 3, Adobe Design Premium Creative Suite 3, and Vegas Movie Studio Platinum 8.0, and more.
· e-Books — The Libraries provide access to over 10,000 electronic books, including hundreds of reference titles.
· e-Journals — The Libraries provide access to over 13,258 full-text e-journals and their archives, and nearly 200 academic databases; almost all of these resources are accessible from off-campus, too.
· Mobile Library Project — The Libraries developed and support an icon-based Web site for mobile devices such as BlackBerry and other small screen smart devices that allow users to search the Libraries’ catalog and access electronic journal content.
· Online Communities/Social Networking — The Libraries maintain profiles in Facebook and MySpace, providing updated blogs as well as links to the Libraries’ services, online tutorials, subject guides, and more.
· Video Audio Streaming — The Libraries offer video and audio streaming of several collections in the Digital Media Repository (DMR), including World War II films and Middletown oral histories. An upcoming project with the University’s Teleplex Services will include the addition of thousands of streaming videos to the DMR.
· Wireless Internet Access — Building on the University’s extensive wireless infrastructure, the Libraries offer free wireless printing as a corollary service for students and faculty.
· Interactive Tutorials — The Libraries’ Informational Services unit offers a number of interactive tutorials on library collections, services, databases, and technologies.

The University Libraries’ mission is to serve as a destination for research, learning, and friends. An essential part of fulfilling this objective is for the Libraries to provide a range of technologies through the adaptation and integration of new and evolving forms of multimedia communication and information dissemination.

For more information, contact Matthew C. Shaw, Ball State University Libraries’ Electronic Resources Librarian, MCShaw2@bsu.edu, 765-285-1302.

Goals for Ball State University Libraries' Digital Initiative

As the availability of digital content grows and expectations of the users of digital resources increase, the need for careful planning for the growth and development of the University Libraries’ digital initiatives is vital.

It is incumbent upon librarians, archivists, and information technology specialists involved in developing the digital future, or the Next Generation Digital, to build on achievements, continue current projects, and prepare strategies for accomplishing new and expanded initiatives.

The University Libraries’ digital initiative goals include:

· Providing global access to an ever-widening range of digital resources to enhance and enrich learning, teaching, and research
· Increasing the number and range of digital resources available for Ball State students and faculty
· Creating signature digital collections to meet the diverse needs and expectations of the Ball State community and scholars around the world
· Promoting and supporting the scholarly use of digital content by Ball State students and faculty

Libraries’ Current and Continuing Initiatives

Already, the University Libraries have come a long way in developing the digital resources to support these goals. Examples of current and continuing digital initiatives include:

· Cardinal Scholar: institutional repository to support the University’s research and publication distribution strategies by making faculty and student intellectual property globally accessible and searchable via the Internet
· Conferences: focusing on various aspects of digital activities, CONTENTdm, and initiatives dealing with issues relative to specific types of digital content (audio, video, newspapers, etc.)
· Digital Commons: providing access to thousands of digital resources, including signature collections of other institutions, videos, e-journals, Web sites, and other assets via the Internet
· Digital Media Repository: over 102,000 digital objects now accessible to support teaching, learning, and research
· Digitization Center and Mobile Digitization Unit: digital processing area and mobile digital equipment to allow off-site digitizing of materials from partner institutions
· e-Archives: providing access to the University’s records
· Grant-Funded Projects: Three Library Services and Technology Act digitization grants have been received; two LSTA grant applications have been sent out for this year; Institute of Museum and Library Services grant pending.
· Publications and Professional Outreach: articles in a forthcoming book on Digital Scholarship; conference presentations and papers on digital topics by University Libraries’ personnel
· University Libraries’ Second Life Project: ongoing development of Middletown Digital Library and Archives and a virtual interactive Middletown (Muncie) in the 1920s
· Virtual Press: digital online publishing of Ball State products by students, faculty, alumni, and others
· Workshops for librarians, archivists, and other information professionals on digital management topics

Exciting Future Directions for the Digital Initiatives

Plans for the future development of the University Libraries’ digital initiatives will include the expansion of these important activities. Future directions include development in the following areas:

· 3D Modeling and Data Capture: Second Life project; What Middletown Read project; 3D modeling to support instruction, simulation, and educational gaming
· Data Acquisition Technologies: expanding Cardinal Scholar as a data acquisition tool
· Development of Digital Media for Comodification of Cultural Heritage: transformation of cultural heritage artifacts into an educational commodity through digitization; packaging analog information and traditional paper-based documentation in digital format as a potential revenue generator
· Digital Visual and Oral History Project: expansion of this signature program for the University Libraries’ Digital Initiatives
· e-Learning Using Resources of the Digital Media Repository: online tutorials, lesson plans, workshops and other outreach activities to align digital resources with curriculum, academic disciplines, instruction, and classroom use
· Multimedia, Data Management and Archiving: acquisition and management of digital video in the Digital Media Repository
· Virtual Reality Applications: further development of Second Life and other virtual reality projects

For more information, contact John B. Straw, Ball State University Libraries’ Assistant Dean for Digital Initiatives and Special Collections, JStraw@bsu.edu, 765-285-5078.

