Article Express is a document delivery service of the Reference and Information Services Section of the State Library. The original version provided copies of requested articles to libraries via fax with same day service. A list of periodicals that the State Library supported, Article Express: Instructions and Periodical List, was distributed in October 1999. This list is no longer valid. Due to increased access to full text periodical databases such as ProQuest, which the State Library has made available to public and school libraries, the number of requests for articles has greatly decreased.

A new version of Article Express that supports those articles that are indexed in ProQuest but for which the full text is NOT provided is now available to public and school libraries. Requests will be made by sending a copy of the citation of the article in ProQuest for which full text is not provided to Reference and Information Services via e-mail. Upon receipt of the request, the State Library will attempt to provide a copy of the article.

To support this service, the State Library will be using a variety of resources, including full text databases and commercial document delivery services. Every attempt will be made to provide a copy of the article within 24 hours of receiving the request. However, if it is necessary to obtain a copy of the article from a commercial source, it may take up to 5 days to obtain a copy.

The cost of obtaining an article from these commercial sources at the regular service price will range from $13 to $30. An additional cost ranging from $10 to $20 for 24-hour service is charged by these sources. The State Library does not have the funds to support these additional costs. There also may be occasions when the service may not be able to provide the full text of a specific article due to excessive costs and/or lack of availability.

This service is an experiment in using not only full text databases but also commercial document delivery services to provide public and school libraries with full text support for ProQuest. The use and cost of the service will be primary factors in determining the continuation of Article Express. As with any experiment, it may be necessary to make some changes in the service to ensure that the fixed amount of funds set aside to support the service are not quickly depleted.

Instructions on how to use the new version of Article Express were sent out via e-mail on December 4, 2000, as attachments. The attachments were in two formats, Microsoft Word and plain text. Libraries that were not able to print either of these attachments will be sent a copy via the van upon request.

It should be noted that in addition to Article Express, which now supports articles cited in ProQuest, the State Library continues to provide interlibrary loan services for periodical articles that are not cited in ProQuest but are cited in other sources such as Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature. Requests can be forwarded to the State Library via e-mail (nhslill@library.state.nh.us), fax, mail, or telephone (up to 5 requests per day). If the State Library does not own the periodical, library locations will be provided. Libraries should also consider checking the online statewide union database and FirstSearch for locations of periodicals.

Libraries that do not have access to ProQuest via the state contract (e.g., private school libraries and academic libraries) may continue to use the old version of Article Express based on the Article Express: Instructions and Periodical List issued October 1999. However, this list is outdated, and there may be some periodicals on the list that the State Library can no longer support.

Please contact John McCormick at 1-800-499-1232 x1, 603-271-2060, or mccormick@library.state.nh.us if you have any questions.

New Hampshire Book Bag is a joint venture of the New Hampshire Humanities Council and the State Library, providing books and scholars for book discussion groups throughout the state. The New Hampshire Book Bag program includes over 300 titles available for loan to New Hampshire libraries.

The Humanities Council provides libraries with a catalog of book discussion series and scholars. Libraries can choose books in a thematic series and arrange for scholars to lead book discussions. For further information, or to obtain a copy of the catalog, contact the Humanities Council at 603-224-4071 or visit their website at www.nhhc.org/catalog/book/index.shtml.

In addition, the State Library has compiled an author/title list of the books available through Book Bag. This includes titles in the Humanities Council catalog, plus other titles not in any series. These titles include old and new books, fiction and nonfiction, and adult and children's books. Quantities vary from 10 copies to 100 copies of a title.

To reserve books for a discussion group, please contact Donna Gilbreth at the State Library, 1-800-499-1232 x1, 603-271-3302, or gilbreth@library.state.nh.us.

A new webpage of "Information for NH Librarians on the Children's Internet Protection Act" is available at www.state.nh.us/nhsl/ldss/cipa.html. It is also linked from the State Library homepage. We hope that this will be a good resource for current information on this rapidly changing issue of great importance to all libraries. Please contact Sue Palmatier at 1-800-462-1726, 603-788-0914, or spalmatier@library.state.nh.us with any comments, suggestions, or recommendations.

