Hackelmeier Memorial Library Blog

QR Code Scavenger Hunt

2011-04-12T18:50:00.000-04:00

Scavenger Hunt Clue: Locate Smart Suite 4 to solve the next clue!

Forecast: Changes are coming

2011-02-10T15:39:00.004-05:00

Welcome to the updated Mother Theresa Hackelmeier Memorial Library blog! We've made some cosmetic changes, and we have some new content in store: book and movie reviews, tips for using library resources, in-depth cutting interviews with the librarians, an online suggestion form, and whatever else we think of.

Let me bring a few things to your attention. First off, you'll notice our hours are listed right at the top. Convenient, huh? Also, if you scroll down a bit in that same column, you'll notice links to the library homepage, the library catalog and course e-reserves. Click away! You'll also find the translation for the latin quote in the header, in case you're wondering what Habent sua fata libelli means.

We want this to be a blog that you check regularly. If you are interested in writing a book or movie review, contributing in some other way, or have any questions or comments, share them with us. We hope you like the new look! (And if you don't, tell us that too!)

Open Late For Finals!

2010-05-04T10:00:00.000-04:00

Super Updated Finals Hours! Finals 2010 Adjusted Hours
Friday, April 30, 7:30 a.m-12 midnight
Saturday, May 1, 9:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 2, 2:00 p.m.-2:00 a.m.
Monday, May 3 - Wednesday, May 5, 7:30 a.m.-2:00 a.m.
Thursday, May 6, 7:30 a.m.-12 midnight
Friday, May 7, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 8, 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 9, CLOSED

Death by Printing

2010-01-13T10:43:00.002-05:00

Not enough responsible stewardship going on. We are literally out of paper!

Finals Week Hours for Fall 2009

2009-11-30T11:10:00.001-05:00

Adjusted hours for finals week, Fall 2009

Friday, 4 December 7:30 am - 9:00 pm
Saturday, 5 December 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sunday, 6 December 2:00 pm - 1:00 am
Mon - Wed. 7-9 Dec. 7:30 am - 1:00 am
Thursday, 10 December 7:30 am - 10:30 pm
Friday, 11 December 7:30 am - 4:30 pm

iTunes U @ Marian U

2009-11-05T15:53:00.000-05:00

Cool new resource to check out: Marian now offers access to recent lectures and course content through its portal on iTunes U, a subsection of the music and video download behemoth.

Download, stream, or subscribe to your favorite content that's generated right here on Marian University's campus. Our new iTunes U portal is designed to help you make your access to all things Marian as mobile as possible. More content is being added, so be sure to visit frequently!

Access iTunes U from the library's website here.

Using Wikipedia

2009-05-12T11:33:00.004-04:00

From an information literacy framework, what can we learn from this recent Internet hoax?

"The moral of this story is not that journalists should avoid Wikipedia, but that they shouldn't use information they find there if it can't be traced back to a reliable primary source," said the readers' editor at the Guardian, Siobhain Butterworth, in the May 4 column that revealed Fitzgerald as the quote author.

Wikipedia can be useful information tool, but only if you can confirm the information from an external primary source.

Quiz Answers

2009-04-13T15:02:00.004-04:00

Answers to the librarian quiz:

Kelley. It’s quite a skill, really. Good for starting campfires.
Sr. Rachel. She really doesn’t look like she eats bugs, does she?
Kata. Although she retired from the mermaid biz years ago, shiny aqua wool has been spotted in her knitting kit. Methinks she is contemplating a comeback…
Elizabeth. The pins come in handy for sewing projects.
Srs. Joel and Pat. Is there nothing the sisters’ can’t do?
Eddie. David Blaine’s got nothing on our Mr. Mandity.

For more information and interesting reading relating to the world of carnivals, sideshows and geeks, check out some of these resources:

Ackerman, Louise m. Carnival Talk. American Speech, 35:4 1960, pp 308-309.
<http://www.jstor.org/stable/453788>

Nickell, Joe. Sideshow! Carnival Oddities and Illusions Provide Lessons for Skeptics. Dec. 1999. Skeptical Briefs. 07 April 2007.
< http://www.csicop.org/sb/9912/i-files.html>

Coney Island Circus Sideshow – check out a real ten-in-one circus sideshow and learn more about the Sideshow School!

Freak show defined, and more!

Thanks for helping us celebrate National Library Week 2009!

Twilight @Your Library -- finally!

2009-03-31T12:07:00.003-04:00

Yup, that’s right. We have “Twilight” on DVD in the library. A promise is a promise, after all.

Now, don’t everyone race over here at once. We have one copy, the call number is 1669V, and you all have to share. Remember sharing? Crayons in kindergarten, swings in elementary school, Wii sets with your siblings (and parents!)…If you are lucky enough to snag the library copy of Twilight off the shelf, be kind and return it in a timely basis so others may enjoy it as well. Don’t make me turn this library around and go home!

Now, for those of you whose tastes might not include angst-ridden teen vampires, perhaps you would enjoy one of these other new additions to the library DVD collection:

Bolt 1670V
Milk 1674V
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas 1673V
Rachel Getting Married 1672V
Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist 1677V
Bottleshock 1675V
The Changeling 1671V

…and yes, when “New Moon” comes out on DVD, the library will get a copy. We promise (again).
But you have to wait for the movie to be made, released in theatres, pirated overseas and finally released in the U.S. Sorry, but that’s how it works.

Stay tuned!

Visual Resumes are Opening Doors for New Grads

2009-03-24T12:48:00.003-04:00

posted by Kelley Griffith

I was flipping from one radio station to another on my drive home yesterday evening and landed on NPR just in time to tune in to All Things Considered. I was particularly struck by the report on the increased use of Visual Resumes among young professionals and new college grads. Visual Resumes utilize social networking sites and multimedia to create a dynamic online resume. Young professionals and new grads are turning to Visual Resumes to promote their myriad skills.

Many perspective employers gather additional information about job candidates by using social networking sites such as Blogs, MySpace, Facebook and YouTube. The Visual Resume allows candidates to direct potential employers to organized and well thought out sites that best represent their skills. The Visual Resume works best as a networking tool but a link can be included in a static print resume to encourage perspective employers to dig a little deeper. Free resume building sites include VisualCV, Zolio, and GigTide.

The library has a variety of tools and resources to assist students in building online resumes. Students may borrow digital still cameras and digital video cameras from the library. Training on setting up and using blogs, podcasts and Facebook can be requested. Technology librarians can also assist student in using our video editing and podcasting software. Feel free to contact Edward Mandity or Kata Koppel for assistance.

Spring in Seattle & Board Games@Your Library Kelley Griffith 3/13/2009

2009-03-13T14:55:00.014-04:00

It's not technically spring but the temps have been bouncing from one extreme to the other this week and I've decided to observe spring in my tiny corner of the world. Kata, Eddie and Elizabeth are off to Seattle attending the Association of Research Libraries Conference. I'm here at home minding the books and with way too much free time on my hands. The very idea of "too much time on my hands" generally creates a state of consternation within the library staff. I tend to develop some of my better grandiose plans when no one is around to administer a reality check. Sr. Joel and I have been watching over the HML for the last three days and I have had an inordinate time to plan. National Library Week is a month away and this may be the best celebration yet. Everybody loves a petting zoo, right?
Anyway, our greatest achievement this week has been cataloging and making board games, courtesy of the MC Gaming Club, available for circulation. In all modesty my contribution was simply pointing to the shelves where the items should be placed. Sr. Joel was responsible for all other aspect of processing these items. The collection includes, Twister, Apples to Apples, Chinese checkers, chess, Clue, Risk, Pictureka, and many more. To view a title list search the Reserve Collection Catalog, type in "student council" in the text box and search by Professor. Board games will circulate for one week and will be treated like any other library material. Lost items will be subject to replacement fees, replacement cost + 5.00 processing fee.

Spring Break Reading @YourLibrary

2009-03-03T10:32:00.004-05:00

Hitting the road for spring break? Make sure you pack a book -- and I don’t mean that thing you’re supposed to read for that class you intend to skip so you can catch the early flight to Cancun.
No, what you need is some good, old fashioned leisure reading. The library can help, with over 275 titles in the Leisure Reading collection.

Recent additions include:

Beach reading:
College Girl: A Novel, Patricia Weitz
For some this may feel like autobiography. Every college student can see a bit of themselves in Natalie, the first in her family to attend college and somewhat intimidated by the experience. Living in the dorm is worlds away from commuting to the local college and living at home, and her struggles to fit in socially while excelling academically make for a riveting read.

The Associate, John Grisham
Kyle is a law student with a deep, dark secret. Unscrupulous people use that secret to manipulate the law student, who may or may not triumph in the end. Classic Grisham, pure and simple.

Cultivate an intellectual look by the pool:

The Canal Builders, Julie Greene
A cultural history of the Panama Canal, bringing to light the human element involved – tens of thousands of workers from around the world, who traveled to Panama to build the canal that cemented America’s place as dominant player on the world stage.

We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land, Jimmy Carter
The latest book from former President Carter, outlining his plan for a peace agreement in the holy land.

Riveting reading – keeps you from ever actually getting to the pool:

A Mad Desire to Dance, Elie Wiesel
A novel from the author of Night. Wiesel tells the story of Doriel, son of members of the resistance who survived WWII only to perish in an accident. Doriel is haunted by images of the war and an inability to enjoy even the most basic happiness. Through the study of Judaism and later psychoanalysis, Doriel comes to a heartbreaking revelation about his life.

The Second Opinion, Michael Palmer
A speedy, cat-and-mouse thriller from the author of The First Patient and Extreme Measures. A doctor must fight to keep her father alive while trying to unravel an intricate conspiracy surrounding the very doctors trusted to save lives.

A list of the most recent additions to the Leisure Collection may be viewed via this link on the library website. For you techies in the crowd, subscribe to the RSS feed to receive updates when new titles are added.

Post-Cupid Closeouts @YourLibrary

2009-02-16T09:16:00.002-05:00

Did Cupid’s arrow woefully misfire AGAIN? Have you had it up to here with all things pink, red and heart-shaped? If so, step away that big bag of half-price candy you bought on the 15th and head over to the library today for a little post-Valentine bailout. We can’t guarantee it will change your life, but it might be fun.

Grab Bag of Love
(Get your mind out of the gutter – this is a G, or at least PG-rated promotion)

Pick up a free novel while they last! Might be a romance, might be a thriller. It’s a grab bag – the books will be wrapped up, so you get what you get. Kinda like internet dating.

n.b. I’m sorry, but the copy of “Truly, Madly, Viking” has already been snapped up.

Offbeat Love Stories a la Hollywood
If romance novels aren’t your thing, perhaps checking out a DVD will cheer you up. Okay, maybe they aren’t romantic standards, but haven’t we all had enough of that for a while?

Lars and the Real Girl 233V
Love and commitment in the frozen north, with bowling.

Borat 125V
Unrequited love, Pamela Anderson, and a road trip! Hah! Didn’t realize Borat qualified as a romance, did you?

Love Guru 1592V
Mike Myers, Jessica Alba and a chastity belt. Hearts, flowers and a really awful accent.

Wristcutters: A Love Story 1512V
Love and hitchhiking in a place that is not quite purgatory, not quite afterlife. Good times!

Dr. Strangelove 72V
Okay, so this has nothing to do with romance, offbeat or otherwise. But it has “love” in the title, so it’s on the list. A classic, just not a romantic classic.

Juno 1501V
Are Juno MacGuff and Paulie Bleeker the next Bradgelina? Probably not, but theirs is not typical Hollywood romance, either.

The Grab Bag of Love will be located on the first floor of the library, while supplies last. The DVD collection is located on the second floor of the library, near the Leisure Collection books. So, shake off that lovelorn attitude and stop in for some post-Cupid bailout fun, @YourLibrary!

2009-01-21T17:20:00.005-05:00

Taxes --- ARGH!!

Yes, the tax man cometh --- as if the arctic temps and seasonal affective disorder isn't enough to push me over the edge. My various personal financial forms are trickling in and I'm casting about for the appropriate bribe that will convince my brother-in-law to once again act as my personal tax consultant. Contemplating the completion of those evil forms is my least favorite thing to do -- taking my car in for an oil change tops the list. If bribery doesn't work I'll probably just whine a little to my sister and bring up all the "free" babysitting I've provided over the last year. I plan to use any leverage available to me!

I'm sure I'n not alone and to make life easy you can download IRS and Indiana tax forms at these links

Federal:

http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/lists/0,,id=97817,00.html

Indiana State:

http://www.in.gov/dor/taxforms/

Feel free to ask a librarian at the Reference Desk for assistance when downloading forms.

Also, the IRS provides tax tips and this one is worth reading in full, IRS TAX TIP 2009-06…Be aware of e-mail scams that fraudulently use the IRS name or Logo as a lure. The goal of the scam is to trick people into revealing personal and financial information, such as Social Security, bank account or credit card numbers, which the scammers can use to commit identity theft and steal your money. [snipped]

Warm up with new Leisure Reading

2009-01-15T11:48:00.002-05:00

Brrrrrr...yep, it’s cold. Even to a native Michigander such as myself, for whom layering clothes is a genetically acquired trait. But, since you’re all bundled up anyway, why not stop in at the library to 1. warm up on your way across campus, and 2. pick up some leisure reading material for cold winter evenings by the fire (or reasonable facsimile – I do not want to take the rap as accessory to arson).

New this week to the Leisure Reading Collection:

The Magician’s Book: A Skeptic’s Adventures in Narnia, Laura Miller
A writer, editor and co-founder of Salon.com reflects on a lifetimes’ fascination with the works of C.S. Lewis. Miller has revisited The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe many times, as a youth, angst-ridden teen and most recently as an adult in search of the magic that originally captivated her imagination. Part biography (of Lewis), part memoir with some criticism thrown in, The Magician’s Book is a must for those of us still longing to find the secret passage in the back of the wardrobe.

The Art of Conversation: A Guided Tour of a Neglected Pleasure, Catherine Blyth
In a time when an array of communication technologies and social networking opportunities vie for our attention and devotion, this book extols the virtues of the face-to-face conversation. Blyth offers tips on overcoming shyness, listening techniques, steering the conversation, and the importance of artful small talk. This is not an exhaustive sociolinguistic treatise; it’s more of a conversation, for lack of a better word. It’s interesting, useful and probably should be required reading for the IM-obsessed. As Simon Doonan says on a cover blurb, “Don’t let modern technology turn you into an uncommunicative ninny”.

Scarpetta, Patricia Cornwell
For those of you already familiar with Kay Scarpetta, forensic pathologist and solver of gruesome psychological crimes, this book is probably already on your nightstand or in your bag. Each new Scarpetta novel takes the reader deep into the mind, often exposing the most horrid and undesirable aspects of the human psyche. In this book, Scarpetta is off to New York to consult on a case at Bellevue Hospital at the insistence of the patient himself. To say more will give away the story, and as true fans understand, it’s better to let the story unfold in Cornwell’s words. Highly recommended for anyone suffering from Gil Grissom withdrawal after this week’s episode of CSI.

