RACER upgrade announcement

From Alan Darnell:

Just a quick note to confirm the dates for the planned upgraded of RACER to v 3.22.

All of the internal testing has been going extremely well and we are putting the finishing touches on the interface modifications to customize the application for OCUL.

Our plan is to make the switch on the weekend of August 23-24. That means that we will be bringing the system down on Friday August 22nd at 5pm and will be bringing the system up again by 9am on Monday August 25th. During that time, the end user request form will not be available.

In the next few days, we’ll be sending out information on how ILL offices can preview the new version as well as a list of enhancements available in this new version of RACER.

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

Alan

TRIAL: Oxford Language Dictionaries Online (OLDO)

Database link http://www.oxfordlanguagedictionaries.com/ ; accessible only within yorku.ca domain.
Trial ends 2008.08.15

From the vendor:

a complete toolkit for language users, from learners to professionals, providing unparalleled language coverage and learning support via instant access to Oxford’s top-of-the-range, unabridged bilingual dictionaries.

Oxford Language Dictionaries Online (OLDO) features essential language resources never before available online – fully searchable, completely comprehensive bilingual dictionaries, and unique study materials that provide extra help with learning and using an expanding range of languages. Offering over 4 million words, phrases and translations in French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, and Chinese, OLDO also features native speaker audio pronunciation – allowing you to hear how words actually sound! More than just a dictionary, OLDO offers a complete suite of language learning support materials for users of all levels: click-through verb tables and pronunciation charts, explanations of grammatical terms, hundreds sample letters, CVs and resumes, notes on life and culture, guidance on grammar and idiomatic usage, extensive links to other sites for further research, and more! Updates every six months ensure that the most current meanings and the latest new words are just a click away, making OLDO an invaluable resource for students and professionals alike.

ProQuest is down — & back up!

From the vendor:

ProQuest is unavailable until Wednesday, July 09, 2008 12:45 pm Eastern Time due to technical difficulties. We apologize for this inconvenience and thank you for your patience. once again.

Upcoming ProQuest maintenance, 2008-07-12

From the vendor:

ProQuest® will be performing infrastructure maintenance on July 12, 2008. A twelve (12) hour maintenance window will be required for this maintenance. The window will begin Saturday, July 12, 2008, at 22:00 EDT to Sunday, July 13, 2008 at 10:00 EDT. See below for a more complete list of times and time zones.

ProQuest has begun a transition to a new, state-of-the-art data center as part of our ongoing commitment to investing in superb support systems for our customers around the world. This move also reduces energy consumption and helps fulfill key environmental considerations.

It is expected that the vast majority of customers will transition seamlessly during this period. In a few instances, customers with specialized domain name server configurations may need to get in touch with ProQuest technical support, who will be available to answer any questions that arise. Within the United States or Canada, call 1-800-889-3358 or 734-761-4700 extension 2513 or email us at tsupport@proquest.com.

The following products will be unavailable during this window:

Chadwyck-Healey products housed in the US (all products with domain names ending with chadwyck.com)

“Digital Vault” products, including ProQuest Dissertations & Theses and Digital Sanborn Maps

K-12 products including eLibrary®, SIRS®, and CultureGrams™