MWCCLibrary -- mwcclibrary.blogspot.com

Ryan Gosling loves the library

2011-12-19T11:23:00.002-05:00

"Hey girl. I tried writing you a love note on a small scrap of recycled paper from the front desk, but someone stole all the tiny pencils...."
Read this and many more comments about the library accompanied by photos of Ryan Gosling, self-proclaimed library & library lover. http://librarianheygirl.tumblr.com/

Interesting article from Inside Higher Ed

2011-12-12T19:51:00.000-05:00

http://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/library-babel-fish/language-libraries

"Though the conventional wisdom these days about library spaces is that students want to be social, that group work and collaboration are how kids learn today, and that digital texts and digital tools will get used but printed collections won’t, students often disagree.I’ve heard more librarians talk about student demands for quiet and solitary spaces for study in the past year, perhaps because the information commons idea has become so standard it’s no longer an innovation. Recently a small group of students at the University of New Brunswick protested because their spiffy new library was too noisy, too public, and the books were squirreled away at the periphery. It wasn’t clear from the article that students wanted to read the books, but they wanted a quiet, serious place to study, and books were part of their idea of such a place."

Very interesting read

2011-11-16T17:48:00.000-05:00

"Balancing Act: How College Students Manage Technology While in the Library during Crunch Time," Alison J. Head and Michael B. Eisenberg, Project Information Literacy Research Report, University of Washington's Information School, October 12, 2011

http://projectinfolit.org/pdfs/PIL_Fall2011_TechStudy_FullReport1.1.pdf

(Study included both 2 and 4 year college students)

See what's being cited in EasyBib, right now!

2011-11-11T08:18:00.002-05:00

http://realtime.easybib.com/

5 Great videos for library/information literacy instruction

2011-11-09T20:47:00.001-05:00

http://andyburkhardt.com/2011/09/13/5-best-videos-for-library-instruction/

Top 10 Things we All Should Know about Today’s Research Environment

2011-11-07T15:54:00.002-05:00

Posted recently to a library listserv:

I would suggest, The Top 10 Things we All Should Know about Today’s Research Environment.

It could include (in no particular order) such elements as:

1. Sources of information are changing
2. Search in today’s databases is complex
3. Students don’t understand the research process
4. Students don’t know they don’t understand the research process
5. Faculty are increasingly baffled by research technology, and that can be corrected
6. Librarians hold the key to the information kingdom
7. You need librarians, and so do your students
8. Today’s academic databases offer so much more than keyword searching
9. Electronic full text is winning the day
10. Wikipedia is not Public Enemy Number One

3 Essays from non-librarian academics in praise of academic librarians

2011-10-27T15:12:00.001-04:00

Steven Bell writes "Sometimes we may believe that no one appreciates what librarians do, but three recent essays from non-library academics show otherwise." Read the full article at:

http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/newsletters/newsletterbucketacademicnewswire/892584-440/they_really_really_like_us.html.csp

For Better Research Assignments, Ask a Librarian

2011-10-17T10:40:00.000-04:00

A recent survey of faculty handouts for research assignments found that most of the handouts provided details for length, citation guide style and how to get assistance from the faculty member. What wasn't included was a critical need for most undergraduate students: context for the research topic.

Read full article at:

http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/instructional-design/for-better-research-assignments-ask-a-librarian/

The governor of Massachusetts proclaimed October to be Massachusetts Information Literacy Month!

2011-09-30T10:35:00.000-04:00

Read his proclamation here: http://www.mwcc.edu/Html/Library/images/infolitmonth.pdf

Kindle books now available online through CWMARS!

2011-09-26T19:01:00.002-04:00

Kindle-compatible e-books are available now on our digital books website!

Patrons interested in the Kindle-compatible titles should go to the digital books website (http://digitalcatalog.cwmars.org/) and click the Advanced Search link. On the Advanced Search page, choose Kindle Book from the drop-down menu next to Format, fill in any other fields they wish to use (subject, date added to collection, etc.), and check off “show only titles with copies available” to limit only to titles not currently checked out, then click Search. Patrons should place their chosen titles in their cart and, when ready, complete the checkout procedure. A link to the Amazon website will be given. Follow the link to the Amazon download. Please not that these titles circulate for 7 or 14 days (patron’s choice) and automatically expire, just as other format e-books do.

In the news recently

2011-08-31T19:22:00.001-04:00

Academic library user attitudes towards e-books
As academic libraries ramp up their investments in e-book collections and experiment with a growing range of purchasing models, they need to know more about how their users view e-books, and what expectations users bring to library collections. In 2007–2008, a research team conducted a study using Q-methodology to identify opinions about e-books among the population of library users at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio....
College and Research Libraries, preprint, July 2012
http://crl.acrl.org/content/early/2011/08/26/crl-288.full.pdf

You can get that at the library?
Gregory Karp writes: “Libraries have always been great money savers because of all the books and periodicals you can borrow and use for free. Offerings at libraries can vary widely, so the only way to know all that yours offers is to check out the website or visit in person. But here's a sampling of some unusual services you might find, with help from ALA President Molly Raphael.”...
Chicago Tribune, Aug. 26
http://www.chicagotribune.com/site/newspaper/business/sc-cons-0825-karpspend-20110826,0,4241463.column

Comparison shopping for textbooks ...

2011-08-30T08:25:00.000-04:00

Enter "Mount Wachusett Community College" and the classes you're taking, and SwoopThat.com will hunt for the best online deals on the books you need.

http://www.swoopthat.com/

7 in 10 Students Have Skipped Buying a Textbook Because of Its Cost, Survey Finds

2011-08-29T12:27:00.000-04:00

"For many students and their families, scraping together the money to pay for college is a big enough hurdle on its own. But a new survey has found that, once on a campus, many students are unwilling or unable to come up with more money to buy books-one of the very things that helps turn tuition dollars into academic success..."

http://www.studentpirgs.org/uploads/78/e7/78e7088fe09aae620c6db5a3329b37ab/2011-textbook-survey.pdf

Faculty - please place copies of your textbooks on reserve in the library!

"What Students Don't Know" - From Inside Higher Ed

2011-08-24T09:19:00.000-04:00

"Many students described experiences of anxiety and confusion when looking for resources -- an observation that seems to be widespread among students at the five institutions involved in this study,” Duke and Asher wrote.

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2011/08/22/erial_study_of_student_research_habits_at_illinois_university_libraries_reveals_alarmingly_poor_information_literacy_and_skills

Copyright basics : the TEACH Act.

2011-08-21T12:13:00.000-04:00

http://www.copyright.com/Services/copyrightoncampus/basics/teach.html

"In some ways, though, the question of whether we do our reading off paper or plastic is the least interesting one. More interesting is what we're reading, and the manner in which we do so ... it's fair to wonder what, if anything, it is doing to our heads."

