PCC LRC
Newsletter
Portland Community College
Portland, Oregon
"A Library Is Thought In Cold Storage"
Herbert Samuel
 |
Just Between Us: The Intranet
by Alan Cordle |
Scary Spice (a.k.a. Spice Girl Mel B) recently pointed to a monitor at a press conference and said, "I want an Internet. Can I have one of those?" Well, Scary, there's only one Internet right now, so you'll have to share it. But if the Spice Girls wanted to distribute information among themselves about things like hair, make-up, and repetitive lyrics, they could set up an Intranet for less than they make at each performance.
We've all heard of the Internet, but many of us might not know the meaning of "Intranet." The word describes web-based information available to everyone within a particular organization, exclusively for the organization. In case you've never seen an Intranet, take a look at the one for PCC: http://Intranet.pcc.edu/lrc/ Keep in mind that because this is an Intranet, you'll have to do this on campus.
The teleconference was designed for librarians working in the corporate world - but the information can be of interest to anyone in the working world. Each panelist provided examples from their own companies and offered suggestions for librarians interested in taking an active role in Intranet development at their respective institutions.
The SLA has developed a web page with post conference materials available at http://www.sla.org/professional/postconf.html
You'll find more details there, including Ten Steps to a Successful Intranet and an extensive bibliography. Have fun with Intranets; they're like your own private beach with great surfing.
How Many? Tallies Tell the Tale
The LRC subscribes to 1,618 active serials titles, including 1,109 full-text magazines available through the on-line EbscoHost service. In "real" hard-copy magazines and serials we have 498 titles at Sylvania, 200 titles at Cascade and 198 titles at Rock Creek.
We have 62,947 inventoried items (i.e., physical volumes and issues) on the LRC shelves across all campuses. Because of time and staff constraints, many items are not counted until a user actually wants to check an issue out. So if your web browser goes down and your connection to the virtual library is lost, come to your local LRC. We've still got a lot of the real thing !
Reserve Books: Faculty Note...
Please remember that due to limited resources, the LRC does not buy textbooks for the Reserve Collection, except in response to special faculty requests in exceptional circumstances. Then we will buy one copy only and only up to a yearly total of $100 per department. If faculty identify greater need, they should arrange to purchase items with departmental funds and bring the books to the library.
Winding Up Our Films...16 mm Film Replacement Project Underway
Over
the years the LRC's collection of 16mm films has seen heavy use, and the
physical quality of the films is deteriorating badly. Our supply of 16mm
projectors has been wearing out also.
This year the LRC has begun to replace the films with videos. Almost $7,000 has been spent already on the project. If your favorite film had become unusable, please check with us. We may have replaced it with a quality video. Check the catalog, Cat-a-Link, to see. We are continuing to review this collection and are looking for possible replacements for all 16mm films that remain in demand.
So Where's A Good Place to Start Looking For Information?
Your LRC Home Page, Of Course
by Flora Lippert
Many new pages have been added to the LRC web site since we last reported to you. Go to our main page at http://www.pcc.edu/lrc and look for:
Faculty Handbookhttp://www.pcc.edu/lrc/faccont.htm
Most things a faculty or staff member would want to know about the
LRC, in one convenient place.
Full text Oregon Newspapers
http://www.pcc.edu/lrc/mags.
htm#oregonian
Thanks to a statewide purchase with other libraries, we now have online
access to backfiles of The Oregonian and other Oregon newspapers.
Accountname: bmwnsvdwvk
Password: welcome
PCC staff and students may use these secret login codes from work or
home, but please don't share them with your cousin in Topeka.
Online Forms
http.//spot.pcc.edu/lrc/formlisting.html
You won't have to go out in the rain to book a film, request an Interlibrary
Loan, suggest materials for the LRC to purchase, or even ask a reference
question. Just use our handy online forms.
Subject Pathfinders http://www.pcc.edu/lrc/programs.htm
Our LRC & Internet Resources pages continue to grow. Look for the
newest: Psychology and Sign Language Studies. Faculty are especially
encouraged to suggest resources in their disciplines.
Reflecting on the Teaching/Learning Process
by Pam Kessinger
Several quotes from an article by Roberta Israeloff in Woman 's Day, September I, 1998, prompted me to consider the nature of teaching and learning.
"Education is nothing like buying a blender: it's intangible and deeply personal. It is about what happens when one mind meets another. The best teaching is always slightly subversive, meaning you get something you don't bargain for."
"What draws them to work each morning is their conviction that the value of what they have to offer their students may not be immediately apparent, may not become apparent for years and years."
