Connections 79

You can now read the latest issue of Connections at the SCIS website.

Teacher librarians as cultural change agents

Dianne Oberg discusses the concept of school culture. She believes the very essence of the work of teacher librarians – improving teaching and learning – requires that they work within the culture of the school and that they also work to change the culture of the school.

Online referencing generator

Online referencing generator home page
SLASA online referencing generator

This article by project managers Carol Grantham and Silvana Jenkins, describes the online referencing generator project undertaken by the School Library Association of South Australia (SLASA). It outlines the project’s rationale, the development process, the partnership with the University of South Australia and how schools are using this online Harvard referencing tool.

Digital literacy across the curriculum

This article has been prepared from edited extracts of Digital Literacy across the Curriculum, a handbook developed by Futurelab. The handbook is aimed at educational practitioners and school leaders, in both primary and secondary schools, who are interested in creative and critical uses of technology in the classroom.

Dewey Decimal Classification – Edition 23

Pam Kadow, SCIS Cataloguing Team Leader summarises the main updates and changes to subject categories in the new 23rd edition of the Dewey Decimal Classification, being used by SCIS from September 2011.
More detailed information on number relocations, discontinuations and re-used numbers is available at
www.oclc.org/us/en/dewey/versions/print.

Print the complete issue of Connections 79, term 4 2011

SCIS Catalogue features

Have you checked out the new SCIS Catalogue launched last week?
As well as a fresh look, there are a number of features that will be appreciated by SCIS users.

Search filters

The search limits available in previous versions of SCIS OPAC are still available (year, place, type, format and language), but search limits have been supplemented in this version of the Catalogue by the ability to filter the results following your initial search. These filters are found in the right hand column of the search results page.

SCIS Catalogue filter options
Search filters

Log in to the SCIS Catalogue and try the filters on a search for World Cup.

If you have requests for other filters you would like to see included as default, please let us know.

Timeout warning

A new timeout countdown feature alerts you if your search session has been idle for some time and is about to be reset.
Extension to the timeout period is also being trialled following a server upgrade.

Accessibility

The Voyager 7.0 WebVoyáge user interface was developed to comply with international industry accessibility standards.

Mobile devices

The new SCIS Catalogue is designed to display well and resize for use on various mobile devices.

Technical infrastructure

The SCIS Catalogue is now on a separate server at address: http://opac.scis.curriculum.edu.au which means it can function independently in the event of downtime on other SCIS services such as SCISWeb. If your network settings or firewall need to be changed as a result, please contact SCIS for the IP address of this server.

SCIS and Scan

Scan is a quarterly, professional refereed journal produced by the NSW Department of Education and Communities. It focuses on the interaction between information in a digital age and effective student learning.

What’s in Scan?

Articles and school stories plus resources reviewed from a curriculum perspective, plus research and research-based articles.

Contact the Scan Editor for further information or visit the School Libraries and Information Literacy website for a subscription form.

Connect to a taster of articles from Scan this year.

Research columns
Dr James E. Herring presents the findings of a study which explored the views of Year 7 students on information literacy practices and discusses the implications for teacher librarians and teachers.

In the second research article, Mal Lee considers what it means for schools to be networked communities. The practical implications and potentials are illustrated with reference to Broulee Public School.

Reviews

Scan resource icons

Each issue of Scan includes 80+ e-resource and website reviews as well as picture books, fiction, professional and information resources reviews and more. Reviews for e-resources, including e-books and apps, indicate fees, registration or devices as needed. Icons (see table) are used for quick reference.

SCIS and Scan

SCIS record numbers and barcodes are provided with Scan reviews to facilitate creating orders in SCISWeb.

SCIS records for resources reviewed in Scan are also available for download in bulk as SCIS Special Order files [SCISWeb log in required].

600 ELR schools selected

The Educational Lending Right (ELR) project for 2011 has commenced with 600 Australian schools being asked to participate.

Participation involves running a small software program or performing an ordinary backup, depending on the library management system. Feedback from schools indicates that participation is quick and easy, taking only minutes to do. From the results we are able to create a book count of titles held in the schools.

