TEXT ONLY VERSION Emmanuel d’Alzon LibraryLink http://www.assumption.edu/dept/Library The Newsletter of the Emmanuel d’Alzon Library Assumption College, Worcester, Massachusetts USA Vol. 10 No. 1 Fall 2006 Table of Contents: (Articles appear in the following order) Historical NY Times Cultural Enrichment Catalog Notice Staff News From the Director’s Desk Movies with Friends Laptops on Loan Drop Us a Line MA Tax Forms Calling All Scholars Recipe Request Federated Searching Staff Visit to JFK Museum Computer FAQ’s Project Gutenberg From the Back Cover Editor: Callie Curran Morrell Contributors: Mary Brunelle, Liz Maisey, Carole Myles, Larry Spongberg, Dawn Thistle, Laurie Welling, Jan Wilbur Semester Hours: Monday-Thursday, 8:00 AM - 1:00 AM Friday, 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Saturday, 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM Sunday, 1:00 PM - 1:00 AM Now Available Online: Historical New York Times By Carole Myles The Library is pleased to announce the addition of the online database, the Historical New York Times. Published by ProQuest, a well-respected digital publisher, the database includes cover to cover access. Coverage includes all pictures and advertisements from the newspaper’s first edition in 1851 through 2003, allowing patrons to view articles in context. At the beginning of each year, the previous year’s issues roll into the database; however, the most recent three years are never included. For full-text access to The New York Times content from the past three years, use the database LexisNexis. LexisNexis covers 1980 to the present, but does not include pictures and advertisements. Searching the Historical New York Times could not be easier. There is a basic search screen where users can enter keyword searches. The advanced search screen allows the user to enter multiple keywords and select where the words are searched. For instance, keywords can be searched in the citation and document text, and/or the abstract. Limiting by a date range is also an option. A “My Research” tab allows users to organize their research by creating a Web page with links to searches, articles, and publications. To access this database, go to Research Tools on the Library’s home page and select Databases/Indexes. The Historical New York Times can be found under the alphabetical list and under Newspapers & Book Reviews. Cultural Enrichment—Minus the Admission Fee The Library has three member passes that grant free access to the Worcester Art Museum. Patrons can check the passes out for three days at a time. Regular admission fees are $10 for adults and $8 for students. Hours and directions can be found on the Museum’s Web site at: http://www.worcesterart.org CATALOG NOTICE Due to a software upgrade, the Library catalog will be unavailable Tuesday, March 6th, through Thursday, March 8th. The Library’s online periodical databases will not be affected and will remain available during the upgrade. Staff News The Library is happy to announce that John Degon, former Head of Reference & Instructional Services, reached Katahdin, ME in October to conclude his several-months-long journey hiking the Appalachian Trail. Despite broken bones and illness, John was able to complete almost all of the Trail and return to his new home in Maine. From the Director’s Desk By Dawn Thistle At the Academic Council meeting in November, librarians Carole Myles and Callie Curran Morrell presented the Library’s new Information Literacy Plan to academic department chairs. What is “Information Literacy,” and why do we need a plan? According to the American Library Association, information literacy is the ability “to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.” Perhaps it seems obvious that students need these skills to be successful in their studies. Certainly locating, evaluating and using information effectively are major components of a research paper assignment, but these skills—coupled with critical thinking—will serve our students for their entire lives. Last year, our accrediting agency, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), updated the Standards for Accreditation. In this new edition of the Standards, information literacy skills are mentioned in several of the items included in Standard 4, The Academic Program, and Standard 7, Library and Other Information Resources. For example, standard 4.18 states: “Graduates successfully completing an undergraduate program demonstrate competence in written and oral communication in English; the ability for scientific and quantitative reasoning, for critical analysis and logical thinking; and the capability for continuing learning, including the skills of information literacy” [emphasis here is mine]. As most faculty and administrators know, the new Standards also includes a heavy emphasis on assessment of all college programs and services. The Emmanuel d’Alzon Library’s mission has been for many years to instruct students in information literacy skills (although we haven’t always called it that!). We help students determine the information they need, instruct them in how to find it, and guide them in selecting the most appropriate resources. We do these things when working with students at the reference desk and also by teaching classes when asked by professors to do so. Our new Information Literacy Plan describes all of our instructional services—from one-on-one reference transactions, to entire classes, to database-specific training, to virtual instruction. It