Galaxy

by Arielle Brechisci, Journalism Major

Last month, Stony Brook University debuted new software that will simplify the daunting task of searching databases one by one and instead allow students and faculty to access up to 50 at a time.

On February 5, Aimée deChambeau, the Electronic Resources Acquisitions and Access Librarian, demonstrated the advantages of a new federated search system called Galaxy to Stony Brook University Journalism students. Instead of searching each of the library’s 250 databases one at a time, Galaxy aggregates up to 50 of them in one interface. Galaxy is “one of those Holy Grail things for libraries,” said deChambeau.

The library plans to terminate Galaxy if students and faculty members don’t find it helpful.

Adopting Galaxy makes Stony Brook part of a trend amongst other universities. SUNY New Paltz employed a similar system called WebFeat about two years ago. North Carolina State University has used Endeca Profind since January 2006.

When students and faculty members want to research a subject, they click the Galaxy link on the Stony Brook Library website. After typing in the subject and choosing from one of several subject categories, Galaxy gathers the information within a few minutes. When Galaxy finishes searching, the user has a list of search results from up to 50 databases. If the user clicks on the name of the article, Galaxy brings them to the database containing the original record.

Previously, if a student wanted to research the same subject from 50 different databases, they would need to repeat this process 50 times. Now with Galaxy, the user only does it once.

Galaxy clusters search results by date, journal, topic, author and source. The user can narrow down their search by choosing from one of these clusters.

“I think it would definitely be easier than searching one at a time,” said Caroline Knoepffler, an undergraduate Stony Brook student who has used the library databases for writing assignments. “I would absolutely use it.”

Since not all databases work exactly the same, some cannot be used with Galaxy. The library already pulled three out of the original 50 databases because of technical problems. They haven’t been replaced yet and the list may get longer. “Factiva is not working that well,” said deChambeau.

Federated search systems were only developed over the last several years, although the idea has been around for much longer.

Dean Chris Filstrup and the library staff decided to finally subscribe to Galaxy with the interest of Stony Brook students in mind. “The real interest is to get the information to you,” said deChambeau. DeChambeau hopes Galaxy can “make people better researchers” by helping students decide which choice to try out first when faced with many search results.

DeChambeau also hopes Galaxy changes the way users search databases in the future. “One of the big advantages of Galaxy is that it can help you discover places to look where you wouldn’t necessarily think to look,” said deChambeau. For example, searching a medical term can return articles from places students would not normally think to search, like a business management database. Using new databases exposes the user to information from a variety of sources, instead of just one or two sections that the researcher is familiar with.

Serials Solutions, a division of ProQuest, hosts Galaxy along with several other online library operations at Stony Brook including Article Linker. The library receives a big discount for customer loyalty and pays about $9,000 per year for the subscription to Galaxy.

In addition to controlling the software and building the connections to the databases, Serials Solutions provides user statistics to the library. Using these statistics, deChambeau and other librarians can measure usage by comparing it to statistics gathered before introducing Galaxy. The statistics inform the library how often students use Galaxy, what subjects they search by, and what databases they click on.

If the library discovers that user statistics are low because they didn’t promote Galaxy enough, the library will focus more on advertising. If Galaxy is successful, more databases will be added in increments of 25.

Out of the library’s 250 databases, the librarians handpicked 50 to include in Galaxy. About 30 librarians chose them based on questions asked by students and relevance to undergraduate research.

The library catalog is called STARS, so the library chose the name Galaxy for the new system because it follows the same theme.

The original release date for Galaxy was mid-January but the holiday season caused a delay.

Science and Engineering Articles Workshop on March 27th

Are you sometimes frustrated when looking for articles online? Not sure which database to search for the specific information you need? Did you struggle with that biology assignment on finding articles? Then this workshop is for you.

Where are the Science and Engineering Journal Articles?
Discover which databases are best for these specialized subject areas.

Thursday, March 27, 2008 @ 10 AM

Sign up at http://naples.cc.stonybrook.edu/lib/libforms.nsf/tours.

Not a science or engineering student but still need help finding articles? Read on...

Additional sections of these and/or other workshops may be scheduled for any group of 5 or more. We will also work to accommodate individual sessions as time permits. For a full description of all the workshops available upon request, see the Library Homepage, http://www.stonybrook.edu/library, click on Library Instruction and click on “Library Workshops.” Contact: Janet Clarke, Head of Instruction, at 632-1217 or Janet.Clarke@stonybrook.edu.

Government Information Workshop on March 26th

Let librarian Elaine Hoffman guide you through How to Find Government Information. Learn how to find the many sources of information that the government provides, where it is located and how it is categorized.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008 @ 10 AM

Sign up at http://naples.cc.stonybrook.edu/lib/libforms.nsf/tours.

Additional sections of these and/or other workshops may be scheduled for any group of 5 or more. For a full description of all the workshops available upon request, see the Library Homepage, http://www.stonybrook.edu/library, click on Library Instruction and click on “Library Workshops.” Contact: Janet Clarke, Head of Instruction, at 632-1217 or Janet.Clarke@stonybrook.edu.

Using the Internet for Historical Research Workshop on March 25th

Our first workshop after spring break features Librarian William Glenn presenting a new workshop on Using the Internet for Historical Research.

"More and more valuable historical information can now be found on the Internet, especially primary source material being digitalized by libraries and research institutions around the world. This workshop will highlight some of the most interesting Web sites and discuss search methods to help you find quality historical information when you need it."

Tuesday, March 25, 2008 @ 3 PM

Sign up at http://naples.cc.stonybrook.edu/lib/libforms.nsf/tours

Additional sections of these and/or other workshops may be scheduled for any group of 5 or more. For a full description of all the workshops available upon request, see the Library Homepage, http://www.stonybrook.edu/library, click on Library Instruction and click on “Library Workshops.” Contact: Janet Clarke, Head of Instruction, at 632-1217 or Janet.Clarke@stonybrook.edu.

Winter 2008 Library Connections online

The Winter 2008 issue of the University Libraries' newsletter, Library Connections, is now available.

Highlights include:

• SUNY Shared Collections
• President's and Chancellor's awards received by library staff
• The new Criterion DVD Collection
• The Library Club's "Books for Africa" project
  
• An update from Special Collections
• A short Q&A on the new Galaxy search system
• and much more....
  

To read the latest issue, go to
http://www.stonybrook.edu/library/newsletter/2008Feb.pdf

EndNote Workshop on March 11

Managing Your Research Using EndNote: Basic Skills

Creating the bibliography is often the most tedious part of writing a research paper. Using EndNote, a bibliographic management software program, this task just became much easier. In this workshop learn the basics of: how to download results from a literature search into EndNote, and then into a MS Word document, and manage several lists at the same time.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008 @ 12 PM

Additional sections of these and/or other workshops may be scheduled for any group of 5 or more. For a full description of all the workshops available upon request and for the request form, see the Library Homepage, http://www.stonybrook.edu/library, click on Library Instruction and click on “Library Workshops.”

Contact: Janet Clarke, Head of Instruction, at 632-1217 or Janet.Clarke@stonybrook.edu

Extreme Googling Workshop on March 12

Extreme Googling

See a Librarian reveal some of the secret powers of Google's amazing search engine. Learn new ways to defy ignorance and the merely unthinkable. See Google challenge scholarship and lose! Watch as Google redefines the law! Go places you never dreamed were possible sitting down!

Discussion and live demonstrations of:
Google Images, Google Video, Google Maps, Google Local, Google Earth, Google Statistics, Google Scholar, Search Operators, Number Searches, Definitions, Google Geekery, Google Trends.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008 at 1 PM

Additional sections of this or any other workshop may be scheduled for any group of 5 or more. For a full description of all the workshops available upon request and for the request form, see the Library Homepage, http://www.stonybrook.edu/library, click on Library Instruction and click on “Library Workshops.”

