Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh

Informational Newsletter
Volume 95, Number 8
/projects/ckp/newsletter/v95n8.html

Accessing the Carnegie Library from Home or School

Pittsburgh Public School staff and students with CK:P accounts are able to search the Carnegie Library collection from home or school. You can login to the library's computer and search for books. Call numbers, branch locations and availability information is also displayed. There are a number of ways to reach the Carnegie Library:

You can access the Carnegie Library from the opening menu on Oberon. Once you have logged in, type "menu". Choose #5 for Libraries and then #1 for the Carnegie Library. Login as "catalog" and you can begin to search their collection. If you are asked to choose a terminal emulation, choose "vt100".
You can access the Carnegie Library from the unix prompt directly by typing "telnet clpgh.org". Login as "catalog".

Anyone in Pittsburgh can dial the Carnegie Library collection directly using their telecommunications software. The phone number is 622-6260. Login as "catalog".

Once you are logged in, read the screen carefully. You must follow the directions that are supplied on the screen.

Accessing the University of Pittsburgh Library from Home or School

You can also go into the Pitt library and look at their collection. This is quite valuable for professional development - they have a large Education collection. Login to Oberon and go to the main menu. Select #5 for Libraries from the menu and then select #2 for University of Pittsburgh (PITTCAT). You do not have to be a student at the University to look at their collection. However, you do have to be a student in order to sign a book out or go into any of their restricted collections.

Once you are logged in to the Pitt, read the screen carefully! You must follow the directions that are supplied on the screen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Can I get a summary of a book over the Carnegie Library system (Caroline)?
Answer: No. Some records have brief summaries, but the main function of the system is locating books.

Question: Can I read my email from the computer at the Carnegie Library?
Answer: Yes. From the Carnegie Library's opening menu, select #2 - JESDial. Choose "Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh". Then follow these steps:

Hit enter at the next two questions at the bottom of the screen.
At the Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh Welcome page, hit the space bar to getto the next screen. At the bottom of the page, use the arrow keys to highlight "Our Local Home Page" and hit the enter key.
On the Local home page, highlight "Telnet to CK:P Server" and hit the enter key.
On the telnet page, you should choose the appropriate school site. This will initiate a telnet (remote login) to the CK:P machine. You can then login to your account.

Workshops and Support

We are beginning a second set of workshops for anyone interested in learning more about using the Internet. Each workshop will be two hours long and can accommodate 15 people. Participants will have the opportunity to use a computer for two hours and learn about a particular aspect of the Internet. All the workshops are from 4:00 - 6:00 in Room G-8 at the Woolslair Gifted Center.

Monday, November 27	Windows 3.11, System 7.5
Wednesday, November 29	Windows 3.11, System 7.5
Monday, December 4	Beginning Email
Tuesday, December 5	Newsgroups
Monday, December 11	Beginning Email
Wednesday, December 13	Newsgroups

To register for one of the workshops, please call Kathy Mingone, our secretary, at 622-5930.

Obtaining Help

Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh maintains a number of email addresses that provide users with online help. If you have an account on the system and would like to obtain answers to common questions, send email to:

trouble@pps.pgh.pa.us (technical assistance)

resources@pps.pgh.pa.us (curricular assistance)

info@ckp.edu (information pertaining to Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh)

sliplube@pps.pgh.pa.us (setting up a slip account on a PC)

macslip@pps.pgh.pa.us (setting up a slip account on a MAC)

If you are a PPS employee and would like an Internet account, call us at 622-5930.