If you visit the Grand View Library, you will find that we have a great collection of science books. You can learn quite a bit about biology, chemistry, and physics from our collection. Pulling one of the biology books off the shelf, you would be able to learn that all living things on the Earth are composed of six base elements (carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus). It has been this way for a long time and is considered one of the backbones of biological history.
Today, that all changed.
Scientists with NASA's Astrobiology Institute announced that through intensive research, they have discovered a new form of life, a microbe, living in a lake in California. The Mono Lake microbe contains five of the six elements, but is missing phosphorus. In its place, scientists discovered that the cells were using arsenic instead.
This is a major announcement and rewrites some of the basic ideas that we have about biology on our planet.
Take a look at some of the information that's been posted about this historic announcement:
"Bacterium Grows with Arsenic"
"Bacteria Use Arsenic As Basic Building Block In A Pinch"
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Thanksgiving Read-In
Every month we try to hold a read-in with a theme that corresponds to that time of year. Our read-in tomorrow will be focused on the concept of giving thanks to those things around us that we feel are the most important things in our lives. You can bring a poem, a play, a novel, an essay, or whatever story you might have in your memories. The main idea here is to share it with others and discover what is important to them. This is the season to remember those things we hold dear.
We'll be in the coffee shop in the library from 11:30-12:30 tomorrow November 23rd.
We'll be in the coffee shop in the library from 11:30-12:30 tomorrow November 23rd.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Halloween Read-In
Have you ever been to one of the library's read-ins? Well, if you haven't, then you might want to consider coming to the Halloween Read-In tomorrow at 10:00-11:30. Every read-in has a theme and this year we are asking people to bring scary, spooky, or haunting stories that they have enjoyed over the years. It's always best to bring a book, an article, or a poem, but if you have a personal story to tell, that is a great way to share as well.
So if you enjoy spooky stories come on by and see what we're discussing. We'll be in the @ the Library coffee shop from 10-11:30 on Friday October 29th.
So if you enjoy spooky stories come on by and see what we're discussing. We'll be in the @ the Library coffee shop from 10-11:30 on Friday October 29th.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
New Library Website
Have you visited our website lately? If you have then you will notice some major changes to the layout.
We now have drop-down menus! The resources are all still available, but instead of having their own pages they now exist in drop-down menus. It's easier to find things because you can simply click on a menu and see what's underneath. You can't get lost in a flurry of pages because the menus will help you find what you need.
You will also notice easy quick links on the right-hand side of the page. These quick links will help you find other resources on campus such as the campus directory, bookstore, admissions, and the career center.
So if you haven't been to http://library.grandview.edu lately, check it out. It's a whole new experience.
We now have drop-down menus! The resources are all still available, but instead of having their own pages they now exist in drop-down menus. It's easier to find things because you can simply click on a menu and see what's underneath. You can't get lost in a flurry of pages because the menus will help you find what you need.
You will also notice easy quick links on the right-hand side of the page. These quick links will help you find other resources on campus such as the campus directory, bookstore, admissions, and the career center.
So if you haven't been to http://library.grandview.edu lately, check it out. It's a whole new experience.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Library Book Sale!
Come one, come all to the Fall Library Book Sale!
We have tons of books for sale and each one will only cost you $1.00. We have books of all shapes, sizes, and subjects.
Also, we will be adding books every morning, so if you come only once, you'll want to come again and browse the new materials as well.
Our sale will continue until October 15th.
We have tons of books for sale and each one will only cost you $1.00. We have books of all shapes, sizes, and subjects.
Also, we will be adding books every morning, so if you come only once, you'll want to come again and browse the new materials as well.
Our sale will continue until October 15th.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Banned Books Week 2010
Welcome to Banned Books Week 2010!
The purpose of Banned Books Week is to remind people everywhere of the dangers of censorship, our history of censorship, and the promise of reading a variety of books for educational and recreational purposes.