New Galaxy Workshop Added

An additional Galaxy workshop has been added. Join us to learn more about the new research tool from the library and find out what it can do for you.

Federated Search: an Introduction to Galaxy.

Galaxy is the Library's new federated search system that allows you to search across multiple databases at the same time. Learn how Galaxy works and how to use it most effectively.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008 @ 11 AM

Additional sections of these and/or other workshops may be scheduled for any group of 5 or more. For a full description of all the workshops available upon request and for the request form, see the Library Homepage, http://www.stonybrook.edu/library, click on Library Instruction and click on “Library Workshops.”

Contact: Janet Clarke, Head of Instruction, at 632-1217 or Janet.Clarke@stonybrook.edu

SBU Library Research Guide Recognized by MERLOT

Our research tutorial, the SBU Library Research Guide, has been recognized by MERLOT - the Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning Online and Teaching (http://www.merlot.org/)! MERLOT is a "digital library and an online community of faculty who are collaborating to increase the quantity of high-quality web-based, interactive teaching and learning materials." The primary audience is instructors interested in using technology in higher education.

You can access the SBU Library Research Guide by typing "Stony Brook" in the Search Materials box on MERLOT's website. The tutorial is one of 11 materials from Stony Brook.

The tutorial is also available on the library website (click on the Research Tutorial link under Help) or you may go directly to http://www.stonybrook.edu/library/tutorial/. Please note that we are in the process of updating the Finding Articles section of the tutorial due to a database subscription change.

Congratulations to Janet Clarke and Godlind Johnson, co-authors of the tutorial.

Library Research Workshop on March 5th

The library instruction program is offering the following workshop next week. To sign up vistit the library homepage > Library Instruction > Register for a Workshop.

The Library and Research: the Basics.

In this workshop, learn how to get started doing research, where to look for information (books, articles and websites), narrow your topic, use subject headings vs. keywords, evaluate sources as well as how to find course reserves, review your library account and renew books online.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008 @ 12 PM.

Additional sections of this or any other workshop may be scheduled for any group of 5 or more. For a full description of all the workshops available upon request and for the request form, see the Library Homepage, http://www.stonybrook.edu/library, click on Library Instruction and click on “Library Workshops.”

February 22nd: Classes Cancelled

Due to the weather conditions, classes scheduled for today, Friday, February 22 have been cancelled as of 11 AM. This applies to Stony Brook, SB Southampton and SB Manhattan campuses. University Police advise that driving conditions are treacherous and urge you to take all precautions.

See http://www.stonybrook.edu/sb/emergency/status.shtml for more information.

Federated Search - an Introduction to Galaxy on Feb. 26

Not sure what the term "federated search" actually means? Looking for tips to make research easier? Sign up for this workshop that provides an introduction to the latest research tool brought to you by the library.

Federated Search: an Introduction to Galaxy.

Galaxy is the Library's new federated search system that allows you to search across multiple databases at the same time. Learn how Galaxy works and how to use it most effectively.

Tuesday, February 26, 2008 @ 10 AM

Remember additional sections of these and/or other workshops may be scheduled for any group of 5 or more. For a full description of all the workshops available upon request and for the request form, see the Library Homepage, http://www.stonybrook.edu/library, click on Library Instruction and click on “Library Workshops.”

Contact: Janet Clarke, Head of Instruction 632-1217 or Janet.Clarke@stonybrook.edu

Maximum Keyword Searching Workshop on Feb. 27th

Do you have trouble creating effective search strategies? Get stuck trying to figure out the best search terms to use? Whether you're doing research for an assignment or trying trying to find information for personal or professional use, this workshop will provide ideas on to help you perform more effective searches.

MAXIMUM Keyword Searching

Learn different approaches to the complexities of using keywords to search all kinds of sources and search engines.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008 @ 1 PM

Additional sections of these and/or other workshops may be scheduled for any group of 5 or more. For a full description of all the workshops available upon request and for the request form, see the Library Homepage, http://www.stonybrook.edu/library, click on Library Instruction and click on “Library Workshops.”

Library Research Workshop

Are you new to the university and not sure where to start when working on assignments? Have you been here a semester already and want to work on improving your grades? Maybe you want to impress your friends with your knowledge of obscure subject headings. If any of these statements apply to you, the library is here to help. We are offering the following workshop on library research next week.

The Library and Research: the Basics.

In this workshop, learn how to get started doing research, where to look for information (books, articles and websites), narrow your topic, use subject headings vs. keywords, evaluate sources as well as how to find course reserves, review your library account and renew books online.

Thursday, Feb. 28, 2008 @ 1 PM

This workshop will be offered again on Wednesday, March 5, 2008 @ 12 PM.

Additional sections of these and/or other workshops may be scheduled for any group of 5 or more. For a full description of all the workshops available upon request and for the request form, see the Library Homepage, http://www.stonybrook.edu/library, click on Library Instruction and click on “Library Workshops.”

Explore the Galaxy!

Are you an early adopter? Want to be one of the first to use the library's new federated search system? Workshops start this week.

Federated Search: an Introduction to Galaxy.

Galaxy is the Library's new federated search system that allows you to search across multiple databases at the same time. Learn how Galaxy works and how to use it most effectively.

Monday, February 11, 2008 @ 2 PM

Tuesday, February 26, 2008 @ 10 AM

To sign up, visit the Library's Instruction page at http://naples.cc.stonybrook.edu/lib/libforms.nsf/tours.

Spring 2008 Library Workshops

The following library workshops have been scheduled for Spring 2008:

The Library and Research: the Basics.
In this workshop, learn how to get started doing research, where to look for information (books, articles and websites), narrow your topic, use subject headings vs. keywords, evaluate sources as well as how to find course reserves, review your library account and renew books online.

Thursday, Feb. 28, 2008 @ 1 PM
Wednesday, March 5, 2008 @ 12 PM

Where are the Science and Engineering Journal Articles?
Discover which databases are best for these specialized subject areas.

Thursday, March 27, 2008 @ 10 AM

Managing your Research using EndNote: Basic Skills.
Creating the bibliography is often the most tedious part of writing a research paper. Using EndNote, a bibliographic management software program, this task just became much easier. In this workshop learn the basics of how to download results from a literature search into an EndNote library, organize your EndNote library, insert your references into a MS Word document, format your bibliography and how to manage several lists at the same time.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008 @ 12:00-1:30 PM

Managing your Research using EndNote: Advanced EndNote.
For those who are using EndNote alreadybut have specific questions or want to learn how to take advantage of ALL the advanced features and customization options. Learn how to customize filters and output styles, attach pdf documents, attach objects/images, figure numbering, create footnotes, term lists and a traveling library.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008 @ 12:00-1:30 PM

Extreme Googling.
See a Librarian reveal some of the secret powers of Google's amazing search engine. Learn new ways to defy ignorance and the merely unthinkable. See Google challenge scholarship and lose! Watch as Googleredefines the law! Go places you never dreamed were possible sitting down! Discussion and live demonstrations of: Google Images, Google Video, Search Operators, Google Maps, Google Local, Google Earth, Number Searches, Google Statistics, Google Scholar, Definitions, Google Geekery, Google Trends.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008 @ 1 PM

Federated Search: an Introduction to Galaxy.
Galaxy is the Library's new federated search system that allows you to search across multiple databases at the same time. Learn how Galaxy works and how to use it most effectively.

Monday, February 11, 2008 @ 2 PM
Tuesday, February 26, 2008 @ 10 AM

How to Avoid Plagiarism and use Citations.
In this workshop you will learn how to write a paper without committing plagiarism, become familiar with the components of a citation and how to locate the source it represents, get an overview of different citation styles and learn why correct usage is important when trying to avoid plagiarism in your own work.

