Thursday, November 06, 2008

UPSpace highlights in 2008: Veterinary Science Library

UPSPACE HIGHLIGHTS 2008 – VETERINARY SCIENCE LIBRARY


1) MARKETING (displays, posters, brochures and powerpoint ) at client conferences - VETERINARY COLLECTIONS (SA National Veterinary Repository, Theiler, Biomedical illustrations)

- SA Veterinary & Paraveterinary Conference, Sun City, July 2008

- Faculty Day, September 2008

- Pan African Centenary Veterinary Conference, 6-9 October 2008

2) PRESENTATION AT SA ONLINE CONFERENCE, CSIR, THE LIBRARIAN AS AUTHOR AND PUBLISHER IN THE DIGITAL ENVIRONMENT: launching veterinary science in UPSpace
Antoinette Lourens, Erica van der Westhuizen, Amelia Breytenbach, Tertia Coetsee and Ria Groenewald
Department of Library Services, University of Pretoria, South Africa
David Swanepoel
ARC-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute Library, South Africa

3) PARTICIPATION in the IR workshop, 3 October to show role of faculty library manager and information specialist in getting buy-in from faculty and doing marketing

PROJECTS 2008 in UPSpace

1) Proceedings 5ICAHIS (5th International Conference of Animal Health Information
Specialists, July 2005, Onderstepoort)
2) Proceedings of the 1st Conference of African Animal Health Information Specialists, July
1995, Onderstepoort
3) Proceedings of the Pan African Veterinary Conference of 1929
4) SA National Veterinary Repository (UP Faculty of Vet Sci and OVI)
5) Theiler Memorial Lectures

2009 PROJECTS

1) NEXT YEAR we would like to digitise South Africa’s 2 veterinary journals, from their start date till 1996/7 when they began their electronic format as SAePublications. Looking for funds! (JSAVA and OPJVR)

2) METADATA for digitised slides of various departments at the Faculty: some funds have been given by EI for students to upload the metadata, and to pay the experts who will supply the descriptions of these “learning objects”.

Erica van der Westhuizen 22 October 2008




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Family of Jotello Soga and Arnold Theiler visit Library






The great granddaughter of Dr Jotello F. Soga, the first South African to qualify as a veterinarian (1886, University of Edinburgh) visited the Veterinary Science Library in October 2008. She is Carole Gallagher, and lives in England.




The photo shows Carole and her husband, with Erica van der Westhuizen, head of the library.







The grand daughter of Sir Arnold Theiler who founded the Faculty of Veterinary Science in 1920, the only veterinary training institution in South Africa, also paid the library a visit in October. Elizabeth Theiler Martin was accompanied by her husband. They live in New York.


They were most interested to see the photo albums of Sir Arnold's world travels which we are now digitising and uploading in the university's institutional repository, UPSpace.





Pan African Centenary Veterinary Conference 2008


MEETING THE THEILER AND SOGA DESCENDANTS

During the Pan African Centenary Veterinary Conference, 6-9 October 2008 the Veterinary Science Library held a display featuring various collections in the electronic Institutional Repository, UPSpace.

These include the Theiler collection.
Special posters were designed by Ria Groenewald to highlight the Open Access research articles in OpenUP, the Arnold Theiler Memorial Lectures collection in UPSpace, Christine Seegers biomedical illustrations in UPSpace, and slide material from various departments at the Faculty.
A powerpoint presentation designed by Antoinette Lourens ran throughout the conference, explaining the importance of digitising unique information sources.

The Librarians were thrilled to meet the direct descendants of both Sir Arnold Theiler and Dr Jotello Soga, two prominent veterinary figures of the late 19th, early 20th centuries. In the photo taken at the library display can be seen in front from l. to r.
Mr Gallagher, Dr Emily Mogojane, Carole Gallagher (great granddaughter of Dr Soga), Elizabeth Theiler Martin (grand daughter of Sir Arnold) and her husband behind her.

Marketing at SA Veterinary & Paraveterinary Conference 2008




SA VETERINARY AND PARAVETERINARY CONGRESS 7-11 JULY 2008, Sun City

THE LIBRARY WAS THERE!
Erica van der Westhuizen

The Veterinary Science Library once again participated in this biannual event by sharing the Faculty’s exhibition stand. This important occasion in the veterinary calendar is an opportunity for marketing the library’s services and products to veterinary practitioners. With CPD now compulsory for practitioners the library plays a role in helping with the earning of points. We run an electronic monitoring system, keeping a record of the articles requested by veterinarians who have enrolled for our contents pages service.

Antoinette Lourens and Erica van der Westhuizen promoted the Library Services the first 2 days of the conference, and were followed by Tertia Coetsee and Marguerite Nel for the next 2 days.

