| Volume 15, No. 2 | Winter 1996 |
ASDAL SIXTEENTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE
JUNE 30 - JULY 6, 1996
Atlantic Union College
Preliminary Conference Program
To assist you in planning for the Conference at AUC, here is a brief schedule of the activities.
Sunday, June 30
Registration
School Librarian's Section Pre-Conference Coordinated by Chris Cicchetti
Evening:
ASDAL Board (Officers') Meeting
Committee Meetings
Monday, July 1
Theme Address: Serials Collection Development in the Electronic Age by Anthony Stankus, Science Librarian, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Massachusetts
Panel Response and Questions
Business Session I
Tour of Atlantic Union College Campus and Library
Evening:
Committee Meetings
Tuesday, July 2
Day tour to Boston, includes Northeastern University Library, lunch on our own at Quincy Market; EBSCO, Dinner at the Wayside Inn, Sudbury, MA
Wednesday, July 3
Creating a WWW Home Page by Harvey Brenneise
Breakout Sessions and Reports
Business Session II
Evening:
Committee Meetings
Thursday, July 4
Adventist Resources Section Tenth Anniversary Session, Coordinated by Carolyn
Gaskell
Tour of Lexington and Concord in Afternoon and Evening. Minuteman National
Historic Park, Concord Antiquarian Museum, The Old Manse and other points of
Literary and Historic Interest, Dinner on your own at the Colonial Inn,
Concord, MA
Friday, July 5
Business Session III
Adventist Resources Section Business Session
Vespers
Sabbath, July 6
Tour of SDA Sites of Historic Interest
Sack Lunch Included
By Cynthia Helms
Card catalogs are fast becoming a thing of the past. It was quite evident at the last ASDAL conference held at Newbold College, England that SDA Libraries fall into different stages of catalog transition, ranging from those who are using card catalogs to those who consider themselves "libraries without walls."
The card catalog is just like a one-meal dish as compared to the automated catalog which is a banquet table full of different dishes. We cannot expect our patrons to ingest this multiple-course meal as easily as the one-dish meal. It falls upon the bibliographic instructors to make the patrons go through this transition as easy as possible.
After having an Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) at the James White Library for three years, I would like to give some pointers for those libraries that will be joining the world of automated catalogs. Since my experience has been with Innovative Interfaces, my comments are mainly biased towards that product.
This article will deal with planned group instruction rather than point of use instruction or individual instruction. It focuses mainly on the teaching of the catalog which would be on the average about two class periods.
AUDIENCE
First notice the diversity of the type of students who can be all the way from neophytes to hackers. It is this wide gap between the "technophobes" and the "techies" that can make bibliographic instruction a challenge. The video arcades and computer games have paved the way for students' interest in the computerized catalog but they have created a wrong concept that the library's catalog is just another toy. Bibliographic instructors have to cope with some students' urge to get to the computers and press as many keys as possible--never mind the search strategies!! There are those who think that if they can play computer games, they can use the computer catalog with just as much ease.
On the opposite end of the spectrum are those who have no keyboarding skills. They would rather flip cards than scan all the rows on the keyboard to find every single letter in the search term. They do not understand what is meant by <Enter> or <Escape> or even <Space Bar>. And don't you just dare say, "Type the asterisk to truncate," because they may not know what an asterisk is (sometimes the word "star" works better). If they have no idea what an asterisk is, you would have to tell them to <shift><8>. . . with an explanation that the shift key has to be kept down while pressing 8. Then there is the "technophobe" who is afraid to lift a finger from the key. So when you say press [L] to limit, the screen screams with multiple LLLLLLLLLLL's.
Somewhere in the middle are those who must have owned antique Underwood typewriters for a long time that they pound each key with all their might. You certainly would not want to miss another interesting type of patron: the one who prints everything without reading the screen--and leaves all the printouts behind.
If your library has CD-ROM work stations and OPACs all in the same room, students treat them alike and expect to get the same results. There are students who expect the OPAC to have word processing just like the computers in the computing laboratories.
CONTENT
As the students learn to navigate the system, they need to develop the habit of reading screens carefully. Coupled with this is learning what it means to really have patience--to give the computer time to do what it is supposed to. Before they get too far into searching, students must look for the commands or menus, especially the help screen. As a matter of courtesy to the next patron, students should remember to go back to the opening screen. If this is not done, the next user may not be familiar with what is on the screen. Teach the students what to do when the system freezes, when the printer is going non-stop, and any other such emergencies.
The next thing they need to learn is to how to interpret the screens and evaluate the results of their search. Does the screen show a browsing list or a bibliographic record? What type of material is shown on the screen--a book? a journal title? a videocassette? Is the book fiction or non-fiction? They must understand the parts of a bibliographic citation and that the computerized catalog gives more information than the card catalog such as (a) location (b) due date (c) missing (d) number of holds on that item. It is important for them to know that journal titles are included, but not journal articles.
Not only should they know how to navigate through the system, they should also learn short-cuts that save key strokes and time while retrieving the most relevant records for their needs.
If the OPAC contains more than just the library's holdings, students cannot always distinguish between the catalog and other commercial databases on the system. In our case here at James White Library where other databases like the Expanded Academic Index, the SDA Periodical Index, and the ATLA Religion Database are searched in almost the same way as the catalog, students are not always able to tell the difference between these periodical indexes and the catalog. This becomes even more complicated as more and more databases are made available on the system. If you are in such a situation, emphasize the importance of knowing what database they are in and teach the students how to distinguish one database from another.
Patrons have even suggested that, in order to avoid such confusion, there should be only two options on the opening screen: one option for the "catalog" and another option for "other databases." Another suggestion was that there be some terminals solely designated for the library's catalog to make it easy for those are interested only in the library's holdings without unnecessarily going through extra key strokes.
Other special features of the catalog may be taught depending on the target audience. Some of the special features that I usually point out to registered undergraduate and graduate students are the "View your circulation record" and the "Reserves." Teaching the faculty, for example, means acquainting them with the order procedures and the interpretation of the messages on the screen that explain how the order has gone from one step to the other. Many of the graduate assistants need to learn to log on from their offices and download citations without coming to the library.