Jonathan Rose and Ray Boomhower to Speak at Bracken Library

The program Winston Churchill and the Literary History of Politics will be presented by Jonathan E. Rose, the William R. Kenan Professor of History at Drew University, on April 9, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. in Bracken Library’s Forum Room, BL-225.

This free program is jointly sponsored by the Friends of the Alexander M. Bracken Library and the Center for Middletown Studies, and it is open to the public.

The free program Robert F. Kennedy and the 1968 Indiana Primary will be presented by Ray E. Boomhower, Senior Editor, Indiana Historical Society Press, on April 21, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. in Bracken Library’s Forum Room, BL-225.
The free program is sponsored by the Friends of the Alexander M. Bracken Library.

Jonathan Rose and Ray Boomhower to Speak at Bracken Library

The program Winston Churchill and the Literary History of Politics will be presented by Jonathan E. Rose, the William R. Kenan Professor of History at Drew University, on April 9, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. in Bracken Library’s Forum Room, BL-225.

This free program is jointly sponsored by the Friends of the Alexander M. Bracken Library and the Center for Middletown Studies, and it is open to the public.

The free program Robert F. Kennedy and the 1968 Indiana Primary will be presented by Ray E. Boomhower, Senior Editor, Indiana Historical Society Press, on April 21, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. in Bracken Library’s Forum Room, BL-225.
The free program is sponsored by the Friends of the Alexander M. Bracken Library.

New Web Site Simplifies Finding DVD/VHS Items from the University Libraries’ Collection

The University Libraries recently developed a Web site where students, faculty, staff, and other community members can search through over 16,500 DVD/VHS titles in the Libraries’ collections by 26 genres, title or date.

The online directory is due to the significant work of Robert L. Seaton, Web Developer, Caleb T. Mosier, student assistant, and Hank Gerhart, Statistical Data/Asset Control Specialist. They made creative use of Kelley C. McGrath’s Media Finders to search the Libraries’ online public catalogue, CardCat.

Since the Web site became available, it has become one of the Libraries’ Top 10 sites for hits, and circulation of both DVDs and VHS programs have greatly increased.

View www.bsu.edu/libraries/dvdlisting.

University Libraries Partner in Grant to Develop Visual and Oral History Project

The Ball State University Libraries will be a partner in a $50,000 grant project funded by the Cantigny First Division Foundation to develop a visual and oral history project.

The focus of the project is to record and make available interviews with veterans who served in the First Division of the United States Army during World War II.

Ball State History professors Michael W. Doyle and David J. Ulbrich received the grant from the Cantigny Foundation to conduct the project.

Professors Doyle and Ulbrich will train and supervise a group of undergraduate history students in conducting the interviews. These sessions will be digitally videotaped by University Teleplex personnel. Transcripts will be prepared under the supervision of personnel in the University Libraries. The resources will be preserved in the University Libraries’ Archives and Special Collections and made accessible through the Libraries’ Digital Media Repository.

The University Libraries’ personnel who are part of this grant include Dr. Arthur W. Hafner, John B. Straw, James A. Bradley, Amanda A. Hurford, and Maren L. Read.

For more information, contact John B. Straw, Ball State University Libraries’ Assistant Dean for Digital Initiatives and Special Collections, JStraw@bsu.edu, 765-285-5078.

Enhanced Multimedia Computing Environment in Ball State University Libraries

Ball State University Libraries recently opened a multimedia computing environment in the Educational Resources Collections. This resource, which consists of five high-performance PCs, two iMACs, and software, are the newest addition to Bracken Library’s public information technology offering. In the future, more units will be added to the complex.

The multimedia workstations allow students, faculty, and staff to easily manipulate media such as video, audio, and 3D models, and they are perfect for intensive analyses of large data sets as those encountered in disciplines such as actuarial science, finance, marketing, and classes that require statistical data analyses.

The PCs offer the latest in graphics processing technology, allowing users to engage in cutting-edge simulation activity and video game offerings. What makes these computers high-performance workstations is that they include Intel Core 2 Quad Processors Q6600, 2GB RAM, 300GB hard drives, multiple USB and Firewire ports, 9-in-1 memory card readers, and 22” widescreen HD LCD monitors.

To complement the multimedia computing workstations, additional devices include two analog and three digital capture devices to transfer content from miniDV and other media onto the PC and iMAC workstations. Studio-quality Sony headphones are available to ensure a superior aural experience.

The capture devices and headphones are available for four-hour checkout with up to two online renewals. A Wacom tablet will be available for users to borrow to support accurate image editing work in this space.

Dr. Arthur W. Hafner, Dean of University Libraries, comments, “Providing our students easy access to high-performance computing equipment and also allowing them to borrow video cameras are examples of how the University Libraries are implementing programs and developing services to support student learning and classroom instruction. We want the University Libraries to be the place where students come after they leave the classroom to pursue their research, study individually or collaborate with other students on projects, and complete their assignments.”

