Book Sale!

Hey, Belmon(s)ters! Got a great book tucked away in your travel bag? If not, you should stop by Lila's house (okay, the library) and pick up a book sale treasure. $1 for hardbacks and $.50 for paperbacks, today through Friday morning. See you soon!

Who's in?

Do Nothing But Read Day is coming up. Fortunately it falls *after* finals and *before* much of the holiday hustle and bustle. Image a December 20th filled with the rustle of turning pages and the hum of churning thoughts...I don't know about you, but I just got goosebumps! Get in on the inaugural celebration of a holiday that is sure to catch on!!!

Thank-fall!

The fashionable folks at ModCloth--thanks to their Thanksgiving Thank-a-Thon Blog Contest-- have inspired Lila to identify some things that make her thankful.

1. The first is Thanksgiving Break. Lila is shuttering the library on Thursday and Friday, so don't even think about stopping by. At this point in the semester, we all need a break. Enjoy it! And the library will be open on Saturday (from noon - 4:30pm) and Sunday (from 5 - 11pm), so you'll be able to get back in the swing of things before classes begin.

2. Studious Belmonters. Nothing delights Lila more than hosting a full house of dilligent students. Keep up the good work! Remember if you need quiet space to do that readin' or to get your study on, the lower level (basement) is the place to be.

3. New books and stuff. They just keep coming...it's like TJ Maxx sez: [Bunch Library is] never the same place twice!

4. Unseasonably warm and sunny weather. You may think this is an excuse to avoid the library, but there are so many sunny window spots where you can take it all in AND be productive at the same time!!!

5. More computers. If all of the computers in the reference area are taken you can go into McWhorter and log on. Lila hates turning students away and now that McWhorter is open she doesn't have to (unless they want color or free printing...)!

6. Sensible shoes. Lila hates to perpetuate fuddy-duddy librarian stereotypes, but with so many leaves concealing so many cracks/holes/pits one has to take precautions.

What are you thankful for? Post-fall-break extended library hours? More soft chairs? Noiseless nooks and cozy crannies? Let Lila know!

Not just about the books?

This CNN article captures some of the current thought about the purpose of libraries and the role of librarians. We all know that libraries are places where you can get information (free!!!) and comfortably read, react, and respond to it. But libraries are increasingly taking on the role of community or social centers, where users can meet, discuss and debate this information. While Lila still loves books, nothing makes her happier than seeing a group of students collaborating on a project in one of the study rooms or helping a student find useful resources in one of the online databases. Whatever changes come, Lila will roll with the punches and continue to look out for the BU community's information needs!

Lila's Rival?

Lila likes to keep tabs on her local competition...Lipscomb's Beaman Library, Vanderbilt's Central Library, Nashville Public Library, etc. Nashville Public just made the City Paper with news about their downloadable audio books, eBooks, music and videos. Sufficient reason to get that Natty Public card? I agree. Take an ID and an official-ish letter with your current (i.e. Nashville) address to your branch and get started.

"Research" online?

One of the major problems of conducting research online is that we tend to scan and not critically read the content. Another is the huge amount of rubbish clogging up those internet tubes ... Lila can't really help you out with the former, but here's a pointer on the latter. RUSA (a branch of the American Library Association) just announced The Best Free Reference Web Sites 2009. You've no doubt heard of and used some of these web pages (BBC Country Profiles, FastWeb, Purdue Online Writing Lab) but many will be new to you. The list includes information on why the selected web sites are so amazingly useful, what kind of info you'll find, and who maintains the site. Check out the list and see what you think!

Extended Hours

As of Monday, October 19, the library will stay open until 12:30am on weeknights. That's right, an extra 1.5 hours of reading/meeting/studying enjoyment. I know, I know...you're so welcome.

Monday-Thursday 7:30am - 12:30am
Friday 7:30am - 7:00pm
Saturday 9:00am - 7:00pm
Sunday 1:00pm - 12:30am

Happy Fall Break

Have no fear, Lila will be here all break long! Here are the Fall Break hours:

Thursday and Friday, October 15-16: 8:00am - 4:30pm
Saturday, October 17: 12 noon - 4:30pm
Sunday, October 18: 5:00pm - 9:00pm

National Information Literacy Awareness Month

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 2009 as National Information Literacy Awareness Month. I call upon the people of the United States to recognize the important role information plays in our daily lives, and appreciate the need for a greater understanding of its impact.