Since people have been accustomed to using the subject catalog for topical searches, the concept of keyword searching is new. Keyword searching is an easy way to start a search but it should not end there. Students must be aware that it retrieves all records where the word is mentioned including "false drops" (records contain the word but may have nothing to do with the topic). One good example I used in my classes was the word "AIDS" where students found aids as a disease, financial aids, visual aids, etc. The general tendency of patrons in using keyword searching is to string all the words in their topic including small words (generally referred to as "noise words") such as in, the, of, etc. Some computerized catalogs have made subject searching easy by including cross references to subject headings that are currently used by the library. This provision does not eliminate the use of the Library of Congress Subject Headings to find more terms for their topic especially if they will be using other sources.
It is advisable to teach subject tracing in conjunction with keyword searching to refine the search. Further refinement of the search can be done by using the limit feature which provides for limitation by date, location, language, etc.
In order to broaden their search, students need to learn how to find alternate and related terms to their topic. For thorough searching, patrons should try both the subject and keyword searching features of the catalog.
Another concept that should be included is Boolean searching. One of the advantages of computerized searching is the capability of combining terms by using the correct Boolean operators. Where once subject catalogs limited the searcher to one subject heading at a time, computerized catalogs have gone a step further by allowing one to broaden or narrow the search with Boolean operators. A student who is writing a paper on butterflies and moths will most likely type "butterflies and moths" in a keyword search not knowing that by using the "and" operator he/she is looking for records where both of those terms exist and is eliminating any records where either one of them exists. What this patron is really looking for is anything that talks about butterflies or moths; therefore, the keyword search should be "butterflies or moths."
Finding records with bibliographies is one "citation pearl growing" technique that students should learn. Since the bibliography note usually comes towards the end of the bibliographic record, it is important to teach students to go on to the second or third page of a long record.
One thing about computerization is that every time an update is made, several changes are implemented. Students must be aware of this. You as a bibliographic instructor must be quick to note these changes to avoid being caught in the middle of a teaching session with a strange-looking screen or a new command. If the system manager does not communicate early enough about anticipated changes, you can find yourself in embarrassing situations.
METHODOLOGY
Demonstrations vs. hands-on: The availability of computers or terminals will greatly affect the decision to choose between demonstration and hands-on. For a big class with only one computer available, the only choice is a demonstration. Since a demonstration usually means projecting the search on a big screen, it has the advantage of being visible to a big audience. This may mean having an LCD panel or a projector. While an LCD panel is easy carry around, the projector displays better images. The biggest problem with demonstrators is that they tend to rattle on and on about what is on the screen without telling the audience what keys are being typed. One way of avoiding this pitfall is to have a typist execute the commands given by the demonstrator, thus making the audience aware of what is actually being done to produce the results seen on the screen.
If the ratio of computers to students is small, the bibliographic instructor may resort to demonstrating the searches on one computer with the students gathered around. There seems to be more interaction in a small group demonstration than in a big, projected demonstration; but this raises questions such as: How much of the screen is really visible to the audience? What is the maximum number of students that can benefit out of this set-up?
The demonstration method reaches the learner through the senses of sight and hearing. The hands-on method goes one step further by allowing the students to utilize the sense of touch, thus making learning more meaningful. Touching the keys is learning by experience. Driving, swimming, skating, etc. are best learned by doing rather than just by reading or listening or even watching a lecturer. The same is true with learning how to use the computerized catalog.
Hand-outs vs. guides: Plain lecturing and showing how the thing works may work for some students, but having something for them to read and review is very helpful. Is it sufficient for the students to rely on the hand-outs that they receive during a training session? Or should printed cheat sheets be easily accessible?
There are students who just want a description of how the search is done, some are content with a brief listing of the basic commands, and there are those who would like a step-by-step procedure. Exercises that go through the different features of the computerized catalog have proven very useful in my experience. Hand-outs and/or exercises can be supplemented by guides right by the computers or terminals so that students have something to refer to or to refresh their memories from previous BI sessions they have attended. Patrons ask for paper guides even if most, if not all, databases have built-in guides and instructions.
Classroom vs. public computers: Where will the BI sessions be held? This is one big question that library administrators often ignore in planning the library's plunge into automation. Public terminals are the first ones installed without considering how instruction is going to take place and so bibliographic instructors are forced to make do with the situation. In many cases, the sessions are held at the public computers as a quick answer to the demand for instruction.
This turns the reference room into a make-shift classroom. Patrons who are in the reference room for private study and research have to tolerate the commotion and noise that go with this type of situation. I personally do not like the idea of asking a patron to move to another terminal or computer to give way for a training session. It should be the patron's own choice to move out if he/she feels the need to without being asked to do so. The best solution we have done so far is to put up reservation notices for class instructions.
If the choice is to conduct the bibliographic instruction in the classroom, it may mean giving a projected demonstration or having an electronic classroom with computers for students to use. The ideal situation would be an electronic classroom where the instructors have control of the situation without interfering with other patrons. Several computers or terminals can be set up so that teachers can see what the students are typing. When a lecture is going on, students can turn around and face the teacher. By having the computers behind them, the students will not be tempted to play with the keys.
The DeBartolo Hall at the University of Notre Dame is one very good example of a complex of electronic classrooms. A lot has been said about electronic classrooms in discussion lists and in printed literature which I shall not attempt to cover in this article. These electronic classrooms must be under high security and are better off not being made into computing laboratories when not in use for instruction. Even DeBartolo Hall with all its electronic classrooms has a separate computing laboratory in its building with outside access and under the direction of the university's computing center.
Individual or Group Exercises: An effective training session in the use of the computerized catalog provides for some kind of exercise or laboratory session. The question arises as to whether exercises will be on an individual basis or by groups. If there are enough computers, the decision to have individual exercises is easy to make. Availability of equipment is one issue.
