Monthly Archives

February 2012

RefWorks Classic says, “Farewell forever”; RefWorks 2.0 says, “Oh, were you still here?”

Attention all you old schoolers out there: RefWorks Classic has at last bid its final adieu! After months of hanging around as an optional click back into familiarity, POOF! It has gone off to sunnier climes.

Have no fear! RefWorks 2.0, which has been the default since last summer, is still there to gather, organize, store, and share all types of your reference information and is just waiting to instantly generate your citations and bibliographies. Watch the video below to discover where all your favorite features have gone off to, and don’t be shy about discovering the new ones. Can I just say, “drag and drop?” Yes, please!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YulwLOzvQ6k&feature=related

Now to all of you who I can hear… “Say what now? Ref….Woooorks?” If you have no idea what I’m talking about, it is your lucky day! Your information gathering will never be the same again. RefWorks is an online research management, writing, and collaboration tool that will allow you to easily save your citations as you do your research, which will allow you to not only find them again, but will format them for you to instantly generate your citations and bibliographies.

RefWorks has its own channel on YouTube and is a great way to get started. Also, UST libraries has a very helpful guide (in the process of being updated for the new interface), and RefWorks offers its own guide. And of course, our super duper librarian friends are never too far away!

February 22, 2012 by Kari Petryszyn

Uncategorized

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

The Guthrie production of Tennessee Williams’ play, Cat on a hot tin roof, is terrific. The reviewers said that if you saw the movie, you have not seen the play, and they were right.

The libraries own copies of both the book and the movie, but you don’t even need to do your homework before you go. The libraries also have ample scholarly literature on the book and movie. The actors were absolutely pitch perfect. Extremely demanding roles:Big Daddy, Big Mama, Maggie, and Mae are stand outs. Mae had a relatively small role, but she played it brilliantly. Every turn of her hand, expression or cross of her ankles, reeked of, well, a conniving, ruthless and yet, still likeable person. They were all likeable, and I was surprised. The play is set in its original time and place: 1955 the American South. I love the Guthrie and they did a masterful job with this play.

February 20, 2012 by

Business & Economics, Database Highlights & Trials

Happy Valentine’s with Euromonitor Passport!

Welcome to Spring Semester, business researchers!

We’re less than one week away from Valentine’s Day, and I thought it was a good time to share some interesting Valentine’s-themed nuggets of note our vendor has shared with us that will (hopefully) help you to fall in love with one of our favorite market research databases: Euromonitor Passport GMID!

First, the Dashboards in Euromonitor Passport GMID reveal that the US is the largest market in the world for chocolate confectionery. Good news for chocolate lovers, but growth in this market has declined since 2009.

Secondly, Mars is the dominant player in the confectionery market after overtaking The Hershey Company in 2008 (I’m excited to see Lindt and Ferrero on this list, personally).

And finally, if jewelry is more your style this Valentine’s Day, new data available for Passport Industrial reveals that Tiffany’s is the largest producer of jewelry in the US.

February 8, 2012 by

Political Science, Uncategorized

Deborah Tannen coming to St. Thomas

I love Deborah Tannen and she’s coming to UST. I have heard her speak; she’s an excellent speaker. And her writing is even better. St. Thomas Libraries have many of her books. I have copies of my own. Her analysis of the way men and women communicate and the way different parts of the country speak, just delights me. It all makes sense AND is backed up with data. When New Yorkers trample all over your sentence, or you wait not too patiently for non-interrupters to finish their sentences, or your female boss gives you direction that you assume is a suggestion not a directive, the why all becomes clear in her books.

She will be speaking for the third annual Public Discourse Lecture, hosted by the College of Arts and Sciences and its Board of Advisors.

The event will be at O’Shaughnessy Educational Center Auditorium Thursday, February 16, 2012 – Thursday, February 16, 2012 from 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM. It’s free and open to the public.

February 6, 2012 by

Charles J. Keffer Library, Libraries, News & Events

Keffer 2.0 Update: Where are the books?!

As Spring semester starts and progress is affecting other parts of campus, we’ve been getting many more questions about what’s going on with the construction project here at Keffer.

If you missed them, feel free to view my earlier posts about the start of the project and a mid-way update. Here are answers to the questions we’ve been getting frequently:

Q: Where are all the books?

A: The Charles J. Keffer Library collections (books, journals, children’s books and curriculum materials) have been moved temporarily to the lower level of the Schoenecker Law Library.

Materials can be checked out at the circulation desk of the Law Library or requested from Keffer staff. A paging system will be provided so that retrieval of needed materials is as convenient as possible; requested books should be delivered to the Keffer Library on the same day.

Q: What about my InterLibrary Loans and Course Reserves?

A: Items put on hold and course reserves will remain at the current Keffer Library circulation desk. A paging system will be provided so that retrieval of needed materials is as convenient for users as possible; requested books will be delivered to the Keffer Library on the same day. This move will not affect interlibrary loan requests.

Q: Are librarians still available?

A: Yes! We are all available and happily helping students and faculty alike gear up for this new semester. We are all available as usual for consultations, classroom instruction sessions, and more! Do you have a research or reference question? Check out the many ways available to contact a librarian here at UST Libraries.

Q: When will you be in the new space?

A: Soon! Carpet was laid this week, and the “big move” should be taking place in the next week or so. Library staff will be stationed at the new desk on the skyway level by Monday morning, February 6th, and we’re hoping to have at least some of the public computer stations moved and available by that date, as well.

Q: What about the computer classrooms?

A: Computer classrooms are no longer housed in the Keffer library. They have been moved to academic classrooms TMH253 and TMH254 and can be reserved via the standard UST event scheduler. If you are having trouble making a reservation or accessing a room, please contact campus security.

February 3, 2012 by

News & Events, O'Shaughnessy-Frey Library

Group Study Scheduling at OSF Library is Now Online

Effective immediately the group-study rooms in the O’Shaughnessy-Frey Library are changing to an online, mobile-friendly, self-service scheduling system. The old paper sign-up sheets on the door of each room will no longer be used; instead, users will be directed to an online system for sign-up.

This group-study room sign-up link also can be found:

On the upper left side of the Libraries website
Directly at http://bit.ly/USTOSF_GroupStudy
Via a QR code for mobile devices that is posted on each study-room door

Users will fill out a simple online form to reserve the room, indicating date and time, name, email address, group nickname for the public calendar display, and number of persons. Once the form is submitted the user will get a confirmation email with a link to cancel the reservation if plans change.

A few simple rules apply:

Two hours per day maximum room use is allowed per person.
Priority is given to groups of two or more.
Users can reserve a study room up to two weeks in advance.
A UST email address is required to reserve a room.

Note that people who have reserved the room in the online system have the right to use it during their scheduled time; anyone present at that time can be asked to leave if they haven’t reserved the room.

The system is self-explanatory but there is an instructions Web page available that takes the reader through the process step-by-step. This change is being made for a variety of reasons, but primarily because students have asked for the ability to sign up online. The system also will allow the library to find out who actually has the room reservation in the event of occasional conflicts in scheduling and to compile data on room usage more readily.

For more information contact John Heintz, (651) 962-5018.

February 1, 2012 by