2011-08-20T12:21:00.000-04:00

Is this the end for books? Do you know what wilfing is? Have you heard of keitai shosetsus? Sam Leith on what to expect if the Kindle really does kill off the printed book.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/aug/14/kindle-books

2 interesting stories about student success

2011-08-18T20:44:00.000-04:00

At Berkeley, math major — and soon-to-be doctoral student — María Guadalupe Martínez swapped one dream of helping people for another
A student who started out in what would be considered "developmental math" (pre-calc) at Berkeley's Summer Bridge Program and went on to be admitted into Berkeley's graduate math program-- literally one of the best in the world. Maria started out by using the Learning Centers services relentlessly, and then tirelessly delivering them ...
http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2010/05/12/martinez/

Ohio man says 'bypassing' college a mistake
He had to take additional classes beyond the core curriculum to make up for the lack of college prep classes he missed taking in high school. Despite the extra workload, he graduated with honors in June of 2011.
"When I was in high school, I was told that I was not 'college material,'" he said. "Yet, I discovered later in life, that wasn't true."
See the full article at:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/07/28/return.to.school.sinclair.college/index.html?hpt=hp_bn1

Photos of the new Library/Academic Support Center!

2011-08-11T20:51:00.000-04:00

To the left, the writing/math tutoring open study area

To the right, the subject tutoring - open study area

The main level of the library showing the reference desk area

"College students eager to learn but need help negotiating information overload"

2011-07-20T17:38:00.000-04:00

From the Seattle Times ...

Guest columnists Alison J. Head and Michael B. Eisenberg push back on the prevailing idea that today's college students are slackers. Rather, these researchers argue that colleges must retool to help young people learn the skills to negotiate the vast amount of information at their disposal.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2015227485_guest05head.html

Award winning library blogs

2011-07-01T08:52:00.000-04:00

Want to keep up on the latest info in libraryland? Read these!
http://salempress.com/Store/blogs/blog_home.htm

Summer Reading Suggestions

2011-05-11T16:02:00.000-04:00

http://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/overview.html

http://www.bookweb.org/indiebound/bestsellers/national

http://subjectguides.mwcc.edu/content.php?pid=22532&sid=486004

http://www.amazon.com/Awards-Books/b?ie=UTF8&node=542942

How the Internet Affects Plagiarism

2011-05-07T11:33:00.006-04:00

http://mindshift.kqed.org/2011/05/how-the-internet-affects-plagiarism/

Encouraging quote from report:
"Legitimate educational sites are more popular than cheat sites: One-quarter of all matched material is from legitimate educational web sites, almost double the number that comes from paper mills or cheat sites."

Information literacy re: Search Engine Optimization

2011-04-22T14:24:00.000-04:00

“Over 30 percent of all clicks for all search terms visit the first result,’’ said Jonathan Allen, director of Search Engine Watch, an online trade publication. “The second position might get only 15 percent; the third might get less than 10 percent; and the fourth less than 5 percent.’’ So a company that gets into the top tier of search results could see a big increase in traffic and sales.

A site’s position on the search page is determined by mathematical formulas, or algorithms, which give high rankings to sites that are most likely to be useful. The search engine optimization firms are playing a kind of computer game. To win, they must convince the algorithms at Google or Bing that their client’s website deserves a high rank.

http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2011/04/18/businesses_look_for_ways_to_achieve_top_placement_in_web_searches/?page=full

5 Myths About the 'Information Age'

2011-04-19T10:53:00.002-04:00

April 17, 2011
Chronicle of Higher Education
http://chronicle.com/article/5-Myths-About-the-Information/127105/?sid=cc&utm_source=cc&utm_medium=en

National Library Week, 2011

2011-04-15T08:47:00.002-04:00

"Librarians, information specialists, knowledge managers or whatever title a librarian might have -- their skills are in high demand. And, though you might not know it, they are everywhere. And so in their honor during National Library Week, we enjoy the following tidbits of information."
http://www.cnn.com/2011/LIVING/04/12/librarians.masters.of.universe/index.html?hpt=Sbin

The End of Content Ownership? Food for Thought

2011-04-14T08:39:00.002-04:00

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2383373,00.asp

Licensing and Libraries

2011-04-01T11:37:00.002-04:00

http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/columns/my-mind/must-we-abide

Can Tech Transcend the Textbook?

2011-03-15T09:24:00.005-04:00

As the e-book market explodes, publishers and educators debate why e-textbooks lag behind -- and what they should even look like.
To view the complete page, please go to: http://campustechnology.com/articles/2011/03/01/can-tech-transcend-the-textbook.aspx

Physical vs Virtual Interfaces--Books vs E-books

2011-03-05T10:33:00.009-05:00

http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/mimssbits/26456/

Online Videos for Women's History Month

2011-03-04T11:09:00.005-05:00

All students, faculty, and staff at MWCC have access to Films on Demand, which contains several videos on women and women's history. Contact the library staff if you would like assistance finding or showing a video, or linking the video to Blackboard.

Films on Demand

Copyright Central

2011-03-04T09:15:00.005-05:00

Visit the MWCC copyright guide for information on copyright, intellectual property, and plagiarism. Let us know if you find a great resource that you would like us to add.

http://subjectguides.mwcc.edu/copyright

Suggested free plagiarism checkers ...

2011-03-03T10:35:00.000-05:00

Below is a response to a question posted on a listserv about free plagiarism detection products - alternatives to SafeAssign and TurnItIn ..

"Here are a couple of online checkers. I've used Plagiarisma and Dustball with success."

Books vs. Articles - Interesting conversation on a listserv ....

2011-02-25T08:37:00.000-05:00

Recently posted --
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What a lot of instructors forget is that books often provide the best overviews of topics for students and that journal articles can be much too narrow in scope. We just recently did a little video about books versus videos for our students at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2o2xDg_5XEA It's not perfect, but it does capture some of what I try to convey to students at the reference desk.
Best,
Susan

On 2/24/11 2:51 PM, "Brush, Denise A." wrote:

Freshman composition instructors at my institution often insist that I skip showing students how to use the library catalog in my orientations, in favor of focusing exclusively on the use of databases to find articles. The instructors for the upper-level discipline-specific courses have the same focus, meaning that most of our students are never introduced to the catalog. In my view, the focus on journal articles is appropriate for the upper level research methods courses, but not for freshman writing classes.

I understand that freshmen are often overwhelmed with the complexity of using a college library and their instructors want to make library orientations manageable, but I don’t see why teaching them about library databases (a pretty complicated process, frankly) is the best solution. Personally, I used books almost exclusively for my college papers. For the majority of students, who will not go on to do graduate level scholarly research, learning how to find books will be much more useful to their future information needs than using library databases, because books will still be available to them in public libraries (I hope) after graduation, while article databases will not because they are too expensive for most public libraries to purchase.

I am quite concerned that this de-emphasis on books will cause students to de-value books so much that public support for libraries (academic and public) in future decades will be non-existent. It won’t be long until students just purchase databases directly with their technology fees, bypassing libraries entirely. I believe that we are contributing to our own demise by pushing databases rather than books.