Shadows at Dawn: A Borderlands Massacre and the Violence of History, Karl Jacoby
Referred to at the time as the Camp Grant Massacre, this book is a revealing look at one of the worst Indian massacres in American history. In the early morning of 30 April 1871, a group of Americans, Mexicans and Tohono O’odham Indians attacked an Apache camp, killing 150 - mostly women and children. Using a nearly forgotten incident, the author details a difficult period in American history – violence against Indians during the “Peace Policy” period, and how it shaped the way in which American western history is remembered, and retold, by the various groups involved.

Other recent additions to Leisure Reading:

Fiction:
Lark and Termite: A Novel, Jayne Anne Phillips
The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet, Colleen McCullough
NoVA: A Novel, James Boice
Plum Lucky, Janet Evanovich
Gears of the City, Felix Gilman
Calling Mr. Lonely Hearts, Laura Benedict

Non-Fiction:
Hope Endures: Leaving Mother Teresa, Losing Faith and Searching for Meaning, Colette Livermore
Digging for Dirt: The Life and Death of ODB, Jaime Lowe
The Adventures of Arthur Conan Doyle, Russell, Miller

Story Collections:
The First Person, and Other Stories, Ali Smith
The Red Convertible, Selected and New Stories, Louise Erdrich

This is just a brief sampling of titles available in the Leisure Reading Collection, located on the second floor of the library. Stop in and warm up with a good book, it’s just the thing for cold winter days!

Twilight@YourLibrary -- new DVDs

2009-01-12T10:44:00.005-05:00

Okay, okay! We get it. You want a copy of Twilight in the library DVD collection.

But it’s not out on DVD yet, so puh-leez stop cramming the suggestion box with Twilight recommendations. We’ll add a copy as soon as it’s available.
Really. We promise.

In the meantime, consider a few of these DVDs – we’ve got it all: vampires, witches and spoiled rotten bi----s (hint: it rhymes), plus a little Cartman for good measure.

Recent additions to the DVD collection:
Dark Knight, 1628V
Buffy the Vampire Slayer – complete series, 1612 – 1618V
Charmed – complete series, 1619 – 1626V, 2035V
South Park – seasons 1-11, 1627V – 1637V
Burn After Reading, 1644V
The O.C. – complete series, 1608-1611V

And for something with more depth and less lip gloss:
When Did You Last See Your Father?, 1627V
Taxi to the Dark Side, 1595V
John Adams – miniseries, 1564V
Traitor, 1642V
The Duchess, 1647V

The DVD collection is located on the 2nd floor of the library, adjacent to the Leisure Reading Collection. DVDs circulate for one week, at no charge. It’s a bargain -- @YourLibrary!

Holiday Burnout @YourLibrary - adjusted hours for semester break

2008-12-11T08:23:00.003-05:00

Signs that the holiday season may have already taken its toll…

Instead of writing letters to Santa, you find yourself plotting reindeer abductions and cutting words of out of magazines for ransom notes. Spelling Comet or Cupid with a K seems more menacing, doesn’t it?

Eggnog is not enough to take the edge off – not even the lethal stuff your Uncle Brian cooks up. Yeah, that Uncle Brian, the one who works at a distillery.

The Carol of the Bells sounds like nothing more than ringing in the ears. Incessant, cacophonous ringing. Please…make it stop…

You begin to understand “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” from the reindeer’s perspective.

Instead of making your usual snowflake-shaped cookies, you find yourself crafting little headless elves. Or rabid reindeer. Or maybe zombie elves. Be aware that there is a limit to what is considered “art therapy”.

“Do You Hear What I Hear?” takes on a whole new meaning when you’re talking about the little voices in your head.

Latkes seem lackluster. It’s a dark day when a plate of warm, crispy carbohydrates can’t cheer a person up.

Carolers on your doorstep incite nothing but ire. You can try to rationalize throwing snowballs at the carolers any way you like, but assault is assault and they have the sheriff on speed dial this year.

You realize (far too late in the game) that there is such a thing as too much green bean casserole.

It’s been a long semester, hasn’t it? Before you head over the river, through the woods and into the mall one last time, consider stopping by the library to pick up some leisure reading for the flight, or maybe a DVD or two for the road trip. If the door is locked, well…we have our reasons. Just leave the ransom and no one has to lose any antlers.

Happy Holidays
from the staff of the Hackelmeier Memorial Library!

Library hours during the semester break:

December

13-14, 20-21, 27-28 closed – weekends
15-19, 22-23, 26, 29-30 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
24-25, 31 closed – college holiday

January
1 closed – college holiday
3-4, 10-11 closed – weekends
2, 5-9 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
12 regular schedule resumes

Finals Week Hours

2008-12-07T19:58:00.001-05:00

Adjusted hours for finals week, Fall 2009

Friday, 5 December 7:30 am - 9:00 pm
Saturday, 6 December 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sunday, 7 December 2:00 pm - 1:00 am
Mon - Wed. 8-10 Dec. 7:30 am - 1:00 am
Thursday, 11 December 7:30 am - 10:30 pm
Friday, 12 December 7:30 am - 4:30 pm

Talk Turkey: Thanksgiving Schedule

2008-11-18T09:28:00.003-05:00

You might be a pilgrim if…

You know what a blunderbuss is, and how to load one.

You can’t resist big, square black shoes with buckles. Yes, they go with everything, but they are not necessarily flattering in every shoe size.

Spelling Squanto’s name is easier for you than spelling Lindsey Lohan. In fact, Squanto is the name you use when ordering pizzas and dodging the paparazzi at fancy hotels.

When you head out on the town dressed in black, people on the street mistake you for John Winthrop, not Johnny Cash.

Being describes as a “Puritan” doesn’t make you feel particularly uptight, just historically accurate.

You are overcome by the urge to hunt turkeys with that blunderbuss.

Marshmallows in the candied yams are a needless luxury. Come to think of it, so are the candied yams. You’ll have turkey jerky and like it!

Give yourself a break this Thanksgiving -- enjoy the festivities, do some holiday shopping, maybe take a nap. If you find yourself thinking about school work, remember that resources are available on the library website 24/7/365. However, the library building will be closed during the break, to allow staff some time off to enjoy the holiday.

Please note the adjusted operating schedule for the Thanksgiving holiday:

Tuesday, November 25 7:30 am – 8:00 pm

Wednesday, November 26 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

Thursday – Saturday, Nov. 27-29 closed

Sunday, November 30 6:00 pm – 10:30 pm

Homecoming @Your Library

2008-10-15T10:24:00.000-04:00

Top Ten Reasons to Celebrate Homecoming at Marian College
October 15-18

There is no better way to show school spirit than losing all your chips at a Casino Night. Too bad you can’t write that off as a donation to the scholarship fund.

Resurrecting a cherished fall tradition – burning effigies at the bonfire Friday night. Watch out for flaming marshmallows!

Have you heard? Sr. Norma plans to QB one of the powder puff teams. Rumor has it she taught Brady Quinn everything he knows.

Homecoming. Not just a song by Green Day anymore.

It’s really too bad there won’t be a parade. We’ve been stockpiling tissue paper and chicken wire for months. Indestructible piñatas, anyone?

Plans to build a Trojan Knight have been cancelled. Turns out that idea mixes mascot metaphors, and we just can’t have that kind of thing.

Well, you need something to entertain your family with during Family Weekend. They aren’t coming all that way just to hang out in your dorm room, now are they?

Does anyone drive a vehicle that actually has a tailgate? And what about the back of a truck says “let’s eat”, anyway? Funny how some traditions evolve…

Admit it – you secretly enjoy it when ancient alums show up VERY early in the morning (i.e. before noon), wanting to see their old dorm room.

I love the smell of bratwurst grilling in the morning. Smells like victory! (Go Knights!)

2008-10-07T10:00:00.001-04:00

Fall Break is just days away. Whether you are headed to the apple orchard, corn maze or haunted house, or staying on campus to catch up on some zzzz’s, the library is happy to offer you a few distractions:

New on DVD:
Iron Man, 1588V
Forgetting Sarah Marshall, 1587V
Persepolis, 1549V
One Tree Hill (seasons 1-5), 1581-1585V

New in the Leisure Reading Collection:
Hot, Flat and Crowded, by Thomas Friedman. Call number: GE197 .F76
The Other Half: The Life of Jacob Riis and the World of Immigrant America,
by Tom Buk-Swienty. Call number: CT275 .R6 B85
Foreign Body, by Robin Cook. Call number: PS3553 .O5545 F67
Paul of Dune, by Brian Herbert. Call number PS3558 .E617 P38
American Wife, by Curtis Sittenfeld. Call number: PS3619 .I94 A5

So, stop by the library and pick up a few things to take your mind off school during
Fall Break. Don’t worry, we won’t tell – we’re taking a breather, too!

Adjusted library hours during Fall Break:
Saturday and Sunday, October 11-12 closed
Monday and Tuesday, October 13-14 8:30 am – 10:30 pm
Regular hours resume on Wednesday, October 15.

LibGuides

2008-10-06T14:37:00.000-04:00

Mother Theresa Hackelmeier Memorial Library is pleased to announce the addition of Libguides, a new service designed to help students, faculty and staff locate research resources specific to their discipline or course. Previously we have relied on our print guides available for download, but this new online platform is much more dynamic.

Basically, LibGuides is a library-specific content management systems that allows us to list our most important resources in tabular format, to help ease the burden of research related assignments and to provide a general starting point when students simply don't know where to start looking for research items. Books, journals, databases, online resources, we are able to list them all according to subject for quick access.

Though we're in our beginning phase of creating our guides, we have about fourteen created and are continually adding more. So if you are either a student or faculty member who doesn't see a subject listing, let us know and we'll create one for you.

DVDs @Your Library

2008-09-25T13:50:00.000-04:00

Hello again, movie buffs!
For those of you who don’t already participate in the
Friday afternoon mad rush for DVDs, maybe this will draw you in…

In the collection now:

Jumper, call number 1525V
Superbad, call number 516V
There Will Be Blood, call number 654V
P.S. I Love You, call number 1515V
House – Season 3, call number 1517V
27 Dresses, call number 1514V

And coming soon, watch for these new titles:

21
Baby Mama
Bank Job
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Mad Men – Season 1
Semi-Pro
Persepolis
Pushing Daisies
The Spiderwick Chronicles

We will be adding new titles throughout the year, so be sure to check back to find out what’s new and noteworthy.

2008-09-23T11:35:00.001-04:00

Just in time for those leisurely fall afternoons when you’re dying to relax with a good read (i.e. not required for class)! Here are a just a few highlights of new books in the Leisure Reading Collection:

Supreme Courtship, by Christopher Buckley
What would happen if the president of the United States nominated a tv judge to the Supreme Court? A comic novel that delves into the psyche of the Supreme Court, from the mind that brought you Thank You for Smoking and Little Green Men.

Resistance, by Agnes Humbert (translated by Barbara Mellor)
Subtitled “A Woman’s Journal of Struggle and Defiance in Occupied France”, this moving first-person account of the German occupation of France during the Second World War is a gripping read. Agnes Humbert was a respected art historian and a founder of the Musee de l’Homme resistance group. Her original journal was published in France in 1946, but never before translated into English.

Guyland: The Perilous World Where Boys Become Men, by Michael Kimmel
Based on interviews with young men aged 16 to 26, high school to college, frat house to military academy, sports bar and beyond, Kimmel provides insight into what constitutes “Guyland”, a phase of social development that is seemingly immune to the influences of parents, girlfriends, kids and other hallmarks of adulthood.

Indignation, by Philip Roth
The newest novel from PEN and National Book Award winning author Roth, Indignation has been described as Roth’s most autobiographical novel yet. The book tells the tale of a young man from Newark, NJ experiencing college in the Midwest in the early 1950’s, struggling to understand the cultural and social constrictions of a very different world.

Being Elizabeth, by Barbara Taylor Bradford
Okay, I’ll admit it – I ordered this one based on the title alone. But it’s not about me, or even a librarian.
Being Elizabeth is the story of a young woman catapulted to a senior position in a global corporation after the death of the matriarch. In classic Bradford fashion, this novel tells the tale of a woman who is successful because she is determined, clever and committed, but not without sacrifice and heartbreak along the way. Doesn’t sound a bit like my life, but an entertaining read nonetheless.

This is just a sampling of titles found in the Leisure Collection, located on the 2nd floor

New Web Site!

2008-08-29T09:27:00.000-04:00

In case you haven't already seen, Hackelmeier Memorial Library has a new Web site for all your library needs. Specifically, we would like to promote some newly accessible features on the site including:

Subject Guides for when you just don't know where or how to begin your research.
Digital collections highlighting the various historical, artistic and just plain interesting aspescts of Marian College.
A Leisure Reading Collection for when you need a break from browsing through our various subject guides and databases for your research.

Take a gander, and get to know how the library can better serve you!

A new list for a new school year

2008-08-14T11:58:00.003-04:00

Top ten reasons to be excited about the start of a new academic year at Marian:

10. What, you actually enjoyed sleeping in, picnics in the park and mowing the lawn? Yeah, right…

9. Anyone up for a rousing game of musical parking spots?

8. With Ray Haberski off to Copenhagen courtesy of the nice people at Fulbright, someone else might get to check out some of the history movies from the library for a change.

7. “Dracula” is on the fall theatre schedule, along with Civic Theatre’s production of “Little Shop of Horrors”. Anyone else think that might be a good week for a blood drive?

6. Spending the summer on the road as a Dave Matthews Band groupie just isn’t as enlightening and um…collegial as it used to be…or maybe we’re just getting old.

5. Enrollment is up this fall! So many new freshmen, so few new practical jokes…

4. Big news -- Over the summer, the college installed whirlpool jets in the fountain! Woo-hoo! Back-to-school hot tub party!

3. Change of plans for the Day of Service – we’re all headed over to President Elsener’s house to make salsa with that bumper crop of organic tomatoes!

2. Microsoft Vista is rolling out across campus in waves. It’s kind of like hurricane season if you think about it, although hurricane season will end in November.

1. Mid-terms are right around the corner and you know what that means – free popcorn at the library!

Brought to you by the lively and creative staff of the Mother Theresa Hackelmeier Memorial Library, reminding you that the library offers so much more than just books and a place to study. Stop in and see what the library can do for you!

Upgrades to library computer lab L008

2008-07-17T09:50:00.000-04:00

Due to computer upgrades, the library computer lab in room L008 will be CLOSED from July 21st through August 1st. The lab will reopen with new PCs on Monday August 4th.

During this time, please use the computing areas on the library's 1st and 2nd floor or the Marian Hall 304 lab.

Thank you for your understanding and patience.

New look, better research!

2008-07-16T11:09:00.001-04:00

One of our more popular databases providers, Ebsco, has undergone an "interface lift". Don't be alarmed, the services haven't changed. Actually, there are even more options with the new searching interface, including a new "visual search" option. Here's a new reason to start your research early. Ask a librarian if you have any questions about it. Happy searching!

Summer Reading @Your Library

2008-07-15T08:52:00.002-04:00

Alas, the dog days of summer are upon us.
The mercury is rising, along with tempers, hemlines and gas prices. Need a break?

Consider the Leisure Reading Collection in the Hackelmeier Memorial Library. A good book can transport you from an overheated conference room to the seaside in just a few paragraphs. Best of all, books are low-tech – no gadgets, fossil fuels or Gatorade required.

