Robert Cunningham, our NELINET
liaison to GPLNE, then spoke to us about OCLC and
NELINET as a network affiliate. Mr. Cunningham emphasized NELINET’s
role in providing advice and training to local OCLC members as well as
making available various products at discount prices. He also said
that NELINET stresses continual improvements in services and products.
GPLNE was founded in 1971 as the NELINET Government Documents Task Force.
The name was changed to GPLNE in 1983. The archives for the organization
are housed at the University of Rhode Island Library Archives Department
and the Wellesley College Library Government Documents Department.
Mr. Cunningham welcomes ideas which would help NELINET serve the government
documents field. Many informative handouts were provided.
John Fobert, Serials/Document
Delivery Librarian, Roger Williams College, then gave an
informative searching and content demonstration with handouts of
STAT-USA (URL: http://www.stat-usa.gov/) as well as USA Trade
(C1.88/3: , Item No. 0128-L-01), a companion CD product. Both products
provide business, trade and economic information. The online
STAT-USA, which is updated daily, focuses on economic indicators,
the consumer price index, state of the nation, individual titles like Survey
of Current Business, Background Notes and Market Research Reports, news
releases, an international GLOBUS component as well as the entire
National Trade Data Bank.
Lenny called the business meeting to order at 12:30.
The minutes were accepted with one correction: Ed Lonergan’s institution
is Springfield City
Library.
Pam Hays gave the treasurer’s report:
Checking $1545.80
Savings
985.23
Steve Batt reported that the mailing list responses are now about
75. The next mailing will
include a final warning about a last mailing unless a response is sent.
Lenny reported that the Census 2000 forum will be at Elms College on
May 7 and that a full
agenda will be available soon. He indicated that there will be
a demonstration of American Fact Finder, which he understands will be the
main vehicle for accessing census data. He noted that for this particular
meeting we will have to indicate in advance as to whether or not we plan
to attend, so that appropriate plans for food, etc. can be made.
The nominating committee for next year’s officers include Bette Siegel and Steve Batt.
The business meeting adjourned at 12:45.
Steve Batt, Federal Documents Librarian, University
of Connecticut demonstrated the advantage
of using Documents Data Miner (URL: http://kronos.niar.twsu.edu/govdocs/GdocFrames.asp)
in a
cooperative zero-based review of federal documents. Steve showed
how you can create local, annotated html pages detailing publications selected
and not selected by your depository. In this way colleagues as well
as patrons can review such decisions and more easily provide input.
At the same time links to agency Web pages can raise awareness about the
availability of electronic federal government information. Steve
distributed a very detailed and helpful handout.
Martin von Wyss, Digital Cartography Specialist,
Harvard University, provided us with a
demonstration of CensusCD+Maps. Martin informed us that the product,
produced by GeoLytics, provides 1990 census data down to the block group
level and includes thematic mapping software where users can generate thematic
maps directly from the software as well as providing export capabilities
to more advanced products such as Arc View and MapInfo. 1997
estimates and projections to 2005 for 65 categories are also included on
this single CD. Martin was ably assisted by GeoLytics representative
Mike Brennan.
Julie Linden, Library Research Assistant, University
of Massachusetts at Amherst, closed the
day’s excellent series of presentations with an overview of CD installation.
Julie’s tips included going to the GODORT handout exchange
(URL: http://www.lib.umich.edu/libhome/Documents.center/godort.html)
and the CD-ROM Technical Documentation Project
(URL: http://www.lib.umich.edu/libhome/Documents.center/cicdoc/cicdoc.htm)
for possible installation guides.
Julie recommends a close examination of the full
catalog record for notes, which are often very
informative. Julie also recommends that one look for the help
and content files on the CD itself for
instructions.
Gail Fithian reported that the Boston Public Library
is filling gaps carefully and slowly and
indicated that the process is an overwhelming task. Needs lists
will eventually be created. They have received gifts from Harvard
as well as an older depository which recently gave up its status.
Many valuable census materials have been provided. Gail indicated
that damaged CIS/ASI/UN fiche will probably be replaced as well.
Attendance
Ralph Szymczak
Brandeis University
Nancy Peluso
Connecticut State Library
Sonia Ensins
Boston College
Gail Fithian
Boston Public Library
Bob Kehner
MIT
Kristin Djoryp
Suffolk University
Sr. Mary Gallagher
Elms College
Meredith Ricker
University of N.H.
Jim MacDonald
Connecticut College
Pam Hays
Harvard University
Bette L. Siegel
State Library of Massachusetts
Julie Linden
UMass, Amherst
David Avery
University of Conn.
Steve Batt
University of Conn.
Betty Febo
Wellesley College
Pat Beaton
New Hampshire College
Miriam Johnson
St. Anselm College
John Lewis
Salve Regina University
John Fobert
Roger Williams University
Kristie Randall
U.S. Court of Appeals Library
Ed Lonergan
Springfield City Library
Jane Marshall
Johnson State College, VT
Frank Notarianni
R.I. College
Maria Olson
Providence College
Deborah Angelo
Providence College
Julia Tryon
Providence College