PC Productivity Software
PC software installed on the PC workstations include Adobe Production Premium Creative Suite 3, with Premiere Pro CS3, Encore CS3, Soundbooth CS3, and After Effects CS3 programs
Adobe Design Premium Creative Suite 3 with Photoshop CS3, InDesign CS3, Illustrator CS3, and Flash CS3
Sony’s Vegas Movie Studio Platinum 8.0 that provides professional-level video editing and DVD authoring functionality
The open-source program Audacity with its audio editing functions
The 2007 Microsoft Office Suite

iMAC Productivity Software
iMAC software includesFinal Cut Studio 2 with Final Cut Pro 6 (video and film editing), Motion 3 (graphics and animation in 3D), Soundtrack Pro 2 (audio post-production), Color (color grading and finishing), Compressor 3 and DVD Studio Pro 4 (digital delivery in any format)
Adobe Creative Suite Production with After Effects (motion graphics and visual effects), Premiere (video capture/editing), Photoshop (2/3-D graphics editing), Flash (interactive content), Illustrator (vector graphics editing), Soundbooth (audio editing), and Encore (optical disk authoring)
The 2008 Microsoft Office Suite

For more information, contact Bradley C. Johnston, Educational Resources Collections’ Booking/Reserves Assistant, BCJohnston@bsu.edu, 765-285-4368.

University Libraries: A Destination for Research, Learning, and . . . Facebook Fans

Ball State University Libraries have a presence on Facebook with the potential to connect with more than 25,000 members in the Ball State University network, including students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

After only a month of being live, the University Libraries “fan” base is growing. With the cooperation of several personnel in the University Libraries, official event photos, announcements of Libraries’ events, newly acquired items, and other relevant news and information are available from Facebook.

Visit Ball State University Libraries in Facebook,www.facebook.com/pages/Muncie-IN/Ball-State-University-Libraries/8631056252

Deborah M. Mix, Ph.D., Discusses Gertrude Stein and Contemporary American Women’s Writing

A reception and book discussion was held at Bracken Library on Friday, February 29 with Deborah M. Mix, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of English. Dr. Mix discussed her new book, A Vocabulary of Thinking, which positions American writer Gertrude Stein, a catalyst in the development of modern art and literature, as an inspiration to today’s experimental women writers. In her book, Dr. Mix explores Stein influenced modern writers, such as Harryette Mullen, Daphne Marlatt, Betsy Warland, Lyn Hejinian, and Theresa Hak Kyung Cha.

The Department of English and the University Libraries hosted the program.

Managing and Accessing Electronic Journals at the Ball State University Libraries

Managing scholarly journal and magazine articles available in electronic format is a major activity in the University Libraries. To facilitate the management, tracking, and access to this important collection of academic content, in 2002 the University Libraries began a collaborative project with University Computing Services to create an electronic journal management system (EJMS). Today, this project serves as the data backbone of the Libraries’ public A to Z e-journals list, www.bsu.edu/libraries/ejournals/subject_all.asp.

Referred to internally as the Warren Database because the principal system designer was Warren D. Dawkins, then Head of Copy Cataloging, the University Libraries’ EJMS is a Microsoft Access/SQL Server-based system. The Microsoft Access frontend, hosted on a library file share, allows personnel in the Cataloging Services unit to access the data in the SQL Server via an Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) connection. The current configuration of the system presents several setup and access challenges for the University Libraries.

Under the administration of University Computing Services, the Warren Database is a closed system because it is very difficult to expand or integrate it with new technologies and services that improve discovery and access to e-journal content. The Libraries’ solution to this dilemma is to migrate the EJMS to an open platform that the Libraries’ technology staff can modify.

Phase I of the EJMS migration project consists of two parts. The first is to move the database from a SQL Server running on UCS systems to MySQL running on the University Libraries’ systems. The second part moves the MS Access frontend to dynamic Web forms. This work is taking place during spring 2008.

While Phase I work will not produce many visible outcomes for student and faculty users, this work sets the stage for integration with the Libraries’ SFX “Find It @ BSU” service, improved statistical and internal reporting of e-journal title data, and the addition of new data fields to the system to improve the public interface.

Additionally, the libraries plan to investigate ways to replicate the functionality of commercially-available Electronic Resources Management (ERM) systems. This work will further improve the management of our growing electronic collections.

Some potential areas of development include:
· Integration of title-level statistical reports available through ScholarlyStats, a subscription service that aggregates electronic journal usage statistics from a variety of major content platforms
· Improvement of indexing of e-journal titles and subjects for enhanced searching and sorting for the public A to Z interface
· unified list of all aggregator, subscription, and open access electronic journal titles available to Ball State students and faculty
· Creation of a seamless, automated workflow notification system to facilitate the management of e-journal information and expedite title additions, deletions, and edits to produce reliable and consistent access to electronic journals

Creation of the University Libraries’ new EJMS will support the goals and objectives established in the Information Technology Strategic Plan and the accompanying IT Action Plan by improving and expediting the growth of electronic collections and offering our students and faculty increased quality and opportunity for knowledge discovery and synthesis.

The University Libraries are diligently identifying ways to continue to enhance our collections and services to meet the growing and changing needs of Ball State University students and faculty. The Electronic Journal Management System is an important component of our sustained efforts to meet the information management challenges of evolving collections in digital formats and to provide our students and faculty with the very best support for classroom teaching, collaborative learning, and explorative research.

For mroe information, contact Bradley D. Faust, Assistant Dean for Library Information Technology Services at 765-285-8032 or Matthew C. Shaw, Electronic Resources Librarian, 765-285-1302.

