Blackboard and RefWorks Training in August

Faculty and Staff persons wishing to learn how to use Blackboard more effectively will have this slate of classes to choose from in August. New this session are the librarian-taught classes:

• Introduction to RefWorks (the basics of using UST's bibliography manager software)
• Integrating Library Resources into Blackboard (including online full-text articles in syllabi, linking to a RefWorks database in Blackboard, including other library content in course sites)

See the UST Leadership Academy web page to browse the course catalog, learn about content and pre-requisites, and follow the Training Online link to sign up.

Contact John Heintz (jpheintz AT stthomas.edu) (651) 962-4646 if you have any questions.

New netLibrary Titles Have Been Added to CLICnet Catalog

The Minitex Shared netLibrary Collection IV for 2005 has been added to the CLICnet catalog. The list of electronic books is currently sorted by call number for browsing. Also, Ireland Library has added a number of electronic books relating to theology.

Old Testament Abstracts and New Testament Abstracts now available

Online versions of these major abstracting services for Biblical studies are now available. See the Archbishop Ireland Memorial Library page for details.

Integrating Library Content into Course Management Systems

The Library Web Chic (of SUNY Cortland) discusses library efforts to integrate library content into course management systems. "While libraries could create such pages on their own library website and IT staff to automatically create a dynamic link to this content for every course in the CMS, usability would suggest that it would more useful for the content be part of the CMS.
Irregardless of the existing technical issues, libraries need to work harder to get library content in the CMS/LMS. "

As Security Concerns Rise, Some Campuses Change Browsers

An article in this week's Chronicle of Higher Education examines the use of Firefox and Opera as web browsers at some university campuses. Network security and pop-up advertisements are two concerns.