May 2006 Archives

The wireless network in the Cabell Library is still out of order. I can see the network name but it shows Minimum or no connectivity. It has been like that since last so many months. Is something being done about it? Media Reserves is loaning ethernet cables to students... are we going backwords in technology?
From: A graduate student

Jimmy Ghaphery, head of Library Information Systems, replies...
The wireless survey mentioned in the April 2006 blog posting has been completed. Based upon the survey, new equipment (recommended by VCU Technology Services) is on order and will be installed this summer. We also expect to make additional investments next year in the wireless network.

The wireless network is and will be managed by VCU Technology Services. For assistance with wireless connectivity contact the VCU Technology Services Help Desk at 828-2227 or e-mail to help@vcu.edu.

Purchase suggestion Author: Minaud Gerard Title: La comptabilite a Rome Publisher: Presses polytechniques et universitaires romandes Place & date: Lausanne, 2005 Language: French ISBN: 2 80774 667 1 Subject: Economical history-History of management and accounting in Roman antiquity. The first book about it.
From: Gurt

Kevin Farley, Collection Librarian for the Humanities, responds....
Thank you for your recent suggestion regarding the addition of Gerard Minaud's La comptabilite a Rome to our history collection at James Branch Cabell Library. Budgetary limitations place restrictions upon our ability to purchase all materials that are requested. We will take this title under consideration. In the meantime, this title may be requested through ILLiad, our Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery Service (https://illiad.library.vcu.edu/illiad/). Please let us know if you have other suggestions, you may also use the online form, Purchase Suggestion for Collection Management.

Could you please subscribe to the American National Biography database? It is a comprehensive database of all of the most important Americans, and includes important works written on each subject. I am very surprised to find it is not already subscribed to, as you have subscriptions to lesser biographical databases such as the African American Biographical database and Biographies of Women Mathematicians. The ANB covers it all and is an extremely important reference tool for students and faculty alike.
From: Arthur, graduate student

Kevin Farley, Collection Librarian for the Humanities, replies....
Thank you for your suggestion regarding the addition of the American National Biography database to the electronic resources available at VCU Libraries. Budgetary limitations place restrictions upon the addition of electronic resources, but we will take this suggestion under review. Please let us know if you have other suggestions, you may also use the online form Purchase Suggestion for Collection Management.

I would like to suggest there be one computer per floor for the sole use of the library catalog. Maybe something similiar to what public libraries offer: a computer at a tall table. Thanks for considering this idea.
From: Jeff, undergraduate student

Curtis Lyons, Interim Associate University Librarian for Public Services, replies....
The VCU Libraries Catalog is accessed through web browsers and is full of links that take patrons to resources held on other sites, therefore we cannot set a computer up to only give access to the catalog. This Summer, we will be looking at a number of possible set-ups, including the standing terminals that you mention, and hope to have something in place by the beginning of Fall that will allow patrons to look something up quickly without having to wait for a full-service terminal. Thank you for your suggestion!