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.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
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!
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