Thursday, April 10, 2008 @ 2 PM

How to Find Government Information.
Learn how to find the many sources of information that the government provides, where it is located and how it is categorized.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008 @ 10 AM

Using the Internet for Historical Research.
More and more valuable historical information can now be found on the internet, especially primary source material being digitalized by libraries and research institutions around the world. This workshop will highlight some of the most interesting Web sites and discuss search methods to help you find quality historical information when you need it.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008 @ 3 PM

MAXIMUM Keyword Searching.
Learn different approaches to the complexities of using keywords to search all kinds of sources and search engines.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008 @ 1 PM

Additional sections of these and/or other workshops may be scheduled for any group of 5 or more. For a full description of all the workshops available upon request and for the request form, see the Library Homepage, www.stonybrook.edu/library, click on Library Instruction and click on "Other Workshops."

Contact: Janet Clarke, Head of Instruction 632-1217 or Janet.Clarke@stonybrook.edu

Spring 2008 Library Tours

Take a tour of the Melville Library’s main public service areas. Learn about our collections and services and get some freebies while you’re here. Meet us @ the Central Reading Room, Melville Library. All tours run about 30 minutes.

Check the website for more details.

Mon., Feb. 4 @ 10 AM
Thursday, Feb. 7 @ 2 PM
Wed., Feb. 13 @ 1 PM
Tuesday, Feb. 19 @ 3 PM
Thursday, Feb. 28 @ 1 PM

Library Hours - Spring 2008

28 Jan - 20 May

Library Hours Phone Service: 632.7160

Central Reading Room - regular hours
Mon-Wed.......8.30am-2.00am
Thu.................8.30am-Midnight
Fri...................8.30am-8.00pm
Sat..................10.00am-10.00pm
Sun.................Noon-2.00am

Science & Engineering & Main Library Circulation - regular hours
Mon-Thu.......8.30am-Midnight
Fri...................8.30am-8.00pm
Sat..................10.00am-6.00pm
Sun.................Noon-Midnight

Chemistry & MASIC - regular hours
Mon-Thu.......8.30am-10.00pm
Fri...................8.30am-5.00pm
Sat..................closed
Sun - Chemistry......2.00pm-10.00pm
Sun - MASIC...........closed

Math/Physics/Astronomy & Music libraries - regular hours
Mon-Thu.......8.30am-10.00am
Fri...................8.30am-5.00pm
Sat..................2.00pm-6.00pm
Sun.................2.00pm-10pm

Special Collections
Mon-Fri........8.30am-4.00pm
Call 631.632.7119 for appts

InterLibrary Loan
Mon-Fri........8.30am-5.00pm

Circulation Accounts
Mon-Fri.......8.30am-4.30pm

SPRING RECESS HOURS
Fri (14 Mar)........................8.30am-5.00pm
Sat-Sun (15,16 Mar).........closed
Mon-Fri (17-21 Mar)........8.30am-5.00pm
Sat (22 Mar)......................closed

HOLIDAYS/EXCEPTIONS
Easter Sunday (23 Mar)........2.00pm-10.00pm CRR, NRR, Circulation OPEN. All other libraries closed.
Last day of finals (May 20)...8.30am-8.00pm

STARS Upgrade 1/19

**Due to a system upgrade, STARS will not be available for 24 hours beginning at noon Saturday, 1/19/2008.**

Libraries Increase Online Journal Holdings

More than 700 online journals have been added to the Libraries’ collections as a result of new contracts with Cambridge University Press and Wiley InterScience. These contracts more than double the journals available to us from these publishers.

Examples of Cambridge titles now available to us online include:

Annual Review of Applied Linguistics
Arabic Sciences and Philosophy
BioSocieties
British Journal of Music Education
Cambridge Archaeological Journal
Classical Quarterly
Edinburgh Journal of Botany
Environment and Development Economics
European Review of Economic History
Glasgow Mathematical Journal
Journal of Asian Studies
Journal of Plasma Physics
Journal of the Society for American Music
Journal of Tropical Ecology
Modern Intellectual History
Politics and Gender
Social Anthropology
Visual Neuroscience

Examples of Wiley titles now available to us online include:

Annalen der Physik
Developmental Neurobiology
Geoarchaeology: An International Journal
German Research
International Journal of Finance and Economics
International Journal of Health Planning and Management
Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology
Journal of Consumer Behaviour
Journal of Organizational Behavior
Journal of Physical Organic Chemistry
Numerical Linear Algebra with Applications
Polymer Engineering and Science
Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications
Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry
Sustainable Development

New Exhibit Chronicles the History of Stony Brook University

Special Collections and University Archives has created a new exhibit that chronicles 50 years of Stony Brook University. The display features over 100 photographs, posters, and brochures from the archives that highlight defining moments in the University's history.

The exhibit is located on the second floor of the Melville Library, between Special Collections and the Javits Room.

Time to Renew

All students must be registered for the Winter or Spring semester in order to qualify for library borrowing privileges. After registering, it can take 24 to 36 hours for registration information to be reflected on your borrowing record. At that time, you may renew your material at the library or online.

All students who currently have library materials checked out must return them before Dec. 21, 2007 or renew them online via their STARS account in order to avoid late fees. Items that have been renewed more than three times must be returned in person. You will then be able to check them back out if necessary.

All library patrons are responsible for checking their STARS accounts online to ensure that items have been properly renewed and that no materials are overdue. Patrons are liable for any library fines accrued.

For information on how to renew via STARS, please go to the URL:
http://sunysb.edu/~library/services/circulation/borrowing.html#renew

To renew in person, please present your ID card to service desk staff. It is not necessary to bring the material into the library in order to have them renewed. There are no phone renewals. Thank you.

Norman Mailer, 1923-2007

The library has a great deal of information by, and about, the late Norman Mailer.

In STARS, the library catalog, you can find materials by searching:

• Mailer as Author
• Criticism and Interpretation of Mailer’s work
• Interviews with Mailer
  

Sci. & Eng. Library Closed Fri 5pm thru Saturday

The Science and Engineering Library's 1st floor will be closed from 5pm Friday (Nov 9) through Saturday (Nov 10) while new flooring is installed in the front entrance area.

The 2nd floor of Science and Engineering will be accessible through the Central Reading Room.

For urgently needed materials please ask at the Central Reading Room Reference Desk and we will try to accommodate your request.

The library is expected to resume normal hours on Sunday (Nov 11).

New Videos! The Criterion Collection

The Library has acquired about 85% of The Criterion Collection of DVDs, and will continue to collect titles as they are produced. The collection includes about 400 movies in DVD format, a little over half of which have already been cataloged and added to the Video Collection on the Library's Third Floor.

The Criterion Collection is a continuing series of the greatest classic and contemporary films from around the world published in editions that offer the highest technical quality and award-winning, original supplements. Criterion began with a mission to pull the treasures of world cinema out of the film vaults and put them in the hands of collectors. All of the films published under the Criterion banner represent cinema at its finest.

The foundation of the collection is the work of such masters of cinema as Renoir, Godard, Kurosawa, Cocteau, Fellini, Bergman, Tarkovsky, Hitchcock, Fuller, Lean, Kubrick, Lang, Sturges, Dreyer, Eisenstein, Ozu, Sirk, Bunuel, Powell and Pressburger. Each film is presented uncut, in its original aspect ratio, as its maker intended it to be seen. For every disc, Criterion tracks down the best available film elements in the world, uses state-of-the-art telecine equipment and a select few colorists capable of meeting our rigorous standards, and takes time during the film-to-video digital transfer to create the most pristine possible image and sound. It works with directors and cinematographers to assure that the look of releases does justice to their intentions. Supplements enable viewers to appreciate Criterion films in context, through audio commentaries by filmmakers and scholars, restored director's cuts, deleted scenes, documentaries, shooting scripts, early shorts, and storyboards. [reproduced in part from The Criterion site]

For example, the collection includes such works as:

3 Films by Louis Malle
8-1/2
Alexander Nevsky
Early Spring
Elevator to the Gallows
Harakiri
Hiroshima Mon Amour
Miss Julie
The Man Who Fell to Earth
Pandora's Box
Peeping Tom
The Scarlett Empress
The Wages of Fear
Winterlight
Jimi Plays Monterey

and a longer list can be found by searching STARS .

