Category Archives: Library Trends & Technology

New “Life” for the Library News blog

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Welcome to Milligan Library Life, the new name for the Milligan College Library blog. The name change is the result of a decision to differentiate the way we use various communication and social networking media in the Library.

In addition to a website, the Library maintains a Facebook page, a Twitter feed, targeted email, and this WordPress blog. Up to now, we have tended to view these various mediums as multiple ways of getting a single message out to our user community–namely, letting you know what’s happening in the Library. The more channels of communication we utilize, the greater our exposure. Right?

This is true to a point. But as we live with these online mediums we realize that maybe we have more than one message to share–or at least, we may have more than one way to share our message. Now that Facebook has become nearly ubiquitous in the Milligan College community (as it has practically everywhere else), we have decided to push most of the Library’s news and event-type posts in that direction. We have also found it convenient to utilize Twitter as a quick way to post schedule and informational alerts to Facebook and the Twitter widget on our website home page.

What do we do with the blog? The blog format is not really appropriate for short bursts of news information. We discovered that what looks perfectly appropriate on the Facebook wall appears as a cluttered mess in a blog. The blog format lends itself to longer form articles–and invites reading at a more engaged and leisurely pace.

Of course it takes more time to write in a form that invites reading at a leisurely pace. Do we have the time? Do we have anything worth saying using this format? Would anyone be interested in reading it?

These are legitimate questions. But rather than give up on the blog I encouraged the Library staff to experiment with me with this other form of communication in the way it works best. Enter Milligan Library Life. We are fairly competent and interesting folk who make it our business to stay informed about the rapidly evolving information environment impacting all our lives. I think it would be valuable to have us report and reflect periodically on such things as trends in library and information resource technologies, copyright and intellectual property issues, concerns about online freedom and privacy, etc. We could also tell you about developments in the Library or Archives, offer tutorials for using information resources more effectively, tell you about new books and media added to the Library, or review an interesting book we read or a movie we watched.

So here we go. We won’t have any set publication schedule, but we would hope to have at least one or two new posts per week. I will be functioning as the editor, with other Library staff participating as contributing editors, writing on items of interest from their particular areas of expertise. If you are inclined, we would also welcome your comments as a way of generating a conversation. I think it will be fun!

Gary F. Daught, Director of Library Services

Old computers give way to new ones!

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Most of you know that the library is receiving a much-needed renovation this summer.  Those of you who’ve been following our on the library blog, Twitter, and Facebook know that a large part of the main floor is currently inaccessible due to painting and carpeting.

Well, another piece of the old library is gone away–the old Winterm computers are, as of this afternoon, no more.  The catalog and login computers on all three floors will soon be replaced with new PCs that will better serve your needs.

While we’re excited that new computers are on their way, we also realize that we’re down to one public computer–the PC in the basement Hopwood Room.  Milligan students, faculty, and staff, however, can give our brand new laptops a whirl–we have 13 netbooks and 5 ThinkPads available for use anywhere in the building.  Come check them out and let us know what you think.  Remember, you can also bring in your own laptop, as we’ve got wireless internet throughout the entire library!

Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and don’t hesitate to call us at 423.461.8920 or 423.461.8495 if you have any questions.  Remember, www.milligan.edu/library is always open!

New Self-Checkout Station in the Library

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The Library is pleased to announce that you now have the option of checking-out your own books by using the new Self-Check Station located at the Circulation Counter.

Self-Check Station Click here to see larger image

All you need is your current Milligan ID card with you when you are ready to checkout your books. The procedure is fairly simple to follow:

  1. Use Self-Check for checking-out books only (no periodicals, DVDs, or other media).
  2. Wake Self-Check by moving the mouse.
  3. Scan the barcode on your Milligan ID card.
  4. Scan the barcode on each of your books.
  5. When you are finished scanning all your books click the “Finished” button.
  6. Take your receipt from the receipt printer. The receipt serves as your record of check-outs, and tells you when your books are due.*
  7. “Desensitize” each book using the metal device to the right of the receipt printer. Push book spine-side-down away from you (in the direction of the arrow) across the desensitizer. Alarm will sound if books are not desensitized!

Self-Check Station Demo Click here to see larger image

The Self-Check Station will not replace the presence of real humans to greet and assist you at the Circulation Counter. At this point, Self-Check is limited for checking-out books only. You will need to go through the regular check-out procedure if, for example, you have DVDs or Reserve materials to check-out. Also, you may not be able to use Self-Check if you have an issue with your patron account (e.g., overdue books, or billed items). Like the self-check aisle in the grocery store, the purpose of Self-Check is to add an element of choice, convenience, and user empowerment in accessing Library services. We hope you will give Self-Check a try, and then let us know what you think!

* We have been using receipt printers at the Circulation Counter since the beginning of the 2007 Fall Semester. This in itself is something of a technological advancement for the Library. Not only do receipt printers enable the use of Self-Check, they also eliminate the need for manual date-stamping of all checked-out items.