Libraries across the country will often display books that have been challenged or banned in the past so that the public can see for themselves and think about why that book was challenged or banned. Banned Books Week gives everyone time to think about what they choose to read and why they choose to read the books they do. It's an important time to reflect on the choices we make and provides us with an opportunity to consider reading something new in the future that we may not have considered before.
At the Grand View Library we have put together a small display as well. Please come by and take a look. The books are available for checkout, so pick one up today. There are some really good ones in this batch as well.
The purpose of Banned Books Week is to remind people everywhere of the dangers of censorship, our history of censorship, and the promise of reading a variety of books for educational and recreational purposes.
Libraries across the country will often display books that have been challenged or banned in the past so that the public can see for themselves and think about why that book was challenged or banned. Banned Books Week gives everyone time to think about what they choose to read and why they choose to read the books they do. It's an important time to reflect on the choices we make and provides us with an opportunity to consider reading something new in the future that we may not have considered before.
At the Grand View Library we have put together a small display as well. Please come by and take a look. The books are available for checkout, so pick one up today. There are some really good ones in this batch as well.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Portfolio Drive & Laptop Printing
When you think of the library, you probably have an image of lots of books in your mind. And yes, we do have over 90,000 volumes. However, the library is not just about books anymore. We are also a place that you can go to ask questions about technology and computer help.
For example, have you recently had a professor tell you that you needed to start saving your documents to your portfolio drive? You might have been thinking to yourself, "Where is my portfolio drive? How do I access it? Who can see my files?" One of the questions we get most often at the library has to do with the portfolio drive, so we decided to make a video showing you, the user, how to save documents to your portfolio drive. Once you learn how, it's a tool you will find yourself using again and again.
Another issue you might encounter is trying to print from your personal laptop to a Grand View printer. How do you set that up? How do you know which printer it's going to go to? Well, we've made a helpful video about that too. It's called the "Web Print Feature" and anyone can do it from their own laptop on campus. So the next time you need help printing from your laptop, check out our new video showing you how to do it.
We have plenty of other videos where those came from as well. They are an easy way to remind yourself how to do certain tasks associated with the library and the research process.
For example, have you recently had a professor tell you that you needed to start saving your documents to your portfolio drive? You might have been thinking to yourself, "Where is my portfolio drive? How do I access it? Who can see my files?" One of the questions we get most often at the library has to do with the portfolio drive, so we decided to make a video showing you, the user, how to save documents to your portfolio drive. Once you learn how, it's a tool you will find yourself using again and again.
Another issue you might encounter is trying to print from your personal laptop to a Grand View printer. How do you set that up? How do you know which printer it's going to go to? Well, we've made a helpful video about that too. It's called the "Web Print Feature" and anyone can do it from their own laptop on campus. So the next time you need help printing from your laptop, check out our new video showing you how to do it.
We have plenty of other videos where those came from as well. They are an easy way to remind yourself how to do certain tasks associated with the library and the research process.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Grand View Library Web Directory: High Quality Websites
We use the web every day and we do quite a bit of searching. We all know that there are some really bad websites out there and just as many mediocre ones as well. Where are all the high-quality websites? If you're working on a project for class and need a variety of good websites, how do you know which ones to choose?
One suggestion is to critically evaluate each website you visit. Find out who the author is, how accurate the information is (compare it to another site), and determine how much bias exists on the site.
Another suggestion is to try out our new Grand View Library Web Directory. This site has dozens of good websites that you can choose from when researching a topic. If you like one of the sites that you find there, let us know and we'll make sure to keep it in the future.
Good luck searching and browsing!
One suggestion is to critically evaluate each website you visit. Find out who the author is, how accurate the information is (compare it to another site), and determine how much bias exists on the site.
Another suggestion is to try out our new Grand View Library Web Directory. This site has dozens of good websites that you can choose from when researching a topic. If you like one of the sites that you find there, let us know and we'll make sure to keep it in the future.
