Pardon the 1st-floor dust & noise

Posted on February 29, 2008 by Barbara

You may notice for the next week or week and a half that there is some work being done on the Library’s first floor (the periodicals, media center, & compact shelving floor). One of the sets of restrooms on that floor is being de-commissioned, and there may be some noise while this is going on.

For a short time the elevator access to the 1st floor will be affected. Patrons needing to use the elevator to get to and from the 1st floor will need to ask Library staff for assistance.

Thank you  for your patience.

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New Free Legal Research Site Online

Posted on February 28, 2008 by Barbara

As you may know, the University Library provides two subscription legal research databases (LexisNexis Academic and West’s Campus Research). There are also free legal research sites such as FindLaw; see the Library’s Law Resources web page for links.

Public Library of Law logo

A new free site, currently in beta, is The Public Library of Law. I haven’t played with it extensively, but it looks promising. Available there: federal and state court cases and rules, statutes and constitutions, regulations, and legal forms.

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It’s YOUR web: Do you add content?

Posted on February 27, 2008 by Barbara

Do you “publish” on the Web, or are you a lurker? User-created content on the Internet is extremely popular–what effects might it have on journalism? advertising? social relationships? politics? and more…

Participative Web 2.0 cover

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development reports, based on data from the Pew Internet & American Life Project, that “over one-third of all US Internet users have posted content to the Internet” and 25% of Internet users under the age of 30 have blogs.

The 2007 report lists YouTube as the fourth most-popular web site worldwide, while a more recent visit to the source of this information, Alexa.com, finds it moved up to number two (the ranking is updated daily). Other web sites of user-created content in the top 10 globally are MySpace, Facebook, Hi5, and Wikipedia.

The full report, Participative web and user-created content: web 2.0, wikis and social networking, is available online. It discusses the types of user-created content, active Internet participation in several countries, possible economic and social impacts and implications for policy and business.

Government Printing Office logo

The University Library is a federal depository with many federal, state, local, and international documents on a variety of current and relevant issues available to you in print, microfiche, CD-ROM, and electronically. Come check out your government at the University Library!

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New Stuff Tuesday – February 26

Posted on February 26, 2008 by kyle

The Baroque World of Fernando Botero

The Baroque World of Fernando Botero
by John Sillevis
N6679 .B6 A4 2006
New Book Island, 2nd floor

Here we go again with more pretty pictures and coffee table books!

If you’re not familiar with Fernando Botero, you should be. His rotund artistic subjects epitomize the Colombian-born artist’s paintings. This week’s featured book puts his work on display, literally, as the book is based on the exhibition (similar to the NST book from August 21) that has toured North America. In addition to spotlighting many of his influential works, the volume contains three critical essays by art scholars. I recommend paging through the book and take in some interesting paintings.

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LibQUAL Survey: Help the Library Serve You Better

Posted on February 25, 2008 by Barbara

Many of you will be receiving an email asking you to complete the LibQUAL+ survey. This survey, developed by the Association of Research Libraries, is used by many libraries nationally to measure library users’ perceptions of the quality of the library services they receive, and it identifies gaps between minimal, desired, and perceived levels of service.

If you receive this email please take a few minutes to complete it!

Students will be eligible for a $50 gift certificate to Amazon.com (four gift certificates will be awarded to randomly-selected student survey participants).

Comments are welcome also. In fact, when we used the survey in 2004 we got many useful comments and took action on them. For example, you can thank the 2004 survey respondents for some of the newer database subscriptions, comfortable seating, and the lack of the entrance turnstile (for those of you who remember that!).

Thank you for your help! We are looking forward to your feedback.

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Invest Now, Relax Later!

Posted on February 21, 2008 by kyle

6 March 2008 – 4 PM
BI Lab (room 2211 in the University Library)

Financial markets – they’re like roller coasters – rocketing up, plunging down, leveling out and any variation in between. For those involved, it can be a gut-wrenching and exhilarating experience. People gamble their entire life savings on a chance to win it big. Sometimes it pays off, sometimes it doesn’t. You should make sure to do your homework before beginning any venture to ensure a solid investment decision.

The Library would like to invite faculty and staff to an open session with Professors John Howat and David Porter of the Finance & Business Law Department. Howat and Porter have graciously agreed to share their knowledge of stocks and mutual funds and answer any questions that you may have about investing.