outlines our teaching objectives and also suggests methods of assessment that we can use to measure student outcomes. It is our hope that professors will refer to our Information Literacy Plan and call on the Library staff for assistance in developing their students’ skills. Our librarians will customize their instruction to meet your specific needs. To arrange for a class, contact Callie Curran Morrell at ccurran@assumption.edu. To view the Library’s Information Literacy Plan, go to the Library’s home page or directly to: http://www.assumption.edu/dept/Library/resources/Info%20Lit%20Plan-external.pdf. 1 American Library Association. Presidential Committee on Information Literacy: Final Report. (Chicago: American Library Association, 1989). Movies Are Best Enjoyed with Friends By Larry Spongberg Do you and a few friends want to watch a movie that is on reserve together? Or perhaps you’d like to see a VHS movie, but all you have in your room is a DVD player (or vice versa)? Then this article can “channel” you in the right direction. The third floor of the Library now has a room available for small groups to watch a video in either DVD or VHS format. When you reach the third floor, look towards your left and you’ll see three small group rooms. Of these, the room furthest to the left (Room 310) has a television equipped with a DVD/VHS player in it. Room 310 also has comfortable seating for four, plus four additional chairs. The remote for the equipment is located at the circulation desk. Stop by the desk to check it out before heading upstairs to the room. Although this room can be used for studying, a small group that wants to watch a movie takes priority. Don’t hesitate to ask a librarian for any needed assistance. Enjoy the show! Laptops on Loan By Jan Wilbur Have you walked across campus to the Library, ready to work on that soon-to-be-due paper and found that all the computers are in use? You could take another walk to the IT building in search of a free computer, but what about the research you need to do? You could have brought your laptop but… you forgot. The d’Alzon Library is proud to announce the availability of Laptops on Loan at the Library. We will begin lending three laptops from the circulation desk, beginning sometime in February. These will be able to be checked out for three hours each and, similar to items on Reserve, cannot be taken outside the Library. The Library is a wireless Internet environment and each laptop is equipped with wireless capability. Laptops also come with a CD/DVD drive, power cord, and security cable with lock. Since you’ll be responsible for the laptop while it’s in your possession, we strongly urge you to use this lock, as there have been thefts in the Library. Please remember to bring your own CD or flash drive, or to email your work to yourself. At this time, printing is not available via the wireless network. Let us know how the laptop lending program works for you! Drop Us a Line, Any Time! You may have heard the news: d’Alzon Library is now accepting reference questions via instant message. Anyone with an AIM, Yahoo!, or MSN IM account can send us a message. Quick, easily-answered questions work best for this medium; we may ask you to stop by the Desk in person if the answer is too complex to explain over IM. Here are some examples of the great IM questions we’ve received so far: Is there wireless access in the Library? How do I cite an article in the CQ Researcher using MLA format? Do you have the book Directory of Catholic Colleges & Universities? I’m looking for articles on déjà vu for my Psychology class. Which database should I use? AIM and Yahoo!: refdesk3 MSN Messenger: refdesk3@assumption.edu Massachusetts Tax Forms Available at Library By Larry Spongberg Your d’Alzon Library recently received a supply of Massachusetts state income tax forms (Form 1). These forms are available near the back right corner of the first floor, on top of the microfilm cabinets. As a reminder, we no longer have printed U.S. federal income tax forms from the IRS. These forms are available via the IRS web site at http://www.irs.gov Members of your library staff will gladly direct you to the state forms and/or assist you with downloading federal forms from the IRS site. We are not authorized to provide advice concerning completing or filing tax documents or forms. (Such duties would be “too taxing” for us!) Calling All Scholars… and Rock ’n Rollers: The Library Acquires New Reference Sets By Mary Brunelle Have you checked out the Reference collection lately? If you haven’t, come on over and take a look at some of the new reference sets the Library recently acquired, including the new editions of two of our classic reference sets. Gone is the old, dusty 1967 edition of Encyclopedia of Philosophy. The 2006 edition is an updated and expanded edition (to 10 volumes, versus the original 8) of the seminal work found in many academic libraries. According to the preface, the new edition boasts 450 new entries and the reexamination of nearly 300 topics that appeared in the first edition (p. xiii). The new edition also includes new subfields, such as “feminist philosophy,” “the philosophy of sex and love,” and “applied ethics,” as well additional treatments of national philosophies, such as African philosophy and Korean philosophy (p. xiii). The call number is REF B51 .E53 2006. Another new edition you might be interested in is the second edition of Encyclopaedia Judaica. Like Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Encyclopaedia