We were kept very busy as most of the attendees visited the exhibits. There was no time for us to attend any of the lectures unfortunately, as we had been able to do at past conferences. (No time for gambling either!)

We hope that all the contacts made and information communicated about how the library can help practitioners to keep up-to-date will result in an expansion of our “external” market, for the benefit of animal health in South Africa.

PHOTOS SHOW LIBRARIANS AT THE EXHIBIT STAND

Antoinette Lourens promoting our services

From left to right:
Tertia Coetsee, Antoinette Lourens, Erica van der Westhuizen and Marguerite Nel

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

New staff member, Veterinary Science Library


We welcome our new staff member, Joe Sindane. He will be mainly responsible for Interlibrary loans and document delivery.
Joe Sindane and Antoinette Lourens, August 2008.
See also our library newsletter, September 2008 issue.


E-products display in Veterinary Science Library


We are concentrating on bringing the growing e-collections in the university's Institutional Repository (UPSpace) to our users' attention (and others too!).


During August 2008 we featured the various collections which we have been digitising and uploading to UPSpace, in a display in the Veterinary Science Library.
These include the Biomedical illustrations of Christine Seegers (the African elephant), the Theiler collection of photos and other memorabilia, the Arnold Theiler Memorial Lectures (an annual event), and the South African National Veterinary Repository. (https://www.up.ac.za/dspace/handle/2263/3809)


Wednesday, August 13, 2008

VET Library committee meetings 2008 - April 17

MINUTES OF THE LIBRARY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON 17 APRIL 2008 AT 13:30

1. PRESENT: Prof Roy Meintjes, Dr Mirinda Nel, Dr June Williams, Mss Tertia Coetsee, Marguerite Nel, Antoinette Lourens and Erica vd Westhuizen
APOLOGIES: Dr Volker Schwan, Ms Heleen Els, Ms Amelia Breytenbach
2. BOOK FUNDS 2008: it was noted that no message had been received concerning availability of funds at present.
3. NATIONAL VETERINARY RESPOSITORY UPDATE: it was noted that this joint project of the Faculty and the OVI was on course. Scanning is being done by the Vet Sci Library of UP of items belonging to the Library or to the OVI, to be uploaded in the Repository which is on UPSpace (Institutional Repository of UP). Members were asked to inform the librarians if they know of any historical material which can be included in this Repository.

4. OPENUP FACULTY PUBLICATIONS: it was noted that OpenUP is the collection of research articles of UP staff. Copyright permission is first obtained from the journal publishers before articles are placed in this collection. OpenUP staff apply for this copyright permission. Members were asked to encourage their colleagues to place their research output in OpenUP. Elsabe Olivier of OpenUP is willing to address the Faculty once again on OpenUP to explain the advantages to authors of the faculty in placing their publications in OpenUP..

5. LUNCH HOUR TRAINING SESSIONS: it was noted that training sessions have been arranged for March, April and May. CAB and Medline databases will be featured as well as Refworks and various Web2.0 tools. Members were requested to inform the librarians if there were other topics they would like to have covered. Training can also be given in the Departments.

6. NEW CAB DATABASE: it was noted that there were few changes to the database, apart from the colour now used

7. STAFF WHO RESIGN: members were asked to inform the Library when staff have resigned so that library material can be recovered before they leave. It was suggested that HR section should be asked to keep the library informed.

8. WHEN THE INTERNET IS DOWN – HOW TO FIND INFORMATION: it was noted that there are 2 paper resources in the library which can help to locate articles on topics, if electronic searching is unavailable – Index Veterinarius and the Veterinary Bulletin. The CAB database is based upon these 2 publications.

9. NEW NAME FOR THE LIBRARY: it was noted that the Faculty Board have approved the name JOTELLO F. SOGA LIBRARY. Jesse Lewis, an American researcher, has made his biographical material about Soga available to the library, to be featured in a new webpage devoted to Soga, the first South African to qualify as a veterinarian (University of Edinburgh, 1886)

10. SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT: it was noted that this agreement drawn up by the Department of Library Services and the Faculties had been personalised for the Veterinary Science Library and the Faculty it serves, and after input by the Dean, will be finalised and circulated.