Bracken Library Hosts Pledge Recital by Music Fraternities

On Thursday evening, January 17, 2008, the music fraternal organizations of Sigma Alpha Iota (ΣΑΙ) and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia (ΦΜΑ) performed their annual pledge recitals to a crowd of more than 70 people in Bracken Library’s lobby.

Both Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and Sigma Alpha Iota fraternities are dedicated to the development, support and promotion of excellence in musical performance as well as service to the community.

The pledge recital provided an opportunity for undergraduate student musicians to demonstrate their diverse and remarkable talents. A variety of musical genre was presented through performances of unaccompanied solos and mixed ensembles in Bracken’s acoustically vibrant lobby. Pledge recitals are usually performed in one of the classrooms at the School of Music and are only heard by other fraternity members and invited guests.

“Bracken Library was the perfect venue for this recital. It gave the public a chance to enjoy a variety of musical styles, everything from classical violin to didgeridoo solo,” said Linda Putman, Muncie Alumnae Sigma Alpha Iota Chapter President. “It was a great opportunity to experience the fraternities in action.”

Ball State Libraries' Staff College Builds Personnel Knowledge, Skills

During winter break, a majority of the University Libraries’ employees continued their education by attending in-house training sessions, which were offered December 17, 2007 through early January 2008. Through “Staff College,” nine topics were offered. To accommodate work schedules, most sessions were held twice.

“These sessions are an investment in our personnel. They are interesting and well-attended,” said Dr. Arthur W. Hafner, Dean of University Libraries.

Are Books Dead? was moderated by Jason A. Fields, Information Services Librarian. He engaged participants in lively discussions of the recent Newsweek cover story entitled, The Future of Reading by Steven Levy. Conversation covered topics from proprietary e-book formats and usability issues to collection development to one’s attachment to books as physical objects. The personnel in attendance agreed that, while the format of books may change, books as a medium are certainly not dead.

"My goal as moderator was to get people talking about a pertinent, timely issue that is related to our profession,” said Jason.

Citation Style Basics was moderated by Lisa J. Jarrell, Instructional Services Librarian. She spoke about the large number of resources that are available to help students with citations.

Databases: Strategies for Success with Erin S. Gabrielson, Information Services Librarian. Erin addressed some issues and opportunities for assisting students with the University Libraries’ most popular databases, such as Academic Search Premier, PsycINFO, and CQ Researcher. The session was designed for paraprofessionals and personnel who do not use databases everyday.

“A Day in the Life of …” This popular session was the third in a series. Its purpose is to provide attendees with an overview of the services and activities of various units within the University Libraries.

Geospatial Resources and Map Collection (GRMC) was presented by Melissa S. Gentry, Map Collection Assistant. Melissa’s approach was interesting in that she used a slideshow featuring images and statistical information about the GRMC called “8,” which refers to an eight-hour day and was based loosely on the television series “24.”

Educational Resources Collections (ERC) was presented by Diane E. Hill, Media Librarian. Diane gave an overview of the resources available in the collection and distinguished between them and the educational materials in the general collections. She also reviewed the multi-faceted content related to the unit’s Web pages.

The Acquisitions unit was presented by Cheryl O. Shull, Periodicals Assistant. Cheryl reviewed section activities and responsibilities for monographs, serials, fiscal control, and binding. During Cheryl’s PowerPoint presentation, she shared some of the humorous situations they have encountered, such as a few years ago when they ordered a DVD of the Academy Award-winning movie, The Pianist, only to receive a “… rather racy-looking version of a different Pianist.”

Intro to LibGuides was moderated by Stacy B. Chaney-Blankenship, Information Services Librarian. She covered the new Libraries’ new subject guides that are being developed for use during spring semester 2008.

Macintosh OS X Presenter was taught by Barb R. Wills, Technology Training Support Specialist. As part of her presentation, Barb provided a detailed handout as a reference tool for those who work with students and faculty and others who are experiencing Mac issues while studying in University Libraries.

Photocopiers Demystified was presented by Roberta J. (“Bobbie”) Pearson, Business Support Services Supervisor. Bobbie provided on-site demonstrations, showing how to copy back-to-back, perform trouble-shooting techniques, such as handling paper jams, and how to report problems and handle refunds. “I was pleased with how well it went and received positive feedback from attendees,” said Bobbie.

Understanding International Students as Clients and Employees with Debra Goens, Rinker Center for International Programs Foreign Student Advisor/Immigration Specialist. Debra’s session focused on how to effectively communicate with international students as clients or employees. Debra commented on the challenges facing international students, including lack of familiarity with both local language practices and cultural expectations.

VendPrint Demystified with Mark “Andy” West, Microcomputer/Systems/Network Analyst. Andy spoke about the Libraries’ public printer solution. He discussed VendPrint, its wireless counterpart PrinterOn, where public printers are located and how they work, as well as how to deal with the most common problems

Taking a Closer Look at Ball State University Libraries

by Arthur W. Hafner, Ph.D., M.B.A., Dean of Ball State University Libraries

The Alexander M. Bracken Library, the main library located in the heart of the campus, serves an average of 4,400 students per day.
Since early 2003, the focus of the University Libraries has been to develop and implement a strategic plan that transforms the Libraries into a 21st century, service-oriented, innovative and educationally involved organization.