The other issue is how to make learning interesting and interactive. The bibliographic instruction team at Andrews University has tried both individual exercise and group exercise and have found that students enjoy working in pairs. When two students work together, each one takes turns being at the keyboard and filling out the exercise sheets. This method helps build the confidence of those who are afraid to touch the keys and also puts some limit on the enthusiasm of those who want to monopolize the keyboard.
The number of available bibliographic instructors affects the decision to give individual or group exercises. Usually, one lecturer and at least one assistant are sufficient to carry on a laboratory-type of session for 6-7 stations with two students per station. This set-up allows for the main lecturer to give a brief lecture at the beginning of the class period followed by a laboratory period when the assistant's help is needed in going around, checking on students' progress, or answering questions.
The layout of the stations will very well affect the effectiveness of the training session. If the stations are not formed into a cluster, it may be hard to monitor what the students are doing.
Time Pressure or Own Time: After deciding on the method of presentation, the next question is the length of time allotted for completing the exercise. Should this be under time pressure? Should students be forced to submit their exercise when the class time is over, whether they have finished it or not? If so, careful attention should be given to covering all the important points within the class time. This makes it easy to keep track of all the exercises turned in. It does not, however, take into consideration the slow typists who may understand how to carry on a computerized search but are just slowed down because they are not familiar with the new technology.
On the other end, students may be allowed to finish their work outside class time with an extended deadline. This certainly allows for the slow ones to catch up and learn to do the assignment at their own pace. This situation is subject to these questions: How much supervision and guidance will they have outside class time? How can one be sure that the work was done by the student himself?
Given Topic or Individual Topic: The students learn better by being involved in the learning process. This can be accomplished by giving them written exercises. Exercises that benefit the students most are not always the easiest to make. What exercise would benefit the student most, accomplish what it is supposed to, is easy to prepare and administer, and can be objectively marked? When you choose your own examples and topics to illustrate and emphasize certain features of the OPAC, you know exactly the outcome of such searches. It is so much easier to tell the students to look up a given author, title, or words and to limit searches to a certain format, or publication year to be sure that everything comes out exactly the way it should be. When the exercise calls for topics of general interest such as pollution or drug addiction, students would much rather look up such hot topics as sex, cars, or Madonna. So this brings up the question as to whether it would be better to let students search their own topics or not. It is more meaningful for the students to search a topic of their own choice especially if they are required to write a paper in another class. Do we have enough resources for their chosen topics in our catalog without resorting to interlibrary loan? Will we still be able to bring out the features or aspects of the OPAC that need to be emphasized? What about ease of administering and fairness in grading? This method calls for a larger ratio of teachers to students as this would necessitate more individualized instruction and hand-holding. Marking the papers will take a longer time because each one has to be treated differently and fairly.
CHALLENGE
If you want to be aware of what others are doing and what others have to say about problems encountered or if you yourself would like to solicit input to some of your own questions, discussions groups are the way to go. To subscribe to the bibliographic instruction group (BI-L), send e-mail to this address: LISTSERV@BINGVMB.BITNET (or LISTSERV@BINGVMB.CC.BINGHAMTON.EDU). In the body of the letter write: SUBSCRIBE BI-L first-name-last-name (substituting your own last name and first name). According to the BI-L Hints and Netiquette, postings can be received in one of three ways: "Mail - all posts are sent one at a time; Digest - posts are sent in one long message, once each day; Index - only an index to the posts is sent, but it gives the sender's name, the subject, and an index number you can use to retrieve any desired item." If you would like to request for the digest, type SET BI-L DIGEST in the body of your letter. Apply the same pattern for the other two options.
Join professional groups such as LOEX (National Library Orientation Exchange) with its headquarters at Eastern Michigan University. Institutional memberships are available. For more information, write to: LOEX Clearinghouse, Eastern Michigan University Library, Ypsilanti MI 48197. The LOEX editor, Linda Shirato, may be contacted by phone number (313) 487-0168; or by any of these e-mail addresses: lib_shirato@emuvax.emich.edu or lib_shirato@online.emich.edu.
There are bibliographic instruction round tables in nationwide, regional, and statewide library associations. Check with the associations you are with.
The success of putting the library's automated resources at our patrons' finger tips does not lie only with the bibliographic instructors but also with the rest of the library staff. While bibliographic instructors keep up with professional literature, compare notes with other bibliographic instructors, constantly evaluate one's bibliographic instruction, and be in direct contact with the patrons as learners of the system, there is much that can be done by the rest of the staff.
The administration should provide for the needs of bibliographic instructors in terms of equipment, place, time, and personnel. The work is time consuming. Are the bibliographic instructors given enough time to prepare the lessons, edit and revise hand-outs and exercises, try out the exercises, keep up with enhancements, and do research? Has additional clerical help been given to help prepare the lessons and mark the exercises? Is there sufficient equipment and space for carrying out the necessary instructions? Have they been relieved of other duties?
Other personnel who count towards the success of bibliographic instruction are the system manager and technical support personnel. Does the system manager communicate with the instructors so that they are given advance notice of enhancements or updates, system interruptions, or shut downs? Does the system manager listen to suggestions that come from the instructors and/or patrons? Do the technical support personnel coordinate maintenance and trouble-shooting work with the instructors so that classes are not scheduled at such times? Of what good is a catalog with all its bells and whistles if sufficient technical support has not been provided by the administration? For libraries who are headed fast towards the electronic lane, administrators should take technical support more seriously and start making plans for making it a full-time job.
A big plus is a group of bibliographic instructors with the right team spirit. The task can be so much lighter if everyone on the team has the spirit of cooperation rather than competition or monopoly. It takes only one "know-it-all" or "I'll-do-it-my-way" member to spoil the success of the team.
REFERENCES
Bartelstein, Andrea. "Teaching with Computers." BI-L%BINGVMB.BINET@ubvm.cc.buffalo.edu. (12 Sept. 1995).
BITNET list server at BINGVMB LISTSERV@bingvmb.cc.binghamton.edu. "You are now subscribed to the BI-L list." BI-L%BINGVMB.BITNET@ubvm.cc.buffalo.edu. (25 Sept. 1995).