Science of Synthesis Workshop

A workshop on how to use the online version of the Science of Synthesis
Thursday, November 8th from 3:30pm -4:30pm
Library Classroom A, Central Reading Room, 1st Floor of the Melville Library

About the Science of Synthesis
The premier reference source for organic and organometallic synthetic strategies. Search over 18,000 reactions and 80,000 structures. In addition, access to the entire archive of the classic reference work Houben-Weyl is available. Houben-Weyl contains over 146,000 experimental synthetic procedures, 580,000 structures and 700,000 references in synthetic organic chemistry dating from the 1800s.

Access the Science of Synthesis.

Please email Dana Antonucci at dana.antonucci@stonybrook.edu if you plan on attending.

November Library Workshop

Citations: How to read ‘em & how to write ‘em
Wednesday, November 7, 2007 @1 PM
Library Classroom A, Central Reading Room

In this workshop you will:

• learn how to recognize a citation for a book, an article, or a website.
• become familiar with the components of a citation and how to locate the source it represents.
• get an overview of different citation styles one can use when writing an article or paper.
• learn why correct usage is important when trying to avoid plagiarism in your own work.

October Library Workshops

Managing Your Research Using Endnote: Advanced Endnote
Thursday, October 25, 2007 @ 2:00-3:30 PM
Library Classroom A, Central Reading Room

For those who are using EndNote already, but have specific questions or want to learn how to take advantage of all the advanced features and customization options, e.g. customize filters and output styles, attaching pdf documents, attaching objects/images, figure numbering, footnotes, creating term lists, traveling library.


Searching the Internet like a Pro: Tips for Expert Searching
Tuesday, October 23, 2007 @ 2:30 PM
Library Classroom A, Central Reading Room

There is so much more online than you think. Find out about tools and tips for searching online. Whether you’re looking for articles for a research paper or for personal use, this workshop will surely inform. Find out what meta-search engines are and all about the Deep (or Invisible) Web. Also learn a little about evaluating what you find. Bring questions and tips and tricks to share with others, we can all learn from each other. Send questions ahead by email.

National Coming Out Day - Oct. 11

Come out and enjoy a full day of events for Stony Brook's first Annual National Coming Out Day, including the library exhibit.

The library is hosting an exhibit for National Coming Out Day on Oct.11 - a time for everyone gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and straight - to talk openly and honestly about who they are and why LGBT equality matters to them. The exhibit is located in the Galleria of the Frank Melville Library.

Kristen Nyitray, Head of Special Collections, and Jason Torre, University Archivist, have put together an exhibit using archival material from the Gay and Lesbian Community Collection and the University Archives. This includes memorabilia and materials from the LI Pride Parade and also the LGBT community on campus.

For more information on the collection, go to the Special Collections, Gay and Lesbian Community Collection site.

October Library Workshops

Where are the Journal Articles?
Thursday, October 11, 2007 @2:30 PM
Library Classroom A, Central Reading Room

You’ve been asked to write a research paper using at least three journal articles from peer-reviewed journals. What does that mean and how do you find them?
This workshop will go over what peer-reviewed means, where to find the articles, how to find out if an article is or isn’t peer-reviewed and which databases are best for which subject matter.

STARS: Finding Books and other stuff @ SBU Libraries
Friday, October 5, 2007 @ 11 AM
Library Classroom A, Central Reading Room

STARS is Stony Brook’s online library catalog.
In this workshop learn how to use STARS to:

• Find books
• Find Journals
• Review your borrower information
• Renew books online
• Get Course Reserves
• Plus much more...
  

September Library Workshops

Library Research: The Basics
Monday, September 24, 2007 @ 3 PM
You have a 15 page paper due and don’t know where to begin. In this workshop, learn how to get started doing research, where to look for information (books, articles, and websites), narrowing your topic down, using subject headings vs. keywords, evaluating sources and creating a bibliography.

Managing Your Research Using Endnote: Basic Skills
Friday, September 28, 2007 @ 10:00 AM – 11:30 PM

Creating the bibliography is often the most tedious part of writing a research paper. Using EndNote, a bibliographic management software program, this task just became much easier. In this workshop learn the basics of: how to download results from a literature search into EndNote, and then into a MS Word document, and manage several lists at the same time.

Upcoming Library Workshops

The following Library Workshops are scheduled for September, October, and November. This is an at-a-glance overview of what we're offering this semester. More detailed announcements will be posted closer to the individual workshop dates.

All workshops take place in Library Classroom A in the Central Reading Room. They last about one hour, unless otherwise noted. More information about workshops and registration can be found on the Instruction webpage.

Sep 24, 3.00-4.00 -- Library Research: The Basics
Sep 28, 10.00-12.30 -- Managing Your Research Using EndNote: Basic Skills
Oct 5, 11.00-12.00 -- STARS: Finding Books and Other Stuff @ SBU Libraries
Oct 11, 2.30-3.30 -- Where Are the Journal Articles?
Oct 17, 1.00- 2.00 -- Extreme Googling
Oct 18, 2.00-3.30 -- Managing Your Research Using EndNote: Basic Skills
Oct 23, 2.30-3.30 -- Searching the Internet Like a Pro: Tips for Expert Searching
Oct 25, 2.00-3.30 -- Managing Your Research Using EndNote: Advanced EndNote
Nov 7, 1.00-2.00 -- Citations: How to Read 'em & How to Write 'em

Library Tours

Take a tour of the Melville Library’s main public service areas. Learn about our collections and services and get some freebies while you’re here. Meet us @ the Central Reading Room, Melville Library. All tours run about 30 minutes. Check the Library Instruction-Tours website for more details.

The Fall Semester Tour Schedule:

September 7 @ 11AM
September 12 @ 1 PM
September 20 @ 2:30 PM
September 26 @ 1 PM
October 2 @ 4 PM
October 12 @ 1 PM

Summer Borrowing Privileges

All students (including doctoral candidates) must be registered for the Summer or Fall semester in order to qualify for Summer library borrowing privileges.

After registering, it can take 24 to 36 hours for registration information to be reflected on your borrowing record. At that time, you may renew your material at the library or online. All library patrons are responsible for checking their STARS accounts online to ensure that items have been properly renewed and that no materials are overdue. Patrons are liable for any library fines accrued.

Thank you for your cooperation.

It's Time to Renew Your Library Material

Faculty, Management Confidential, Emeritus and Professional staff who currently have library material with a due date of May 15, 2007 from the Main, Music and/or the Science/Engineering Library are urged to renew at this time. The new due date, after properly renewing, will be Dec. 21, 2007.

Information on how to renew online via STARS/OPAC

To renew in person, please present your ID card to service desk staff. It is not necessary to bring the material into the library in order to have them renewed. There are no phone renewals. There is a three time renewal limit per book. Thank you.

Melville Library Author Series Elof Carlson to Discuss His Book "Times of Triumph, Times of Doubt: Science and the Battle for Public Trust"

Thursday, April 26 at 4:30 p.m. - Javits Room, Melville Library (second floor)

The intent and uses of science are a continuing preoccupation, especially in public debates on issues such as new pharmaceuticals, cloning, stem cells, genetically modified foods, and assisted reproduction. Times of Triumph, Times of Doubt, written by eminent geneticist and historian Elof Carlson, explores the moral foundations of science and their role in these hot button issues.
Sponsored by the University Libraries.

