College Libraries News

Links are updated

2010-07-23T11:29:00.001-04:00

The links to MLA and RILM have been updated. Connections to these resources from any subject page should work as expected.

Library Website Change - Monday

2007-06-22T08:06:00.000-04:00

The transition to the new library homepage is scheduled to occur on Monday June 25. The structure is significantly different from the current site. Many pages will be directly available from a pull-down menubar that is available on every page. Take some time to explore the site. Comments are welcome.

Featured Resource: CIAO

2007-06-14T14:23:00.000-04:00

CIAO - Columbia International Affairs Online - is a continually updated collection of working paper, books, journal articles, policy briefs, etc. It is searchable and browseable. Most of the documents are in .pdf format. Politics, especially matters related to international relations, is the main focus.

To get an idea of the materials you can expect to find in CIAO, see this recent list of New @ CIAO titles.

Link to the CIAO homepage.

Library Website Redesign

2007-06-11T08:12:00.000-04:00

The growing number and variety of electronic resources provided by the libraries, and the development of new web page technologies, have made necessary the revision of the libraries' web site. Changeover to the new site will happen this summer. We hope this will give you time to become acquainted with the new structure. Locations and paths to favorite resources will be different; but the drop-down menus available on all new pages will make more resources easily accessible.

Take a look at the new site (still in development) at this link: New Library Web Site
Once the site is complete, the current links from other campus pages, and your bookmarks to the library, should connect you to the new pages.

We will make additional announcements as the changeover date approaches.

Art Exhibits in Crumb Lobby

2007-05-08T17:20:00.000-04:00

Opening TODAY! Two art exhibits in Crumb Lobby that you do not want to miss!

Mask Making Exhibit
by Emily Glass (graduating senior and Presidential Scholar)
A sculptural parade of masks and mice representing various dimensions of humanity.
On display until Friday, April 18th.

AND

Purple Hearts
Photographic Portraits and Interviews with American Soldiers Wounded in Iraq
by Nina Berman
Sponsored by Students for Peaceful Alternatives

"Cite this item" service in WorldCat

2007-05-07T09:53:00.000-04:00

New to the records obtained in a WorldCat search, is a link called "Cite this item" that offers the bibliographic citation format for five popular citation styles - APA, Chicago, Harvard, MLA and Turabian.

You'll find this link just below the "Request interlibrary loan" link on the WorldCat record.

Extended library hours

2007-05-07T07:59:00.000-04:00

Until the end of the semester Crumb Library will be open until 1:00 am,
Sunday through Thursday.

New employment data tool from the U.S. Census

2007-04-06T08:42:00.000-04:00

The Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) and Local Employment Dynamic (LED) data sources provided by the U.S. Census Bureau are new ways to get customized and current data on the U.S. workforce. The data includes Quarterly Workforce Indicators and Industry Focus , and a web-based mapping program called On the Map.

Not all states are participating in this program, New York being one that is not. But most states are, and the data available should prove very useful to economists, business planners, and others.

You'll find a link to these services on the "Statistics" page of both "Economics" and "Business" subject pages on the library web site.

Social Explorer: demographic data

2007-03-28T10:44:00.000-04:00

Demographic data from the U.S. censuses is useful to many areas of study. Social Explorer makes using this data for analysis or map creation easier. A team at Queens Univ. of CUNY has produced this set of maps from census data, 1940-2000. A certain level of data is freely acessible, while additional data (especially at the census tract level) requires a subscription (see Data Availability). Even what is openly available provides in interesting window on the nation's history.

A link to this site is included on the library website at: Reference Sources / Statistics / Social Explorer.

Metropolitan Museum of Art and ARTstor

2007-03-14T08:11:00.000-04:00

A project is underway to make available online images of works in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Initially, nearly 1,700 images representative of the broad range of the Metropolitan Museum's encyclopedic collection will be available through ARTstor. The College Libraries' subscription to ARTstor makes these images available to all of SUNY Potsdam through links on the library web site (see under "Other Collections" and the "Art" subject page).

OAIster - search the "deep web"

2007-03-13T15:12:00.000-04:00

Google doesn't reach into all the resources available on the web. An especially rich vein is the large collection of digital resources in the Open Archives Initiative. OAIster is the union catalog of these resources, compiled by harvesting the descriptive records from the collections participating in this cooperative project - now numbering many hundreds. Nearly 11 million records are now in this catalog. The resources are of many types, including text, image, audio, video, and dataset.

Science web site for recent research

2007-03-12T08:57:00.000-04:00

Essential Science Indicators: special topics is a site that features recent highly-cited scientific researchers - often with interviews, and always with citations to recent articles. A new topic is covered each month, and you can search the archives of "Special Topics." A useful feature is the list of most-cited paper on the topics covered. It also offers an RSS feed for current awareness.

Database trial - EconLit

2007-03-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

Until Mar. 30, 2007 there is a SUNY-wide trial of the "EconLit with Full-text" database from Ebsco. A link is on the libraries' "Trials" web page - which includes the username and password to access this trial.

As usual, we welcome your views on the value of these new products. Please contact our Collection Development Librarian,
Jenica Rogers (phone: 267-3328 ; email: rogersjp), with your comments.