11. DEPARTMENTAL MATTERS: none, apart from the need for book orders to be placed.

12. GENERAL: Dr Jevan Christie will replace Dr Mirinda Nel as representative of CACS as she has resigned.

13. DATE OF NEXT MEETING: 17 July 2008

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Research output, 2008 Faculty of Vet Science, UP

Research highlights 2008: Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria

(from the Dean's report, OPNews, Winter 2008)

The research programme of the faculty again showed steady growth over the past year. It represents the highest research output this faculty has ever had. The subsidy units earned from the Department of Education for publications increased from 46.13 in 2006 to 55.71 in 2007 and65.31 in 2008. Over the past year it representsa growth of 18%, and the subsidy per academic staff member of 0.65 is getting closer to the UP goal of 1.0. Noteworthy is the fact that again all the faculty’s publications were in the higher category of ISI-accredited journals. In terms of funding, the increase in subsidy earned translated into an increase in the research allocation fromR553 560 in 2006 to R1 044 960 in 2008 (growth of almost 100%).
There was a substantial increase in the number of postgraduate students from 168 in2006 to 250 in 2008, accompanied by an increase in the funding available for postgraduate bursaries from R254 454 in 2007 to R367 422 in 2008. The number of rated academic staff members increased from 14 in 2006 to 16 in 2007.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT**To formalise and make community involvementpart of the formal undergraduate and postgraduate training of the faculty, a long-term programme has been developed over the last two years.This programme involved the Mnisi TraditionalAuthority, the Directorate of Veterinary Services of the Mpumalanga Department of Agriculture and Land Affairs, and the Institute for TropicalMedicine, Antwerp, Belgium, and will officiallycommence in October 2008.

Monday, March 17, 2008

Goals for 2008 +

For 2008 and ahead:
COLLECTION MANAGEMENT:
Update book shelves with Dewey nos.
Indicate e-journals on journal display shelves
Duplicate journals list for Vetlib-L
Collection Development policy

PHYSICAL FACILITIES
Computer connecting cords refit
Connect printers at user terminals
Re-apply for security system at exit (dismantled when new circulation desk installed)
Re-apply for carpet next to study tables

DIGITAL PROJECTS (E-Information strategy)
1. National Veterinary Repository:
- include parties outside University e.g.private practitioners
- market at next SAVA conference (Sun City) to encourage participation
- involve Vet Museum at OVI
- ask Librarian at OVI to help with content
- ask Dr Verwoerd and Dr Bigalke to help with metadata (Identify photos)
2. Publish the Proceedings of our 2005 Conference (5ICAHIS) and our 1995
conference electronically in UPSpace
3. Digitisation of 2 SA veterinary journals (Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research (1903 - 1996) and Journal of the SA Veterinary Association) (1924 - 1997)
4. OpenUP: we must actively begin to upload UP articles. (Marguerite and Tertia will consult with Dr J Van Wyk re his documents to be included)
5. Veterinary Theses - the early ones borrowed from UNISA Archives must be digitised and placed in the e-theses collection.
Important to coincide with Faculty's centenary celebration

WEB PAGES
- Jotello Festire SOGA: new web page to be created. Contact author of book,
Jesse Lewis, and University of Edinburgh Libraries, and Internet. Cape Archives and National Archives
- Normal values of animals (Tertia) - new web page
- Others to be updated: Ostrich, Goat, Poultry, Dental Formulae (juveniles),
Poisonous plants, Disaster management
- LINK OUR BLOGS ON OUR WEB PAGES

TRAINING
: Lunch hour sessions for Postgraduate students, lecturers: Tertia is compiling an online help for postgraduate students re research methodology

BIBLIOGRAPHIES to be updated:
Ostrich 2000 - 2008
Rhino 1997 - 1008
Publish in paper format and electronically
Convert previous years from InMagic to RefWorks to be able to issue them as a complete electronic database.
New Bibliography : BLACK FLY (Prof Bath)

CONFERENCES in 2008
3-5 June - SA Online- Erica, Antoinette, Amelia and Tertia to submit abstract: The Librarian as author and publisher in the web environment
16-19 June - Joint Conference of Digital Libraries, Pittsburgh USA - Amelia has submitted an abstract on the National Veterinary Repository, for the poster session
15-19 June SLA Special Libraries Association, Seattle WA, USA
June - SAVA conference, Sun City (to market products and services, and the National Veterinary Repository)
7-9 October - Pan African Veterinary Congress, Onderstepoort (to market as above)

OUR INTERNATIONAL INVOLVEMENT
Create a listserv for Veterinary Librarians in African countries (AFRICANVETLIB) to encourage cooperation and sharing of knowledge
Participate in the Livestock Library project (Australia)

TECHNICAL SERVICES (IMPS)
Amelia is overall responsible for quality of metadata and training of cataloguers and other UP staff in assigning metadata
Amelia to serve on the Oracle committee (Metadata)
Amelia responsible to Data Curation Metadata applications for Library Services
Amelia responsible for E-Books web page (new one to be completed)
Amelia responsible for UP Archives metadata
Marguerite metadata editor for Engineering and Architecture
She will help with the metadata editing of collections in the National Veterinary Repository
(Will have to re-look at her work load as she is cataloguer for 4 of our 5 departments and also responsible for the journal orders/collection and IL National and External market's SDI service)Marguerite will do benchmarking of parts of our collection, with Tertia Coetsee (for paper at Conference ? 2009)