Ask Me About The Great Speckled Bird

The Great Speckled Bird has landed at the Dunwoody library.  What is it all about? 

 “The Great Speckled Bird was one of several underground newspapers that appeared in the United States in the 1960s.  Published in Atlanta from 1968 to 1976, The Bird, as it was commonly known, stood out among the alternative press for the quality of its writing, its cover art and its fearless opinions and reporting on a range of topics—national and local politics, the counterculture, women’s issues, gay liberation, reproductive choice, music, art….The Bird was a new, radical voice from the South.”

The four panels displayed on the wall are part of a traveling exhibit from the Georgia State University Library and the Georgia Humanities Council to raise awareness of the digital collection.  Visit http://library.gsu.edu/gsb/ to read and search the PDF or text versions of The Great Speckled Bird.

Browsing through the issues can be a real treat for anyone interested in Atlanta history from the 1960s and 1970s.  I found a music review of Leonard Skinner playing in Atlanta at Funochio’s from July 31, 1972:
"LEONARD SKINNER from Jacksonville was the featured band last week, and a lot of people liked their solid, earthy style. They look and sound like a hard-core Southern band that fully enjoys performing. That characteristic was best displayed in those late-night jams that happen at Funochio's." 

The Great Speckled Bird  v. 5 no. 30 (July 31, 1972) Page 19

With a little digging in GALILEO, I found a Rolling Stone interview with record producer Al Kooper that helps explain the significance of that performance :
 “In 1972, I heard Lynyrd Skynyrd making their Atlanta debut at a very dangerous club on Peachtree Street called Funocchio's. They were playing a weeklong engagement, and each night I'd hear another great original song from them and knew I'd found the band I was searching for.”


The next year the band would be known as Lynyrd Skynyrd, and released their first album, Pronounced  Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd.  A cool bit of history for any fan of Southern rock.

Have fun browsing or searching The Great Speckled Bird!

Services for Students Fall Edition

PIN Number for GPC Service Desk

When you call the Office of Information Technology Service Desk (678-891-3460), a prompt will send you to one queue for student concerns and another for faculty.  Faculty, particularly those who need help with the new Desire to Learn course management system, require a PIN (74123) to receive priority placement in the queue.

Because the wait on the student queue might be long, I'd recommend giving any student who needs help the full number for the Service Desk to use with a cell phone rather than tying up the Ref Desk phone.  Please reserve use of the faculty queue for whole-library technology problems.

Lib Analytics - Reference Statistics

We have a fresh start on Lib Analytics. We're now using the system to track both reference and instruction. When you first log on on the former login page, you need to choose one or the other dataset to activate the dashboard.  (Choose Reference Statistics)  You'll see some differences:  the collection development categories are now based on our teaching disciplines rather than LC call numbers; the level of difficulty scale is simplified; there are a few more "types of questions;"the computer will automatically capture the time, so you do not need to enter a time unless you are entering data long after the interaction.  

The LibAnalytics team suggests that you bookmark the following URL which will take you directly to the new dashboard.  http://gpc.libanalytics.com/home.php?d=1339 I've changed the link on this blog, but need to request OIT to update it on everyone's desktop/homepage.

Please try to record all the patron interactions so we get credit for all the great work you do!  Thanks. 

Back to School News

Welcome back to fall semester! Things are going to get busy fast. As always, there are changes you need to be aware of:

1. The testing center asks us to use the phrase "Placement or Exit Exam" rather than COMPASS Test when talking with students. Mind you that students will still say COMPASS, and the review books will still say COMPASS, but we are shifting the terminology as noted above.

2. There is a copy of the new Student Guidebook at the Ref Desk. Each student received an accompanying flash drive with extra information including the Guidebook in pdf, instructions for registration, and Degree Works (software to help students and advisors monitor their progress toward graduation). There is still lots of memory available for syllabi, assignments, etc. Nice for the students to get that as a freebie, but now when students describe their lost flash drives to us, most will be silver and black with the GPC EDGE logo on it. Please advise students to add their initials with marker or paint!

I was very sorry to miss the meeting on August 3rd. Tamika sent this update via email about the meeting.

Collections –
Documents of American History will be moved from downstairs back to the reference collection. Opposing Viewpoints and DLB are going to be investigated further to determine if the use warrants the move back upstairs. Guidelines will be developed by Eugenia for those that are willing to assist with weeding. Juanita would like to be included in the circulation of Booklist and LJ.

Staff Concerns -
A request for additional flashlights have been put in with plant operations. Placement of the flashlights will be determined once they are received because we currently do not know the number that will be approved. (Since this time, locations have been assigned. A plug-in flashlight will be in the downstairs break room; one will be in a drawer at Reference; one will be in the Circ area.)
Reminder – there is a copy of the Emergency Procedures at each of the service desks (1 at circ and 2 at ref). Please take a moment to review it.
Carmel will work on providing extra shifts equally across the staff. In the past it has been first come first served which gave an unfair advantage to those that work at a computer regularly.

Technology/Systems updates –
ADP – you should now be able to change your password on the computer that is used for you to clock in and out. We will no longer have the paper calendars. If you forget to login or out, please let Aviva know immediately so that the correction can be made.
Desire2Learn – Carmel provided a refresher on this system that has been recently implemented. Please see Carmel if you are having problems assisting students and/or finding information.
Libanalytics – Make sure that you selection "yes" by collection development if you have an interaction that would be of use when determining what items to purchase for the collection.

Please let me know if I have left out any important information or if you have questions.