All Posts By

Greg Argo

Redesigned Library Website Coming to You on January 27

Beginning January 27th, you will be welcomed to a redesigned website for the St.Thomas Libraries built from input by students and faculty. The site will be streamlined for easier navigation, will position the most popular services front and center, and will feature a contemporary feel aligned with other St. Thomas websites.

Here’s a look at the new home page and it’s main sections:

Image of Library Home Page

Quicklinks: View personalized, course-relevant resources in MyLibrary, reserve a study room or studio, and place an Interlibrary Loan request.
Navigation Categories: Explore the five main areas: Research & Explore, Services, Location & Hours, About, and Ask a Librarian.
Search & Find: Find academic resources via various tools.
Library Hours: Look up hours for all four libraries and various service areas within the OSF Library.

These sections can be broken down further:

Image of Library Home Page

More detail for the Navigation Categories section:

1a. Research & Explore: Connect with academic sources and Librarians.

1b. Services: Connect with library staff to collaborate on services like library instruction and course materials services.

1c. Locations & Hours: Look up our libraries’ physical locations and open hours.

1d. About: Find out what drives the libraries, connect with library staff, and learn about opportunities to support the Libraries.

1e. Ask a Librarian: Connect with helpful staff in-person, and via live chat, email, and phone.

More detail for the Search & Find section:

2a. Choose where to search: e.g., LibrarySearch catalog, Journals list, Databases list, Music & Media, Research Guides, Archives, or the Library website.

2b. Choose what to search by: e.g., keyword, title, ISBN, ISSN, subject.

2c. Enter your search terms.

As always, you can connect with us with questions via Ask a Librarian on our website.

January 16, 2023 by Greg Argo

Services

More Improvements Coming to LibrarySearch and Interlibrary Loan

Hopefully you noticed the changes we made this summer which simplified Interlibrary Loan options and expanded content available to request within LibrarySearch. We’re rolling out more improvements at the beginning of the new year on January 4. New request options will look something like this:

described new request options for ILL

There will also be a new method in LibrarySearch to expand your options beyond just what St. Thomas and our consortium has available. If your search turns up empty, try the new options to expand your search at the top of your search results:

expand your search message

This expansion of your search will give you citations for most academic journal articles, books chapters from a large number of electronic books, and – new in January – physical items of partner libraries in our new national network. The new best way to make ILL requests is to “expand your search” and request directly from the citation with the new request options. It saves you time since you don’t have to manually enter data, which also makes your request more accurate and likely to be filled more quickly by our partner libraries.

Speaking of partner libraries, we are also now participating in a new network for digital requests with an average turnaround time under 24 hours.

There are many benefits to you from the new changes:

Know how quickly your interlibrary loan request will be delivered
Know how long you can keep physical items from interlibrary loan
Receive your digital requests faster: normally within 24 hours
Navigate LibrarySearch easier with a better visual layout for requesting options
Request from a citation in LibrarySearch to avoid time spent on manual data entry; data is pulled automatically from the citation
Search a much larger expanded index which now includes physical materials
Access all of your loans and requests in one library account, your LibrarySearch account
Download interlibrary loan digital materials directly from your library account under “Requests”

Let us know what you think of our new changes at libillosf@stthomas.edu.

December 16, 2021 by Greg Argo

Services

New Interface for Interlibrary Loan Requests

Beginning July 7, the interface for interlibrary loan (ILL) requests will switch from ILLiad to LibrarySearch (previously known as CLICsearch) as part of the migration to our new consortium MnPALS. Existing ILL loans will still be visible through the legacy ILLiad interface; This view-only access to your ILLiad account will be phased out at the end of the year.

Integrating the ILL functionality into the catalog allows:

One library account: All your requests going forward will be consolidated and visible in LibrarySearch
Easier requesting: find the citation in our large search index and place requests without entering data manually
Faster fulfillment: Joining MnPALS means more direct connections to more libraries on a shared courier, including CLIC Libraries, University of Minnesota, Minnesota State University Mankato, and more.

The interlibrary loan form will be available on items in the catalog which we don’t own, as a blank form at the top of the catalog, and in its current location on the library Website under Quicklinks.

Requests can be managed in LibrarySearch under your library account under the Requests tab. You can limit the view by Request Type, or view all your different types of requests (holds on St. Thomas items, digitization requests on St. Thomas physical materials, and interlibrary loan requests).

Library Account showing where to find ILL requests you have placed

More improvements will be implemented later this year, including the addition of an extended index which will include physical materials for libraries beyond our consortium, 24-hour turnaround time for article and book requests on weekdays, and transparency in requesting terms (how many days you can have the material and how long will it take to receive) and fulfillment steps that mirror familiar e-commerce features.

July 7, 2021 by Greg Argo

CLICsearch, News & Events

Requesting and Account Services in CLICsearch Unavailable From June 7 to July 7

CLICsearch_pos

The libraries are moving to a new consortium (MnPALS) and a new library system this summer. This means that from June 7 – July 7 some of the online library functions will be unavailable. You will not be able to check your account (starting June 14th) or place requests online through CLICsearch (starting June 7th), however books can still be checked out and electronic resources like eBooks and streaming media can still be found and accessed. Starting July 7, CLICsearch will become “LibrarySearch” and you will be able to access your library account and request items online.

