IDs

Ugh ... that FUN FUN thing that is creating IDs.
We've been having a heck of a time here with creating them in the first place.

• Pictures disappeared.
• Pictures were too dark.
• Pictures were too light.
• The color printer didn't work.
• The business cards were on back-order, for 3 weeks.
• The laminator breaks down.
• I wasn't able to attend the orientation session and therefore was unable to stay on-top of the project.
  

I understand that there might be some sort of solution in the future that will combine student records, picture and possibly their library record in one fell-swoop that would solve a lot of headaches (wouldn't that be nice) , but for our campus, we needed a better solution.

It was suggested that we use Access to figure out the process, so we've tested a possible solution, and so far, it looks like it'll work.

(select screenshots for a clearer view) This is the process we used:

1. We imported information of ALL of our current students from CLASS into this Access database. The picture is taken at orientation and I use Adobe Photoshop Album Starter Edition 3.2 (free download) to change the picture's filename to their name, crop, fix red-eye, etc. The picture was added as an attachment, which was easy to fine since I changed the filename.
   I created 2 fields that helps in the output of the student's information - ORDER & PRINT. The order is the order of which the record would print, and the print, well, is to actual print that record.
2. I created Print Query that would print the correct records in the correct order.
3. I created "labels" with the exact parameters of the business cards that we print.
4. I then had the labels using the "print query" as the source.
   
5. Looking at the records, it runs down the page continuously, but in the "print preview", it shows the documents just fine!
   
   
   
   (Figure of the labels in Design View)
   
   
   

(in continuous view)
(in print preview)



















Right now, of course, the laminator is broken and I'm awaiting a fix from Demco, but it WILL work!

EBSCO's new Visual Search

The redesigned Visual Search for EBSCOhost is up and running. It's quite different from the old way, but I think the new format is better at showing the thought process behind narrowing a search topic. When you first open up Visual Search, a flash tutorial runs automatically to explain the features and how to use them.

Database Demonstrations

Librarians:

Maybe the word "workshop" is not the best way to get the message across to some of our students. After all, a workshop implies 30 minutes to 60 minutes of PowerPoint presentations, handouts, and activities *blah*. And, after all, aren't students already subjected to that when they are in class?

Maybe, instead, we could consider using the terminology "Database Demonstrations" - and DO exactly that. Set up very informally - maybe have a few computers set up already pointed to a specific database. Offer one handout on the use of that database, and show students how to utilize it. Or, set up a computer with a power point about the database that continually restarts, and answer questions during the "demonstration".

Think about it like a Conference vendor display - maybe even have small prizes just for showing up :)