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Himmelfarb Headlines: Director's Desk

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Director's Desk

Laura Abate

While it still looks and feels wintry outside, I think many of us are looking forward to spring.  In the library, there are signs of a fresh start as users settle into a recently updated study space on the 1st floor.  The study alcove which until recently housed workspaces with desktop computers, has been updated with shared high-top study tables which provide access to electric and USB plugs as well as comfortable rolling stools.  The space seems to be working well as users sat down, plugged in, and got to work as soon as the tables and chairs were in place!  Please stop by Himmelfarb to check out this new study area!

Library staff are finding new ways to use existing research tools like the Dimensions Analytics database.  This resource has been harnessed at GW to track faculty publications by departmental groups; additional groups are also available in the ‘shared group’ areas and allow users to explore GW’s market basket schools.  Dimensions has a bit of a learning curve to navigate, but offers a rich data environment to explore connections in research.  For example, you can search by a topic to identify researchers, funders, and institutions globally with research in that area, or focus the search to GW to find local collaborators and funded research.  To learn more about Dimensions, be sure to check out the video produced by Himmelfarb’s Scholarly Communications Committee: Dimensions Analytics: An Introduction.

And, in a continuing effort to improve our systems for our users, the library’s catalog interface was modified to expand the default search scope.  The default search scope now includes materials, primarily books, owned by other libraries in the local academic library consortium of which GW is a member, and GW affiliates can request to borrow those materials at no charge and have the books delivered to Himmelfarb or the VSTC Library.  This change will remain in place through the spring, after which we will assess whether it should be implemented permanently.  You can read more about the change and ordering materials from consortium libraries on Himmelfarb’s blog: Library Catalog Change Expands Results for Users

Finally, Himmelfarb Library recently launched a new presence on LinkedIn which is designed for GW faculty - and where we plan to share research and scholarly communications information.  Please access the Paul Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library on LinkedIn and follow us!

Many thanks,

Laura Abate