***Update: it is immensely time consuming to ask IT to allow all research links on our website. In the meantime, we can use caution and judgement to assist patrons who need to use websites for research - Saima***
I had a patron the other day who needed to search the Thomas Register, but our Catalog/Database Only computers wouldn't allow access to it, because the Thomas Register is technically a website. Could these computers be set up to allow access to certain web-based resources, such as The Thomas Register or 50states.com ? Is that even possible?
It's confusing for patrons to see a list of resources we label "databases" on our web site and have so many of the links be inaccessible from our "database only" computers. It seemed like horrible customer service to make him wait in the computer reservation line just to access this standard library resource. Fortunately, he was able to get started with Reference USA, but Thomas Register would have been better for his needs.
If we could find a way to do this, I would also like for our ILL page to be accessible on the Catalog/Database only computers. Patrons shouldn't have to wait in line to do that either.
--Lisa
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2 comments:
Lisa you bring up an excellent question. However I wonder if it is possible for IT to allow access to all the web-based resources. However I do know a "way" to get to the websites even from the catalog/db computers. Is it OK to use this method when helping a patron?
Saima
I think it's *possible* for IT to do it, by tweaking the URL using the "way" you mention, but I think each link would need to be done individually. Time may be the issue.
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