Kelvin Smith Library has initiated a Patron Driven Acquisitions (PDA) pilot program. An allocation from the monograph funds has been ear-marked to experiment with a model of delivery that allows patrons to tell the library what they need and will actually use. CWRU patrons will have the opportunity to select items listed in the catalog that will initiate a purchase of that item (whether print and/or e-book). The Research Services Librarians have defined the books included in this pilot based on current collections profiles to represent areas across all disciplines. This initial pilot program will include 2012 print and online books from the following disciplines: economics, engineering, history, marketing, political science, and religious studies. Data will be collected on format of materials requested, subject areas selected, and user feedback. The pilot program will help to define the process and allocation for further implementation in the 2012-13 fiscal year, which will include more subject disciplines.

In a change that will improve the quality of service for users, Kelvin Smith Library is integrating reference and circulation services at the KSL Main Service Desk on January 17, coinciding with beginning with the Spring 2012 semester. Enhanced training for the Main Service Desk staff means that library staff will be able to answer most common questions. Questions that cannot be answered by the Main Service Desk staff will be referred to the librarian subject specialists or transferred to the 24x7 online chat services that the library continues to maintain. These changes in service are based upon an extensive analysis of transaction records that tracked the most frequently asked questions at the Reference Desk, and the times of day during which help was sought. Many (if not most) research libraries have seen the number of walk-up transactions falling over the past ten years, and have been modifying their services accordingly. By reassigning Research Services Librarians (formerly known as reference or collection management librarians) from wait-for-walk-up to a more active form of service, KSL is now able to tailor our services for the benefit of the entire University community. Therefore, beginning this semester the librarians will:

• actively increase their availability for appointments not only in KSL but in academic departments and other places of need on campus.
• receive referrals by Main Service Desk staff to handle questions that require specialized assistance.
• be available "on call," with at least one librarian scheduled from 11:00 am-5:00 pm Monday through Friday to provide quick assistance within KSL.
• increase the opportunities to collaborate in and assist with faculty and student research through regular consultation in academic departments and in a new first floor consultation room created in KSL to meet one-on-one or with small groups.
• offer increased instruction opportunities, such as greater availability to teach classes, to assist in assignment/project creation with instructors, and to be available by appointment to assist students.
• increase their ability to attend academic department programs, seminars, and other events to proactively support collection development and research needs of faculty.

In addition, KSL will continue to provide a 24x7 online chat service through OhioLINK and through other online systems, including:

• Email: asksl@case.edu
• Phone or text message: (216)236-3KSL (216-236-3575)
• Chat: http://library.case.edu/ask
• Your Librarian: http://library.case.edu/ksl/collections/management/specialists.html

As a further improvement in research services, also on January 17, the library will introduce “KSL Summon,†a service that allows simple searching across the library’s collections of books, journals, and electronic resources, as well as the resources of OhioLINK. The search interface can be used in a straightforward “Google-like†mode, but also provides enhanced features to enable more complex searching. In either case, the search will enable the user, with a single click, to search the CWRU catalog and most of our electronic resources. The KSL Summon index also makes suggestions of more specific databases that may assist the user with in-depth research. KSL Summon will continue to grow throughout the semester as additional resources are indexed. As Kelvin Smith Library is implementing additional assessment and opportunities for user feedback as part of an ongoing effort to improve the library’s services, users are invited share questions and comments with Brian Gray, KSL Team Leader for Research Services, at bcg8@case.edu or 216-368-8685.

When you're short on time or have an unexpected change of schedule, now you can gain back some time by using the KSL outdoor bookdrop to return books...anytime of day or night! • Reserve materials have short borrowing privileges, so those materials still need to be returned to staff inside KSL during Regular Business Hours • Media items are fragile—protect them, and use KSL's indoor bookdrop return • KSL staff now checks the outdoor bookdrop several times a day, so if you have time-sensitive items, return them inside. Otherwise, please enjoy the new 24x7 bookdrop convenience. It means you don't have to carry those large stacks of heavy books quite so far anymore!

Launched for Orientation 2011 Information Fair at the Kelvin Smith Library, exhibits in the KSL Art Gallery changed to reflect the history & traditions of the university. Enjoy the posters & banners throughout the library this summer, including a few from the past like the dorm life from the 50s: • Printed guides accompany the images of people & places throughout the years. • Find out more about the images in the exhibit, by scanning the QR codes in the exhibit. • Stop in soon & visit the gallery!

Save time. Find your journals fast, with the E-Journal Portal. When you hear that Biochemistry Research International has a great new issue, you can find out if we have it...and where. Electronic journals are convenient and also help you maximize your time & efficiency—with 56,000+ unique titles of journals, and nearly 70,000 ejournals within our databases, getting to the right content fast makes your research time effective. • Enter title (or change search box to word or ISBN) • E-Journal Portal displays the electronic version, years of coverage, and which database(s) have it. • Click through to the newest issue & enjoy the articles, or follow a citation to the year/vol/issue. Bonus: results show you which databases cover the journal. Clear the title & start a new search in them for 'more like it,' the topic, or an author in that field. In this case, we can search further in Academic Search Complete and/or PubMed, or simply read the issues in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). FInd E-Journal Portal from either the: • KSL homepage in the blue Research Tools flyout menu (upper left corner), • or the Case Catalog, in the thin red menu bar of quick links.

Try out a new technology this summer. Come to KSL and borrow an iPad® from the Freedman Center for 3 hours. Get experience with pre-loaded applications, games (including Angry Birds), art, productivity tools, and the web...or you can just enjoy sitting in a comfortable chair in the library while you try out some of the tools on it: • Create: HexDoodle or QvickSketch apps unleash your creativity • Make music: play with Apple's GarageBand® • Free sample: make a KeyNote presentation or use AppleWorks® • Fly across the US: look up & "see" an address with Google Earth • NASA: watch "This Week in NASA" movies & more • More apps coming... Borrow an iPad® for 3 hours—it's a great way to explore a new device. Experience the touchscreen, text, color, sound, and portability of working on it. It might help you make a choice for your own device, or simply get you out of your office for a while! Enjoy YouTube movies (you can find the KSL Gnome as he moves around 30 miles of movable shelving)