Library at Cal. State University Long Beach Will use New Methods of Delivering Knowledge to Students
By David Cowan
Knowledge Beat
Students at California State University Long Beach should be please to know that access to the stored books and journals in the University Library will be available as soon as the Online Remote Collections Access or ORCA room is completed.
The completion of this facility will help to solve problems like availability, accessibility, technological currency, accuracy and obstacles of searching that the over 42,000 students that use the library in a week (some repeats) face on the way to receiving information.
"ORCA is a machine," said Henry Dubois, the administrative services librarian. "It’s a physical delivery machine, and what it delivers is knowledge contained in objects like books, microfilm, and some of our archival collections."
The system itself works by students first going to a browsing computer where they will have a list of all the hard copy materials in ORCA. They will put in a request for an item and the ORCA will activate.
The ORCA will remove a container from the stacks and deliver it to a station where a librarian will hand deliver the book to the student. From the request to the hand off the whole process is estimated to take five minutes.
"There are two benefits to this that we see," said Dubois. "It increases browseablilty of our existing and remaining stacks because not all books are going into ORCA."
The other benefit is by not having the shelves filled with journals used every six or eight years it increases the browseablilty and speeds up the process of finding what a student might need, Dubois said.
With the loss of tangible materials, students so far have been coping with the loss by using the Internet via the computers provided at the Spidell Technology Center to gather information.
"I’ve only used (the library) once," said Journalism major Eddie Bermudez, 30, "for the computers."
More students come forward with similar views.
"I use it for the Internet," says 22-year-old Jennifer Vandekieft.
With many people using the Internet as a source of information gathering will the ORCA even matter to students?
"I don’t think students will know or care," said Dubois. "I think they’ll become aware of it when they come and try to find something and it’s retrieved that way."
But what do students rely on until then?
"The library, since I’ve been here about nine years," said Lesley Farmer, Librarian Program Coordinator, "has a steadily improving website that provides students with research guides, with web tutorials and contact information so that will help them."
A big concern, aside from the materials being available and accessible, is that they have to actually be in the library and not slipped out in a back pack.
"The fact that these materials will be really secure (means) there’s going to be less theft so you’re more likely to get the materials you want," Farmer said.
Despite the wonders of the Internet age there still is a need for hard copy information in today’s world.
"If you’re researching the Kennedy assassination for example are you’re looking for books that where written at the time you’re going to need to use books," said Dubois. "And those kinds of books could be housed in ORCA."
"It’s very frustrating," agrees Farmer. "Not having the print journals, sometimes the faculty asks students to photocopy the cover of a journal and we only have the electronic form. Usually the databases don’t include a print cover. So that’s frustrating and the most immediate need."
For more information contact:
Henry Dubois at 562-982-8880 or hdubois@csulb.edu.
Lesley Farmer at 562-985-4517 or lfarmer@csulb.edu.
Contact David Cowan at dbcowan1985@yahoo.com or through his blog at theshadowsknowledge-david.blogspot.com
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Know the Lies
The First Round of Presidential Political Mudslinging Begins
By David Cowan
Knowledge Beat
COSTA MESA, Calif. (May 11, 2008)--John McCain is a clone of President Bush. Junior Illinois Senator Barack Obama is a risk to National Security. And those are the nice one's.
An article by Jitendra Joshi is showing how both the Democratic and Republican parties are going on the attack before a democratic candidate has officially been chosen.
Despite the lead of Sen. Obama, Sen. Hilliary Clinton vows to stay in the race and more than likely further divide the Democratic Party.
The Shadow Knows
Why, why, why? Like watching a train wreck in slow motion these campaigns go forward. I look not to the future but to the past for a good candidate. The November election will be the most important event of the year. I don't care about the Led Zeppelin reunion concert this is more important.
I look at politics from the perspective of the 50's, 60's and 70's where candidates ran on their merits not on their opponents weaknesses. I wonder what would happen today if politics had remained relatively clean.
The closest we came was when Sen. Obama addresses the country after the statements made by his former pastor Rev. Wright. It was not a denouncement at that point but free press to talk about the lack of importance that race carried in the election. Made me tingly.
Now the senator has distanced himself for his former pastor and in my mind shown his sense of loyalty. Is this the kind of candidate we want? Because at this point it's the best the democratic party has.
By David Cowan
Knowledge Beat
COSTA MESA, Calif. (May 11, 2008)--John McCain is a clone of President Bush. Junior Illinois Senator Barack Obama is a risk to National Security. And those are the nice one's.
An article by Jitendra Joshi is showing how both the Democratic and Republican parties are going on the attack before a democratic candidate has officially been chosen.
Despite the lead of Sen. Obama, Sen. Hilliary Clinton vows to stay in the race and more than likely further divide the Democratic Party.
The Shadow Knows
Why, why, why? Like watching a train wreck in slow motion these campaigns go forward. I look not to the future but to the past for a good candidate. The November election will be the most important event of the year. I don't care about the Led Zeppelin reunion concert this is more important.
I look at politics from the perspective of the 50's, 60's and 70's where candidates ran on their merits not on their opponents weaknesses. I wonder what would happen today if politics had remained relatively clean.