A distinguishing characteristic of our growth strategies for the Libraries is to continually improve the Libraries’ programs, services, and collections in order to provide outstanding and uniformly gracious, friendly services to our students, faculty, staff, and other community members.

To accomplish these objectives, our professional and paraprofessional personnel are engaged in an ambitious effort to create, develop, adapt, and implement a wide range of innovative and creative technologies, original products, and highly personalized services that support our students and faculty who are committed to research, learning, and classroom instruction.

Actualization of our growth strategies have measurably fostered an undergraduate culture that promotes and facilitates learning and research. This reality has further supported Ball State University’s move toward national prominence in teaching, research and service.
In addition to providing a range of academic library and information services, the University Libraries are actively engaged in the management and organization of complex data sets, data mining, and the digitization of traditional analog resources in order to create Web accessible information systems that innovatively advance research and learning.

These newly created learning materials constitute a resource that facilitates new forms of rich contextual enquiry. To create these digital resources, data are aggregated from a broad array of information stores, contextualized, and presented in a manner that allows for new questions to be asked and for answers to be represented in fresh ways to provide a better understanding of the data.

Some of the University Libraries’ newest digital products that support the academic community are
· Cardinal Scholar, Ball State’s Institutional Repository providing storage and global access to faculty and student work-product, making it an integral element of the University’s research publishing distribution strategies
· Digital Commons, providing links to digital resources available locally, regionally, globally
· Digital content produced by the University Libraries from analog data
· Digital Media Repository, providing a centralized, coordinated, and user-focus for digital media resources owned or created by the University Libraries, Ball State University, and community partners
· Specialized Web pages for copyright and intellectual property information, digital video collections, distance learning support including online chat and blogging, images, wireless laptop printing solutions, and more

In addition to the digital products mentioned above, the Libraries have long been engaged in producing other important products to benefit students and faculty learning and research:
· Ball State University Virtual Press
· CardCat, the Libraries’ online catalogue
· Course reserves (acquiring and organizing for class-specific assignments)
· Databases (e.g., e-journals, CD/DVD/VHS’s)
· Library Insider, a monthly newsletter for enhanced communications
· Media Finders as interfaces to CardCat to help users find materials in specific formats or genres, such as music, movies, or novels)
· MySpace page
· Resource guides, pathfinders
· Software, such as a room scheduler, staff scheduler
· Student produced library videos
· Tutorials for library instruction
· Web pages with data and information as part of our mass communication outreach to students, faculty

The University Libraries’ primary directive is to support the University’s mission of teaching, scholarship, and public service, provide an intellectual environment for exploration and discovery, and to support academic learning and research through a range of proactive library and information services. Through our growth strategies, we confidently engage our tag line, “… a destination for research, learning, and friends.”

For more information, contact Arthur W. Hafner, AHafner@bsu.edu, (765) 285-5277.

University Libraries Premiere Cardinal Scholar Institutional Repository to Provide Global Access to Ball State Faculty and Student Work

Cardinal Scholar, Ball State University’s institutional repository, is now ready for business at www.bsu.edu/cardinalscholar. A project of the University Libraries, Cardinal Scholar serves as a means for faculty and students to make their intellectual and creative work globally accessible. The vision for Cardinal Scholar is to

· Promote open scholarly communication
· Preserve access to scholarly work produced at Ball State University
· Promote Ball State’s intellectual capital to a worldwide audience

By achieving this vision, Dr. Arthur W. Hafner, Dean of University Libraries, says that “Cardinal Scholar has the potential to be a key element in the University’s research and publication distribution strategy.”

Materials deposited in Cardinal Scholar are made available through the system’s interface, search engines like Google, and other indexing tools. This broad accessibility has been proven to increase the number of citations of such work.

Cardinal Scholar includes both published and unpublished articles, lectures and other presentations, reports, papers, and other research or scholarly work that faculty and students choose to make available. Supported formats range from text to video to maps to photographs of artwork and more.

Faculty and administrators can easily add annual reports, meeting minutes, and other documentation. Students can add their work and link it to their portfolios. Student works sponsored by faculty will be openly accessible to a worldwide audience to demonstrate the positive impact and contribution of the faculty’s teaching and guidance.

All members of the Ball State community are welcome and encouraged to add materials to Cardinal Scholar through the easy-to-use interface. Helpful pages like Getting Started, Guidelines, FAQs, and Help are available on the site. The site also includes specific information for administrators, faculty, students, and publishers. To begin using the system, go to the “Getting Started” page on the Web site. The University Libraries are pleased to offer assistance in using Cardinal Scholar.

For information, contact John B. Straw, Assistant Dean for Digital Initiatives and Special Collections at JStraw@bsu.edu, or Philip J. Deloria, Archivist for Digital Projects and University Records, at PJDeloria@bsu.edu, or call 765-285-5078.