Think Lila is yanking your chain? Well, such reputable sources as the Office of the Press Secretary and the American Library Association aren't known for their tomfoolery. Lila encourages you to take advantage of the services we provide to help you develop strong information literacy skills. Read about our information literacy program and contact us with any questions!

Contemporary Japan in 100 books!

The Bunch Library has been selected as a recipient of the Nippon Foundation's "100 Books for Understanding Contemporary Japan." Dr. Ernest Heard, Library Director, prepared the application and Dr. Ronnie Littlejohn, Chair and Professor of the Philosophy Department, wrote a supporting letter. The Library was notified of its success in late August.

The Nippon Foundation is a philanthropic organization, active in Japan and abroad. The goal of the foundation's 100 Books program is to "expand contemporary international knowledge and understanding about Japan reaching a wider audience than ever before, supplementing in a more substantial and long-term way the things that people have seen about Japan in movies and television...It puts good quality books about Japan on library shelves that are within reach of ordinary people. The result, it is hoped, will be a clearer and more comprehensive understanding of contemporary Japan that transcends stereotypes and out-dated ideas."

Stop by and show your appreciation by checking out one of these beautiful and fascinating new books, currently on display on the first floor of the library!

Microsoft 2007 Questions?

Lila gets questions about using Excel and Access from students on a pretty regular basis. For all that stuff that wasn't covered in computer proficiency, check out these downloadable guides. Of course, you're still welcome to ask Lila for help!

Reading Out the Banned.

Lila is hosting a Banned Books Week Reading. Although ours will not feature the vocal stylings of famous authors and actors, some of your professors, librarians, and peers will be sharing passages from their favorite banned, censored, challenged books. Join us for convo credit on Monday, September 28th at 2pm!

Making Connections

Lila encourages you to attend the Community Connections Fair next Monday, Sept. 28th, from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m in the Neely Dining Room. 50 community organizations will be on hand to share information about volunteer opportunities for our campus. Lila is, of course, partial to literacy initiatives...but any act of service to your community is appreciated!

Convo Credit--get some!

Join Bunch Library's Reference Librarians for fun-filled and informative convocations this fall. All convos will be held from 10:00-10:50 in McWhorter.

Monday, Sept. 21 - APA Style: What’s New? Judy Williams
APA (American Psychological Association) is the citation style of choice for many professors, especially in the social sciences. The latest edition (6th) of the association’s style manual provides new guidelines for citing electronic resources, and more examples of reference citations for on-line sources. The APA web site has also been updated to include tutorials and other useful guides. If you have a paper due this semester, chances are these are things you need to know!

Wednesday, Sept. 23 - Really Big Books! Rachel Scott
What are all those really big books that clutter up the first floor? Stop by to find out about some of these reference books and to learn how to use them. *Warning* audience participation required!

Monday, Oct. 5 - Turabian/Chicago Manual of Style Rachel Scott
Citation styles are not often named after people, so Kate Larimore Turabian (1893-1987) must have done something right. Come to this convo to learn how to channel your inner Kate and use
Turabian and Chicago style in your papers.

Wednesday, Oct. 7 - Snooper Web Sites: How Private is Your Private Life? Judy Williams
It seems that every day a news story breaks about another invasion of privacy – someone’s (or a million someones’) personal information has been posted on the Internet. Whether unintentionally or deliberately, much about our private lives is no longer private. Find out about how your personal information gets onto the Web, and what you can do to protect yourself.

Monday, Oct. 19 - Google It! Jenny Rushing
Yes, a librarian is telling you to Google it! Librarians use Google all the time, especially Scholar and Books. Become a more effective Google searcher by using various features, creating more sophisticated searches, and using Google along with library resources for optimal results!

