CDL Database Transitions

a. CDL Updates Retirement Notices Sent

On September 25, the CDL sent out bulk mail messages notifying Updates holders of the upcoming database retirements and alternatives for Updates/Alerts in the vendor versions of the CDL-hosted journal article databases.  They were referred to the web page “Creating Updates/Alerts in Article Citation Databases” for more information – See: http://www.cdlib.org/services/info_services/instruct/

The databases that will be affected include the following:
ABI/INFORM
BIOSIS Previews
Computer Articles
Current Contents
INSPEC
Magazine & Journal Articles
Newspaper Articles
PsycINFO

Additional reminder messages will be sent to Updates holders in October and November. As of November 20, web and telnet users will no longer be able to set up new Updates in the CDL-hosted journal article databases, but will continue to be able to in the Melvyl Catalog.

Campus members of the Transition Steering Committee, Users Council, and Resource Liaisons have received campus-specific lists of the numbers of Updates holders on their campuses and their holders’ email addresses.

b. UC-eLinks Enhancements

The CDL will be implementing some enhancements to the UC-eLinks service.  UC-eLinks currently leads to three services:
–Link to full text
–Link to library catalog for holdings
–Link to Request

In the present system, there are instances where there is insufficient data from UC-eLinks to enable Interlibrary Borrowing Services to request materials from other institutions.  By setting a higher threshold for metadata, Interlibrary Services will no longer receive requests for items having insufficient information to fill a Request.  Current examples of such incomplete requests are citations for chapters in books, conference proceedings, and pre-1986 items in CSA databases, though we expect many of these problems to be corrected in the near future.

In instances where there is full text, Request is not currently an option from UC-eLinks according to policies governing Request.  However, there are instances in which a user wants a print copy of an item for whatever reason.  In addition, there are times when there is insufficient information to make a Request, but another UC library would clearly have the item.  In both of these instances we want to provide the opportunity for users to fill out a blank form from the Request option on UC-eLinks.  Therefore, the CDL proposes the following: when VDX is initiated on all campuses, we will link to the VDX blank Request form.  In the meantime, we will link users to their campus interlibrary services where they can fill out a blank form.

Below is a description of the new policy:

c. September Issue of Ex Libris Melvyl Tells

See the latest issue of El Mel Tells [http://www.cdlib.org/libstaff/elmeltells/emtv1n3.html] for articles on:
–Merging Records in the Melvyl Union Catalog
–Options for Title Searching in Melvyl-T
–Staff Profiles