Ball State University Libraries’ Innovators Share Knowledge at Local Conference

Several librarians represented the Ball State University Libraries’ commitment to technology at a conference entitled Reaching Digital Natives and Immigrants: Library 2.0 on November 2, 2007 at the Plainfield-Guilford Township Public Library. The program was hosted by Indiana Online Users Group (IOLUG), www.iolug.org/index.php, a local professional organization that aims to further the use of online systems, databases, computers and telecommunication systems in libraries. The conference was attended by 81 information professionals from around Indiana.

As a member of the IOLUG Program Committee, Amanda A. Hurford said that several librarians from the University Libraries brought a special dimension to the program by speaking about their Library 2.0 activities and social networking tools.

Jonathan M. Brinley, Metadata and Digital Initiatives Developer, presented a hands-on breakout session about creating a library wiki. Information Services Librarians Jason A. Fields and Eric B. Fisher and Amanda A. Hurford, Digital Initiatives Multimedia Developer, participated in the Blinded Me with Library Science Fair, a free form, high energy gathering in which conference attendees visited booths managed by librarians demonstrating specific implementations of Library 2.0 technologies.

Jonathan provided hands-on experience for participants regarding several popular open-source wiki software packages, including MediaWiki, TiddlyWiki, DokuWiki, and PmWiki. He assisted participants through the process of creating a wiki using the MediaWiki package, the same software used to power the University Libraries’ wiki. You can learn more about wiki administration from the MediaWiki wiki, http://www.mediawiki.org/, or by contacting Jonathan M. Brinley, JMBrinley@bsu.edu, 765-285-3341.

Wikis for Project Management
As attendees approached Amanda's booth, they were welcomed by informational posters describing how the Ball State University Libraries’ wiki helped to manage the Middletown Digital Oral History Project. Amanda also used a laptop to demonstrate how the wiki works and the kind of information that is organized there.

Participants learned how wiki technology allows a large group of people working on a project to collaborate and communicate their ideas in organized, centralized, and searchable forum. Amanda explained that the wiki used for the Middletown Digital Oral History Project is open to the public and retrievable by a simple Google search, so other institutions embarking on an oral history project can benefit from University Libraries’ documentation.

To view the Oral Histories page on the Ball State University Libraries’ wiki, visit
www.bsu.edu/libraries/wiki/index.php?title=Oral_Histories.

Second Life
The crowd that gathered at the Second Life booth watched as Jason maneuvered his avatar, Phenyks Winx, through the multi-user virtual environment. His demonstration, called Avatars, Objects, and Islands, included a tour through several Second Life landmarks such as Ball State's own Middletown island, Vassar's recreation of the Sistine Chapel, and Alliance Library System's Information Archipelago.

Observers received a brochure with supplemental information explaining the function of an avatar, a Second Life user's virtual representation, and the objects with which they interact while in-world. The brochure also touched upon concepts such as virtual land, currency, and the nature of library service, and there was a listing of references and informative Web sites. To view the complete brochure, visit http://jafields.iweb.bsu.edu/IOLUGSecondLife.pdf. For more information about University Libraries’ Second Life Initiative, contact Jason A. Fields, JAFields@bsu.edu, 765-285-3326.

MySpace
After their brief tour of some of the locations in Second Life, attendees visited the MySpace booth to see how Ball State University Libraries are using this popular social networking site to connect with students, authors, and other libraries. Visit www.myspace.com/brackenlibrary.

Eric demonstrated the University Libraries’ public profile as well as the user page where the profile owner can control the content of the public profile. He then showed the audience how different features such as the MySpace bulletin feature, public calendar, event manager, and blog can be used for promoting a library’s programs, services, and collections. He also presented how images and videos could be loaded onto the profile page.

A list of resources on social networking sites that were provided to conference participants is also available online at http://bsu.libguides.com/MySpace. For more information about Ball State University Libraries’ MySpace page, or to ask about promoting a library event or program on MySpace, contact Eric B. Fisher, EBFisher@bsu.edu, 765-285-3338.

Ball State University Libraries Reach out to Transfer Students

Students who transfer to Ball State University usually miss the library instruction sessions provided to freshmen in conjunction with their English 103/104 classes. Transfer students probably participated in similar sessions at their earlier institutions, yet much of the information becomes obsolete since resources and facilities differ from one library to another.

To assist the transfer student with the transition to Ball State University, Information Services personnel, Lisa Jarrell and Brenda Yates-Habich, have created instruction sessions early in the semester targeted specifically to transfer students. These sessions, called Library 411: Important Information for Transfer Students, focus on research skills and library resources needed to help students succeed.

The two librarians also partnered with Yasemin Tunç, Director for Technology Training Support Services, in creating a Blackboard community to provide all transfer students with quick links to frequently used library resources, such as online tutorials, subject guides, interlibrary loan forms, and immediate, live-chat contact with a reference librarian. The Blackboard community will also be used to announce forthcoming workshops and events of particular interest to transfer students.

For more information, contact Lisa J. Jarrell, Instruction Services Librarian, or Brenda Yates-Habich, Information Services Librarian, at 765-285-8017.

University Libraries’ Outreach to Students in Residence Halls a Success

After students settled into their residence halls at the beginning of fall semester 2007, Ball State University residence hall directors met to consider a series of information literacy workshops, which would be developed by librarians at the Ball State University Libraries.