Denise Brush
Science & Engineering Librarian
Rowan University Library Services
Glassboro, New Jersey
(856) 256-4977

Best-selling author Scott Turow stands up for nation’s libraries

2011-02-16T11:46:00.000-05:00

“…let-them-eat-cake-attitude that threatens to destroy a network of public assets” – Scott Turow

CHICAGO - In the wake of deep library budget cuts taking place in communities across the country, Scott Turow, author of “Presumed Innocent” and its sequel, “Innocent,” and president of the Authors Guild, expressed his views regarding the value of our nation’s libraries in an opinion piece posted today in the Huffington Post.

Though the efforts of Turow, and the work of the American Library Association’s (ALA) Public Information Office, more than 25 million Huffington Post visitors will have access to Turow’s eloquent comments on the value of our nation’s libraries.

“While our economy seems to be slowly staggering back to its feet, state and municipal governments remain hard-hit as the result of lost tax revenues, lost stimulus money and pension fund payments that have grown to monstrous size to make up for the market losses of 2007 and 2008,” stated Turow. “Those governments are cutting everywhere they can, and public libraries nationwide have been one of the biggest and least deserved losers in the process.”

Turow provided recent examples of budget cuts. “For example, in California, Governor Brown's new proposed budget decreases General Fund assistance for public libraries by $30.4 million, eliminating the California Library Services Act, Public Library Foundation and the California Library Literacy and English Acquisition Services — that is, access, resource sharing and adult literacy,” Turow said. “In Texas, the cuts are even more stark, with the new budget proposing complete elimination of several programs that have either provided direct aid to libraries or irreplaceable programs, like those that created shared databases. Even in my own community, a small city on the northern edge of Chicago where a major university sits, my neighbors and I have been struggling to save a small branch library that was pivotal to the education of many neighborhood kids.”

Turow closes the article with a very clear message of support. “I count myself as one of millions of Americans whose life simply would not be the same without the libraries that supported my learning. We cannot take that opportunity away from so many Americans who need that help urgently now.”

To read the complete opinion piece please visit http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-turow/letthemeatcakeattitude-th_b_823609.html

Scott Turow is a participant in the American Library Association’s “Our Authors, Our Advocates” initiative. Through “Our Authors, Our Advocates,” one of ALA President Roberta Stevens’ key presidential initiatives, best-selling authors have provided their support for libraries through media interviews, podcasts and public service announcements.

For more information regarding “Our Authors, Our Advocates” please visit ILoveLibraries.org.

Tree Octopus fools undergrads even today ...

2011-02-07T09:17:00.000-05:00

Posted recently to a listserv:

"In this video clip, CNN discusses students' (and adults) uncritical belief in what they read on the web with a professor from U of Connecticut. No one actually mentions the term 'infomation literacy' but they do promote the need to teach critical thinking skills in the schools and raise awareness of the need to check resources carefully. Something positive in the news that maybe we can use in our own outreach."
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2011/02/04/exp.nr.tree.octopus.professor.cnn?hpt=T2

Interesting essay on Wikipedia from Chronicle of Higher Education

2011-01-11T16:24:00.001-05:00

http://chronicle.com/article/Wikipedia-Comes-of-Age/125899/?sid=cr&utm_source=cr&utm_medium=en

NYT 100 Notable Books of 2010

2010-12-16T13:30:00.003-05:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/05/books/review/100-notable-books-2010.html

Google Launches Cloud-Based eBooks Store | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

2010-12-07T12:40:00.002-05:00

Google Launches Cloud-Based eBooks Store | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

Librarians Forever! Organizers, Gatekeepers, Navigators

2010-12-06T12:18:00.004-05:00

http://www.infotoday.com/cilmag/dec10/Gharst.shtml

11 Crucial Consumer Trends for 2011

2010-12-01T10:03:00.001-05:00

http://trendwatching.com/trends/11trends2011/

The Shadow Scholar

2010-11-23T09:31:00.007-05:00

The man who writes your students' papers tells his story.

http://chronicle.com/article/The-Shadow-Scholar/125329/?sid=cc&utm_source=cc&utm_medium=en

Great free concept mapping/mind mapping software

2010-11-23T08:44:00.002-05:00

Here's a product someone posted about recently on a discussion board:

Mindomo - http://www.mindomo.com/
sample concept map here:
http://www.mindomo.com/view.htm?m=891f93b6646d43d89c11b158cdb5065b

If your students are writing papers, consider having them explore their topic via a concept map in order to better focus their keywords and searching.

2010 National Book Awards, The National Book Foundation

2010-11-18T14:49:00.002-05:00

2010 National Book Awards, The National Book Foundation

Recent stories from the American Libraries Newsletter

2010-11-13T16:07:00.003-05:00

Study: College students lack basic research skills
Only 30% of 8,353 college students recently polled say they have asked a librarian for research help, according to the latest online Project Information Literacy Progress Report of 25 college campuses nationwide. The survey also revealed that the sources students cited most often were course readings, search engines like Google, and scholarly research databases. Alison J. Head, a co-principal project investigator, said the findings show that college students see research as a hunt for the right answer instead of an evaluation of different arguments to come up with their own interpretation....
http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/students-lack-basic-research-skills-study-finds/28112

Library Journal’s top 10 of 2010 list
For the first time, Library Journal has announced its top 10 best books list reflecting fiction and nonfiction titles that stood out as the very best in 2010. The list—compiled with the input of librarians and LJ’s stable of book reviewers—represents an assortment of books appropriate for a broad reading audience. Several of the book review editors chronicled their deliberations on Twitter under the hash tag #bestbooks10. Compare with Publishers Weekly’s choices....
Library Journal, Nov. 4; Publishers Weekly, Nov. 8
http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/home/887637-264/library_journal_announces_inaugural_top.html.csp

UConn library to loan bicycles
Getting around the University of Connecticut’s Storrs campus will soon be a little easier. A bike-sharing pilot program is set to begin in the coming months. UConn students, faculty, or staff will be able to check out one of 20 bicycles from the Homer Babbidge Library and use it to get around campus for the day. The program will allow anyone with a current university ID to borrow a bike through the library’s iDesk, which will provide helmets and keys for the bike locks....
UConn News, Oct. 28
http://today.uconn.edu/?p=23698

Most beautiful academic libraries
On those nights when you’re hunched over your books, over-tired, over-caffeinated, and counting down the hours until your work is done, take a break to look around—you might be in one of the most beautiful college libraries. Campus Grotto compiled a list of the ultimate breathtaking study spots in America. Click through to see if yours ranks in the top 10....
Huffington Post, Nov. 9
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/09/the-most-beautiful-colleg_n_778614.html#s174271

Copyright, Intellectual Property, and Plagiarism Policies and Guidelines at MWCC

2010-11-04T09:12:00.004-04:00

Ebook Go-To Guide | PCMag.com

2010-11-02T10:13:00.000-04:00

Ebook Go-To Guide PCMag.com

Another Colbert Report video on wikipedia ...