Judaica is the long-awaited revision of a first edition. Originally published in 16 volumes in 1972, the second edition is 22 volumes. This new edition, published in 2007, provides current treatment of such dynamic issues as the state of Israel, the enduring existence of American Jewry, and the rise of female rabbis (preface, p. 5-7). Changes in scholars’ approaches to Talmudic literature precipitated a much-needed revision in the area of Talmudic studies (preface, p. 8-9), while new findings and interest in the area of Holocaust studies sparked a more in-depth treatment in the new edition (preface, p. 9-10). The call number is REF DS102.8 .E496 2007. One fun and fresh title for the Library is The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Rock History. Each of the six volumes examines a significant period in the music genre: “The Early Years, 1951-1959,” “Folk, Pop, Mods, and Rockers, 1960-1966,” “The Rise of Album Rock, 1967-1973,” “From Arenas to the Underground, 1974-1980,” “The Video Generation, 1981-1990,” and “The Grunge and Post-Grunge Years, 1991-2005.” This definitive set is designed for the true rock ’n roller at heart, for although the work often highlights the influences of other genres upon rock, such as folk, jazz, soul and hip-hop, it does not attempt to examine those genres fully or apart from their relationship to rock (“Set Forward,” p. viii). The call number is REF ML3534 .G754 2006. Finally, for scholars in the English and education fields (and for those who wish to remember the books they read as children), the Library acquired The Oxford Encyclopedia of Children’s Literature. With entries from Hans Christian Andersen and Beatrix Potter to Dr. Seuss and J. K. Rowling, this four-volume set features many portraits of the authors as well as whimsical illustrations from their celebrated works. The last volume in the set includes lists of recipients of such awards as the Caldecott Medal and the Newbury Medal, which may be useful especially to education majors. The call number is REF PN1008.5 .O94 2006. Librarians always love to see new additions to the collection, whether the additions are the revised editions of well-known and often-used sets or brand-new titles just waiting to be used and enjoyed. We invite you to come to the Library and peruse these and other new additions to the Library’s collection. You never know when something new and extraordinary will appear on our shelves! Coming Soon – Federated Searching This spring the Library will be launching a beta test of a federated search engine that we’re affectionately calling Hound Hunt. What is a federated search engine? This is a search engine that allows users to search across multiple databases at the same time. Can’t I do that already with the EBSCO and Gale databases? Yes, you can, but this federated search engine allows you to search across multiple databases from different sources simultaneously. For instance, in the Business & Economics subject area, which we’ll be launching first, you can cross search the EBSCO, Gale, xreferplus, JSTOR, and library catalog databases. The federated search engine takes the guesswork out of choosing the most popular databases in a subject area. As part of the beta test this spring we’ll be launching Hound Hunt in three subject areas: Business & Economics, Language, and Literature. Users will be able to access Hound Hunt from the Library’s home page or by going to Databases/Indexes under Research Tools. Staff Visit to JFK Museum Each December, the staff at d’Alzon Library plans a day-long field trip to an area library to get a glimpse of how libraries are run elsewhere. This year, the destination was the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. Notice Jack and Jackie gracing the background of this group photo! Library Computer FAQ’s By Laurie Welling There are always a lot of questions on computers and technology at the Library. Here, I’ll address some of our most frequent inquiries. 1) How many computers are available for student use? First floor: - 13 computers available for word processing & research - 4 computers available for research only - 1 computer available for printing only - 2 computers available for users requiring assistive technology Second floor: - 4 computers available for word processing & research Third floor: -1 computer available for searching the Library catalog 2) Why can’t I use one of the research computers for word processing if all the word processing computers are being used? It is important to reserve some computers for research, because if a student comes to the Library to do research and all the computers are being used for word processing, the student is unable to complete his/her research. While word processing computers are made available as a courtesy to our students, the Library is not a computer lab and our primary purpose is to facilitate research. It should be noted that the Library previously offered 6 word processing computers and 8 research computers. Due to the demand for word processing computers, we switched 4 of our research computers to word processing computers as well as added additional word processing computers. 3) Is wireless access available in the library? Yes, wireless access is available in most areas of the Library. At this time, printing is not available via the wireless network. Students must save their work to a flash drive or email it to themselves and then print from one of the Library computers. 