Based on standards developed by the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), workshop topics were identified to include where to find reliable information and how to use information ethically. As part of the proposal, librarians worked with residence hall personnel to adapt workshops according to the needs of student residents.

The first workshop, held in late September 2007, covered the research process and provided information on developing skills for success in college. A reference librarian presented it in a floor lounge of a large residence hall.

Attendees were given handouts outlining steps in the research process, along with a listing of resources about student success in the collections of the University Libraries. The handout and resource list are available at this URL:
http://bsu.libguides.com/ResearchProcess.


The second workshop, held in mid-October 2007, covered advanced searching techniques in popular search engines such as Google, Yahoo!, and Ask.com. Students learned about basic search logic using Boolean operators and were provided with a list of common advanced search options, such as limiting searches to file type or internet domain. The 12-slide PowerPoint presentation is currently available at this URL:http://jafields.iweb.bsu.edu/FeedMachine.ppt.

Recently, the administrators of Ball State’s Honors College residence halls agreed to host a program regarding thesis research. A version of the University Libraries’ popular Thesis Research in a Nutshell workshop, which is regularly offered to graduate students by the Libraries’ Instructional Services unit, will be revised to meet the needs of undergraduates in the Honors College.

The presentation is set to take place in early November, 2007. Other workshops for Honors College students living in residence halls are currently under consideration and these may take place by December 2007 with sessions extending into spring semester.

For more information, or to share ideas regarding these or other types of residence hall outreach programs offered by University Libraries, contact Jason A. Fields, Information Services Librarian (Distance Education), JAFields@bsu.edu, 765-285-3326.

Mozilla Firefox Browser: Must Have Add-ons for Increasing Your Ability to Find Information

In the September 2007 issue of The Library Insider, I explained why the Mozilla Firefox Internet browser is the Internet browser of choice of many of Ball State University Libraries’ personnel. Reasons include tabbed navigation, integrated search features, great performance, and stability of the program. Another reason is because of a broad selection of plug-ins, add-ons, and browser extensions.

Many of FireFox’s add-ons enhance the information finding and research processes by linking users to the valuable information resources provided by libraries based on Web page content. A few of these must-have friendly add-ons are discussed here.
del.icio.us

This is a social bookmark manager. With del.icio.us, important and useful web sites can be bookmarked for use from any Internet computer and can be shared with others working on a research project and other group work. In contrast, bookmarks in FireFox and favorites in Internet Explorer are useful only on the machine where they are saved.
The del.icio.us add-on includes toolbar buttons, its own toolbar, a menu bar entry, and tagging support. Existing bookmarks can be imported to del.icio.us. More information about del.icio.us is available at this URL:
del.icio.us/help/firefox/bookmarks/quicktour.

Ball State University Libraries’ Internet Toolbar

Another very useful Firefox add-on is the University Libraries Internet Toolbar. It was developed by the University Libraries and has been rigorously tested through use on the Libraries’ 350 public access workstations. Access the free download, www.bsu.edu/library/article/0,,42835--,00.html.

The Internet Toolbar provides a library presence throughout the browsing session regardless of the current Web site in the main browser window. Access to the public catalog, CardCat, is integrated in the Internet Toolbar.

Links to key library Web pages, academic databases, research help, and library services are only a click away on the toolbar, no matter what Web site the student or faculty member visits.
Burro

Book Burro is a powerful extension for FireFox that helps the user determine where to find a book title based on information on the Web page. Many academic libraries and online bookstores are registered with the Book Burro service. Open WorldCat is an important library service linked through Book Burro. The Book Burro configuration window allows the user to choose which bookstores, libraries and WorldCat resources are included in the results list.

Book Burro utilizes a book’s International Standard Book Number (ISBN). In a page view that contains an ISBN, the user can highlight the ISBN number, right-click the mouse, then choose the “Book Burro Search” option in the dropdown box that appears. In some installations, Book Burro will automatically detect the ISBN and present the Book Burro pop-up. Book Burro can be used from the University Libraries’ CardCat system.

When an ISBN is highlighted in the CardCat record, the Book Burro box contains a listing of other sources for the book title. Find and download Book Burro from http://bookburro.org/.

LibX
The final add-on I want to mention is the award-winning LibX. It is a FireFox toolbar add-on that was developed at Virginia Tech University Libraries, and it is being used by about 200 libraries. This powerful add-on’s features includes right-click context sensitive menus, OpenURL support, Google Scholar support, xISBN support, and web localization features.

The LibX-embedded search option provides extended access to the local catalog and local library holdings. Learn more about LibX from the article LibX – a FireFox extension for enhanced library access by Annette Baily and Godmar Back, Library High Tech, v. 24, no. 2, September 2006.

Internet browsers are necessary applications that allow a person to research and access academic library collections, resources, and services. Browser add-ons and extensions offer library users specialized tools to enhance and simplify library access.

For more information, contact Bradley D. Faust, Ball State University Libraries’ Assistant Dean for Library Information Technology Services, BFaust@bsu.edu, 765-285-8032.

Dual Monitors Enhance Student Productivity When Using Computers at Ball State University Libraries

The University Libraries have expanded the functionality of 40 PC workstations on Bracken 1-East by installing a second monitor. The Windows desktop appears over the span of both 19” LCD monitors. In effect, this doubles the amount of computer desktop workspace available for students and faculty who are using these workstations.