Primary source collections

2007-03-05T08:12:00.000-05:00

Among the online resources available through the libraries are the Alexander Street Press collections known as "The Street." This is a group of 11 document files from diverse subject areas. You will find here primary sources for drama, poetry, and black studies; as well as letters and diaries from various historical periods. See Alexander Street Press under "Other Collections."

The Chronicle of Higher Education online

2007-02-27T07:55:00.000-05:00

A site license for The Chronicle of Higher Education is now in place. Members of the campus community – faculty, staff, and students – can now get access to the on-line version of The Chronicle from campus computers, or from off campus with a campus computer account.

From on campus, you can go directly to The Chronicle site at http://chronicle.com without further authorization.

If you are off campus you need to go through the proxy server at http://webproxy.potsdam.edu:2048/login?url=http://chronicle.com or find the link on the Libraries’ web page; go to Finding Articles>For Newspaper Articles. You will be prompted to enter your campus computer account username/password.

Project Muse: online journal collection...

2007-02-07T08:45:00.000-05:00

The large collection of online journals in the arts, humanities, and social sciences known as Project Muse includes a diverse and exciting array of journals from many of the world's leading university presses and scholarly societies. One can search the entire collection or browse through individual journals. Many fields of study at SUNY Potsdam will find materials of interest in this rich resource.

New QUIET study room

2007-01-24T17:38:00.000-05:00

Do you need silence to study? Is the second floor of the library too loud for you, even when everyone's being mostly quiet? Does the barely-audible music from everyone else's headphones distract you completely?

Then we have an new option for you when you study. We're proud to announce the creation of the Silent Study Room, on the second floor of Crumb Library. Room 204 (waaaay back in the corner by the art books) is now a room for Silent Study, with a couch, a few soft chairs, a few tables, and NO talking, NO headphones, and NO other ambient noise.

If silence is your thing, check it out. If not... have you tried the group study tables in the basement?

Let us know what you think of this idea (or anything else) in the Suggestion Box by the Circulation Desk!

Google and Microsoft "Book Search"

2006-12-11T08:46:00.000-05:00

Add Microsoft to the list of those providing access to scanned books. As with the earlier release of "Google Book Search", the "Microsoft Live Book Search" allows complete viewing only for out-of-copyright titles. This beta release claims to contain "tens of thousands" of books. Links to both services, as well as many other online book collections, such as the venerable Project Gutenburg, and the fine directory of online book collections - the Online Books Page at the Univ. of Pennsylvania - are on the library's E-Books page.

Iraq Study Group Report

2006-12-08T13:42:00.000-05:00

An online version of the Iraq Study Group report has been posted. Find it at: http://permanent.access.gpo.gov/lps76748/iraq_study_group_report.pdf
This is a report of a bi-partisan committee.

Children's Book Week

2006-11-13T12:58:00.000-05:00

This week is Children's Book Week, which has been celebrated the week before Thanksgiving in schools in libraries for more than 80 years.

In honor of Children's Book Week, may I suggest a few of my favorites?

The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster, in Crumb Library at Juv. PZ 8.J98 PH
The Little House books, by Laura Ingalls Wilder, in Crumb Library at Juv. PZ7.W6461 Li2
The His Dark Materials trilogy by Phillip Pullman, in Crumb Library at Juv. PZ7.P968 Go 1996
Click Clack Moo, by Doreen Cronin, in Crumb Library at Juv. PZ7.C88135 Cl 2000

You can search for your favorite kids' books easily in BearCat by choosing "Juvenile" in the drop-down "Change Collection" box. (No boring grown-up book results in those searches!)

Click here for more information on the history of Children's Book Week, where they say,

"Book Week brings us together to talk about books and reading and, out of our knowledge and love of books, to put the cause of children's reading squarely before the whole community and, community by community, across the whole nation. For a great nation is a reading nation."

Enjoy!

Information for voters

2006-10-27T14:16:00.000-04:00

There's more than enough talk about the upcoming election, but do you have enough good information on the candidates? One of the best non-partisan resources for easy-to-find facts is Project Vote Smart. Voting records for each incumbent are provided. Additionally, public statements have been gathered for incumbents and for many of their challengers. the amount of data that has been gathered by this dedicated organization is quite amazing.

Another good source for election information is the Election 2006 website at the University of Michigan.

BearCat Enhancement: Cover Art, Summaries and more!

2006-10-19T10:12:00.000-04:00

Check out our new, improved BearCat! We recently enhanced our on-line catalog to include the cover art of books. When you display the Full Record in BearCat, you will find that the cover art is hyperlinked. Click on the cover image to display Table of Contents, Summaries, Excerpts and Reviews. You may need to change your browser settings to allow pop-up windows to use this new service.

Here are a few examples:

Multiracial America : a resource guide on the history and literature of interracial issues

Illicit : how smugglers, traffickers and copycats are hijacking the global economy / by Moisés Naím

Americans in Paris, 1860-1900 / by Kathleen Adler

Mozart : the early years, 1756-1781 / Stanley Sadie

If you need assistance with this new service, contact the Reference Desk.

10 million krona, and the world knows his name

2006-10-12T19:01:00.000-04:00

Orhan Pamuk is a lucky man -- today it was announced that he won the Nobel Prize in Literature, receiving 10 million Swedish krona and the recognition of the literary world. Nobelprize.org's "two minute review" of Mr. Pamuk's work is a great summary of why he has been named a Nobel Laureate.