Specific changes are below:

Can I check out physical items from the library during this time?
Yes! You will be able to find and check out books from the library.
What if I have books that are due during this time?
Due dates will be extended during this period. If you want to renew your items, this service will be available again after July 7.
Can I place a hold on library materials?
Yes, you can place a hold on St. Thomas Libraries materials, but you will need to call the Circulation Desk to do this.
Can I check my account online during this time to see what I have checked out and when it’s due?
No.
Can I request items from other schools?
Yes, you will need to use ILLiad to do this.
What about access to electronic materials during this time?
Yes, access should continue during this period. On July 7, CLICsearch will become LibrarySearch and there will be a period of around one week during which search results for electronic materials will be incomplete.

Questions? Contact Greg Argo at gargo@stthomas.edu.

May 10, 2021 by Greg Argo

Circulation, Services

Physical Course Reserves COVID-19 Policy

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused changes which affect our physical course reserves services as on campus classes resume. To keep library patrons and staff safe, the Libraries’ policy is to quarantine all materials that have been used for 72 hours, as recommended by the CDC and IMLS, who are performing studies determining how long the virus is detectable on various library materials. We will still offer a physical reserves option, but the quick turnaround of one copy for multiple users will no longer be possible, and therefore reduce the benefit of using physical Course Reserves.

All physical Course Reserves materials will be quarantined after each use for 72 hours with no exceptions.

Some strategies faculty and the Libraries should use to mitigate the need for physical Course Reserves during the pandemic are included below. For help with any of these services, find contact info for course materials staff at our different libraries.

Choose an alternative reading or video from our electronic and streaming collections. Your subject liaison librarian can help.
If we can buy an electronic version of the title requested, we will and will offer that instead of the physical version.
For books, if only a fair use portion of the work would suffice, we will digitize that portion instead of checking out the material. This will not apply to videos or audio. Contact the Head of the Music & Media Collections for help cbadillame@sthomas.edu with questions about media.
If the material is in print and available for purchase, students should be encouraged to purchase their own copy.
Instructor personal copies can be added as additional copies available for checkout.
Our Course Materials staff are available to work with you to create a Resource List with electronic materials and make it available in your Canvas course.

August 5, 2020 by Greg Argo

A library staff member wearing a mask gives a patron a book via a cart during COVID-19

Circulation, CLICsearch

Circulation Procedures During Library Building Closure

The library buildings are closed due to COVID-19 safety precautions, but we can still loan you physical materials if you are able to come to the library to pick them up. Here is what you need to know:

Place hold request(s) for St. Thomas items in CLICsearch. If the item has no request option, it cannot be requested. Call if you’d like assistance: (651) 962-5494. Sorry, no walk-up requests can be accepted. Only library staff may be in the library buildings at this time.
Wait to receive an email in your St. Thomas email inbox letting you know your request is ready to be scheduled for pickup. The email will include instructions about the pickup location and how to arrange a pickup time. * Note that we currently have no courier service to deliver books between the different libraries, so you will have to pick up items from their home library location.
Call to schedule a pickup time between 10 AM and 2 PM Monday through Friday. It may take up to 2 business days to process your request. Same-day service is unlikely.
Come to the library location to pickup materials, and follow the instructions you’ve been provided via email to let staff know you are here to pickup your materials. Procedures may vary depending on pickup location.
Follow instructions to return materials. Books can be deposited in the book drops at the OSF and Ireland Libraries. Keffer Library items can be returned where they were picked up. Do not deposit media items like DVDs and CDs in the book drops as they can be damaged or destroyed. To return media items, come to the library between 10-2 Monday through Friday and call the number listed on the front door to return items. We will open the door for you to drop them off.

Please note:

We are following CDC guidelines on quarantining and disinfecting materials, but the ultimate responsibility for your personal safety lies with you. Books and media cases can be wiped down with disinfectant wipes. However, do not use disinfectant wipes on CDs and DVDs.
It is recommended to quarantine your items for 24 hours before using.
CLIC items are not available for request.
Circulation is currently only available for current St. Thomas Faculty, Staff, and Students.

May 9, 2020 by Greg Argo

Screenshot of error stating items cannot be requested

CLICsearch

Requesting resources in CLICsearch from another CLIC Library is not currently functioning – RESOLVED

UPDATE 11/11/2018 @ 11:00 pm CST: The issue has been resolved

Requesting resources in CLICsearch from another CLIC Library is not currently functioning. Upon submission, it is serving the error: “Failed to place a request on the resource. Please contact the library.”

Library staff can still place the request for CLIC materials for you via the backend of our system. For now, contact a circulation desk to request an item be requested from a CLIC Library on your behalf:

O’Shaughnessy-Frey Library
651-962-5494

Charles J. Keffer Library
651-962-4642

Archbishop Ireland Memorial Library
651-962-5450

Schoenecker Law Library
651-962-4900

circulation@stthomas.edu

Please include as much information as possible, including title, barcode, your name, UST ID#, and CLICsearch URL.