The closest we came was when Sen. Obama addresses the country after the statements made by his former pastor Rev. Wright. It was not a denouncement at that point but free press to talk about the lack of importance that race carried in the election. Made me tingly.
Now the senator has distanced himself for his former pastor and in my mind shown his sense of loyalty. Is this the kind of candidate we want? Because at this point it's the best the democratic party has.
You're in the Money
Stimulus Checks and Tax Rebates are Coming Out and Burning Money in the Pockets of Americans
By David Cowan
Knowledge Beat
COSTA MESA, Calif. (May 11, 2008)-- The Bush administrations attempt to improve the US economy has taken it's first tentative steps toward economic growth. While there has not yet been immediate change speculation in the stock market and throughout the Internet has been booming.
In an article by Malden Read, Wall Street has been taking polls and measuring what Americans will be spending their extra money on.
The general TV interview shows a person saying that they will simply be paying the bills and then putting the rest in the bank. They say this as they stand in a Best Buy.
The Shadow Knows
While extra money is always a cool thing to have, this is the time to use any excess money responsibly. Economist Suze Orman says that the best way to increase your monthly income is to pay off your debt.
To the college student money think this can really take the edge off college fees and provide extra funds for materials. And beer.
By David Cowan
Knowledge Beat
COSTA MESA, Calif. (May 11, 2008)-- The Bush administrations attempt to improve the US economy has taken it's first tentative steps toward economic growth. While there has not yet been immediate change speculation in the stock market and throughout the Internet has been booming.
In an article by Malden Read, Wall Street has been taking polls and measuring what Americans will be spending their extra money on.
The general TV interview shows a person saying that they will simply be paying the bills and then putting the rest in the bank. They say this as they stand in a Best Buy.
The Shadow Knows
While extra money is always a cool thing to have, this is the time to use any excess money responsibly. Economist Suze Orman says that the best way to increase your monthly income is to pay off your debt.
To the college student money think this can really take the edge off college fees and provide extra funds for materials. And beer.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Can'tdidate
Hillary Clinton The Little Candidate Who Couldn't
By David Cowan
Knowledge Beat
A Shadow Knows Exclusive
Why won't she stop running. I like Sen. Hillary Clinton, I really do. I like her family, I believe she is a qualified candidate. America seems to think differently though.
According to last nights polls Sen. Clinton is so far behind that even if she wins the remaining states she won't have enough to over take Sen. Barack Obama.
Now according to the Wall Street Journal only 27% of Americans favor the Republican party at this point and time. This lead me to believe that come November, a majority of Americans will do to the polls and put their mark next to the big D despite what the name next to it say.
I feel it is crucial at this point that if the Democratic party wants to maintain their lead, they must begin to unite now.
A friend of mine asked a scary question yesterday, he said, "What id Hillary loses, will she run as an Independent?" This sent a chill down my spine.
The party is already divided over the candidates in their own party, a split would completely decimate the hope of a substantial victory that the party needs to curry favor with the nation and the world.
By David Cowan
Knowledge Beat
A Shadow Knows Exclusive
Why won't she stop running. I like Sen. Hillary Clinton, I really do. I like her family, I believe she is a qualified candidate. America seems to think differently though.
According to last nights polls Sen. Clinton is so far behind that even if she wins the remaining states she won't have enough to over take Sen. Barack Obama.
Now according to the Wall Street Journal only 27% of Americans favor the Republican party at this point and time. This lead me to believe that come November, a majority of Americans will do to the polls and put their mark next to the big D despite what the name next to it say.
I feel it is crucial at this point that if the Democratic party wants to maintain their lead, they must begin to unite now.
A friend of mine asked a scary question yesterday, he said, "What id Hillary loses, will she run as an Independent?" This sent a chill down my spine.
The party is already divided over the candidates in their own party, a split would completely decimate the hope of a substantial victory that the party needs to curry favor with the nation and the world.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Hot Knowledge
Students on California State University Long Beach Campus Erect Wall to Raise Awareness.
By David Cowan
Knowledge Beat
LONG BEACH, Calif(May 5, 2008)--Students have erected a wall to raise awareness about Palestine. The wall that measures roughly 30 feet long by 10 feet high proclaims a Palestinian Holocaust.
On Jewish student took offense to the wall kicking the wall, denouncing the statistics that cover in and trying to tear down the Israeli flag that had been symbolically covered in red paint made to look like blood. He was stopped before he could complete his task and gave no comments other than to say that he was Jewish and found the wall highly offensive. He left soon afterward.
The wall is currently in the free speech area across from the bookstore on the CSULB campus.
By David Cowan
Knowledge Beat
LONG BEACH, Calif(May 5, 2008)--Students have erected a wall to raise awareness about Palestine. The wall that measures roughly 30 feet long by 10 feet high proclaims a Palestinian Holocaust.
On Jewish student took offense to the wall kicking the wall, denouncing the statistics that cover in and trying to tear down the Israeli flag that had been symbolically covered in red paint made to look like blood. He was stopped before he could complete his task and gave no comments other than to say that he was Jewish and found the wall highly offensive. He left soon afterward.
The wall is currently in the free speech area across from the bookstore on the CSULB campus.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
