Monday, September 22, 2008
Thursday Evening, September 25, 2008, 6:00 - 8:00 pm
The elctronic databases will not be available on Thursday, September 25, 2008, from 6:00 - 8:00 pm. The campus email we received last week referred to anything hosted off campus not being available. Banner, which is hosted on campus, will be available.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
SPSS
I just had a patron in Media asking about the availability of SPSS software or the SPSS database for Social Sciences. Her professor is Mr. Harvey. Anyone know about this? Thanks
Friday, September 5, 2008
BlackBoard Login
Your old login for BlackBoard will not work anymore. It has been changed to your regular university login. It has not been updated with instructional materials this year since we have LibGuides.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Check This Out
A Most Interesting New Service/Site.
NYTimes: September 3, 2008, 10:05 am
An Alternative to the Glut of Opinions Online
By Claire Cain Miller http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/author/cmiller/
Google a controversial topic and you will be swamped with blogs and message boards filled with readers' thoughts, some insightful, others biased or not factual. Russell Fine hopes to provide an alternative with Opposing Views http://www.opposingviews.com, a Web site that went live in July. It presents debates between two experts on either side of controversial issues, along with reader responses.
"Our basic mantra is to focus on issues people really care about, the things that keep you up at night, and our goal is to provide you a way to become educated and well-informed," Mr. Fine said.
The experts, who are not paid to contribute to the site, make their case in point and counter-point debate format. They break down their arguments using bullet points and can add supporting videos or documents. Opposing Views posts recent news articles on each topic, and users can start discussion threads on particular points of an expert's argument. Readers can search for debates that are "most heated" or have generated the "most objections."
Experts from LifeWay Christian Resources and the American Public Health Association debate whether schools should teach abstinence-only sex education, for example. Representatives from Save the Internet and the CATO Institute debate net neutrality and a porn star and member of the National Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families debate whether pornography harms the country. (Mr. Fine acknowledged that most arguments are not black and white and promised multi-sided debating on the site sometime soon.)
Mr. Fine, who co-founded the horse-racing and online-wagering site Youbet.com, hatched the idea for Opposing Views two years ago, after turning to the Internet to research the death penalty. He found he had to jump from site to site to get a broad range of opinions on the issue. Missing from the Web, he thought: a service that presented the expert viewpoints of both sides of an issue in one place.
That sounds a lot like what newspapers aim to do. Is this site yet another step in the exodus of readers from print versions of papers to the Web?
Mr. Fine claims not. For one, he said, Opposing Views doesn't report events. Instead, Mr. Fine wants the discussion on the site to go beyond news stories and therefore complement newspapers. "It's more like an op-ed for the reader who really cares about something they read about and wants to dig deeper and read both sides," he said.
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/03/an-alternative-to-the-glut-of-opinions-online/index.html
NYTimes: September 3, 2008, 10:05 am
An Alternative to the Glut of Opinions Online
By Claire Cain Miller http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/author/cmiller/
Google a controversial topic and you will be swamped with blogs and message boards filled with readers' thoughts, some insightful, others biased or not factual. Russell Fine hopes to provide an alternative with Opposing Views http://www.opposingviews.com, a Web site that went live in July. It presents debates between two experts on either side of controversial issues, along with reader responses.
"Our basic mantra is to focus on issues people really care about, the things that keep you up at night, and our goal is to provide you a way to become educated and well-informed," Mr. Fine said.
The experts, who are not paid to contribute to the site, make their case in point and counter-point debate format. They break down their arguments using bullet points and can add supporting videos or documents. Opposing Views posts recent news articles on each topic, and users can start discussion threads on particular points of an expert's argument. Readers can search for debates that are "most heated" or have generated the "most objections."
Experts from LifeWay Christian Resources and the American Public Health Association debate whether schools should teach abstinence-only sex education, for example. Representatives from Save the Internet and the CATO Institute debate net neutrality and a porn star and member of the National Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families debate whether pornography harms the country. (Mr. Fine acknowledged that most arguments are not black and white and promised multi-sided debating on the site sometime soon.)
Mr. Fine, who co-founded the horse-racing and online-wagering site Youbet.com, hatched the idea for Opposing Views two years ago, after turning to the Internet to research the death penalty. He found he had to jump from site to site to get a broad range of opinions on the issue. Missing from the Web, he thought: a service that presented the expert viewpoints of both sides of an issue in one place.
That sounds a lot like what newspapers aim to do. Is this site yet another step in the exodus of readers from print versions of papers to the Web?
Mr. Fine claims not. For one, he said, Opposing Views doesn't report events. Instead, Mr. Fine wants the discussion on the site to go beyond news stories and therefore complement newspapers. "It's more like an op-ed for the reader who really cares about something they read about and wants to dig deeper and read both sides," he said.
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/03/an-alternative-to-the-glut-of-opinions-online/index.html
Oxford (formerly Grove) Online
There is an issue with Oxford's proxy server so they have given us a temporary username/password for Oxford Music Online and Oxford Art Online. It is wssurams for both.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Assignment for James Braswell: 3 definitions of good health
I had two questions at the reference desk and Mel had the same question yesterday on the following:
Students have the assignment of finding three sources (any format - magazine, newspaper, book, etc) providing 3 definitions of good health. I spoke to the instructor, James Braswell via phone. He said that students are to find 3 sources outside of the textbook that provide at least 3 components of good health. These can be dealing with personal hygiene, diet, wellness or any other aspect "good health."
I tried to use Acaedmic Search Premier because there is the option of limiting results to magazines, journals, etc. I had little to no success. I am still looking and I will email one student a bit later. This is a heads up to everyone else. If anyone has any sugesstions, please share.
