Read an Ebook week 2008?!?!

Epublishers Weekly Blog has a list of 30 reasons to celebrate Ebooks and suggests doing so between March2-8. Lila’s former classmate Mark is skeptical, but Lila is decidedly PRO-READING and doesn't discriminate based on format. Why not celebrate Ebooks? You can find them peacefully coexisting with print books in the catalog. They're just books, after all.

If you’d rather explore some free online options for celebrating Ebook Week 2008, check out these:

Project Gutenberg, was among the first providers of free, public domain Ebooks.

A similarly named project, Gutenberg-e, is adding new, scholarly, and free books to the mix. Gutenberg-e is “program of the American Historical Association and Columbia University Press” that offers digital versions of books published by Columbia University Press in an open access setting.

With 351,384 texts in its collection, Lila’s old standby Internet Archive is definitely worth checking out.

It's all Belmont to Jenny!

Bunch Library Reference Librarian Jenny Rushing was honored this week in Belmont FYI:.

For Jenny, to take responsibility and follow through means going the extra mile, no matter how much time it takes to help the student find the answer. “As a librarian I am asked a lot of questions,” Jenny says. “Whether it is technical, research related or ‘can I have some more paper for the printer,’ my role is to answer them all with a smile on my face!” Jenny also said that she has great support from all the faculty and staff, which in turn makes her want to do the best job she can.

Want to see Jenny taking responsbility and following through? Stop by the library where she is at it five days a week!

Harvard Goes Open Access

Harvard University Faculty of Arts and Sciences voted on February 12th to make faculty member's articles available via an open access repository. Coupled with the recent Congressional mandate that research funded by the National Institutes of Health be accessible through PubMed Central, this decision could have a tremendous impact on the future of scholarly publishing models. In a press release, Provost Steven E. Hyman emphasized universities and, especially Harvard’s, responsibility to disseminate and preserve research “of global significance” to a larger audience:

Today's action in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences will promote free and open access to significant, ongoing research. It is a first step in the creation of an open-access environment for current research that may one day provide the widest possible dissemination of Harvard's distinguished faculties' work," he added.

Has the Library Positively Impacted Your Health?

Interesting question, right? Too bad Lila didn't come up with it. Woman's Day Magazine and the American Library Association are hosting an essay contest on this topic. Here's the scoop:

Has the library positively impacted your health? If a library's resources have helped you find a diagnosis for you or a loved one, or improved your physical, mental or emotional well-being, tell us in an essay of 700 words or less. Up to four women will be featured in an upcoming issue of Woman's Day.

If you're interested, you can read more here. In the meantime, Lila wishes all good physical, mental, and emotional health!

Black History Month @ your library

Stop by the library to see the new display, Celebrating the Harlem Renaissance. Reread your favorites by Langston Hughes, Zora Neal Hurston, Claude McKay, and Jessie Fauset or check out a book on an artist or musician from this exciting era.

Library Convocation Series

Announcing the Spring Semester Library Workshop Series...because there’s more to the library than just books! All workshops will be held in MC 305, 10:00am-10:50

Extra, extra…learn all about it! Using newspapers for research
Monday, Feb. 4 Jenny Rushing
From primary history sources to current events, newspapers can be used for research in a variety of ways. Bunch library has access to more newspapers than you probably think!

Education Resources
Monday, Feb. 11 Courtney Stephens
Having trouble finding sources for your Education class? Come learn how to search the library’s education databases and learn about where to find other sources too.

Free & Legal Music Online
Monday, Feb. 18 Rachel Scott
Explore several online options for finding and listening to music without being subpoenaed by the RIAA!

Statistics – Where Do I Look?
Monday, Feb. 25 Judy Williams
You can use statistics in your research to support your position and to make your case. But where do you find them in the maze of information available to you? Find out how to locate statistics on the economy, population, health issues, census, and more.

ILLiad: Take control of your interlibrary loans!
Monday, March 3 Jenny Rushing
Set up your own account in ILLiad, our new interlibrary loan system. Make requests, check their status, download your articles, and more!