Librarians ask students daily to reveal what it is that they have questions about; we do it in the attempt to help them find "what they are looking for." Sometimes the thing they need is readily apparent - an item already selected by the instructor for the class to use. We limit our response to that apparent thing, because busy students have little time to think beyond the immediate assignment. But sometimes we take on the role of teacher, and make students probe a little further than they anticipated. And, when they suddenly realize that there are easy answers - learning to use Netscape is one thing, but finding good stuff on the Web another - their frustration can be palpable.
The quotes are reassuring because they point out how teaching and learning are necessarily a process of conflict, challenge, assessment and reassessment. On those very rare occasions when a student returns to thank one of the LRC staff for assisting them in their success, the whole LRC should celebrate. We have helped them - in ways not necessarily measurable nor immediately apparent.
If you'd like a copy of the Israeloff article, give me a call at x7239.
Got Paperbacks? 
If you have paperbacks in good condition that need a new home, consider donating them to the LRC. Staff and students always appreciate new popular reading materials. Check your bookcase shelves and drop off those "gotta share these" titles to the LRC of your choice. And thanks !
WebCT Workshops Offered
A series of workshops is being offered throughout the year for faculty on using WebCT. For more information, call Greg Kaminski at x4570, or see the "Getting Started With WebCT" home page at http://www.pcc.edu/lrc/webct/
ERIC Workshop Draws Educators
The University of Oregon recently held a workshop presenting new developments in ERIC (The Educational Resources Information Center, the largest education-related database in the world).
Schola Njoku, a Sylvania Reference librarian, attended the conference and brings us up to date:
You can now access the ERIC Clearinghouse on Community Colleges through the University of Oregon ERIC Web page: http://eric.uoregon.edu/. It's a free search; just log on and click on LINKS, and follow the directions. Don't forget to check out ERIC Digest, featuring short reports on current issues in education. These reports are produced by 16 subject specialized ERIC clearinghouses.
Other sites worth investigating include the Office of Educational Research and Improvement. For profiles of service and research organizations in education management, including directors' names, phone and fax numbers and addresses, select the Directory option. Select Trends & Issues to find hot topics in educational management and a discussion of trends and issues in 15 topical categories.
Publications may be ordered online, but remember that the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (NWREL) here in Portland provides free services for ERIC microfiche requests (1966-). The LRC's Interlibrary Loan Department will gladly process your requests. When ordering, be sure to include the document's ID number. Contact Birgit Wedel-Durrow at x 4420.
What's A Good Book? 
Here are some recommendations from your Technical /Professional Teaching Staff, plus one librarian.
Pam's Picks...
Smilla's Sense of Snow. PeterHoeg, 1993. 839.81373H64@S,C,RO.
Snow in many forms...figuratively as well. Murder. Betrayal. And, discovery.
Smilla faults herself for many things, but she strives for honesty and
survives life-threatening conditions. An exciting tale, set in a
place that is completely different from most anyone's experience - Greenland.
Weisman, Alan. Gaviotas: A Village To Reinvent The World. l998. 338.9861 W45@RO
Colombia. .. drug cartels, mass murder, insurgency - a very dangerous place to live - right? But, what if there were a place within Colombia where the rain forest was replanted - and thriving? A place that attracted the talents of the most educated, and most innovative researchers?
Gaviotas is such a place, and the story of how it came to be and continues to thrive is absolutely inspiring - truly, a model of sustainability for the whole world. (submitted by Pam Kessinger, LRC reference staff)
Hollenbeck's Hurrahs...
Dick Hollenbeck, Rock Creek Landscape Technology
Department's guiding light, recommends these works:
If you are a fan of gardening books and Dorling Kindersley books, then The Organic Garden Book ( 635.987 H36 1987 @RO ) by Geoff Hamilton is one you should take a look at. Like all DK books, it has wonderful, clear pictures (including some of "useful weeds" like Toadflax and Teasel!) and instructions on just about everything you would want to know about gardening.
Another Dorling Kindersley book is The American Horticultural Society's Pruning & Training (635.91542 A53 1996 @RO). Again, this includes the signature DK photos. The detailed instructions on pruning should be helpful for both the novice and experienced pruner. There is even a section on creating topiary with examples of some shapes to create.
The Natural Garden by Ken Druse (712.6 D78 1989 @RO) uses photos of actual gardens in places like Washington, D.C. and Surrey, England as examples. Also included are sections on edible landscapes, water features and meadows.
For the more scholarly among you, there is the Royal Horticultural Society's Dictionary of Gardening. (R 635.03 N49 1992 v.1-4). There are no color photos, but there is plenty of information (the section on Rhododendrons alone takes up 20 pages). There are also line drawings scattered throughout the text as well as graphs and charts. These volumes are perhaps not suited for casual browsing, but if you need to know the Latin name for the Toothbrush Tree (Salvadora persica), this is the set for you.
All campus libraries have a selection of gardening and landscape books to choose from. So, grab a cuppa and sit down to plan your dream garden with these and other gardening books this winter.
