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news
Library database
system keeps expanding
By Jamillah R.
Gabriel
On-line Forty-Niner
Many students are
not aware of the goldmine of resources that the University
Library has to offer. Specifically, its electronic resources
are very valuable to almost any student who has had to do
research for a paper.
Most students are familiar with the basic electronic databases
such as the popular EBSCO Online and JSTOR, both of which
provide full-text articles from various journals and periodicals,
but the addition of new databases to the collection frequently
goes unnoticed.
A database is added after it has gone through an extensive
procurement process that is used throughout the CSU system,
according to the Library Web site.
"Sometimes the librarian requests that we have access
to [a] database," said Eileen Wakiji, subject librarian
for health care administration and science.
Companies may call the Library and request that a database
be used on a trial basis, and anyone who may have information
on a database that might be helpful can make a suggestion
to the library, Wakiji said.
Once a database has been chosen for review, it usually goes
through a trial period in which students have the opportunity
to use them for a certain period of time, she said.
"We ask for comments or feedback," Wakiji said,
"but sometimes we don't get anything." She attributes
this to the fact that many students do not know these resources
are available. To help promote them, the library will sometimes
issue press releases or post a notice of new databases on
the library's Web site at http://www.csulb.edu/library/new/what/what-index.html.
Currently, the Library has four products on trial. They
include Encyclopedia Americana Online, Encyclopedia Britannica
Online, and Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition, all databases,
and KIDSONLINE, a library catalog interface designed to appeal
to younger users such as the elementary school children who
use the Library's Children's Literature Collection.
"Teacher educators will find this simple interface makes
teaching library use to elementary school children much simpler,"
said Roman Kochan, dean of library services.
The Library makes over 90 databases available to students,
according to the Web site, and has made a conscious effort
to keep up with information technology.
"In less than 20 years, we've moved from primitive to
highly efficient," said Bibliographic Database Coordinator
Pat Matzke.
Wakihi said she urges students to try using electronic resources
and giving their opinions on the usability of the products
as well.
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