While this is an exciting time of year, it can also be a stressful time for students with the end of the semester and upcoming finals. As the St. Thomas community prepares for finals, the library is here both physically and virtually to help students ace their finals.
Leading up to finals, the O’Shaughnessy-Frey library will remain open until 10 PM on Friday, December 15th and Saturday, December 16th with normal library hours for the rest of the week.
Along with some longer hours, the Libraries sponsor special events during those weeks to help students relax while they work.
One of our most popular events is when we invite trained therapy pets into the library for students to cuddle and play with. While the last therapy pet night is on December 14th, the library sponsors this event a few times throughout each semester, and always during finals week. Something students can look forward to in the spring.
Focus on Finals is an annual event where the library, along with the Center for Student Achievement, provides a cozy environment for students to study and enjoy seasonal treats. This year Focus on the Finals will be on Sunday, December 17th in the library from 7:00-9:00.
And as always, the librarians are on hand until the very end of the semester for any last-minute research needs 24/7 via Ask a Librarian Chat, and scheduled consultations in person, email, or Zoom.
The entire campus is closed from December 23, 2023 until January 2, 2024. The University Libraries re-open on Wednesday, January 3, 2024, with regular hours beginning at 7:30 AM. See you in 2024!
All Posts By
Andrea Koeppe
It’s a well-known fact that students have access to online library resources which contain the full text of scholarly and popular resources, articles, books, and book chapters. What’s noteworthy is that the libraries have recently acquired subscriptions to the digital, web-based versions of The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. In the past, students could access these newspapers, but they were presented in a static format without images that did not allow students to browse headlines.
The new arrangement allows students to easily browse headlines and read complete articles on their phones or laptops. Furthermore, they can explore additional content from these newspapers’ websites, including videos, podcasts, puzzles, and games.
For those who seek more analysis of current news stories, the libraries now subscribe to the web version of The Atlantic Monthly, a highly respected journal with a rich history of covering politics, foreign affairs, the economy, culture, the arts, technology, and science. Additionally, for an international perspective on news, business, and politics, the libraries maintain a subscription to the web version of The Economist.
Accessing these news sources is free, but some may require you to create separate accounts, which are also free. You can find detailed instructions for setting up these accounts on our website. Additionally, our friendly librarians are here to help via Chat, Zoom, or in-person to answer any questions you may have.
We’re excited to provide students with access to these valuable resources and are eager to assist with all their research needs throughout the year.
The O’Shaughnessy-Frey Library caters to a variety of needs and interests for students on campus. It provides traditional library spaces where students can find a quiet environment to read, relax, and explore the extensive book collection across four floors. These conventional library activities remain relevant even in today’s technology-driven era.
Additionally, the library offers spaces for social interaction. The first floor encourages conversation and group work, with multiple computers available, and there’s even a coffee shop serving a wide range of hot and cold gourmet coffee drinks and light treats. Moreover, students can utilize the podcast studio in the library that is equipped with necessary tools and software, allowing them to access multimedia resources for class-related projects or personal endeavors.
And when students do need to focus on writing papers or using library resources, the library staff will be readily available to assist them. More on that next month.
As an academic library, OSF aims to promote curiosity and motivate users to explore diverse subjects, expanding their knowledge beyond the classroom. By integrating both traditional and modern elements, the library creates an inclusive and dynamic environment, enhancing the overall learning experience for students.
Get a jump on studying and treat yourself to pizza on Sunday, May 14th at the O’Shaughnessy-Frey Library from 7 – 9. Room 108 will be set up to provide a quiet, comfortable environment for stress-free studying. And there will be pizza. Sponsored by the UST Libraries with the Center for Student Achievement.
Database Highlights & Trials, Political Science
New database trial in October – Trends & Policy: U.S. Healthcare
The St. Thomas libraries are excited to trial a new database that focuses on U.S. Healthcare policy. Trends & Policy: U.S. Healthcare provides a single location to connect U.S. Government policies with statistics and news showing the results of those policies.
