Ka-Neng Au
Systems/Business Librarian
John Cotton Dana Library
Annual Report
FY2006/2007

Highlights | Presentations | Research Guide | Webpages | Duties | Computing | Goals | Statistics

HIGHLIGHTS

I added one new section to the RUL Business Research Guide this year: Industry News and Trade Magazines.

With the assistance of two other business librarians, I edited and re-organized the Cyber Library on the Rutgers Business School's Website with several new sections covering biotechnology commercialization, pharmaceutical management, and supply chain management.

The online tutorial for undergraduate business students that I developed during my sabbatical was incorporated into an International Business course at the Rutgers Business School in both Fall 2006 and Spring 2007.

Dana Librarians contributed over three dozen new and revised library guides to support the instructional program as well as several subject research guides for the Rutgers library system.

PRESENTATIONS

I was invited to do several workshops and one conference presentation:
Au, Ka-Neng. "Market Research," Business Marketing Strategies, Planning & Implementation Workshop, NJ Small Business Development Center, Newark, NJ, June 28, 2007.

Au, Ka-Neng. "The Marketing Plan," Business Plan Writing Workshop, NJ Small Business Development Center, Newark, NJ, September 16, October 27, 2006, February 9, March 31, April 27, June 15, 2007.

Au, Ka-Neng. "Starting a Business in New Jersey: How Government Resources Can Help," Documents Association of New Jersey Annual Conference, Princeton, NJ, November 3, 2006.

BUSINESS RESEARCH GUIDE

I am the editor and primary contributor to a twenty-one-part business research guide on the Rutgers Libraries website:
Au, Ka-Neng, Theo Haynes, Wen-Hua Ren, Roberta Tipton, Ryan Womack, and Yoshiko Ishii. "Rutgers University Libraries Business Research Guide," created November 1994; last revised June 2007, --3,204 links. [http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/rr_gateway/research_guides/busi/business.shtml]


The following are part of this Research Guide:
I also edit a collection of sixteen topical guides to selected Internet resources; the Cyber Library resides on the Rutgers Business School Webserver.
Au, Ka-Neng, Roberta Tipton, and Ryan Womack. "Cyber Library," created July 2002; last revised March 2007, --244 links. [http://business.rutgers.edu/cyber/]

OTHER WEBPAGES

I had developed an online tutorial for undergraduate business students last year; the tutorial was incorporated into an International Business course (620:368) at the Rutgers Business School in both Fall 2006 and Spring 2007. resides on the campus Blackboard course management system. At RUL and at Dana, I also assist my colleagues in the development of Webpages for instructional classes and reference assistance.

Dana Librarians updated several Subject Research Guides on the RUL Website:

Dana librarians were very prolific this year and contributed many new or revised library guides to the Dana Library website:

DUTIES

As the Systems Librarian, I have overall responsibility in evaluating, selecting, and recommending microcomputer software and hardware at Dana. Christopher Singh, our computer technician, continued to provide exceptional service in installing and maintaining our computer systems.

This year, the total number of active machines in Newark was 183 (see Table A), with three additional public access computers returned to service in the Reference Area. Nine staff computers were upgraded as part of the RUL PC Replacement Plan this year; three went to Reference, two each to Circulation and IJS, and one each to Administration and Technical Services.

At RUL, I continued as Chair of the Web Advisory Committee, and served as the Newark representative to the Technical Services Council as well as the PC Working Group. This year, I completed my assignment to the Strategic Planning Steering Committee, and began an appointment to the search committee for the Director of Dana Library.

COMPUTING

The Coordinated Instructional Facilities program, run by Newark Computing Services, maintains two open access computer labs in the Dana Library. Some two dozen computer workstations are available to students for academic computing activities as well as for access to the electronic resources on the Libraries website. Applications software on the computers include two office suites, a range of course-related instructional packages, and various image-editing programs; students can also do e-mail and transfer files to and from their e-mail accounts.

LaKesha Greenaway serves as Dana Library Site Manager to oversee the staffing and operation of the labs in the Reference Area and in Media Services, and her assistant was Aalae Abul-Hua. Dana Library continued to benefit from the presence of the student lab consultants in the CIF labs. During the school year, these students provided almost 100 hours a week of coverage. Lab consultants were also on duty during the Summer months, for about 50 hours a week.

The lab consultants who worked during the past year were: Philip Accooe, Ron-Marvin Alcantara, Monica Arrington, Archie Bibawy, Stephanie Carter, Rashida Clark, Jeffrey Correa, Nickolas Falzarano, Benjamin Gerrish, Javier Guerrero, Samantha Guirnela, Gurudev Hurril, Min Kyu Jang, Healey LeCator, Roxbary Lipa, Crystal Lopez, Augustina Mozia, Arian Nakhaie, Parth Patel, Monika Punjani, Sarah Rahman, Lipi Shah, Qiqi Wang, Muhammad Yamin, and Yan Yuan. Of this group, six were new hires while eight resigned during the year.

Newark Computing Services continues to maintain two wireless networks in the building, one on the first floor and the other on the second floor. Authentication is by Rutgers email accounts and passwords. Dana Library will operate one additional wireless network on the fourth floor by fall 2007.

GOALS & OBJECTIVES FOR FY2007/08

To continue maintaining, updating, and expanding the RUL Business Research Guide

To create business information literacy tutorial modules for Blackboard

To submit an article on business resources for publication

To implement the wireless network on the fourth floor
KNA: 14 June 07