The Wikipedia entry on Mr. Pamuk has a good bibliography of which of his works have been translated into English, as well as an in-depth account of the major events and controversies of his life. The New Yorker has a copy of a letter Pamuk wrote in regards to the biggest of those controversies, his Turkish trial over freedom of speech issues. The Guardian has a nice site on Pamuk, and my favorite site found as I researched this is the site on how to pronounce his name.

The College Libraries have two of his books, translated into English -- Snow and Istanbul: Memories and the City. Today I ordered the English translations of the rest of Pamuk's works, so if you're interested in this Nobel Laureate, check Bearcat in a few weeks to find the call numbers.

Enjoy!

New primary source databases

2006-09-29T09:36:00.000-04:00

Have you ever wondered what women's lives were like in Ireland in the 1700's?
How about the daily life and concerns of a Civil War soldier?
Or what it was like to explore the Hudson River with Hudson himself?

Now you can find out -- the College Libraries have subscribed to a collection of databases called The Street, which contains a bunch of really fascinating primary source documents in several categories -- there's a database of British and Irish Women's Letters, one on Civil War Letters and Diaries, a collection of documents regarding Early Encounters in North America, and more -- check out the collections on our Alexander Street Press page.

If you're looking for other primary source material online, start with our History Research portal page, which has links to tons of reliable online sites and library resources to help you with your work.

Bregman Book Discussion Tues. Sept. 19th

2006-09-19T12:56:00.000-04:00

Bregman Book Discussion
Tuesday, September 19, 2006 4:00 — 5:30 pm
Crumb Library Lobby

A discussion of : Collected Works of Billy the Kid by Michael Ondaatje

Integrating historical documents and photographs with fictional narrative, the author presents a unique portrait of one of America’s most famous outlaws.

Led by panelists:
M.J. Heisey, History
Donald McNutt, English & Communication
Danny Smith, Honors Student
Katie Wrobel, Honors Student

New Performing Arts database

2006-09-11T13:32:00.000-04:00

Just added to the resources available through the library - the International Index to the Performing Arts.
This will be the most comprehensive search tool available for locating articles in dance, drama, musical theater, and opera. Linking to available online journal content via our SFX services should be available soon. While coverage of most journals is for recent years only, a few journals are indexed back many decades.

Doing education research?

2006-09-04T12:49:00.000-04:00

We know that a lot of our students use the libraries looking for information about education, and we're always trying to make sure we have the best possible resources to help you. So, in that spirit, we've made some changes you'll want to know about for this year!

New ERIC interface: We've changed from the FirstSearch interface that we had used for years and years to a new interface provided by EBSCO. It's the same ERIC you've always used, just in a shiny new package. (We recommend that everyone use the EBSCO version -- we think it's the best one -- but if you like having choices, your options are here.)
New EBSCO education products: We are also offering two great Education-specific full-text databases from EBSCO -- the Professional Development Collection and Education Research Complete. (HINT: To search all the EBSCO education databases in one easy search, click on the blue tab that says "Choose Databases" at the top of the EBSCO search screen, and choose the ones you'd like to use.)
New Education Subject Page: We've reorganized the subject page for Education resources -- http://www.potsdam.edu/library/home/Subjects/Education.php -- so that all the best resources for education projects are in one place. You'll find links for searching for children's books, links to some of our online encyclopedias, links to New York State Curriculum Standards, and much more.

We hope these changes make it easier for you to find the information you need when you're working on education projects and research -- let us know what you think of them by commenting here, sending us an email, or chatting via IM with a librarian at the reference desk. (And, of course, you can always stop by to say hi -- we're at the reference desk in Crumb from 9:30 am to 9 pm.)

Library Expo, Thursday!

2006-08-30T16:53:00.000-04:00

On Thursday, August 31, from 3-6 pm, the College Libraries will be hosting a
Library Expo
in the lobby of Crumb Library.

The Expo is designed to introduce new students to the libraries and what we have to offer, from Reference help to computing services to the fantastic Minerva's cafe. The Libraries have coordinated with the Residence Life staff to ensure that our first-year students are coming to the Expo, anyone interested in learning more about services in the libraries is welcome to stop by!

Discussing education: the first Bregman of 06-07

2006-08-28T16:23:00.002-04:00

Please join us for our first Bregman Book Discussion of the year!

Tuesday, September 5, at 4 pm, in Crumb Library lobby:
Other People's Children: Cultural Conflict in the Classroom, by Lisa Delpit.

Drawing on her own teaching experience, the author illuminates the challenges of creating an effective learning environment for all children.

Our panelists will speak briefly on their thoughts about the book, followed by discussion with the audience. You need not have read the book -- some of the most interesting questions come from people new to the topics we're talking about.

Also... refreshments will be served...

Hope to see you on Tuesday!

New for fall 2006

2006-08-25T14:34:00.001-04:00

Recent additions to the resources available through the library web site include, in addition to the Oxford English Dictionary added in early summer, the set of 100+ volumes in Oxford Reference Online. These are concise reference works on broad subject areas - especially good for explanations of terms, persons, events, etc.