Davis, E. Scott and Patricia L. Ensor. "Making the Transition to the SuperCatalog: ISU's Experience with LUIS II." College and Research Libraries News 52 (Feb. 1991): 94-96.
Kirkendall, Carolyn A., ed. Teaching the Online Catalog User. Ann Arbor, MI: Center of Educational Resources, Eastern Michigan University, 1988.
LOEX News 22 (Fall 1995): 2.
Popa, Opritsa D., Deborah A. Metzger, and James A. Singleton. "Teaching Search Techniques on the Computerized Catalog and the Traditional Card Catalog: A Comparative Study." College and Research Libraries 49 (May 1988): 263-274.
Raish, Martin. "Hints and Netiquette." (BI- L%BINGVMB.BITNET@ubvm.cc.buffalo.edu). 3 Jan. 1995.
Reed, Lawrence L. "Locally Loaded Databases and Undergraduate Bibliographic Instruction." RQ 33 (Winter 1993): 266-273.
Swoveland, Cynthia. "Teaching with Computers." BI-L%BINGVMB@BITNET@ubvm.cc.buffalo.edu. (15 Sept. 1995).
Webb, T. D. "Library Dream Machines; Helping Students Master Super Online Catalogs." Community College Journal 63 (October/November 1992): 38-42.
LIBRARIANS IN THE SADDLE?
A review of a conversation with James O'Donnell
By Keith Clouten
The times, according to the Bob Dylan song from the Sixties, they are a-changin'. Looking backwards, we wonder if the lyric was more prophetic than descriptive--especially if applied to the rapidly changing landscape of academic librarianship. Caught right now in the vortex of a hurricane of change, we are faced with wretchedly poor visibility as we try to define the future path of libraries and librarians.
Do librarians even have a future? The specter of a coming virtual library--bookless, boundaryless, and fully automated--haunts our dreams. Writers and pundits of many stripes, observing trends in banking and travel handling, predict a rather sunless future for us, unless we are willing to undergo partial metamorphosis and re-emerge as knowledge consultants, information technologists, or multimedia gurus. Other futurists, viewing librarians as colorless and harmless, ignore us altogether.
So when I picked up a recent copy of Humanities magazine, with a lead article on the computer revolution in higher education, I anticipated another negative encounter, or at best finding my profession ignored yet again. The article (1) takes the form of a conversation between Sheldon Hackney, chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, and James O'Donnell, a classics professor at the University of Pennsylvania who has made news with his creative teaching methods. Imagine my surprise when I read these words:
"Within the university structure itself, it could very well be the librarians who would win out over the professors ... Can you imagine a time when the tenured university librarians are the powerful people and professors are seen as the service workers distributing information on a 9-to-5 basis to students who come in and out and ask some questions?"
Frankly, I cannot. But O'Donnell is not posing a rhetorical question. Nor is he giving an after-dinner address at a library convention. His article is serious stuff and deserves a review.
At the outset, O'Donnell invites us to picture an inverted pyramid, time-related. At the bottom are two people conversing face to face, marking the innovation of language. A second layer marks the innovation of writing, adding a new dimension to discourse without devaluing face-to-face communication. The invention of print puts a third layer on the widening pyramid, marking another major transition in communication. Now the electronic revolution adds yet another layer, creating a much more powerful level of discourse. It is this new, fourth dimension in communication which unleashes a powerful force for change, and leads O'Donnell to some interesting conclusions about the future role of the university.
To demonstrate the impact of the electronic revolution on teaching, O'Donnell describes his own ground-breaking use of e-mail and the Internet. His innovative use of the World Wide Web in teaching courses for credit via the Internet convinces him of the powerful nature of the new medium. In the fall of 1994, he taught a graduate course on Boethius simultaneously to ten students on campus, four off-campus (in Texas, Idaho, Atlanta, and Japan), and globally to two hundred individuals who signed up to audit the course via the Internet. He is clearly excited about the possibilities as he sees how a course that scarcely fills on his own campus can attract large numbers of eager students when it is offered and conducted globally.
O'Donnell's experience leads him to take a critical look at the future of traditional university teaching. He concedes that electronic interaction destroys the need for simultaneity--the teacher and the students don't need to be in the same place at the same time. On the other hand, he says, simultaneity is expensive. "Every year, when you set the tuition for the university, that's really a price people pay for simultaneity."
O'Donnell dismisses the fear that the university will become obsolescent in the twenty-first century. But he does insist that higher education institutions must rethink their role and values. They will discover, he believes, that
"... the value that we still have to offer is presumably that of face-to-face communication, but we need to reassess just what it is we do best face to face, how much of that we need, and how to organize an economics and a social structure around that interaction that makes sense.
"It is not just the interaction between a teacher and a student that characterizes the university, but the existence of a face-to-face community with an ethos that supports learning."
In an aside, O'Donnell contends that the small college, rather than the large university, facilitates this quality of community.
The conversation shifts to a discussion about the "flood of discourse" that pours from the electronic media, and the problem of identifying quality. Agreeing that we are being swamped by too much information, O'Donnell adds that it will be the job of education "to pull you up out of the swamp, stand you up, dust you off, and give you a sense of how you can hold your own in that environment."
But how will education handle that task? Who will be the rescuers from the flood tide of information? Teachers perhaps?
"There will still be, I think, a primary role for the person who can mediate information to other people. We've lived for a long time in a world in which information is scarce. That time has in many respects ended. We're already, all of us, swamped by too much information ... There may very well come a point in which the information itself is not what we place a value on, but, rather, the service of filtering our way through to the information that we actually need. Within the university structure itself, it could very well be the librarians who would win out over the professors because the librarians are the ones who already have been, as a profession, finding, filtering, organizing, structuring, and helping people get at information directly. That may turn out to be the skill that we need the most ...
"In the world of information distribution, authors, publishers, librarians, teachers, and readers all have an important part to play in our economy. As I said, I would bet on the librarians to be a strong force."
Unquestionably, O'Donnell's vision of the future of higher education is individualistic and provocative. As he tries to portray a future where librarians occupy the corridors of power and professors fill the role of service workers, his interviewer interjects: "That's an anti-university, I would say."
