Broken/bad links to Films on Demand and SWANK video titles with WORKAROUNDS!

From Mary Ann: 

With Films on Demand: links and videos embedded in iCollege (at PC) prior to merge no longer work.  

• To resolve the issue, the person will need to go to Films on Demand using the GSU Link and find the video be searching title. Instructors will find the new link/embed codes as before. 

Here are instructions from Denise Dimsdale about adding the GSU proxy to create links:http://research.library.gsu.edu/c.php?g=115605&p=753212

Here is a document from Sonya about linking/embedding Films on Demand videos in iCollege:http://research.library.gsu.edu/ld.php?content_id=7446454 

SWANK:  The links from previous semesters are not working; we need to give instructors a new link.  They can place a request using this form: http://www.libsurveys.com/loader.php?id=b9d8c130b3706a8ba1e4e755fd1ce35a   If they do not want to wait, they can use method two….

SWANK WORKAROUND

PC patrons: go to http://ezproxy.gpc.edu/login?url=http://digitalcampus.swankmp.net/gpc313757   

Log into the database to access most of the SWANK films we have licensed.  

Exceptions are Disney-related films (Doctor, Mr. Holland’s Opus, Royal Tannenbaums, andTombstone) – They still need direct links for those.  

The problem happening with this method is that patrons are getting a security warning related to the proxy link.  They have to accept the “risk” to get to the GPC e-resources log in page.  Then they must enter their GPC username and password.  We are not sure if new PC students have a separate GPC username and password – theoretically they can retrieve it if they have a #900.  Kat Hart is trying to resolve this issue, probably by getting a generic username and password for this purpose.

Here is a guide that lists our SWANK films. It includes the form for instructors to request access links and information about using SWANK films: http://research.library.gsu.edu/swank

Pharos and Stuff

As many of you know, we have had  a few problems with sign-in credentials on student computers. Sometimes that is from user error--especially when students see "Sign in with your GPC username" on the screen.  It's confusing.  And sometimes, as in my case, the new GSU creds don't work, but the old GPC ones do. We're moving to the system that is used throughout GSU campus computers:  the GSU active directory, which will consistently accept GSU credentials.  Administered by IIT.

We will no longer have the Pharos sign-in agent on our student computers. What does that mean for us?  You can forget your Pharos password because we will no longer have a console to monitor the computers in the library for troubleshooting or terminating sessions for students or making visitor IDs. Tamika is meeting with people from downtown about how they take care of these essential functions and will hopefully have news for us within a few days.

Pharos will still be the system for sending print jobs to the release stations. Administered by the Pharos team.

Panther cards pay for printing, and the Dunwoody Panther Card Office has had multiple complaints that that student cards aren't working to pay for printing at the library. We haven't seen a big rise in complaints here, but the Auxillary Services people are concerned about student complaints.  (They called us.) Administered by Auxillary Services.

When students come here to work and print, they must deal with 3 separate systems administered by three separate units, and we're stuck in the middle trying to help.  The best advice for us (from all three of those tech units) is to pay attention to what part of the process seems to cause trouble and then share that information with them.  Therefore, we are keeping a log at the desk of technical problems with student computers and printing.

When there is a problem, please enter the date and time, the user ID of the patron, and a description of the problem under whichever of the three systems you see to be the point of trouble.  Hopefully we won't have to do it very long. Thanks for helping with this.

1101 Poli Sci Assignments (Webb and Mitchell)

There are some Political Science assignments this semester that may bring students to the Ref Desk for assistance. Assignment-specific LibGuides have been created for these classes. See the links below:

Dr. Webb has students looking at political contributions of African Americans and women between 1950-2000. This is a group project and the topic must be approved by Dr. Webb prior to the group starting their research. The LibGuide has the assignment specifics on the main page.

Link: http://research.library.gsu.edu/webb

Dr. Mitchell has her POLS 1101H class writing on a current US domestic or foreign policy issue. Their primary source will the the congressional website, but they are expected to provide some background information on the policy as well. The LibGuide has the assignment specifics on the main page.

Link: http://research.library.gsu.edu/1101policy 

Learning and Tutoring Hours

The LTC doors open every weekday at 8:30 AM.  Full-time staff will be there to answer questions, but tutors do not arrive until 10. 

Fall Semester Hours for Tutoring

Monday-Thursday
10 AM - 9 PM

Friday
1 PM- 5 PM

Saturday
Closed

Sunday
2 PM-5:45 PM

New Student Due Dates

You may have seen in the Intranet blog that due dates for students for most GSU books will now be the first day of the following semester, rather than 28 days from check-out. What does this mean?

Most students are happy that they have only one date to remember for returning their books.  They can also have the book  longer to do their research or reading.

However...GSU has always liberally used recalls to get back a book that is in high demand. We've rarely done that in the past.  A recall will generate a message to the patron who has the book that, if they have had the book for a minimum of 28 days, they must return it within 10 days or incur fines. In other words, the borrower is guaranteed a 28 day loan, after which the book is subject to recall.

In practice, that means that a recall might take up to 38 days to get the book for the patron making the recall.  With her typically shrewd and analytical mind, Beth Welch concluded that if all GSU copies of that title are checked out, it will be quicker to find it in the GIL Universal catalog and initiate a GIL Express Request.  (Thanks, Beth!) 

When assisting a patron in this process, please use the GIL-Find version of the OPAC. Check whether any GSU copies are available and if so, request the specific item as we are accustomed to doing. If all of our GSU copies are checked out, the GIL-Find interface will offer the option to recall or go to the GIL UC.  (See below.)

Sign on & Printing Problems - IMPORTANT

Log on
If any student has problems signing into a computer work station with their GSU credentials, please note the day, time, and Panther ID of that student. Send that info to me via email. pziebart@gsu.edu  The Pharos folks are trying to figure out why the problem occurs for a small percentage of users. By supplying this information, we'll help them find the instance on their log to see what went wrong.

It helps to verify that the student has functional credentials by letting him or her log into iCollege on the ref desk computer.

If a student formerly had a GPC login, they can try using that to get on the network.  Sometimes it works.  That would be another clue to note on the info you send me.  If nothing works, create a visitor ID so the student can use a computer.

Printing
The Pharos Admin I spoke with today says that both JCards and Panthercards are supposed to work on the print release stations. However, once a student gets a Panthercard,  all funds should be transferred to it and the JCard is deactivated. There are many reasons the "unsupported card type" message appears after swiping.  In my experience, I've frequently needed to swipe three or four times before being cleared to print.  Have students keep trying whatever card they have.  That said, please enthusiastically encourage our students to get their Panther cards.  It's not only our future; it's our present for them. (Pun intended.) Amy has discovered that sometimes swiping the card in the copier seems to reset/clear the card which then will work in the printer. (No explanation, just try it.)We don't know yet. how to remedy the "Diebolt error." I'll add to this post when we have an answer.

Thanks to all for good humor and patience.

Assignment Log on Colored Paper

A professor is asking her students to print an assignment log on colored paper.  Though we do not usually accommodate requests for colored paper, we've printed a few extra copies to be helpful to students.  They are in a folder in the wooden tray on top of the ref desk.