A review of the SUNYConnect system-wide resources has resulted in a substitution of the Academic Search Premier collection of e-journals for the InfoTrac Expanded Academic we had previously. While there are some differences in exact content, the scope and depth of the new resource is very similar to what you may have become accustomed to.

The Alexander Street Press collection of documents will be of interest to people in several disciplines. These are mainly primary source documents.

Some fairly minor changes to the library web site for this fall foreshadow a major re-design of our homepage expected before the start of the spring semester.

Crumb reopens August 21

2006-08-16T13:26:00.000-04:00

Crumb library will be reopening on August 21, at 7:45 am, and we're all working hard to be sure that we're ready. What do you think? Will we make it? Stop by on Monday and take a look!

The Oxford English Dictionary

2006-07-17T09:23:00.000-04:00

The largest and most authoritative dictionary of the English language, The Oxford English Dictionary (fondly known as the OED), is now available online to the SUNY Potsdam community. Unrivaled as a source for etymology, historical usage, and quotations, as well as definitions.

Links to this resource are found on the Reference Sources / Dictionaries page; and on the English subject page.

Or use this direct link to - The Oxford English Dictionary

Catalog software upgrade

2006-06-08T09:57:00.000-04:00

The library just upgraded the software for our catalog. While most of the changes are behind the scenes, we are still checking to make sure that all our data transitioned smoothly. You may see some very minor changes (i.e. the space for a due date, formerly blank if the item was not checked out, now says "available"). Please let us know if you see anything unusual or encounter any unexpected problems. Thank you.

LIBRARY CLOSED Starting Tues, JUNE 13th

2006-06-05T16:36:00.000-04:00

Crumb Library will be closing for an asbestos abatement project beginning on June 13th (First day of 3 week summer session IB, at the end of 3 week summer session IA, and in the middle of 6 week session I) and will remain closed until the end of the summer.
Library services will be offered out in the Crane Library.
Reference on weekdays will be in the Writing Center in Carson Hall (by the Greenery).
Merrit Hall computer lab will be open: Mon-Fri 8am-9pm; Sat noon-4pm; Sun noon-9pm
Details are available on the library web site at http://www.potsdam.edu/library.html

NEW: Lexis-Nexis Academic

2006-05-01T12:36:00.000-04:00

The College Libraries have recently added Lexis-Nexis to the repetoire of resources available to campus users. Lexis-Nexis is a great resource for finding recent news stories, business information, doing legal research, and finding facts, statistics, and polling data. Give it a try; it's linked on our Finding Articles page under "L", and also in the sections for doing research in Newspapers, Business Administration, Current Events, Law, and Politics.

If you have any questions about using Lexis-Nexis, you can always ask a Reference Librarian -- in person, by phone, by email, or over IM.

End of Semester in Crumb Library

2006-04-27T11:25:00.000-04:00

As we approach the end of the semester, Monday to Wednesday reference hours are extended to 10 pm until May 10th. A librarian will be available to help with research both in person at the reference desk and chat (AIM) later than usual on these days.

Beginning Sunday May 7th, Crumb Library will close at 1 AM, Sunday to Thursday, through exam week.

Group Study Room sign out sheets are at the Circulation Desk. The rooms are available on a first come, first served basis but sheets are out approximately one week in advance--plan ahead to use this option. Laptops are available for check out at the Circulation Desk. Room 204 has wireless network access--great place to get that final group project done.

And finally, remember that the library is a place for study--we have designated zones for SILENT and QUIET GROUP study. Please respect everyone's need to get assignments and studying done.

New...and more laptops available

2006-03-25T09:51:00.000-05:00

We have NEW laptops for sign out in the library and we have added more -- there are now 12 available in Crumb Library. Circulating laptops will also soon be available in Crane Library. For details on the program, click here or ask at the Circulation or Reference Desk.

Libraries laptop update

2006-03-06T13:16:00.000-05:00

When we started circulating laptops, we knew they'd be popular. But they've been really popular. Really really popular. They've gotten used so much this year that they're wearing out faster than we can keep them repaired. Over the next week or so, you may find that there aren't as many laptops available as there used to be, and we apologize for that.

BUT! We have new laptops arriving very, very soon to replace the old ones. So coming in the next week or so, we'll have brand new computers for you to check out at the circulation desk, at both Crumb and Crane libraries. We hope these new computers will work even better than the old ones -- and we know they're definitely lighter than the old ones.

So, we're sorry for the temporary inconvenience, but we're just about to make things even better. Hang in there!

Research Consultations - Great one-on-one library help

2006-02-22T13:13:00.000-05:00

Did you know you can get a one-on-one appointment with a librarian, to help you with your research?

We're always available to help you when we're at the reference desk, of course. But if you're working on a special project, or you're really stumped on how to get started, you can use our Consultations service, too.

How's it work? Easy: You tell us what you need to research, we'll do a bit of work figuring out the best resources for you to use, and then we'll meet with you to show you what we've learned. It's a great system -- we get a chance to prepare some information, and you'll get a focused, personal session dedicated to your project!

So send us an email, using our Consultation Registration form, the next time you need a hand with a big research project. We're glad to help!