Elof Carlson is Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus, Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology at Stony Brook University.

Melville Library Author Series Paul Edelson to Discuss His Book "Drawing on Experience in Adult and Continuing Education"

Tuesday, April 17 at 4:30 p.m. - Javits Room, Melville Library (second floor)

Based upon his experiences and scholarship, Dr. Paul Edelson, Dean of the School of Professional Development, will present an overview of present-day continuing higher education from the perspective of a senior level administrator. His book examines continuing education as it is practiced in an urban community college, at a major national museum, and at a premier research university. Topics to be discussed include program development and administration, leadership, creativity and innovation, e-learning, staffing, budgeting, and the culture of higher education. Reception to follow.
Sponsored by the University Libraries.

Extreme Googling Workshop - April 11

Extreme Googling Workshop
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Central Reading Room, classroom A
12 PM

Melville Library Author Series Shirley Lim to Discuss "A Feeling of Belonging: Asian American Women's Popular Culture, 1930-1960"

Wednesday, April 11 at 7 p.m. - Javits Room, Melville Library (second floor)

In A Feeling of Belonging, Shirley Lim highlights the cultural activities of young, predominantly unmarried Asian American women from 1930 to 1960. This period marks a crucial generation—the first in which American-born Asians formed a critical mass and began to make their presence felt in the United States. Dr. Lim traces the diverse ways in which these young women sought claim to cultural citizenship, exploring such topics as the nation's first Asian American sorority, Chi Alpha Delta; the cultural work of Chinese American actress Anna May Wong; Asian American youth culture and beauty pageants; and the achievement of fame of three foreign-born Asian women in the late 1950s. By wearing poodle skirts, going to the beach, and producing magazines, she argues, they asserted not just their American-ness, but their humanity: a feeling of belonging.

Shirley Lim is Assistant Professor of History at Stony Brook University.

Melville Library Author Series Stephen Spector to Discuss "Operation Solomon: The Daring Rescue of Ethiopian Jews"

Wednesday, March 28 at 4 p.m. - Javits Room, Melville Library (second floor)

"Operation Solomon" was one of the most remarkable rescue efforts in modern history, in which more than 14,000 Ethiopian Jews were airlifted to Israel in little more than a day. Now, in this riveting volume, Stephen Spector offers the definitive account of this incredible story, based on over 200 interviews and exclusive access to confidential documents. Spector recounts how 20,000 Jews were willingly lured from their ancestral villages to Addis Ababa, expecting to be taken quickly from there to the Holy Land. Instead, they became pawns in a struggle between the Israeli government and Ethiopia's repressive dictator, who tried to coerce Israel into selling him weapons he needed in a losing war against rebel armies. Recounting the full story for the first time, Operation Solomon is a stirring account of a heroic rescue achieved in the face of daunting odds.

Stephen Spector is Professor and Chairperson of English at
Stony Brook University.

Video/DVD Collection is MOVING

The Video/DVD Collection is moving . . .

Where: Main Library Stacks, 3rd Floor
When: April 2nd—6th, 2007 (During Spring Break)

Only class reserves will be available during this time.

Full service resumes: April 9th, 2007.

2 day loans checked out March 29 & 30th
and
7 day loans checked out March 24—30th

will be due on April 9th

Library Copy Card Update

The West Campus libraries will be implementing some changes during the spring semester, by converting some of our photocopy machines in order to utilize the university I.D. card for making copies.

Please use up any photo-copy cards (Copy Mate or Standard Security) that you may still own. These copy cards will still be usable during the spring semester in a restricted manner - not all service units will have a copier that will accept these copy cards. There will be no refunds for any unused value left on these cards. If there are any questions please call 632-7138 for information.

Endnote Training. Feb 28 at 1.00pm

Managing Your Research Using Endnote: Basic Skills
Wednesday, February 28, 2007 @ 1-2:30 PM
Central Reading Room, Classroom A

Creating the bibliography is often the most tedious part of writing a research paper. Using EndNote, a bibliographic management software program, this task just became much easier.

In this workshop learn:
How to create an EndNote Library
How to download results from a literature search into EndNote
How to organize your EndNote Library
How to insert your references into a MS Word document
How to format your bibliography

STARS Training. Feb 23 at 10.00 am

STARS Intermediate:
Finding Books and other Stuff @ SBU Libraries
Friday, February 23, 2007 @ 10 AM
Central Reading Room, Classroom A

STARS =Stony Brook’s online catalog

Learn how to …
Find books
Find journals
Review your borrower information
Renew books online
Check Course Reserves
Plus much more

New Exhibit Chronicles Stony Brook University

A new exhibit in the North Reading Room of the Main Library titled "From Forests and Fields to Bricks and Mortar" illustrates the growth of Stony Brook University through the use of images from the vast photographic collection maintained by Special Collections and University Archives. It is presented in celebration of Stony Brook University's 50th Anniversary. The exhibit features as its centerpiece the original architectural model used by former University President John S. Toll in the 1960s and early 1970s to plan the campus. Accompanying the 1971 model are 14 aerial photographs and maps that illustrate the rapid growth of the campus and the forecasted impact the University would have on the region.

The exhibit will be on display through May and was organized by Special Collections and University Archives.

Time to Renew !

Faculty, Management Confidential and Professional staff who currently have library materials from the Main, Music and Science/Engineering Libraries with a due date of Dec. 22, 2006 are urged to renew at this time.

The new due date, after properly renewing, will be May 15, 2007.

For information on how to renew via STARS/OPAC, please visit the circulation page.

Use your NetID and NetID password to log in to your account.

To renew in person, please present your ID card to service desk staff. It is not necessary to bring the material into the library in order to have them renewed. There are no phone renewals.

Thank you.

Library and TLT Team Up For Workshops

On January 10th and 11th Stony Brook's new Teaching, Learning and Technology Department (CELT, Educational Technologies & Instructional Computing) and the Library will be offering workshops for all faculty, staff, and graduate teaching assistants who are interested in exploring teaching, learning and technology. See the registration page for time and day details.

Workshops include:
.: ARTstor - Not Just For Art Classes!
.: Blackboard 7.1 - Classroom management
.: Blackboard 7.1 Discussion Board - New & Improved?
.: Blackboard Faculty Showcase
.: Creating Home Movies
.: Creating Podcasts with Garageband
.: E-Government and Library Resources for New York State and Long Island
.: Empowering Learning in Higher Education - Apple Computers
.: Enhanced Podcasts for Windows using PowerPoint and Producer
.: Introduction to Endnote X
.: Personal Knowledge Management - Strategies and software to handle information overload
.: Podcasting Roundtable
.: Stony Brook Space: The University Libraries' Digital Repository
.: Teaching, Learning and Technology Resources at Stony Brook University
.: Ten Surprising Web Resources to Help Undergraduate Research
.: The Power and Pitfalls of Google Scholar
.: The TEACH Act for Instructors

Registration is free, however you must register for each workshop that you would like to attend.

To register and for more information, visit our registration website: http://apu.celt.sunysb.edu/joomla/

Sessions that have fewer then 5 participants will be canceled.


If you have questions, please contact :

Diana Pedagno Voss
Coordinator of Instructional Computing Services

University Libraries Acquire American Revolution Wartime Letter

Stony Brook University Libraries has acquired an American Revolution wartime letter from General Nathaniel Woodhull to General Philip Schuyler written from New York on March 4, 1776.

