We received a few complaints about noise last semester. We’re glad groups choose to work in the library and do dramatic readings of sociology textbooks, but we also want to accommodate individuals who need some peace and quiet to get their reading, writing, and ‘rithmetic done. We have designated the lower level as a quiet study area. This means no phone, no talking, no repetitive pen/shoe/keyboard noise, no mp3player so loud that anyone else can hear it, etc.
Questions? scottr@mail.belmont.edu
Monday, January 14, 2008
Thursday, January 10, 2008
BUid in the house!
You’re probably tired of hearing about it. But here is the rundown on how it will impact your use of the library.
We too have to purge all SSN’s from our database. This means that when you need to login to “Your library record” to renew books you will have to enter your BUid.
We don’t expect you to memorize this number! You can get a sticker for your ID or you can login in BIC and look for the BUid in the upper right corner under MyBIC Preferences.
We too have to purge all SSN’s from our database. This means that when you need to login to “Your library record” to renew books you will have to enter your BUid.
We don’t expect you to memorize this number! You can get a sticker for your ID or you can login in BIC and look for the BUid in the upper right corner under MyBIC Preferences.
Best of 2007: Fun Library Literature
Sound like an oxymoron? Here are some librarian recommendations for informative and fun library and information reads from 2007:
Judy:
I recommend the book Everything Is Miscellaneous by David Weinberger. It’s an interesting take on the organization of information, putting it into the larger context of organization of knowledge in today’s world. Weinberger illustrates the limits of the traditional organization of knowledge in physical space, and demonstrates quite comprehensibly the vast array of options for individual preference of organization in the digital environment. In physical space, a library, for example, a particular book can be housed in only one place, even if it deals with more than one subject. A decision must be made as to how to label it, and where to place it on the shelf. In the digital world, however, information can have as many labels as people think to give it, and can be retrieved in an infinite number of ways. Required reading for Luddites!
Courtney:
My favorite Firefox extensions from Lauren’s Library Blog
If you’re new to Firefox and don’t know about extensions, this is a good place to find some handy ones. (Extensions are small add-ons that add new functionality to Firefox, from a simple toolbar button to a completely new feature. They allow you to customize Firefox to fit your own needs and preferences.) If you use Firefox and want to use it even more effectively or if you’re always looking for new extensions, this is a great place to find some of the best extensions.
Rachel:
In the essay “Shelf Life” (St. Louis Magazine, December 2007), novelist, essayist, and professor of philosophy William H. Gass writes about growing up with and living in a library. Beautifully written, the essay details a life-long love of library book sales, ideas, and “book dipping.”
One article, “Hipper Crowd of Shushers” by Kara Jesella (New York Times, 7/8/2007), generated a lot of talk in the wider world. This light-hearted piece portrayed the new generation of librarians as hipsters and bleeding hearts. While it won’t eradicate the stereotype of librarian as shusher, the article certainly didn’t damage our street cred.
Judy:
I recommend the book Everything Is Miscellaneous by David Weinberger. It’s an interesting take on the organization of information, putting it into the larger context of organization of knowledge in today’s world. Weinberger illustrates the limits of the traditional organization of knowledge in physical space, and demonstrates quite comprehensibly the vast array of options for individual preference of organization in the digital environment. In physical space, a library, for example, a particular book can be housed in only one place, even if it deals with more than one subject. A decision must be made as to how to label it, and where to place it on the shelf. In the digital world, however, information can have as many labels as people think to give it, and can be retrieved in an infinite number of ways. Required reading for Luddites!
Courtney:
My favorite Firefox extensions from Lauren’s Library Blog
If you’re new to Firefox and don’t know about extensions, this is a good place to find some handy ones. (Extensions are small add-ons that add new functionality to Firefox, from a simple toolbar button to a completely new feature. They allow you to customize Firefox to fit your own needs and preferences.) If you use Firefox and want to use it even more effectively or if you’re always looking for new extensions, this is a great place to find some of the best extensions.
Rachel:
In the essay “Shelf Life” (St. Louis Magazine, December 2007), novelist, essayist, and professor of philosophy William H. Gass writes about growing up with and living in a library. Beautifully written, the essay details a life-long love of library book sales, ideas, and “book dipping.”
One article, “Hipper Crowd of Shushers” by Kara Jesella (New York Times, 7/8/2007), generated a lot of talk in the wider world. This light-hearted piece portrayed the new generation of librarians as hipsters and bleeding hearts. While it won’t eradicate the stereotype of librarian as shusher, the article certainly didn’t damage our street cred.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Enjoy Christmas without a complete break
Christmas break is the time to recuperate between semesters…you catch up on sleep, spend time with friends and family, and put school related stuff out of mind. Fine. But Lila knows that after hitting the book so hard for the past few weeks, we all let breaks turn into a Grey's Anatomy and James Bond marathon (or whatever it is you watch). Here’s the compromise: read and watch movies. Here’s why: these books really are better than the movies (IMNSHO) and reading a little over break will make your transition into the spring semester smoother.