2010-10-21T17:38:00.000-04:00

Stephen Colbert video about Microsoft hiring people to edit Wikipedia articles:

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/81454/january-29-2007/the-word---wikilobbying

Enjoy and please use in your classes!

Posts from a recent ALA library newsletter

2010-10-21T16:43:00.003-04:00

Librarians as seen by the media
Chris Smith, creator of the Asian school-library website Shambles, assembled this video (3:33) for an October 14 presentation in Monterrey, Mexico, at the Tri-Association Annual Educators’ Conference of the Association of American Schools of Central America, Colombia, Caribbean, and Mexico. Do you recognize these movies, TV programs, and publications? This video could be a catalyst on discussions about librarian stereotyping....
YouTube, Oct. 13
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNYIx1oGtew

And good for our students to be aware of ...
Deleted does not mean gone forever
Michelle Boule writes: “Most of us know that things, once put online, have a way of remaining online, no matter how hard we try to delete them or forget them. In May 2009, Jacqui Cheng of Ars Technica started an experiment to see how quickly an embarrassing photo (above) was deleted from social networking sites. 16 months later, the photo is still accessible and viewable despite having been deleted almost two years ago. As librarians, we have some educating to do.”...
ALA TechSource Blog, Oct. 18; Ars Technica, July 3, 2009, Oct. 11
http://www.alatechsource.org/blog/2010/10/deleted-does-not-mean-gone-forever.html

And from this week's Chronicle of Higher Education - food for thought ...
October 17, 2010
Library Inc.
By Daniel Goldstein
http://chronicle.com/article/Library-Inc/124915

New YouTube LexisNexis online database tutorials

2010-10-21T16:22:00.002-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/user/LexisNexisAcademic

Including: LexisNexis Academic: Finding News by State or Region
This tutorial will help you find news about an area or geographic region. The video also includes a great tip on how to narrow your results to articles from newspapers from a specific state.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5PvK9U2-ws

National Book Award Finalists

2010-10-14T15:02:00.004-04:00

Looking for a good read?? If you don't want to buy a copy, try your local library--we're free!

For more information about the Finalists and National Book Awards Week events, visit www.nationalbook.org .

Fiction
Peter Carey, Parrot and Olivier in America (Alfred A. Knopf)
Jaimy Gordon, Lord of Misrule (McPherson & Co.)
Nicole Krauss, Great House (W.W. Norton & Co.)
Lionel Shriver, So Much for That (Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers)
Karen Tei Yamashita, I Hotel (Coffee House Press)

Nonfiction
Barbara Demick, Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea (Spiegel & Grau, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group)
John W. Dower, Cultures of War: Pearl Harbor, Hiroshima, 9-11, Iraq (W.W. Norton & Co.)
Patti Smith, Just Kids (Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers)
Justin Spring, Secret Historian: The Life and Times of Samuel Steward (Farrar, Straus & Giroux)
Megan K. Stack, Every Man in This Village Is a Liar: An Education in War (Doubleday)

Poetry
Kathleen Graber, The Eternal City (Princeton University Press)
Terrance Hayes, Lighthead (Viking Penguin)
James Richardson, By the Numbers (Copper Canyon Press)
C.D. Wright, One with Others (Copper Canyon Press)
Monica Youn, Ignatz (Four Way Books)

Young People's Literature
Paolo Bacigalupi, Ship Breaker (Little, Brown & Co.)
Kathryn Erskine, Mockingbird (Philomel Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group)
Laura McNeal, Dark Water (Alfred A. Knopf)
Walter Dean Myers, Lockdown (Amistad, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers)
Rita Williams-Garcia, One Crazy Summer (Amistad, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers

Celebrate Banned Books week!

2010-09-30T07:04:00.002-04:00

Take this banned books week quiz -

http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/1705

New Films on Demand database

2010-09-20T15:45:00.009-04:00

New online streaming video collection available to all current MWCC students, faculty, and staff

Films on Demand (requires barcode or college ID for remote log-in)

7000 titles, 78,000 segments; unlimited access to curriculum-focused videos

Producers: PBS, Cambridge Educational, BBC, NBC News, CLIO awards, etc.

Rcommended by CHOICE magazine, June 2010

Watch online 24/7 from on or off campus, individually or in the classroom; add persistent links in Blackboard

Does not include public performance rights

Questions, comments, contact Linda Oldach, x126

quote that showed up on listserv recently

2010-09-14T13:47:00.002-04:00

"In the non-stop tsunami of global information, librarians provide us with floaties and teach us how to swim"

Linton Weeks (Washington Post, Jan 13 2001)

4 Reasons Why the Library Should Affect Your College Choice

2010-08-05T14:26:00.001-04:00

From US News and World Report:

If you talk to a college admissions officer or a high school guidance counselor about things to do when you visit a college campus, one of the first things they say is to visit the libraries on campus. Bring a book or some schoolwork, sit down, and soak up the environment.

Can you see yourself there for four years?

"The library is the backbone of a college or university's academic environment," says Kelly Alice Robinson, career information services manager at the Career Center Library at Boston College.
Not only is the actual physical library one of the main spots where college students go to get work done (and socialize), it's also a useful resource of a wide range of information and services, she says. And that doesn't even scratch the surface of the digital capabilities that many library systems possess. U.S. News spoke to a handful of experienced librarians from colleges to find out what prospective students—and their parents—should look for when they check out a prospective school's library.

http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/best-colleges/2010/06/17/4-reasons-why-the-library-affects-your-college-choice.html

NYT article on plagiarism

2010-08-05T14:02:00.001-04:00

In surveys from 2006 to 2010 by Donald L. McCabe, a co-founder of the Center for Academic Integrity and a business professor at Rutgers University, about 40 percent of 14,000 undergraduates admitted to copying a few sentences in written assignments.
Perhaps more significant, the number who believed that copying from the Web constitutes “serious cheating” is declining — to 29 percent on average in recent surveys from 34 percent earlier in the decade.

Sarah Brookover, a senior at the Rutgers campus in Camden, N.J., said many of her classmates blithely cut and paste without attribution.