Good luck searching and browsing!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Collaboration Cart
One of our newest additions this fall is the Collaboration Cart. This new device is a compilation of a flat-screen tv, a laptop computer, a wireless keyboard, and a wireless mouse. Plus, the whole thing is on wheels so you can move it around a little for better viewing.
So now you're asking the question: Why do we have this big cart?
The Collaboration Cart exists to help groups work on projects together. The flat-screen allows for optimal viewing by all members of the group. The wireless keyboard and mouse allow for any group member to take control and show an example on the screen. Plus you can take turns working on the project by sharing the keyboard and mouse. The laptop gives you wireless web access and access to all of Grand View Library's resources.
So as you can see, this new set of tools really helps you work together on projects in ways you've never tried before.
Come try it out!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Welcome Back!
Welcome back to Grand View! We hope your summer went well. If you are a new student, welcome to the library's blog. You'll find research tips, announcements, new resources, and other miscellaneous information from around the web.
Make sure to bookmark this page and visit the library when you get a chance. We have all new computers and some other new resources which we'll tell you about in future posts.
Good luck getting started this semester.
Make sure to bookmark this page and visit the library when you get a chance. We have all new computers and some other new resources which we'll tell you about in future posts.
Good luck getting started this semester.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
New Hours Until August 30th
If you need to visit the library in the next couple of weeks, make sure that you come before 4:00. We will be closing at 4:00 until classes start on August 30th.
Good luck preparing for the semester!
Good luck preparing for the semester!
Friday, July 16, 2010
New Videos!
Last fall, the library designed a series of new videos that help you to find our resources and to use them better. These videos were a big success thanks to the fact that they are easily accessible, easy to watch, and show you exactly how to find what you are looking for. Each video is a screencast so it shows you exactly what to look for on the page, where to click, and where useful resources are.
This summer we have added eight new videos to the mix and we hope that they are just as helpful as last year's batch.
Check out our new videos here.
You can also locate them on the library's homepage. Just click on Video Help Page.
Have a good summer!
This summer we have added eight new videos to the mix and we hope that they are just as helpful as last year's batch.
Check out our new videos here.
You can also locate them on the library's homepage. Just click on Video Help Page.
Have a good summer!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Summer Hiatus
Hello, blog reader! Have you been wondering why the blog has been so quiet? Well, we have taken a summer hiatus. We'll be back in August when classes start. Until then, enjoy your summer!
Monday, April 12, 2010
What Can We Do For You in the Future?
As summer approaches, we will be working on many projects here in the library. Are there certain tools, services, or areas that you want to see addressed? Please send us your suggestions or ideas for making the library a better place for students and faculty. For example, one of our more popular tools lately has been our set of online videos. Are there new topics you would like to see covered in the videos? Feel free to leave us a comment with suggestions for the future.
Paperless Information Literacy
The following assignments were presented at the Grand View University Library Information Session on Wednesday April 7th. Please feel free to contact us if you have questions about these assignment ideas.
Concept Mapping
Students create a visual representation of all the aspects of a topic. Concept maps can be drawn freehand or structure can be provided by using a template. This could stand alone as an assignment, or be used to help students develop more focused topics to research. An example concept map can be found at:
http://library.uvic.ca/site/lib/instruction/research/devtopic.html
Research Logs
Students keep track of their research process in a journal. Have them include dates, places they looked, search terms used, what resources they found, what they’re currently thinking about their topic, and any frustrations they’ve encountered. This encourages students to think of research as an ongoing process.
Annotated Bibliographies
Students find different types of resources, provide accurate citations, evaluate the information based on accuracy, authority, currency, relevance and bias, and explain how each source would be helpful in researching their topic. Annotated bibliographies could stand alone as an assignment, or, if used in conjunction with a traditional research paper, they are an excellent tool for identifying issues with poor source selection before the final paper is due.
