December 2006 Archives

If you have already downloaded Connexion client 1.7, you may have noticed a few changes to your toolbar. One of the new features is a google-like Search WorldCat box that displays under your toolbar on a second line. To turn this feature off, go to the View menu, then Toolbars, then uncheck WorldCat Quick Search.

If you have extra grey space on your toolbar, or you would like to try and fit everything on one line, you can grab any section of the toolbar by mousing over the dividers (those faint greyed out dots), clicking when you see the plus sign, and dragging the sections around.

To those of you who use many toolbar icons (more than one row), your extra toolbar icons that will not fit on one line will now be accessible via a drop-down menu on the far right of your toolbar. The wraparound feature that was available in Connexion client 1.6 is not available in 1.7. To view some additional tips on how to keep all your toolbar buttons visible, check out the document below:

Toolbar Tips

For more Connexion Client tips and to learn about the new features, attend a free Connexion Client 1.7 Update webinar:

Register for Connexion Client 1.7 Update

On December 1, the Library of Congress announced the establishment of a Working Group on the Future of Bibliographic Control:

Advances in search-engine technology, the popularity of the Internet and the influx of electronic information resources have greatly changed the way libraries do their work. To address those changes, the Library of Congress has convened a Working Group on the Future of Bibliographic Control to examine the future of bibliographic description in the 21st century."

It will definitely be worth keeping an eye on the activities of this group -- their report will carry a lot of clout.

Are you still perplexed by RDA (Resource Description and Access), the new cataloging code currently in development? If so, you might want to look at an excellent article in the October issue of the online journal Ariadne. “RDA: A New International Standard,” by Ann Chapman, gives a clear explanation of why RDA is needed, what it will be (without going into lengthy detail), and the progress to date. This is a British publication, so you’ll see cataloging spelled with a “u,” and references to the “Anglo” side of the Anglo-American Cataloging Rules. You’ll also get an excellent idea of the international aspect of RDA, and on the whole, you will likely come away with a much better understanding of what the new code is all about.

Access RDA: A New International Standard