The Cage is no more

Alas, one of the Plant Sciences Library's most charming features is now gone.

The Librarian's Cage, wherein the current incumbent was ceremonially shackled by a masked official in velvet pantaloons and acanthus-embroidered tam-o-shanter from 8.30 am to 12.30 pm each weekday morning, has been demolished as part of the library refurbishment.

Here's a nostalgic view of things as they once were.

Because of said building works, the Plant Scis Library will be largely inaccessible from Monday 16 July until Monday 10 September 2012. Department members will be able to use the computer bays by entering from the Tennis Court Road end. Almost all books and journals are currently inaccessible, but may be retrievable at the builders' discretion later on.

Phone extension 33930 has been disconnected : please call Reception on 01223 333900 and leave a message.
E-mails to library@plantsci.cam.ac.uk may not be answered between Weds 25 July and Tues 21 August.
Please bear with us. The library will emerge from its plastic sheathing in September, lovelier than ever!

Momentous changes

Goodness me, is that the time? I must have dropped off.
All sorts have happened since the last post. For starters the floras, monographs and taxonomy works were moved from the Department Library to the new [as yet unnamed] library in the Sainsbury Lab over the summer. Visitors are welcome, but ideally should contact us first on library@plantsci.cam.ac.uk because access to the SL requires some sort of verification - even for members of the Department of Plant Sciences. Past visitors to the Herbarium should contact Gina Murrell if the require access to the new library.
Not all items are in the intended order on the shelves yet, but this may be sorted out over the Christmas vacation. Thus, whilst Simpson Collection books are in order, as are the journals, the other books are still in large sets, so that for example, all European floras are still on the shelves as they were moved, and not in country order.
The 'old' library has been tidied, and all items on the outrageously high shelves have been brought down to more accessible levels. All journals are now in one alphabetical sequence and books are now easier to find.

LibrarySearch - a new search facility to try

The University Library has made available a beta version of the new search facility it will be implementing, called LibrarySearch.

Searching the various library catalogues is far more efficient than on Newton, and the results are much easier to understand. Helpfully, if you are trying to find out if the University holds a particular journal, the electronic version will appear at the top of the results if it is available.

But as scientists, will less interest in books, you might find the additional facility of simultaneously searching across the major reference databases most helpful. So you can perform a metasearch across Scopus, PubMed and Web of Knowledge, for example, saving time and comparing the appropriate coverage of each.

If you are trying to find books, and you remember them by their colour or appearance, the additional images of the covers will also help you identify the one you need with a quick scan.

You can use the beta version instead of Newton, so it is highly recommended you give it a try - see the search interface on http://search.lib.cam.ac.uk/

Signs of life...

The Library is once again staffed.
Here's a reminder of when you can expect to find a real live person to help you out in the Plant Sciences Library:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings
But remember, you can always e-mail library@plantsci.cam.ac.uk if you need help

Even quieter than usual

The Plant Scis Library will not be staffed between Friday 13 August and Tuesday 31 August. Please e-mail Library@plantsci.cam.ac.uk if you have any questions and I'll get back to you ASAP after 31 Aug

First from the Cage

THIS is the Cage. It is the source of Plant Sciences Library blogs, which will be issued if and when there is something of possible interest to say.

The title of this blog, 'From the cage' is shamelessly plagiarised from Richard Savage, who was the popular and funny librarian in this department for many years.