“This generation has always existed in a world where media and intellectual property don’t have the same gravity,” said Ms. Brookover, who at 31 is older than most undergraduates. “When you’re sitting at your computer, it’s the same machine you’ve downloaded music with, possibly illegally, the same machine you streamed videos for free that showed on HBO last night.”

from: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/02/education/02cheat.html

Related articles:

The Tyee - Plagiarism for Beginners
http://thetyee.ca/Life/2010/08/09/PlagiarismForBeginners/?utm_source=mondayheadlines

The plagiarism generation - All Salon - Salon.com
http://www.salon.com/life/feature/story/index.html?story=/mwt/feature/2010/08/05/plagiarism

Plagiarism Is Not a Big Moral Deal - Opinionator Blog - NYTimes.com
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/09/plagiarism-is-not-a-big-moral-deal/

Improvements coming to the EBSCO database search interface

2010-08-05T11:31:00.003-04:00

Dear EBSCO Customer,

As promised, this message signifies that the impending release of new EBSCOhost features and functionality, (announced in June) is about to be implemented. We expect that you will see the updates over the course of Thursday and Friday this week. The following information summarizes the most significant changes on EBSCOhost:

The limiter and the date slider column will move from the right to the left of the Result List, a more intuitive position that consolidates the ways users can refine and work with their results in one area. For a look at the updated Result List, you can copy and paste this URL into your browser: http://support.epnet.com/uploads/CustSupport/Images/communication_images/resultlist1.gif.
Detailed record pages will be more streamlined, and links to full text, your link resolvers, ILL, etc. will be more prominently displayed on the left.
Users will be able to select multiple clusters and source types when managing results.
There will be an enhanced PDF Viewer, Content Viewer, HTML Full Text, etc.
A "breadbox" will show users which limiters, expanders and source types have already been selected, and enable easy removal of these refinements.
The Hierarchical Subject Authority File in certain databases will be adjusted to align with the style already in use in our academic databases (screen shots included in this Top Story- http://support.ebscohost.com/support_news/detail.php?id=610&t=h).
Simpler overall interface elements will increase the intuitiveness of the user experience.

For more information on these and other features, visit http://support.ebsco.com.

Beach Reads

2010-07-27T09:59:00.004-04:00

Suggestions from the Worcester Public Library:

http://library.booksite.com/6703/nl/?list=CNL11

Affordable Text Books?

2010-07-27T09:29:00.003-04:00

Open textbooks, written by top scholars, are available to students for free online or in low-cost print, audio and e-reader formats.

Check it out:

http://www2.opendataonline.com/flatworld/display.php?M=965166&C=3a8a3ee7db95e3493882b99929b7e01b&S=714&L=341&N=356

Why The Next Big Pop-Culture Wave After Cupcakes Might Be Libraries

2010-07-21T17:24:00.002-04:00

From NPR ...

"Call it a hunch, but it seems to me that the thing is in the air that happens right before something — families with a million kids, cupcakes, wedding coordinators — suddenly becomes the thing everyone wants to do happy-fuzzy pop-culture stories about. Why?"

http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2010/07/20/128651136/why-the-next-big-pop-culture-wave-after-cupcakes-might-be-libraries

'Anything Is Possible When You're in the Library'

2010-07-20T09:15:00.001-04:00

As seen in the Chronicle of Higher Education -

"On Wednesday night we posted a video of the Old Spice Guy plugging libraries. Today one of our interns sent us this brilliant Old Spice parody filmed at Brigham Young University's Harold B. Lee Library. More like this. Please."

http://chronicle.com/blogPost/Anything-Is-Possible-When/25584/?sid=cc&utm_source=cc&utm_medium=en

1,000 places to visit in Massachusetts

2010-07-15T08:51:00.005-04:00

Looking for something to do?

The Great Places in Massachusetts Commission today released a list of sites in Massachusetts to visit. The goal of the list is to boost tourism to the state and give local residents the opportunity to visit known and less-known historic, cultural, and natural sites. Below are the sites, listed by town.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/07/12/1000_places_to_visit/

Article on cheating in Boston Globe ...

2010-07-14T08:30:00.002-04:00

"If cheating is rampant at American universities, the problem isn’t that students are less ethical today than in the past. Rather, many students are clearly uninformed about where the limits lie — even as new technologies have created more ways to bend rules ...

"According to research cited in the Times, schools that administered an explicit tutorial on plagiarism had two-thirds fewer violations. That’s only predictable. Meanwhile, institutions that don’t make their values clear at the outset shouldn’t be surprised if students fall short."

Read the article at:

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2010/07/11/cheating_teach_students_first_then_crack_down/

and a related article ("To Stop Cheats, Colleges Learn Their Trickery") at: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/06/education/06cheat.html?pagewanted=1

Read Me Like a Book

2010-07-13T13:37:00.000-04:00

A fellow MWCC colleague in the blogosphere!

Read Me Like a Book
by Professor Michelle Valois

EasyBib on YouTube

2010-07-08T15:57:00.001-04:00

Super nerdy but hey, they're trying to make citing sources cool ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrU9a8fCxYw

recent library-related tidbits in the news

2010-07-07T09:29:00.002-04:00

"It takes longer to read books on a Kindle 2 or an iPad versus a printed book, Jakob Nielsen of product development consultancy Nielsen Norman Group discovered in a recent usability survey."
http://tinyurl.com/34df4ps

Boston Fox News covers libraries:
http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/news/local/cities-and-towns-toy-with-removing-libraries-to-save-money-20100628

NPR coverage of libraries:
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2009-01-07/role-libraries-economic-hard-times

EasyBib - Credo Reference database linkages

2010-06-29T09:21:00.002-04:00

Credo Reference (a database MWCC subscribes to) recently launched a partnership with EasyBib, an online bibliography tool ... Read about it here:
http://blog.credoreference.com/2010/05/easybib/ and http://corp.credoreference.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=289:easybibpr&catid=51:latestnews&Itemid=93

Why you should promote use of EasyBib to your students, from the Chronicle of Higher Education:
http://ezmw.ez.cwmars.org:4200/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=35605275&site=ehost-live

Best anti-plagiarism video ever

2010-06-28T12:17:00.000-04:00

From the weekly American Libraries newsletter:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mwbw9KF-ACY

The University Library of Bergen, Norway, created this hilarious Dickensian moral tale (5:13) about the dangers of copyright violation, in which a student is shown by the Ghost of Plagiarism what might happen to him if he copies an article on logic and artificial intelligence and submits it as his own. With robots, marching bands, special effects, and numerous references to Hollywood films. Hit the CC button for English subtitles....
YouTube, May 27

World's Smallest Political Quiz

2010-05-03T09:02:00.008-04:00

You may find your result surprising!

Subject: Interesting Political Quiz - short and informative

So, you think you know where you stand, politically. Think again. The result from this short test may surprise you and give you some food for thought.

You'll be asked just 10 questions, and then it instantly tells you where you stand politically. It shows your position as a red dot on a "political map" so you'll see exactly where you score.
The most interesting thing about the Quiz is that it goes beyond the Democrat, Republican, and Independent.

The Quiz has gotten a lot of praise. The Washington Post said it has "gained respect as a valid measure of a person's political leanings." The Fraser Institute said it's "a fast, fun, and accurate assessment of a person's overall political views." Suite University said it is the "most concise and accurate political quiz out there."
http://www.theadvocates.org/quizp/index.html

Concept mapping - now in Google!

