Inside:

Search and Enjoy
New Online Library Catalog

by Bistra Papazova

You will no longer need to remember the full title of a book or an author’s full name to find what you want. During the winter break, the University Libraries replaced VICTOR with a new and improved online catalog – catalogUSMAI – to assist users in accessing library collections. VICTORWeb and VICTOR telnet access are no longer available.

Users of the University System of Maryland and Affiliated Institutions (USMAI) catalog can utilize an enhanced Basic Search, with on-screen tips to guide them. You can also do keyword searches in specific areas of the catalog records, such as words in the title area. A very useful option, especially during finals, is the one that allows the search results to be limited to items not checked out.

The Advanced Search has options for combining keyword searches in different parts of the record, (e.g., search for “Beethoven” in the author field, and search for the word “piano” anywhere in the record), limiting searches by format (e.g., theses, videos, or online resources), by language, etc.

CatalogUSMAI also offers users the ability to save lists of catalog records, to save favorite searches and repeat them at a later date, and to review requests made. In addition you can view a list of library materials that you have checked out.

The Libraries have also configured a new citation/resource linking technology called SFX. SFX links together the Libraries’ databases and e-journals, making it easier to find the online full-text of an article or track down additional information about a topic.

Students and faculty searching in the Libraries’ research databases can click on an SFX button to link directly to an article’s full-text or to look up a journal title in the catalog, saving time and effort.

For more information: www.lib.umd.edu/PUB/catalogusmai.html, www.lib.umd.edu/ETC/sfxfaq.html, or www.lib.umd.edu

OIT Successfully Combats Bandwidth Hogs

Consultation with peer institutions, education of students, technological measures, and policy enforcement were the actions OIT took after it investigated complaints from residence hall students about slow Internet connections in the fall. The major source of bandwidth constraints was excessive peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing.

Said Chris Betti, a student, “With this campus’ implementation of new bandwidth controlling devices, I think that Internet access speeds are greatly improved in residence halls. The school has taken a huge step in the right direction by limiting bandwidth hungry applications, rather than taking the less liberal approach of shutting them down entirely.”

However, when they receive complaints from copyright holders or their agents about University students using P2P programs to illegally share copyrighted materials, Project NEThics (the University organization that investigates complaints of copyright infringement that involve use of University computing resources) takes appropriate corrective action, including documentation of incidents and referral to appropriate University authorities. In the fall semester Project NEThics received 156 complaints from copyright holders.

Slam the Spam