Trends & Policy is a series of in-depth primary source collections such as public laws, Legislative branch reports, and Executive branch reports and data. Currently, researchers must use multiple disparate tools to find all of the essential executive and legislative content related to a policy. Statistical data can often be difficult to find, extract and use in research and in reports. The focus of these collections is not only on their respective topics, but also brings together primary source content relevant to U.S. policy with statistics and data.
If you type in keywords or phrases related to your topic, results are organized by Topic Pages that give context and pathways into research on a topic, Government materials such as public laws, commission reports, and hearings, Newspaper articles, and Statistical tables.
Trends & Policy: U.S. Healthcare cuts a wide swath into many disciplines aside from the obvious audiences of political science and nursing students. MBA students can learn about health maintenance organizations, (HMO’s) educators can read about the effects of school bullying on mental health, and students of history can compare pandemics from the past to the present.
You can access the Libraries’ trial of Trends & Policy: U.S. Healthcare here.
Please contact Andrea Koeppe with any questions or feedback you have about the database trial by October 31st.
The theme of this year’s National Library Week campaign is ‘Connect with your Library,’ whether it be to things like broadband, classes, communities, books, videos, or to each other. And it doesn’t matter if it’s an academic library, public library, or school library, this is what happens on a daily basis. Usually this week is a pure celebration, but it feels different this year since it takes place during a time of increasing challenges to books in libraries and bookstores across the country.
Books have been challenged in schools and libraries for a very long time, but along with the mounting number of challenges, a bill proposed in Oklahoma would allow parents to collect $10,000 for each day a challenged book remains on library shelves. A proposed bill in Iowa would make it illegal school and public librarians to spread “material the person knows or reasonably should know, is obscene or harmful to minors.”
This year has proven that it is wrong to consider book bans as a relic of the past. It is easy to believe that getting a book is as simple as a one-click at an online retailer, but book bans harm vulnerable communities who don’t have access to finances, time, or transportation to acquire a book no longer available to them in the places where they are: classrooms or libraries.
Libraries are powerful and they unequivocally protect the First Amendment and intellectual freedom outlined in the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Judith Krug, librarian and freedom of speech advocate said it best, ‘librarians are trained as librarians; we have absolutely no training or expertise in being censors. Our job – and yours – is not to limit the horizons of a child, be he six or twelve, ten or twenty.”
The good news is that there are plenty of organizations and resources that fight for libraries and the freedom to read. And even better news is that there is an eye-catching display of challenged books in the rotunda of the O’Shaughnessy-Frey Library, along with a white board where you can chime in with your favorite banned book. There is also a UST Library Week website with fun pictures, online library-centric jigsaw puzzles, a link to fantastic media and music sources within the library, and most importantly, a daily trivia contest with real prizes every day.
Database Highlights & Trials, Libraries, Media/Music Collections, New Materials, News & Events
New Audiobook and Video Database Hoopla
Hoopla provides streaming video (movies and TV shows) and audiobooks. Popular titles and classics, fiction and nonfiction are available.
NOTE: You must create an account for access. You can check out up to 7 titles per month. This Collection is limited to classroom use and personal use. This Collection cannot be used for Campus Screening (Not for Public Events)
For information about devices and more visit Hoopla help.
Business & Economics, Database Highlights & Trials, New Materials
UST libraries will cancel Nexis Uni, and replace it with Westlaw Campus Research
The University of St. Thomas Libraries subscribe to databases and electronic materials based on curricular needs and faculty requests. We are continually watching for products that address these needs with relevant, easy-to-access content. One long-standing need is legal information for students who are not in law school. For example, students studying business or social work may require primary and secondary legal information on a variety of topics in their disciplines. Lexis Nexis, now known as Nexis Uni, has long been our database for that type of legal information, as well as providing national and international news sources and public company information. However, this database has never been easy to search or navigate, so we have been looking for another database that can provide the same information. We have finally found one, Westlaw Campus Research.
