Alkek Library News

100th Anniversary of Tennessee Williams Birth

Saturday, March 26, 2011 will be the 100th anniversary of Tennessee Williams birth. Awarded four Drama Critic Circle Awards, two Pulitzer Prizes and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Williams was one of the greatest playwrights in American history. Born in Columbus Mississippi, he later moved to New Orleans where he placed the scene of one of his great plays, A Streetcar Named Desire. Williams won critical acclaim but also condemnation for realistically depicting somewhat taboo human emotions in a realistic light. Many subjects such as mental illness, homosexuality, drug and alcohol abuse, and dysfunctional families were considered morally corrupt. But his honesty in telling these stories has left us with a body of work that stands the test of time and emit the same emotions today as when they were written. Williams died in a hotel room in New York City in 1983 after years of drug and alcohol abuse.

The Alkek Library has a good collection of plays, videos, stories, criticism and correspondence related to Williams. To find materials in the library catalog, search by author or by subject: Williams, Tennessee.

Welcome Students! The Library's resources & services = a successful semester!

For a great start to the new semester, Alkek Library offers drop-in orientations at the beginning of each semester. If you are new to Texas State and have never been in the library, all you need to do is check the schedule for the time and then just meet at the Reference Desk on the 2nd floor as you enter the main lobby.  There is still time left to take advantage this open walking-tour.  

If you prefer to tour Alkek Library from the comfort of your home or dorm room, we have an online tutorial as well as still photos and mp3 audio tours for you to enjoy at your leisure.

If you have a question, need directions or want to get a jump start on your research, you can stop by the Reference Desk, call us at 245-2686 or get online help using the Ask-A-Librarian service. We offer multiple ways of online help. You can chat with us using your preferred chat client by adding us to your contacts, or you can chat w/a librarian using the many Ask a Librarian widgets placed on various pages throughout the library website. There is an email option, and you can also schedule an individual consultation. New this semester we now offer the option to meet online with a librarian using videoconferencing software.

Also new this semester we have added an additional way to contact us! Now you can also TEXT-A-LIBRARIAN by texting # 512-761-8398. We are using a Google Voice number, so we can receive offline message in case you send it after hours.

We also offer workshops on using RefWorks, an online resource for bibliographic management. These are held in our classroom 101, downstairs from the main lobby. Our workshop schedule is updated periodically, so check back often for other classes.

Many of our research resources are available remotely. Access to many journal articles, newpapers, magazines are available online. If you want to know if we have access to your favorite newspaper or magazine you can search for it by using the Periodical List. Or, if you already have a topic you need to research, you can use one of the subject research databases. For more information about using the databases, see this research guide. There are also other research guides arranged by subject which offer you the best resources for your research topic.

Other popular library resources are Reserve and E-Reserve. You can check Reserve by professor or course for materials your professor has placed there for your class to use. Sometimes your textbook will be on Reserve. Other things like chapter readings, articles, videos, or old tests may be on Reserve. If your professor uses the E-Reserve service, they will give you a password to access the materials.

The final tip for a successful semester: Don't pay for journal articles! If you find an article you need, but the library does not have a subscription, then you can utilize the Interlibrary Loan Service to get a copy of the article. This service is also available for books and other materials. It is a free service.

Welcome to Texas State and remember: librarians are here to help you succeed!

 

 

What's New in the Library

You can find out what has recently been added to the library by viewing the New Titles List.  Within each subject, the lists is are arranged by title (2 exceptions, indicated below, sorted by call number); the number of new titles follows each subject. It includes all new titles except for serials, including books, ebooks, DVDs, or any other material added to the collection in the last 4 weeks.

New Titles link is at the top of the catalog page. Click for larger view.

Click on the Subject below to see the new titles listed for each:

Agriculture & Aquatic Research 6
Allied Health (listed by call number) 31
Anthropology 3
Art, Communication Design, Theatre, Dance (listed by call number) 156
Biology, Chemistry, & Biochemistry 1
Business 84
Communication Studies, Journalism, & Mass Comm 57
Education 190
Engineering & Technology 26
English 41
Family & Consumer Sciences 40
Geography 8
Health Administration & Information Management 5
Health, Physical Education & Recreation 34
History, Political Sci, Military & Aerospace Sci 147
Mathematics, Physics, & Computer Science 16
Modern Languages 12
Music 80
Philosophy & Psychology 56
Sociology, Social Work & Criminal Justice 40

The list is updated regularly....