Pathfinders
Students create a topic guide, or “pathfinder,” to show others where to begin research on a specific subject. Pathfinders typically include a brief summary of the importance of the topic, advice on where to find basic background information, searching tips, and various resources representing a wide range of perspectives. An example pathfinder can be found at:
http://www.ipl.org/div/pf/entry/48493
Comparing Resources
Students must find at least 2 different kinds of resources (i.e. newspaper articles, academic journal articles, books, websites, etc.) that would be helpful for their topics. They must then compare the kinds of information found in each source. This familiarizes students with different types of sources and helps them determine the most appropriate type depending on their topics.
Poster Presentations
Rather than writing a paper about their research projects, students create a poster to present to their classmates. Students must be able to display their information in a visually appealing way while answering any questions asked by the rest of the class. An example poster can be found at:
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~ugar/pdfs/Eichlin.pdf
Class Debate
Students are divided into teams and assigned a position to defend on a controversial topic. During class time, the teams then have a formal debate on the issue. Students prepare by researching arguments to support their position and developing counter-arguments to refute the opposition. An example class debate can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/yadabrv
Evaluating Editorials
Students find or are assigned an editorial to evaluate. Students must identify the main points, analyze the arguments presented in the editorial, and provide research to back up their position on whether or not the information provided in the editorial is sound.
Research Over the Years
Students take a topic that has been researched over the decades and examine how that topic has been viewed, used, and debated in the past. This assignment helps students to see the topic from many different angles and has the added bonus of helping them realize that just because we think we’re on the cusp of understanding something in 2010, much more will be discovered about it in the coming decades.
Reading References
Students read an article that includes various citations. They then find a few of the articles listed in the references and read those as well. Students should then be asked to make connections between the articles. This assignment helps students see the importance of citing sources. For a variation, students could be required to read a Wikipedia article and a few of the sources to compare the information provided in each.
Researching the Researchers
Students research to find out who the big names are in their particular field of study or in the field of their topic. They then go out and find articles, books, websites, etc. that those authors have written and present them to the class as a body of work. Or you could have the students require all of the other students to read an article by their author and have a class discussion on it.
Displaying Data
While researching a topic, students must find related statistical data. They could then be required to create multiple types of graphs using Excel or a similar program to show how the data is relevant to the research topic. This would give students a chance to see how some data can be misused or skewed. It also has the benefit of teaching students that there are statistics for every subject area and not just the sciences and social sciences.
Concept Mapping
Students create a visual representation of all the aspects of a topic. Concept maps can be drawn freehand or structure can be provided by using a template. This could stand alone as an assignment, or be used to help students develop more focused topics to research. An example concept map can be found at:
http://library.uvic.ca/site/lib/instruction/research/devtopic.html
Research Logs
Students keep track of their research process in a journal. Have them include dates, places they looked, search terms used, what resources they found, what they’re currently thinking about their topic, and any frustrations they’ve encountered. This encourages students to think of research as an ongoing process.
Annotated Bibliographies
Students find different types of resources, provide accurate citations, evaluate the information based on accuracy, authority, currency, relevance and bias, and explain how each source would be helpful in researching their topic. Annotated bibliographies could stand alone as an assignment, or, if used in conjunction with a traditional research paper, they are an excellent tool for identifying issues with poor source selection before the final paper is due.
Pathfinders
Students create a topic guide, or “pathfinder,” to show others where to begin research on a specific subject. Pathfinders typically include a brief summary of the importance of the topic, advice on where to find basic background information, searching tips, and various resources representing a wide range of perspectives. An example pathfinder can be found at:
http://www.ipl.org/div/pf/entry/48493
Comparing Resources
Students must find at least 2 different kinds of resources (i.e. newspaper articles, academic journal articles, books, websites, etc.) that would be helpful for their topics. They must then compare the kinds of information found in each source. This familiarizes students with different types of sources and helps them determine the most appropriate type depending on their topics.