Yet O'Donnell's vision of the future cannot be summarily rejected or easily dismissed. His views are informed by his own creative experience. The question must be put. Will university teachers successfully adapt to a new role as information mediators in the twenty-first century? Or will librarians, who have traditionally occupied that function, be ready to hop up into the saddle? The scenario is fascinating to contemplate, perhaps enough to turn some of our nightmares into sweet dreams.
1Humanities in the 21st century [a conversation with James O'Donnell]. Humanities, 16 (5), September/October 1995, pp.5-7+Keith Clouten is the Library Director at Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan.
Marilyn Crane, Coordinator
NEW SOURCES
Recent Books, Theses, & Periodical Articles
Babcock, Fern Gibson. Front line Cambodia. S.n.: General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Global Mission Office, c1995. 120 p. Personal stories about the impact of Global Mission in Cambodia.
Carpenter, Kenneth J. Protein and energy: a study of changing ideas in nutrition. Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press, 1994. 280 p. ISBN 0521452090. J. H. Kellogg and Seventh-day Adventists are briefly mentioned.
Costa, Myrna. Factors affecting student enrollment choice: a study of no shows. La Sierra University, 1995. 195 p. An Ed.D. dissertation which examines the reasons why prospective undergraduate students accepted at La Sierra University chose not to enroll. Diss. Ab. Online accession no: AAI9531262.
Craig, Winston J. Eating for good health. Eau Claire, MI: Golden Harvest Books, 1993. 95 p. The author, Professor of Nutrition at Andrews University, discusses in layperson's terms the relationship between a low-fat vegetarian diet and lowering the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Food safety and use of herb and vitamin supplements are also included.
Dever, Arlene Detamore. God's living dynamo: the story of Fordyce W. Detamore. 207 p. Privately published. Contact author at P.O. Box 357, Dunlap, TN 37327, (615) 949-3859.
Du Preez, Gerald Theodore. A survey of selected aspects of the practice of ecclesiastical appointment in the New Testament, early Christian, and Seventh-day Adventist Church. Andrews University, 1995. 84 p. A M.Div. paper in which ordination and credentialing are discussed from a historic perspective. Diss. Ab. Online accession no: AAI1361032.
Fitch, Charles. Sin shall not have dominion over you. Brushton, NY: TEACH Services, Inc., c1995. 57 p. ISBN 1572580305. A reprinting of an article by Fitch from the February, 1840 Guide to Christian perfection.
Gardner, Martin. Urantia. New York: Prometheus Books, 1995. 445 p. ISBN 0879759550. A history of Urantia, a modern cult. Among topics included is the way in which Seventh-day Adventist beliefs influenced the writing of The Urantian Book.
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Department of Education. World report 1994. 265 p. Statistical information about SDA schools (all levels) arranged by division.
Gonzalez, Eduardo Alberto. The role of the academy principal in the Austral Union of the Seventh-day Adventist educational system as perceived by principals and teachers. Andrews University, 1994. 190 p. An Ed.D. dissertation. Diss. Ab. Online accession no: AAG9502651.
Images of mission: Seventh-day Adventists, people of faith, love, courage, and hope. S.n.: Communication Dept., General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 1995. 160 p. A souvenir book consisting mainly of pictorial images of Seventh-day Adventists, worldwide, who are carrying out the gospel mandate. Includes biographical sketches of notable Adventists.
Machel, Edgar. A church growth study of the West German Union of the Seventh-day Adventist Church from 1945-1990. Fuller Theological Seminary, 1994. 306 p. A D.Min. dissertation which is a historical and sociological study of the German Seventh-day Adventist Church over a 45-year period. German language. Diss. Ab. Online accession no: AAI9514058.
Marshall, David. New age versus the gospel: Christianity's greatest challenge. Alma Park, Grantham, England: Autumn House, c1993, 1994 printing. 144 p. ISBN 1873796226. The intent of the book is to help Christians understand New Age beliefs and how to "counter its claims."
Muthersbaugh, Hadley Phillip. Attachment and the church: toward an understanding of the bonding factors for youth and young adults as applied to their relationship to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Andrews University, 1995. 348 p. A D.Min. dissertation which "attempts to determine the congregational attachment" of Seventh-day Adventist young people and factors which enhance or deter it. Diss. Ab. Online accession no: AAI9531161.
Nebblett, Milton E., Jr. How to be a great Sabbath School class leader. S.n.: Sabbath School 2000, North American Division, c1995. 95 p. Available from: AdventSource, 5040 Prescott Ave., Lincoln, NE 68506, 800-328-0525. Cassette tape accompanies book.
Negerie, Mekebeb. The association of religious beliefs with AIDS risk behavior among Kenyan males. Loma Linda University, 1994. 245 p. A Dr.P.H. dissertation which examines the risk factor for HIV infection of Christian Kenyan males versus traditional African believers. Diss. Ab. Online accession no: AAI9512007.
Nix, James R. The way it was: reliving the year 1844. Payson, AZ: Leaves-Of-Autumn Books, 1994. 67 p. A collection of articles that appeared in the 1994 Advent Review.
Oropeza, B. J. 99 reasons why no one knows when Christ will return. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, c1994. 225 p. ISBN 0830816364. William Miller and Seventh-day Adventists are mentioned.
Pate, C. Marvin and Calvin B. Haines, Jr. Doomsday delusions: what's wrong with predictions about the end of the world. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, c1995. 100 p. ISBN 0830816216. William Miller and Millerites are discussed in chapter 5.
Smith, Dunbar W. The travels, triumphs & vicissitudes of Dunbar W. Smith, M.D. Loma Linda, CA: A Gary P. Friesen Production, c1994. 232 p. An autobiography of the author's 40 years of service as a Seventh-day Adventist pastor, administrator, and physician on three continents.
Tabor, James D. and Eugene V. Gallagher. Why Waco? Cults and the battle for religious freedom in America. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1995. 252 p. ISBN 0520201868. A study of the Davidian movement and the results of the standoff at Waco, Texas. The public perception of cults is examined and a challenge is given to Americans "to examine our national commitment to religious freedom."