Renew or Check out Materials Over the Semester Break December 16th

If you want to check out materials over the semester/holiday break you can do so beginning December 16, 2008.  The catalog system is set to recall all books, videos, etc. on December 16th, but if you need the item over the break, just call the Circulation desk 245-3681 or renew online using My Account next Tuesday.

After your finals, you  might want to search the large DVD & VHS collection for your favorite movie or documentary.  The library also has many academy award winning films. The check-out period will be the same for the particular movie you check-out, but you can always renew online if the library is closed.  Also, if the item is due back over the break, fees will be waived.

If you have a long drive home, there are many books on CD available too. If you want a book by a particular author click on the author tab in the library catalog and limit your search to "Audio Books" to see what is available.

Another thing to keep in mind, while you are away from campus, you can still access MANY of the library's resources remotely.  Use the Periodical List to search for a particular magazine or newspaper to read the latest issues. For example, enter a title such as PC Magazine, Rolling Stone or New York Times and the results will show you the dates of availability and the databases with the full-text online.  Be sure to choose the link that says "to present" without an embargo listed.

Enjoy your upcoming break, and remember the library isn't all work and no play!

Research Guides: Start Your Research Using the Right Resources

Do you have a research project, but aren't sure where to begin? Well, the library has a list of research guides in many different subjects to help you start on the right track.

Each research guide begins with reference material on the topic such as subject specific encyclopedias and dictionaries.  These types of resources are very helpful in gaining an understanding of the subject. The library has LOTS of great reference books, on pretty much any subject. You can even limit your search in the library catalog to the Reference Collection.

The second section of the guide shows how to effectively find books about your topic using the library catalog. The guide shows how to use the Library of Congress subject headings to find books using the "subject" search.

The next section of the guide lists the recommended Databases for the subject you are researching. Databases are useful for finding journal, magazine and newspaper articles about a topic. Most information is available online too. Keep in mind, the research guides reflect the broad subjects such as Education or Art & Design and will point you in the right direction in order to focus the topic.

The last part of the guides offers tips for finding the information in the library, online or how to get something the library doesn't own. There are also suggested Websites listed  for the subject.

Have you read this?? Creating Alerts Using "My Account"

New titles are cataloged and added to the collection each day and if you are interested in keeping up with what's new in the library collection, here are a few tips for doing so. 

Set Up an Alert for a Subject, Author or Keyword Search

First Log in to MY Account from the Library Catalog homepage.

Next run a search in the library catalog by Keyword, LOC Subject heading, or Author
When you have the results, look for the "save this search" button.

Then click on the Account Summary link at the top of the page and look for the "Preferred Searches" link on the right side of the screen. Click on the link.

The last step is to check the box beside the search under the "mark for email" column.

Now, when anything new is added to the  library collection you will receive an email. Un-check the box to turn off the alert.

You can make your search as broad or narrow as you want. If you like a particular movie director you can run a search and limit to VIDEOS. This search will produce an alert that will show you only new videos by that director.   You can tailor the search to fit your reading interests, research area, or assignment. 

Texas State Faculty can also run a search to see what has been bought and cataloged by their department by fiscal year by conducting a SUBJECT search by Fiscal Year then Dept. Fundcode. For example: 0756 would bring up all items bought by department 56 in fiscal year 07. Then by setting up an alert, one could be notified by email when a new item is "ready for use."

If you have any questions regarding creating a search alert, you can call the reference desk at 245-2686 or use the Ask a Librarian Service.

Another option for seeing what's new:

Check the New Items list from the library catalog homepage:   this may not be the best option because it is a really long list arranged by call number, but it's available to browse:

CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics is Now Available Online

The Alkek Library now has access to the online version of CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 88th edition. It includes all the figures, data, and tables found in the print version. Tabular data can be exported to spreadsheets. Click on Help for details.