Nathaniel Woodhull, the eldest son of Nathaniel Wodhull and Sarah Smith, was born at St. George’s Manor, Mastic, Long Island, on December 30, 1722. His first employment was in a military capacity in the war between Great Britain and France from1754-1760. He was appointed major in the Provincial forces of New York and served in the army under General Abercrombie. In 1760, he served as Colonel of the Third Regiment, New York Provincials, under General Jeffrey Amherst, which marched against Montreal and effected the final reduction of Canada. He was appointed to head the combined militias of Suffolk and Queens Counties in 1775.

Nathaniel Woodhull was captured and fatally injured by the British in August of 1776. He died on Sept. 20, 1776, at the age of 54 and was buried at his Mastic home.

Stony Brook’s Special Collections, with a contribution from Dr. Henry Laufer and State funds provided by Assemblyman Steven Englebright acquired a letter from George Washington to Major Benjamin Tallmadge in May 2006. Plans for an exhibition featuring the two letters are in development.

Happy Thanksgiving

Just a reminder that during holidays it's a good idea to check the library website for the libraries' hours: Library Hours

For the Thanksgiving Holiday all libraries close at 5.00pm on Wednesday, Nov 22, and remain closed through Saturday, Nov 25th.

The main library reopens at noon on Sunday the 26th; the Chemistry and Math branches reopen at 2pm.

A Message to BUS 110 Students

In the Fall 2006 semester the librarians provided instruction to approximately 480 of you. You were taught strategies for finding company information through the library’s business databases. How did you all manage? Was the class helpful and did you use our databases? Please take a moment to fill out this short follow-up survey. http://tinyurl.com/yyl9kk

Thank you from Susan Lieberthal, Business Librarian, and the Instruction Librarians of the Stony Brook Libraries.

NY State Library features SBU historical maps site

The Web Team of the New York State Library is featuring SUNY Stony Brook's "New York State Historical Maps" as their "Featured Site" for October 2006.

Each month the NY State Library picks a site that they feel is of interest and use to a large number of New Yorkers, is unique or outstanding in its subject area, and is available online in accessible format. The author is usually a New York State or U.S. government or related agency/group, official standards organization, academic or non-profit organization, etc.

To see the NY State Library Featured Site, go to http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/features/nyslfeat.htm.

Or from the New York State Library's home page at http://www.nysl.nysed.gov, scroll down to the Quick List, and select "Featured Site" from the drop-down menu.

October Library Workshops

Where are the Journal Articles?
Tuesday, October 3, 2006 @1 PM

You’ve been asked to write a research paper using at least three journal articles from peer-reviewed journals. What does that mean and how do you find them? This workshop will go over what peer-reviewed means, where to find the articles, how to find out if an article is or isn’t peer-reviewed and which databases are best for which subject matter.

Library Research: The Basics
Thursday, October 5, 2006 @ 1 PM

You have a 15 page paper due and don’t know where to begin. In this workshop, learn how to get started doing research, where to look for information (books, articles, and websites), narrowing your topic down, using subject headings vs. keywords, evaluating sources and creating a bibliography.

Managing Your Research Using EndNote
Tuesday, October 10, 2006 @ 2 PM

Creating the bibliography is often the most tedious part of writing a research paper. Using EndNote, a bibliographic management software program, this task just became much easier. In this workshop learn the basics of: how to download results from a literature search into EndNote, and then into a MS Word document, and manage several lists at the same time.

Extreme Googling
Wednesday, October 11, 2006 @12 PM

See a Librarian reveal some of the secret powers of Google’s amazing search engine. Learn new ways to defy ignorance and the merely unthinkable. See Google challenge scholarship and lose! Watch as Google redefines the law! Go places you never dreamed were possible sitting down! Discussion and live demonstrations of: Google Images, Google Video, Search Operators, Google Maps, Google Local, Google Earth, Number Searches, Google Statistics, Google Scholar, Definitions, Google Geekery, Google Trends.

Citations: How to Read ’em & How to Write ’em.
Thursday, October 19, 2006 @12 PM

In this workshop you will:
* learn how to recognize a citation for a book, an article, or a website.
* become familiar with the components of a citation and how to locate the source it represents.
* get overview of different citation styles one can use when writing an article or paper.
* learn why correct usage is important when trying to avoid plagiarism in your own work.

Searching the Internet Like a Pro: Tips for Expert Searching
Wednesday, October 25, 2006 @ 11 AM

There is so much more online than you think. Find out about tools and tips for searching online. Whether you’re looking for articles for a research paper or for personal use, this workshop will surely inform. Find out what meta-search engines are and all about the Deep (or Invisible) Web. Also learn a little about evaluating what you find. Bring questions and tips and tricks to share with others, we can all learn from each other. Send questions ahead by email.

To register for a workshop visit the Instruction Webpage.

Library Tours in October

Take a tour of the Melville Library’s main public service areas. Learn about our collections and services and get some freebies while you’re here. Meet us @ the Central Reading Room, Melville Library. All tours run about 25-30 minutes. Check website for more details:

Fri., October 6 @ 10 AM

Wed., October 11 @ 1 PM

Book Sale!

Did you know that the Library sells used books? Our sale shelves are on the third floor of the Main Library, opposite the Circulation Desk. These are mostly gift donations that are not appropriate for our collection or are already owned by the library. There are also books that have been weeded from our stacks. Come and browse hundreds of titles in the following subjects: History, Political Science, General Literature, Computers, Science, Sociology, Philosophy, Religion, Linguistics, Business and Economics. We even have LPs! The prices are 5 books for $1.00 from our "clearance" section, or range from $.50 to $1.50 for most of the other items.

-- DaVid

SUNY Shared Collection

A comprehensive collection of university press books should be available to Stony Brook faculty and students. Toward this goal the university center libraries have launched a pilot project creating a shared collection jointly owned by all SUNY Center (Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, SBU) libraries. While the Stony Brook libraries have collaborated with other libraries in purchasing electronic material, this the first time we have tried such a model for physical items. This year each of the four libraries contributed $10,000 toward the purchase of all the 2006 imprints of eight major university presses. The presses selected are: Michigan, Chicago, Duke, Harvard, Yale, Minnesota, Washington, and Cornell. For our contribution of $10,000 we will have access to $40,000 worth of material. The 2006 imprints will be held at Albany and Binghamton. Stony Brook and Buffalo will house 2007 imprints. Cataloging records will be entered into local catalogs and books off-campus will be requested through interlibrary loan. Faculty and graduate students will have a three-month loan period. If the pilot succeeds, researchers will have easy access to a larger pool of research monographs than Stony Brook alone could afford. The experience for Stony Brook patrons will be similar to having the books in our own stacks.

Attention SBU Authors!

SUNY Membership in BioMed Central through March 2007

SUNY has an institutional membership in BioMed Central (http://www.biomedcentral.com) through March 2007. This membership allows authors at SUNY state operated institutions to submit articles to this publisher of over 100 open access journals (membership fee covers editing and peer review management charges). Thanks to the SUNY Health Science Centers and to the NYS-UUP Joint Labor Management Committee for their assistance in this regard.

STARS Intermediate - Workshop 9/26

STARS Intermediate:
Finding Books and other stuff @ SBU

•STARS =Stony Brook’s online catalog
•Find books
•Journals
•Review your borrower information
•Renew books online
•Course Reserves
•Plus much more

Tuesday, September 26, 2006 @ 10 AM

To register for one of these or any of our other workshops, please click here.

Library Research: The Basics - Workshop 10/5/06

You have a 15-page paper due and don’t know where to begin. In this workshop you can learn how to get started with your research, where to look for information (books, articles, and websites), how to narrow your topic using subject headings or keywords, how to evaluate sources, and how to create a bibliography.

Thursday, October 5, 2006 @ 1 PM

To register for one of these or any of our other workshops, please click here.