Note: Requesting UST materials through CLICsearch is still functional.

We will update this space as the vendor provides details about a fix.

November 6, 2018 by Greg Argo

Group study 321 in OSF featuring a SMART Board

O'Shaughnessy-Frey Library

SMART Boards among new technology in O’Shaughnessy-Frey group study rooms

Based on student feedback for “More STELAR-like spaces” and seeing students hanging around the STELAR (St. Thomas E-Learning and Resource) center on the lower level of O’Shaughnessy-Frey, the libraries partnered with ITS to upgrade some of its group study spaces.

Six rooms were picked for upgrades. These upgrades include webcams, wireless keyboards, wireless mice and large wall mounted displays for group collaboration. Rooms 321 and 322 each received SMART Boards. Room 110, next to Stacks Café, received a computer for two large dual monitors. The three rooms opened for student use on Tuesday, September 12th. Rooms 312B, 421, and 422 will become available later in the week. These rooms will be compatible with webcams and will feature 60-inch screens in a conference room style layout.

All the upgrades were inspired to better facilitate group work and student collaboration. Students using large group rooms will no longer have to huddle around a small screen or be tied to a computer in the corner of the room. Students now can pass control around the table, enhancing participation and encourage new ideas. Now that the rooms are equipped with video capabilities, programs such as Zoom can be used when needed.

Two group rooms in Keffer Library on Minneapolis campus have large screen and webcam technologies as well. This will bring a greater consistency to the collaborative student experience across the two campuses.

Reserve a group study at any one of our locations today!

September 12, 2018 by Greg Argo

Higher Education, Services

Reduce Course Materials Costs: We’ll Help

Textbook prices have been increasing at a greater rate than the Consumer Price Index for the last three decades, but the rate of increase has itself taken a dramatic upturn in the new century as shown in this graph based on Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Census data:

Comparison of textbook costs to the Consumer Price Index over time

This dramatic increase is leading to students deciding not to purchase course materials, which negatively impacts student learning. According to the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) study, Fixing the Broken Textbook Market:

The average student spends $1,200 on textbooks per year.
65% of students said that they had decided against buying a textbook/coursepack because it was too expensive.
82% of students felt they would do significantly better in a course if the textbook/coursepack was available free online and buying a hard copy was optional.

The future doesn’t have to be bleak. There are a couple of options to reduce or even potentially eliminate course costs for students for a course:

Open Educational Resources (OER) – There are a wide variety of freely available textbooks and other open courseware that can be customized, repurposed, or used as-is for a course. The library suggests places to find these on the Textbook Alternatives Research Guide.
Resource Lists Canvas Add-on – Since January, the University Libraries and STELAR have worked together to offer a Canvas add-on that allows instructors to create, manage, and deliver lists of course materials in Canvas. This system can be utilized to make course materials more affordable because the Resource Lists system filters the readings through existing library holdings which have already be licensed or purchased by the library. Learn more about Resource Lists, see the how-to documentation, or contact Greg Argo at gargo@stthomas.edu if you’re interested in using it for an upcoming course.

April 25, 2018 by Greg Argo

CLICsearch

CLICsearch FAQ

Improve our FAQ by asking us questions via our CLICsearch feedback form.

About CLICsearch

What can I find in CLICsearch?
CLICsearch provides simple, one-stop searching for books, articles, videos, recordings, and more. Included in your search are physical books and other materials (DVDs, scores, etc.) from the CLIC libraries’ collections plus millions of electronic books and journal articles from many of the scholarly publishers and database vendors (like ProQuest, Sage, and JSTOR) to which St. Thomas subscribes.
What is the meaning of the different search scopes CLIC + Online, CLIC Catalog, Online Only, and Course Reserves?
- CLIC + Online: Searches the physical materials of all CLIC libraries (books, CDs, etc.) plus St. Thomas’s online resources
- CLIC Catalog: Searches all CLIC libraries’ physical materials (books, CDs, etc.), streaming audio and video, and some ebooks
- Course Reserves: Searches any type of material put on reserve by professors
- UST Digital Collections: Searches UST Research Online, a repository of scholarly and creative works created or sponsored by UST faculty, students, and staff, plus selected digitized content from the UST Libraries collections
How do I perform a more targeted search using CLICsearch?
Post-search you can refine your results using the options on the left side of the results. Or use the options in the Advanced Search.

How do I [insert your task here] in CLICsearch?

1. How do I sign into my CLICsearch account and renew materials?
CLICsearch Sign-In Graphic

Why should I sign in?
Signing in allows you to:

View Full-Text of licensed content
Renew loans
Place requests
Access your library record
Save searches for future retrieval
Save records to your folder
Display additional journal database records

2. How do I open the full text of an article?
If you click on the “Full Text available” link in a record, you will be taken to a CLICsearch record for the item. Click on the link under “View it online” which mentions the name of the database to go to the full text.

3. How do I request materials from other CLIC libraries?
Click on the “Check Holdings” link in a result, you will be taken to a CLICsearch record describing the item. Look for the “REQUEST OPTIONS” section on this page for the link to request the item from another library.

April 11, 2017 by Greg Argo