Library Web News

April 1999 Web News

Calumet Regional Archives Brings Its Collections to the World Via the Web

Since 1973, the Calumet Regional Archives (CRA) has collected, preserved, and made available records documenting the history of Northwest Indiana. For over twenty five years, this required researchers to travel to the Archives to learn about and use these collections.

That method of access changed significantly on February 6, 1997, when the IU Northwest Library web site featured web pages describing materials in the Calumet Regional Archives. At that historic moment, the Archives' audience expanded from a rather localized, narrow pool to a national and even international research community. Suddenly, persons from the western United States to folks "down under" were able to examine many of the Archives' collection inventories, describing the hundreds of linear feet of manuscripts, photographs, and other materials preserved in the CRA.

For example, a librarian in Japan, researching the history of United States Steel Corporation, searched the Web and found the many items on U.S. Steel held by the Archives. In Los Angeles, a thespian performing a one-person play on the Indiana Dunes located the perfect photograph for her show via the Archives' web site. Many genealogists have surfed the Web and landed at the CRA's site; in the last year alone, persons from Australia to Greece have found helpful information on their family histories in the CRA.

Thanks to modern technology, hundreds of persons literally around the world have learned about the historical treasures in the Calumet Regional Archives. We look forward to serving even more researchers in the years ahead. For more information about the Calumet Regional Archives collection, visit the Archives web site or contact Archivist at 219-980- 6628.

Labor Relations Reporter Index Premieres on the Web

The Labor Relations Reporter General Index and Table of Cases published by the Bureau of National Affairs (BNA) can now be accessed via the Internet. The General Index is arranged alphabetically by major subjects and subheadings of all topics covered in the Outlines of Classification for Americans with Disabilities Cases, Fair Employment Practice Cases, Individual Employment Rights Cases, Labor Arbitration, Labor Relations (courts and NLRB cases), and Wage and Hour Cases. The web-based product which is updated monthly also includes topics covered in the Fair Employment Practices, Individual Employment Rights and Wage and Hour Manuals as well as the Labor Relations Expediter and State Labor Laws.

System requirements for using this research tool include:

• A browser that can handle frames (Internet Explorer 3.0 or Netscape 3.0 or higher).
• The web browser must support JavaScript
• Browser preferences must be set so JavaScript is enabled.
• The web browser must be set to accept cookies.

The Index is available from computers on the IU Northwest campus and also from your home computer. To access it go to the IU Northwest Library On-campus Electronic Information page or the Off Campus Electronic Information page and select the Labor Relations Index link.

1. At the main menu, click the particular database you wish to search. These databases include LRR General Index, Table of Cases for LRR Manuals, Main Topics, Full Index or Table of Cases.
2. When the database opens, the index for that databases will appear. If you want to locate a specific topic, click the Search button on the left side of the screen.
3. Specify whether you want to locate the search terms in the Main Topics, Full Index or Table of Cases section by clicking the down arrow on the Select a Search box.
4. Then enter the search term in the dialog box and click the Submit Search button to perform the search.
5. For additional tips on searching this index, use the Help button located on the left side of the screen.

For further information, contact , Library News Web Editor.