Ka-Neng Au
Microcomputer Coordinator
John Cotton Dana Library
Annual Report
FY1995/96

Highlight | CIF | CD-ROMs | Publications | Presentations | Webpages | Duties | Goals | Statistics

HIGHLIGHT

With monies from the New Jersey Equipment Leasing Fund, Dana Library obtained its own Novell network server, a new CD-ROM server with 21 drives, and several computers for instructional use by librarians. As a result, library staff no longer have to login to the server at the Libraries' Technical Services Building. The CD-ROM server will support databases that will be accessible both from the Reference Office and from the Reference Area.

COORDINATED INSTRUCTIONAL FACILITIES

This program, run by Rutgers University Computing Services-Newark, allows the Dana Library to have several student assistants available to serve library users of electronic resources, as well as computer hardware upgrades when necessary. In return, computer workstations are available to students for non-library academic computing activities when they are not in use as CD-ROM workstations and INFO terminals. Applications software available include word processing and spreadsheet programs; students can also do e-mail and access the Internet.

Dana Library continued to benefit from the presence of the student assistants in the Reference Area. During the school year, the students provided approximately 70 hours a week of coverage; student assistants were also on duty during the Summer months, for about 45 hours a week. New hires this year were Vincent Kong, Brian Tan, Simon Tsang, and Avi Wadhwa. They joined Jose Oriundo, Shirley Ortiz, Krupa Patel, George Repich, and Alex Volkov. from last year, and answered well over 4,000 queries.

In the Summer of 1996, six new computers (3 Pentiums, 3 PowerMacs) were installed in the Reference Area. As a result, library users have access to the networked CD-ROM databases from twenty four workstations. Three of these were replacement machines and the others were new computers, including one for the student assistant.

CD-ROM COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT

The collection grew to more than 270 titles this year; some multimedia databases were relocated to the Media Department. Notable acquisitions of the year included several full-text databases:
Asia Pacific Commerce 96

Budget of the United States Government

OTA Legacy: 1972-1995

U.S. Global Trade Outlook 1995-2000

Additional titles continued to stream in from the Government Printing Office, including more detailed reports from the 1990 Census of Population and Housing Subject Summary Tape Files, data sets from the 1992 Economic Censuses, and data sets from the Center for Disease Control.

SCHOLARSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

I had two newsletter articles published during the year:
Au, Ka-Neng. "Internet Resources for Electronic Commerce," SBDC Technology Help Desk Calendar of Events, 4, 1 (January-February 1996) p. 2-3. Also accessible as a Webpage on Rutgers INFO, URL= http://newark.rutgers.edu/~au/njfour.html)

Au, Ka-Neng. "Web and Gopher Resources for International Business," SBDC Technology Help Desk Calendar of Events, 3, 4 (November-December 1995) p. 2. (Also accessible as a Webpage on Rutgers INFO, URL= http://newark.rutgers.edu/~au/njthree.html)

I also wrote one book review:

Au, Ka-Neng. Review of "Hands-On Mosaic: A Tutorial for Windows Users," by David Sachs and Henry Stair, (Prentice Hall, 1995), Information Technology and Libraries, 14, 3 (September 1995), p. 210.

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS AND WORKSHOPS

I gave presentations on three occasions:
Au, Ka-Neng. "Introduction to the Internet for the Aging Network". Essex County Division on Aging CFP Meeting, Newark, NJ, March 15, 1996.

Au, Ka-Neng. "Using the Internet". New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants, Middlesex/Somerset Chapter, East Brunswick, NJ, February 13, 1996.

Au, Ka-Neng. "Doing Business on the Internet." New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners, Hudson County Chapter, Secaucus, NJ, September 27, 1995.

I also conducted the following workshops:

Au, Ka-Neng. "The Realities of CD-ROM Networking". Rutgers School of Communication, Information and Library Studies, Professional Development Studies Program, Cherry Hill, NJ, June 5, 1996.

Au, Ka-Neng. "Introduction to the Internet". Rutgers School of Communication, Information and Library Studies, Professional Development Studies Program, Piscataway, NJ, December 13, 1995.

