Alkek Library News

Link to Mother Earth News - Great Do-It-Yourself Garden Projects

Here's our link to Mother Earth News, the original redneck hippie fusion gardening magazine!

Great tips on efficient garden layout, making garden sheds and chicken coops, expert care of plants, and making your own solar and wood energy sources (among many other ideas).

Available online and in print on the 3rd floor.

 

Bicycling Magazine Available Online

Here's our link to Bicycling - one of the best known magazines on bicycling. Full of technical information, bike reviews, opportunities for great rides, fitness advice and more.

 

Link To Consumer Reports Online Holdings

Here's the link to the library's online holdings of Consumer Reports.

Consumer Reports reviews thousands of products in almost every category - cars, appliances, phone plans, electric toothbrushes, etc... Be informed before that next purchase!

Add Your Favorite Magazine to Google Reader

Want to see Men's Health or Rolling Stone on your Google Reader? Add it to the reader of your choice with a RSS feed.

Step 1: Go to periodical list and look up your magazine name.

Step 2: Go to the database link and locate the option for RSS. In Ebscohost databases, you have to click on the option Alert/Save/Share (see picture)

Step 3: Don't add to your Google Homepage (that hasn't been working for me!). It works great in Google Reader though.

Step 4: Enjoy the RSS updates of new issues.

If you cannot locate the RSS function in your database, click on the database help button or contact me, [email protected] for help.

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!

 

 

Don’t pay for online articles!

Many times librarians hear of students and faculty paying for full-text articles on the Internet. Since the Alkek Library now has access to over 57,000 unique serial titles, don’t pay for online articles before you contact a librarian to determine if we can provide free access.

 

As more journals are published online, the process of locating articles is becoming more complex. The coverage of journals indexed in the databases can overlap, but each one is unique. One database may index a journal for citations only, whereas another may provide the full-text. Also, several databases may provide access, but to different dates and issues of the same journal. Searching Google Scholar may often link to full-text articles, but usually only when one of the several hundred databases accessible through the library provides the full-text coverage.  And then there are always glitches that may temporarily block access.

 

Confused yet? That is why we encourage you to contact a librarian if you are asked to pay for an online article so we can help you discover if the library has free access to the article.

 

One way to determine access is by checking the Periodical List on the library website. Search for the title of a journal, magazine or newspaper to see if we have print or online access.

 

Although the library does have access to thousands of periodicals, we do not subscribe to every journal published. If we do not have full-text access in print or online, you can order the article through Interlibrary Loan. This service is provided free to all students, faculty and staff through the link on the library webpage. You can order articles, books, dissertations and other material.  For more information, call the Reference Desk at 245-2686 or use the Ask-a-Librarian service on the library webpage. 

Want to Read a Newspaper?

As a Texas State student, we’ve probably got the paper you want at the Library or through our online databases. Visit the 3rd floor to read the hardcopy of the newspaper.

We’ve got Texas papers from San Marcos, Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, and the Valley. Nationally, we have the New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, Chicago Tribune, and the Wall Street Journal. Internationally, we have the Financial Times and papers from Germany and India. And that’s just a choice listing. Stop by to browse.

Another option is to read the paper online. We have many papers that you’d have to have a subscription to see the full articles online.

Just go to the Library homepage and click on Research Databases link. At the top of the page, you’ll see the Databases by Type and a link for Newspapers. Scroll through the 24 databases, and if you don’t see the paper you’re looking for there, some good options are Newsbank, Library PressDisplay, InfoTrac, and Factiva.

Another way to check to see if we have access to the newspaper you are looking for is to search the Periodical List for it.  Enter in the exact name of the newspaper and if we have it available online (or in print) you will see an entry for it.  The links in red with the dates listed beside it are the online access.  Make sure it says "to present" for the latest issue. Sometimes online access will be delayed for a period of time.

Here is an entry for the Wall Street Journal (Eastern Edition):

Microfilm HG 1 .W2 - 1946 to present

Print Holdings Newspaper Rack, Floor 3 - CURRENT ISSUES

ProQuest Historical Newspapers 1889 - 1992

ABI/INFORM Global 1984 to present

Factiva 1979 to present

Library Press Display digitizes the actual newspaper. Most of the databases offer only the text of the newspaper with images, not the actual look. Here is a sample view from the Library Press Display database (click on the image for a larger view):

If you have any questions about this or any other Periodical, you can ask at the Reference Desk on the 2nd floor or at the RPM Service Desk on the 3rd floor.
Guy Dore, 3rd Floor Reserve, Periodicals, & Media Assistant.

Reserves & Media Collection Move to 3rd Floor Now Complete

Over the past few months there have been many changes going on in the library. Some of those changes have been the reorganization of the 3rd and 4th floors.  The Media Collection & Reserves are now located on the 3rd floor merging with the Periodicals and Microforms Collections. 

Offices have been created for staff and everyone is settling into their new work areas.  Staff from the two units are in the process of cross-training to help students, faculty and staff with their service needs regarding reserve materials, eReserve, locating periodicals, or finding a good movie to watch. 

Our goal was to be complete with the project by the beginning of Summer II we are pleased to finish slightly ahead of schedule!  Thank you for your patience throughout the construction.