Author Justin D'Ath

The Australian Government uses this data to calculate payments to Australian book creators.

Australian book creators highly value the income they receive from this important cultural program.

Justin D’Ath, author of over 30 books, says…

Whenever I receive emails from children who’ve read my books, I ask where did they get them? Ninety per cent come from school libraries. If it wasn’t for ELR, I couldn’t afford to be an author.

If you are asked to be part of the project, please respond as soon as possible. You will receive a $20 gift voucher from Curriculum Press in appreciation of your assistance.

More information is available from ELR or telephone 1800 337 405 (outside Melbourne); 03 9207 9600 or email elr@esa.edu.au.

ELR – Encouraging the growth of Australian writing and publishing

New SCIS Catalogue

From 3 October 2011 the SCIS catalogue will undergo a major upgrade.

This involves implementation of

Design concept for SCIS catalogue
  1. a new version of the Voyager library system which underpins the SCIS service
  2. a new, more intuitive interface design for the SCIS Catalogue
  3. a new server platform.

We will endeavour to keep disruptions to a minimum during this time.

You will be able to follow the progress of the upgrade via:

  • news postings on the SCIS website
  • the SCIS twitter account and
  • email messages to subscribers.
    Please ensure you have a valid email address registered with SCIS so that we can keep you informed. Simply log in to SCISWeb,  and go to My Profile to add or update your email address.

Authority files: getting started

Are you new to SCIS authority files, or not sure about the best workflow for your library? This post outlines the decision making process as a simple guide to getting started with authority files.

Why should we load SCIS authority files into our catalogue?
Check out this post on why SCIS authority files are valuable.

How do we decide which file(s) to download?

SCIS Authority Files page

When you are faced with the SCIS Authority Files page for the first time, there are three key decisions to consider.

  1. Subject or Name authority first?
    SCIS provides authority files for subjects and for names. We suggest you start with the subject authority file as this provides maximum benefit to searchers of your catalogue.
    Then repeat the process for the name authority once you have completed the subject authority.
  2. Reference only or Full authority files?
    Reference only Authority Files are highly recommended as the minimum for all schools. Importing authority records with see or see also references greatly enhances the power of search for users of your library system.
    If most of your catalogue records are sourced from SCIS and you do little or no original cataloguing, loading the SCIS Reference only Authority Files is a good first step. Note: You can always load the full authority files later if you find you need these.
    Full Authority Files contain the entire set of authority records from the SCIS database.
    Does your library have a qualified cataloguer who creates a significant number of original catalogue records, and would benefit from access to the full list of SCIS headings from within the cataloguing and/or authorities module of your library system? In this case the Full Authority Files could be the best choice.
  3. MARC or ascii format?
    Different library systems require different formats for importing SCIS authority files. You will need to check with your library system vendor support team about which to use. Please ensure you consult the most recent documentation for your system.

So, how do we proceed with download and import?

  1. It is advisable to do a full backup of your library system before loading authorities for the first time.
  2. Download the required authority file from the SCIS Authority Files page [SCIS Authority Files subscription required].
  3. Activate the process in your library management system to import or upload the authority file.
  4. Run any updating or indexing workflow required by your library system.

How do we know the authorities are working?

  1. Do an OPAC subject search for a common non-preferred term, such as
    Cooking (should redirect to Cookery), Chickens (should redirect to Poultry) or Hurricanes (should redirect to Cyclones).
  2. If you loaded the Full Subject Authority File, then check in your library system’s authorities or cataloguing module for new subject headings from the latest SCIS Subject Heading List.

Further help for SCIS Authority Files

Want some websites?

The National Library of New Zealand Services to Schools team maintains a set of high interest topics pages with links to selected quality websites on topics such as Seasons, Wearable Art, Brain Science and the Rugby World Cup 2011.

We have selected these resources to help you when you need online information relating to popular curriculum based topics. To make sure the resources are appropriate we’ve used the following standard criteria: accuracy, authority, coverage, currency and objectivity.