Located on the north wall of the second floor (conveniently near the DVD collection!), the Leisure Reading Collection has much to offer – novels, romance, biography, fantasy, true crime and more!

Need an excuse to get out of the office? Come on over and browse the shelves!

Insomniac? Browse the Leisure Reading Collection online -- just click on the Recent books from my library link, just to the right of this posting. This will connect you to a mini-catalog of all the books in the Leisure Reading Collection.

Here are a few suggestions from the Leisure Reading Collection, inspired by some favorite (and not so favorite) summer activities:

Camping
Man vs. Wild: Survival Techniques from the Most Dangerous Places on Earth / Bear Grylls
T is for Trespass / Sue Grafton

Summer job blues
Turning Tables / Heather MacDowell
Even Cat Sitters Get the Blues / Blaize Clement

Family reunions
Fear and Yoga in New Jersey / Debra Galant
The Heir / Barbara Taylor Bradford

Beach Vacations
Atomic Lobster / Tim Dorsey
The Sand Castle /Rita Mae Brown

Rough morning at the farmer’s market
Beet / Roger Rosenblatt
The Garden of Last Days / Andre Dubus III
Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals and Food / Gene Bauer

Road trips
Farewell, My Subaru: An Epic Adventure in Local Living / Doug Fine
The Open Road: The Global Journey of the Fourteenth Dalai Lama / Pico Iyer
Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen / Susan Gregg Gilmore

Napping in the hammock
The Somnambulist / Jonathan Barnes
The Geography of Bliss / Eric Weiner

Neighborhood cookouts
When You Are Engulfed in Flames / David Sedaris
The Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death / Lori Notaro

Oh, and one more thing to tempt you – the library building is nice and cool on hot summer days. It's an excellent excuse to wander over and browse for leisure reading!

Vista/Office 2007

2008-06-24T14:15:00.000-04:00

Change is good. Over the summer, Computer Services will be updating the student computing areas in the Library and Marian Hall 304. Microsoft's Vista and Office 2007 will be installed on these machines.

This upgrade will be ongoing over the summer and should be complete by the time the fall semester begins. We think you'll enjoy the new features available as a part of this software!

If you need assistance in the public computing areas, please don't hesitate to ask. If you're in the library, stop by the circulation desk on the first floor. You can also call extension 6090 or IM marianitc (Yahoo, MSN/Windows Live, AIM) if you get stuck.

Edible Book Display 2008

2008-04-30T15:50:00.002-04:00

Edible Book Display 2008
Originally uploaded by marian_library_indy

Did you miss the 2nd annual Edible Book Display presented during National Library Week 2008?

You can now view the display online - just click on the image above and visit the exhibit virtually through Flickr. Start planning now for the contest next April - we'd love to see what you can create. The only limit is your own imagination.

New and Leisurely Reading @Your Library -- and a book review, too!

2008-04-23T17:23:00.000-04:00

Great news -- more than two dozen new titles have been added to the Leisure Reading Collection since last we posted.

Here are but a few of the newest titles:

Farewell, My Subaru: An Epic Adventure in Local Living, by Doug Fine
The House at Riverton, by Kate Morton
Armageddon in Retrospect, by Kurt Vonnegut
Certain Girls, by Jennifer Weiner
Unlocked: A Journey from Prison to Proust, by Louis Ferrante
Quicksand, by Iris Johansen

And, if that is not enough, our own Edward Mandity (Information and Instructional Technology Librarian) has written a review of another Leisure Reading Collection offering, The Somnambulist, by Jonathan Barnes.

Give it up for Eddie's review...

The Somnambulist: A bizarre, not so modern mystery

Edward Moon is a "conjurer", an entertainer struggling to preserve what little reputation and income he has left. Among polite society he is now more likely considered a laughingstock than the once promising investigator propelled by his sharpened abilities of examination. Considered past his prime, his Las Vegas-styled evening show, set in Victorian era London, is now only attracting the fanatically faithful. So Moon, along with the Somnambulist, his giant, deathly pale, almost human-like partner in crime-solving and fright inducing sidekick, is bored. Yet that is about to change.

As far as crime solving duos go could this very well be the Victorian era predecessor to our modern day Starsky and Hutch? As far as mysteries go, probably not so much, as Sherlock and Watson might have proven a more apt comparison. At least Watson talked. The Somnambulist, on the other hand, doesn't; he would rather accompany Moon silently grasping his pints of milk.

If such a bizarre introduction to The Somnambulist intrigues you, then by all means delve deeper than the surface just scratched, as this book by Jonathan Barnes turns more curious by the page. But it is as entertaining as it is strange; Moon is as stubbornly cynical, full of snark as he is determined to solve what is the most important threat facing London. And the Somnambulist is, well, the Somnambulist. But will that threat be The Directorate, an assassin known only as The Mongoose, the fun-loving Prefects, or the very literary Chairman itself? Full of intrigue, murder, and curiosity, this story is all wrapped up into a very sharply-written novel. It's dark, creepy, and humorously suspenseful. And it's only the first novel written by Barnes.

Give yourself a break during the hectic, end-of-semester crush and stop by to check out the Leisure Reading Collection. You'll find it on the second floor of the library, on the north wall. We can't let Eddie have all the fun -- or all the books!

Read on...

Adjusted hours for Finals Week 2008

2008-04-21T10:02:00.001-04:00

Hackelmeier Memorial Library
Adjusted Hours
May 3 - 9

Friday, May 2 7:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 3 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 4 2:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m.
Monday, May 5 7:30 a.m. – Midnight
Tuesday, May 6 7:30 a.m. – Midnight
Wednesday, May 7 7:30 a.m. – Midnight

Thursday, May 8 7:30 - 3:00 p.m. (Research assistance on 2nd floor)

Friday, May 9 7:30 – 4:30 p.m.

Relaxation Zone - 1^st floor Hackelmeier Library

May 4 - 9

April 2 Student Focus Group Session

2008-04-03T09:41:00.000-04:00

Focus group student session – 04/02/2008
2 students present

How do you use the library?
- working (library work study)
- hold study sessions for class (Soc. TA)
- general studying
- use the computers (programs not on own computer, faster, printing, etc.)

How do you see your information needs changing?
- database use increases over course of college career
- more interest in learning to use SmartBoards, other technology earlier in college career

What will you need from the library/instructional technology in the next 5 years?
- integrate some sort of library component into Freshman Experience course, so that students have a better idea of what is available to them in the library
- instruction on how to use technology (digital cameras), transfer files, create projects/presentations integrating technology

(discussion about finding ways to better integrate library and instructional services into the curriculum; students would welcome more information about what is available to them)

What new technology would you like to see incorporated into the library/instructional technology?
- touch screen computers are cool
- IM/chat services sound cool, but don’t know that much about it

(students not sure what technology is out there, but are very open to trying new things that might be fun or useful)

What do you like most/least?
- noise is a real problem, can be too noisy to study effectively
- would like to see the cell phone ban back in place
- noisy student assistants make it hard to approach them to quiet other patrons
- football study table is a problem – noisy, not studying, cell phones going off, very disruptive
- too many competing activities in one building – socializing interferes with quiet study, but quiet study doesn’t interfere with socializing, so socializing wins
- comment made was “is it a library or student center? It can’t be both”

- “I like the librarians”!
- The staff is really helpful and accessible
- Leisure reading collection is great
- The emails are fun

Do you have any advice for us?
- comment was made that other students have said the librarians are rude/mean.

Update: New and Leisurely @HML

2008-03-28T10:13:00.000-04:00

If you haven’t stopped by to check out (and I mean literally)
the new Leisure Reading Collection yet, perhaps some
of these new titles will tempt you:

Cheer! : Three Teams on a Quest For College Cheerleading’s Ultimate Prize
by Kate Torgovnick
Nonfiction

The author spent one year following three different squads in their quest from tryouts to the National Championship. Now considered an extreme sport by some, competitive cheerleading is not your grandmother’s pom squad.

A Life With Karol: My 40-Year Friendship with the Man Who Became Pope
by Cardinal Stanlislaw Dziwisz
Nonfiction

Written by Pope John Paul II’s personal secretary, this memoir reveals new details of the papacy of Karol Wojtyla, including clandestine ski trips and walks through Rome incognito.

Adam
by Ted Dekker
Fiction

A profiler who has devoted most of his career to tracking a serial killer known only as Eve is targeted to be her first male killing, her first “Adam”. A failed attempt on his life leaves "Adam" with the knowledge he has seen the killer’s face, but the trauma of the event suppresses his memory and hinders the search for Eve.

New books arrive almost weekly. Check back soon for an in-depth review of James Patterson’s latest thriller, 7^th Heaven, also from the Leisure Reading Collection.

Focus Group Sessions

2008-03-25T17:05:00.000-04:00

Hackelmeier Memorial Library wants your input. As part of the strategic planning process we are asking faculty, staff, and students to assist us in gathering information to assist in creating the library of the future at Marian College. We are asking ourselves, what kind of impact will the various opportunities and challenges inherent in an "Idea" economy have on future library services? Are there traditional services that require less support while new emerging services require increased support? Input from focus group participants will assist us in identifying the most important issues facing the Hackelmeier Library and Instructional Technology Services and hopefully suggest a means of best addressing those issues.

Faculty Session 1- March 25th Notes

How do you use the library?

primarily for books, recreation use
public library use has changed – using web services very often to order items, not browsing
not using library for work-related research
feels like the physical space is good for services, students
have heard some students complain about increased noise

How are your information needs changing/will change

still most comfortable reading from hard copy
professional work is much more electronic – changing skills to accommodate this.
Seems to be a need for electronic archiving on campus, but no one seems to be doing it
Validation of information – concerned that students cannot distinguish good info, especially w/web sources
would like to see more done to educate all on source evaluation(Freshman Experience discussion, jump-start/stand alone session a possibility)
CAMs and the library - need to do more/increased presence

What new technology would you like to see in the library/instructional technology?

students want chat support/after hours support
scanning opportunities
hosting capabilities for webinars, more support for that kind of technology
(Discussion of scanning issues on campus, in library; want to develop more in this area)
Is there a need for basic technology training for professional staff?
not really, except maybe for new staff; most learn what is necessary for the job
(Discussion: standardization of skills sets – Outlook, etc. – should go through HR mandate)
What do you like most/least about library and instructional technology?
doesn’t like idea that only faculty are involved with instructional technology; staff may not teach class, but still use the same technology and need support, or are in position of instructing students on using technology (registration, financial aid, etc)
(Inst. Tech. can work with offices to help them develop training materials, etc)
extend IT emails to staff
would like written instructions for using tech classrooms
tech classrooms should be standardized
rooms are poorly set up/hard to use
students are frustrated that faculty do not use CAMS, online grade
faculty need to do more online – grades, book orders, communications, etc.

Please feel free to post your own comments to this blog.

New and Leisurely Reading @Your Library

2008-03-18T13:04:00.001-04:00

Toss aside your workaholic tendencies, throw on a leisure suit and get ready to READ!

Announcing the Leisure Reading Collection @Hackelmeier Memorial Library!

The Leisure Reading Collection is a rotating collection of popular and recently released books that will grow to roughly 250 titles by the end of the year. New titles arrive each month, and once the collection reaches the maximum, older titles will be removed to make room for new titles in the collection.

Best selling fiction and nonfiction, biography, novels, science fiction, true crime and more – there is something for everyone. Stop by the second floor of the library, you can't miss the Leisure Reading Collection.

A sampling of current titles includes:

Duma Key / Stephen King
Beet / Roger Rosenblatt
I Am America and So Are You / Stephen Colbert
Quiet Strength / Tony Dungy
The Geography of Bliss / Eric Weiner
Change of Heart / Jodi Picoult
Dragons of Babel / Michael Swanwick
Farm Sanctuary / Gene Bauer
Book of the Dead / Patricia Cornwell
Firefly Lane / Kristin Hannah

Once or twice a month, the library website will feature brief descriptions of new books in the Leisure Reading Collection, reviews and recommendations. Look for the Leisure logo; it’s your guide to what’s New and Leisurely @Your Library!

Another new face @ HML

2008-03-11T11:05:00.000-04:00

Greetings!

I'm Kata Koppel, another new addition to the library staff here at Marian. I'll be responsible for the usual library duties, answering your questions and helping out with the library technology. I'll also be providing training for faculty, staff and students on new technologies as well as helping with scanning, video editing and more! We have lots of great plans for the library.

About me? I'm originally from southeastern Indiana and have my library degree from IUPUI, but have spent the last 3 years in New Jersey at a small community college. When I'm not working, I enjoy traveling, knitting, visiting historic sites, and going to Broadway shows in New York (my goal is to go to a show in all 39+ Broadway theatres - I'm up to 27!) I'm also working on my Guitar Hero III skills just in case I decide to ever stop being a librarian and become a professional gamer!

Please don't hesitate to stop me and ask for help or just to say hello. I look forward to meeting everyone!

Delayed delivery Chicago Tribune

2008-02-18T09:57:00.002-05:00

Due to a change in local distribution, the library will no longer
receive the Chicago Tribune via daily delivery.

Beginning 18 February, 2008 the Chicago Tribune will be delivered
to the library via standard postal service, which may delay the paper
by 2-3 days from publication date.

We apologize for the inconvenience; the decision to change local
distribution methods was made by the Chicago Tribune.

Website Updates - ILL/Hours

2008-01-14T19:21:00.000-05:00

This is just a short post to let you know of some recent changes to the library website. In addition to updating the library staff contact information, we have also listed the Spring Semester hours for the library as well as the upcoming dates on which the library will be closed this semester. Also, for those patrons interested in using our interlibrary loan service, you may directly download the pdf request form from our homepage and submit it in person to a member of our staff.

Ease into Your Research with Credo

2007-12-10T09:11:00.000-05:00

Good news for all you researchers, of either the procrastinating or diligent variety. If you haven’t yet finalized your research for your upcoming term papers, or if you want to get planning for next semester’s research projects, your life has just become a bit easier. HML has just acquired a new online reference solution for all your research needs. Credo Reference is an aggregated, online reference database containing selections from over 240 e-books from academic publishers in all disciplines. See something from their selection of content that we don’t have access to? Well, then just tell us and we can customize the collection to include what you need! In addition to the material you may find, you also have access to the citation information (APA, MLA, Chicago), ready to be inserted into your paper. So if you need that quick information fix or want to put the finishing touches on your dissertation, don’t delay…use Credo today!

New Online Language and Literature Collection

2007-12-03T09:08:00.000-05:00

Hackelmeier Memorial Library has just acquired a new online collection of Language and Literature titles from the provider JSTOR. JSTOR is a subscription service which provides libraries collections of archived, full-text content, typically in PDF format. The Language and Literature collection covers disciplines from linguistics to literary criticism, comprising 58 titles in its entirety. As JSTOR is primarily a service that covers archived material, it is also helpful to list a complementary service to which we subscribe called Project Muse, providing more current full-text content. In all, this new collection adds to our already existing Arts & Sciences and Health & General Sciences collections from JSTOR, adding a more comprehensive scope (over 300 titles) for your research needs. Access our JSTOR collections here.