Phil's "Faves"...
Phil (jes' plane folk) Siechen of the Aviation Department swooped by
to give us his suggestions for airplane afficianados:
Design For Flying. 2d ed. David Thurston. 629.1341 T58 1995 @RO.
"This is an excellent book for someone who wants to go into airplanes
a bit deeper. It features a nice treatment of airplane handling characteristics,
operational procedures and design criteria. It would be a valuable resource
for pilots or kit builders or anyone interested in airplane design and
operation."
Another David Thurston book is Design for Safety. 629.1341 T58 1995 @RO. The author explores how small aircraft accidents could be reduced through modified design approaches, flight procedures and airport locations.
If you fly regularly and want to know what major factors really cause trouble and how to reduce pilot error, Design For Safety is a good resource.
Expanding Student Learning Outside The Classroom
Criminal Justice Department's Joe Becraft enthusiastically supports using videos and reserve materials as a means to attract and engage students in the process of learning.
"The LRC is a valuable asset and my students are there a lot. They not only use reserve materials, but also happily discover other resources such as the many online tools available to them. Getting them to the library is a critical step in expanding their educational experience."
Becraft also reminds colleagues that many criminal justice titles are good resources for other disciplines too. He especially recommends instructors examine the resources on gangs. "We've got some very interesting, current stuff," he says. "Plus, more is coming!"
NumberMania
Every 15 seconds an OCLC member library adds a record to WorldCat, which contained 40,163,308 records, representing 678,564,325 holding locations, as of Oct.24, 1998.
Fast-track Connections To The World Of Information
by Sharon Smith
The Psychology Pathfinder is now available under LRC and Internet Resources on the LRC web page. (www.pcc.edu/lrc). It has some very useful links to other Psychology sites and a guide to useful reference books related to Psychology.
A recent Wall Street Journal article (Monday, October 19, 1998) highlighted several Web sites that provide impressive resources and useful information related to health care.
Among their recommendations are:
Health on the Net http://www.hon.ch/
This site is international in scope, sponsored by a non-profit organization
based in Switzerland. The Health on the Net Foundation plays an
oversight role by reviewing sites related to health care. Sites receive
a "seal of approval" only if they meet specific criteria to assure the
quality, accuracy and accessibility of the information.
MayoClinic http://www.mayohealth.org/
Doctors and researchers from this famous clinic provide the direction
for this site. Specific topics (such as allergies, cancer, nutrition) are
covered in "Centers." Topical articles are posted. There is even
a quiz!
Mental Health Net http://www.cmhc.com
This site is maintained by a company that provides software for the
mental health industry. More than 8,000 resources are indexed here but
the site is divided into sections related to different disorders so it
is relatively easy to navigate. The site is updated often and also includes
links to other sites.
RxList http://www.rxlist.com/
At this site you can look up a drug by brand name or generic name,
check out the side effects and warnings, and review information about clinical
trials. The site has "fuzzy search" capabilities, so even if you are not
sure of the spelling, it will try to match your query.
Ideas for Research Topics
by Pam Kessinger
In answer to the perennial question, "What should I write about," we suggest checking out the following web sites. The first three are the best - most comprehensive lists, plus, they offer links to selected web sites on the topics. The third is mostly a link page; it has very broad topics. The last two are very focused - but present interesting topics/research questions (if you are really into physics!).
Research Topics
Suggested by the librarians at Rio Hondo College Library http://www.rh.cc.ca.us/student_services/library/html/topics.htm
The Best Information on the Net
Chosen by librarians at O' Keefe Library, St. Ambrose University
http://www.sau.edu/cwis/internet/wild/Hot/hotindex.htm
A+ Research & Writing For High School and College Students
http://www.ipl.org/teen/aplus
Need to write a research paper? Want to do an A+ job without going
totally NUTS? Here's help!
Term Paper Topics, Anti-Plagarism Page
You write the paper, they provide the links. http://pw2.netcom.com/~rjs474/research.html
High-Performance Communication Networks Topics
Iowa State University
http://www.ee.iastate.edu/~srini/cpre541/term_paper_topics.html
Term Paper Topics on Physics
University of Virginia, Dept. of Physics
http://landau1.phys.virginia.edu/classes/105N/tptopics. html
Our Gang
Dr. Barbara Swanson, long-time Director of Instructional Technology and Learning Resources, "retired" at the end of June, completed her realtor course/exam, and moved to Sisters - all by August!
Carolyn Cox, who has kept the LRC office functioning smoothly for the past 11 years, is leaving Nov. 12 to join her husband in Anacortes, Washington. We contemplated kidnapping Carolyn and holding her in the library, but we couldn't figure out how to feed her (no food allowed in the LRC!). She will be greatly missed.
