At A Distance-UA Libraries Info. for Distance Users

Leaving

2008-10-27T08:04:00.000-07:00

Just in case you haven't heard, I will be leaving my position with the UA Libraries at the end of October. All questions should be directed to the Ask-A-Librarian service. A UA librarian will be happy to assist you. You can reach the Ask-A-Librarian service by visiting http://www.lib.ua.edu/forms/ask.htm.

Write-N-Cite from off-campus

2008-09-26T17:45:00.000-07:00

To use the Refworks write-n-cite application from off-campus, you will need to set up your account with a manual proxy setting. To view a very brief tutorial on how to configure your computer, click here.

Summer Newsletter

2008-06-05T16:10:00.000-07:00

The Summer Supplement edition of the At A Distance newsletter is now available. Please go here to read it.

Gadsden Visits

2008-06-05T16:08:00.000-07:00

I will be at the Gadsden Center on several dates during the month of June. These are:

Monday, June 9
Saturday, June 14
Saturday, June 12
Monday, Jun3 23

Please contact me if you would like to set up an appointment for research assistance.

Office Hours in Gadsden

2008-02-15T06:02:00.000-08:00

Distance Learners,

I will be at the Gadsden Center on Saturday, February 16 and again on March 29 from 11 am to 4 pm. If you need research assistance, please feel free to drop by! I will be in Lab B1. Hope to see you there!

Spring Newsletter Available

2008-01-23T10:31:00.000-08:00

Dear Distance Learners,

The Spring '08 issue of At A Distance is now available at the following link:

http://www.lib.ua.edu/distanceed/newsletter/At_A_Distance_Spr08.pdf

Library Gameday Closings

2007-10-15T09:28:00.000-07:00

ATTENTION STUDENTS!

Gorgas Library will close this Friday, 10/19, at 4:45 p.m., due to large crowds expected at a pep rally on the quad.
McLure Education Library will also close at 4:45.
Bruno Business Library will remain open until 8, their usual hours.
Rodgers Science Library will remain open until 7, their usual hours.

All libraries will close this Saturday, 10/20, all day, due to the Tennessee game.

All libraries will close Saturday, 11/3, all day, due to the LSU game.

The Saturday closings are upon the advice of the UAPD.

Win Season Football Tickets in The Zone!

2007-09-18T07:05:00.000-07:00

The University Libraries and Alabama Athletics are teaming up to bring you this wonderful opportunity. To enter the raffle or find out more, visit us at www.lib.ua.edu/thezone . See you at the game-- Roll Tide!!!

"Join us as we team up athletics and academics to ensure championship level success for all of our students. Great universities have great libraries!" --Terry Saban

Upcoming Online Workshops

2007-09-13T10:07:00.000-07:00

Catalog Downtime

2007-09-13T06:52:00.000-07:00

Due to maintenance, the Libraries' Catalog and Digital Collections will be periodically unavailable from 7:00 p.m. on Saturday (9/15/07) until noon on Sunday (9/16/07).On Sunday, July 8, 2007 the University Libraries' Web Site will be unavailable from 8:00-10:00 a.m.

Library Databases...They're Swell!

2007-09-10T19:19:00.000-07:00

Click on image for larger view

At A Distance Newsletter

2007-08-29T11:02:00.000-07:00

Welcome back, distance users! The Fall '07 issue of At A Distance is now available. You can view/download the newsletter by clicking here. Enjoy!!

Selected Databases Down on Saturday

2007-06-08T08:06:00.000-07:00

The notice below was sent from Proquest. This affects specific library databases including ABI/Inform, Proquest newspapersand Research Library Complete!
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Dear ProQuest Customer,ProQuest will be taking a maintenance window to upgrade our networkhardware. A nine (9) hour maintenance window will take place to installthese upgrades. The window will begin Saturday, June 9, 2007, at 22:00EDT to Sunday, June 10, 2007 at 7:00 EDT.
See below for a more completelist of times and time zones.