Bregman Book Discussion Series

2006-02-14T14:28:00.000-05:00

Tuesdays at 4:00 p.m. in the Crumb Library Lobby: come listen or join in the book discussion series. This semester the schedule is as follows:

February 7: Eat Here: Homegrown Pleasures in a Global Supermarket. by Brian Halwell
February 14: Reading Lolita in Tehran: a Memoir in Books. by Azar Nafisi
February 28: Illicit: How Smugglers, Traffickers and Copycats are Hijacking the Global Economy. by Moises Naim
March 7: The Gate to Women's Country. by Sheri Tepper (science fiction)

Refreshments are served.

Tax Forms in the library

2006-02-02T14:41:00.000-05:00

Even though lots of people wait until the very last minute to do their taxes, you can always start early...

To help you do that, we have New York State tax forms in the lobby of Crumb Library. Stop by and pick up what you need. We don't have the federal tax forms, though -- you can find all of your federal tax forms and instructions at http://www.irs.gov. If you prefer online forms, the New York State Department of Taxation also has the forms online, at http://www.tax.state.ny.us/.

And, if you want to, the IRS site also offers you help on how to file your taxes online. Online filing = faster refund = good news.

Happy filing!

New semester, new stuff

2006-01-23T10:09:00.000-05:00

Welcome back! Here's a quick recap of changes in the College Libraries this semester, because while you were gone, we were busy.

Slightly longer loan periods for circulating laptops, and the ability to renew--from your laptop!
Two new databases: Project MUSE, and the American Chemical Society Journal Search.
New (and more!) computers in the Crumb Library reference area (coming soon), and a (slightly) different location for the printer.
Circulating laptops and wireless access to the network in Crane Library (coming soon!).

We'll post more information about these changes as they happen, so check back for more information. If you have any questions, contact us anytime.

College Libraries open for Winterim

2006-01-05T11:29:00.000-05:00

Both Crumb and Crane Libraries are open for Winterim (January 4th to 17th). Click here for hours or call 267-2485 (Crumb) - 267-2451 (Crane).

Closed for the holidays

2005-12-15T15:04:00.000-05:00

The College Libraries (both Crumb and Crane) will be closing at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 23 and reopening at 7:45 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2006.

Our web page and electronic resources will still be available during this time; but interlibrary loan requests that are submitted will not be processed until after the libraries reopen on Jan. 3.

We hope you have a happy and safe semester break.

Blues from the Libraries

2005-12-06T13:55:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to our own Ed Komara, Crane Librarian! The campus press release explains,

"After seven years and countless hours of work by Edward Komara, Crane librarian at SUNY Potsdam, the Routledge “Encyclopedia of the Blues,” the first-ever comprehensive work chronicling blues music, is now available to the public.
“It is the first multivolume reference work devoted to the blues, on a scale not previously attempted, at over 600,000 words and 75 illustrations, with an index,” said Komara who edited the two-volume set.

According to Komara, the purpose of the “Encyclopedia of the Blues” is to lay a historical, musical and cultural foundation for the future studies of blues music. Coverage of the work encompasses the whole history of the blues, from its antecedents in African and American types of music, through its late 19th-century beginnings among African Americans, the classic pre-World War II era and the influential postwar era, to the contemporary styles performed today for audiences of all races and classes.

The encyclopedia is a multidisciplinary project, combining the work of approximately 140 scholars of music, bibliography, and American history and culture. Many of the contributors came from various backgrounds in music performance, cultural scholarship, the recording industry, and print journalism.

Great work, Ed! Anyone interested in taking a look at this unique and really interesting encyclopedia (there's a great collection of nicknames in the history of blues...) will be able to look at a copy in the Crane Library, at call number ML102.B6 E53 2006. (Right now, it's on display with other faculty publications, in the wall cases between The Greenery and Raymond Hall, but we'll be adding it to the Libraries soon.)

And I'm certain Ed would be happy to talk to anyone about either the encylopedia or the blues! You can find him in the Crane Library...

Crumb Library open until 1 AM

2005-12-02T12:28:00.000-05:00

We're reaching the end of the semester, and all the work is coming to an end, too -- final exams, research papers, big projects. And we know you're working hard to get all of those papers and projects finished, and to study for your exams. To make it a little easier for you, Crumb Library's Extended Study Hours are about to begin. Starting on Sunday, December 4 (that's this weekend) through Thursday, December 15, we'll be open until 1 am, Sunday through Thursday nights.

You heard it -- 1 am. We'll only be closed for six hours a day during the next few weeks (from 1 to 7:45 am, when you should be sleeping!) Study until you can't see straight, if you need to -- we'll be open.

Be sure to buy your coffee early, though, because Minerva's is closed after 9 pm. And, don't forget, our reference librarians are at the desk on the first floor to help you out with your research until 10 pm (through December 8, when we go back to our normal hours).

For more information on open hours: College Libraries Hours
For more information on reference hours: Crumb Reference Hours
For more information on Minerva's hours: PACES Snack Bars

How do I cite this...?

2005-12-02T08:48:00.000-05:00

For help with how to cite various types of sources - printed and online - we have compiled a page with links to a number of web pages that give guidance, and lots of examples. Whether you're using APA, MLA, Chicago, or whatever style, you should find some helpful advice. This link is on our Research Assistance page under "How to Cite Sources."

And for additional help - ask at the Reference Desks in Crumb or Crane Libraries.

