April 2017
Volume 15.1
BC ELN has tools to make your job easier.

In this special issue of Connect we highlight the tools BC ELN provides that can lighten and ease your work. We share simple instructions for tools in a number of different service areas, with plenty of links to more tips and tricks. We also can't resist highlighting BC ELN's Innovation & Success 2016 Report - it's worth a read!
In This Issue
Contact Us
BC ELN receives funding to continue valuable work in province

The Ministry of Advanced Education has confirmed BC ELN's annual budget allocation of $485,417 for 2017/18. The Ministry thanks BC ELN for its "continued commitment to post-secondary education, providing excellent opportunities for students and supporting British Columbia's economy." Appreciation goes to the Ministry and BC ELN partner libraries for all the support - funding, staff time, input, and feedback. We look forward to yet another productive year!
Innovation & Success 2016 Released

We are so proud to announce the release of BC ELN's Innovation & Success 2016. The annual report contains many stories of people whose work is positively impacted by BC ELN services.

"When we tell students and faculty that we can bring in items to support their research and education, they are so happy." 
~ Katherine Percival, North Island College, speaking about OutLook OnLine (p.9)

The report also includes a value spotlight, service achievements, a financial overview, and activities on the horizon.
Tools of the Trade
The following is a list of useful tools and tips to help with a variety of partner library needs around interlibrary loan optimization, license subscription views, AskAway visibility, billing information, and more. If you have any questions don't hesitate to contact us!
Need to find out a resource's US exchange rate? Here's how:

The exchange rate used on all invoices (current or historical) can be viewed within the spreadsheets generated for each billing series. To view spreadsheets:
1) Log into the billing system at http://billing.bceln.ca//dbcosts/login.php (need help? Contact Korinne @ [email protected])
2) Under "View Invoices and Spreadsheets" click on the fiscal year.
3) Click on the Billing, then "Spreadsheets".
4) Choose the database you are interested in from the resulting list.
5) The exchange rate will be listed in the second to last column, titled "Exchange."
How to help your patrons send their own ILL requests via OutLook OnLine

Activating patron-friendly features, such as Open URL linking from your library catalogue or discovery layer, combined with customised
Patron-Initiated Interlibrary Loan requesting allows your patrons to easily search and submit their own requests. This can free up ILL Staff from tedious data entry while still maintaining control through mediated patron requests.
A simple way to filter view of license subscribers

Did you know you can easily filter your view of licenses by subscribing institution? Just visit the License Resource page, chose "Filter by Partner Library", and voila!
How to make AskAway more visible for your patrons

Research on AskAway usage since 2008 shows that visibility in key locations is the primary determinant of how much the service is used. The best practice is to include AskAway on all standard webpages for AskAway entry points.
How Arca can link to fulltext articles outside the repository

Arca collaborative repository can automatically display a link out to fulltext open-access versions of articles available outside of Arca. This can be useful for faculty members who may have citations in Arca linked to their faculty profiles, but their OA articles are hosted elsewhere. Enabling this feature is easy: Arca administrators simply turn on the Islandora oaDOI module, enable the oaDOI Link block, then ingest a citation for the article into Arca making sure to include the article DOI. By querying oadoi.org, Arca will automatically display the external link to the fulltext.
e-HLbc: Solutions for common troubleshooting problems

Do you ever experience authentication problems-such as forbidden or unauthorized access errors-when logging into your library databases? These errors may occur when your library first subscribes to a new e-HLbc product or following a product migration or upgrade.

Don't panic! Here are the most likely solutions to your authentication woes: your off-site authentication method (e.g. EZproxy) needs to be re-configured; your EZproxy URL needs to be correctly appended to your database URL; or you need to send the vendor(s) your most up-to-date IP addresses.
How to direct a student to WriteAway

Current students of 13 participating institutions are eligible to use WriteAway for online writing tutoring. Getting writing help is easier than ever thanks to the revamped WriteAway website. Simply direct students to writeaway.ca and the quick link to "Connect with a Tutor" where they can get started!

More than 2,600 students received help in 2016 and in the words of one Thompson Rivers University student - "[The WriteAway tutor's] comments and responses gave me confidence in my writing and provided me with great resources. I am definitely getting the help I need to improve my writing skills"
WriteAway Participating Institutions
BC Institute of Technology
Camosun College
College of the Rockies
Douglas College
Kwantlen Polytechnic University
Langara College
North Island College
Selkirk College
Simon Fraser University
Thompson Rivers University
University of British Columbia
University of the Fraser Valley
Vancouver Community College
How to keep up with the latest BC ELN news & developments

BC ELN reports progress through a number of different channels. Visit our News & Events page or join us on Twitter for timely updates. Twice a year BC ELN produces a progress report, and every spring we release our annual Innovation & Success report of achievements. At any time you are welcome to contact BC ELN staff with questions or comments.

Tool Icons: Screwdriver by Petr Papasov from the Noun Project, Double Wrench by Oliviu Stoian from the Noun Project, Hammer by Creaticca Creative Agency from the Noun Project (all creative commons)