The session will also highlight library resources that help navigate the seemingly complicated financial world, namely Morningstar Library Edition, Standard & Poor’s NetAdvantage, and ValueLine Investment Survey. These well-respected investment information sources offer guidance in educating yourself about companies, industries and markets.

So mark your calendars and be sure to join us on March 6 at 4 PM! If you can’t make it right at 4 PM or you can’t stay the whole time, that’s OK too. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Kyle Naff, Business Librarian, at naffk@uww.edu or 472.5519.

Please note: This session will not tell you which stocks or funds to choose. Our speakers are very knowledgeable in personal finance, but they are not licensed investment professionals. They may be able to guide you in the right direction, but it’s up to you to decide where you’d like your money to go.

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Graphic Novels, Zines, and Comix

Posted on February 21, 2008 by Barbara

“Graphic Novels, Zines and Comix: from Hogarth to Robert Crumb” is the exhibit in the Crossman Gallery (Center for the Arts) from Feb. 21-Mar. 20, 2008. There will also be a lecture by Max Estes on Thurs., Feb. 21, at 6 pm in the Greenhill Center of the Arts, room 30, followed by a reception in the Crossman Gallery.

The University Library has resources on these topics if you’re interested in more information.

Graphic Novels cover
A keyword search of the Library catalog for zines or comix or “graphic novels” or comics will find books including

  • Making comics: storytelling secrets of comics, manga and graphic novels
  • Whatcha mean, what’s a zine?: the art of making zines and minicomics
  • Comics, comix & graphic novels, and
  • Graphic novels: everything you need to know

Graphic novels held in the Library’s collections will be found with this search also.

Articles can be found by searching the Library’s databases, e.g., one article found by searching Academic Search Premier is “Graphic Novels in the Classroom” by Gene Yang, published in graphic novel format in Language Arts (Jan. 2008, Vol. 85, Issue 3, on pp. 185-192).

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Thinking about study abroad?

Posted on February 20, 2008 by Barbara

World Map Image

If you are looking into study abroad, there are resources in your University Library that can help, providing information about travel, customs and etiquette, social conditions, etc., in other countries.

For example, search the Library Catalog for books.

Let's Go Paris cover

A “keyword” search for (guidebooks or travel) and ___ (fill in the name of a country). Using this search for France would find titles including Frommer’s Paris 2005 (online book), Let’s go: Paris, 2004, Let’s go: France 2001, and Global etiquette guide to Europe: everything you need to know for business and travel success.

Global Etiquette Guide to Europe cover

A “keyword” search for (etiquette or “national characteristics” or customs) and ___ (fill in the name of a country) would find titles including France: A quick guide to customs & etiquette and Au contraire! : figuring out the French.

The Library has a Guide to Locating Intercultural Communication Information that gives additional tips and examples of available titles for finding more information, and a guide to other sources of information on countries.

The U.S. Dept. of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs maintains a Study Abroad Resources web page with links to resources for those who may want to study abroad, including a searchable database of programs offered by institutions all over the country.

Government Printing Office logo

The University Library is a federal depository with many federal, state, local, and international documents on a variety of current and relevant issues available to you in print, microfiche, CD-ROM, and electronically. Come check out your government at the University Library!

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New Stuff Tuesday – February 19

Posted on February 19, 2008 by kyle

Transformation of American Politics: Activist Government and the Rise of Conservatism

The Transformation of American Politics:
Activist Government and the Rise of Conservatism
edited by Paul Pierson & Theda Skocpol
JK421 .T82 2007
New Book Island, 2nd floor

With the presidential primary today, I thought that a book on politics would something nice to feature. And, as a friendly reminder, if you haven’t voted already, you might want to get on that, especially with the convenient campus polling location.

The editors of this volume, faculty at UC-Berkeley and Harvard respectively, have gathered essays from some of the best and brightest political scientists to examine the role of the government in our society and the rise of conservatism. The editors and authors contend that the increasingly activist government and powerful conservative movement go hand in hand when looking at the political landscape of the country since 1960. Christopher Howard, author of The Welfare State Nobody Knows, says that “the volume effectively shows how historical perspectives can shed light not just on eras long ago but on contemporary debates – it’s a winner.”

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Harvard opts in to publishing completed papers free online

Posted on February 18, 2008 by huangj

Harvard University’s arts and sciences faculty approved a plan on Tuesday that will post finished academic papers online free, unless scholars specifically decide to opt out of the open-access program, leading an important movement that academics are taking back control over how their work is used and disseminated from the publishers. Check out the full story at Inside Higher Ed.

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