Thirsty elephant: the story of Paradise Valley Hospital. Wayne R. Judd and Jonathan M. Butler, editors. National City, CA: Paradise Valley Hospital, c1994. 296 p. $39.95 (hard cover). ISBN 0944450245 (hard cover) and 0944450237 (paper). Video is also available. To order contact: Rhonda Darnell, Paradise Valley Hospital, 2400 E. 4th Street, National City, CA, 91950-2099, (619) 470-4110.
Walker, Celeste Perrino. Banza's incredible journey and other stories. Silver Spring, MD: Adventist Development and Relief Agency, 1994. 48 p. Short stories of personal survival which involved ADRA's intervention. Wilson, James Michael. Enthusiasm and charismatic manifestations in Sabbatarian Adventism with applications for the Seventh-day Adventist Church of the late twentieth century. Andrews University, 1995. 164 p. A D.Min. dissertation which examines what the charismatic manifestations were among the Sabbatarian Adventists and to discover why these manifestations decreased. Diss. Ab. Online accession no: AAI9530656.
Worley, Donna Maurine. Validation of goals for pre-departure missionary orientation. Andrews University, 1995. 387 p. A Ph.D. dissertation which evaluates the goals of the Institute of World Mission, a cross-cultural orientation program intended to facilitate missionary preparedness. Diss. Ab. Online accession no: AAI9531163.
1994-1995 ATLA RELIGION DATABASE SEARCH WITH SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS AS SUBJECT
Dudley, Roger L. Faith maturity and social concern in college-age youth: does Christian education make a difference? [critique of Valuegenesis study] Journal of Research on Christian Education 1994 Spr; 3:34-49.
Lombart, Claude. Towards the financial self-support of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Egypt. San Francisco Theological Seminary, 1994. 272 p. Not listed in Dissertation Abstracts.
Morgan, Douglas. Adventism, apocalyptic, and the cause of liberty. Church History 1994 Je; 63:235-249. Rajarathinam, Richard S. A study of the Adventist Church and the Dalit movement in India. Howard University, School of Divinity, 1993. 61 p. Not listed in Dissertation Abstracts.
Verhovek, Sam Howe. A fight in Texas for the homeland of a sect. [Branch Davidians] New York Times 1994 Dec 6; 144:Al.A16.
Whidden, Woodrow W. Adventist soteriology: the Wesleyan connection. Wesleyan Theological Journal 1995 Spr; 30:173-186.
Compiled by Jim Ford
The following is a list of items received by the Adventist Heritage Center at Andrews University between. Unfortunately we are unable to provide detailed information for some of the items. If anyone is interested in obtaining any of these items, then you may e-mail or call Jim Ford.
Loughborough, J.N. Questions on the Sealing Message. Reformation Herald Publishing Assn.
SP Notes #1, 2 and Exhaustive Concordance of the Sanctified Life. Reformation Herald Publishing Assn.
White, Ellen G. True Principles of Health Reform. Reformation Herald Publishing Assn.
Visible Church of God. Reformation Herald Publishing Assn.
Fundamental Principles of Health Reform. Reformation Herald Publishing Assn., P.O. Box 7239, Roanoke, VA 24019-0239
Fourth Angel in Prophecy and History. Reformation Herald Publishing Assn.
Lima, Delcio Monteiro de. Os demonios descem do norte. Rio de Janeiro: Francisco Alves, 1987.
Sas, A.C. The sealing of God's people: the historic SDA position unveiled. Roanoke Va.: Reformation Herald Pub. Association, 1993.
Rosenvold, Lloyd. Are errors always dangerous? Rosenvold Publications.
Rosenvold, Lloyd. A fresh look at the storehouse. Rosenvold Publications.
Rosenvold, Lloyd. A sleeping people. Rosenvold Publications.
Rosenvold, Lloyd. Their names cast out as evil (enlarged ed.) Rosenvold Publications.
Theocracy. Rosenvold Publications.
Will all babies be saved? Rosenvold Publications.
Baasch, Henry E. A word to Laodicea. Rosenvold Publications.
Houteff, V.T., d. 1955. The shepherd's rod series: original writings of V.T. Houteff. Salem, SC: General Association of Davidian Seventh-Day Adventists, c1990.
Uchee Pines [videorecording]: the place to be. Seale, Ala.: Uchee Pines Institute: You're on Video Productions, 1995.
SDA friendship finder: a single's publication exclusively for Seventh-day Adventists. Shannon, Ga.: SDA Friendship Finder, 1995.
A summer in Bangladesh [videorecording]. ADRA International. Silver Spring, MD: ADRA International, 1990.
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Hands across the world: leader's guide. General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Silver Spring, MD : G.C., 1994.
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Office of Women's Ministries. Women who have changed the world poster. Silver Spring, MD: General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Office of Women's Ministries, 1992.
North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventists. 1844 Sesquicentennial Observance Committee. Festival of faith '94 resources planning guide, 1844-1994. Silver Spring, MD: NAD, 1994.
Scragg, Walter and Andrea Steele. The AWR story: Adventist World Radio--making the impossible possible. Silver Spring, MD: Adventist World Radio, [1994]
ADRA 1993 disaster response [videorecording]. ADRA. Silver Spring, Md.: Adventist Chaplaincy Ministry, 1990.
Crisis ministry in action [videorecording]. Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries. Silver Spring, Md.: Adventist Chaplaincy Ministry, 1990.
Ellen G. White and the plagiarism question [videorecording]: an examination of five issues / General Conference Ministerial Association. Silver Spring, Md.: General Conference Ministerial Association, 1994.
Finley, Mark, 1945- Persuasion : how to help people decide for Jesus. Silver Spring, Md.: Ministerial Association, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, c1994.
Crosier, O.R.L., (Owen Russell Loomis), 1820-1913. Sanctuary. Smyrna Gospel Ministries.