Westlaw is a reputable database, and a staple in law libraries across the country. The Westlaw Campus Research is designed for academic research across the disciplines. Along with legal materials, it also contains thousands of full-text news sources, and information about public companies. The decision to cancel Nexis Uni and replace it with Westlaw was made after careful consideration and a trial of the database during which librarians gathered feedback from students and faculty. The response to Westlaw was positive, especially around the interface and ease of searching. We understand that this is a big change and are committed to working with you to make that transition as easy as possible. Our subscription to Nexis Uni will end on July 1, 2018. Access to Westlaw Campus Research is expected to begin by June 2018, so you will have some time when both are available. And for current local and international news sources updated daily, the UST libraries subscribe to Access World News and ProQuest Global Newsstream. Both databases provide access to thousands of news sources that can be searched by topic, Access World News can also be searched by region. If there is anything that your subject librarian can do in order to assist you in using these databases, or to understand the materials in Westlaw, please let us know.
All are cordially invited to attend a first of its kind on the St. Thomas campus International Film Festival 2018. This collaborative effort represents five departments (Modern & Classical Languages, St.Thomas Libraries, Office of Student Affairs, Student Diversity & Inclusion Services, and Film Studies) who have chosen the theme Cultural Placements and Displacements: Perceptions and Self Perceptions of a Cultural Identity.
The opening film, “Faces Places” was nominated for an Oscar this year in the Best Documentary – Feature category.
Schedule of Events – all films will be shown in the OEC Auditorium beginning at 6:30 pm
Thursday, April 12 “Shun Li and the Poet” from Italy
Thursday, April 19 “North Face” from Germany (Closing Reception follows)
Discussion sessions will be held after most films.
The St. Thomas International Film Festival 2018 is free and open to all. The entire university community and the general public are welcome and encouraged to attend. Please plan to join us!
OEC Auditorium Building # 5 https://www.stthomas.edu/_media-library/_documents/main/st-paul-campus-map-by-building-name.pdf
The O’Shaughnessy Educational Center (OEC) Auditorium is on the University of St. Thomas campus at 2115 Summit Avenue in St. Paul, Minnesota. The nearest cross street is Cleveland and Portland.
Parking: Morrison Ramp #19 https://www.stthomas.edu/_media-library/_documents/main/st-paul-campus-map-by-building-name.pdf
All are cordially invited to attend a first of its kind on the St. Thomas campus International Film Festival 2018. This collaborative effort represents five departments (Modern & Classical Languages, St.Thomas Libraries, Office of Student Affairs, Student Diversity & Inclusion Services, and Film Studies) who have chosen the theme Cultural Placements and Displacements: Perceptions and Self Perceptions of a Cultural Identity.
The opening film, “Faces Places” was nominated for an Oscar this year in the Best Documentary – Feature category.
Schedule of Events – all films will be shown in the OEC Auditorium beginning at 6:30 pm
Thursday, March 15 “Faces Places” from France (Opening Reception follows)
Thursday, March 22 “Who is Dayani Cristal?” from Mexico
Thursday, April 12 “Shun Li and the Poet” from Italy
Thursday, April 19 “North Face” from Germany (Closing Reception follows)
Discussion sessions will be held after most films.
The St. Thomas International Film Festival 2018 is free and open to all. The entire university community and the general public are welcome and encouraged to attend. Please plan to join us!
OEC Auditorium Building # 5 https://www.stthomas.edu/_media-library/_documents/main/st-paul-campus-map-by-building-name.pdf
The O’Shaughnessy Educational Center (OEC) Auditorium is on the University of St. Thomas campus at 2115 Summit Avenue in St. Paul, Minnesota. The nearest cross street is Cleveland and Portland.
Parking: Morrison Ramp #19 https://www.stthomas.edu/_media-library/_documents/main/st-paul-campus-map-by-building-name.pdf