Wednesday, Oct. 21 - MLA 2009 Style Guide Courtney Stephens
MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most commonly used to write papers and cite sources within the liberal arts and humanities. A new edition (7th) has just been released and there are some major changes. In this convo learn to use MLA style in your papers and impress your professors!

Monday, Nov. 2 - LexisNexis Academic: An International News, Business, and Legal Database Jenny Rushing
LexisNexis Academic is one of the library’s largest and most useful databases. Access the full text of newspapers from around the world, tv and radio transcripts, and book, movie, and music reviews. Look up business information such as company profiles and reports. And finally, look for legal information such as state or federal court cases. This convo will give an overview of the many uses of LexisNexis.

Book Banning...coming to a town near you!

An American Library Association news release recently announced: "New book censorship map reveals national problem." It seems that no geographic region is free from book challenges. You can check out the map to find some challenges pretty close to home (Murfreesboro and Huntsville, AL).



p.s. Lila is planning a Banned Book Week Bash...More later!

Need Help?

Getting back in the swing of things can be hard. This Back to School special at mashable.com will empower you to choose some tech tools and get organized, study better, work and collaborate, and cite it right!

An Omnivore's Labor Day

If you're looking for a way to continue thinking about Pollan's book or to meet people very committed to the slow food movement, join Time for Lunch at Richmond Park on Labor Day. The Atlantic just ran an interesting piece about this nationwide potluck:

On Labor Day, the tens of thousands of us who will sit down together in public parks, on school grounds, at churches, and in front of City Halls will do it for an overtly political purpose: to tell Congress to stop giving our children food that hurts them.

Who knows, maybe your professor will give you extra credit?

It's only natural

The 8th Annual Humanities Symposium, which will focus on Nature and the Human Spirit, is just around the corner (September 13-21). If you have not yet perused the event listings, here is a friendly push. You're sure to find something of interest. Lila recommends that you supplement the experience by picking up a related book from the first floor display.

Remiss?

Lila hasn't extended her traditional Fall Semester welcome...and she feels terrible about it. Better late than never, right?

Welcome, one and all!

• Please stop by and visit us! You know where to find us, here is when you can find us.
• If you'd like to learn more about the library and where to find what you need, you should take a Library Tour! We'll start in the lobby at 10am on Mondays and 2pm on Thursdays all September long.
• We have a fine assortment of Convocation Lectures planned for this semester. Check the BIC calendar and this blog for more info!
• Add Lila D. Bunch as a Facebook friend for equal parts silliness and totally useful information.

Google Book downloads...free!

Any Google Book fans out there? For those of you who download books to portable devices, Google Books has some great news! According to the Inside Google Books, they're now offering free downloads of public domain works in EPUB, an additional format that will display better on portable devices!

More people are turning to new reading devices to access digital books, and many such phones, netbooks, and e-ink readers have smaller screens that don't readily render image-based PDF versions of the books we've scanned. EPUB is a lightweight text-based digital book format that allows the text to automatically conform to these smaller screens. And because EPUB is a free, open standard supported by a growing ecosystem of digital reading devices, works you download from Google Books as EPUBs won't be tied to or locked into a particular device.

Digital book lovers rejoice!

Freewheeling no more...Wikipedia tightens reins

A recent NY Times article, Wikipedia to Limit Changes to Articles on People , reported changes to Wikipedia entries on living people. Wikimedia Foundation has imposed an editorial sign off before any change can go live.

Lila is thrilled that Mr. Wales, one of Wikipedia's founders, acknowledges the huge impact of his little encyclopedia and is seriously considering how readers are using its information.

"We have really become part of the infrastructure of how people get information,” Mr. Wales said. “There is a serious responsibility we have.”

Hey, omnivores!

Need resources for the Belmont's 2009-2010 Common Book (Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan)? Lila just put up a page with links to book reviews, related reference books, the author's other writings, and more very useful stuff. It probably won't solve your dilemma, but it may help you write a brilliant paper for FYS?

(strategically) Free!

Chris Anderson, author of The Long Tail, has made his new book Free available on Scribd for free! All this to prove "that in many instances businesses can profit more from giving things away than they can by charging for them" (book description provided by publisher). Talk about putting your profit where your mouth is, er something.