Some good books to read before seeing the movies…
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
The book: The Kite Runner depicts Afghanistan during Taliban rule while telling the tragic story of unlikely friends, a wealthy Afghan boy and the son of his father’s servant, and how history separates them.
The movie: Globally diverse cast and crew. The previews show beautiful imagery.
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
The book: Set in turn-of-the-century South America, this is a story of true love that lasts for 50 years.
The movie: Cast includes Benjamin Bratt, Javier Barden, and Liev Schreiber.
Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
The book: Lyra Belacqua finds herself in a life-and-death struggle against dark forces, armed only with a truth-divining compass.
The movie: Starring Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, and Dakota Blue Richards. The movie has generated a great deal of controversy among Christian groups-- see what you think!
Some good books to read before seeing the movies…
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
The book: The Kite Runner depicts Afghanistan during Taliban rule while telling the tragic story of unlikely friends, a wealthy Afghan boy and the son of his father’s servant, and how history separates them.
The movie: Globally diverse cast and crew. The previews show beautiful imagery.
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
The book: Set in turn-of-the-century South America, this is a story of true love that lasts for 50 years.
The movie: Cast includes Benjamin Bratt, Javier Barden, and Liev Schreiber.
Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
The book: Lyra Belacqua finds herself in a life-and-death struggle against dark forces, armed only with a truth-divining compass.
The movie: Starring Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, and Dakota Blue Richards. The movie has generated a great deal of controversy among Christian groups-- see what you think!
Monday, December 3, 2007
Lila's Tips for Finals Success!
Study!
Stop by the library and get a group study room, spread out at one of the tables, or hide from your friends (and Facebook) in a study carrel. We’re open 7:30 am - midnight now through December 10 (excluding the weekend: Friday 7:30am - 6:00 pm; Saturday 9am-6pm; Sunday 2pm-midnight).
Exercise!
Get your “Exam Exercise” in from noon - 1:00pm on exam days! A workout will help you sleep better, stay focused, and be a little less stressed. Just do it.
Get expert feedback @ the Writing Center!
(call x6241 for an appointment):
Wed 12/5: 9am-6pm ; Thurs 12/6: 10am-7:30pm ; Fri 12/7: 9am-3pm ; Mon 12/10: 9am-12pm
Eat!
University Ministries will host its annual Late Night Pancake Event Wed., Dec. 5 from 9–11 p.m. Mmm … pancakes and coffee make brain happy.
Sleep!
All-nighters seldom work. Make sure to get some shut eye.
Relax!
Breathing, meditation, turning down the stereo, yoga, cutting down on caffeine, etc. Whatever you can do to relax, do it.
Stop by the library and get a group study room, spread out at one of the tables, or hide from your friends (and Facebook) in a study carrel. We’re open 7:30 am - midnight now through December 10 (excluding the weekend: Friday 7:30am - 6:00 pm; Saturday 9am-6pm; Sunday 2pm-midnight).
Exercise!
Get your “Exam Exercise” in from noon - 1:00pm on exam days! A workout will help you sleep better, stay focused, and be a little less stressed. Just do it.
Get expert feedback @ the Writing Center!
(call x6241 for an appointment):
Wed 12/5: 9am-6pm ; Thurs 12/6: 10am-7:30pm ; Fri 12/7: 9am-3pm ; Mon 12/10: 9am-12pm
Eat!
University Ministries will host its annual Late Night Pancake Event Wed., Dec. 5 from 9–11 p.m. Mmm … pancakes and coffee make brain happy.
Sleep!
All-nighters seldom work. Make sure to get some shut eye.
Relax!
Breathing, meditation, turning down the stereo, yoga, cutting down on caffeine, etc. Whatever you can do to relax, do it.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Thanksgiving, Lila Style
Lila is grateful for information and, more specifically, the information sources and resources she uses on a daily basis. In celebration of the holiday, she asked other library peeps to name a reference set, database, website, book or other information resource for which they are thankful.
Tim: I appreciate all the music databases on a case by case basis, but I’m always thankful for being able to use Cubcat for searching contents of CDs and printed music collections by using keyword (with quotes for more than one word, of course) and quick limits to recordings, scores, books, etc. Keyword and Boolean searching have greatly improved music searching.
Dawn: I am grateful for allrecipes.com I don’t really use it so much for myself as for preparing food for others. I can grab recipes on demand for events here at the library, meals with friends and family, and gift giving. I am also on the food ministries team at church. Options like including or excluding ingredients and changing the measurements to meet your quantity needs are invaluable!
Jenny: Historical New York Times, a database that has the full text of this newspaper from 1850 -2003. That’s every cover story, every advertisement, every comic, every letter to the editor….I could go on. Enter your birthday and limit the document type to Front Page to see what was happening in the world the day you were born. Fun stuff! AND Tennessee Electronic Library, a collection of databases available for free to every person in Tennessee. So, after you graduate from Belmont you can still access ebooks, articles, and more! Find a link to TEL on our Alphabetical List of All Databases page
Ernest: New Interpreter’s Bible set, A number of books in the BL-BX section, Consumer Reports Buying Guide, ATLA database, ProQuest Religion database.