Poster Presentations
Rather than writing a paper about their research projects, students create a poster to present to their classmates. Students must be able to display their information in a visually appealing way while answering any questions asked by the rest of the class. An example poster can be found at:
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~ugar/pdfs/Eichlin.pdf
Class Debate
Students are divided into teams and assigned a position to defend on a controversial topic. During class time, the teams then have a formal debate on the issue. Students prepare by researching arguments to support their position and developing counter-arguments to refute the opposition. An example class debate can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/yadabrv
Evaluating Editorials
Students find or are assigned an editorial to evaluate. Students must identify the main points, analyze the arguments presented in the editorial, and provide research to back up their position on whether or not the information provided in the editorial is sound.
Research Over the Years
Students take a topic that has been researched over the decades and examine how that topic has been viewed, used, and debated in the past. This assignment helps students to see the topic from many different angles and has the added bonus of helping them realize that just because we think we’re on the cusp of understanding something in 2010, much more will be discovered about it in the coming decades.
Reading References
Students read an article that includes various citations. They then find a few of the articles listed in the references and read those as well. Students should then be asked to make connections between the articles. This assignment helps students see the importance of citing sources. For a variation, students could be required to read a Wikipedia article and a few of the sources to compare the information provided in each.
Researching the Researchers
Students research to find out who the big names are in their particular field of study or in the field of their topic. They then go out and find articles, books, websites, etc. that those authors have written and present them to the class as a body of work. Or you could have the students require all of the other students to read an article by their author and have a class discussion on it.
Displaying Data
While researching a topic, students must find related statistical data. They could then be required to create multiple types of graphs using Excel or a similar program to show how the data is relevant to the research topic. This would give students a chance to see how some data can be misused or skewed. It also has the benefit of teaching students that there are statistics for every subject area and not just the sciences and social sciences.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Looking for New Assignments?
A heads-up for faculty members:
We'll be featuring some innovative assignment ideas here in the next couple of days. Stay tuned!
We'll be featuring some innovative assignment ideas here in the next couple of days. Stay tuned!
Monday, April 5, 2010
"Paperless" Information Literacy Assignments
Don't forget to sign up for our next information session tomorrow and Wednesday.
“Paperless” Information Literacy Assignments
Tuesday, April 6: 2:30-3:20
Wednesday, April 7: 3:00-3:50
Starting to plan for Fall classes? How about a new approach to information literacy assignments? While the research paper is a classic approach, it isn’t the only option. We’ll explore ideas for other types of assignments that require students to demonstrate research and evaluation skills. We’ll also spend part of this session brainstorming possible assignments to help meet your specific needs, so you should walk away from this session with new ideas to try in the Fall.
“Paperless” Information Literacy Assignments
Tuesday, April 6: 2:30-3:20
Wednesday, April 7: 3:00-3:50
Starting to plan for Fall classes? How about a new approach to information literacy assignments? While the research paper is a classic approach, it isn’t the only option. We’ll explore ideas for other types of assignments that require students to demonstrate research and evaluation skills. We’ll also spend part of this session brainstorming possible assignments to help meet your specific needs, so you should walk away from this session with new ideas to try in the Fall.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Library Party Today!
Don't forget to come over to the Grand View Library Spring Party at 11:30 today. We'll have all kinds of food to eat and great company. Plus, you can check out a book while you are here.
Also, there are some pretty tasty desserts. Come early!
Also, there are some pretty tasty desserts. Come early!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Plagiarism!
We're discussing plagiarism and prevention methods here on the blog. What do you think are some interesting and effective ways of preventing plagiarism in the future? Do we need to create more assignments that focus on citation methods and attribution? Or are there other lessons we can teach?
We would like to hear your thoughts on the subject.
We would like to hear your thoughts on the subject.
Monday, March 15, 2010
National Reading Month
(courtesy of Patrick Gage)
Don't forget that even though it's Spring Break, it's also National Reading Month. March is the month to finally read those books you've always wanted to read! So find some time to sit down and open a great book.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Spring Break
Spring Break is upon us! Enjoy your time off, but remember too that this time is also good for catching up on projects and papers. The library will always be available online and we will be open during the day.