The State Library's Reference and Information Services Section is presently waiting to purchase eBook reading devices. The RCA REB 1100 (replaces the Rocket-eBook) and 1200 (replaces the Soft-book) have been available in small quantities at Best Buy. It is estimated the State Library will be able to purchase 10 of each model. Franklin has announced that they have delayed the distribution of their eBookMan device due to some software problems. They have not provided a date when it will be available. As soon as these eBook reading devices are available, multiple copies will be purchased and made available for loan to libraries. Notification to libraries will be made through the NHAIS-L and the NHAIS-ILL listservs. In the meantime, libraries can keep informed about eBooks by consulting the State Library's web page on eBooks: www.state.nh.us/nhsl/ebooks/index.html. Each week a brief summary of news about eBooks is added to the News and Developments section of the web page. For more information, please contact David Sturges at 1-800-499-1232 x1, 603-271-3302, or dsturges@library.state.nh.us.

The State Library continues the task of providing basic level library training for New Hampshire library staff. While primarily designed for those without a library degree, many of these training "modules" may be of interest as refresher or update training for librarians with experience and education. Some modules are designed to stand alone; others may be taken individually or as part of a "track" to approximate the content of a full course in the topic area. The cost for each student is $100 per module. This program is self-supporting, and this fee pays for the instructors, the texts, printing, site fees, etc. Texts for will be provided on a "book-bag" basis. They will be loaned to enrolled students for the duration of the module. Registration forms can be downloaded from www.state.nh.us/nhsl/libed/modreg.html or requested by phone or e-mail and sent by van, mail, or fax. Spring 2001 Modules are Weeding, Thinning, and Cultivating your Collection; The Reference Interview; Budgeting for the NH Public Library; and The Cataloging Track: Cataloging Overview, Descriptive Cataloging, Analytical Cataloging, and Classification. Full course descriptions are available at www.state.nh.us/nhsl/libed/modules.html. For more information, contact Tom Ladd at 1-800-462-1726, 603-788-0914, or tladd@library.state.nh.us.

The Electronic and Government Information Resources Section (EGIR) of the State Library offers a wide variety of courses to all librarians in New Hampshire. The courses are scheduled two "semesters" a year, with the spring courses running from mid-March to mid-June and the fall courses running from mid-September to mid-December. There are close to 50 courses offered each session and course topics vary widely. Topics range from basic introductory courses on Internet searching, cataloging, and Windows to specific database searching and legal, government, business, medical, and consumer information courses. In addition to holding the classes at the State Library's computer lab in Concord, classes are also offered at the North Country Office in Lancaster, as well as using the mobile lab to bring specifically requested classes to libraries, Area Library Forums, and co-ops across the state. Catalogs are mailed out twice a year several weeks prior to each session to every library and to each individual who has taken a course at the State Library.

The schedule may also be found online at www.state.nh.us/nhsl/training. Registration forms are included and can be mailed or faxed back to EGIR. Please contact Theresa Paré at 1-800-499-1232 x5, 603-271-2143, or tepare@library.state.nh.us if you have any questions.

New Hampshire's public libraries are in line for substantial donations of computers, training, and technical support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The application submitted by the State Library to the Gates Foundation on November 30th has been approved. This is the first step in qualifying New Hampshire's public libraries to be eligible for cash grants. The application outlined the members of a Public Library Leadership Coalition and described to the Gates Foundation the status of public access computing in our state, the ability of the State Library to provide technology training, and the potential for sustaining the expense of library technology.

Libraries serving communities of over 10% poverty that have not previously received a grant from the Gates Foundation will be eligible to apply for a grant. Grant applications will be distributed to eligible libraries in August 2002. In addition to individual libraries receiving high-end computers and software, New Hampshire will qualify for one training lab, which will consist of 11 networked computers. The State Librarian, in consultation with library leaders from the Coalition, will determine the placement of the lab, which must be accessible to the public. The goal is to train staff and patrons in public access computing skills. If you are planning an addition, a remodeling project, or a new library building, think about whether your facility could accommodate and support a training lab and contact Michael York, 1-800-499-1232 x8, 603-271-2397, or myork@library.state.nh.us.