A Visual Dictionary

2007-11-26T11:28:00.000-05:00

New tool for all you visual learners out there; if you haven’t already made use of the Merriam-Webster Online dictionary, be sure to check out their new reference resource called the Visual Dictionary Online. It’s great for all those frustrating times where you have an image in your mind but struggle to find that matching word or phrase, or vice-versa. Search by browsing a set of themes, images (there’s over 6,000 for the 20,000 terms listed), or through their index to see just what it is you’re curious about. So when someone asks what exactly it is you mean, now you can show them.

A virtual campus for U

2007-11-16T10:56:00.000-05:00

From lectures on the physics of baseball, astronautics and aeronautics at MIT, to concerts of Mozart requiems at Duke, to even recordings of humpback whales, whatever you’re looking for, it might just be found at iTunes U. iTunes U is a relatively new feature from iTunes that allows anyone to access lectures, presentations and other content delivery through the submission of audio and video files from participating educational institutions. The potential for finding supplemental research material, study aids, presentations, or even just an interesting topic is virtually endless. Browse for your content by university, highlights from “beyond campus”, or even from the most popular downloads of the day. Institutions can limit access to what they offer, but generally, most of the content is free for anyone to use.

Don’t worry if you don’t have an iPod; iTunes is a free download that allows people to mange, listen to, or watch content from your desktop. And if you do have an iPod, automatically download your favorite institutions’ podcasts, and listen to them whenever you may be (though hopefully not while in your “non-virtual” class!). Listen/watch for class assignments, your upcoming term papers (remember to cite your sources!), or just for the sake of learning itself! Expand your learning with iTunes U! Perhaps in the future, you just might just see something from Marian listed in the directory.

Attention all biologists

2007-11-16T10:16:00.000-05:00

New Resource Alert for all you interested in, well, life itself. A new, freely-available, online biology reference has recently been announced, and with lofty ambitions. The Encyclopedia of Life will seek to serve as the authoritative database for all known and newly discovered species that inhabit our planet. So far the tally is estimated around 1.8 million critters, so the leaders of this project definitely have their work cut out for themselves.

Think about that, though, we know only about 2 million of the world’s organisms. How much remains undiscovered, just waiting to be found and described? Therein appears the essence of this project: to more thoroughly educate ourselves about what we do know about life on Earth and then concentrate on what we haven’t found yet. The project will be up and running around the middle of 2008 with a full, working version ready in about ten years. So for all you taxonomists, catalogers, librarians, and those in-between who just love life in all its forms, set your bookmarks to the EOL.

Increase your CARMA with a new database!

2007-11-15T15:09:00.000-05:00

For anyone interested in the issues of global warming, carbon emissions and the general state of the planet, there’s good news. A new tool has just been unleashed to help both monitor and measure the top producers and locations of carbon dioxide emitters throughout the world. CARMA, or Carbon Monitoring for Action, has crunched the numbers and compiled a huge, freely-accessible and regularly updated database measuring the CO2 emissions of more than 50,000 power plants and 4000 companies worldwide. Limit your search by power plant, company, geographic region or even compare the emissions of your local power provider with others elsewhere in the world! And if you’re fired up about carbon emissions, whether locally or globally, feel free to participate in their blog. You may ask, and rightly so, how this data is compiled. The CARMA team summarizes just one of its methods:

For several thousand power plants within the U.S., CARMA relies upon data reported to the Environmental Protection Agency by the plant operators themselves as required by the Clean Air Act. CARMA also includes many official emissions reports for plants in Canada, the European Union, and India. For non-reporting plants, CARMA estimates emissions using a statistical model that has been fitted to data for thousands of reporting plants in the U.S., Canada, the EU, and India. The model utilizes detailed data on plant-level engineering and fuel specifications. CARMA reports emissions for the year 2000, the current year, and the future (based on published plans).

Sounds like a very helpful resource. And it’s free (we librarians especially love our free resources)! Who knows, you might just help rejuvenate the planet!

New Face

2007-11-09T08:39:00.000-05:00

Hello all you HML stopper-byers. I’m Edward Mandity, a new addition to Marian College, more particularly its library staff. I’m excited to be here, and rather than going straight to the details of what I’ll be doing, I’ll just say that I have the daunting task of filling in for the departed Chadwick Seagraves; roughly though, I’ll be working on the library’s OPAC, digital projects, and whatever else is thrown my way. Suffice it to say, I’ll be around and at your service.

A little bit about myself…after recently receiving my librarian degree (yes, there is a degree) while working at IUPUI’s University Library, I now have the ability to concentrate on my passions in life in addition to being a good librarian: reading Christopher Moore novels, snorkeling, kayaking, watching movies, learning languages, playing video games and traveling. So if you see me running frantically around the stacks babbling incoherently, don’t be afraid to say hello or ask any questions, library related or otherwise. Oh, I’ve been getting a lot of questions as to my name preference. Just to make it easy, call me what you will…Edward, Ed or Eddy. Chances are I’ll stop babbling.

Cavemen or Clan of the Cave Bear?

2007-11-01T13:06:00.000-04:00

According to the message board on abc.go.com the primetime show of Cavemen has finally hit its stride. But for those of you of the opinion that primitive Cro-Magnum is a bit “been there/done that” and would rather fill this particular TV slot with some leisure reading check out Whichbook.net a very different sort of reader’s advisor. Whichbook.net guides you to titles not by title but by what you are in the mood to read. Looking for a book that is funny, unusual and short but don’t have a ready title in mind? Set your preferences and Whichbook.net will respond with a list of recommended titles. A singular drawback to Whichbook.net is that the site is operated in the U.K. and many of the titles are British and may be hard to come by. Still the concept is unique and directs you to many titles that might have otherwise been missed.

If Hackelmeier Library does not own the recommended title simply search WorldCat.org. This database is a resource free to all citizens of Indiana and a link can be found on the library’s website. WorldCat.org allows you to search the collections of libraries in your community and thousands more around the world. Once you locate an item of interest you can link to the libraries that own the item and check for availability. Items may be borrowed by either taking advantage of Hackelmeier Library’s interlibrary loan service or the various borrowing partnerships held with local libraries. The interlibrary loan service is free of charge and simply requires patrons to complete a request form for each title requested and turn the form in at the circulation desk on the main floor of the library. Requested items will be delivered to the Hackelmeier library and can be picked up at the circulation desk. Borrowing times vary from library from library and items must be returned in a timely manner. Interlibrary loan requests for newly published titles are difficult to fill but for those of you attempting to avoid the expensive charges of Amazon this free service can’t be beat!

Edible Book Display Photos

2007-05-04T13:40:00.000-04:00

Well, if you were in the library a few weeks ago you may have seen the edible book display in person, but we took pictures for those of you who missed it. If it's edible and related to a book, it counts. Enjoy!

See the whole set.

FAQ Finals Week: Extended hours

2007-04-25T10:31:00.000-04:00

FAQ Finals Week: Extended hours

Well, the end of the semester is upon us. There is nothing left to do except PANIC!!
FAQ empathizes with your plight -- FAQ was once a procrastinating college student, too. This too shall pass.

In an attempt to make the last week of classes and finals week slightly more bearable, the library will be offering extended hours and various distractions and amusement in the Stress Free Zone (located on the first floor, main lobby area).

Library hours April 24^th – May 4^th, 2007

Tuesday 24 April 7:30 am – 1:00 am

Wednesday 25 April 7:30 am – 1:00 am

Thursday 26 April 7:30 am – 1:00 am

Friday 27 April 7:30 am – 4:30 pm

Saturday 28 April 9:00 am – 4:30 pm

Sunday 29 April 1:30 pm – 2:00 am

Monday 30 April 7:30 am – 12:00 midnight

Tuesday 1 May 7:30 am – 12:00 midnight

Wednesday 2 May 7:30 am – 12:00 midnight

Thursday 3 May CLOSED

The 1^st floor of RLSC will be designated a Quiet study space from Noon Wednesday, May 2 - 4:30 p.m. Friday, May 4, 2007.

· Library staff will be on hand in RLSC from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. to assist with research/technology assistance.

· MH 304 will be open Thursday 5/3, 8:00am – 10:30pm as well.

Friday 4 May 7:30 am – 4:30 pm

Saturday 5 May Closed - Graduation Day

Good luck with finals from the staff of the Hackelmeier Memorial Library!

Quiz Answers: Librarian -- fact, fiction or just plain freak

2007-04-17T09:56:00.000-04:00

Answers:

1. b – Elizabeth. No, it’s true. She wasn’t Tony Hawk, but back then it was hockey or skateboarding. Which would you choose?

2. b – Tom Arendall-Salvetti. He’s a reference and instruction librarian at the Univ. of Baltimore, and a friend of Elizabeth's from her early days of library work. The others are examples of fabulous librarians in film, fiction and pop culture.

Ruth Harrison, Reference Librarian – recurring character on A Prairie Home Companion who excels at biblio-kwan-do.
Bunny Watson – Katherine Hepburn as glamour girl librarian in the film “Desk Set”.
Rupert Giles – librarian and mentor to Buffy The Vampire Slayer, television series.
Marcus – librarian character in the game Siege of Avalon.

3. c – Chadwick. As if you couldn’t guess that one.

4. a – True. No really – librarians were instructed on how to write as uniformly as possible. The pre-computer era was truly the Dark Ages.

5. c – Kelley. She says it was only once…

6. c – Belly dancing. It’s not stereotypical, but there is a growing community of belly dancing information professionals out there, shifting books and shaking hips. Gone are the days of glasses on a chain and sensible shoes. Well, depends on your definition of “sensible”…

Check out http://valinor.ca/waycool.html to find out more about librarians bucking the stereotypes.

LIBringtones - Free ringtones for National Library Week

2007-04-14T15:47:00.000-04:00

In honor of National Library week we want to give you some free ringtones for your cell phone. You’d be surprised what we can do in our Digital Media Center.

Ringtone 1 – Listen to it and send to your phone HERE.

Michael, from “The Office” talking about Wikipedia.
Remember that this clip is satire. Wikipedia is a great place to start, and find keywords, but is not considered an authoritative source for the very reason Michael gives here.

Watch the Two Minute episode summary by clicking on the image:

Ringtone 2 – Listen to it and send to your phone HERE.

Taken from a Monty Python skit (series 1, episode 10) where the library administration
is interviewing a gorilla for the position of Librarian.

Watch the whole skit by clicking on the image:

Ringtone 3 – Listen to it and send to your phone HERE.

Taken from a 1946 US government career film titled, “Your Life Work: Librarian”.
Really funny from today’s perspective. No mention of SMART boards at all. J

Watch the whole 10 minute film by clicking on the image:

There are NO fees for the tones themselves, but the standard download fee from your phone’s service provider will apply. Check with them if you aren’t sure what that is. Usually not very much and these are small files. ENJOY!

National Coin Week "Coin Drop" in Library

2007-04-14T15:46:00.000-04:00

Each year during the third week of April, the American Numismatic Association celebrates National Coin Week with exhibits, presentations and other activities at civic centers, libraries, and schools to let the world know about the joys of collecting and studying coins, paper notes, and other forms of money.

Each National Coin Week has a theme chosen to engage people in learning more about money’s role in culture, art, history and science.

The 2007 National Coin Week theme "The Presidents are Coming!" celebrates the United States Mint's Presidential $1 Coin Program which begins in 2007. The Mint is honoring our Nation's Presidents by issuing $1 circulating coins featuring images of the Presidents in the order they served, beginning with Washington, Adams, Jefferson and Madison in 2007.
The $1 coins feature the Statue of Liberty on the reverse; and, the mottos "In God We Trust" and "E Pluribus Unum," the date and mintmark on the edge.

This year Marian College will participate in the ANA National Coin Week with a “Coin Drop.” This coin drop will involve plastic tokens dropped in the Library, P.E. Center, and Ruth Lilly Student Center, Monday thru Friday, 16-20 April. The tokens will be easily recognized by the words “ANA National Coin Week” on one side. If you find one of the tokens, come to Campus Operations, turn in the token and receive a newly minted Washington Presidential Dollar. The first of the dollars to be minted for this Presidential Coin series.

FAQ Friday: What's with the (obnoxious) buzzer, anyway?

2007-04-12T14:46:00.000-04:00

Lately, FAQ has noticed that the library has become a second home for many students. That’s fabulous, glad you found a corner (or a table, or a couch) to call your own. After all, that’s why the library is here. Along with increasing traffic, we have noticed a corresponding increase in questions. FAQ is here to answer one that has come up virtually every day since classes resumed after spring break (and fairly frequently before then, too).

Q: What’s that noise? What does that buzzer/bell/ringing mean? Is it a fire alarm?

Basically the same question, asked in different ways.

A: It’s the closing bell.

But what does THAT mean to ME, you ask? It’s pretty simple.

The closing bell (or buzzer, or whatever you want to call the strident noise) signifies that the library will be closing soon. The buzzer goes off twice – 15 minutes prior to closing time, then again briefly when the library is officially closed. We ring the bell to remind everyone that it’s time to start about packing up. If you hear it the second time around, you are about to be locked in the building.

The bell is serious business. The library staff can’t run around personally notifying every person in the building that closing time is near, that’s just not efficient staff usage and let’s face it -- we’re all adults. We don’t have a public address system either, so we can’t personalize the closing process (really, you should be thankful we can’t do that).

PAY ATTENTION TO THE BELL

When you hear it, be aware that it’s time to finish what you are working on, not start something new. The closing process begins when that bell rings, and we don’t generally offer extensions.
If you plan to check materials out, consider taking care of that before you hear the bell, just in case there might be any problems (fines, etc) to resolve.
When you hear the bell, it is the time to save your work, print what you need, and log off the computers. And remember, the computers are primarily for academic work. Don’t expect anyone to be happy about waiting around while you finish updating your Facebook or MySpace page after the closing bell sounds.

FAQ realizes how this all sounds – militant, and vaguely Pavlovian. Maybe that’s true, but when library services end, the building closes and everyone has to leave. You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.

Please, pay attention to the bell. If you don’t, we might have to resort to something stronger, like water balloons. Or Tazers.

Take a Study Break with Scribbler

2007-04-12T11:25:00.000-04:00

Head full of facts? Hands numb from writing? Eyes heavy from sleep? Take a few minutes to stop your research and make some art.

Scribbler is a "generative illustration toy" that starts out looking like MS Paint. Use the cursor to draw whatever you want and then start the process.

Scribbler starts filling in lines and making connections that you may not have even realized were there. It makes even the most basic haphazard lines look like it might be able to hang in a contemporary art museum. I am sure you could get some really neat images from this.

You can play with the settings if you want to go pro, and just do a print screen and paste into Microsoft's Paint program that is on every PC in campus to crop and save as a JPEG.

You can stop it at any point in the process if you like what you see or let it continue to see where it's going. Enjoy Web 2.0

FAQ Friday: Special Mid-week Edition! So many databases, so little time…

2007-03-28T10:02:00.000-04:00

It’s a busy week here at FAQ HQ – no time for an extensive post. Instead, this week you get a guide to matching the electronic database to the research. It’s kind of like dating – a bit of frog-kissing in pursuit of the prince or princess. Okay, that’s just a really hokey way of saying that sometimes trying to select the best database is a bit of trial and error.

Anyway, here is a quick and dirty subject guide to database selection, based on some of the most frequently requested subjects here at FAQ HQ.

