1	ABOUT NOVEL A Self-Guided Tutorial Covering Features of the Brooklyn Public Library’s Implementation of the New York Online Virtual Electronic Library December 2004
2	How to Use this Tutorial
3	In this Tutorial: Overview of NOVEL How to Get to NOVEL From BPL From home or work Description of Each (Gale) NOVEL Database Top screens Key navigation features Tips & Tricks
4	What is NOVEL? New York Online Virtual Electronic Library An electronic collection of books, databases, journals and serials made available to the public, through participating public libraries, for free NOVEL represents a coordinated vision for electronic resources in New York State: Increase access to electronic resources statewide Expand resource sharing Develop a coordinated program for digitization Enhance high-speed connectivity Develop a unified NOVEL interface (or portal) www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/novel/toolkit/tlkpoint.htm
5	Getting to NOVEL From inside the Library, this should be seamless Go to the “Electronic Resources” area of the BPL Website Click on any information resource If the resource is part of NOVEL, you will be taken to the NOVEL page If you’re coming in from a home or office computer, you’ll also have to type in your BPL library card number This is illustrated in the following slide . . . .
6	Through “Electronic Resources”
7	If Coming in From Outside:
8	The NOVEL Index Page
9	If that Doesn’t Work . . . You’ll almost always be able to connect as described on the previous page, but . . . Sometimes, because of firewall settings or other configuration problems with your home or office computer, that may not be possible. In such cases, you may see an error screen such as the one on the following page . . . .
10	Failed Link Screen:
11	. . . Go Directly to NOVEL infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/nysl_me_bpl_cent Different URLs for each branch Password: empirelink
12	The NOVEL/Gale Top Screen
13	Looking at Each Database For the balance of this presentation, we’ll look at each of the eight NOVEL databases presently available through BPL You will see either the opening screen of each database or its link from the index page, plus information on what the database is and how to make best use of it The final five databases, starting with Health Reference Center, all use a similar interface; examine each database with that interface to see the complete collection of “Tips and Tricks”
14	Business & Company
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16	B&C Features & Limitations Features Covers 4090 titles, 2990 are full-text Quick company overviews; articles by category Easy Industry analysis and market research; browse SIC codes (which are codes used by government to categorize businesses that are similar to one another International coverage of public & private companies Limitations Check dates– industry/market info currency Original source material – small collection
17	B&C Tips and Tricks Next page button hidden; use it and you’ll see more results than appear at first glance You have quick access to Gale site – Gale is the company that produces this and the other databases described in this tutorial – with title lists and more detailed product information InfoMark– use this feature to save & share searches
18	Infotrac Junior Edition
19	Infotrac Junior Edition Features & Limitations Features 150 indexed titles & 140 full text Dictionary & homework tool box Search/limit by type– maps, articles, encyclopedias Subject search is default screen—keyword search defaults to search of full text Limitations Advanced search unsuitable for targeted age group Tool box help is good idea, but a little dense Reference material is dated
20	Infotrac Junior: Tips and Tricks Mark articles to “save” and click on save on the left menu – can save from search to search Print will format all articles to print; Email feature sends one article at a time, so if you’ve marked several articles, prepare for several e-mail messages Be careful with full text default in keyword search mode; you may get more hits than you can use
21	Twayne Authors Series
22	TAS: Author Listing (Dante)
23	Twayne’s Authors Series: Features & Limitations Features Online version of standard reference text– 600 books that cover World, US and English authors Literary critical interpretation; 150-200 pages on each author included Covers literary movements & genres Table of contents for each author enhances access Limitations Number of authors is limited In-depth search is good idea, but falls short due to small collection Print from browser; no email feature
24	Twayne’s Authors Series: Tips and Tricks Note additional menu within the author/Table of Contents page – it provides additional access points such as (bibliography, chronology) Good bibliographies – you’ll find both secondary and primary sources Books on special topics are hidden under author list—15-20 in-depth studies Research ideas – presents authors by category into common themes or years and helps you to make connections
25	Health Reference Center
26	Health Reference Center: Features & Limitations Features Current, reliable information on health, fitness, disease, drugs & nutrition Includes nearly 800 full text journals and 1,500 general interest magazines Includes 8-10 reference works and over 500 pamphlets Updated daily; coverage from 1980 Limitations The “Advanced Search” feature is clunky Geared toward consumers, though there are some academic medical sources
27	Health Reference Center: Tips and Tricks Use the easy, straightforward help screens Subject search will guide users to information If there are no subject hits, search defaults to keyword Journal search on left navigation bar is for locating titles To limit your search to a specific journal, use a keyword search and limit by journal title
28	Informe Provides full-text access to approx 120 Spanish language publications Multi-disciplinary in coverage Uses the Gale default interface
29	Informe: Tips and Tricks Use the “Journal Search” to see a chronological listing of journal issues; use limit by journal in the search screens to find items in specific title Help screens are in English, not Spanish Search terms must be entered in Spanish, but . . . . . . It is not necessary to format accents, Ñ, etc. The dictionary on the left navigation pane is English-only; searchers entering Spanish terms will be disappointed
30	Custom Newspapers Eclectic database of newspapers—100 US local, regional and national papers; 60 English language foreign papers; & 2 newswire services Not comprehensive, but okay for quick retrieval of news from range of papers Uses the Gale default interface
31	Custom Newspapers Features & Limitations Features Present results by type of article (editorial, news, lifestyle) Limit your search to articles from as many as 10 publications at a time. Limit search to section of paper Limitations No easy access to title list; coverage is unclear– 160? 114? Dates of coverage– starts around 1996- is different for each paper
32	Custom Newspapers: Tips and Tricks Use “Browse” feature to search by title It is important to know that this is not a comprehensive index of papers or news services Be sure to “clear” any selections you make in the “journal scan” service Click on “view marked list” after you mark the articles you want; saves from search to search Note email/print options – make sure to selection the format you want to take with you
33	New York State Newspapers Includes 7-8 papers published in New York State- coverage begins 2001 for most NYT, NY Post, NY Observer 2001-Present Same features as Custom Newspapers Critical to use “in entire article content” radio button Uses the Gale default interface
34	National Newspaper Index Five newspapers– coverage starts 1977-1982 Christian Science Monitor New York Times (including Book Review & Magazine) Los Angeles Times Wall Street Journal Washington Post Updated to the prior day Uses the Gale default interface
35	ABOUT NOVEL This is the end of the self-guided tutorial. Good luck with your NOVEL searches, and please consult a librarian if you have any further questions. December 2004