CONNECTIONS: The VDOT Library E-Newsletter - Library at Virginia Department of Transportation

Caption: This animation illustrates how the Hot Topics page works. Click to try!

Sick of searching? You're not alone!

To help the VDOT Research Library has created a new "Hot Topics" page that does the searching for you, revealing the latest resources on subjects like: Autonomous Vehicles, Distracted Driving, Resilience, and more.

The benefit of this nifty tool is that it saves you time and delivers reliable results in just a few clicks. You don't have to figure out the best database to search in, the best terms to use, fiddle with any software, or create any kind of account.

Best of all, the site is freely accessible from any connected device (including mobile devices!) at: http://library.virginiadot.org/guides/hot-topics/

Sound too good to be true? Here's how it works...

When you select a topic (we provide 10 to choose from) the page uses a technology called "RSS" to load the results of pre-configured searches from TRB's TRID database and breaking news headlines from Google News.

Each RSS feed displays the 5 most recent Headlines or Articles with "linked" titles and the date of publication or indexing to make it even easier for you to skim.

Bookmark Hot Topics today, share with a friend, and contact us with your questions or comments.

After all, our job is to help you do your job!

Ken Winter
434-962-8979
VDOT Research Library

Recent Posts

VDOT Library Website Gets a New Look!

VDOT Library Unveils Website RefreshWe’re thrilled to announce a new VDOT Research Library website—an updated, modern, more user-friendly platform to better suit VDOT’s evolving information needs.What’s New?Not to worry – this new look is more of a facelift than a paradigm shift - so all the same resources you know and love are still here and easy to access. Here’s what you can expect:Simplified Homepage: find what you need faster with familiar dropdown menus and streamlined design.Mobile-friendly Design: access the library from any device, whether you’re in the office or in the field.Research Support: quickly connect with library staff, request materials, sign up for a library orientation, and get expert help on transportation topicsExam Materials: Quickly access the list of available exam study materials right from the home pageWhy It Matters:The VDOT Research Library plays an important role in supporting research innovation and best practices across Virginia’s transportation systems. By making resources more accessible and services more visible, the new website empowers users to:Conduct important independent research and planningTake the next step in their careers at VDOT with vital exam prep materials, standards and manuals.Explore historical insights to inform the future of transportation decisionsCollaborate with VDOT staff, external researchers and contractorsThis website refresh marks a significant step in the library’s commitment to provide tools and services that make your job easier. Ready to explore? Visit https://library.vdot.virginia.gov/home We’d love to hear your thoughts! If you have feedback or suggestions, don’t hesitate to reach out. The VDOT library team is here to help you navigate the road to knowledge so you can Keep Virginia Moving.The library will be providing resources and orientation sessions to users interested in these services. Keep your eyes peeled for more information in the coming weeks....

Engineering Workbench Now Provides Access to TIA Standards

If you use TIA standards, check out this new quick-start guide to VDOT's Accuris Engineering Workbench subscription. Great news if you work for VDOT and you use standards from the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) and/or the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). You now have access to a new batch of full-text online standards through the Engineering Workbench Web site. Specifically, we're talking about the 272 standards included in the TR42 Committee Collection from TIA, and 3 standards issued by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), which focus on fiber optic telecommunications systems, as referenced in these important VDOT publications: 2020 Road and Bridge Specifications Virginia Department of Transportation Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Fiber Optic Cable and Interconnect Test Plan, August 15, 2016 So, what exactly is Engineering Workbench? Engineering Workbench is a subscription interface available through vendor Accuris. The name and appearance of this database may be new (vendor IHS Markit merged with S&P Global in 2022, which was renamed "Accuris" in 2023), but the content in this database may be familiar to VDOT employees who have used some version of it in the past to access standards from the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Our new Quick-Start Guide shows VDOT employees how to create an account, access TIA and IEC standards in VDOT's subscription, and discusses limitations on the use of those standards. Here's what's included: Right now, VDOT's subscription to Engineering Workbench is pretty specific. The interface WILL ONLY PROVIDE ACCESS TO A "CUSTOM COLLECTION" OF STANDARDS FROM TIA AND IEC, specifically the 272 standards included in the TR42 Committee Collection from TIA, and 3 standards issued by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), which focus on fiber optic telecommunications systems, as referenced (once again) in: 2020 Road and Bridge Specifications Virginia Department of Transportation Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Fiber Optic Cable and Interconnect Test Plan, August 15, 2016 Who has access to these standards? Any VDOT employee who wants to create an account may access and use these standards within the limits of VDOT's licensing agreement. What If I Need a Standard NOT in Engineering Workbench? VDOT employees routinely need access to standards from groups like AASHTO, ACI, ASCE, ASTM, NACE, NEMA, NFPA, AWWA, and many other publishers. Here are a few guidelines we'd like you to keep in mind: 1. If you need a standard from an organization other than TIA or IEC, please do not try to find it in Engineering Workbench. 2. Do not use Engineering Workbench to "recommend" that we add other standards to VDOT's subscription. Instead, please use this ONLINE REQUEST FORM and library staff will assist you in getting the standard you need. After all, we may already license it for you through another Web site. To recommend a VDOT subscription to standards from an SDO not in Engineering Workbench, use this ONLINE RECCOMENDATION FORM. Questions? Let us know, we're here to help. Ken Winter (434) 962-8979 VDOT Research Library ...