Nursing
CINAHL
Academic Search Premier
PsychArticles
HealthBusiness
Health Source

Psychology
PsychArticles
Academic Search Premier
PsychInfo Complete
SocIndex

Education
ERIC
Academic Search Premier
SocIndex

Theology
ATLA with ATLASerials
Catholic Periodical and Literature Index
Project Muse
Academic Search Premier

Sociology
SocIndex
JSTOR
Project Muse
Academic Search Premier
Opposing Viewpoints

Business
Business and Company Resource Center
Business Source Premier
Academic Search Premier
Lexis-Nexis Academic
Corporate ResourceNet
General Business File

Really-not-sure-of-my-topic-but-I-need-to-start-looking
Academic Search Premier
Lexis-Nexis Academic
JSTOR

History
Academic Search Premier
History Resource Center
JSTOR
Opposing Viewpoints

Political Science
Academic Search Premier
Lexis-Nexis Academic
Newspaper Source
JSTOR
Opposing Viewpoints
Military and Government Collection

Composition/Literature
Project Muse
Academic Search Premier
JSTOR
Literature Resource Center
MLA International Bibliography

Sciences
Academic Search Premier
BioOne
ACS Online (American Chemical Society Journals)
JSTOR
Project Muse

It might be necessary to try several different databases until you find exactly what you are looking for, and you may need to use different keyword combinations. Be patient, and if you are having lots of trouble ask one of the librarians for assistance. For tips on using journal databases, see the FAQ posting from January 25, 2007 .

Also, if you are accessing library databases from an off-campus computer, remember to use the link from the library website to authenticate yourself as a valid user.

FAQ Friday: Evaluating sources -- the good, the bad, and the worthless

2007-03-22T19:03:00.000-04:00

The end of spring semester looms in the not-to-distant future. You are a seasoned researcher, having mastered the art of locating resources – the library catalog holds no secrets, databases are a breeze, ILL is your new best friend and you have a stack of resources all ready to be transformed into the best darn paper your prof has every read.

You may be a lean, mean researchin’ machine, but before you set the margins and start typing and citing yourself silly, it’s a good idea to take a few minutes to analyze those sources you worked so hard to track down. What sounds good – or at least good enough – when it’s very late, when you’re very tired and desperate for that last article in support of your thesis, may not be so great after all. Even the best researchers end up wearing beer goggles every now and then – figuratively, of course.

Because FAQ cares about you, really cares, today’s feature is a quick primer on identifying and evaluating sources. These tips can be adapted to suit any kind of source – books, articles, websites, etc.

Let the critical thinking begin!

Scholarly vs. popular sources
In terms of articles, “scholarly” generally refers to articles published in journals that are peer-reviewed or refereed. This means the articles are reviewed by other prominent scholars in the same field of study prior to publication in the journal. Some journals are considered academic, which means the articles are written by experts but not necessarily peer-reviewed prior to publication.

Popular articles can be found in newspapers and popular magazines (think waiting rooms and newsstands). The articles are written for a general audience, and often the writer does not have an academic background related to the subject of the article. Although the articles are edited and fact-checked (well, most of the time), the process is not equivalent to peer review.

Use similar criteria to determine if a book is scholarly or popular. In general, scholarly books are published by academic presses, have little or no cover art and contain an extensive bibliography in addition to an index. Popular books are often published by mass market publishers (think Random House) and authors may display a corporate affiliation instead of academic credentials.

Guidelines for recognizing scholarly articles:

Peer review
Author credentials included
Literature review
Reference list/bibliography/works cited included
Published by an academic organization or university press
No advertisements for consumer products (baby food, cleaning products)

Examples: Behavioral Neuroscience, The Auk, Conservation Biology, Journal of Analytical Chemistry, Journal of Learning Disabilities

Guidelines for recognizing popular articles:

No peer review
Author may not be listed
No references listed
Many advertisements for variety of products

Examples: People, Time, Good Housekeeping, Ebony, Vanity Fair

Guidelines for recognizing scholarly books:

Published by an academic publisher or university press
Author lists academic credentials/affiliations
Extensive references/bibliography and index

Guidelines for recognizing popular books:

Mass market/trade publishing house
References/index not extensive (or not present at all)
No academic credentials

Identifying sources as primary or secondary
Primary and secondary source identification can vary depending on the discipline, so check with your professor if you are uncertain about a particular source. The social sciences and in particular the study of history have very specific guidelines in the use of primary vs. secondary sources.

The following general guidelines apply in most disciplines:

Primary sources are:

Original documents (letters, diaries, manuscripts)
Public records, official documents and other archival materials
Literary works
Original research studies

Secondary sources are:

Reviews/critiques of author’s work
Analysis of original documents
Analysis of research studies

For example, an original Civil War diary would be considered a primary source. An article about the symbolism of spelling errors contained in that diary would be a secondary source.

Evaluating sources – essential questions to ask about every resource.

Is it relevant to your topic?

Read the abstract, scan the index, review the research methodology and conclusions.

Is the author credible?

Is an author listed? Are the authors’ credentials listed? Is this author quoted/referenced by others in the field?

Is the article recent/timely?

How long ago was the material published, and is it still relevant to the field of study. This may or may not be an issue; it depends on the requirements of your project.

Is the data valid and/or accurate?

Are sources provided to back up the data? Does it appear to be a valid research study?

Identify the question or argument posed by the author.

Analyze the argument, supporting data, analysis and conclusions. Is the logic sound, does it all make sense based on the material presented? Are varying interpretations considered or presented?

Is the topic coverage

Did the author reference sources current to the period of publication, or are the sources outdated in the field of study? Does the author ignore certain aspects of the subject?

Does the author present a bias?

Is a particular bias stated in the work? Do certain statements or omissions indicate an unstated bias?

Caveats about web resources

This set of standard questions may be used to evaluate resources in any format. If you are evaluating a web site, pay particular attention to questions of credibility, currency of information and accuracy. Almost anyone can throw up a website and post whatever comes to mind, so take the time to evaluate who is presenting the information and why (credibility), how you can contact them (again, credibility), the posting date (currency of information) and of course relevancy. The internet is full of information, but in most cases it’s not peer reviewed. It’s up to you to do the detective work. FAQ will devote a future posting specifically to evaluating web resources, but in the meantime be smart about using internet sites. Be certain you know who created the site, why they post what they post, how to contact them, and of course whether or not there is an obvious bias.

Lest you think FAQ is a crackpot, the following sources were consulted for the preparation of this blog entry:

Keys for Writers: A Brief Handbook / Raimes
PE1408 .R24

MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 6^th ed. / Garibaldi
REF LB2369 .G42

Schaum’s Quick Guide to Writing Great Research Papers / Rozakis

eBook, accessed via library online catalog

Librarians - We've come a long way...

2007-03-19T19:21:00.000-04:00

The world of Library & Information Science certainly has changed. Check out this old government career film made in 1946. Nothing about Smart Boards in there though. :-)

FAQ Friday: Spring break is over, so we’re back to the (e)books

2007-03-15T19:56:00.000-04:00

Well, spring break is but a fond memory. Time to hit the books. Again. FAQ is really sorry about it, but what can you do?

A few Fridays ago, FAQ covered the basics of using the library catalog to search for resources located within the library building. Today, we will take a look at using the library catalog to access resources that aren’t literally on the shelf in the library, but are available via the catalog and website at any time.

What is an e-book?
Electronic books, or e-books as we call them, are books in digital format, accessed electronically. The content is exactly the same as the hard copy version, in most cases the pages have been scanned to include all photos, graphs and illustrations just as they appear in the book. The only difference between an e-book and a hard copy book is the way in which they are accessed. Instead of using a call number to locate a book on a shelf in the library, e-books are accessing electronically through a link in the library catalog or via an electronic library collection like NetLibrary. Once you pull the e-book from the electronic shelf, you can navigate through the book using direct links to chapters, indexes, or sections.

Why are e-books useful?
E-books are incredibly convenient. Access is available 24/7/365 via the library website, and once you get the hang of searching for and using e-books, you can set up your own virtual reference collection, available whenever you need it. E-book access is quicker than interlibrary loan, and the PDF file format makes it easy to read, navigate and print content as needed.

How do I find an e-book?
The Hackelmeier Memorial Library subscribes to a collection of e-books via NetLibrary. Many of the titles are “owned” by the library, which means you can link to them directly through the library catalog, as part of a routine search for library resources. You can also go directly to NetLibrary (via the library database page) to search the e-books collection only.

E-books are easily identified in the library catalog by the red E icon, , which appears to the left of the title in the catalog record.

Title: Great jobs for music majors

Author: Goldberg, Jan. Year/Format: 2005 / E- BK

Check for Copies: Marian College

Library / E-Books:

When you click on the book title, you will see an expanded catalog record, which includes a URL link to the book, which is available to our library through NetLibrary.

ELECTRONIC LINK

http://www.netLibrary.com/urlapi.asp?action=summary&v=1&amp;amp;amp;bookid=135374 ; { An electronic book accessible through the World Wide Web; click for information }

To view the electronic book, click on the icon, which will open a new browser window and display the book in the NetLibrary reader. Use the navigation buttons in the upper right hand corner of the NetLibrary reader to move from page to page through the book. The navigation pane on the left hand side of the reader window allows you to view a linked table of contents, facilitating quick access to different sections of the book. Printing is also an option within the NetLibrary reader, although you will have to do it one page at a time, which can be time consuming.

Oh, and by the way – printing is still free in the Hackelmeier Library, but if everyone starts printing out entire books, that could change. Be responsible and help conserve resources – print only what you really need.

Setting up a NetLibrary account – free and easy access from anywhere
Setting up a NetLibrary account is required if you plan to search and view NetLibrary titles from an off-campus computer, create a list of favorite e-books, or to access NetLibrary directly from off-campus. You must use an on-campus computer when you initially set up a NetLibrary account, so that NetLibrary will recognize you as a valid Marian College user. Once you set up the account, you can log in to NetLibrary as a Marian College user from any computer with internet access.

Follow the link from the library database page , which will take you to the NetLibrary site. Once you get there, click on Create a Free Account in the upper righ

t corner of the page. It only takes a minute or two to set up a NetLibrary account, it’s free of charge, and you create your own login and password. Setting up an account with NetLibrary also gives you access to other added services such as favorites lists and notes options.

Searching the e-book collection via NetLibrary.com
Searching the NetLibrary collection is much like searching any library catalog. Search options include title, author, subject, keyword and full text. Select a search option (keyword is always a winner), type your term(s) in the search box and click on Search.

Great Jobs for Music Majors
2Nd Ed.

by Goldberg, Jan.
Publication: Chicago McGraw-Hill Professional, 2005.

PART ONE THE JOB SEARCH Copyright © 2005 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Click here for terms of use. 10 | Great Jobs for Music Majors mine whether you would be able to meet your basic economic needs in a given geographic location. Housing is 60.59 percent lower. 100 | Great Jobs for Music Majors Sound recordist: $840 per week Stage manager: $12,000 to $40,000 and up per year Staff record producers may be entitled to a salary plus royalties on the number of records produced.

View this eBook | Show Details | Add to Favorites

Click on View this eBook to access the content, or click on Add to Favorites to add the title to your personal NetLibrary resources list. Your favorites list will be available to you whenever you log in to NetLibrary, so it’s a great way to set up quick access to electronic reference sources. You can also add notes to books on your favorites list – click on the Notes tab in the navigation pane when you are viewing the e-book. Notes are handy for resources on your favorites list – you can add notes reminding you about useful chapters or page numbers. View your notes from the Notes tab in the navigation pane or on the Favorites and Notes page.

Sample entry from a Favorites list, including a note:

Title: Great Jobs for Music Majors (eBook)
2Nd Ed.

by Goldberg, Jan.

Publication: Chicago McGraw-Hill Professional, 2005.

eBook">View this eBook | Show Details | Hide Notes | Remove from Favorites

Note 1.	job search paper (pg 131)
	See chapter 10 for info on teaching
	Go to page in eBook \| Edit Note \| Remove Note

Checking out an e-book – for your eyes only
The e-book collection is much like any other library collection, generally there is only one copy of a particular book, and it can be checked out by patrons for their use. When an e-book is checked out, it is viewable ONLY to the person who checked it out, for the period of the check-out. For Marian College users, the check-out period is 15 minutes. If you try to access a book that is checked out by another user, you will receive a message that says the book is not currently available. Check out is handy if you are using an e-book for a project and you want to be absolutely certain you can access the content at a specific time. When the check out period expires, the book is automatically checked back in by NetLibrary and becomes available to others for check out.

Tips for getting the most out of e-books and NetLibrary
Familiarize yourself with the various ways to access e-books, either through the library catalog or directly from NetLibrary.

Set up an account – it’s free, and you get added value services with an account.

Use the Favorites and Notes options to set up your own virtual reference collection.

Remember that e-books have the same content as the hard copy equivalent, they are just more computer friendly!

FAQ Friday: Adjusted library hours, spring break and the dedicated student

2007-03-02T07:56:00.000-05:00

Planning on stopping by the library to catch up on your reading during spring break? That’s commendable, but be certain you check the library hours before you pack up your backpack and head on over to the library.

It’s been a long semester already, and the library staff needs a break, too. So, the library will be operating on the following schedule 3 March through 11 March:

Friday 2 March -- closing 4:30 pm

Sat-Sun 3-4 March -- closed
Mon-Fri 5-9 March -- 8:15 am – 4:30 pm
Saturday 10 March -- closed
Sunday 11 March -- 7:00 pm – 10:30 pm

Regular hours resume Monday 12 March.

The library isn’t leaving you out in the cold, however. Faithful readers of FAQ: Friday will recall that the library catalog and other electronic resources are available 24/7/365 via the library website. If you have trouble accessing or using those resources, check out these previous FAQ: Friday posts for some tips: Using the library catalog and How to find journal articles.

For those of you who actually get back to campus before classes resume on Monday 12 March, please note that the library will be open Sunday evening (11 March) from 7:00-10:30 pm, so you can squeeze in a little studying at the last minute.

And, for those of you who are not headed to a warm and sunny spring break destination, the library staff would like to recommend the following books, DVDs and music CDs as a little change of pace during spring break:

True Love / Toots and the Maytals 685CD
A little Caribbean reggae that will whisk you away to the islands, jerked chicken and all.

Ocean’s Eleven 932V DVD
Okay, so it really doesn’t have anything to do with the beach, but it’s set in Vegas, baby! Nothing like a good caper movie to get your mind off midterms.

Round Ireland with a Fridge / Hawks, Tony
DA978.2 .H28
Read about the real-life adventures of Tony, who hitchhiked around the Emerald Isle with a mini-fridge as his constant companion. Yup, he did on a bet. Did he win? Read the book to find out.

Einstein on the Beach / Philip Glass 484CD
Okay it’s true, the only reason this one is on the list is because the name is funny. Einstein in swim trunks (or heaven forbid – a speedo!) conjures up some very amusing images, don’t you think? If you’re interested in newer classical music, this CD is a recording of the groundbreaking Glass opera of the same name, which cannot be adequately described in this venue.

Little Miss Sunshine 1447V DVD
A family road trip to compete in a California beauty pageant goes awry, but still leaves you feeling like Olive is the real winner. Move over Griswolds, here come the Hoovers (in a VW microbus, no less).