Leslie Riester arrived June 29 from Arizona Western College in Yuma, Arizona to become our new Director of Instructional Technology and Learning Resources. Leslie worked at the University of Michigan prior to her stint in Arizona, and says Portland's weather reminds her of Ann Arbor. I know, I know - ask me again in February!"
Greg Kaminski is our new Instructional Computer Facilitator. Greg is helping fellow faculty with instructional design as they investigate appropriate methods to enhance the teaching/ learning experience with technology. He holds an MAT degree from the University of Washington and has taught in Ohio, Poland and Sweden. He left his position at Lewis & Clark College this summer to assist Steve Smith, Manager of Instructional Technology, with the Summer Institute, an intensive, four-day workshop for faculty who wanted to learn WebCT.
When he's not at work, Greg can be found enjoying a good film, a strong cup of coffee, or a game of tennis, racquetball, or golf. (He's not a bad golfer, but his eight-year old son has started to beat him on an occasional hole!)
Contact Greg for information about upcoming WebCT workshops at x 4570, or see the "Getting Started With WebCT" home page at http://www.pcc.edu/lrc/webct/webcthtml/WebCT1.htm
Donna Swanson, our new LRC/User Support Specialist, is available to answer student and faculty questions about WebCt . Donna returned to school and completed her CIS degree from Portland Community College this year. She counts camping, square dancing, and needlework among her favorite leisure activities.
Call her at x8222; email webct@pcc.edu.
Max Macias has joined the LRC as our new Film Booking/Circulation Technician ("guru"). Max replaces Laura Chandiwalla who left the LRC staff to spend more time and energy with her family.
Max received his B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Portland. He worked in the U of P Library, and left his recent position in telephone reference with the Ft. Vancouver Regional Library to work for us.
A new - but familiar - face at the Sylvania LRC Circulation Desk belongs to Kathryn Constant. She comes to us from Reed College Library where she worked with copyrights and reserves. Before that she worked part-time in circulation and audiovisual services for PCC, most recently at Cascade campus.
Kathryn has an AS in Library Media, a BFA from Ohio University, and is currently in graduate school at Emporia State University working toward her Masters in Library and Information Science. Stop by and say "hi."
Spokane Public Library lost him, but we got 'im! Charlie Salt is another recent addition to the Sylvania LRC Circulation staff. He brings extensive experience and expertise to his job, having worked in the circulation and periodicals departments, and most recently in reference. He is a skilled trainer and Internet surfer and we're very happy to have him aboard.
Charlie has a BA in Business Administration from Eastern Washington University, and is currently working on his MLS at Emporia State University.
Fran Mason is filling in this year for Sarah Patterson, our book and video buyer. Sarah is at home caring for new baby, Melissa Joy Patterson, born on October 12.
Fran attended City College of San Francisco, and in Portland got her Associate's degree from PCC and a BS from Portland State University. She has worked as an accounting clerk, a data input operator, and a library technician. She is delighted to be working for PCC and awaits your orders!
Bill Phillips, Cascade's outstanding "AV Guy," was recognized for his work with an Excellence Award from the College. Congratulations, Bill.
Sharon Smith, Reference librarian at Cascade, served as an evaluator for the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges visit to Clark College in Vancouver.
Carolyn Cox Says Goodbye...
It is with reluctance that I am retiring from PCC on November 12. Many of you may be saying, "I thought she left in June." Well, it took longer to sell the house than we anticipated, but I am on my way to join my husband who was transferred to Anacortes, Washington, in February.
I shall miss all of the Instructional Technology and Learning Resources staff, who are the most caring, intelligent, and team oriented group of people I have ever had the pleasure to work for these past 11 years.
Working at the college has been an interesting and challenging experience and because of the ongoing technology demands, I have gained many new technical and professional skills that I will gratefully take with me.
Thank you PCC, you will all be missed.
Oregon's Own
What is the official state insect? fish? bird?
How many "Symbols of Oregon" do you know? (from the 1997-98 Oregon
Blue Book)
Motto: "She Flies With Her Own Wings"
Anirnal: Beaver
Bird: Western Meadowlark
Dance: Square Dance
Fish: Chinook Salmon
Flower: Oregon Grape
Gemstone: Sunstone
Insect: Oregon Swallowtail Butterfly
Nut: Hazelnut
Rock: Thunderegg (geode)
Seashell: Oregon Hairy Triton
Tree: Douglas Fir
Other tantalizing tidbits from the Blue Book:
9,000-year-old sandals made of sage brush and bark were found at Silver Lake in Central Oregon in 1938.
57 Oregonians won Olympic Medals from 1906 to 1996.
Oregon has 7 electoral votes for President.
As of 1996 there were 1,887 Dental Hygienists in Oregon.