Category Archives: Tools

Updates on useful tools, software, etc.

Make: Data – Towards a digital toolbox for researchers in the Humanities – course – 8 June, 12:30

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Friday 8 June, 12:30-13:30, OUCS
Book here.
The session will present how two DPhil projects in History apply various digital tools (text encoding, data visualisation, corpus linguistics, semantic web) to analyse medieval texts.
Case one:
In 1457, a Florentine merchant decided to transmit his experience and knowledge to his sons. He created a manuscript which covers all aspects of human existence. The goal of this project is to analyse the thinking and knowledge of this merchant as it is represented in the text. The manuscript was transcribed and encoded in TEI XML. The transcription was then transformed into a semantically and linguistically annotated corpus. Finally, an ontology is being built to reconstruct and visualise the knowledge of the merchant.
Case two:
The project uses eXist for an XML ‘native’ database of an English family’s twelfth and thirteenth century charters and related material. A TEI marked up copy of the text allows publication either on the web or as pdf as well as the normal database query, listing and tabulation functions. Bibliography is fully incorporated using Zotero. The data relating to social and text networks can be extracted and passed to programmes such as NodeXL to enable it to be visualized graphically.

Default sort order within clustered search results in SOLO is now by “relevancy”

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SOLO homepageWe have implemented the first stage of a plan to improve the display of records in SOLO with clusters of versions (where SOLO has grouped together ‘versions’ of the same work).

To achieve this, the default sort order for search results within clusters will be changed to relevance rather than date-newest. If you prefer to see your results in date order you can still do so. Please use the sort option at the top of the results screen.

While clustering is beneficial to and highly valued by a large number of readers, it can cause problems for others, particularly where searching for very specific editions or antiquarian/non-book material. The long-term aim is to exclude certain categories of material from clustering, which will solve the small number of problematic cases while retaining the benefits of clustering for the majority of searches and readers.

The decision to retain clustering in SOLO and work to improve it was taken following extensive consultation and user testing, including discussion at the Bodleian Libraries Cabinet. The change to sort order within clusters is a first step to mitigate against some of the major problems caused by clustering while we work to develop an improved solution for everyone.

Email solo@bodleian.ox.ac.uk if you have any feedback on these changes.

 

New in SOLO: Limit your search to open shelf locations in Bodleian

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With thanks to BodWiser for the text:

It is now possible to limit your SOLO search to open shelf materials in the central Bodleian Library.  This should be useful to those of you looking for materials that you can access  immediately in the Bodleian without the need to place a hold request from the remote store / bookstacks.

To limit your search to open shelf materials in the Bod, choose “Bodleian Open Shelf Collections” from the”Libraries or Collections” drop down menu adjacent to the search box.

Alternatively, after you have made your search, refine your results by choosing one of the Bodleian reading rooms from the list of Libraries on the left hand side of the screen.  This will display open shelf materials in the reading room and will exclude items in the remote store / bookstacks.

RefWorks switching to RefWorks 2.0 this Sat 29 October

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When you log on to RefWorks from this Saturday onwards you will see the new RefWorks 2.0 interface.  If you’re in a rush and you don’t have time to get to grips with the new interface you can switch back by clicking “RefWorks Classic” at the top of the screen.

However, you’ll need to find time for the new interface at some point, as “RefWorks Classic” is likely to be withdrawn in early 2012.  Don’t worry – although RefWorks 2.0 has a smart new interface and some new features – the functionality remains very much the same as in “RefWorks Classic”. From BODWiser blog.

Forthcoming course: RefWorks for Humanities, Friday 25 November 9.15 – 12.15pm. OUCS. Book here.

Digital Microfilm – new from National Archives – DocumentsOnline

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The National Archives

You may be interested in a new TNA initiative: Digital Microfilm. It allows you to search and download some of The National Archives’ most popular records, which were previously available on microfilm. Many of the records are indexes and these may be helpful in locating other relevant records. These records have not been indexed and so you will need to scroll through the pdfs, much as you would when using a microfilm.

The pdfs cover records from the mid-17th century to World War Two and include, amongst others, Home Office, Foreign Office, Admiralty, Cabinet and War Office papers.

This is also bookmarked on HFL Delicious pages.

AHA Today: Five Ways for Historians to Use Twitter

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Here is a really useful blog how historians can make use of Twitter. It summarises well those 5 tools and gives examples.

The 5 tools are:

1. Follow organisations: get updates & research tips, highlights or additions to collections, get in touch with staff. These could be museums, libraries / archives, research instutions, history organisations, research group, etc.

2. Use hastags: to search tweets by subject, identify an interest group

3. Tweet a conference: share thoughts on talks, etc. with conference participants, great for networking

4. Share resources: new resources, recommendations, etc. are regularly posted.

5. Search for job

@HFLOxford is where we tweet updates about library services and collections for historians, new resources/books/databases, circulate news about tools for historians and generally pass on any news that makes lives for historians easy,  richer and keeps it up-to-date.

The full descriptions are at AHA Today: Five Ways for Historians to Use Twitter.

Reminder of forthcoming SOLO workshops

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If you are not sure you are using SOLO effectively and want to learn how to do so, here are details of forthcoming SOLO workshops:

WISER:  Finding Stuff on SOLO –  This hands on workshop will focus on search techniques for finding books, journals and other Library materials in print and online using SOLO. The session will also cover placing requests and reservations using SOLO, book renewals and using the SOLO e-shelf and saved searches.

Dates:   This workshop will run on the following dates (you only need to attend one session).  
Tuesday 9 August 14.30-15.30  at the Social Science Library
Wednesday 24 August 10.00-11.00  at the Radcliffe Science Library

More dates will be added over the summer, please check http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/services/training/solo-workshops for more details.

Who may attend:    All Bodleian Libraries and College readers may attend but please book your place.

Booking:  Booking for these workshops is essential. Please book your place by emailing usered@bodleian.ox.ac.uk quoting the date of the workshop that you wish to attend.

Struggling with SOLO? – details of forthcoming workshops

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If you are not sure you are using SOLO effectively and want to learn how to do so, here are details of forthcoming SOLO workshops:

WISER:  Finding Stuff on SOLO –  This hands on workshop will focus on search techniques for finding books, journals and other Library materials in print and online using SOLO. The session will also cover placing requests and reservations using SOLO, book renewals and using the SOLO e-shelf and saved searches.

Dates:   This workshop will run on the following dates (you only need to attend one session).  
Wednesday 27 July 9.30-10.30 at the Radcliffe Science Library
Tuesday 9 August 14.30-15.30  at the Social Science Library
Wednesday 24 August 10.00-11.00  at the Radcliffe Science Library

More dates will be added over the summer, please check http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/services/training/solo-workshops for more details.

Who may attend:    All Bodleian Libraries and College readers may attend but please book your place.

Booking:  Booking for these workshops is essential. Please book your place by emailing usered@bodleian.ox.ac.uk quoting the date of the workshop that you wish to attend.

Trinity Term Information Skills Programme

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The programme of Information Skills courses for this term is now available to view on our website.

The programme includes courses on:

  • RefWorks
  • WISER sessions on
    • Manuscripts
    • Sources for African studies
    • Online resources for historians 
    • US history sources
    • Sources for Medievalists 
  • Sessions from ProQuest on
    • Early English Books Online (EEBO)
    • Historical Newspapers
    • House of Commons Parliamentary Papers

For full details and to book places please go to http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/history/services/training/PGtraining