Some notable authors and critics find less generosity than gimmick: Malcolm Gladwell, writing for the New Yorker, and Richard Curtis, writing for E-Reads Publishing in the 21st Century, are worth considering.

Billboard for free? Tell me more!

Billboard is showing music biz folks (and music fans) some love. They just relaunched Billboard.com with loads of new social applications/features! But the best news is that they've freed up some of the chart data previously only available to subscribers.

MediaWeek reports: "One of the big distinguishers Billboard expects to have in the crowded music space is its ability to free the decades of chart data to a consumer audience. For the first time, the Hot 100 chart will be freely available for all 100 listings." Yet another online source of quality information--enjoy!

What's on your plate (this week)?

You all know that Omnivore’s Dilemma (by Michael Pollan) has been selected as this year's Common Book, right? And you'll have it read by August, right? Good.

To jumpstart your thinking about food and sustainability, you should also head to Belcourt this weekend. Why? The Food on Film Week = panel discussions, screenings of 4 films, food info/expo, and more!

For further reading, Lila recommends:

• Animal, vegetable, miracle: a year of food life / Barbara Kingsolver (Pop Reading S521.5.A67 K56 2007)
• Remaking the North American food system: strategies for sustainability (online)
• Food politics: how the food industry influences nutrition and health / Marion Nestle (TX360.U6 N47 2003)
• Fast Food Nation: the dark side of the all-American meal / Eric Schlosser (online)
• Food fight: the inside story of the food industry, America’s obesity crisis, and what we can do about it / Kelly D. Brownell and Katherine Battle Horgen (RA645.O23 B76 2004)
• Everyone eats: understanding food and culture / E.N. Anderson (online)

Summer School?

If you answered yes to that question, you'll be glad to hear that many of your favorite campus services are still available over the summer:

• We're open from 7:30am to 9pm on weekdays (Check weekend hours). Be sure to stop by and pick up some fun stuff to compliment all that book learning!
• The Writing Center is open from 3:15-5:15 pm, Monday - Thursday.
• Beaman is open 6am to 7pm on weekdays, 9-5 on Saturdays, and 1-5 on Sundays. They're even offering some group fitness classes in June and July.
• Corner Court, Curb Cafe and other dining options are still available. (More here!)
• Career Services may be especially useful to those of you graduating in August...
• Belmont Central will help you get all your ducks in a row...because you'd like to graduate eventually, right?

CUBCat...is that you?!

You're not crazy, the library catalog looks a little different :) We've made it through an upgrade (woohoo!) but have not yet attended to the aesthetics of our little cub. It is functional, though, so search away!

Need gov. data?

A new website, http://www.data.gov/, was just rolled out that promises to provide "public access to high value, machine readable datasets generated by the Executive Branch of the Federal Government." Read the Washington Post article about it or go straight to the data.gov, choose an agency/category, and see what you can find!

We're Still Here...

where are you? The library has been very quiet the past two weeks and Lila just wanted to remind you that you're always welcome!

We are currently open 8:00am - 4:30pm on weekdays and closed on weekends.

Beginning June 7, we'll be open Monday-Thursday: 7:30am - 9:00pm; Friday: 7:30am - 4:30pm; Saturday: 12:00 noon - 4:40pm; Sunday: 5:00pm - 9:00pm.

Stop by and pick up something fun!

Changes to the library's website!

We're making some changes soon! We'll be moving the library's website from http://lib.belmont.edu to http://library.belmont.edu. Please make sure your bookmarks are correct!

Also, the library catalog will be down for an upgrade starting Tuesday May 26. We *think* the upgrade will take only a few days, but we will post a notice here as soon as the catalog is up and running again. You can use WorldCat to see if Belmont owns a book, and the approximate call number of the book. WorldCat will not tell you if the book is checked out or not.

This upgrade should not affect other library resources, such as the library databases. It will only affect searching the library catalog, known as CubCat.

Any questions about the library's website can be sent to courtney.stephens@belmont.edu.

Need to study (at 3am)?

We won't open at 3am, but the lobby of Beaman (Student Life Center) will be! They are going 24 hours, "for studying purposes only," from Wednesday May 6 to Wednesday, May 13. Enjoy!

