New University website includes library tweaks

The University of Redlands unveiled a new website this morning. While the library URL is unchanged (http://www.redlands.edu/library), the library website does benefit from a new visual style. You can now navigate through the site using the left hand navigation bar and "breadcrumb" trail at the top of each page. Tables and text are more readable, and pages have been resized to fit modern monitors.



One difference involves the home page links to the library catalog and electronic journals. These links have moved to the right side of the page, and are joined by the links to Course and Subject Guides and the login page to our new ILLIAD interlibrary loan system.

While the structure of library's web pages has not changed, this is a good opportunity to look over the site and make sure you know how to get to the resources you use regularly. If you have questions about the design, ideas for improvements, or just want to find out how to do something, contact our reference desk at (909) 748-8878 or reference@redlands.edu and one of our reference librarians will gladly work with you.

What is that thing anyway?

We hope you’ve seen the following image around.



It’s a QR Code. QR stands for “Quick Response” and the image is, really, a two-dimensional bar code. You might have seen these already in other contexts, such as postage you’ve received or sent from the Post Office or products you’ve purchased from stores.

Some mobile phones have QR readers that decipher the embedded information. To download a free QR reader to your phone, go to http://reader.kaywa.com/.

Scan the image above using your mobile phone and you’ll be taken to the UoR Open Sound 2010 poll on Armacost Library’s blog. Snap, click, vote!

Snap, Click, Vote!

Vote in UoR Open Sound 2010!

To mark International Open Access Week 2010, Armacost Library is holding a poll to select which freely available music tracks will be included in the first ever UoR Open Sound 2010 compilation CD.

The entire university community is encouraged to participate! UoR students, faculty, staff, alumni, family and friends are welcome. Vote as many times as you want, for as many tracks as you want. Music tracks that receive at least 50 votes will be included in the compilation CD. We'll also include some bonus tracks from the artists whose music tracks make the 50-vote cut.

UoR Open Sound 2010 CDs will be distributed at various locations during Open Access Week, starting Monday, October 18th till Sunday, October 24th. Look for them at Armacost Library’s circulation desk, the Fletcher Jones Foundation Computer Center main lab, the Campus Diversity and Inclusion main offices, and the information tables Armacost Library will have around Hunsaker Plaza during Open Access Week.

Voting will close on Sunday, October 10th at 11:59 p.m. Cast your vote below.

Sample each music track by clicking on the big orange Play button that each track has. If you like what you hear or think a track should be part of UoR Open Sound 2010, click on the little box at the left of the track title to select it. Select as many as you deem worthy. One vote can have many selections. When you are finished making your selections, click the Vote! button at the bottom of the poll. Doing this will submit your vote to us.

We want to know what you think. Post a comment to this blog post. Post a comment using Polldaddy, our poll site. Email or call us. Come visit us at Armacost Library. Leave a post on our Facebook wall. We want to hear from you!

To E-Book or Not E-Book?

Considering whether or not to buy a e-book reader? The Wall Street Journal has a great article weighing the pros and cons. Their main points are spelled out below.

1. Casual readers probably shouldn't bother.
2. The books aren't as cheap as they should be.
3. Savvy readers read the classics anyway.
4. Be aware of the potential costs of buying a Kindle.
5. Be aware of the costs of the rivals.
6. And if you're thinking of buying a book reader–wait!

Read the full article "Are E-Books Worth the Money?" by Brett Arends.