High interest topics from National Library of NZ

Add these topics to your library catalogue

SCIS provides MARC records for a range of websites each month and these are available for selection and download via the SCIS Special Order Files new SCIS websites page [SCIS login required]. Use the Last month option to preview websites added recently (including the National Library of NZ topics) and select those appropriate for your library.

To order and download SCIS records specifically for the National Library of New Zealand’s high interest topics:

  1. Open the document: SCIS numbers for NLNZ topics  [Word format]
  2. Delete any topics you don’t wish to download
  3. Hover over the left hand column of this table until the black downward arrow appears. Click to highlight the column, and then copy the SCIS numbers
  4. Paste these into the SCIS Create Orders box and click the Process Order button [SCIS login required]
  5. Save the usmarc.dat file from the SCIS Orders table to your computer, and import it to your library management system.
  6. Check by title or subject that the records display as you expect them in your library catalogue’s search module.

If you know you want the full set of 47 topics then open this file of SCIS NLNZ order numbers only. Then copy and paste the SCIS order numbers into the SCIS Create Orders box and click the Process Order button [SCIS login required].

Want more websites?
Do let us know what kind of websites and topics you are looking for in SCIS.

One world, many stories

The displays are up, the winners and honour books are announced and the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Book Week 2011 celebrations have begun.

In the months leading up to Book Week school library staff have been planning, creating and publishing lessons, activities and displays – in both their physical and online library spaces. Library email lists have been full of people sharing ideas, resources and tips for where to purchase that special display item.

One World, Many Stories display by Brenda, Marden Education Centre Library, SA

While it is impossible to acknowledge everyone who has contributed to the Book Week commons, the following links provide a few examples of the creative ideas, the shared resources and the range of technology tools used for Book Week related activities.

We would love to hear about Book Week in your school.
Post a comment on the blog or email us.

Connections 78

You can now read the latest issue of Connections at the SCIS website.

Seven strategies to develop your advocacy toolkit

Strategies
Strategies by Boris Drenec CC-by-nc-sa

Karen Bonanno provides a series of advocacy activities to help school library staff influence policy, advising that to bring about change requires consistent and persistent effort to shift perceptions. She advocates maintaining regular positive activity supported by strategies such as identifying a memorable message, capturing killer statistics, gathering startling facts and statements and leveraging the network.

Personal learning network put to great advantage

Leonie Dyason and Rachel Fidock, teacher librarians from Mooroopna Secondary College (MSC) share their experiences of the Personal Learning Network (PLN) program, run by the State Library of Victoria (SLV) and the School Library Association of Victoria (SLAV). They outline how their practice has changed through application in the library, in team teaching and in troubleshooting. A list of useful Web 2.0 tools is provided.

Ten reasons why Google can’t replace learning!

Bev Novak questions the idea that searching can replace learning. Her ten questions challenge teachers and parents to consider the distinction between information and knowledge, and to refine what they mean by learning and how learning is best achieved. This article is reprinted from her NovaNews blog.

The evolving role of the school library and information centre in education in digital Europe

This article outlines research by Dr Helen Boelens into the role of school libraries in digital Europe, using the Kalsbeek Information Literacy Matrix (KILM).
A poster: ‘Read’ in European language terms is provided for download.

The Hub: campaign for quality school libraries in Australia

This article by Georgia Phillips provides an update on the activities of the Hub campaign for quality school libraries in Australia, following the release of the Australian Government’s report into school libraries and teacher librarians in Australian schools. It includes an overview of the current state of school library staffing in Australian state and territory government schools.

Print the complete issue of Connections 78, term 3 2011

Cataloguing e-books

A new version of the SCIS Standards for Cataloguing and Data Entry, including guidelines for cataloguing e-books, was published on the SCIS website in December 2010. The SCIS Information Services Standards Committee (ISSC) spent some time grappling with the issue of multiple e-book formats and providers before making a number of policy decisions.

The following presentation outlines issues related to cataloguing of e-books and is based on a SCIS ISSC discussion paper.

MARC my e-books
View more presentations from SCIS