News Release Monday, 8 November 1999

Alma Mater Society of Queen's University (AMS) Office of the University Registrar, Queen's University Queen's University Libraries

EXAMBANK: Three Years of Queen's Final Exams -- Online!

The Office of the University Registrar, the AMS, and Queen's Libraries are very pleased to announce the launch of Exambank -- a digital collection of all final and published Queen's examinations (except for the Faculty of Law) for 1996/97, 1997/98 and 1998/99. Future published, final exams will be added, annually, to Exambank once they have been officially released by the Registrar's Office (cf. the Senate Policy on Confidential Exams at http://www.queensu.ca/secretariat/senate/policies/confexam.html).

To connect to Exambank:

1. Go to Queen's Libraries' Homepage (http://library.queensu.ca/) and click on: Exambank

2. First-time users should explore the Help and the Hints buttons.

3. To find a specific exam, click on the Search button.

4. You must have Adobe Acrobat installed on your computer to view and print an exam (consult ITS' Packman website if you need to install this software).

Note: Access to Exambank is restricted to Internet connections from the Queen's campus or through the Queen's dial-in service.

"Exambank is the realization of a long-held dream to provide Queen's students and faculty with permanent, 24-hour access to University exams, independent of the individual's physical location", says Cindy Price, the University's former Exam Co-ordinator. Rodger Scott, the AMS Commissioner (Academic Affairs), adds that providing electronic access to the exams addresses the perennial problem of the Library's paper copies being vandalized or simply worn out from constant photocopying.

Starting with the 1998/99 exams, paper copies no longer will be reproduced, bound and shelved in the Stauffer Library stacks (but Queen's University Archives will continue to receive a full, print copy each year). Instead, the AMS' Publishing & Copy Centre (on the Lower Level of the John Deutsch Centre) will provide an on-demand, print service at a charge of 10 cents per page. (Phone the P&CC, at (613) 533-6543, to ask for their current hours.)

"Exambank is the result of successful partnering within the University community", explains Liz Fox, Electronic Services Librarian, "with each project member contributing an essential ingredient. First of all, without the energy and enthusiasm of Rodger Scott (AMS Academic Affairs Commission) and Francesco Gucciardo (Manager of the AMS' Publishing & Copy Centre), along with the availability of the P&CC's brand-new, high-speed equipment for copying, scanning and imaging the paper originals, the project could not have been accomplished this year. Rodger and Francesco spent many hours producing the secure, digital images which are the core of Exambank. Cindy kept the project on target and endorsed by the University Administration and the SCAP Subcommittee on Examinations. Queen's Libraries is responsible for storing and indexing the Exambank files, and ensuring their secure, electronic access to the Queen's community."

For further information, contact:

Cindy Price, Office of the University Registrar
Queen's University at Kingston
Tel: (613) 533-6000 ext 74084

Rodger Scott, Commissioner (Academic Affairs)
Alma Mater Society of Queen's University
Tel: (613) 533-6000 ext 74818

Francesco Gucciardo, Head Manager, Publishing & Copy Centre
Alma Mater Society of Queen's University
Tel: (613) 533-6543

Liz Fox, Electronic Services Librarian
Queen's University Libraries
Tel: (613) 533-6000 ext 75569