2010-04-22T16:51:00.005-04:00

From a library listserv:

"I just used the Wonder Wheel in Google in a 1-shot I was teaching yesterday, when we were brainstorming synonyms and related words for research paper topics. Here’s how it works:

· Do a search in Google
· Click on “Show options” (in tiny letters under the search box)
· Scroll down to view all of the options in the left column
· Click on “Wonder Wheel” instead of the default “Standard view”
· You’ll see a circle with your search words in the middle & radiating out from it, lines connected to related words or phrases
· Click on one of the related words or phrases to get another circle with more lines radiating out from it, connected to other related words or phrases

When we did this together in class, the students really perked up. Throughout the class I try to relate what they already know, including about Google, to what they may not know, especially about databases. And I tell them that I use Google all of the time, and use whatever tools and materials are useful, but that I know the limitations of the tools I use, including Google and free and licensed databases."

More info available at:

http://www.googlewonderwheel.com/google-wonder-wheel-step-by-step

Here is a quick video for the wonder wheel view, in case you are a visual person:
http://www.screencast.com/users/wgao/folders/Jing/media/ae396b5e-3a46-4adc-8c11-6ce7d1892bf4

Also posted recently:

"I know a lot of people really like Google Wonder Wheel, but personally I prefer http://www.visuwords.com (useful for definitions, keywords, and related topics. Also color coded!) or http://www.kwmap.net for doing a visual search for new keywords and helping narrow or broaden a topic.

While they aren't perfect (visuwords seems to work better with medical or science topics, for example) I think these programs can be very useful in helping students (and librarians) discover new keywords and phrases for their research."

2010 Pulitzer Winners

2010-04-15T08:54:00.004-04:00

http://www.omnivoracious.com/2010/04/2010-pulitzer-winners-announced.html

Got a research paper to write? Friend a librarian

2010-04-12T13:02:00.000-04:00

Interesting item about libraries and librarians from the Washington Post's "Campus Overload" blog:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/campus-overload/2010/04/research_paper_season.html

LaChance Library Saturday Hours

2010-04-12T09:07:00.004-04:00

The LaChance Library will be open Saturday, May 8, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Local Event--Jill Lepore, New Yorker essayist, at American Antiquarian Society, Worcester

2010-04-12T09:03:00.003-04:00

Uncivil Discourse
Wednesday, April 14, 2010 at 7:30 pm
Antiquarian Hall, American Antiquarian Society, Worcester
Free and open to the public.

National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Chairman Jim Leach and historian and essayist Jill Lepore will discuss the state of political discourse in America, past and present. This is the Massachusetts stop on Leach's fifty-state American Civility Tour. The aim is to encourage tolerance in the exchange of ideas and consideration of other viewpoints, and to rally support to bring the spirit of reason back into politics. Lepore will bring the witty and wise historical insights typical of her New Yorker essays into the conversation. Join us!

Online EBSCO database training

2010-04-08T16:52:00.000-04:00

We realize your day is busy and time is at a premium, so we would like to offer you these online training opportunities where we can help you and your organization make the best use of your EBSCO resources. To see the full online training offering, and to sign up, choose a class from the drop-down on EBSCO's online training form.

EBSCOhost Advanced
A one-hour session on EBSCOhost’s advanced searching features including the guided-style format, options for narrowing, limiting, and expanding results, use of search modes and field codes, as well as search history tracking.
23 April from 1-2:00 PM EDT (GMT-4)
6 May from 11:00 AM-noon EDT (GMT-4)
11 June from 1-2:00 PM EDT (GMT-4)

Literary Reference Center
A one-hour review of the features and functionalities of Literary Reference Center and Literary Reference Center Plus, including basic and advanced searching techniques. The content in LRC and LRC Plus, with over one million full-text documents, provides users with information on thousands of authors and their works from antiquity to present.
9 April from 10-11:00 AM EDT (GMT-4)
21 April from 11:00 – noon EDT (GMT-4)
11 May from 2-3:00 PM EDT (GMT-4)
7 June from 10-11:00 AM EDT (GMT-4)

Suggested name for a library instruction program

2010-04-07T16:44:00.000-04:00

“Stuff You Need. No, Really."

Local Events: Humanities

2010-04-01T08:41:00.005-04:00

Upcoming events in the Central Region:

Saturday, April 10, 2010 9:00 AM—1:00 PM
FOR TEACHERS: The Places Poems Make - Elizabeth Bishop
A series of professional development workshops focused on Worcester poets and conducted by local scholars and teachers. Registration is limited to 40 participants.
location: Clark University, Grace Conference Room, Worcester
phone: (508) 949-8343
web: www.wcpa.homestead.com
email: markwagner@charter.net
cost: free
funded by Mass Humanities grant program

Wednesday, April 14 and 15, 2010 8:00 PM
"Karski"
The riveting story of Polish Resistance hero, Jan Karski,described as the man who tried to stop the Holocaust. Stories of resistance are just now being told, nearly 65 years after the end of World War II. Karski's courage and chutzpah are finally revealed.
location: The Hibernian Cultural Center/Fiddler's Green Pub, 19 Temple St., Worcester
phone: (508) 757-1472
web: www.bluepumpkinproductions.com
email: bluepumpkinprod@verizon.net
cost: General admission: $15; members of Blue Pumpkin Productions: $12; Students (with ID): $10. Special group rates for 10 or more.
funded by Mass Humanities grant program

Simple yet profound, words of wisdom

2010-03-31T13:46:00.000-04:00

Posted recently to a listserv:

Since the beginning of my career working with students I've had three precepts:

· There are no stupid questions
· Knowledge is power
· The more you read, the more you know

None of these are profound or original, but they still serve to sum up what I try to instill in students and guide my actions when providing instruction and reference service.

Debra Rollins
LSU-Alexandria.

Want to weigh in on library issues with your legislators?

2010-03-26T13:56:00.000-04:00

Do so at the I Love Libraries site:

http://www.ilovelibraries.org/takeaction/findyourstate.cfm

CREDO reference on facebook, twitter, etc.

2010-03-22T13:49:00.005-04:00

Twitter, Facebook, Credo blog, Friday brainteaser: Follow what's happening at Credo
We've introduced a number of new ways for you to keep up with Credo Reference.

http://www.facebook.com/credoreference

Twitter: Follow Credo's Twitter feed @credoreference. See what news stories catch our attention or get the quote of the day.

Facebook: Become a fan of Credo on Facebook. We post tricky questions daily to test your knowledge, often focusing on new content. Feel free to try and stump us with your own questions!Credo's blog: Learn what's happening at Credo. Some of our recent blog posts:

Friday brainteaser: Test your knowledge every Friday morning with Credo's brainteaser. See the most recent quizzes at http://corp.credoreference.com/brainteaser

Sign up for the weekly quiz on the same page -- sign up is in the lower right.

If you have any questions, please do let us know at support@credoreference.com.

Come to an online training session about Credo Reference Learn how to make Credo Reference work for you and your students, patrons and colleagues. Please sign up for an online training session, where you'll learn about new and enhanced features plus new content.Credo Reference would be happy to provide you with private online training just for your institution. There is no fee, you only need a minimum of three interested library staff. For more information or to request a private institution-specific online training, contact us at
support@credoreference.com.

