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June 1994 LANL Research Library Monthly Newsletter
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ASK - Anomalous State of Knowledge: An anomaly in one's state of knowledge, or lack of
knowledge, with respect to a problem faced. The start of the information retrieval
process. Call 7-5809 or e-mail ref@lanl.gov to ASK.
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1. Book Purchases
2. Business Periodicals Resources
3. Tips on Contacting the Report Collection of the Library
4. Patent Information on the Internet
5. Favorite Gopher Hole
6. Training Opportunities in the Library
7. June Training Opportunities
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1. Book Purchases
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The Research Library has been in the forefront of Laboratory organizations implementing
CQI quality processes and procedures. We are using these techniques to make the Research
Library more effective and service oriented while remaining conscious of our operating
costs. In analyzing our internal processes we realize that we must concentrate our efforts
on activities which are basic to our mission where Library staff can add value while
supporting the Laboratory's missions and goals.
In order to better serve Laboratory staff, personal desk copies of books will no longer be ordered through the Library, effective May 31, 1994. Desk copies of books can be ordered in town through the Otowi Station Science Museum and Bookstore or R Books using LVA contracts. Both bookstores have agreed to take care of supplying books for the Laboratory staff.
Otowi Station Science Museum Shop and Bookstore can be reached at 662-9589 or FAX
662-3713. They are open Monday - Friday 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 6:00
p.m., and Sunday 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m..
R Books can be reached at 662-7257 or FAX 662-6440. Their hours are Monday - Friday 9:30
a.m. - 8:00 p.m., Saturday 9:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. and Sunday 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
These bookstores will be serving the Laboratory using LVA (Local Vendor Agreement) contracts set up by BUS-5. If you have questions or problems about the services provided by the bookstores, or the details of the contracts, please contact Toby Lucero or Flora Lerma of Procurement (BUS-5) at 7-8572.
Jackie Stack, jstack@lanl.gov
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2. Business Periodicals Resources
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In an attempt to parallel the Laboratory's commercialization efforts and to round out the
Research Library's collections in the non-technical arena, the Library has just acquired a
CD-ROM based system with strengths in business, economics, environmental, marketing,
management, telecommunications and trade journals. This arrangement takes CD-ROM products
a step farther than those previously acquired by the Research Library: not only
approximately 900 journals indexed, but more than 300 of those are "full-image"
files, giving the user an exact reproduction of the page from the journal, including
charts, graphs and illustrations. As with all photocopy use, copying for Laboratory
related work incurs no cost; personal copying is ten cents per page.
Examples of journals covered in the database are Business Week, Database, Far Eastern Economic Review, Forbes, Fortune, Foreign Affairs, High Technology Law Review, Management Review, Quality ... the list goes on and on! Each of those listed above is full-image; coverage in the database is from 1987 to the present, with quarterly updates. The discs are searchable by company, keywords, author, geographic location or journal name. During June, research librarians will conduct special training sessions on Mondays (June 6,13,20 and 27) at 1 p.m. and on Fridays (June 3,10, 17 and 24) at 10:30. Please register in advance as space is limited: call 7-5809 or e-mail ref@lanl.gov. Special sessions can also be arranged.
Marie Harper, mharper@lanl.gov
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3. Tips on Contacting the Report Collection of the Library
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During normal business hours (7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.) you can call the Report Collection at
7-4446. We have voice mail in case all lines are in use or if we are having our weekly
meeting, generally on Tuesday mornings from 8:15 - 10:30 a.m. We apologize for using voice
mail but believe these weekly meetings are essential to ensure good customer service in
our present fast-changing environment. We encourage you to leave messages during those
relatively infrequent occasions when the voice mail is on.
Our voice mail is available after hours (5:00 p.m. - 7:30 a.m. and on weekends and holidays) which gives you the opportunity to leave messages requesting a report or asking a report reference question any time we are not open. Also consider contacting us on relatively straightforward matters by e-mail reports@lanl.gov and/or by fax (5-0611). You can avoid a trip and save valuable time.
Ken Collins, kac@lanl.gov
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4. Patent Information on the Internet
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Gregory Aharonian has launched a free Internet news service that covers the United States
patent literature. A subscriber can receive a title listing of patents granted by the U.S.
