Oakville Beaver, 21 Sep 1994, p. 17

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et connected at the Oakville Central Library. Hook ‘onâ€"line‘ to the information super highway. Find a book, check a magâ€" azine title, search corporate files, set copies of newspaper articles for research purposes . . . it‘s just a few keystrokes away. There‘s one terminal in the library‘s computer bank for its pubâ€" lic access book and periodical cataâ€" logue with a few extra keys on the keyboard, and one extra listing â€" the newly formed Halton Community Network. ptember 21, 1994 "This is an outgrowth of Halinet," explains Pam Sadler, head of adult services, which includes computer access. "This is a commuâ€" mty run organization which is proâ€" viding a publlc access network. And, yes, it‘s part of ‘The Internet,‘ however limited, "as the system is still under construction." Sadler added little is publically known â€" about the Halton Community Network, a ‘FreeNet‘ still in its formative stages, with limited access, however it‘s already accessible to those with a computer and modem. Just dial 845â€"0057 if you live in Oakville, Milton or Burlington, set your modem to: Up to 14.4 kbps (baud); Parity: None; Data Length (data bits): 8; Stop Bits: 1; Terminal Type: VT 100/102; and log in as ‘guest.‘ Then browse through the documents, anything from what‘s in the library, plus dictionaries, several university catalogues, government reports, weather reports, CBC Radio, and more. y WILMA BLOKHUIS ocus Editor "So far, the library is not a regisâ€" tered user," said Sadler, allowing users to only access documents that can be read. Spoken word and musical selections from the CBC, although listed, are not yet availâ€" able, due to the system still being "under construction." The loading is done at Sheridan College, which donates this service to the Halton Community Network. * Oakville Images is the library‘s pride and joy, says Sadler, an award winner. We spent about 1 1/2 years signing a computer imaging sysâ€" 1em that was linked to its book and :perlodlcal catalogue. Patrons can »search local history from any cataâ€" looue terminal at the library, howâ€" ‘ever, only the Oakville Images terâ€" minal has the capability to produce copies. "Within about a month, the sysâ€" tem should be ‘interactive,‘ with capability to send electronic mesâ€" sages â€" ‘Eâ€"mail.‘ For this, library patrons can apply for a free registraâ€" tion card, explained Sadler, as all users need a recistration number. "This system is our doorway into the Internet." The library already has Dialâ€"Up Access, allowing patrons to call the library at 842â€"7483 using their home computers and modem to Search the catalogue and place items on hold. Not only is the library using computers to get on the futuristic information highway, it also has a terminal containing its past, as part of its Oakville History Collection. * "We received a $100,000 Lawson Foundation grant in 1991 to create the Oakville History Collection and a quiet study room," éxplained Sadler. "Our application included an onâ€"line access to old Qakville records. We used $30,000 of that money to buy the equipâ€" ment." This included computer hardware and customized software from MetaConcepts Inc., Toronto, and the imaging process from Access Systems Inc., of Oakville. Library computer technicians are able to scan borrowed documents ftom private and public historical collections into this system, for all to see. . Last November, the Oakville Central Library won the Angus Mowat Award of Excellence from the Ontario Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Recreation, an innovaâ€" tive technology award for its Oakville Images project. * Every children‘s department in Oakville‘s library system has Compton‘s MultiMedia Encyclopedia on a CDâ€"ROM. A ‘user friendly‘ computer terminal opens windows to a descriptive and colorful explanation of ‘the world around us,‘ complete with short videos and slide shows, sound effects, and printâ€"out for written text. This equipment was installed at Central, and the three branch libraries, last spring. And, although it‘s intended to be used by children, you can bet adults will also find Compton‘s to be fascinating and informative. All of the information to be accessed is contained on one CD, omputers link Central Library to information highway In Adult Services, next to the aging viewersâ€"printers used to access and copy from microfilm is a bank of CDâ€"ROMs, just literally packed with up to date information. Sadler refers to these computers as "our electronic resources lab," and here‘s why: similar to the popular music CDs. Proquest indexes and provides abstracts (brief synopsis) from 2,000 magazines, mostly American with a few Canadian titles like Maclean‘s and Atlantic Advocate, with complete articles available for printâ€"outs from about 500 of these publications. "This is a full text and image data base," said Sadler, with full page imaging of the 500 titles from which full access is available. Compact Disc Canada has information on about 8,000 of Canada‘s largest public and private corporations in "fairly extensive detail," explained Sadler. "It gives locations, top executives, and you can search the size and type of their For story on the history of the Oakville Public Library, see page 19 Internet registration about a month away White THE EVENT OF A PRICING ERROR, THE ITEM(S) 1 IVIN ST;SII.).U‘N n-;-s.