Our hours for Spring Break:
Saturday March 13th & Sunday March 14th - Closed
Monday March 15th-Friday March 19th - 7:45AM - 4:30PM
Saturday March 20th & Sunday March 21st - Closed
Our regular hours will resume on Monday March 22nd.
Have a great break!
Our hours for Spring Break:
Saturday March 13th & Sunday March 14th - Closed
Monday March 15th-Friday March 19th - 7:45AM - 4:30PM
Saturday March 20th & Sunday March 21st - Closed
Our regular hours will resume on Monday March 22nd.
Have a great break!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
African American Read In
February is African American history month! It's a time when we remember the great men and women in American history who changed things for the better. In past years we have heard from such voices as Alice Walker, Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, and Martin Luther King, Jr. This year we'll hopefully hear from some new voices as well, including from Haiti.
The earthquake that ravaged the nation of Haiti turned our eyes to a country that has experienced misfortune for centuries. At our read-in on Thursday at 11:30 we hope to hear some voices from Haiti's past and present. Haiti has a rich history and has produced some great authors and artists.
So if you're interested, come on by Holy Grounds from 11:30-12:30 and share in the experience.
The earthquake that ravaged the nation of Haiti turned our eyes to a country that has experienced misfortune for centuries. At our read-in on Thursday at 11:30 we hope to hear some voices from Haiti's past and present. Haiti has a rich history and has produced some great authors and artists.
So if you're interested, come on by Holy Grounds from 11:30-12:30 and share in the experience.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
The Embedded Librarian
In the library, we have noticed that students are easily overloaded when their classes come in for an orientation session since there’s so much to cover in such a short amount of time. We have also noticed that students don’t always realize all the legwork that goes into a research assignment until it’s too late. All too often, we see students hurriedly pulling together a few websites to throw a paper together the night before it’s due. To help ameliorate these problems we have been piloting a new program in which we embed a librarian within a class.
In the fall of 2009, I worked closely with Carolyn Pauling’s Professionalism I class and Avilah Getzler’s English 101 class to test the embedded model. Currently, Carolyn Pauling and I are refining the model with her spring Professionalism I students, and I’m also working with 2 sections of Kathy Peterson’s Abnormal Psychology class to help them get through their intensive portfolio project.
Rather than just scheduling one library visit for each of the classes, we have broken up my portion of the instruction over the course of the semester to place it where it makes the most sense to students. In addition to having more than one library visit, I have also gone into the classroom to work with students on their own turf.
Since I’ve become a part of the classes, I’ve been identified as a personal contact for the students; rather than having students come over to get help from “the library,” they have a name and face that they are already familiar with when they need extra help. I have also been able to provide more meaningful feedback to students about their preliminary bibliographies and other assignments. Overall, having an embedded librarian has helped students develop more meaningful contact with library resources while practicing important research skills. I’ve had lots of fun getting to know the students better and working with them more closely on their research projects too!
-Megan
In the fall of 2009, I worked closely with Carolyn Pauling’s Professionalism I class and Avilah Getzler’s English 101 class to test the embedded model. Currently, Carolyn Pauling and I are refining the model with her spring Professionalism I students, and I’m also working with 2 sections of Kathy Peterson’s Abnormal Psychology class to help them get through their intensive portfolio project.
Rather than just scheduling one library visit for each of the classes, we have broken up my portion of the instruction over the course of the semester to place it where it makes the most sense to students. In addition to having more than one library visit, I have also gone into the classroom to work with students on their own turf.
Since I’ve become a part of the classes, I’ve been identified as a personal contact for the students; rather than having students come over to get help from “the library,” they have a name and face that they are already familiar with when they need extra help. I have also been able to provide more meaningful feedback to students about their preliminary bibliographies and other assignments. Overall, having an embedded librarian has helped students develop more meaningful contact with library resources while practicing important research skills. I’ve had lots of fun getting to know the students better and working with them more closely on their research projects too!