The Library Is Hiring!

The VDOT Research Library is hiring a part-time Library Associate. This is an on-site position located in Charlottesville, VA on the grounds of the University of Virginia at the Virginia Transportation Research Council (VTRC), the research arm of VDOT. If you know someone with library experience who might be interested, please forward this message to them. A full description of the position is listed on the Commonwealth's Recruitment site, at: https://www.jobs.virginia.gov/jobs/research-librarian-associate-wage-charlottesville-virginia-united-states Applications can be submitted from the link above until 11:55 PM on 01/01/25. Questions related to this position should be directed to: Greg Rollins HR Consulting Supervisor / Human Resources Division Virginia Department of Transportation Email: greg.rollins@vdot.virginia.gov ...

Have You Seen the VDOT Library's Hot Topics Pages?

This animation shows how "hot topics" articles are pushed through RSS "feeds." Try it yourself! From time to time, we get asked: "What is the easiest way to "track" an emerging issue?" Or, some variant of the question: "How can I get a quick sense of the latest research and news headlines on a so-called 'Hot Topic' in transportation?" While the topics come and go, one thing's for certain: Every year it seems like the quantity of information—including really good information— goes up and up. Sadly, our attention spans are not infinite, it is impossible to create more time in a business day, and even the quantity and quality of databases for searching is on the rise, not to mention the increase in innovative AI tools. Which of these should we use? Are we really seeing the most current or most relevant sources? What if we need to track a topic over time, or weekly? In an effort to assist busy researchers and practitioners who needed a simple way to "check in" on topics like Autonomous Vehicles, Climate Change, and Workforce Development, the VDOT Research Library created a series of Hot Topic Web Pages that use RSS feeds to automatically display the latest headlines from the TRID database (for "Research") and Google News (for "News") on 15 separate "Hot Topics" in transportation. Here's how it works: A series of preconfigured searches run behind the scenes to fetch the 10 most recent professional articles and news headlines for each of the Hot Topics we've selected. The headlines refresh automatically every time you visit the page. This content changes daily, as relevant research articles are published and as fresh news breaks. So, if you wanted to track research and news on "Drones" for example, simply bookmark and visit this site any time you want a quick update: https://library.vdot.virginia.gov/guides/hot-topics/topics/drones Each time you return, the most current 10 links will load, so you don't have to remember what database to look in, or what search terms you used last time. Just load the page and you're loading fresh content. See a headline that catches your eye? It is hyperlinked, so clicking on it will lead you to the full text. You can also hover over the "information icon" to read the abstract or an article summary. Because the page displays the publication date, it is easy to see how "fresh" each article is. A typical feed will look like this: Of course, you may want to see all citations on your topics (not just the top 10) or perform a fresh search from the database of origin. If so, all you have to do is click on "Website" (to go to the source, where you can search manually) or Feed to show the feed or search behind the scenes. Like the idea but don't see your favorite transportation "Hot Topic" on our list? Use the suggestion form here so we cna add it: https://library.vdot.virginia.gov/guides/hot-topics/suggest After all, our job is to help you do your job! Ken Winter (434) 962-8979 VDOT Research Library ...

Research Library

Keeping Up With "Hot Topics"

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