OneWebDay: Sept 22, 2006

Sept 22, 2006 marks the first OneWebDay - a day the organizers hope will become an annual event. Modeled after Earth Day, OneWebDay is a day to celebrate online life. Events across the globe have been organized, including one in NYC at The Battery from noon-2.00. Speakers include Craig Newmark from craigslist, Scott Heiferman from Meetup, Drew Schutte from WIRED, Gale Brewer from the NYC City Council, and others.

Read an article about OneWebDay at The Register, or go directly to the OneWebDay (http://www.onewebday.org/) website for more information.

Where are the Journal Articles? Workshop 10/3

You’ve been asked to write a research paper using at least three journal articles from peer-reviewed journals. What does that mean and how do you find them? This workshop will go over what peer-reviewed means, where to find the articles, how to find out if an article is or isn’t peer-reviewed and which databases are best for which subject matter.

Come to our Journal Articles workshop on Oct 3rd at 1.00

To register for one of these or any of our other workshops, please click here.

Melville Library Author Series begins on September 28 at 7:30 p.m.

On Thursday, September 28 at 7:30 p.m., faculty author Fred Gardaphe will discuss his new book From Wiseguys to Wise Men in the Center for Italian Studies, Melville Library, E-4340.

As the real American gangsters of yesterday recede into history, their iconic figures loom larger than ever. From Wiseguys to Wise Men studies the cultural figure of the gangster and explores his social function in the construction and projection of masculinity in the United States. In the hands of Italian-American writers, the gangster becomes a telling figure in the tale of American race, gender, and ethnicity - a figure reflecting the experience of an immigrant group and the fantasy of a native population.

Books will be available for purchase at the program. Reception to follow. Sponsored by the University Libraries and the Center for Italian Studies.

We thank the Circulation staff for their efforts!

by DaVid

The University Library’s Main Circulation Services is happy to report that our Reserve units, both Regular and Electronic, are off to a busy start. As of Tuesday, Sept 12th, there have been 103 submissions for Main Regular Reserve -- over 500 items processed -- and 49 submissions for Main E-Reserve, with 165 scanned articles placed in Blackboard.

Since the opening of classes, we've had 2,557 loans, 179 reserve loans, 198 renewals. We have also checked in 1,306 items and placed 172 holds.

Circulation also welcomes back 18 of our student workers from the Fall/Spring and 5 more who remained with us from the summer. We have an outstanding group of student workers who do a great job helping our users and getting the books back on the shelves in a timely manner.

Sometimes we need just a little help….

Performing research can sometimes be daunting for even the most seasoned researcher. In order to help you make make this task go smoothly the library offers many workshops throughout the semester. Whether your research skills are beginner, intermediate or advanced our librarians are ready and willing to assist you.

Melville Library’s Instruction Team invites all students, faculty and staff to join us for our upcoming workshops:

STARS Intermediate: Finding Books and other stuff @SBU
This workshop takes place on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 @ 10 AM in the Central Reading Room, classroom A. You will learn how to find books and journals, how to review your borrowing information, how to renew books online and more.

Managing Your Research Using Endnote
This workshop will give you the information needed to start using this powerful software program to create your own database of citations. You will learn how you can use it to easily create a bibliography for your research paper. Our first Endnote workshop is scheduled for Friday, September 29, 2006 @10AM in the Central Reading Room, classroom A.

To register for one of these or any of our other workshops, please click here.

Library Tours in September & October

Take a tour of the Melville Library's main public service areas. Learn about our collections and services and get some freebies while you're here. Meet us @ the Central Reading Room, Melville Library. All tours run about 25-30 minutes. Check the Instruction website for more details.

Currently scheduled tours:

Tue, Sep 5 @ 9am, 11am, 1pm, 4pm
Fri, Sep 8 @ 11am
Mon, Sep 11 @ 6pm
Tue, Sep 12 @ 1pm
Wed, Sep 20 @ 11am
Thu, Sep 28 @ 2pm
Fri, Oct 6 @ 10am
Wed, Oct 11 @ 1pm

Important NetID announcement

More Computer Services to use NetID for Authentication

On August 23, 2006 at 8:30 AM the following computer services will change authentication routines to use NetID and NetID password as the only method of authentication:

• Dial in modems Connection to the University

• Campus Wireless service AirNet wireless network (open till 9/1/2006)

• Work-At-Home (VPN) service Encrypted connection to Campus network

• EZ-Proxy Library research databases from off Campus

• STARS Library My Account

To set your NetID sign on to SOLAR and click on Set Your NetID Password.

General information about NetIDs can be found on this Client Services page:
http://clientsupport.stonybrook.edu/public/netid/

Specific information about finding and setting your ID can be found here:
http://clientsupport.stonybrook.edu/public/netid/psswd.shtml

Collection Spotlight: Korean Studies

About the Korean Studies Collection
by Kyungmi Lee

The Korean Studies Collection was established in 1987 to support the teaching and research of faculty and students in the Korean Studies Program at Stony Brook University. Starting with only 100 books, the Korean Studies Collection has steadily increased through the years and now includes more than 20,000 monographs and periodicals. The collection is comprised of a wide range of subject areas including Korean arts, anthropology, folklore, history, linguistics, literature, musicology, religion, philosophy, political science and sociology.

The majority of the collection is in Korean, with large portions in Japanese and Chinese and some European languages; all relate to Korean studies. The collection contains scholarly journals, research papers, and reports as well as dictionaries and historical resources. In addition, there are many North Korean publications, out-of-print publications and rare books.

All of the Korean collection materials are searchable both in English and Korean in STARS. The Melville Library has recently purchased a full-text online database (KISS), the Choson Ilbo Newspaper Archive and an E-book collection to better serve users of the Korean studies collection.

About Korean Studies Online databases

Koreanstudies Information Service System (KISS) is one of the major scholarly databases in the field of Korean studies. This full-text database consists of more than 800,000 journal articles, dissertations and research papers from over 1,200 academic research institutions. Available only to students, staff and faculty of Stony Brook University. http://kiss.kstudy.com/ksikiss.asp

Choson Ilbo Newspaper Archive provides full-text PDF of the Choson Ilbo newspaper (one of the most widely subscribed newspapers in Korea). It is a great reference tool for any Korean studies researchers as it covers happenings from 1920 to present. Available only to students, staff and faculty of Stony Brook University. http://kiss.kstudy.com/archive/Main.asp

E-books: Provides over 1,500 monographs in humanities, social sciences, medical science, etc, Titles in E-book collection are available at http://kiss.kstudy.com/ebook/list.asp

For more information about the Korean studies collection, please visit the Korean Studies Collection Website at http://ms.cc.sunysb.edu/~kyllee/index.htm

Using Library Resources Saves You Time and Money

by Karen Kostner

When that research paper is assigned do you ever wish you had better resources than those Google often retrieves? While you may get about 30,000,000 hits, seldom are they of much substance for academic research. Sure, sometimes you hit the jackpot right away, but other times you end up wasting your efforts sifting through an endless number of websites or you’re asked to pay to access that perfect article. How can you tell if that article is even good enough to include in your paper, when you know anyone can publish anything on the web? And what if your professor says you cannot use the internet? Then what? Shouldn’t research be easier?

Well it can be easier and quicker if you have the right tools-and the Melville Library has those tools for you. The library subscribes to many, many article indexes and full-text databases where perhaps the exact article/s that you were looking for can be found quickly and easily and probably in full-text. That means the whole article is there for printing or downloading free of charge to you. These databases are often searched differently* than Google, retrieving results that are much more focused and precise thus saving you time and money. We also have e-books and many other resources. Excited? To learn more, read on and also check out our website.