Please feel free to forward this invitation to any of your colleagues who might be interested.
Join us for one of the following:

Friday, 19 March
3:00pm Eastern Daylight Time (US East Coast);

Monday, 22 March
4:00m Eastern Daylight Time (US East Coast);

Friday, 26 March
11:00am Eastern Daylight Time (US East Coast);

Tuesday, 30 March
10:00am Eastern Daylight Time (US East Coast);

Tuesday, 30 March
3:00pm Eastern Daylight Time (US East Coast);

To view these times in other regions, click here.To sign up for one of our upcoming sessions, please email your contact details to Credo Reference support.We hope to see you there!

Time Magazine: Best Websites and Blogs

2010-03-21T12:33:00.000-04:00

Best Websites
http://tinyurl.com/m43lo9

Best Blogs
http://tinyurl.com/bx6gjo

Petersham Craft Center--Volunteer opportunities

2010-03-19T09:18:00.001-04:00

Petersham Craft Center
New volunteers welcome!
This Sunday, March 21, 1:00 – 2:30 PM
visit the Center to learn about volunteer opportunities.
Light refreshments.
From top quality exhibitions, to diverse classes for all ages,
to a shop full of unique fine art and craft,
Craft Center volunteers have created a vibrant home for the arts
for nearly one hundred years.
You can be part of this Petersham tradition
– visit on March 21 to hear more!
Call Ellen Burnham at 978-724-3534 or
Sheila Youd at 978-724-0215 for more information
or just stop by on March 21!
8 NORTH STREET ~ JUST OFF RTE 32 /NORTH MAIN STREET

“Let’s Talk: An Introduction to the Genealogical Resources at the Massachusetts Archives” presentation

2010-03-16T13:13:00.004-04:00

Massachusetts Archives Program

Are you interested in finding out more about your ancestors? On April 21, 2010, 6:30-8:00 p.m., Janis P. Duffy, the Reference Supervisor and volunteer coordinator at the Massachusetts Archives, will present “Let’s Talk: An Introduction to the Genealogical Resources at the Massachusetts Archives” in the Garden Room at the Fitchburg Public Library, 610 Main Steet. She will be speaking about Birth, Marriage & Death Records, Census Records, Naturalizations, Probates and a whole lot more.
The mission of the Massachusetts Archives is to ensure the preservation and accessibility of the records of government; to provide assistance to government agencies; to provide leadership to ensure the preservation and accessibility of Massachusetts's historical heritage; and to develop appreciation of the value of historical records. The Massachusetts Archives serves the Commonwealth and its citizens by preserving and making accessible the records documenting government action and by assisting government agencies in managing their permanent records. The Archives provides leadership in preserving historical records and ensuring that those records are known and valued by citizens, students, and scholars.
Janis P. Duffy is a member and Past-President of The Irish Ancestral Research Association, TIARA. Duffy has been pursuing her heritage for over 20 years and has traveled many times to Ireland and Canada. Duffy is a member of the TIARA team that has lead several tours to Ireland and Salt Lake City. She also lectures locally and nationally on many genealogy subjects especially the Irish. Janis is a member of IGSI, NEHGS and NGS.
For more information about this program, please call the library at 978-345-9635.

Wikipedia weighs in on using itself for research purposes ...

2010-03-09T12:16:00.001-05:00

This page in a nutshell: You should not use Wikipedia by itself for primary research (unless you are writing a paper about Wikipedia).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Researching_with_Wikipedia

New Dental Hygiene database

2010-03-03T09:40:00.004-05:00

As of March 1, we now subscribe to:

Dentistry and Oral Sciences Source - http://ezmw.ez.cwmars.org:4200/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtype=ip,uid&profile=ehost&defaultdb=ddh

This database covers all facets relating to the areas of dentistry including dental public health, endodontics, facial pain & surgery, odontology, oral & maxillofacial pathology/ surgery/ radiology, orthodontology, pediatric dentistry, periodontology, and prosthodontics.

Please try it when you have a moment and promote its use to your students.

Want to see what videos we own at MWCC??

2010-01-26T11:50:00.002-05:00

Click on this link to pull up a list of all videos shelved at MWCC - sorted by date:

http://cmars.cwmars.org/search~S38/X?(**)&searchscope=38&SORT=DX&m=v&m=g&m=h

(the link is dynamic so will be updated real-time, and includes all video formats - DVD, VHS and other)

New LexisNexis Interface

2010-01-19T12:50:00.002-05:00

Try out the new and improved LexisNexis interface today!

Access it here: http://ezmw.ez.cwmars.org:4200/login?url=http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/lnacademic/

Watch a video tutorial overview here: http://www.youtube.com/user/LexisNexisAcademic

Google's Goal: Digitize Every Book Ever Printed

2010-01-16T16:26:00.000-05:00

From PBS NewsHour:

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/entertainment/july-dec09/google_12-30.html

Posted recently, statewide

2010-01-14T14:41:00.001-05:00

Dear Massachusetts Library Community,

In response to Tuesday’s earthquake in Haiti, The Boston Public Library has compiled a list of resources for patrons and library staff alike. This list is available via the BPL homepage under “New & Noteworthy” as well as at http://www.bpl.org/news/haiti.htm. The web page includes links to local/international news coverage of this tragedy, city and community resources for those seeking assistance, as well as library resources. One particular link to note is a Red Cross service that helps match those searching with people the Red Cross has aided in Haiti. The address is www.icrc.org/familylinks. The Red Cross is letting families know that they can go to their local library in order to use computers, and this link and some of the other resources on our page are potentially great places to get people started.

This page will be updated frequently in the coming days and will reflect current efforts by the library, City of Boston, and community organizations to serve residents affected by this event. Please feel free to utilize this for your own use for your patrons’ use. If you have any suggested resources to add to this list, please feel free to pass them along to me.

___________________________________________________________
Michael R. Colford Director, Resource Services/Information TechnologyBPL
v 617.859.2389 f 617.424.8617

Concept mapping website

2010-01-13T09:41:00.001-05:00

A good visual, or graphical dictionary, mentioned recently on a listserv:

http://www.visuwords.com/

What makes a library a library?

2009-12-17T09:34:00.000-05:00

Buffy Hamilton, librarian at the Creekview High School in Canton, Georgia, writes: “I was moved by Sarah Houghton-Jan’s post in which she asked, ‘What makes a library a library?’ I am in the process of collecting responses from librarians near and far, but I also felt it was important to throw this question out to my teens and hear their thoughts. In this first volume of responses (2:09), I found it fascinating that these 11 students primarily focused on relationships, experiences, atmosphere, and library as place.”

...The Unquiet Librarian, Dec. 10; Librarian in Black, Dec. 8

Holiday Reading

2009-12-16T14:59:00.014-05:00

Here are a couple of lists to help you catch up on your "fun" reading over the holidays. Don't forget that you can borrow the books (print or audio) through our delivery system if you'd like to save some $$.