-Megan
Monday, February 1, 2010
Salinger and Zinn
The world lost two great writers this past weekend. J.D. Salinger, author of Catcher in the Rye, passed away. Howard Zinn, author of A People's History of the United States, also passed away. Salinger changed writing and people's perceptions of others around them with the legendary Catcher. Zinn changed the way people saw history, particularly American history. Zinn wanted people to see that great changes in human history came from the bottom up, not from the top down.
The Grand View Library has plenty of books by both authors. Come over and take a look at some of them and find out why people are mourning the losses of these two men.
Books by Salinger:
Catcher in the Rye
Franny and Zooey
Nine Stories
Books by Zinn:
Passionate Declarations: Essays on War and Justice
People's History of the United States: 1492-Present
SNCC: The New Abolitionists
Vietnam: The Logic of Withdrawal
The Grand View Library has plenty of books by both authors. Come over and take a look at some of them and find out why people are mourning the losses of these two men.
Books by Salinger:
Catcher in the Rye
Franny and Zooey
Nine Stories
Books by Zinn:
Passionate Declarations: Essays on War and Justice
People's History of the United States: 1492-Present
SNCC: The New Abolitionists
Vietnam: The Logic of Withdrawal
Friday, January 22, 2010
New Student Study Space
If you've been in the library lately, you probably have noticed some missing shelves. We made some changes over the Christmas break, including taking some of our reference materials in front of the study rooms and moving them to the basement classroom. Those materials are still accessible, but the space leftover from their removal has now become a large student study space.
You will find three extra-long tables with plenty of chairs back by the study rooms. There are also three large dry-erase whiteboards for student use. We've also made a little more room for our comfy blue furniture near the big window that faces E. 14th street.
We've also added some popular reading material on the long shelf in front of the study tables. Here you will find plenty of popular fiction arranged alphabetically by author. These books are on the honor system so you don't need an ID to check them out.
So if you're looking for a good place to study or a good book, come check out our changes on the 1st floor!
You will find three extra-long tables with plenty of chairs back by the study rooms. There are also three large dry-erase whiteboards for student use. We've also made a little more room for our comfy blue furniture near the big window that faces E. 14th street.
We've also added some popular reading material on the long shelf in front of the study tables. Here you will find plenty of popular fiction arranged alphabetically by author. These books are on the honor system so you don't need an ID to check them out.
So if you're looking for a good place to study or a good book, come check out our changes on the 1st floor!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Orientation Sessions
Professor Judge from the English department shares her thoughts with us on library orientations.
"In fall 2009 my First Year Composition class met in the library three times. Usually, I introduce English Composition students to the library with one visit with instruction from librarians that is designed to help students with research projects.
In the future, I will continue to schedule multiple classes with a librarian for First Year Composition students. The reasons? Multiple visits benefit students by giving them customized help with their research projects and greater familiarity with our library’s systems and resources. Typically, students complain that they can’t find enough material for their research papers, but not one student ran into that problem last fall because of the extra help they had in locating material. Also, students found better sources because they received three times as much instruction on how to do this.
I think that visiting the library more than once also helped students to be comfortable in that space because I know that a number of them routinely use the library as their place to study."
Therese
Feel free to leave a comment or email us with any thoughts.
"In fall 2009 my First Year Composition class met in the library three times. Usually, I introduce English Composition students to the library with one visit with instruction from librarians that is designed to help students with research projects.
In the future, I will continue to schedule multiple classes with a librarian for First Year Composition students. The reasons? Multiple visits benefit students by giving them customized help with their research projects and greater familiarity with our library’s systems and resources. Typically, students complain that they can’t find enough material for their research papers, but not one student ran into that problem last fall because of the extra help they had in locating material. Also, students found better sources because they received three times as much instruction on how to do this.
I think that visiting the library more than once also helped students to be comfortable in that space because I know that a number of them routinely use the library as their place to study."
Therese
Feel free to leave a comment or email us with any thoughts.
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