Acquire "The Electric Library"

Hello… I would like to suggest the university subscribes to the electronic library http://www.elibrary.com). I’ve used their free 2 week trial membership and I found them to be an incredible diverse and comprehensive resource with
more articles than our databases carry.

Please
check the site out! Thanks!
-Patrick Wacker
pgw@duke.edu

ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: The Library has reviewed The Electric Library, and while we agree that it is an excellent resource, we could not, at this time, justify adding access to another database that is very like resources already made available.

Have you visited the library’s databases page? Take a look at Britannica Online, Expanded Academic Index/Full Text; PQD (ProQuest Direct); or LION (Literature Online)– and many more. We would be interested in your comparison of these electronic text files with The Electric Library.

Replace a Missing Book

Do you ever replace “missing” books?

Your copy of “Wharton on Dynamic Competitive Strategy”, which was published in 1997, is “missing” and circulation told me to look for a copy elsewhere.

You must have had a reason to acquire the book, could it have changed in the last 8 months?

ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: Good question and one we’ve been working to resolve practically and politically. (3-4-98)

Change your Renewal Policy

I suggest that you change the On-Line Renewals Form. The idea of renewing “…all loans charged to me by Perkins and Lilly…” is very appealing and convenient for the current holder of a book, BUT NOT for other people who can be interested in it. Thank you!

Roberto Fernandez grad student in Botany RJF1@duke.edu, Ph: 660-7416

ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: This will go to the Circ people for consideration. (3-4-98)

Promote the Print Reserves Collection

My comment concerns the new online reserves used (and perhaps overused) by the professors this semester. Maybe it isn’t the professors fault for using such a technologically advanced system for providing their students with reading material at no cost, however, the monetary savings afforded to these students has since taken away from the time savings of students outside of these classes. For example, as one student not fortunate enough to have a printerof my own, I trekked all the way out to the computer cluster to print my paper. Thinking that I could easily be in and out of the library within minutes, I am still here, two hours later, waiting in line because people have chosen to print hundred page reserves on all three printers. If only this was an exaggeration. Anyway, I am a bit peeved. I admit that I am a hypocrit for being both a critic and user of this online reserve system, but it is ridiculous that the clusters, once teeming with students who only wanted to check their email, while term paper writers sat patiently waiting, are now the site for all those rushing to save the few cents and printing novels off the slow online system. I wish that I had a simple remedy for this, but for now, I am stuck with the role of the complainer who is reaching the end of her patience.

ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: Your comments and observations will be shared with the Reserve folks. Thanks. (3-4-98)

Order these books …

There are two outstanding science quote books now published which the library should consider. Statistically Speaking: A Dictionary of Quotations Institute of Physics Publishing, Bristol Nov 1996 ISBN 0-7503-0401-4 This book received an excellant book review in Journal of Quality Research (Summer 97) Physically Speaking: A Dictionary of Quotations from Physics and Astronomy Institute of Physics Publishing, Bristol Sep 97 ISBN 0-7503-0470-7 These would be two great collections as they are the only published books of this type on the market. They would be a great help in preparing papers and lectures.

ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: These will go to Coll. Development for consideration. (3-4-98)

Simplify Finding Journal Articles

The present set-up for looking for searching journals for articles by subject is confusing. Why not set it up like the on-line catalog, where all one has to do is submit a query and the system returns all relevant information on journal articles?

ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: A neat idea. We’ll think about it. (3-4-98)

Fix a spelling error

I was checking your catalog for “Neue Forschungen im Pompeii..” and found it in the text version. However, in the web version, im is spelled in–so i couldn’t find the title. Thanks, Rachel Frew, Sloane Art Library, UNC-CH, rfrew@unc.edu

ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: This will go to our Art Bibliographer for response. (3-4-98)