Happy Holidays

The 10 Best Books of 2009

By THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

http://tinyurl.com/ygy9d7d

100 Notable Books of 2009

By THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

http://tinyurl.com/yhwxmxk

EBSCOhost® is Going Mobile

2009-12-08T10:47:00.001-05:00

Mobile Version of the EBSCOhost Platform Puts Database Content in the Hands of Users EBSCO Publishing Introduces EBSCOhost® Mobile™- Convenient Access to Quality EBSCOhost® Content

EBSCO Publishing (EBSCO) is bringing its EBSCOhost® databases to users-even if users are on their smartphones. EBSCO has released EBSCOhost® Mobile™ allowing researchers to access their EBSCOhost® databases via smartphones and other handheld devices.

Access our MWCC databases through this link:

http://ezmw.ez.cwmars.org:4200/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtype=ip,uid&profile=mobile

Wikipedia loses editors ...

2009-12-01T10:17:00.000-05:00

"Online encyclopaedia Wikipedia 'lost' 49,000 of its volunteer editors in the first three months of 2009, University research suggests. The figure compares with a loss of 4,900 over the same period in 2008."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8379566.stm

Credo Reference - helpful training videos

2009-11-12T16:08:00.008-05:00

Concept Map Video
This 2:49 minute video covers searching with our Concept Map. Get some tips for brainstorming with the Concept Map. The video includes both audio and captions.
Watch the video at: http://corp.credoreference.com/video-tip-concept-map

Find a Book Video
Our 2:13 minute Find a Book video walks you through using the book browsing feature on Credo. Learn more about finding and browsing individual titles. The video includes both audio and captions.
Watch the video at:http://corp.credoreference.com/video-tip-book

Story in American Libraries

2009-11-12T10:12:00.001-05:00

(We at MWCC certainly know all about this phenomenon!! )

Troublesome Textbooks
in
On My Mind
Students confuse the roles of the library and the bookstore
By Bonnie Imler

http://www.americanlibrariesmagazine.org/columns/my-mind/troublesome-textbooks

Author of "In the Claw of the Tiger" visits MWCC's LaChance Library

2009-11-10T19:44:00.002-05:00

Genevieve Fraser at MWCC 11/10/09 -

Two interesting articles ...

2009-11-10T11:39:00.002-05:00

Fear of college
Why do so many first-generation college students fail? Rebecca Cox decided to find out
By Tracy Jan
Boston Globe
October 25, 2009
http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2009/10/25/fear_of_college/

"There’s a huge gap between what’s expected at the public high school level and what’s expected at the college level. I was amazed by how many students readily admitted that in high school, their senior year, a research paper consisted of copying out of an encyclopedia. That’s a big issue."

Are Too Many Students Going to College?
Chronicle of Higher Education
November 8, 2009
http://chronicle.com/article/Are-Too-Many-Students-Going-to/49039/?sid=cc&utm_source=cc&utm_medium=en

Local Events---MassHumanities Events

2009-10-28T08:53:00.006-04:00

http://masshumanities.org/?p=events

Upcoming events in the Central Region:

Tuesday, November 3, 2009 7:30 PM

Defending John Brown: An Evening with Henry David ThoreauNationally-known Thoreau re-enactor Kevin Radaker will portray Thoreau in a one-person dramatic presentation. Weaving together passages from several of his writings, biographical and historical information, Radaker skillfully presents Thoreau's personality, intellect and wit, making the audience feel that they are in the presence of the actual man. This performance will stress Thoreau's political views and will contain selections from Thoreau's famous speech "A Plea for Captain John Brown." The dramatic monologue will be followed by a question-and-answer session with Thoreau, then with Radaker.
location: Mechanics Hall, 321 Main Street, Worcesterphone: (508) 471-2131web: www.americanantiquarian.org/publicpro.htm#johnbrown cost: free
funded by Mass Humanities grant program

Friday, November 6, 2009 7:30 PM

Warriors for Freedom: John Brown and Henry David ThoreauDavid S. Reynolds, author of John Brown, Abolitionist: The Man Who Killed Slavery, Sparked the Civil War, and Seeded Civil Rights (Knopf, 2005), will describe how the Transcendentalists were the boldest and most publicly visible proponents of John Brown in the immediate aftermath of Harpers Ferry. Virtually everyone in the North, including radical abolitionists like William Lloyd Garrison, initially reacted negatively to Brown's attack on Virginia. Henry David Thoreau stood alone in coming out immediately and eloquently on Brown's behalf and planted the seed for the mass veneration of John Brown that grew steadily in the months before and after John Brown's execution on December 2, 1859. Focusing on three newly discovered letters housed at the American Antiquarian Society and written by Frederick Douglass, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, Dr. Reynolds will argue that if it had not been for the positive reception and promotion of John Brown by Thoreau and other Transcendentalists, Brown may very well have passed into obscurity as a solitary, crazed anarchist.
location: American Antiquarian Society, 185 Salisbury Street, Worcesterphone: (508) 471-2131web: www.americanantiquarian.org/publicpro.htm#johnbrown cost: free
funded by Mass Humanities grant program

Saturday, November 21, 2009 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

An (Un)Civil Action? Violent Politics in 1920's Worcester
On October 19, 1924, months of back-and-forth political intimidation climaxed in a night-long riot that followed a heavily protected Ku Klux Klan meeting at the Worcester Fairgrounds. Four years later, on Nov. 5, 1928 a pre-election Hoover victory parade of 8,000 marched down Shrewsbury Street in Worcester; they were attacked by some 10,000 opposition supporters. The ensuing riot lasted for hours.Join historian John MCClymer for a discussion program of civic violence in American politics, also featuring excerpts from the documentary, "John Brown's Holy War" and discussion of Brown's choice for armed conflict.Refreshments. Presented by Mass Humanities in collaboration with Assumption College, Worcester Historical Museum, and American Antiquarian Society.
location: Testa Science Center Auditorium, Assumption College, Worcester
phone: (413) 584-8440 web: masshumanities.org/?p=uncivil_action email: localhistory@masshumanities.org cost: Free and open to the public. No preregistration necessary.sponsored by Mass Humanities

Survey of American college students

2009-10-17T07:17:00.001-04:00

According to several reports published by the Primary Research Group, Inc., only about 47 percent of students are sure that they have ever been required to turn in a research paper exceeding ten double-spaced typed pages in length for any of their classes. More than 86 percent of students say that they understand the concept of plagiarism. The higher the grade point average, the less information for research papers was obtained from search engines, such as Google or Yahoo. Close to 19 percent of students in the fine or performing arts have ever asked reference questions via e-mail, the highest percentage among all types of majors or concentrations.

Press Release from Primary Research Group, Inc., June, 2009, http://primaryresearch.com/release-200906251.html
Retrieved August 6, 2009.

Trend Watching

2009-10-14T11:01:00.005-04:00

"Nowism: Why Currency is the New Currency"

"As the future is uncertain, and the past is, well, the past, instant-gratification seeking consumers are embracing anything real-time with more passion than ever before. We've dubbed this NOWISM, and it’s one trend you can’t afford to miss out on..."

http://trendwatching.com/trends/nowism/