Reserve, Receive, Return. Each of these steps should be done when you are borrowing materials from another library. Problems arise when people forget to note on the NHAIS system that items have been received or returned. This leaves items hanging around in the Display Status of Loaned Materials screen of lending libraries, requiring them either to live with it by paging through several screens of outdated material or to get rid of it by calling you up and asking you to follow through on your request as noted below. When the material you requested arrives, go to the NHAIS ILL menu and type the following: E[enter], [enter], the number of the item received [enter], Y[enter]. When it's time to return materials, from the ILL menu you should type: F[enter], [enter], the number of the item being returned [enter], Y[enter]. Sometimes you'll see an odd code (e.g., HSG%, HSG#, HSG*) attached to the item. In those cases, or if you have questions, contact David Harris at 1-800-499-1232 x3, 603-271-2141, or dharris@library.state.nh.us.

America's Library: The Story of the Library of Congress, 1800-2000. James Conaway; foreward by James H. Billington. Yale University Press, 2000.

Becoming a Library Teacher. Cheryl LaGuardia. Neal-Schuman, 2000.

Cultures Outside the United States in Fiction: A Guide to 2,875 Books for Librarians and Teachers, K-9. Vicki Anderson. McFarland, 1994.

An Introduction to Public Library Foundations: A Member's Guide. Compiled by Jerry Krois. Wyoming State Library, 2000.

Managing Public Access Computers: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians. Donald Barclay. Neal-Schuman, 2000.

Native Americans in Fiction: A Guide to 765 Books for Librarians and Teachers, K-9. Vicki Anderson. McFarland, 1994.

Technology and Management in Library and Information Services. F.W. Lancaster. University of Illinois Graduate School of Library and Information Science, 1997.

The NHAIS Next Generation Committee continues to work on selecting an appropriate automation system to replace our current Galaxy system. In the past several months the committee and members of the New Hampshire library community have seen demonstrations from several system vendors, including Auto-graphics, DRA, Endeavor, Epixtech, The Library Corporation, and Innovative Interfaces, Inc. The committee is now drafting an RFP, which will be sent to the NH Division of Information and Technology Management (DITM) and to the NHAIS Board for review before it is sent out to interested vendors. The final draft will be made available to the public via the web.

Governor Jeanne Shaheen released her budget on February 15 and addressed a joint session of the legislature to explain her priorities. As part of the budget request process, the State Library asked for $468,000 to replace the existing automation system (Galaxy). This item was not in the Governor's capital budget. Although this was a disappointment, it is not uncommon for items that eventually get into the state's final budget to not be included in the Governor's budget. This was the case in the last biennium with the database licensing project. Working with Senators and Representatives, this project was partially funded by the state. Federal funds were used to supplement the state funding to cover the full cost of the databases. The same approach may be necessary in order to purchase the next automation system for the union catalog. This may have an impact on the State Library's ability to provide direct grants to New Hampshire libraries from its federal allocation. The State Library will keep the library community informed about the progress of the state budget.

In the meantime, there are three things that you should do now to get ready for the new NHU-PAC:

1. Get on the Web - The new NHU-PAC will have a web-based interface, regardless of which vendor is chosen. Now is a good time for your library to set up access to the World Wide Web if you don't already.

2. Be an advocate for this project with your state government - The funding for this project has to go through several steps before it is approved, and your support will be extremely important throughout the process. Tell your state legislators (and Governor Shaheen) why this project is important to you and to your community.

3. Watch the web page for more information (www.state.nh.us/nhsl/nhupac). If you have questions about the progress of this project, want to read the RFP, or want to check out the vendors that are being considered, the web page is the place to go. You can also find contact information for the members of the Next Generation Committee here if you have questions or concerns that are not addressed by the web page.

Please don't hesitate to call the NHAIS Help Desk at 603-271-2141 when you run into trouble using the system. For several months now Galaxy has been fairly reliable but it certainly has its moments, and we count on you to let us know when something's wrong.