The following products will be unavailable during this window:

-- ProQuest interface products, ProQuest Historical Newspapers(traditional and graphical K12 interface), American Periodicals Series
-- Third-party databases such as PsycINFO(R) Database with Full Text
-- ProQuest Archiver(TM)
-- eLibrary(R), SIRS(R), and CultureGrams(TM)
-- "Digital Vault" products, including ProQuest Dissertations & Thesesand Digital Sanborn Maps
-- Chadwyck Healey, including Early English Books Online, the GerritsenCollection, Policy File, and DNSA

Maintenance window schedule, by time zone:

-- Eastern Time: Saturday, June 9, 2007 starting at 10:00 pm for nine (9) hours

--Central Time: Saturday, June 9, 2007 starting at 9:00 pm for nine (9) hours

We welcome customer feedback. Please email your comments to platformfeedback (platform.feedback@il.proquest.com) or visitwww.proquest.com/suggestions.Thank you for continuing to support ProQuest and the products weprovide.

Distance Learners & Action Cards

2007-06-07T08:12:00.000-07:00

The message below from the College of Continuing Studies was forwarded along to me. It is VERY important that all students obtain an ActionCard. I know that many of you might never come to campus, but some of you are weekend students and others may visit Tuscaloosa for a home game:
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Now that you are an official student of the University, it is important that you obtain a student I.D. Known as an "Action Card" your student I.D. will allow you to access library services and other student activity related services. We strongly encourage you to have your student I.D. made as soon as possible.

For your convenience, the Action Card Center (104 Student Service Center adjacent to the Ferguson Center), will have special weekend hours to accommodate your schedule. They will be open Saturday, June 9, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday, June 14, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. This is the first time that the Action Card Center has held weekend hours for our students, so we hope that you will take advantage of this special opportunity.

Catalog Down for Maintenance

2007-05-15T08:52:00.000-07:00

The Libraries’ Catalog will be down for maintenance from 5 p.m. Saturday, May 12 through Sunday, May 13, and again on May 15-16. This will affect access to Electronic Reserves.

EBSCO Database Access

2007-04-26T09:19:00.000-07:00

Remote access to our EBSCO databases has been restored. EBSCO databases are available now from on or off campus. Woo hoo!!

Ebsco Databases Down

2007-04-25T09:45:00.000-07:00

Ebsco databases are currently unavailable to remote users. At this time, we do not know what the problem is but are working to find out. I will update this space when the problem is resolved.

Online Research Workshops-Additional Opportunities!

2007-04-03T06:56:00.000-07:00

Doing Research?

2007-03-31T08:56:00.000-07:00

click here for contact information.

Online Research Workshop- Don't Miss It!!

2007-02-19T09:31:00.000-08:00

Conducting online research can make you feel like you're lost in an ocean of resources.

The Libraries can help you! Sign up NOW to participate in the online research workshop being offered Monday, March 5 from 6-7 pm (Central Standard Time).

Participants will learn:

*How to search and retrieve articles from online library databases.
*How to locate and request books and other print materials online.
*Best practices for conducting quick and productive online searches.

To learn more or to sign up, contact me-
email: mallen-AT-ua.edu
phone: 205-348-8432

Catalog Down

2007-01-30T07:49:00.000-08:00

The University of Alabama Libraries' Catalog will be unavailable Sunday, February 4 from 8 am to 10 am while general maintenance is being performed.

Why Can't I Get In??!!!

2007-01-19T08:54:00.000-08:00

Yep- that's the question I get the most about remote access. And let me just say that I'm as annoyed as you are...maybe even more because I know that it's usually not as simple as "I can't get in". There are several different and unrelated reasons that people have trouble. Anyway, I've put together a checklist for ya' to troubleshoot the problem. These are the most frequent reasons why people "Can't get in":
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1. Are you trying to access the materials directly from the Libraries site (from the databases pages), or are you using a link in WebCT? If it's the latter (WebCT), then it will probably never work since you usually cannot cut and paste links from a library database into another web page. If you are trying to access materials linked through WebCT, please contact the Distance Learning Librarian (mallen@ua.edu) with the information about the item you’re attempting to locate, the course name, and your instructor’s name. We will make sure you get the material and will contact your instructor to provide them with working links to the resource(s).

