Dear Sir or Madam:

I need a book that you have in two of your libraries. The title is: “The Civilian Conservation Corps, 1933-1942” and the writer is John A. Salmond. The call numbers are: 362.7 S172C; 362.70973 S172C; and 362.7 S172C.

Would you consider selling one of these copies to me for a cost that does not exceed $50.00? If you cannot see the book, I will certainly understand. If that is the case, may I contact interlibrary loan and read it? I need this book for my dissertation.

Sincerely,
Sharon Maxine Rabon
e-mail: SharonMRabon@yahoo.com

ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: Dear Ms. Rabon:

Unfortunately, libraries are not in the business of selling books. We are, however, in the business of lending books. We do send ILL materials to public libraries in North Carolina, and to academic libraries all over the world. What you need to do is approach this as you would any other ILL transaction–by making a request through your library’s ILL office. Then, assuming it does circulate (and the record indicates it does), there should be no problems. Good luck with the dissertation!

Hi, My name is Dereck Remon Moody. My mother is Rosie Marie Chapman Moody. She’s the daughter of Fannie Bell Chapman. Fannie is my grandmother and would love to recieve information on her. A copy of her video would help. Please contact me in any way you can. Also some of the rest of the family is still living that sings in the video,
Please contact me:
Dereck Remon Moody
P.O.Box 1061
Centreville, MS 39631
or call (601) 645-5335 or (601) 276-3123 ask for Dereck or any other older adult.
Thanks alot….

ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: Her album was distributed by Rooster Blues Records (Chicago, 1983). The company is still in business, and even has its own web site: http://www.roosterblues.com/. There is also another firm (related?) that sells the album: Stackhouse, 3516 Holmes Street, Kansas City, MO 64109; 816-931-0383; fax#: 816-531-7131, e-mail Rooster232@aol.com.

The 43 minute video was made by the Center for Southern Folklore (1975). They are located at P.O. Box 226, Memphis, Tennessee 38101; (901) 525-3655; Fax: (901) 544-9965; e-mail: queenbee@southernfolklore.com.

Happy hunting!

Please renew Duke’s institutional subscription to Science Next Wave (http://nextwave.sciencemag.org/)

ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: SCIENCE NEXT WAVE has impressed us as another popular style science magazine, for which we may have sufficient coverage. The job ad feature, however, may make it useful, and it is currently under review. More later.

What’s the deal with the books in the Gothic Reading Room? Are they extras that no one needs and are just put there for show? Or are they part of the catalogue and might someone actually have to search for one in there? I’ve often wondered about this while I was supposed to be studying in there.

ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: Once upon a time, there was an “Undergraduate Library” that was separate from Perkins. It occupied the Gothic, DH the Special Collections Reading Room, and floor space above Special Collections. The books in the Gothic, like those in the DH, were significant parts of those collections. When the UGL was disbanded, many of the books were merged into Perkins (or Lilly, as appropriate), and over the years bibliographers have gone back to make sure that we don’t have items there that have to be in Perkins. Mostly, at this point, they are older editions and/or duplicates that we don’t need to move. The books that remain are cataloged: they have the LOCATION designation “Perkins Reading Room.” They may be checked out (at the Perkins Circulation Desk), and when they are returned they are recataloged for the regular Perkins stacks.

It would be very benefitial if library hours for Friday and Saturday nights should be expanded to atleast midnight. Just because it is the weekend does not mean that students do not study. It is true that a majority of students do not study, but many students who care about their academics do. Moreover, many students do not have a quiet place to study, especially on weekends more than week days because many of their peers and dorm mates come back drunk and make a lot of noise and commotion. Even though east campus is technically a dry campus, this is not the case. It is ironical that in one of the best univerisities in the nation, devoted students have difficulties finding a place to study.

ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: Lilly Library have discussed your suggestion, and have decided to collect use statistics to see if they can justify extending hours. There will be more on this later. Thanx!

The journal _Health Economics_ published by Wiley is available online, but the catalog does not list it. Duke DOES have access:

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/jtoc?ID=5749

Thanks.

ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: This is a little complicated. The Medical Center Library has not finally decided to subscribe to this, and other, electronic journals from Wiley. Pending that decision, it is listed, temporary, only on their e-journals page (http://www.mc.duke.edu/mclibrary/respub/collections/ejrnl.html). If they decide to keep the subscriptions, they will catalog all the titles.
For more info, see Judy Woodburn (660-1140) at the Medical Center Library.

Hello,

I’m a grad student in biology – do you know of any way that students can access their own circulation accounts to find out 1) what is out on their account and 2) when they are due back. Additionally, is there anyway to get info. from all libraries (i.e., Perkins and BES) in a single record, including ILL books. And, finally, can individual books be renewed from such a web page selectively rather than having ALL books renewed simultaneously?

If there is no way to do such a simple search, is it possible to request that a patron-directed search page be instated? It would make renewals and inquiries much easier for patrons, as well as, I imagine, much easier for library staff who regularly have to answer such questions or make renewels. A very good example of such a page can be found at the main library at the University of Cincinnati (http://ucolk2.olk.uc.edu/screens/opacmenu.html), where patrons are also able to “pull up” and request books from any affiliated collegiate library system (OHIOLink) in Ohio (http://olc1.ohiolink.edu/search/) (therefore making it easier on ILL staff). The page where one can inquire about their own account is (http://129.137.142.2/patroninfo/). If you wish, I would gladly show you how to access it, using my old account.

Thank you,
Phil Novack-Gottshall

ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: According to the heads of Circulation and ILL:

The new WEB2 version of DRA (the name of our online catalog and circulation system) will allow individuals to view their own circulation records and request renewal of specific items (utilizing a PIN number). All checked out items from any Duke Campus Library would be on the record. It is possible the new DRA version will be implemented in the Spring semester or if not then, it will likely be implemented over the summer.

We hope that someday we will have a system where you can check your own ILL requests online. In the meantime, feel free to call (660-5890) or e-mail (ILLrequests@duke,edu) or come in to the ILL office (117 Perkins), and we can check our system for your ILL items.

Fearless: The Complete Personal Safety Guide for College Women

University of Toronto Press, www.utpress.utoronto.ca

DANYLEWICH, Paul Henry

ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: Answer Person has passed your suggestion on to the Collection Development Department.

Note that a better way to suggest purchases is using the “Suggest a Purchase” web page: http://www.lib.duke.edu/colldev/ask4book.htm. You can get to the page from the library’s home page, clicking on “Request Forms.” The form allows you to identify yourself, which makes for a stronger case. (Would you believe that some publishers think they can use Answer Person to sell their books!?!)

i need hepl trying to find any hispanic scientist!!!!

ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: Try “Latinos in the Lab” at http://www.hisp.com/sep96/latinolab.html.

Remember, too, that Reference assistance is available at “Ask a Librarian a Question” (http://www.lib.duke.edu/reference/refq.htm) and the Internet Public Library (http://www.ipl.org/ref/QUE/).