Even if you don't get a notice that says you have 2673 new mail messages every time you log onto NHAIS, you may have many old messages still hanging around on the Lilac server. To check, choose 6 from the NHAIS main menu. At the MAIL prompt, type DIR. If you get a message about a folder not existing, you should be fine. If you get a list of messages you'd like to delete, type (e.g.) D 1-29 to get rid of messages 1 through 29. At the next MAIL prompt, type PURGE to free up the space on our server. Type E to exit the mail module and return to the NHAIS main menu. If you do get a message that says you have 2673 new mail messages every time you log onto NHAIS, let Network Services take care of it. Contact David Harris at 1-800-499-1232 x3, 603-271-2141, or dharris@library.state.nh.us.

NHewLINK is a new service of the New Hampshire State Library that provides access to databases for various New Hampshire libraries. Libraries have access to the databases at no cost. The funding for this project comes from a combination of state and federal sources. NHewLINK currently provides libraries with access to ProQuest, a general interest periodical database from Bell & Howell, and Library Literature from H.W. Wilson. Visit the website at www.nhewlink.state.nh.us or contact the Electronic and Government Information Resources Section, 1-800-499-1232 x5 or 603-271-2143/2425, for more information. A limited number of brochures, bookmarks, pens, and pencils remain available to be distributed to libraries. Please let us know if you'd like more.

ProQuest is available to all public libraries, as well as every publicly supported school in the state. To date, almost 375 libraries and schools have taken advantage of this program. Public libraries have unlimited ProQuest Discovery, which includes 2,300 general interest magazines, 1,500 full-text, covering a wide range of subject areas, including arts, business, education, health, law, and more. Additional databases include ABI/INFORM Select for in-depth coverage of business information, National Newspapers for the full text of five newspapers, including the New York Times, and a reference collection that includes resources such as the World Book Encyclopedia. Access is available from any workstation within the library as well as remote patron access. Schools serving students grades 9-12 have unlimited access to ProQuest Platinum, which is a comprehensive reference database package that includes full text for over 1,300 titles for students, teachers, and administrators. Additional databases include ABI/INFORM Select for in-depth coverage of business information, National Newspapers for the full text of five newspapers, including the New York Times, and a reference collection that includes resources such as the World Book Encyclopedia. Access is available from any workstation within the school building (library, labs, classrooms) as well as for remote students, faculty, and staff use. The State Library also provides faculty and staff access to ProQuest Platinum for every public elementary and middle school in the state. While the product is not age appropriate for the students in these schools, it is useful resource for teachers and administrators to use in planning and curriculum development.

Library Literature Full-Text - Library Literature is a bibliographic database that indexes articles and book reviews from major library and information science periodicals. Full-text coverage for selected periodicals begins in 1994. Library Literature is not intended for remote patron access. While the license does not prohibit patron access, the intended audience is librarians. Because the State Library only contracted for a limited number (8) of simultaneous users, providing patron access causes it to be unavailable to library staff.

Username

concord

Password

stnh126169

Please contact Theresa Pare at 1-800-499-1232 x5, 603-271-2143, or tepare@library.state.nh.us if you have any questions.

The Network Services Section at the State Library has recently received a few calls from libraries that have sent in request slips to have their holdings added to the NHU-PAC and received orange slips back asking for help in identifying the correct MARC record for their item. Because many items are published in a variety of formats and sometimes in variations of the same format, we cannot always be certain which of the MARC records we locate on the NHU-PAC or on OCLC's WorldCat is the one for your library's item. Please take the time to send back the requested information (usually a photocopy of the title page and verso or other cataloging source data) so that we can make the NHU-PAC as complete and accurate a reflection of the holdings of New Hampshire's libraries as possible. Sending us the requested information also allows us to enhance NHU-PAC records with additional information such as ISBN's that were not part of the original OCLC record. We appreciate your help in making the NHU-PAC a better resource for all. Please contact Mary Russell at 1-800-499-1232 x3, 603-271-2141, or mmartin@library.state.nh.us if you have any questions.