4) How often are documents deleted from the Library computers? Is it okay to save my work on these computers? In an effort to ensure that each computer is consistently operable and available, its original configuration is restored each time it is restarted. This means that any programs you download or files you save are deleted each time the computer is restarted. The one exception is the My Documents folder. The contents of this folder are exempt from deletion at each restart. However, please do not depend on your documents remaining in this folder indefinitely, as it is emptied on a regular basis—usually at least once a week. It is highly recommended you save all work to a flash drive, CD or floppy disk and/or email it to yourself. Be sure to save often so you don’t lose your work in the event the computer freezes and has to be restarted. 5) Can I print in the Library? Is there a fee? Yes, you may print from any student computer in the Library. All print jobs are routed through GoPrint, our Print Management system, which means when you send something to the printer, you must go to the GoPrint station to release your print job. There is a sign next to the main library printer that explains how to use the GoPrint station to release your print job. The Library decided to implement GoPrint in an effort to reduce the amount of wasted paper. Previously, if one student printed a large PDF document that slowed down the printer, other students would often keep printing multiple copies of their documents because they did not understand why their jobs were not printing. This in turn slowed the printer down even more. Now that we have GoPrint in place, students can decide which print jobs to delete and which jobs to release. At this time, the Library does not charge for printing. 6) Is there a scanner available for public use? No. While the Library does make a scanner available to students requiring assistive technology, this scanner is not available for general use. 7) When I try to print a PDF document, I only get blank pages. How can I fix this? This can occur when you use the File > Print command to print a PDF document from within a browser window. To solve the problem, click on the Adobe Print icon (located next to other icons near the top of the page) to print your document instead. Recipes for Real Life In celebration of National Library Week (April 15-21, 2007), the d’Alzon Library is cooking up something new! Please email (library@assumption.edu) your favorite recipes to include in an Emmanuel d’Alzon Library Cookbook. Our theme is Recipes for Real Life – easy and delicious recipes for recent graduates and new cooks.  We hope to distribute the cookbooks free to 2007 graduates who request a copy.  Copies will also be available for purchase. We will be including recipes in the following categories: Appetizers Soups and Salads Main Courses Vegetables and Side Dishes Desserts This and That (miscellaneous) as well as helpful cooking hints. Please use the following template and include your name, your Assumption affiliation, and any comments about the recipe that you would like to share. Feel free to submit as many recipes as you like. If you prefer to submit your recipe on paper, please drop it off at the Library. So that we can have the Cookbook ready by Commencement, please email your recipes to us by February 23, 2007. From the Back Cover By Liz Maisey Here are some highlights of new books we’ve recently added to the collection. Check out other recent additions on our New Books Display at the front of the Reference Room. Boss Tweed: the Rise and Fall of the Corrupt Pol Who Conceived the Soul of Modern New York By Kenneth D. Ackerman “Among the characters who ascended to great influence in the history of American politics, few are more iconic than Boss Tweed; and few working historians could record in more vivid detail his astonishing career than Kenneth D. Ackerman.” —Back cover Learning to Write “Indian”: the Boarding-school Experience and American Indian Literature By Amelia V. Katanski “Indian boarding schools were the lynchpins of a federally sponsored system of forced assimilation. These schools, located off-reservation, took Native children from their families and tribes for years at a time in an effort to ‘kill’ their tribal cultures, languages and religions. What we learn is that, despite curricula that excluded Native languages and promoted literacy in English as a matter of ‘civilization,’ the boarding school students developed complex self-definitions and turned their new literacy to their own purposes.” —Book jacket Mastering Digital Printing: the Photographer’s and Artist’s Guide to High-Quality Digital Output By Harald Johnson “This book is the first in-depth reference to the new world of digital printing for photography and fine art. It is an authoritative guide that provides a thorough introduction to this exploding medium…” —Back cover Fundamentals of Mathematical Logic By Peter G. Hinman “This introductory graduate text covers modern mathematical logic from propositional, first-order, higher-order and infinitary logic and Godel’s Incompleteness Theorems to extensive introductions to set theory, model theory and recursion computability theory.” —Back cover The Anchor Book of Modern Arabic Fiction Edited by Denys Johnson-Davies “This dazzling anthology features the work of seventy-nine outstanding writers from all over the Arab-speaking world, from Morocco in the west to Iraq in the east, Syria in the north to Sudan in the south.” —Back cover