Students have the assignment of finding three sources (any format - magazine, newspaper, book, etc) providing 3 definitions of good health. I spoke to the instructor, James Braswell via phone. He said that students are to find 3 sources outside of the textbook that provide at least 3 components of good health. These can be dealing with personal hygiene, diet, wellness or any other aspect "good health."
I tried to use Acaedmic Search Premier because there is the option of limiting results to magazines, journals, etc. I had little to no success. I am still looking and I will email one student a bit later. This is a heads up to everyone else. If anyone has any sugesstions, please share.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
CETL Calendar
For students and faculty asking at the Reference Desk for classes, if it is not a library class, it could be taking place in CETL. To get to their calendar through the WSSU Web site, go to: http://cf.wssu.edu/workshop/ws_registerDirectURL.cfm?ws_sponsor=CITTLE.
There is another calendar that pertains only to their lab. It is a public folder in Outlook. Go to “Public Folder,” go to “All Public Folders” > “CITTLE Labs” calendar > “Multimedia Lab” calendar.
There is another calendar that pertains only to their lab. It is a public folder in Outlook. Go to “Public Folder,” go to “All Public Folders” > “CITTLE Labs” calendar > “Multimedia Lab” calendar.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Dr. Davis assignment/200 black males from NC
Hello all
We can use the African American Studies Center for the assignment that we all know about, where students have to find 200 black males from North Carolina. I found two "tried and true" resources.
African American Studies Center
I used the African American Studies Center database.
When you access it, go to "Search" in the top left, and then click on "biographies."
You can set your search limits to "males" and birth place to North Carolina. Then click search, and it gives 173 males born in North Carolina.
Africana Encyclopedia (DT14 .A37435 2005 )
The students can look up "North Carolina" as an entry or browse the names for those affiliated with North Carolina.
There are probably other resources, but these are the simplest to explain.
We can use the African American Studies Center for the assignment that we all know about, where students have to find 200 black males from North Carolina. I found two "tried and true" resources.
African American Studies Center
I used the African American Studies Center database.
When you access it, go to "Search" in the top left, and then click on "biographies."
You can set your search limits to "males" and birth place to North Carolina. Then click search, and it gives 173 males born in North Carolina.
Africana Encyclopedia (DT14 .A37435 2005 )
The students can look up "North Carolina" as an entry or browse the names for those affiliated with North Carolina.
There are probably other resources, but these are the simplest to explain.
Monday, April 7, 2008
JSTOR new look
Hello all
We have another surprise with a database. If you have not noticed, JSTOR has a new look. This is a heads up just in case someone has an instruction class this week. You may want to take a look to make sure that you can navigate it the same way you were used to in the past.
We have another surprise with a database. If you have not noticed, JSTOR has a new look. This is a heads up just in case someone has an instruction class this week. You may want to take a look to make sure that you can navigate it the same way you were used to in the past.
Reference Desk Outlook
In order for the Outlook email to update on the pc at the Reference Desk you have to click on "Send/Receive" on the toolbar. Be sure to do this each time you are scheduled at the desk and check the email.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Follow-Up Dr. Simmons
Last week, I sent an email about Dr. Simmons sending her students to the library to find scholarly articles using "print journals only." I spoke to her on the phone Thursday evening and told her that the students would have to locate the articles electronically. She said that she would change her assignment and instruct her students to as us how to use the databases to find articles on their topic.
The topics are very general and they only have to find one article. I would suggest showing them Academic Search Premier, limiting the search for their topic to full-text, Scholarly (Peer reviewed).
The topics are very general and they only have to find one article. I would suggest showing them Academic Search Premier, limiting the search for their topic to full-text, Scholarly (Peer reviewed).
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Dr. Simmons/English assignment (IMPORTANT)
Hello All
Dr. Simmons has required her students to find a "peer-reviewed article from the journals that we have in the reference section" on a specific topic. I have helped two of her students and Mr. Foster has helped a couple of students as well. As we know, it is almost impossible to do this without an index of some sort.
I have helped them find articles on the databases, and I also called her to explain to her the problem with her assignment. While I wait for her call back to me, this is just a heads up in case one of you get approached by one of her students.
Dr. Simmons has required her students to find a "peer-reviewed article from the journals that we have in the reference section" on a specific topic. I have helped two of her students and Mr. Foster has helped a couple of students as well. As we know, it is almost impossible to do this without an index of some sort.
I have helped them find articles on the databases, and I also called her to explain to her the problem with her assignment. While I wait for her call back to me, this is just a heads up in case one of you get approached by one of her students.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
IEEE database link
Ms. Poole just pointed out to me that the IEEE link was going to the wrong place. I corrected the link in the Serials Solutions Admin site, and it will take effect tomorrow.
If anyone asks for the correct link before tomorrow it is: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/
If anyone asks for the correct link before tomorrow it is: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/
Thursday, January 24, 2008
EBSCO Databases
All EBSCO databases are down and their tech support is working to resolve the issue. When we receive word that all is well, I will let you know.
-Leak
-Leak
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Student passwords for logging in to computers
Hello
Tamiko from the helpdesk came by the technical assistance, reference, circulation desks and told us hints to identify whether or not students should use social security or banner id numbers for passwords when logging on to computers.
EXAMPLE:
Student name is Brian Johnson.
If email address is abbreviated, like bjohn023@wssu.edu then their password is their social.
If email address is the whole last name like, bjohnson107@wssu.edu then their password is their banner id number.
-Leak
Tamiko from the helpdesk came by the technical assistance, reference, circulation desks and told us hints to identify whether or not students should use social security or banner id numbers for passwords when logging on to computers.
EXAMPLE:
Student name is Brian Johnson.
If email address is abbreviated, like bjohn023@wssu.edu then their password is their social.
If email address is the whole last name like, bjohnson107@wssu.edu then their password is their banner id number.
-Leak
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