News feeds on your subject interests

2005-11-17T09:03:00.000-05:00

All of the 36 subject-specific pages listed on our "Subject Directory" web page include news feeds. These provide continually updated headlines for news related to that field. The headlines link to more complete news stories - at sites ranging from the New York Times to professional organizations. Check these pages regularly to see the latest news on the subject areas of your interest.

Extended reference service

2005-11-14T15:33:00.000-05:00

The end of the semester is getting close, and your big projects will be due soon...

We're here to help. From now until finals week (with the exception of the week of Thanksgiving), there will be someone at the Reference Desk to help you with your research from 9:30 am until 10:00 pm, Monday through Thursday. (We're only here until 4 on Fridays, but who wants to work on Friday, anyway?) Reference librarians are also available on Sundays, from 1-9.

Please stop by. We can help you when you get stuck on your research, if you don't know where to start, or if you just need some reassurance that you're doing it right.

For more information:
Complete schedule for both Crumb and Crane libraries
Reference hours at Crumb Library

Finding videos in the Libraries

2005-11-10T10:54:00.000-05:00

We get a lot of questions about how to find videos and DVDs in the Libraries. We do have a lot of them -- we have classic films, recordings of plays and operas, documentaries, and films for use by classroom teachers. Lots of people don't realize how many movies we have, because they're not kept in any special place, like in a video store. Instead, they're on the shelves with the books, so that if you're looking for criticism of Hamlet, you'll also find the videos of productions of Hamlet on the same shelf, too. Or, if you're looking at books on classroom management skills, you'll find the videos on managing classrooms right next to them.

So how do you find videos in the Libraries?

One way is to do a search in BearCat, and if we have videos on the topic you searched, they'll show up in your search results. But if you're looking for just videos, we have a special catalog -- the Video Collection database -- that you can search. You can find it by clicking here, or by using the drop-down "Change Collection..." menu right above the search box on the main BearCat screen. The top of the screen turns pink to tell you you've changed catalogs, and now you can search for anything -- "special education", "detective films", "American history" -- and find just the videos. Once you find what you need, you can check them out at the circulation desk, and enjoy!

Contact us!

2005-11-04T14:15:00.000-05:00

The College Libraries have revamped our directories, and we think they're easier to use, and that they'll tell you more of what you want to know.

To find out who to ask about a particular library service, use the Services Directory, found at http://www.potsdam.edu/library/home/ServiceDirectory2.php . (There's also a link under "Contact Us By Phone" on the homepage.) In the Services Directory, you can click on many of the services we offer to get to an explanatory web page about that service. Ever wondered what a "Consultation" is? Click on it, and see!

To find a person who works in the libraries, or to find out which person does which jobs in the libraries, check the Staff Directory, found at http://www.potsdam.edu/library/home/Staff_Directory2.php. (Also available under "Contact Us By Phone".) If you want to know more about a staff member, click on their name to see more info. As an example of what you might find, here's my directory page.

Let us know what you think about these new directories -- do they help you find what you need?

Newspapers available online...

2005-10-27T12:50:00.000-04:00

Many newspapers now have some content online. Often however, the backfile is not available for free, and the cost to download articles can be quite high. Through the library you can access many U.S. and foreign newspapers, including some archival content. For a group of northern New York newspapers the historical content is especially deep. To explore the newspapers available to you, go to our "Articles in Newspapers" page. Within each newspaper collection, there is a way to browse what newspapers are included. All-in-all, many hundreds of newspapers can ow be searched and articles displayed.

How to access CIAO and Earthscape from off-campus

2005-10-17T14:43:00.000-04:00

Most of the Libraries' online databases can be accessed from a computer off campus by logging in to our proxy server with your Campus Computer Account. (The proxy server is a nifty piece of equipment that makes it look like you're working from a computer on campus.) However, no matter how hard we try to keep things easy, some databases work differently than others.

Some of our users have pointed out that accessing CIAO and Earthscape (two databases from Columbia University -- one on politics, and one on environmental topics) from off campus is more complicated. To log in to CIAO and Earthscape from the dorm, from home, or from somewhere else off-campus, you have to take one extra step: Create a user account. This can be done in CIAO by clicking on the "Remote Users" link on the left-hand side, and in Earthscape by clicking on the "Work from Home" link under the compass-like-graphic.

However, you must create the user account from on campus so that the database knows which authorized user (SUNY Potsdam) you are affiliated with.

We're working on finding an easier way for our off-campus users to access these (very useful!) Columbia databases, but until then, if you have any questions please contact the reference desk by calling 267-2485, or by sending an instant message to AIM user PotsdamLibrary.

Nobel Prize for Literature, 2005

2005-10-13T12:54:00.000-04:00

It was announced today that Harold Pinter, playwright, has won the 2005 Nobel Prize for Literature. Reuters newswire reports,

British playwright Harold Pinter, a master of sparse dialogue and menacing silences who has been an outspoken critic of the U.S.-led war in Iraq, was the surprise winner of the Nobel literature prize on Thursday.
The 75-year-old Londoner, son of a Jewish dressmaker, is one of Britain's best-known dramatists for plays like "The Birthday Party" and "The Caretaker", whose mundane dialogue with sinister undercurrents gave rise to the adjective "Pinteresque".