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal / Moore, Christopher
PS3563 .O42 L2
A lighthearted (and completely fictional) account of the life of Jesus, as seen through the eyes of Biff, his boon companion. Very good poolside (or ski lodge) reading.

Monty Python’s Spamalot (OCR) 730CD
Sing along to “Brave Sir Robin” while you tan.

Spanglish 1326V DVD
Set in Southern California, this film addresses the value of family relationships. Could be just what you need to maintain perspective, if you’re facing a week at home with your own family.

A Vacation with the Lord: A Personal, Directed Retreat with Thomas H. Green, S. J.
BX2375 .G74
According to Father Green, a retreat should be “a real vacation with the Lord”, so why not treat yourself to a spring break spiritual retreat this year.

FAQ: Friday Citation styles -- APA, MLA and why being stylish matters

2007-02-23T08:05:00.000-05:00

Writing a research paper entails a fair bit of work. One must decide on a topic, do the research, write the paper and cite sources appropriately. Selecting a topic and doing the research is probably the most time consuming, and the actual writing can be fraught with indecision, procrastination and spelling errors. Using the appropriate citation style should not cause grief and aggravation. In fact, learning and using appropriate citation style will help you avoid any potential plagiarism problems – once you understand how and why it is imperative to cite your sources, it will become a natural part of the research process.

Citation styles – a “little black dress” for the writing process
Citation styles -- also called style guides, style sheets, publication styles – are sets of guidelines for writing papers, a set of do’s and don’ts for the well-written paper. A style guide dictates the appropriate way to format the paper, from title page to works cited list, including citing references within the body of the paper and how to individually list sources. Each academic discipline has a preferred citation style: APA for Nursing and Psychology or MLA for English, for example. Generally, style guides are used to ensure a consistent way of presenting information across a discipline, of particular importance when preparing professional publications. Your instructor will most likely specify the style to use on the assignment, if not, be certain to ask what style is preferred. Master the basics of a particular style and you’re good to go, much like having the perfect little black dress in your closet and a working knowledge of Emily Post . Well, at least until a specialized source comes along, but we’ll get to that later.

Citing sources – match the shoes to the bag
The main differences between various styles generally comes down to the way in which references are cited within the text, and how the references are listed (foot notes, end notes, works cited page). Styles are not interchangeable, be certain that you consistently use one style guide throughout a paper. Just like Mr. Blackwell and his lists, professors are generally sticklers for consistent style. What follows are some quick and dirty examples of citation styles. These are very basic examples, designed to convey the general format for two popular styles, APA and MLA. If your questions are not answered here, consult the appropriate style manual (available in the Reference collection in the library) or visit the Marian College Writing Center, located in the basement of the library.

APA style – white tie and tails formality
APA style uses the author-date format for citations in the text. The Reference List is organized alphabetically by author’s last name.

A reference to a book by author Johnson published in 2004 would be inserted into the text of paper at the appropriate place as follows:

Neuroscience in clinical practice can be challenging (Johnson, 2004).

A journal article by authors Sue and Chang published in 2003 would be inserted into the text at the appropriate place as follows:

Psychological assessment in Asia is changing (Sue & Chang, 2003) as each year…

The entries on the Reference List would be formatted as follows:

Johnson, S. (2004). Mind wide open: your brain and the neuroscience of everyday life. New York, NY: Scribner.

Sue, S. & Chang, J. (2003). The state of psychological assessment in Asia. Psychological Assessment, 15(3), 306-310.

It is important to note slight differences between the entry for a book and the entry for a journal article. The title of the book is italicized, the journal article title is not italicized, but the title of journal is italicized. Authors’ first names are abbreviated by initial. Also, note the hanging indent style of entry for APA, the first line if the entry is not indented, but all subsequent lines are indented. Each entry is considered a separate paragraph by most word processing software, so you can easily set the indent for the whole page when you start typing up the Reference List.

For information on using direct quotations and other ways of referencing sources within the text,
Consult the manual:

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5^th ed.
Call number: REF BF76.7 .A46

Additionally, an APA format template for Microsoft Word is available on computers in all campus computer labs – contact the Instructional Technology Dept. for assistance with the template.

MLA Style – black tie, but no flashy cummerbunds
MLA style uses the author-page number format for citations in the text. The Works Cited list is organized alphabetically by author’s last name.

A book about neuroscience would be cited in the text as follows:

Neuroscience in clinical practice can be challenging (Johnson 148-149).

A journal article by authors Sue and Chang published in 2003 would be inserted into the text at the appropriate place as follows:

Psychological assessment in Asia is changing (Sue & Chang 308) as each year…

The entries on the Works Cited list would be formatted in the following way:

Johnson, Steven. Mind wide open: your brain and the neuroscience of everyday life. New York: Scribner, 2004.

Sue, Stanley, and Janet Chang. “The state of psychological assessment in Asia.” Psychological Assessment 15.3 (2003): 306-310.

Note the differences between book and journal article entries on the Works Cited list. The title of the book is underlined, but the journal article title is in quotation marks and the title of journal is underlined. Authors’ full names are used instead of initials. Also, note the hanging indent style of entry for MLA, the first line if the entry is not indented, but all subsequent lines are indented. Because each entry is considered a separate paragraph by most word processing software, you can easily set the indent for the whole page when you start typing up the Works Cited list.

For information on using direct quotations and other ways of referencing sources within the text,
Consult the manual:

MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 6^th ed.
Call number: REF LB2369 .G42

Citing electronic and unique sources – haute couture is high maintenance
The waters are a little murky when it comes to citing electronic sources, such as websites, electronic journals, or other items accessed in electronic format. Style guides all have sections on citing electronic resources, it’s best to consult the manual for the specific style when you need to cite electronic sources. Unique sources, such as audio recordings, oral histories and other non-standard publication formats also require specific citation styles. When in doubt, consult the manual!

Other styles – I’m okay, you’re okay. Just don’t wear flip flops to the White House
APA and MLA style are just two examples of various citation and publishing styles, probably the most common but by no means the “be all-end all” of writing style. Plenty of room out there for those with a maverick approach to style. After all, some Isaac Mizrahi really helps balance all that Ralph Lauren. In most cases, your instructor will indicate the style required for a particular class or assignment. If not, it’s always in your best interests to ask which style you are expected to use. You don’t want to turn up for a State Dinner looking like you didn’t see the “no shirt-no shoes-no service” sign at the 7-11.

Guides to other major styles are available in the library Reference collection:

The Chicago Manual of Style
Call number: REF LB2369 .C44

A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses and Dissertations (Turabian)
Call number: REF LB2369 .T87

The information here is intended to provide readers with a quick introduction to the intricacies of style. It is by no means a complete tutorial on any style, just something start the party and point to helpful resources. In the end, it is up to the writer to use the style best suited to the occasion.

DVD format conversion under way

2007-02-21T16:47:00.000-05:00

As part of the overall collection space consolidation project underway in the library, the library audiovisual (video) collection will be converted to DVD format whenever possible. Not only will this save shelf space, but DVD format has proven to be a more durable format for items that circulate frequently. This conversion applies to academic titles as well as popular films, and all new audiovisual acquisitions are in DVD format as well.

The conversion process has already begun. In the short term you may see gaps in the holdings on the shelves – we pull the VHS copies as the DVD replacements are ordered. Materials that are not currently available on DVD will be retained until DVD is available or the tape wears out. If you don’t see something you need, please contact me and I will provide a status report on the replacement copy. Also, bear in mind that something you used last semester on VHS may have already been replaced with the DVD version, so you may need to make adjustments in the way you present the material in the classroom.

Please bear with us during this transition period – our goal is to make the audiovisual collection easier to use and easier to maintain over time. If you have specific questions about the DVD format conversion, please feel free to contact Elizabeth Pearson-Coan, Acquisitions/Periodicals Librarian, at 955-6223.

Express Yourself!

2007-02-20T16:24:00.000-05:00

If you have been to the Library at all during the Fall ‘06 and Spring ’07 semesters then you have visited the Learning Commons – wireless access, reference service, PC Helpdesk, Smart Boards, group study rooms, new furniture, scanners, and more.

Please take 5-8 minutes to answer these survey questions and provide feedback on how we are doing - what’s good and what could be better.

Effectively serving your information needs is our main goal, so take a few minutes and help us do our job better.

The survey is anonymous and we really want to hear what you have to say.

Click here to take survey

Survey ends on 03/06/2007 at 10:30 PM.

FAQ: Friday Using the library catalog - - no card tricks, plenty of magic

2007-02-16T08:55:00.000-05:00

Bet ya haven’t seen a real card catalog in years, possibly decades. Do you miss it? Maybe, maybe not. Some might not even know what a card catalog is, let alone how to use it to full potential. But FAQ is here to tell you that there is no need to fear the electronic library catalog, it’s just a new face for the same information. Fewer papercuts are an added bonus.

Long ago and far away, libraries kept the information about all the books in the library on little cards, which were kept in long drawers and organized in ways that sometimes made little sense to the library patrons. It’s all very archaic – one card for title, another for author, still more cards for subject headings and series.

Sounds tedious, doesn’t it? With the dawn of the computer age and the development of complex database systems, libraries went electronic and never looked back. Oh sure, some libraries held on to their card catalogs for years, “just in case” the system went down, or the data was lost, or some other nebulous potential disaster. But once the information was “in the system”, libraries found that it was faster and easier to use a computer to do the searching.

Using the library catalog to locate resources

The Hackelmeier Memorial Library online catalog is the place start when you are looking for materials in the library collection. The catalog will tell you if we have a particular resource, the collection and call number, and whether the item is on the shelf or checked out. All with a few key strokes and mouse clicks. Access the catalog from the library’s web page. A quick link to the catalog is available on the button bar on the left hand side of the page.

What you will (and won’t) find in the library catalog

The library catalog provides information on all the items in the library collection that are located in the library building, plus links to e-books. So, the catalog provides access to books, journals on subscription in hard copy, and CD and DVD collections. Course reserves are also accessible within the library catalog -- use the e-Reserves catalog search page to access course reserve materials

Electronic access to journals (such as Academic Search Premier, JSTOR and Project Muse) are not currently accessible via the library catalog, use the Electronic Resources Database page to access those resources. Also, you will not find individual journal articles referenced in the catalog, journals are in the catalog by title only, not individual issues. You will be able to determine if the library subscribes to a particular journal (or has back issues available), but to see the individual articles you will need to consult the journal issue itself or use an index or database to locate specific articles (see a previous FAQ: Friday, Finding Journal Articles).

Searching -- keep it simple, scholars!

The best way to start searching for library resources is to stick to keyword searching. Pick out word or phrase that best describes your subject and use that as your initial search terms. Things like “global warming”, “social justice” or “nursing”. Note that you can limit your search to options like title, author or subject using the drop-down menu to the left of the search box.

Adding terms to a search reduces the number of hits in the results. So, “pediatric nursing” will have fewer items in the results than a search for “nursing”. Conversely, taking away terms will increase the number of hits in the results. Keep this in mind if you are getting too many or too few hits.

Understanding search results

A keyword search for “social justice” will return a number of hits. The example below illustrates what you can learn from search results.

Title: Environmental sociology : from analysis to action /

Author: King, Leslie, 1959-

Year/Format: 2005 / Book

Check for Copies: Marian College Library / Circulating Stacks: GE195 .E68

This record gives you the basic information: title, author, year of publication, format, library collection and call number. So, you know that you can find this book in the circulating collection on the second floor, on the shelves containing the GE range of call numbers.

Click on the “Check for Copies” link and you will get more information.
Much of this information is available on the previous page, but the all-important Item Status and Due Date information will be listed on this page. The Due Date column reports that the book is "On Shelf", which means that the book is not checked out. If the book were checked out, there would be a notation to that effect in the Due Date column.

Description	Item status	Due date	Due hour	Location	Collection	Call Number	Barcode	OPAC Note
c.1	Regular Loan	On Shelf		Marian College Library	Circulating Stacks	GE195 .E68	39316010400021

Now you know the basics of using the online catalog to search for library resources. The best way to better understand how to use the catalog is to play around with it a little bit -- look at some item records and be sure you understand what you are looking at and where you will find different resources. If you are interested in some tips on search strategies and using Boolean operators, check out the library catalog tips page.

FAQ: Friday Circulation policies, karma and you

2007-02-06T12:05:00.000-05:00

FAQ: Friday

It’s not about the fines, it’s about good karma.

Circulating books, DVDs, CDs and other library materials is an honor system. The library honors your affiliation with Marian College and lets you check stuff out free of charge, and in turn the library expects you to honor the time limits on using those materials. All in all, it’s a very civilized situation. Until someone breaks the rules, that is.

Think about it – in general, libraries have one copy of a book, but there are thousands of people eligible to check out that book. We all have to share, that’s just how it is. But what happens when someone decides to be selfish? For instance, you need a book for a paper in your sociology class, but the book was checked out by someone else. That person keeps it longer than the stated circulation policy, and you are left hanging, waiting for the book to return. You are denied timely access to a resource that you are eligible to use, only because someone else has decided to hoard the resource. THEY MUST BE PUNISHED.

Okay, that’s a little harsh. But a system of fines is one way to reinforce the point that we all need to share. Sure, some may be willing to pay the fines, but many others understand that it’s not just one less latte that week. There is a larger picture – it’s free until you abuse the service, and if you abuse the service, you will be fined. It’s not warm and fuzzy, but it drives the point home.

Let’s talk circulation policies, so you know what rules you might be breaking.

Who may check out materials?

Marian College students, faculty and staff are all eligible to check out materials, provided they have a valid Marian College ID. A valid ID must be presented each time you check out materials.

Others affiliated with the college are also able to check out materials on a limited basis. These groups include Marian College alumni, members of the Indianapolis archdiocese, and students/faculty of PALNI member institutions. Please contact the library directly for information on borrowing privileges for these groups.

What items may be checked out?
Books in the circulating collection, compact discs, video and DVD recordings, and certain Course Reserves items.

Materials from the Reference collection, Archives, Special Collections, maps/atlases, microfiche/microfilm and Periodicals (current and bound) are not available for check out.

When/Where may items be checked out?
All check outs must be performed at the Circulation Desk, which is open when the library is open. If no one is at the desk, ring the service bell for assistance.

How long may items be checked out?

Books 21 days

CD, video and DVD recordings 7 days

Reserve items varies by item:

from 2 hours (readings) to one week (certain videos)

Note: As a courtesy, faculty and staff are permitted to check items out for an entire academic year. However, we encourage faculty and staff to return highly requested materials such as CD and DVD recordings as promptly as possible.

Renewals
You may renew an item once, after that the item must be returned to the library or fees will be assessed.

Fine schedule
For all the rebels in the crowd, this is what it’s going to cost you if you return library materials after the due date:

Books 10 cents per item, per day

CD/video/DVD 25 cents per item, per day

Course Reserves 25 cents per item, per hour or day (depends on loan period)

The library operates based on the assumption that library materials will be available to all eligible patrons, at one time or another. For that to happen, borrowers need to play by the rules, or pay the piper (so to speak – no one on the library staff is actually a piper). Buying replacement copies means we can’t buy new resources, so that is why we have replacement fees for lost library materials.