In addition to this new display technology in Bracken Library, dual monitor workstations are available for users in the Science-Health Science Library and will be soon in the Architecture Library. And 108 additional dual monitor workstations will be installed in Bracken Library by the end of December. Visitors to the main library’s Geospatial Resources and Map Collection (GRMC) area have been able to benefit from the use of dual monitor systems for several years.

By expanding availability of dual monitor workstations in the Bracken 1 East area, more customers have greater desktop workspace for increased productivity. For example, walking through the area, one may see a student with a Word document and an Excel sheet open, or a student may be editing text from two open Word documents. A student working on a software development project recently commented that she appreciated the increased desktop space since it allowed her to have her development environment open on one display and the result window open in the other.

Use of dual monitors also increases employee work productivity, and this has been evident in various offices in the University Libraries. Staff in the Archives and Special Collections, Library Information Technology Services, Metadata and Digital Initiatives, and Interlibrary Loan areas find value in the dual display workstation. Information Services librarians will benefit from dual monitors later this month when dual monitor systems are installed at their workstations.

Costs to implement this solution are reasonable. Since the Windows operating system automatically recognizes multiple monitors, only a second monitor and an additional video port for the computer are required. Identical monitors are ideal, but not absolutely necessary. In order to upgrade these computers, dual head DVI video cards and 40 monitors were purchased.

The University Libraries are continually searching for opportunities to bring the best technology solutions to students and faculty using the University Libraries. Expanding usability of public access workstations by adding a second monitor is an example of providing technology to increase productivity.

For more information, contact Bradley D. Faust, Ball State University Libraries’ Assistant Dean for Library Information Technology Services, BFaust@bsu.edu,765-285-8032.

Ball State University's Virtual Press

You’ve put a lot of labor-intensive time into your work or your work-in-progress. And now it is now time to authenticate this new intellectual property and begin an initial distribution of it. If this describes your situation in regards to your creative endeavor, you can make it known globally to fellow researchers, students, and faculty by having it indexed by the search engines, Google, MSN, and Yahoo!

The Ball State University Virtual Press is a powerful information dissemination service for members of the academic community. This unique information dissemination utility is hosted by the University Libraries and is located at: www.bsu.edu/library/virtualpress.

Dr. Arthur Hafner, Dean of the University Libraries, states that, “The Virtual Press offers an innovative paradigm shift in faculty and student publishing. It is one of several integral elements of the University’s research publishing distribution strategies.”

The Ball State University Virtual Press publishing model is an easy and convenient educational vehicle for faculty and students to provide global access to their scholarship and to have their names indexed by the major search engines. Whether your works are video, audio, text, graphics, or a combination of all of these, the Virtual Press can make your works Web accessible.

A sampling of materials on the Virtual Press includes:

· Ball State University All-University Marching Band CD Selections
· Ball State University Library Newsletter, ISSN 1547-7894
· Ball State University Symphonic Wind Ensemble CD Selections
· Bracken Library Matinee Musicale Highlights
· Career Center Publications
· George Wolfe: Unarmed and Dangerous?
· Jane Haynes: A Sea of Her Own: A story of whaling wives
· La Chambre du Roi Trio Selections
· Malina Schust - German Video, Spring 2007
· Mathematics Exchange, a publication of the Mathematical Sciences Department, ISSN 1550-1736
· Mid-American Journal of Business, ISSN 1935-5181
· Office of Academic Assessment and Institutional Research
· Online Art Exhibit: Prof. Marilynn J. Derwenskus
· Online Theatre Exhibit: Dr. Flo Lapin
· Student Burris Laboratory Videos
· Terry Wiedmer: Indiana's State Teacher of the Year
· The Broken Plate, Ball State University English Department’s undergraduate literary magazine, ISSN 1940-6568
· The Teacher Educator: The Official Journal of the Indiana Association of Teacher Educators, ISSN 0887-8730
· The University Libraries’ Copyright Forum, ISSN 1545-777X

There are several advantages for faculty and staff to select the Ball State University Virtual Press for disseminating their scholarship:

1. The Virtual Press does not charge members of the University community to include their scholarly works.
2. Traditional publishers require a time-consuming and possibly expensive proof of Fair Use. The University Libraries’ Copyright Office provides University community members with assistance in making a Fair Use analysis in order to invoke Fair Use.
3. Unless reviewed, traditional publishing may not allow for search engines to capture your name and paper.
4. Traditional publishing often requires you to transfer your copyright ownership of the material to them. The Virtual Press requires only that you provide the Virtual Press with the non-exclusive right to maintain a copy of your work and distribute it via the Virtual Press’s Web page.
5. You can build, add to, and subtract from your materials that are accessible through the Virtual Press since you retain control over your materials.
6. The Virtual Press provides professional personnel to continually update your page with new or revised materials.
7. The Virtual Press assures stable links to your materials and equitable access.

For additional information, or to have any of your copyright and intellectual property questions answered, please contact Dr. Fritz Dolak, The University Libraries’ Copyright and Intellectual Property Office, FDolak@bsu.edu, 765-285-5330.