Access is through the library's database pages or directly at http://libproxy.txstate.edu/login?url=http://www.hbcpnetbase.com/.  Access from off campus requires a NetID login.

Coverage includes:

Analytical Chemistry, Astronomy, Atomic & Molecular Physics, Biochemistry, Chemical Compounds, Constants & Units, Electrochemistry, Elements and Isotopes, Fluid Properties, Geophysics, Health & Safety Information, Materials Properties, Mathematical Tables, Nomenclature and Symbols, Nuclear & Particle Physics, Polymer Properties, Thermochemistry.

 

Library Acquires Region Free DVD player

The Library has purchased a Region Free DVD player which can play a DVD from any region in the world.  It is combined with a VHS player that will play PAL coded videocassettes.  This player will reside in the Fourth floor Audio/Visual area near the Reserve desk.  The Library will now be able to acquire AV material that is only available in alternate region formats.  The player is now available for use.

World Region codes for videos:
Region 1:    USA, Canada – (also known as NTSC)
Region 2:    Europe, Japan, South Africa, Middle East, Greenland – (also known as PAL)
Region 3:    S. Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Parts of South East Asia
Region 4:    Australia, New Zealand, Latin America (includes Mexico)
Region 5:    Eastern Europe, Russia, India, Africa
Region 6:    China
Region 7:    Reserved for unspecified use
Region 8:    Reserved for cruise ships, airlines and so on
Region 0:    Un-coded and can be played world-wide -- (also called All-region discs)

DVD and VHS in alternate formats such as PAL in the library collection will soon be identified as such.  Talk to the Reserve Desk staff for assistance with the region free DVD player.

--M. Hopper

Importing Library Catalog Records into RefWorks

RefWorks is a bibliographic management tool that enables you to save, organize and use your citations for assignments, research papers, and other academic work. Most of the article databases offer an option to mark citations and "export to RefWorks." What isn't so obvious is how to get records from the library catalog into RefWorks. The process is easy once you've done it a couple of times.

Here's how:

• Log-in to your RefWorks account.
• Search the catalog for books, videos, etc.
• Save the records by clicking the "Save to List" button.
• View your "Saved Records"
• Check the "End Note/RefWorks" and "Send list to Screen" buttons then hit "Submit"

By using the "Send List to Screen" option, an .html version of the records will look like this:

• Highlight and Copy all the text on the page
• Next, go to your Refworks account choose the "Import" option under the References heading.



• For the Import Filter/Data Source option pick Innovative Interfaces
• For the Database choose the Endnote/RefWorks format
• In the text box below, paste the records from the .html page and click the import button.

This completes the process. For more information about using RefWorks, you can drop in for a RefWorks class offered throughout the semester, use this RefWorks guide for tips on various databases and RefWorks, or you can also watch the RefWorks tutorial to learn about RefWorks.

Finding Reserve Materials by Using the "Hard Copy Reserve" Search

Have you ever wanted to know if your professor has your textbook on reserve but you weren't sure how to find out? Did your professor tell you to read an article from a book that's on reserve at the library? Or do you want to know if there are any old tests on reserve to help you study for your next exam? Finding the answers to these questions got a lot easier last year when the new library catalog was released. The catalog now houses all the reserve items in a way that can be searched by everyone.

All you need to do to find reserve items for your class is to click the "hard copy reserve" link on the main library catalog page. Next you will see the option to search by course or professor. The course search uses the same abbreviations the university uses, "bio," "comm," "mc," etc.

 

Enter the last name to search for the professor, lecturer, or instructor.

If you do not find a textbook on reserve by your professor, sometimes you can find it under another professor's name...especially for the larger core classes that use the same textbook. Try searching by course too.

Another thing to remember: this is different from the "electronic reserve." E-Reserve, or ERes for short, is for electronic access to reserve materials.  In order to access ERes materials, you will need a password, given to you by your professor. The materials (usually articles or book chapters) can be downloaded and printed. Hardcopy reserve will be on the 4th floor at the Researve desk and most items must be used in the library. Photocopying articles or chapters is allowed.

Labels: books, old tests, reserve desk, reserves, textbooks