Adventist Singles Ministries. Membership directory: with the calendar of events and ASM bylaws. Smyrna, Ga.: Adventist Singles Ministries, 1991-
Price, Ernest Bruce, 1932- God's channel of truth: is it the Watchtower? Strathfield, Sydney, N.S.W.: The Author, 1994.
Russia the voice of hope [videorecording]. AWR. Sydney: Adventist Media Centre for Adventist World Radio, 1994.
The system [videorecording]. The South Pacific Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Sydney: Adventist Media Centre, 1993.
Costa Rica [videorecording]: the voice of hope. AWR. Sydney: South Pacific Division, Adventist Media Center: Adventist World Radio [distributor], 1994.
Ross, Terry S. Prophetic parallels : the church then and the church now. Tangerine, Fla.: Servants of the Savior, 1994.
Southeastern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Gender Inclusiveness Commission. Do church policies permit local conference ordination? the Conference, 1993.
Southeastern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Gender Inclusiveness Commission. Ordination in the Bible, the early SDA Church, and Ellen White. the Conference, 1993.
Southeastern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Gender Inclusiveness Commission. What are the positive aspects of ordaining women? the Conference, 1995.
Daily Thought from the pen of inspiration. The Garden.
White, Ellen Gould Harmon, 1827-1915. Peace above the storm. Thomaston, Ga.: Family Heritage Books, 1994.
Finley, Mark. The China challenge [sound recording]: astonishing possibilities. Thousand Oaks, CA: It Is Written, 1995.
Amazing Grace [videorecording]: the testimony and song of Wintley Phipps. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Adventist Media Center, 1994.
Are you worthy to escape. Trim Your Lamp Ministry.
Time Prophecies versus Time-Setting. Trim Your Lamp Ministry.
Arasola, Kai. The end of historicism: Millerite hermeneutic of time prophecies in the Old Testament. Uppsala : [S.n.], 1990.
Banished to Siberia [videorecording]. United Prison Ministries International. Verbena, Ala.: United Prison Ministries International, [199-?]
Russian update [videorecording]. United Prison Ministries International. Verbena, Ala.: United Prison Ministries International, [199-?]
Discover [Bible studies] Voice of Prophecy, 1994.
Children's Bible History and Prophecy Syllabus. Wake Up America Seminars.
Open letter to SDAs. Wake Up America Seminars.
Revelation (110) Wake Up America Seminars.
Revelation (116s) Wake Up America Seminars.
Revelation (119) series. Wake Up America Seminars.
Revelation (120) series. Wake Up America Seminars.
Revelation #202. Wake Up America Seminars, Inc.
Wilson, Larry W. Four prophecies [videorecording]: Wake Up America Seminars, Inc., 1995
Holman, Alan. The girl who talked to the stars. Warburton, Vic., Australia: Signs Publishing Co., 1994
Caring for marriage : program materials and leadership resources for marriage strengthening events, marital care groups / written and edited by Karen Flowers ... [et al.] Washington, D.C.: Home and Family Service, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 1988.
General Conference Session Highlights on Video. Washington, DC: Adventist Communications Network.
Edwards, Charles G. Wacifundo and the whirlwind : the story of Lowell and Josephine Cunnington Edwards. Wenatchee, Wash.: The Author, c1994.
1844, the great advent awakening [videorecording]: Three Angels Broadcasting Network; Danny & Linda Shelton. West Frankfort, Ill.: Three Angels Broadcasting Network, 1994.
Waber, Karl. Streiflichter aus der Geschichte der Siebenten-Tags-Adventistm in der Schweiz: von den Anfangen 1865 bis 1910. Zurich: Advent Verlag, 1995.
Sheehy, Gail. New passages : mapping your life across time. New York: Random House, 1995
This is a sequel of sort to Sheehy's hugely successful Passages: predictable crises of adult life (New York: Dutton, 1976). Like the former, it is somewhat autobiographical at least in topic, and again covers the "midlife crisis," but this time with more emphasis on those in their 50s and 60s rather than their 30s and 40s.
It is a sprawling book, going to well over 400 pages. It would have benefitted from a good editor, who should have been able to reduce its size by at least 100 pages without losing any real content. At times, one gets the impression that Sheehy felt she had to use all her note cards and is just stringing them together.
On page 273 Sheehy gives the following as the purpose of her book: "It is a seminal purpose of this book to persuade them [men] that there is a lot more time left than they think," and this theme pervades the book, in both sections about men and women: people are living longer and need to make the most of their extra years. In the various chapters of the book, the author covers the decades of life--from the turbulent thirties though the flourishing forties and flaming fifties to the serene sixties with chapters on both men and women in these age categories.
Sheehy attempts to be evenhanded between men and women but it is evident, and not surprising, that she has more empathy for women, especially those that are strong and controlling. Even in chapters supposedly about men, she can't seem to help herself and at times goes on for pages about women. She does, however, try to balance her feminism with sympathy for the new masculinity, even mentioning Robert Bly in a positive light. Sheehy is also an incessant name-dropper.
In spite of its flaws, this is an important work that belongs in all libraries that support the social sciences.
Harvey Brenneise
Resources Development Librarian
Andrews University
Update to the Hilts Award Recipients?
The following recipients were inadvertently left off the list published in the Fall issue of ASDAL Action
1990 Richard Scott--Librarian at Mesa State State College, Grand Junction, CO.
1991 Sheila Clark--Access Services Librarian, Walla Walla College
Cooperative Information Access Committee
By Harvey Brenneise
For years Adventist librarians have dreamed about the possibility of sharing and delivering information to their respective users more effectively, but this goal has always proved elusive.
Changes in technology and financial considerations in recent years have given a greater urgency to these discussions. The ubiquity of the Internet and the position of Adventist libraries in the library marketplace (many small players in a large field) now combine to give Adventist libraries an unparalleled opportunity to do what was not possible previously--to jointly approach information vendors with the purpose of reducing our overall cost and/or gaining access to more information.
To do this, however, will require the development of an Adventist Electronic Library Consortium. After hearing vendor presentations and talking among themselves, the committee was unanimous in their belief that not only is this possible, but to lose this opportunity would be a great tragedy.
