Wireless update

For those of you who have been experiencing problems with connecting to the wireless network this week, please ensure that you are connecting to OWL and not OWL-VPN. OWL has replaced the old OWL-VPN network, but apparently OWL-VPN is still visible in some parts of the library with a very weak signal. Connections through OWL-VPN will therefore be poor and liable to drop out. Choose OWL from the list of available networks instead, and then log in through the VPN as normal. Alternatively you can use the new OULS-reader network, which doesn't need the VPN - just open up your web browser, enter your OLIS barcode and password and away you go!

Wireless problems and WISER coming up

The wireless upgrade on Tuesday doesn't appear to have gone as smoothly as planned... we've had several reports of a consistently weak signal and problems connecting. ICT are investigating and hopefully the network will be back to full strength soon. In the meantime, if you have been having problems accessing the wireless network it would be great if you could let us know (including how you are accessing - OWL via VPN or the new OULS-reader - and where you are sitting).

UPDATE: Apparently 1 connection in 10 is suffering a weak signal, so hopefully the majority of you are connecting fine...

And while I'm here... next week's WISER session:

WISER: Google Project
Wednesday 4th June 2008 (week 7), 12.30 - 1.30, OUCS, Banbury Road.
The Library Services are working with Google to attempt the mass digitization of our entire holdings of out-of-copyright C19th material. This presentation will set our experiences and the outputs of the project in the context of Oxford's ambitions to provide a digital library service for the global community of readers.
Michael Popham.
Book at: http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/itlp/courses/detail/TZWR

VHL 2.0 survey - your library needs you!

As I'm sure you are all aware, the VHL has been experimenting with web 2.0 sites and services this year. We set up this blog, and have accounts and pages on Facebook, del.icio.us and LibraryThing, as well as all sorts of widgets on our website. From my point of view, I've had a lot of fun experimenting and I think it's been a valuable layer of icing on the VHL cake, but I'm not exactly an impartial judge here so it would be great to find out what you all think too. Please take a few minutes to complete our web 2.0 survey, or as ever, if you just have general feedback, drop me an email or comment on this blog post.

Changes to wireless network access

Following the upgrade of our wireless service this morning, there is now a choice of ways to access the wireless network in the VHL. When you start up your computer, it will now pick up three wireless networks which you can connect to:

• Bodleian-Libraries: This is now the preferred option, and can be accessed without the need for VPN software. After you have connected to OULS-reader in the list of available networks, open up your web browser. You will be taken to a page where you will be prompted to enter your library card barcode and password. This is the same password as you would use to place stack requests via OLIS. Once authenticated, the full range of network resources will be available to you. NB, if your password is the same as your barcode this system will not accept it and you will need to change it via OLIS. Once changed, there will be a delay of up to 30 minutes before you can access the network. 
• OWL: If you are used to connecting to the wireless via OWL-VPN you can continue to do so!
• Eduroam: If you are an external reader and have an Eduroam account from your home institution, you can use this to connect via the Eduroam network. Please note however that this will only give you access to the resources subscribed to by your home institution, and NOT Oxford's. If you wish to access Oxford's resources, please log in to OULS-reader.

Reminder - wireless network upgrade (Tuesday 27th May)

Just a reminder that our wireless network is being upgraded tomorrow (Tuesday 27th May), which will result in the network being unavailable for approximately one hour at 10am. The network connections on the library PCs will be unaffected so you can still access the internet/electronic resources using them.

WISER sessions coming up (including a session on US History resources)

WISER: Reading lists
Wednesday 28th May 2008 (week 6), 12.30 - 1.30, OUCS, Banbury Road.
Providing online reading lists is an easy and quick way to help your students locate material in Oxford libraries. This session outlines the process of doing this. We will also explore user-friendly Web 2.0 applications, which give you the opportunity to create reading lists that are more interactive and encourage discussion.
Judy Reading and Eric Howard.
Book at: http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/itlp/courses/detail/TZD8

WISER: Information Sources for US History
Friday 30th May 2008 (week 6), 12.30 - 1.30, OUCS, Banbury Road.
This session will introduce key information sources for the study of colonial American and the history of United States. Starting with useful finding tools to locate relevant material, examples of source materials will then be shown or outlined. These include archival, microform, printed and online collections and useful web portals. There will be time for a brief hands-on at the end.
Isabel Holowaty.
Book at: http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/itlp/courses/detail/TZE9

Full programme at: http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/training
All enquiries to: usered@ouls.ox.ac.uk

Wireless upgrade - Tuesday 27th May

Our wireless service is due to be upgraded next Tuesday (27th May). This will mean that the wireless network will be unavailable for approximately one hour from 10am. The network connections for the library PCs on the ground floor will be unaffected, so if you need to access electronic resources, email, the internet etc you will be able to do so through them while the wireless is down.

Bank holiday opening

The library will be open on the bank holiday next Monday (26th), 9am-7pm as normal. Please be aware that there will be no deliveries from the Bodleian stacks that day though, so if you need to order books to read then you should request them to a Central Bodleian reading room. Our deliveries will resume on the Tuesday morning.

WISER sessions coming up

(and I'm doing this one, if that sells it to you!)

WISER: Gadgets and widgets
Friday, 16th May 2008 (week 4), 12.30 - 1.30, OUCS, Banbury Road.
This session will look at some tools that can help you organise yourself on the web, including social bookmarking services like del.icio.us, bibliophile sites like LibraryThing and My WorldCat, and customised start pages.
Jane Rawson and Emma Cragg.
Book at http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/itlp/courses/detail/TZWT
Full programme at: http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/training
All enquiries to: usered@ouls.ox.ac.uk

New look for the blog and Trinity Term seating continued

The VHL blog is now just over six months old, and to celebrate I've given it a makeover. Hope you all like the new look! If you usually read our news via a feed reader you might want to drop by the actual page and take a look.

Another thing to flag up, for those of you reading our feed, is that we have a quick poll running on the blog at the moment about the Trinity Term seating issue. We've had a variety of comments from readers about the new system, both in favour and against, and so are canvassing opinion - if you have feelings about this one way or another, please vote in the sidebar.

New database trials: 19th Century US Newspapers & Early American Newspapers, 1620-1922

We have set up trials to two databases of historical American newspapers and are inviting feedback. The databases are 19th Century US Newspapers (Cengage) and Early American Newspapers, 1620-1922 (Readex), and can be accessed via the Latest database acquisitions and trials section on OxLIP. The trials will run until 31st May, so please take advantage of this access and let us know what you think! Please send any feedback to the History Librarian, Isabel Holowaty (isabel.holowaty@ouls.ox.ac.uk).

New books for April

The list of new books received in the library is now available on our website and LibraryThing page.

WISER sessions coming up

WISER: Maps and mapping - online resources and digital mapping
Wednesday, 7th May 2008 (week 3), 12.30 - 1.30, OUCS, Banbury Road.
Many areas of research use spatial data and digital mapping is an ideal way to present it. This presentation will cover both web based resources (online map collections etc.) and the digital mapping facilities available in the Bodleian.
Nigel James.
Book at http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/itlp/courses/detail/TZF7

WISER: Digitizing the Bodleian John Johnson collection
Friday, 9th May 2008 (week 3), 12.30 - 1.30, OUCS, Banbury Road.
This collection includes rare primary source materials and evidence of our cultural, social, industrial, and technological histories. It is particularly valuable to anyone interested in the everyday lives of ordinary citizens. For more information see http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/eejjc/ Michael Popham and David Tomkins.
Book at http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/itlp/courses/detail/TZWV

Full programme at: http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/training
All enquiries to: usered@ouls.ox.ac.uk