Au, Ka-Neng. "Internet Tools: Web Browsers and All That". INFOLINK, Newark, NJ November 21, 1995.

Au, Ka-Neng. "The Realities of Networking CD-ROMs." Rutgers School of Communication, Information and Library Studies, Professional Development Studies Program, Newark, NJ, November 15, 1995.

Perkins, Steve, and Ka-Neng Au. "Internet Tools." INFOLINK, Piscataway, NJ, October 26, 1995.

Perkins, Steve, Ka-Neng Au, and Dave Hoover. "Developing and Submitting Web Pages for INFO Library." RUL Human Resources Development Program, New Brunswick, NJ, September 19 & 27, 1995. (A Two-part Workshop).

WEBPAGES

I maintain six Webpages or subject homepages on the Rutgers Libraries portion on INFO. Two were recently revised and one was created this year:
Au, Ka-Neng. "Stock and Commodity Exchanges", a Webpage on Rutgers INFO, created April 1996, 140 links. (URL=http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rulib/socsci/busi/stocks.html)

Au, Ka-Neng. "Banks and Financial Services", a Webpage on Rutgers INFO, created March 1995; last revised April 1996, 140 links. (URL=http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rulib/socsci/busi/banks.html)

Au, Ka-Neng, and Theo Haynes. "Rutgers University Libraries Business Resources Homepage", a Webpage on Rutgers INFO, created November 1994; last revised April 1996, 160 links. (URL=http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rulib/socsci/busi/business.html)

I also maintain several Webpages that serve as an introduction the Business resources on the Internet; these pages are part of the Rutgers-Newark section of INFO. The URL of the Table of Contents is http://newark.rutgers.edu/~au/bustoc.html. The Dana Library webpage is still under development.

DUTIES

As the Microcomputer Systems Librarian, I have overall responsibility in evaluating, selecting, recommending, installing, and maintaining all microcomputer software and hardware. This year, the total number of machines in Newark rose to 98 as a result of the Equipment Leasing Fund (see Table A). More will shortly be made available for instructional use; an Electronic Classroom is being built on the Lower Level, with a capacity for 30 workstations.

I completed my term of office as an elected member of the Standing Advisory Committee for Technical and Automated Services, as the Newark representative to the Coordinating Committee, and as an appointed member of the Appointments and Promotions Committee. I also stepped down as the Chair of the PC Working Group of the University Libraries, after holding that position for five years.

GOALS & OBJECTIVES FOR FY1996/97

To implement new networking configurations for the building, especially for the Electronic Classroom on the lower level.

To continue to improve the computer literacy of library staff

Table A:
SELECTED STATISTICS


                                    FY90/91   FY91/92   FY92/93   FY93/94   FY94/95   FY95/96
Microcomputers
Lower Level:
Technical Services Dept                   3         2         2         2         2         4
Serials Department                        1         3         3         3         4         4
Copy Services                             1         1         2         2         3         1
Bibliographic Instruction                 2         2         2         1         1         2

First Floor:
Reference Office                          5         5         5         6        10        11
Reference Department                     29        30        23        25        31        36
ILL Office                                1         1         2         2         3         3
Circulation Department                    2         2         2         2         5         5
Administrative Office                     1         3         3         3         3         3

Second Floor:
Stacks                                    0         0         2         2         0         0

Fourth Floor:
Institute of Jazz Studies                 3         3         3         3         4         5
Media Services                            0         0         0         0         0        15

15 Washington St:
Criminal Justice Collection               7         9         9         9         9         9

Totals                                   55        61        58        60        75        98

Networked_(LAN)_Microcomputers
Dana Library:  
              Public machines            14        14        11        16        21        40
              Staff machines              0         0         0         4        11        15

Institute of Jazz Studies:
              Staff machines              0         0         0         0         0         2

Criminal Justice Library:
              Public machines             0         6         8         8         8         8
              Staff machines              1         1         1         1         1         1

Total Networked Microcomputers           15        21        20        29        41        66

Public CD-ROM Workstations          	 18        20        18        24        24        21

CD-ROM Titles                       	 46        91       103       125       212       270
KNA: 960625