2. If you are attempting access the materials directly from a library database, make sure you're using your MyBama user name and password when prompted. This is the same user name and password you would use to access your Bama mail account.

3. Are you trying to access library materials from a work location or from behind a firewall? If so, you will need to disable the firewall in order to gain access. Most workplaces will not disable a firewall for you, so you may need to access your materials from home or another location.

4. Has your instructor made sure that the articles are indeed available online? Sometimes instructors will assume that the entire run of a journal is available when only certain years/issues are accessible in full-text. If none of the above reasons apply, please contact the Distance Learning Librarian (mallen@ua.edu) to confirm that the article(s) you’re looking for is/are available.

5. If all else fails, contact your academic department to make sure you are currently enrolled and in the Banner system.

I hope this helps!!

Welcome to Spring Semester!

2007-01-16T08:14:00.000-08:00

We're very happy to greet returning students and welcome new ones. The Libraries have some new services that distance learners can take advantage of, including:

Increased support for Instant Messenger Service: If you would like to chat with the distance learning librarian through your IM client, simply send an email to mallenATua.edu including the name of your IM client and your handle. We will add you to our "friends" list.

Web 2.0: Do you have a MySpace or Facebook page? Why not add the libraries as a friend? You will have access to information updates and an easy interface for sending in your questions! For MySpace users, go to http://www.myspace.com/bamalibrarian. For Facebook, search for mallen@bama.ua.edu , View profile and then click "Add to Friends".

Live Online Research Orientation Sessions: Using real-time desktop conferencing, sign up to attend this virtual workshop right from the comfort of your own computer! Participants will learn best practices for conducting online research, locating journal and magazine articles, locating books and setting up an Interlibrary Loan account. Watch this space for announcements on specific workshop times.

At A Distance Newsletter: Published once per semester, the At A Distance Newsletter gives distance users helpful information about the Libraries. If you are not currently receiving this newsletter, contact the distance learning librarian (mallen@ua.edu) and request to subscribe.

Hope your semester is off to a great start!!

Thanksgiving Info.

2006-11-20T08:35:00.000-08:00

FYI- I will away from the Library from Wednesday, 11/22 through Sunday, 11/26. I will return on Monday, 11/27. I will be checking my email during that time, but will not have ready access to Library resources as I'll be "in the boondocks".

Please have a happy, warm and safe Thanksgiving holiday!

Iron Bowl

2006-11-17T10:13:00.000-08:00

Just FYI- I AM working this Saturday's game day (Iron Bowl). If you're a distance student and you're planning to attend the game, stop by the Gorgas Library Info. desk and say "Hi" if you have time :)

Firewalls

2006-11-08T14:14:00.000-08:00

It's a problem that never goes away. If you're trying to access online library resources from behind a firewall, I'm afraid you're out of luck. Firewalls interfere with our proxy server that authenticates users. You will need to disable the firewall or try to access from another location. Sorry :(

Goin' to the Big D

2006-10-06T13:36:00.000-07:00

Yep- I'm going to Dallas. I will be at a conference from October 9 through October 13, 2006. I will back in the office on Monday, October 16. I'll be checking email and all that other online stuff, though.

Away from the office

2006-09-22T06:03:00.000-07:00

I'll be away from the office today (Friday 9/22) through Monday (9/25). I'll be back on Tuesday. Have a great weekend!