What goes around, comes around -- If you wish good library resources to come your way when you need them, do not hoard library resources. It’s good karma, plain and simple.

FAQ: Friday Interlibrary Loan

2007-01-31T19:06:00.000-05:00

FAQ: Friday

Interlibrary Loan – fact, fiction and function

What, you ask, exactly do libraries (and librarians) mean when they talk about interlibrary loan?

Interlibrary loan -- ILL for short – is a cooperative arrangement between libraries, allowing materials to be loaned out to other libraries. Basically, it’s libraries borrowing from other libraries, on behalf of their patrons.

For example, perhaps you need a specific book or journal article that is not available in the Marian College library. You may request a copy through interlibrary loan. The ILL librarian will contact other libraries that have the item and request that they loan the book to us as an interlibrary loan. Provided another library agrees, the book is delivered to the library for your use.

How do I request an interlibrary loan?

It’s really a very simple process:

Check the library catalog or database to be sure the item is not in the collection
Fill out an Interlibrary Loan Request form (available at the Circulation Desk)
Turn the form in at the Circulation Desk
Wait patiently for a call from the library
Pick up your interlibrary loan materials at the Circulation Desk

When should I consider using interlibrary loan services?

Any time is a good time to use interlibrary loan, although the night before a paper is due really is too late. Like any good research project, plan ahead.

Be aware that it can take up to two weeks for materials to arrive. It all depends on the library loaning out the materials and how quickly they send ILL items out. In most cases, materials are here in a week or less. Marian College is located in an area with numerous other college/university and public libraries nearby, our requests are usually filled and shipped quickly.

Where do I pick up/return interlibrary loans?

All interlibrary loan activity centers around the Circulation Desk at the Hackelmeier Memorial Library.

This is where you:

Obtain Interlibrary Loan Request forms
Turn in ILL request forms
Pick up/return ILL materials

Why is interlibrary loan service useful?

Interlibrary loan is an easy way to track down something that you want or need that is not part of the library collection. You can request books, magazine or journal articles, and some libraries even loan AV materials (not many, though). Interlibrary loan isn’t all work, either – you can request leisure reading like novels, cookbooks, how-to manuals, etc – if it’s in a library, there is a good chance it’s available via interlibrary loan.

A few caveats about the interlibrary loan process:

It is important that you fill out the Interlibrary Loan Request form as completely and specifically as possible.
If you are requesting a book, include the title, author’s name and any edition information. If it’s a journal article, you must include the complete citation (title, author, journal, volume, issue, date, pages, ISSN). Don’t forget to include your phone number and email address, we may need to contact you with questions about your request or let you know when the materials are available for pick up.

The interlibrary loan period is determined by the library loaning the materials.
A tag is included on the front of the book, indicating the date to return the materials to this library. We will take care of sending the materials back to the lending institution. If you decide you need the materials a little longer, contact Sr. Pat Connor (ext. 6008) as soon as possible, she will request an extension on the loan period.

If you requested a journal article, the copy you receive is yours to keep – libraries generally do not send the entire issue of the journal, just a copy of the article requested.

Some libraries charge for interlibrary loan services.
There are libraries who charge for ILL services. In most cases we are able to find libraries that do not charge an ILL fee, but certain materials (highly requested, unique items) or organizations (major research institutions) may charge a fee.

Please note the section on the request form asking the total amount you are willing to pay for ILL services. Please fill this section out, it saves processing time. We will contact you before requesting the item if the charges exceed your limit.

Interlibrary loan can’t work miracles.
We can only request that materials be loaned to our library, we can’t demand them. So, if you want something that is part of an archive or special collection, you may have to travel to that institution to see/use the materials. Also, reference materials are not usually loaned out – ILL is generally limited to items in the library’s circulating collection only.

Be specific – we can’t read your mind.
It is very important to include precise information on the request form – request a specific item, not just “anything on subject X “. ILL isn’t a request for research services, it’s a request for a specific item.

ILL is a researcher’s best friend
Interlibrary loan is a great service for anyone doing extensive research. No individual library has everything ever published, so using ILL makes it easier to track down essential materials. ILL opens the door to other library collections across town and across the country -- without the hassle of traffic, parking, loan policies and unfamiliar copy machines.

So, keep interlibrary loan services in mind the next time you want a book or article that isn’t in the library collection. ILL is one of many extra services available @Hackelmeier Memorial Library.

FAQ: Friday How to find journal articles

2007-01-25T14:25:00.000-05:00

FAQ: How do I find journal articles on a particular subject?

Aha! Excellent question, one that we hear many times, asked in many different ways.

The answer is somewhat complex, as there are many ways to locate articles on a particular subject. Several strategies and sources are described below, with major emphasis on choosing and using electronic databases to locate journal articles.

Browsing
Browsing through journals and magazines is a perfectly legitimate way to find articles of interest. If you aren’t familiar with the publications that best serve your interests, ask a professor to recommend a few titles. A list of journal titles arranged by subject is available in the Current Periodicals section. Or if you are feeling adventurous, spend a little time paging through anything that catches your eye. This is a good way to start brainstorming if you don’t have a topic in mind, but it’s not the most efficient way to find multiple articles on one particular subject

Indexes

An index is an organized collection of information about journal articles, creating a reference guide to published material. One of the most well-know is Psychological Abstracts. These volumes include citation information and brief abstracts of articles, arranged by subject, title or author.

Citations – title, author, journal publication information -- are used to locate the exact volume, issue and page number of particular articles.

Example: In the Art Pottery Tradition. Eberhardt, Tim. Ceramics Monthly, Dec2001, Vol. 49 Issue 10, p70, 3p.

With this information, you now know that the article entitled In the Art Pottery Tradition was authored by Tim Eberhardt and can be found in the December 2001 issue of Ceramic Monthly, beginning on page 70.

Using an index is very much like browsing, because once you locate the citation, you still have to go to the actual journal (print or electronic version) to access the full article. It’s great if you have a particular topic in mind, or a partial citation to track down, but in many cases the information found in indexes are available as part of an electronic database, so it’s more efficient to search the abstracts within the database interface.

Electronic databases

Online databases, such as Academic Search Premier, BioOne, or JSTOR, provide an easy way to search for journal articles on a particular subject. In many cases, you get access to the full text of the article in addition to the citation/abstract. It’s practically one-stop shopping!

A research database is a collection of citations, abstracts and full-text journal articles, organized and indexed to be easily searchable by keyword, subject, title, author, etc. Most databases offer basic and advanced searching modes, along with help pages that will guide you through some basic search strategies and explain any special features. Every database is unique, so it’s a good idea to check those help pages for specific tips.

It’s best to begin with simple keyword searches, review the results and either expand or narrow your searches as needed. Adding search terms narrows the search, taking terms away broadens the results.

Example: a keyword search for the word nursing will yield over 120,000 hits

Add the word pediatric and the results shrink to roughly 3,900 hits

It’s all just Boolean Logic, which is a topic for another FAQ:Friday, if anyone actually asks about it frequently enough, that is.

Back to effective database searching…

If you are having trouble getting the results you expect, please ask one of the librarians for assistance – we won’t do your research for you, but we’re happy to help you get started or provide some guidance along the way. If you prefer to dive in on your own, tip sheets for using several of the most popular electronic databases are available in the library and on the library website.

Choosing the best database for your research:

Selecting the best database for the job is tricky – some subjects are very straightforward, such as nursing. Others are multidisciplinary, like sociology or communications studies. A good starting point for basic research is Academic Search Premier – this database covers all academic disciplines and contains information and articles from more than 4,700 journals.

Sometimes you can determine the general content of a database from the name – like SocIndex (sociology) or BioOne (biological science). If you aren’t certain what subject a particular database covers, check the database list on the library website. Subject coverage is listed to the right of the title, or you can click on the More Info option which is in the far right column – a box pops up with a brief description of the database. If you still aren’t sure, you can consult a research guide at the library or ask one of the librarians for a little guidance.

No matter what strategy you decide to use when looking for journal articles, be aware that it isn’t always quick and easy. You may need to try many different combinations of terms and keywords before you find articles that fit your needs, you may end up trying several different databases, or browse many issues before you find what you need. It’s a good idea to give yourself some lead time when doing research, the articles you need might not be available online, or you might need to request a copy via interlibrary loan.

Speaking of interlibrary loan, be sure to check back next week. FAQ will de-mystify the ILL process and explain why it’s a researcher’s best friend.

New @Hackelmeier Memorial Library: Expanded JSTOR and Project Muse

2007-01-23T15:30:00.000-05:00

Just in time for spring semester research projects, the library is pleased to announce added content to our electronic database collections.

Arts & Sciences II has been added to our JSTOR subscription. Along with Arts & Sciences I and the General Science collection, Marian College users now have full text access to back issue runs of over 100 scholarly journals in the humanities, social sciences and scientific literature.

Project Muse is new to the database collection this spring. It is a selection of prestigious journals in the humanities, arts, and social sciences, intended to support a core academic liberal arts curriculum. The library has added the Standard Collection, which provides full text access to nearly 300 current journals.

JSTOR and Project Muse compliment each other. JSTOR provides archival access to journals from the first issue published, in some cases pre-1900. Content is complete within 2-4 years of publication. Project Muse provides access that is current through the most recent published issue, but does not always have the complete runs of the journals.

In some cases, Project Muse will link you directly to the JSTOR archives for full run access, if the title is common to both databases. Both databases provide full text access in PDF format, which means all illustrations, charts and graphs are reproduced along with the text, in the exact format published in the print journal.

Tip sheets for using both JSTOR and Project Muse are available in the library and will soon be available in PDF format on our website (http://library.marian.edu/). If you have questions or would like a librarian to visit your class to discuss using these or other library resources, please contact the liaison librarian for your department.

Join us for the Up All Knight - Winter Carnival on Jan. 26

2007-01-23T14:56:00.000-05:00

Every year the library co-hosts an event in the library with the Student Activities Office.
This year is NO exception! Here's what's on the agenda:

*A FREE concert by Decatur Indiana band the Popples. Check them out on their MySpace page.

*Tons of Games hosted by the Marian College Gaming Club - Featuring Dance Dance Revolution, Guitar Hero, and Halo. Expect lots of poker, Texas hold'em, euchre, board games, video games, rpg games and more!

*The Performing Knights will be kickin it old school

Karaoke - Need we say more?

*Egg Drop - You gotta see it to understand...

*Drinks & Snacks

So, make sure you plan on showing up from 9 PM - 2 AM for some food, fun, and games.

FAQ:Friday Off-Campus access to resources

2007-01-19T08:59:00.000-05:00

Welcome to a new weekly feature on the library’s blog – FAQ:Friday. Each Friday, a different FAQ (frequently asked question) and answer will be posted here, along with any useful or pertinent links to other sites and sources.

Too impatient to wait for Friday? Feel free to ask questions in person at the Circulation Desk, or call 955-6090 during library hours.

FAQ: How do use the library databases from off-campus computers?

You might not think this is something you will ever need, but trust FAQ, this is a fabulous feature. Night owl or early riser, local hero or master of the road trip, once you master off-campus access, the library is at your fingertips 24/7.

Begin at the beginning: http://library.marian.edu

If you found us here at FAQ, then you already know how to find the library website. Whew! The good news is that many of the features available on the library website are readily accessible from off-campus computers with internet access -- library catalog, e-reserves, My Library Account, the blog and pod casts.

Accessing the library databases is a different story. The library contracts with publishers and content providers to access these databases, and in turn we are obligated to abide by the terms of the subscription contract, which generally stipulates limited users. This is why access is limited to Marian College users, and why you must authenticate yourself before access is granted to off-campus users.

The single most important thing to remember about accessing library resources from an off-campus computer is to use the correct link. Computers located in the library and on campus (in classrooms and labs) automatically register the appropriate IP range when logging into our services. However, when you want to log in from off-campus, you must first authenticate yourself as a Marian College user to access the databases.

Step one: click on this link

It’s located on the library website, left-hand side.

Step two: use your Marian College user name / password to authenticate.

Note: this is your email user name and password

Example: student235 (everything in front of @marian.edu)

mindless (or whatever your secret password might be)

Step three: Select the database you wish to use from the list.

It’s a bit confusing at first – do I need to log in or don’t I? What’s my password again? Once you get the hang of it, it will be second nature. Just remember, if you want to use a database from off-campus, is it imperative that you use this link:

If you don’t use this link, you will be prompted for a user name/password, but it’s not the correct prompt and Marian information will not log you in to the databases.

Please remember to check in with FAQ:Friday next week, when we feature a quick and dirty guide to using (and abusing) library databases.

Spring 2007 eReserves are now current

2007-01-11T14:55:00.000-05:00

As of this week, all reserves readings submitted to the library by instructors have been tested, posted, and are accessible.

Your instructors will have a login and password which you will need to access the readings. Almost without exception the login will be the course number and the password is the instructor's last name.

Example: soc101 & doe

Visit the eReserves page for more info and support documents.

Movie Knight @ the Library - podcast now available

2006-11-28T13:30:00.000-05:00

In one of our student segments, Sara Claiborne and Marissa Freson host their second episode of “Movie Knight @ the Library”.

Size: 3.25 MB and 3 minutes long.

This month they have some great movie reviews for your late November viewing: Ladder 49 and Spanglish.

Check it out in iTunes (if you are subscribed to our feed – hint hint) or listen from the library’s podcast page.

Listen on the Library Podcast page: http://library.marian.edu/podcasts.asp Click on the podcast icon.

Feed URL for subscribing - http://library.marian.edu/podcasts/hmlpc.xml

Halloween Podcast is now online

2006-10-20T16:46:00.000-04:00

Tower3
Originally uploaded by marian_library_indy.

In case you missed it last month, the library has begun creating audio content. This month's podcast should sound quite a bit better since our software and hardware has been upgraded. Using M-Audio's Podcast Factory, one of the library's Digital Media Center resources funded through our grant, we have produced a Halloween themed show that really is something fun to listen to.

October Features - Halloween edition

This month we have some delightfully creepy and hauntingly hair-raising segment for your listening pleasure.

In our first student segment, Sara Claiborne and Marissa Frenton host the first installment of “Movie Knight in the Library” as they review two movies from our collection – The Ring 2 and the Secret Window. This will be a regular segment.

In this month’s Marian History Moment, our Archivist, Sr. Rachel West, has submitted a piece on the ghosts of the Stokley-Wheeler Mansion and the Tower that used to exist behind the mansion. Pictures from our Archives can be found on the library’s blog.

Elizabeth Pearson-Coan, our Acquisitions librarian, has done some great research on the origins of the Dracula myth and share that with us in her segment titled “ Dracula – aka Vlad the Impaler – Glamorous Euro trash or bloodsucking vampire warlord”.

And in October’s Tech Tips and Tactics, Chadwick covers the benefits of using social book marking websites to get the most out of your favorites lists and internet bookmarks.

You can listen to, and learn more about, our podcast by visiting the library's podcast page.
Or, it's even better if you subscribe to the podcast using iTunes sowtware, or another podcast catcher, and have the service update for you whenever we post new content.

Whether you listen on your PC or your MP3 player, we think you will enjoy the content and have fun listening.