An intimidating presence with bushy eyebrows and a rich voice, he was described by Swedish Academy head Horace Engdahl, who announced the prize, as "the towering figure" in English drama in the second half of the 20th century.

[Full story available here.]

We have a collection of Pinter's works in the library; click here to see the list. Also, we have books about his life and work, here.

The Bregman Browsing Collection, in the lobby of Crumb Library, contains many award-winning literary and non-fiction works -- if you're interested in noteworthy new publications, be sure to check the browsing shelves by the couches.

Congratulations, Mr. Pinter!

Looking for a computer? Try a laptop!

2005-10-02T19:44:00.000-04:00

It's a Sunday evening, and the library's filling up... and so are the computers. But don't lose hope! You can still do your work here, if this is where you want or need to be -- we have 8 laptop computers available for use in Crumb Library.

You can sign out a laptop at the Circulation Desk, using your SUNYCard. Since wireless access is available in many places in the library -- we'll give you a map of the best spots when you pick up the computer -- you can get online wherever you need to be, and you can save to Helios even if you're sitting on one of the couches on the second floor. For more information, check our Laptop Policies page.

And, if the Reference computers are full, and our laptops are checked out, don't forget that more computers are available in the Levitt Center in Merritt Hall.

ARTstor Network problems

2005-09-29T18:32:00.000-04:00

We have been experiencing intermittent access problems to the ARTstor image database. CTS is working with the technical staff at ARTstor to resolve the problems. We apologize for the inconvenience, and hope to have it resolved soon. Thanks for your patience.

Banned Books Week, 9/24-10/1

2005-09-23T12:56:00.000-04:00

Banned Books Week 2005 is September 24–October 1.

What is Banned Books Week? The American Library Association writes,

Banned Books Week (BBW) celebrates the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one’s opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them. After all, intellectual freedom can exist only where these two essential conditions are met." [http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/backgroundb/background.htm#wbbw]

Banned Books Week is about understanding censorship. The National Council of Teachers of English writes,

"We can safely make two statements about censorship: first, any work is potentially open to attack by someone, somewhere, sometime, for some reason; second, censorship is often arbitrary and irrational. " [http://www.ncte.org/about/over/positions/category/cens/107616.htm]

Did you know that people have tried to prevent the teaching of these books?

These books were all challenged -- school or library boards removed them (or were asked to remove them) from school curriculum and from libraries -- for different reasons. Books are challenged because they are perceived to be racist, violent, sexually explicit, and many other reasons. My favorite (found at The Forbidden Library) is that The Lorax was challenged for displaying hostility toward the logging industry!

Banned Books Week celebrates the fact that while the charges against the books may be true -- The Adventures of Tom Sawyer does depict harmful racial stereotypes and attitudes about slavery -- the books still have literary value. They can help us understand our past, and they can be valuable in teaching about issues that still face us today, like race, class, violence, the environment, and censorship.

So, this week, celebrate the freedom to read -- read a banned book!

For more information on Banned Books Week, try the following links:

CD sale a success!

2005-09-21T12:42:00.000-04:00

The CD sale last week was a big success -- thanks to all of you who stopped by. If you missed the sale, check the Crane Library periodically -- we'll be selling the rest of the CDs in Crane during the fall semester.

Thanks for supporting the library, and we hope you enjoy your purchases!

College Libraries on LiveJournal

2005-09-05T13:09:00.000-04:00

Are you a LiveJournal user? Now you can add the College Libraries News blog, and the Potsdam Reads blog, to your Friends list. We've syndicated our blogs in LJ for your convenience.

You can find the news here:
http://www.livejournal.com/users/potsdamlibrary/

and book reviews here:
http://www.livejournal.com/users/collegereads/

So, friend us, and enjoy! If there are any other ways we can make it easier for you to learn about what's going on at the Libraries, leave a comment, send us an email, or put a note in our suggestion box.

Updated resources on the hurricane disaster

2005-09-02T13:47:00.000-04:00

The hurricane has passed, but the effects of the hurricane are just beginning. We are all shocked by the destruction we're seeing, and many of us want to stay informed and learn how to help.

There is a lot of information available, all over the internet and traditional news media. Earlier this week, I posted a few online sources to check for evolving information. Here are a few more.

The New Orleans Times-Picayune newspaper is still publishing, but only online. You can find their reports on daily life in New Orleans at http://www.nola.com. The NOLA site also includes a web forum to talk with others about the disaster, and a "Missing Persons" board to help people find their loved ones.

MoveOn.org is hosting a guide for hurricane-related housing, where people can search for a temporary home or volunteer some space, at Hurricanehousing.org

Digitalglobe.com is providing the maps and images of New Orleans that you may be seeing on CNN tv reports.

There is also an extensive and growing list of resources being compiled by the Middletown Thrall Library, here in New York, available here: http://thrall.org/katrina.

And, as always, any of our reference librarians would be happy to help you find any information you need. Just stop by, send us an instant message (PotsdamLibrary), or an email. Finding information is what we do, and we're glad to help you.