Patent Office. One can subscribe to a broad category - mechanical, chemical, and
electrical or to all. There is also a category - news. The title listings are very
straight forward. There is the patent number, title and date of issue but patent titles
are known for being obtuse. One could do a keyword search and possibly locate patents that
are of interest. Subject access and patent codes added by several commercial database
producers add so much value as to make the patent literature accessible. Aharonian also
has a service for prior art searches; this may be of interest to Laboratory staff pursuing
private patents. Our research librarians can be of help on that front for Laboratory
related work.
The most interesting aspect of this service is the news category. Gregory lists new rules or changes coming from the U.S. Patent Office. There has been much news lately about software patents and biotechnology patents. Gregory keeps one up-to-date on these issues. GATT is influencing the international patent scene. Several items have covered how foreign countries view the United States patent operation. Gregory also reviewed the software version of Pressman's "Patent It Yourself." The amount of e-mail is three to four items per week in the news category.
Interested users should forward their name, postal, and e-mail addresses, and indicate the interest categories and file format (ASCII or UUZIP) to patents- request@world.std.com. To receive news and information, send the word "News;" to receive all files, send "All."
If you subscribe and locate patents that are of interest, patents can be ordered through the Library. The full image of recent U.S. patents can be obtained within 24 hours for $12.00. Full-text U.S. patents from 1971 to the present can be obtained within 24 hours for $6.00. Patents can also be ordered through UNM.
Frances Knudson, fknudson@lanl.gov
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5. Favorite Gopher Hole
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Check out the Energy Statistics on the University of California, San Diego, InfoPath
Gopher. Follow the path below:
UCSD InfoPath
Reference Shelf
Selected Statistics
U.S. Commerce Dept. Economic Bulletin Board
Energy Statistics
You can look into consumption of energy by source, fossil fuels consumed by electric utilities, motor gasoline retail price and natural gas production. These are just some of the many topics available. Or, instead of selecting Energy Statistics, pick Monetary Statistics and look into the day's foreign exchange rates! There are lots of holes to explore on this InfoPath Gopher so try out several.
Jeane Strub, jstrub@lanl.gov
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6. Training Opportunities in the Library
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A major revision of our training schedule has taken effect for June. We are now going to
focus on subject areas modelling the Laboratory's core competencies. The training will no
longer focus on a product line or an individual database but how different resources can
be used to gather information on one specific theme.
Library tours or orientations have been scheduled for June. These are for new and old Laboratory employees. Come see where the books are this week or what new database is available.
Marie Harper, mharper@lanl.gov
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7. June Training Opportunities
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Date: Database
1: Melvyl (UC's online catalog & associated databases;
11 am) 1: Library Orientation (1 pm)
2: Chemical Resources (1 pm)
3: Business Periodical Resources (10:30 am)
6: Business Periodical Resources (1 pm)
7: Physics/Weapons Sciences Resources (1 pm)
8: Melvyl (UC's online catalog & associated databases; 11 am)
8: Library Orientation (1 pm) (no reservation necessary)
9: Information Sources on the Internet via Gopher (10-N)
9: Earth and Environmental Systems (1 pm)
10: Business Periodical Resources (10:30 am)
13: Business Periodical Resources (1 pm)
14: High-Performance and Super Computing (1 pm)
15: Melvyl (UC's online catalog & associated databases; 11 am)
15: Library Orientation (1 pm) (no reservation necessary)
16: Materials /Engineering Resources(1 pm)
17: Business Periodical Resources (10:30 am)
20: Business Periodical Resources (1 pm)
21: Bioscience and Biotechnology Resources (1 pm)
22: Melvyl (UC's online catalog & associated databases; 11 am)
22: Library Orientation (1 pm) (no reservation necessary)
23: Information Sources on the Internet via Gopher (10-N)
23: Analysis and Assessment Resources (1 pm)
24: Business Periodical Resources (10:30 am)
27: Business Periodical Resources (1 pm)
28: Multidisciplinary Science Citation Index (1 pm)
29: Melvyl (UC's online catalog & associated databases; 11 am)
29: Library Orientation (1 pm) (no reservation necessary)
30: Physics/Weapons Sciences Resources (1 pm)
Sessions begin at times indicated and will last approximately 30 minutes, except the
Internet sources which is 2 hours. Please call the Research Desk at 7-5809 or e-mail
ref@lanl.gov for reservations for all sessions except the tours, to arrange a special
session or tour or for more information.
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