Rachel: Cool digitization projects are sweeping the nation...I can't choose one. Libraries and archives are making documents, maps, books, music, correspondence and more available (and often searchable) online. Need a map of Organized Crime in 1920s Chicago, letters written in the Confederate States of America during the Civil War, photographs of the Japanese-American Internment at Manzanar?
Judy: One tool that I use all the time is the Oxford English Dictionary. When I come across an unfamiliar term in my reading, I go right to the OED and look it up. I also use it to check spelling. The online version is very handy, and fun to use. I especially like the new entries. Sometimes they are quite amusing; one of the latest is “puh-leeze”!
Tim: I appreciate all the music databases on a case by case basis, but I’m always thankful for being able to use Cubcat for searching contents of CDs and printed music collections by using keyword (with quotes for more than one word, of course) and quick limits to recordings, scores, books, etc. Keyword and Boolean searching have greatly improved music searching.
Dawn: I am grateful for allrecipes.com I don’t really use it so much for myself as for preparing food for others. I can grab recipes on demand for events here at the library, meals with friends and family, and gift giving. I am also on the food ministries team at church. Options like including or excluding ingredients and changing the measurements to meet your quantity needs are invaluable!
Jenny: Historical New York Times, a database that has the full text of this newspaper from 1850 -2003. That’s every cover story, every advertisement, every comic, every letter to the editor….I could go on. Enter your birthday and limit the document type to Front Page to see what was happening in the world the day you were born. Fun stuff! AND Tennessee Electronic Library, a collection of databases available for free to every person in Tennessee. So, after you graduate from Belmont you can still access ebooks, articles, and more! Find a link to TEL on our Alphabetical List of All Databases page
Ernest: New Interpreter’s Bible set, A number of books in the BL-BX section, Consumer Reports Buying Guide, ATLA database, ProQuest Religion database.
Rachel: Cool digitization projects are sweeping the nation...I can't choose one. Libraries and archives are making documents, maps, books, music, correspondence and more available (and often searchable) online. Need a map of Organized Crime in 1920s Chicago, letters written in the Confederate States of America during the Civil War, photographs of the Japanese-American Internment at Manzanar?
Judy: One tool that I use all the time is the Oxford English Dictionary. When I come across an unfamiliar term in my reading, I go right to the OED and look it up. I also use it to check spelling. The online version is very handy, and fun to use. I especially like the new entries. Sometimes they are quite amusing; one of the latest is “puh-leeze”!
Monday, November 5, 2007
An alternative to Wikipedia?
Scholarpedia and Citizendium and more…
Thanks in part to Mr. Stephen Colbert, the ease with which Wikipedia articles are written/edited/vandalized has been widely scrutinized. While “truthiness” might work for you, it won’t work for your teachers. So you need an alternative, right?
Scholarpedia is an online encyclopedia that is written by experts. Not only do you know the name and credentials of the author responsible for the article, you also can rest assured that the article has been peer-reviewed. However, it is not a general encyclopedia. It only provides coverage of science-related topics and has a fraction of the articles available in Wikipedia.
And then there's Citizendium. Had you forgotten about Citizendium? Yeah, me too. Currently boasting 3,300 articles, Citizendium is Wikipedia co-founder Larry Sanger's response to the "populist" editorial process of Wikipedia. Like Scholarpedia, the author is identified in Citizendium and the articles are subject to a review process.
You could argue that many Wikipedia articles are also revised, edited, and reviewed by experts. Great. Just keep in mind that these are all encyclopedia articles! College-level research requires that you go beyond encyclopedia articles to analyze actual research and journal articles and books and statistics and primary documents and more.
Thanks in part to Mr. Stephen Colbert, the ease with which Wikipedia articles are written/edited/vandalized has been widely scrutinized. While “truthiness” might work for you, it won’t work for your teachers. So you need an alternative, right?
Scholarpedia is an online encyclopedia that is written by experts. Not only do you know the name and credentials of the author responsible for the article, you also can rest assured that the article has been peer-reviewed. However, it is not a general encyclopedia. It only provides coverage of science-related topics and has a fraction of the articles available in Wikipedia.
And then there's Citizendium. Had you forgotten about Citizendium? Yeah, me too. Currently boasting 3,300 articles, Citizendium is Wikipedia co-founder Larry Sanger's response to the "populist" editorial process of Wikipedia. Like Scholarpedia, the author is identified in Citizendium and the articles are subject to a review process.
You could argue that many Wikipedia articles are also revised, edited, and reviewed by experts. Great. Just keep in mind that these are all encyclopedia articles! College-level research requires that you go beyond encyclopedia articles to analyze actual research and journal articles and books and statistics and primary documents and more.
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