Not only does this developing consortium have implications for North American libraries, but for SDA institutions all over the world as one by one they gain access to the Internet. It also opens new possibilities in supporting distance education.
The purpose of this meeting was to discuss general issues as well as to hear presentations from vendors. The following issues were discussed:
There was general interest (all or most libraries, if the price is right) for the following databases:
The following are other databases that are of interest to a smaller group of institutions, have a lower priority during the implementation period and/or will require special negotiations:
Contracts will be sought which allow for each institution to opt in or out of individual databases, and the consortium will attempt to get pricing which is competitive with those available from other consortia. It is important to note that while some SDA libraries may have local or regional alternatives to an SDA consortium, others (particularly those outside North America) may not, and that by working together we may be able to benefit the church's total educational effort on a worldwide basis.
The following vendors made presentations:
In the next few months the committee will be seeking price quotations from all the vendors, and will also seek input from library directors about management issues and from public service librarians in the evaluations of databases.
Harvey Brenneise
Committee Chair and Resources Development Librarian, Andrews University
Report on SDA Periodical Index
The SDA Periodical Index Board met for its annual meeting at San Antonio, Texas, on January 22, 1996. Several board members were in town for the ALA Midwinter Conference, and others flew in for the meeting. Current board members are: Keith Clouten (chair), Harvey Brenneise (managing editor), Bill Cash (from GC Archives), Marilyn Crane, Chloe Foutz, Maynard Lowry, and Margaret Von Hake.
Both the General Conference and the North American Division have each committed to $5000 for Index support for the second year in a row. This, together with a continuing solid support of all the North American educational institutions, has brought an element of stability once more to the operation of the Index.
The board was pleased to note that the Index finished 1994/95 in the black and everything points to a similar result for the current fiscal year. There is a concern about a number of outstanding unpaid subscriptions, and an attempt will be made to recover these amounts within a short time.
The Index has been available electronically from the James White Library server since mid-1994, and evidence reveals widespread use from within North America and worldwide. The print Index is being continued for the time being, but with a reduced typeface and smaller print run.
The board discussed the concept of a wider SDA bibliography in electronic form and would like to see this as an agenda topic at next summer's ASDAL Conference.
Keith Clouten
During the ALA Midwinter conference (January) SDA librarians met for dinner on Sunday evening. Dinner was preceded by a trolley tour of seldom seen parts of San Antonio due to the mistaken sense of direction of the "tour guide," ASDAL Treasurer, Lee Marie Wisel. During our Mexican dinner at Mi Terra Cafe & Bakery in Market Square we were serenaded by a mariachi trio. Those present included: Harvey Brenneise, Keith Clouten, Marilyn Crane, Chloe Foutz, Carolyn Gaskell, Janette Prescod, Marley Soper, Lee Wisel and Slimen Saliba, Vice-President for Academic Administration at Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences. After dinner, an adventurous few took a walking tour of Hemisphere Park, site of the 1968 World's Fair.
Lee Marie Wisel
Cheryl Andrieux
Merlin Burt
Alina Dumitrescu
Cristian Dumitrescu
Renee Juby
Giny McConathy
Sarai Perez
Rita Scholtz
Rebecca Turambi
Pacific Union College
After of weeks of preparation, PUC has launched its HomePage into Cyberspace for all to see. Play with http://www.puc.edu/PUC/HomePage.html and let us know what you think. Also, the PUC library has its own HomePage. And here it is! Http://www.puc.edu/Library
Southern College
SC has welcomed Ron Miller as our new Systems Manager, replacing Rich Burdick who plans to live in Colorado. Rich and his new wife are expecting a baby in the spring, and they plan to move west after the birth. Ron is a graduate of SC and doing a fine job of keeping us relatively calm!
Also (FINALLY! AT LAST!) Have added a librarian (will wonders never cease??) Ann Greer, a degreed librarian from Louisana, was already on staff as a library tech, and is now our Public Services Librarian working directly under Pat Morrison. Staff morale has increased so greatly that we're continuing to urge for still another professional. (Some people are never satisfied) But I guess persistence pays off, for we have been trying to add a librarian since 1987. Ann is a real go-getter with non-stop energy and ideas to match.
The library is gearing up for the new graduate program in Education to begin this coming summer. Hope we can work in ASDAL somewhere in there!
LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY TO LEAD AN ADVENTIST HISTORY TOUR
Have you wondered what it was like to be an American and Adventist in the mid-1800's? Have you wanted to walk in the footsteps of the pioneers of our church and see how God led in the beginning of the Seventh-day Adventist church? Loma Linda University is planning an eight day early Adventist Heritage History Tour of New England, June 16-23, 1996. The tour will visit various major sites of early Adventist experience. Places like the Washington, New Hampshire church, the birthplace of Joseph Bates in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, and the sites connected with Ellen G. White's early experience in Gorham, Poland and Portland, Maine. The high point will be a Sabbath spent at the William Miller home and chapel. We will see some American history along the way. Besides other places, we will visit Sturbridge Village, a realistically restored and operating town from about 1830.
For more information you can write or call:
Heritage Room
Del E. Webb Library
Loma Linda University
Loma Linda, CA 92350
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ASDAL OFFICERS, 1995-1996 President: Adu Worku, PUC President-elect: Chloe Foutz, UC Past President: Harvey Brenneise, AU Secretary: James Walker, LSU Treasurer: Lee Marie Wisel, CUC ASDAL Action Editor: Violet Maynard-Reid, WWC For membership and other general information, write: ASDAL, Columbia Union College Library, 7600 Flower Ave., Takoma Park, MD 20912. |
ASDAL ACTION Editor: Violet Maynard-Reid ASDAL Action is the newsletter of the Association of Seventh-day Adventist Librarians. It is published three times per year: Fall, Winter, and Spring, and is issued to its members free. The purpose of ASDAL ACTION is to keep the membership of the association abreast of events, ideas, and trends related to Adventist Librarianship. All communication and articles are welcome. Address Correspondence:
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