Listen now on your PC

Use this link to Subscribe using iTunes or your favorite podcast catcher.
http://library.marian.edu/podcasts/hmlpc.xml

Marian Ink - A poetry blog

2006-10-18T16:32:00.000-04:00

Marian Ink – a poetry forum

Are you poet, but don’t know it?

Or maybe you do know it, and wish that everyone knew about your creative talents. The library would like to give you the opportunity to share your poetic creativity with the campus by establishing a virtual poetry slam, Marian Ink.

Here’s how it works:

Submit your poetry via email to the library -- librarystaff@marian.edu, (see Submission Guidelines below). Poetry will be posted periodically to the library blog with the heading Marian Ink; postings will include a brief introduction to the author/poetry being featured. We can’t guarantee a solo bill, and the volume of responses will dictate the frequency with which Marian Ink will appear on the blog.

This is the fun part – once your poetry is out there, others can share in your creativity by posting responses to Marian Ink. Sure, it’s not a crowded coffee shop in the East Village, but then again maybe Ginsberg might have enjoyed posting Howl to a blog -- although maybe he was more of a pod cast kind of guy. Anyway…

…Kicking off Marian Ink will be the poems of Jim Morrison, a Marian College sophomore who tells us he writes poetry because “ for awhile it was how I dealt with my negative feelings (in part because it's fun), now: the last few times it's to try and write about things that will hopefully inspire others and I also [wrote] the last few because I'm feeling close to God”.

Jim shared some of his poetry at an open mic night in the library last spring, and has waited patiently for a chance to share more of his work with the Marian Community.

Share your thoughts on Jim’s poetry – what it says to you and how it makes you feel. Please remember, all blog posts are moderated – keep it clean, and keep it constructive. Marian Ink is a place to grow one’s poetry, not chop it to pieces.

God's love

God looks past our pain, past our fears,

past our lies, past our shame,

past the darkness deep inside

To see and help the man that tries to hide

-- Jim Morrison

Being Dead

The world is black, your memories erased

Who are you now that you're dead and looking like paste?

Who are you now that you no longer feel;

You are you; that's when everything now feels most real

Or at least you wish it did because, after all these years of pain

Feeling everything you should makes you totally insane

Got treated so badly but's still expected to take it

All the way 'til he can't fake it; can't pretend he's happy anymore

can't keep from falling on the floor; can't keep his head from spinning

can't keep his life in a way that he's winning

can't take the headaches anymore

Wishes his head would explode to stop all the pain

Or that he'd go beyond insane

So he wouldn't realize what was happening with his life

And all he'd feel was happiness 'til he found a wife

who loved him as much as he did her

But now he's found a God who loves him unconditional

And all that stuff is in the past

And his life is so amazing

That he couldn't imagine anything near as much of a blast

-- Jim Morrison

Interested in more student poetry and creative writing? Check out the library’s holdings for the fioretti, the Marian College literary anthology. We have a selection of volumes in the circulating collection, call number PN6110 .C7M2. You might be surprised and inspired by the talents of former Marian College students.

Guidelines for Marian Ink submissions

You must be a faculty, staff, student or alumnus of Marian College to have your work considered.
Only two poems per author will be considered for posting each month.
The poem can be no more than 25 lines (not including the title).
Poems are generally published as is; therefore check spelling and punctuation before submission.
An excerpt from a longer poem will be considered if it can stand alone.
Submit one or two poems via email to the library -- librarystaff@marian.edu, subject line “Marian Ink submission” -- along with your name and some background info – class/graduation year, contact information (email address preferred, we won’t publish it to the blog) and what inspires you to write poetry.
If reprint permissions are required, please get permission prior to submitting your work.
Hackelmeier Library reserves the right to refuse poems that are too long or could be seen as unsuitable for public display.
Please include any special formatting requirements for your poem in your submission.
Copies of submitted poems will not be returned.

Got Wireless? Check out the Learning Commons WiFi

2006-09-27T16:15:00.000-04:00

Got Wireless? Well, the Library Does…

If you haven’t already been using it, then you will be happy to know that the wireless network is fully functional and accessible in the Hackelmeier Memorial Library!

Use your laptop to take notes while having class in the Library Auditorium.
Tip – Use MS Word or Notepad to email notes to friends who missed class.

Make any area in the library your study space with internet access.
Tip – Remember that most laptop batteries average 2-3 hours of usage, so save your work often.

Access the Library Catalog and eResources anywhere in the Library. Tip – Check out the facelift on the library catalog. It’s much faster now.
All you have to do to use the wireless network is to go through a ONE TIME configuration process on your laptop while in the library.

Use this Quick Start Guide to get started. If you encounter any problems, refer to the full version.

Banned Books Week has gone Hollywood!

2006-09-27T15:17:00.000-04:00

Once again, the college library is smoldering from the effects of housing materials snatched from the clutches of those would ban, burn or otherwise censor our right to read whatever we choose.

Many of you are aware of the number of books that continue to be challenged, removed or otherwise restricted each year, in schools and libraries worldwide. The good news is, many of these delightfully objectionable books have found safe haven here, in the Hackelmeier Memorial Library.

And, for those of us who lack the time or willpower to read a book cover to cover, Hollywood has come to our rescue many times over the years. Were you aware that the books on which these films were based had such an unseemly past??

Beloved
Book by Toni Morrison, film version (1998) realized through the efforts of Oprah Winfrey as producer, directed by Jonathan Demme.
In 1995, the book was challenged in the St. Johns County School System (St. Augustine, FL) for language.
The film version received an MPAA rating of R for violent images, sexuality and nudity.

Huh, no mentions of language in the MPAA rating....wonder if their screening was bleeped??

A Doll's House
Henrik Ibsen, author; 1973 film version starring Anthony Hopkins
In 1983, several members of the Alabama State Textbook Committee called for a ban of this book because it "propagates feminist views".

Okay, so a wife realizes she doesn't really love her authoritarian and controlling husband and leaves him, taking the kids. Seems to me this is self preservation more than anything else, as we all know Anthony Hopkins later becomes genius cannibal Hannibal Lecter. She got out just in time...and Gloria Steinem had nothing to do with it.

Charlie & the Chocolate Factory
Roald Dahl, author; 2005 film version starry Johnny Depp and directed by Tim Burton; 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, starring Gene Wilder
The Boulder, Co. public library removed the book from a locked reference collection in 1988, where the book had been placed years previously by a librarian who felt the book was unfit for children because it "espoused a poor philosophy of life".

Who among us wouldn't prefer to sit home and eat bon-bons all day, at least once in a while? Seems to me that Johnny Depp has a pretty good life, despite appearances in Chocolat AND Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Must be true what they say about the benefits of dark chocolate....

These are merely a brief sampling of many banned or challenged works currently residing in the Hackelmeier Memorial Library, in a variety of formats. It's interesting that many controversial written works are later translated into acclaimed and beloved films. Is there some significance to this phenomenon? Is it true what they say about the inherent depravity of Hollywood?

Decide for yourself -- stop by the library during Banned Books Week and take a look at our display of banned materials and their celluloid counterparts, you might be surprised to learn the checkered history of a favorite film, or perhaps learn that the film version of a favorite work is just as controversial as it's inspiration.

Elizabeth Pearson-Coan
Acquisitions/Periodicals Librarian

All information here regarding challenged and/or banned books was gathered from either Forbidden Library (www.forbiddenlibrary.com; compiled by Janet Yanoski and updated 6 March 2005) or the American Library Association's Banned Books week media pack for libraries, available via their website, www.ala.org.

All editorial commentary regarding the correlation between banned/challenged books and film adaptations is the opinion of this author. If you don't agree, that's fine by me. It's just a (conspiracy) theory...

Check out the pictures from "What's Up Wednesday" on the Library Flickr pages

2006-09-24T20:17:00.000-04:00

WUWLib10
Originally uploaded by marian_library_indy.

During the first week of school the Hackelmeier Memorial Library was the first department to host "What's Up Wednesday", a program developed by the Student Activities office that features different activities each week in different places on campus.

We took lots of pictures of the festivities during the evening and now have them posted on our Flickr account. Feel free to tag them if you or your friends are in the pictures.

Check out the photo show in the left navigation bar of the library website. We will change the set as we add more pictures. Enjoy and thanks for coming.

Check out the Library's Photo Stream on Flickr

The Art of Cynthia R. Matyi@Your Library

2006-09-22T13:28:00.000-04:00

The Art of Cynthia R. Matyi
Hackelmeier Memorial Library

Download Registration Form

September 24 – October 27, 2006

In 1985 while on a visit to Scotland, Cindy Matyi encountered a most rhythmic style of art which has intrigued and dominated her paintings ever since – the interlacing, spiraling, restless style of Celtic art. Motifs used ancient Celtic tribes on tombs, weapons and jewelry and later transformed by monks into the beautifully disturbing and complex illuminated manuscript pages now play an important part in the large oil paintings she creates. But these contemporary works go beyond Celtic replication. Cindy Matyi leads a growing company of post-modern artists whose original work is attracting international attention as part of a living tradition.

Cindy’s work has appeared in galleries across the U.S. and in Europe. She has illustrated book and CD covers, posters, and websites. She still finds time to play Celtic music with the band, Silver Arm and is the founder and artistic director of the Cincinnati Celtic World Festival.

Cindy, along with 5 other speakers, will be participating in the Irish Sampler series to be held on the Marian College campus from September 27 – October 25, 2006. Cindy is the first scheduled presenter in the series and students, faculty and staff are welcome to register at a reduced fee of $20 per session with the exception of the Irish Foods which is $45 for all. Registration forms are available in the library or can be downloaded from the library’s web page, library.marian.edu.

Celtic Art
Cindy Mayti
9/27
6:-9:00 p.m.
St. Francis Hall Rm. 163
$20

Irish Foods & Culinary Arts
Matt O’Neill
10/4
6-9:00 p.m.
Stokely Mansion
$45

Christian Celtic Spirituality
Fr. Noah Casey
10/11
6-8:00 p.m.
Marian Hall Rm. 221
$20

Traditional Music & Stories
Mac Bellner
10/11
6-8:00 p.m.
Marian Hall Rm. 216
$20

Irish Dance & Ceili Steps
Liz Donohue
10/18
6-8:00 p.m.
Stokely Mansion
$20

Irish Labor Movement
William Doherty, PhD
10/25
6-8:00 p.m.
Marian Hall Room 221
$20

How to register by phone or mail:

Irish Sampler
950 Ellenberger W. Dr.
Indianapolis, Indiana 46219
(317)353-6664
(317)862-0817

The Library is NOW podcasting - "What will those librarians do next?"

2006-09-15T17:03:00.000-04:00

The Hackelmeier Memorial Library will be providing regular podcasts to keep you updated on what is happening here. A Podcast is a method of regularly updating and disseminating digital content where you can receive new files automatically by subscription. Podcasts are audio recordings and can be received with podcasting software whenever new recordings are provided. If you have an MP3 music player, you can listen with that, or if you prefer, you can just click on the link and listen directly.

Here’s an overview of this edition:

A quick introduction to podcasting for those of you might be wondering what it is.

We cover some of the exciting news about what is going on in the library this semester – an update on the wireless network, new technology, & resources.

In honor of Founders day, we have excerpts from an oral history interview with Sister Estelle Nordmeyer, who worked here in the early years when the college was just beginning. Marian’s Poet Laureate, professor Dave Shumate, gives an introduction to the project.

In our first segment of Tech Tips and Tactics I will cover the basics of subscribing to an RSS feed which will allow you to regularly receive information from the various library feeds and stay updated.

The first episode is 19 minutes long and 9 Megabytes in size. We hope you enjoy our first offering and are interested enough to keep listen. We have lots of cool things to share and think this will make a great way to keep you updated as you go about your busy lives.

Listen Now: http://library.marian.edu/podcasts/HML_podcast_b09152006.mp3

Visit the Library Podcast Homepage:

http://www.marian.edu/library/podcasts.asp

PS - I know the sound quality of my first effort is not perfect, but the software program kept crashing on me when I need it to compress. Such is the way of technology. I promise it will sound better next time. :-)

Reserves Update

2006-09-07T11:29:00.000-04:00

Reserves are current for all classes. Please see your instructor for login and password information. Please let us know if you have questions.

Fall 2006 Reserves

2006-08-28T16:14:00.000-04:00

The Hackelmeier Library began offering online reserves several semesters ago. We have been working hard to improve the process and turn-around time since then. eReserves are available 24/7 from any computer with internet access. All you need is the login and password from your professor and Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is on all campus systems and is a free download if you don't have it on your personal pc.

Currently reserves for POL101, GLS101, POL344, SOC450, SOC345, and MAT115 are complete. There are two more readings for POL101 and GLS101 that will be up soon. A problem with accessing SOC101b readings is being resolved, but as usual, there are hard copies at the Circ desk if you would rather not wait. Reserves for HIS102de are being processed as are several other classes.

Sr. Joel Franks has taken over administration of the reserves again. Chadwick has managed them for the past year or so in order to get the eReserves process up and running. Please contact Sr. Joel if you have new courses to set-up or need to add readings. You may contact Chadwick with technical probelms, but he will be out of the office until Sept. 5th.

Status of the Wireless Network

2006-08-21T17:50:00.000-04:00

There is no wireless network on campus until the library network is complete. The IT department expects to be “live” in the library before the end of the week (08/25). After it becomes available, a concise memo on getting connected will be broadcast emailed and copies will be provided for distribution via the library website and at our circulation desk.

The wireless project at Ruth Lily Student Center is waiting in the wings with a strong desire to be “live” about Fall break time. And the wireless in the residence halls will not go “live” until January.

So, get your wireless access cards installed and wait for the magic... :-)

Instructional Technology moves office to Library

2006-08-18T14:13:00.000-04:00

The library staff is happy to welcome the Instructional Technology Department to Hackelmeier Memorial. This move will provide a higher level of technical support for our patrons.

The computer lab staff and Director of Instructional Technology (DoIT) will begin answering all non-research related technical questions and handle issues relating to the use of office and word processing software applications and computer problems.

The Lab staff will now be located at the front desk and the DoIT's office is now located in the room formerly used for our Special Collections. The lab assistants should be available during current library operating hours, so stop by and make them feel welcome.

Welcome Back Students!!!

2006-08-18T14:00:00.000-04:00

The library staff at Hackelmeier Memorial Library are very happy to welcome you back to the campus for our Fall 2006 semester! We have been hard at work all summer to make sure this semester is a rewarding one for you.

You will continue to notice changes over the next month as add to the learning commons. There are lots of great services and new technology that we have to offer, so stop on by, grab a cup of coffee, and check out the library.

Library receives 69K grant to implement Learning Commons

2006-08-18T13:54:00.000-04:00

In June of 2006, the Hackelmeier Memorial Library received a generous $69,000 grant from the Indianapolis Foundation Library Fund, a Central Indiana Community Foundation affiliate, for the creation of a Learning Commons.

The Hackelmeier Learning Commons is a set of unique spaces designed to facilitate active, collaborative research by students and faculty. By creating a model for interdisciplinary thinking, learning and resource sharing in a comfortable, collegiate atmosphere, Marian will foster a stronger connection between the classroom and the library, nurturing a strong bond between academics and library resources while offering greater opportunities for active learning.

More information on the Hackelmeier Learning Commons!