New Resources

2006-09-15T08:39:00.000-07:00

The following databases are currently under review for purchase:

August, 2006

Black Studies Center
Early American Newspapers
The Chicago Defender is now available from Proquest Historical Newspapers
CINAHL Database(Proquest) has been upgraded to CINAHL Plus with Full Text (EBSCO)
House of Commons Parliamentary Papers
Mental Measurements Yearbook
Morningstar.com Library Edition
ProQuest Nursing Journals has been upgraded to ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health Source

For more information, click here

Talking With Artists

2006-09-12T08:56:00.000-07:00

Hi! If you're taking Joan Atkinson's class and you need a copy of the profile from your assigned artist from the Talking With Artists set, you should be able to fill out an Interlibrary Loan request form online. Just make sure you request a chapter. You'll need to contact me to get the page numbers for your artist so you can complete the ILL form.

Remote Access Problems

2006-08-31T12:33:00.000-07:00

Are you having difficulty signing into Library databases with your Bama ID and password? We seem to be experiencing intermittant problems with access. Unfortunatley, I don't have access to patron records in order to troubleshoot these issues. I wish I did!! Anyway, when you experience an authorization problem, there is a link on the web page that will allow you to report this problem. That's probably the best way to take care of it. I apologize for any inconveniences!!

MySpace Problems

2006-08-30T13:11:00.000-07:00

I've been having technical difficulties with MySpace. I'm not sure if it's the amount of network traffic, or if MySpace is having other problems. Anyway, if you sent me a message in MySpace and I haven't responded, you might try emailing me directly at mallen AT ua.edu. Sorry for any inconvenience!

Electronic Course Reserves

2006-08-24T14:05:00.000-07:00

Just so you know, I feel your pain!

Remember, Ereserves that you access through the libraries web site are not the same thing as readings posted in your WebCT course space.

To access EReserves, do the following:

1. Go to the Libraries Homepage at www.lib.ua.edu
2. Locate the link for E-Reserves in the far left column under "Find"
3. Go to the the Libraries' Catalog
4. Choose Course Reserve
5. Scroll through the list of Instructors until you find your instructor's name. All items will be listed alphabetically by title.
6. Choose the appropriate title by clicking on it.
7. Click on the red text that reads "click here for on-line Article".

The article should appear and be ready to print.

Ready...Set....FALL!!

2006-08-22T06:26:00.000-07:00

Welcome to a new semester!! If this is your first, then let me say how glad we are that you're with us.

I anticipate that there will be a lot of changes this fall with new services and resources. Keep in touch! Here are a couple things to look for as the semester progresses:

Online Webinars on research "best practices"
Redesigned Libraries web pages for distance users
New interactive tutorials

I'm sure there'll be more. Stay tuned...

Important Notice for all Off-Campus Users!!

2006-08-14T06:30:00.000-07:00

Do you access library database resources from off-campus? If so, you should know about an important change in the way users sign in to access library databases. In the past, you entered your last name and CWID to authenticate before getting passed into the library's licensed resources. This has changed!! You will now use your MyBama username and Password instead.

If you have any difficulties, questions, or comments, please contact the Distance Learning Librarian at 205-348-8432.

New Resources

2006-06-30T11:59:00.000-07:00

Archives USA

Provides access to holdings and contact information of more than 5,480 repositories. Indexes to 132,396 special collections. Powerfully integrated. This resource will be useful for anyone doing primary research in any field – especially history, American Studies, English, Philosophy, African American Studies, Political Science, Musicology, etc…It will also be a great resource for SLIS students, especially those working in archives-related coursework.

Welcome!

2006-06-12T09:09:00.000-07:00

This blog will be used to provide University of Alabama off-campus students and faculty with information about library services. I hope you'll find this service useful!

I will use this space to keep you informed about library-related information that occurs too frequently to be included in the At A Distance newsletter.

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Mission Statement

In support of the UA Libraries mission to strive for excellence in advancing the University's teaching, research, and outrach programs, the University of Alabama Libraries provide its distance learning students with resources and services equivalent to those provided to on-campus users. Services extended to UA affiliated distance populations include such things as access to and use of both online and print-based information sources, library instruction, reference services and limited technology assistance.

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Eligibility for Service

All students, faculty and staff currently enrolled in a degree-granting distance program offered by the University of Alabama are eligible for distance learning library services