Preservation Assistance Grants are available through the National Endowment for the Humanities to help libraries, archives, museums, and historical organizations enhance their capacity to preserve their humanities collections. Applicants may request support for general preservation assessments or consultations with preservation professionals to develop a specific plan for addressing an identified problem. Awards will also be made to attend preservation training workshops and to purchase basic preservation supplies, equipment, and storage furniture.

To be eligible for a Preservation Assistance Grant, your organization must be a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization or institution; care for and own humanities collections; have at least one professional staff member or the full time equivalent, whether paid or unpaid; and be open and provide services or programs at least 120 days per year.

The Endowment encourages applications from institutions that have never received an NEH grant. Awards will be made nationwide, but as part of an Extending the Reach initiative, special consideration will be given to applicants in jurisdictions that have been identified as underserved by NEH. These include Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Idaho, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. However, last year, the majority of applications received were funded.

Applications must be received at NEH by April 3 for a project to begin no earlier than September. A grant period may run from three months to one year. Grants up to $5,000 will be awarded.

Activities that can be supported through a Preservation Assistance Grant include general preservation or conservation assessments that help an institution identify its overall preservation needs and develop a long-range, prioritized plan to address those needs; consultations with preservation professionals to develop a plan to address a previously identified problem; attendance at preservation workshops and training programs; the purchase of preservation supplies, equipment, and storage furniture--applicants who request funding for the purchase of storage furniture must demonstrate that the request is based on a completed preservation assessment or a specialized consultation with a preservation professional. NEH will pay for consultant fees, travel and per diem; registration fees, travel and per diem for staff to attend preservation workshops; the purchase of basic preservation supplies such as permanent and durable folders, boxes, photo sleeves, and other materials needed to store collections; equipment for monitoring environmental conditions; and storage cabinets, map cases, and shelving made of stable and durable materials.

NEH will not pay for projects that focus on collections that fall outside of the humanities; staff salaries and fringe benefits; digitization of collections or the purchase of computers, scanners, or digital cameras; conservation or restoration treatments or the purchase of conservation or restoration treatment supplies and equipment; graduate level training or attendance at the regular meetings of preservation or conservation organizations; or capital improvements to buildings and building systems.

Grant applications and further guidelines are available at NEHs website, www.neh.gov, or by calling 202-606-8570.

On January 31, the staff of the State Library said farewell to Eileen Keim, Supervisor of the Library Services to Persons with Disabilities Section. Eileen began her career at the State Library in 1969 and was the supervisor of this section from its inception in 1970. Much was accomplished during Eileen's tenure. The section currently serves about 2300 clients, and Eileen has many loyal friends, a number of whom made it to the reception to honor her, in spite of icy weather. Eileen's retirement plans include some travel to Central America, as well as Spanish-language courses. We wish Eileen all the best and hope she will come and visit us when she is not off to exotic places.

In January, Sue Palmatier was appointed Supervisor of the Library Development Services Section of the State Library. Sue started working at the State Library in 1975 in the Keene District Office as a consultant. From 1981 to 1982, she was based in Concord at the State Library's Southern Regional Office. In late 1982, Sue moved to the North Country Office in Twin Mountain to provide consulting services; after a few years at the Rocks Estate in Bethlehem, that office is now in Lancaster. In her twenty-five years at the State Library, Sue has helped countless libraries plan additions and gain more space from existing structures. She has helped many boards of trustees develop long-range plans and has helped many libraries form Friends groups. We welcome Sue and hope that she enjoys serving as the permanent head of Library Development Services.

Mark your calendar! New Hampshire librarians have been invited to Washington by Congressman Charles Bass. In September of 1999, thirty-seven New Hampshire librarians accepted the Congressman's invitation and had a wonderful time. During our last visit, the librarians had a tour of the U.S. Capitol Building and the Library of Congress. We met Dr. James Billington, Librarian of Congress, and spoke with the staff members of the American Memory project. If you are interested in going to Washington for a one-day visit on September 23, 2001, the cost will be approximately $100.00. We will leave early in the morning from the Manchester Airport and will return to Manchester by approximately 8:00 pm the same day. Contact Darlene Reinhard at 1-800-499-1232 x4, 603-271-2866, or darlene@library.state.nh.us.