-v QUESTION WiLL BE CHARGED AT CORRECT PRICE DAS ST. W. DEMAND, MAY EXCEED AVAILABLE STOCK: WE 4265 FAIRVIEW ST. West of Winston Churchili ® [ reserve the rignt to uimit ouantities ose LIMITED TO STOCK ON HAND. NOT ALL PRODUCT AVAILABLE AT OUR KENNEDY RD. OR WHITBY LOCATIONS. NO LEISURE FURNITURE SOLD AT P KENNEDY, WHITBY BURLINGTON STORES a# GREAT CARE IS TAKEN IN THE PREPARATION PRODUCTION OF THIS AD, ERROR IN DESCRIPâ€" TION, ILLUSTRATION PRICING MAY OCCUR. IN THE EVENT OF A PRICING ERROR, THE ITEM(S) IN QUESTION WILL BE CHARGED AT CORRECT PRICE DEMAND, MAY EXCEED AVAILABLE STOCK: WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO LIMIT QUANTITIES. LIMITED TO STOCK ON HAND. NOT ALL PRODUCT AVAILABLE AT OUR KENNEDY AD. OR WHITBY LOCATIONS. NO LEISURE FURNITURE SOLD AT KENNEDY, WHITBY BURLINGTON STORES: business holdings." It also mutual funds and crown corporations. Information can be printed, or downloaded into your own floppy disc. Canadian News Disc carries the full texts of articles, but no pictures, of six major Canadian newspapers â€" Toronto Star, Ottawa Citizen, Halifax Daily News, Montreal Gazette, Vancouver Sun and the Calgary Herald. Canadian Business Disec conâ€" tains full texts of articles from busiâ€" ness sections of six major newspaâ€" pers â€" Toronto Star, Montreal Gazette, Halifax Chronicleâ€"Herald, Vancouver Sun and Calgary Herald, plus The Financial Post. And, Canadian Business and Current Affairs is an index of Canadian magazines, some American, with capability to proâ€" vide abstracts. All of these CDâ€"ROMs, except Proquest, can be networked, added Sadler, hinting this may come in the future. But for now, you‘ll have to make the trip to the Central Library. All of these computer terminals can provide print out copies, at 20 or 25 cents per sheet. THE OAKVILLE BEAVER P s iA motb oes nosikns PAR TEMPS FnoiD The computer age came to the library when it was decided to replace its massive vertical book and periodical file with a computer catalogue four years ago â€" thus making space available for the CDâ€" ROMs. Since 1980, the Oakville Public Library has been linked with other libraries across Halton through Halinet, and recently, it received a $14,000 Culture, Tourism and Recreation grant to come on line with INFO, Information Network for Ontario, giving access to a data base of four million titles located in 200 libraries across the province. Interlibrary loans can be arranged through Halinet and INFO. BURLINGTON â€" ERIN MILLS There is also the Onâ€"Line Reference Service, however, because of costs, searches are done by library staff at the request of patrons, and the library absorbs the first $20 each search costs. After that, "we have to start charging â€" it‘s a very expensive service," comâ€" mented Sadler. Answers are providâ€" ed within 24 hours, Monday to Friday. Sources include InfoGlobe, Dialog, Infomart and Wilsonline, Help protect your roses in the winter. An easy to use compost mulch for hilling roses. Organic, weed free disease free. /‘N_fi BAG $088 BURNHAMTHORPE ROAD WEST | DUNDAS ST. W. |2 together representing over 500 databases containing journals, newspapers, magazines, dissertaâ€" tions, books, business directories, government publications, and conâ€" ference reports And, all 0 connected to th central,‘ "deep Centr OUr OK CUSTOM !* wiy" NR PORTRAITS® YOU CAN SEE, SELECT AND ORDER vour PorTRATS NoT 1N WEEXs. AGFA @ Products give you better portraits. . For Customer -THIS AREA KMART HAS A PERMANENT STUDIO Tues. â€" Fri. 10 AM â€" 7 PM _ Sat. 10 AM â€" 6 PM 3rd Line Rebecca Street, Oakwlle %figa.gvmx%.m><)zh§§§m§m§.6 gg:zgmxgggmmungmflggmgfiwcflgfi(g %L:Knuf;rxgno'rmn collection with r\;;hggtm to purchase. Christmas o kground available at no extra charge. Portrait sizes approximate CUSTOM PORTRAITS HOPEDALE MA Service, call 1â€"800â€"438â€"886 And, all of this equipment is connected to the library‘s ‘computer central,‘ "deep in the bowels" of the Oakville Central Library! © 1994 PCA Inc.

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