In the 17th century, Galileo changed how we looked at space. In the 20th century, Galileo is changing how Georgia looks at Cyberspace.
Galileo is a statewide initiative to improve information access in college and university libraries in the state of Georgia. For smaller libraries which are not automated or don't have Internet access, Galileo will be an enormous change. For UGA's Law Library, already automated and providing a host of electronic databases, Galileo represents a wealth of newer more specialized sources. Below you will find a list of features of Galileo. The Galileo World Wide Web page is available on the four new Pentium PCs on the Main Floor of the Law Library adjacent to the GAVEL PCs. The URL is http://galileo.gsu.edu/. The resources discussed below will appear on Galileo screens over time. They all are not currently available, so make sure you keep checking.
This option on the Galileo Web Homepage is where you should look for over fifty different databases from ABI Inform to MLA to Geobase to Social Science Index. Eventually, there should be databases here for most subjects taught at this university. It is also home to about 400 full text periodicals available for printing: from French Historical Studies to Healthcare Financing Review. These journals and databases will be coming online throughout the year; so if you don't see what you want, wait a bit.
Under this option on the Galileo Web Homepage, you will find direct links to all the automated academic library catalogs in the University System of Georgia. The Galileo project provides funds for automating those few libraries that are not already on-line. Soon you should be able to look at the collection of any library in the University System. In fact, the Galileo project is providing funds for converting the remaining records in the UGA Law Library card catalog to machine readable format. Thanks toGalileo funding you'll be able to access all titles in the UGA Law Library through GAVEL.
Under this option on the Galileo Web Page, you will find many ways to locate electronic information on subjects from government to literature to education to business. Many of these Internet sites contain valuable, current information not available elsewhere. The Net is an especially good source of government information.
Under this option on the Galileo Web Page, you will find a host of information about Georgia colleges and Georgia state government. University System information and policies will be here under Board of Regents and other headings. State government publications and Georgia Census data will be here under Georgia State Government. This is a good source for regional statistical information that is up to date and easily accessible.
During Spring Semester, Reference Service at the UGA Law Library will be reduced. As many of you may know, Dr. James M. Whitehead retired Dec. 31, 1995. Dr. Whitehead was one of our four Reference Librarians. We are currently conducting an extensive search to fill Dr. Whitehead's position.
The remaining Reference Librarians are Sally AsKew, CiCi Cleveland and Carol Watson. We will do our best to staff the Reference Desk as much as possible. If no one is available to staff the Reference Desk, we will post a telephone number where a Reference Librarian can be reached. Do not hesitate to ask at the Circulation Desk if you cannot reach a Reference Librarian via telephone.
We are also changing the evening hours that we staff the Reference Desk. We are no longer staffing the Reference Desk on Friday evenings. There will be no librarian on duty after 5:00 p.m. on Fridays. We hope this doesn't inconvenience you too much. We've studied our statistics and we simply are not getting any reference questions on Friday evenings.
In addition to 8:00 - 5:00, Monday - Friday, a Librarian will be on duty to answer reference questions Monday - Thursday, 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m., Saturday, 12:00 noon - 4:00 p.m., and Sunday, 12:00 noon - 8:00 p.m.
Many students have asked what happened to the Infotrac workstation that was used to find legal periodical articles. I'm happy to report that the Legaltrac legal periodicals index is available on all four Galileo PCs on the Main Floor. (The Galileo PCs are the ones adjacent to the online catalog PCs. )
We have officially networked our CD ROMs. From the four PCs on the Main Floor you can now access Legaltrac, West's Georgia Code, Cases and Digest, West's Bankruptcy Materials, West's USCA, and Autographics Government Documents Index. Michie's Georgia Law on Disc will be available very soon.
It doesn't matter which PC you choose! Up to four users can access these CDs simultaneously! These CDs can be accessed from the Law Library Annex Computer Lab and Faculty Offices as well. We plan to offer classes on CD-ROM searching during Spring Semester. We hope these classes will better prepare you for the practice of law since many law firms are embracing CD-ROM technology.
Do you have a suggestion, compliment or complaint regarding the Law Library? Your opinion matters! At the front entrance to the Law Library is a black notebook for suggestions. Feel free to express yourself. Those of you who have read the suggestion book know that many students have voiced their opinions. Take time to browse through the suggestions and librarian comments. It's highly entertaining.
The Georgia General Assembly is currently in session. The General Assembly opens its session the second Monday of January. It meets for no more than 40 days per year. With official recesses, the Legislature should be in session until mid-March.
Just a reminder: a Security Guard is available to escort you to your car. The Security Guard is available daily from 8:15 p.m. til Midnight. If you are leaving the library before 8:15 p.m. and would like an escort, call 2-2200. The Campus Police will send an escort for you. We'd like to strongly encourage everyone to take advantage of this service.