The library not only provides the resources, but also gives you the know-how to use them. Throughout the semester there are many opportunities to take workshops that increase your awareness of what the library has and to help make your lives easier when conducting research. Whether you want to know how to find articles in the databases, how to use the internet more effectively, how to avoid plagiarism or how to manage your research using a software program called EndNote, we have a workshop just for you. If you do not see a workshop convenient to your schedule, we can arrange one for any group or class of 5 or more. In addition, we are dedicated to providing help on an individual basis at the reference desk or through a private consultation.

Any finally, for those do-it-yourselfers out there, we have an in-depth tutorial describing the whole research process, step-by-step. You may also check our Instruction page for links to other resources like research guides and tutorials.

Hope to see you at the library! We always welcome questions or comments:

Karen Kostner, Assistant Instruction Librarian.

* Just remember when using the databases think in terms of concepts and keywords. Do not type in a sentence. Join the keywords together using Boolean operators: AND, OR and NOT.

AND retrieves records that contain both terms, therefore it narrows your search.
For example: cats AND dogs. All articles retrieved must contain both cats AND dogs.

OR retrieves records that contain either term; thereby broadening your search.
Example: cats OR dogs. Results are all articles with cats and all articles with dogs.

NOT omits records that that you do not want, narrows your search.
Example: cats NOT dogs, retrieves all articles with cats but omits those that also contain dogs.

Library Staff Welcome New Students

by Susan Lieberthal

The Library Staff at the Melville Library has been participating all summer in the numerous orientation days organized for new incoming students at Stony Brook. Orientation begins in the lobby of the SAC. Several vendors and university departments take tables to show the services they offer students. The library staff started off using the counter at the north side of the lobby. This seemed to marginalize us and lately we have taken one of the tables in order to be closer to the flow of students and their parents.

We have distributed some leaflets about the library and the campus in general. We have also given out many “freebies” consisting of refrigerator magnets with the library’s URL printed on it, and post-its with the library’s URL printed on them. The library is in possession of a large green table covering with our logo and this is laid out on the table before each orientation. We also have a screen shot of our home page which has been made into a laminated board and sits nicely on the table.

The magnets have proven very popular with parents. However, pointing out the URL on the magnet has been a useful way to talk to students about our rich database collection that is available to them once they have their student ID.

The library staff began by staffing every orientation. It soon became clear that our time was not spent in a constructive way on the days when there were the very small orientations for specialized groups. We therefore decided to participate only when the large groups had their orientation. I for one was very busy welcoming students, their parents, handing out freebies and bragging about how many databases we had.

Being part of the orientation has been very important for our image. Also the friendly welcome, and help directing people to the orientation tables, Seawolves café and restrooms has gone a long way towards welcoming everyone to Stony Brook and all that it has to offer them.

Bibliographer Extraordinare!

Janet Clarke, selector for Asian American Studies (and Head of Library Instruction), was a contributing bibliographer for the forthcoming Resources for College Libraries (RCL), which is the long-awaited update to Books for College Libraries, 3rd edition (BCL3), published in 1988. RCL, a print and web resource on essential books for college library collections, will be available in Fall, 2006.

Janet’s contributions to this work are significant: she has incorporated scholarly and creative works germane to the undergraduate Asian American Studies curriculum into the new edition of RCL. The 1988 edition contained no subject headings for Asian American Studies, and less than 20 titles scattered across other traditional disciplines, even though Asian American Studies courses have been taught since 1969. In this new edition of RCL, Asian American Studies has its own chapter with about 1,000 titles.

There has been a considerable increase in scholarly and literary publishing since BCL3 was published. Contemporary works from the late 1980’s to present are emphasized in RCL, with some older classical works included even if they are out-of-print or available only as reprints.

When asked about her work on this project, Janet remarked: "Those of us in the field knew there was a real need for a collection development resource like RCL for Asian American Studies, so I felt very excited to be part of this project."

More information about Resources for College Libraries is available from http://www.rclweb.net/

Avoiding Plagiarism

by Susan Kaufman

What is all the buzz about plagiarism today and why does it really matter? Consider the following:

• Doris Kearns Goodwin, a Pulitzer winning historian for her book, No Ordinary Time (1995), full professor at Harvard, commentator on celebrated news hours and judge for the Pulitzer competition recently acknowledged lifting several passages from other authors for her 1987 best seller The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys. She was forced to resign from these positions. In addition, several universities withdrew their initiations for speaking engagements.
  

• David Kelly, weapons inspector and advisor to the British Ministry of Defense believed the weapons inspection report in Iraq was inaccurate and soon after Tony Blair authorized involvement in the war on Iraq, Kelly committed suicide.
  

• Joe Biden, a democratic presidential hopeful, was accused of plagiarism regarding certain passages in speeches and interviews he borrowed from British politician Neil Kinnock. He withdrew is candidacy.
  

• Eugene Tobin, the President of Hamilton College, resigned after admitting to improperly attributing his sources in a speech he gave to incoming freshmen.
  

• The president of Southwest Texas State University resigned when his dissertation was found to be plagiarized. He lost not only his job but his doctorate was well.
  

Today, more than ever, it is very easy to commit plagiarism. We cut and paste the information we find online without regard to where it comes from and who wrote it. Why should we, if it is on the net, it must be ok to use: it is just information; it is free information… not exactly.

Plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of somebody else’s words, ideas, images, sounds or creative expression. It includes having a friend write a paper for you, submitting the same paper for more than one class and downloading or buying a term paper from the web. Another’s work includes laboratory data, computer programs, physical models, chemical samples, photographs, tables and graphs. In other words, whatever isn’t your idea or work is plagiarism, except for one thing: common knowledge. You do not have to cite common knowledge.

What is common knowledge? Common knowledge is an idea(s) taken for granted by people knowledgeable about the topic. Facts easily found in standard reference books are considered common knowledge. In some disciplines, information covered in class lectures do not need acknowledgement. Some interpretive ideas also are so well accepted that they don’t need referencing, such as the idea that Picasso is a distinguished modernist painter or that smoking is harmful to health.

If you would like to learn more about plagiarism, a workshop is being offered by the library. You will learn misconceptions about plagiarism as well as strategies that can be used to keep yourself from getting into very hot water….like expulsion from the university….ouch.

For detailed information about this and other library workshops, see http://sunysb.edu/~library/services/instruction or call 632-7110 for registration.

July 3rd Library Hours

Library Schedule for July 3 (Monday)

Circulation, Central Reading Room (CRR) and North Reading Room (NRR) will be open as follows:
CIRCULATION + NRR 8:30 AM - 9:00 PM
CRR 8:30 AM - 11:00 PM

All branch libraries - including Math/Physics, Computer Science, Chemistry, MASIC and Music - will be closed at 5 p.m.

Library Staff Acknowledged

It's always nice to know your work is appreciated!

Three Melville library staff have been recognized by author Frederick Brown in the Acknowledgments section of his latest book Flaubert: A Biography (Little, Brown, and Company: 2006). Donna Sammis from Interlibrary Loan, David Weiner from Circulation, and former staffer Kathleen Horan, also from Circulation, were praised by Brown for their "indulgence and unstinting efforts on [his] behalf".

For Sammis, this is at least the third book in which her skill in providing interlibrary loan materials has been recognized. In 2004, Amanda Frisken credited Sammis for assistance in confirming Woodhull's lecture tours in the book entitled Victoria Woodhull's Sexual Revolution: Political Theater and the Popular Press in Nineteenth-Century America (Univ. of Pennsylvania Press). Thomas Kerth, in the preface to his translation of Ulrich von Zatzikhoven's Lanzelet (Columbia Univ. Press: 2005), kindly states that the bibliographic portions of his work would not have been possible without the assistance of the Interlibrary Loan department and specifically thanks Sammis for her active interest in the project.