NSR Readers, I’m writing to ask for 10 minutes of your time to complete a survey about online reference databases.  I’m trying to gauge interest in a variety of features offered in online reference databases (think GVRL, Credo, SRO, ORO, ABC-CLIO, etc).  My results will be used in a presentation I am co-presenting at the [...]

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I spent Monday with several librarians in a discussion on the future eReference platform.  I’m referring to products like Credo, GVRL, Sage Reference Online, Oxford Scholarship Online, etc.  Our discussion revolved around platform features, good features and not so good features.  I’m going to list some highlights of the discussion below, but would really like [...]

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I’ve marked the following articles in my delicious account, which are also listed on the NSR home page. Some numbers on popularity of ereaders As classrooms go digital, textbooks are history Random House, other pubs miserly toward IDPF/ePub, but new e-readers and Sigil editor show there’s hope Blackwell and Ingram sign ebook deal; Credo partnering [...]

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Getting to grips with developing and managing e-book collections: an introduction to be held in the Netskills Training Suite, University of Newcastle Tuesday 27th October 2009, 9.30 – 16.30 Course Outline This course opens the door to a new electronic format and is designed to support librarians who are beginning to set up e-book collections. [...]

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LJ just released E-Reference Ratings, “an evaluation of nearly 180 subscription based electronic resources in 14 subject categories.”  Of course, many of these are eBook platforms like Britannica, Credo, GVRL, Oxford, and Sage.   There was no category for eBooks, instead you’ll find them listed under the various subject categories. Products were reviewed by a team [...]

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I love widgets.  Last week at the Charleston Conference I was on a panel discussing “bridging the google gap.”  I was to discuss ways libraries were bridging that gap through reference services.  Widgets was one of my answers. Widgets can be embedded on multiple library web pages, course management systems, facebook, teacher/faculty websites, anywhere really!  [...]

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Those libraries in the Western U.S. might want to investigate this discount if you have any interest in Credo.  Discount amount not mentioned in the press release, however. Credo Reference Partners with BCR to Bring Online Reference to Member Institutions at a Discount Boston and Oxford, October 23, 2008 – Credo Reference, provider of customizable [...]

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I sat in on a Credo Reference webinar earlier this week, to get a better idea of the new interface and discovered something that wasn’t visible to me in the trial.  Credo has “Resource Links,” external links to a library’s other resources like the catalog, a metasearch tool, or a particular database.  Libraries can set-up [...]

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Credo has upgraded its interface.  I got a quick trial so I could check out some of the features (old and new).  Of course the best part of Credo is the ability to cross reference a search.  This allows researchers access to definitions, people, places, and general overviews of their topic from multiple disciplines and [...]

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My recent discussion with Cynthia Cleto from Springer got me thinking about some issues.  I’m curious if Springer’s model – no DRM and ILL rights – is unique or if other ebook publishers and aggregators offer similar things.  To me, it’s a superior blend, but I’m thinking that most publishers and aggregators feel it’s a [...]

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