Our finals hours are -

Sunday 1:00pm - 12:30am
Monday-Thursday 7:30am - 12:30am
Friday 7:30am - 7:00pm
Saturday 9:00am - 7:00pm

Try this turnoff!

What are you doing to celebrate TV Turnoff Week (seriously, April 20-26, look it up)? Lila recommends doing some research or even some leisurely reading. The friendly folks at wikiHow have some tips on breaking this time consuming habit. Get yourself clean in time for finals!

Can Poetry Save the Earth?

Join Lila and the Academy of American Poets in enjoying some poetry this month! Need some poetry? Stop by and ask Lila! Or browse PR500-614; PS301-326; PS580-619 and take home an old favorite!

Listen as author John Felstiner discusses the power of poetry on NPR.

Read all about it...

You may not like to think about the current economic crisis, but it is nonetheless important to understand the situation and the proposed solutions. Mississippi State University has created a great research guide on this topic with links to relevant government documents, like American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and other important resources. Learn about how the economic stimulus measures will impact Tennessee here.

We haven't *really* disappeared!

The library's main website (http://library.belmont.edu) will be down for routine maintenance on Wednesday, March 11 from 10am to 11am CST. We'll be back, we promise!

In the meantime, you can still access the library's plethora of databases by visiting http://teach.belmont.edu:2048. It's not as pretty as our regular website, but it'll get you to the database you're looking for.

If you have any questions or comments while the library's website is down, please email Dr. Ernest Heard (hearde@mail.belmont.edu)

Women in Print!

March is Women's History Month! Join Lila and the Belmont University community in celebrating and remembering some of the phenomenal contributions women have made by attending the history is herstory too events sponsored by the College of Arts & Science.

Wanna do some prep reading? Right on:
Discovering American Women’s History Online
National Women’s History Project
Library of Congress

Stop by the library soon and you'll find an AWESOME display about women in print!

Survey says...part IV

Complaint = Hours. According the survey, you all loooooove the library so much that you would gladly spend all of your waking hours here. Unfortunately...safety, staffing, and (lack of) usuage concerns preclude the Bunch Library going 24 hours any time in the near future. We did take note of the request to extend the weekend hours; we're now open until 7pm on Friday and Saturday evenings and on Sunday afternoons we open at 1pm instead of 2pm!

We hope to see you here!

Survey says...part 3

You asked for more comfy seating and now you've got it! You won't be able to miss them, but in case you're just dying for a description, here you go: Eleven delightfully squishy, red cushioned chairs with small desks for your laptop or writing needs. Comfort meets function meets style!

wiki WOW

Ever asked yourself about the who what where when why of Wikipedia? How Wikipedia Works will provide some answers to most of your burning questions about Wikipedia. It may even inspire you to join the Wikipedia community and pitch in!

Celebrate a great American author

John Updike passed away today. What better way to celebrate his life than to read or re-read one of his novels?

Centaur PS3541.P47 C45
The Coup PS3571.P4 C68
A Month of Sundays PS3571.P4 M65 1985
Of the farm PS3541.P47 O3
Problems and other stories PS3571.P4 P7 1979
Rabbit at rest PS3571.P4 R23 1991
Rabbit is rich PS3571.P4 R25 1981
Rabbit redux PS3571.P4 R25 1994
Rabbit, run PS3541.P47 R33
Roger's version PS3571.P4 R6 1986
S. PS3571.P4 S17 1988
Terrorist (Popular Reading) PS3571.P4 T44 2006
Too far to go : the Maples stories PS3571.P4 T66
Toward the end of time PS3571.P4 T69 1998
Trust me : short stories PS3571.P4 T7 1987

Survey says (part 2)

Another common complaint on the survey had to do with McWhorter becoming a classroom. Due to your responses and to an increase in library usage, the McWhorter classroom will be open for student use when class is not in session. We will post the weekly class schedule on the door, so take a look. If class is not in session, just swipe your Belmont ID and go on in. If class is in session, please use a computer in reference or on the third floor.

Thanks again for your input!