1. Mining GALILEO Creating “Express Links” to the Gems Your Patrons Use Presentation Developed By: Andy Spinks, Lead Librarian Wheeler High School Cobb County School System

2. What are Express Links? Express Link are special URLs that point directly to individual databases within GALILEO. Express Links bypass the GALILEO homepage & go directly to the resource. Example: –http://www.galileo.usg.edu/express?link=zbmp –This URL goes directly to MasterFILE Premier

3. How Can I Use Express Links? Use them to create bookmarks, shortcuts, or favorites that go directly to databases such as Searchasaurus or EBSCO. Email them to patrons or colleagues Include them in research guides or pathfinders. Add them to your library web site. You can even create a customized GALILEO page for your patrons!

4. Why Use Express Links? GALILEO serves 8.5 million patrons, from Pre-K to Ph.D. The GALILEO homepage has improved, but it still has to be designed as a “one size fits all” interface. Most of patrons need less than 10% of the databases available to them, BUT different groups of patrons at each institution use different resources. Many wonderful resources have been under-used because they were lost in the deluge of databases. Express Links allow you to customize your patrons’ GALILEO access & send them directly to the resources they need.

5. The Mining Process Prospecting –Identifying the resources your patrons use Extracting the gemstones –Finding the unique URLs for your resources Polishing & displaying the jewels –Creating shortcuts & favorites –Creating a custom GALILEO home page –Integrating GALILEO with other resources

6. There’s Gold in Them Thar’ Hills! Make a list of your list of your patron groups. Go to GALILEO & click on “Databases A-Z” for a complete list of resources. Make a checklist of the resources each of your patron groups need. Some “diamonds in the rough” –EBSCOhost Databases picklist –Express Link to K-12 list, A-Z list –Express Link to “Arts & Humanities” “Georgia” or other tabs

7. Get out your pickax… On the Databases A-Z list, K-12 list, or other list, scroll to the bottom of the page. Click on “GALILEO Express Links.” Scroll to the bottom of the Express Links page Click “Generate a formatted list of links for all databases for your institution.” This creates an A-Z list of all the Express Links available to your institution.

8. Polishing Your Stones Create a Favorite or Bookmark –Drag and drop to the Links/Personal Toolbar –Right-click, then Add to Favorites/Bookmark Create a desktop shortcut –Drag and drop to the desktop –Right-click, choose Copy Shortcut, then paste to the desktop or into a folder Using the links in the left column of the Express Links A-Z list, you can…

9. Assembling a Gem Collection Creating a Custom List of Databases –On the bottom of the Express Links page, click “View a picklist of all databases for your institution to create a custom menu link.” –Check the resources you want on your list –Click “Create List” –Click on “GALILEO Express Links” in the bottom-right corner of the page –Save the link called “GALILEO Databases” Use this feature to create a custom GALILEO page Create new custom pages for individual needs

10. Integrating GALILEO with Other Crown Jewels Add Express Links to your library web site –Example: Wheeler Research Central –Go to the A-Z list of Express Links –Copy & paste links to your html editor –Add the GALILEO branding Other Options –Local Resources Button –GLRI: GALILEO Local Resource Integration

11. Closing Discussion How to download color version of handout Question & Answer Brainstorm ideas for Using Express Links