Coming Soon - Bregman Book Discussion

2005-08-31T11:18:00.000-04:00

Join us in the Crumb Lobby for our first Bregman Book Discussion of the Fall

Date: Tuesday September 6, 2005

Time: 4 PM

Book: Heading South, Looking North: A Bilingual Journey by Ariel Dorfman

Panelists: Liliana Trevizan – Modern Languages
Steve Marqusee – Arts & Sciences
Onnie Bock – Honors Student
Rebecca Nelson – Honors Student

Stay current on Katrina

2005-08-29T17:17:00.000-04:00

If you've been watching the progress and destruction of Hurricane Katrina, whether out of curiousity, sympathy, or concern for friends and family, there are a few websites that might be very useful to you:

Wikipedia entry on Katrina, with current information as well as lots of hurricane history
The National Hurricane Center, the government office in charge of monitoring tropical storms
A list of live online news sites
The Red Cross's site devoted to disaster relief after Hurricane Katrina

Also,

A growing list of resources put together by a librarian at McNeese University in Louisiana.

Courtesy Notices

2005-08-29T10:25:00.000-04:00

Library courtesy notices are now being sent to your campus e-mail account. These notices are sent as reminders when loaned material are due. Check the link to "Loans and Renewals" for instructions on requesting a renewal.

Library office

2005-08-22T08:44:00.000-04:00

The secretary's position in Crumb Library is now vacant. (Congratulations to Lori-ane Dillon on her new position in the School of Education and Professional Studies.) If you need assistance normally provided by the secretary in the Director's office in Crumb Library, please check in the interlibrary loan / reference office next door. Thanks for your patience during this period of transition.

Rebecca Thompson

Looking for a good book to read?

2005-08-17T13:10:00.000-04:00

The College Libraries has a new project in the works -- a blog called "Potsdam Reads". A few book-loving librarians (and we're trying to recruit some faculty and staff, as well) will be posting about books we liked, with a short statement of Why I Liked This Book. If you're tired of reading textbooks, need a paperback for an airplane read, or are just looking for something you might not think of yourself, check it out!

Potsdam Reads can be found on the left hand side of the College Libraries homepage, and a feed of current reviews can be found in the same place on the Finding Books page.

Enjoy!

POIESIS - a philosophy research tool

2005-08-16T08:18:00.000-04:00

The most comprehensive online search service for philosophy journals, POIESIS is now available to the SUNY Potsdam community. Use it to look for articles in over 100 journals, with links to full-text of the articles, when available.

New Summer Reference Service

2005-08-13T11:17:00.000-04:00

During Summer Sessions, you will be able to connect to Crumb Library reference services in a variety of ways. Librarians will staff the reference desk, be available for IM chat, answer e-mail queries and offer appointments for research consultations. Click on our “Ask a Librarian” link on our web site and choose the option that best fits your needs.

About the bloggers

2005-08-12T17:09:00.000-04:00

The College Libraries news blog is a library-wide venture -- we're all eager to tell our corner of the internet about what we do in the Libraries, what we're excited about, and what we think you might find most useful to know about. Check the name at the bottom of each post to see who wrote each piece, and if you're curious to know more about us, stop by and introduce yourself!

About the College Libraries News Blog

2005-08-12T17:02:00.000-04:00

Over the years, the College Libraries have used lots of ways to keep students, faculty, staff, and the community up-to-date on what's going on in the Libraries. Our newest method of telling you about what you can find and do at Crumb and Crane libraries is this: The College Libraries News Blog.

We hope to use this blog to tell you about events in the library, about new books and databases, about research tips and tricks, about cool new stuff on the internet... and about whatever we think you might like to know. And our goal is to update several times each week, so check back.

Or, if you use a feed-reader like BlogLines, you can subscribe to this feed using the RSS feed link, permanently located in the sidebar on the left. You can also find the feed on the College Libraries web site, at the bottom of the front page.

However you choose to acquire our newsfeed, we hope you find what you were looking for!

August 25 - Information Technology Fair

2005-08-11T14:15:00.000-04:00

The College Libraries and Computing & Technology Services are hosting the 4th annual Information Technology Fair from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 25 in Crumb Library - LTEC (first floor). Drop in anytine.

Special demonstrations are scheduled for the following times: "Blogging & instant messenger"- 11:15-12:00 ; "The NEW MeetingMaker"- 12:15-1:00 ; "Coming Soon: D Space, GoogleEarth, SUNY Universal Borrowing"- 1:15-2:00 ; "E-mail Services"- 2:15-3:00 ; "Classroom podium demonstration"- 1:00 (Kellas 102) ; "Technology facilities tour"- 2:00 (meet in Kellas 102).

Schedule of events.

Understanding the Supreme Court

2005-07-26T12:48:00.000-04:00

Has the resignation of Sandra Day O'Connor made you wish you knew more about the Supreme Court? The Association of American University Presses has assembled a detailed bibliography of books on the Constitution, Constitutional Law, and the Courts. Check BearCat to see if the title that catches your eye is in Crumb Library!

The Constitution and the Courts

As John Roberts' nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court proceeds through the Senate, readers may be looking for more information on Constitutional law and the American courts. Many relevant books are available through a sub-category of the Books for Understanding Civil Liberties list.

Too hot to study!

2005-06-29T12:52:00.000-04:00

We know it's hot in Crumb Library.

It may be hot in here, but would you rather it were snowing? I can live with a stuffy office if I get to leave work and wander in the sun... without snow.

In the meantime, Crane Library is well air-conditioned, and the Physical Plant is working hard to get the chillers working right in Crumb.