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St. Thomas Libraries Blog

Database Highlights & Trials

CRC Handbook of Chemistry & Physics

Marianne Hageman writes:

CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics contains the most frequently used data in science, including the periodic table of the elements, basic constants and units, thermodynamic and spectroscopic data; electric, magnetic, thermal and structural properties of solids, key data from nuclear science, astronomy and geophysics; and up-to-date health and safety information.

We are offering this as a trial for the next month until we can set it up fully in February.  In the meantime, you’ll be required to use a username/password for access.  All members of the UST community can get access during the trial.  Trial ends 1/20/11.

January 3, 2011 by
News & Events

OSF Library to be open during Saturday’s snowstorm

blizzardWe’re not afraid of a little stinking snow!! Barring the unforeseen, the O’Shaughnessy-Frey Library on the St.Paul campus will be open during Saturday’s “snowpocalypse” for our scheduled hours, 10 AM-10 PM.  And as a bonus, the Coffee Bene shop will be open as well to help you warm up after your trek in.  Our intrepid weekend staff and student workers will be rarin’ to go!  Our other locations will attempt to open as well, subject to staff’s ability to make it to campus–call ahead to verify if you’re not sure.

December 10, 2010 by
Database Highlights & Trials, Libraries

Frankie Says Relax

frankiesaysrelaxWe here at the library have many ways to relax and reduce stress during finals. We have tools that will help speed your research, services to help you relax, and people just waiting to help you when you get stuck. Plus, we’ve extended our hours so you can spend late tonight and late tomorrow safe and snug in the library while the snow (allegedly) rages outside.  I’m either in denial about the snow or have lost faith in our weather forecasters. I’m not sure which one it is – probably a little of both.

summon smallWhen you don’t know where to start your research, I highly recommend  Summon. Summon allows you to search millions of articles (newspaper, journal, or magazine) and CLICnet all at once – over 200,000,000 resources in a single search box. I dare you not to find something on your topic. More about Summon.

refworksRefWorks builds bibliographies for you. So if you were told to create a bibliography for your final paper in the APA format and have no clue what that means, no worries. Dump the citations into RefWorks, choose APA and dunzo (ok, check it first to make sure the system did what it was supposed to do). My point is, RefWorks helps build bibliographies with ease.

coffee bene Give yourself a break and relax with some calming tea from Cafe Bene. Or wire yourself up for a marathon session with espresso. Either way, Bene’s got you covered. Hours | Menu

If you spend more than 5 minutes looking for info on your topic, stop what you’re doing and IM or SMS a librarian – Text send USTLibraries <your message here> to 246246. We cn save u tym.

Do as Frankie says and no one will get hurt.

December 10, 2010 by
Business & Economics, News & Events, O'Shaughnessy-Frey Library

Holiday CPI

Yes, you’ve all been waiting for it – the annual CPI. Consumer Price Index? Oh, no. It’s the Christmas Price Index®!  

Compiled every year by the PNC Financial Services Group, this CPI tracks how much it would cost to buy each of the gifts in “The Twelve Days of Christmas” (did you know, there are 78 of them?)

Despite the down economy, the 2010 CPI increased a surprising 9.2% over last year. Big increases were seen in the Five Gold Rings (30%), as well as higher costs for wages and benefits for some of the entertainers. The Twelve Drummers and Eleven Pipers both went up 3.1%, Lords-a-Leaping increased 8%, and the dancing Ladies saw a 15% rise (note that none of these performers had a raise last year.) The Maids-a-Milking did not receive an increase, as the federal minimum wage stayed flat at $7.25 an hour.

What about the wildlife, you ask? Bird prices increased due to rising costs of feed and demand for certain fowl. The biggest increase was for the Three French Hens (up 233%) and the Turtle Doves (up 78.6%.)

 Interestingly enough, if you do a Summon search on the Twelve Days of Christmas, there are over 22,000 items, including classic New England activities for the holidays, a newspaper article on cruise lines, an article from Mathematics Teacher, and an article from Australian Doctor. And there are 45 books, from such authors and illustrators as Anne Geddes, John O’Brien, Jack Kent, and one of my favorites, Jan Brett.

Happy Holidays!

December 7, 2010 by
Database Highlights & Trials

Go Tommies Football!

footballBig game on Saturday and we here at the library want to give a big GO TOMMIES! to all the players and fans.  I would love to be at the game cheering on the team, but the weather is going to prevent me from doing this.  I’m more of a fair-to-moderate weather fan, literally.  My sports viewing is weather-dependent.  But I’ll be listening to the game on WCCO and cheering you on in spirit.

And in keeping with the spirit of this blog – database highlights – I’m gonna take this opportunity to mention that we have some great resources that can help if you’re interested in sports medicine, sports psychology or sports management.

December 3, 2010 by
News & Events

Library hosts holiday sing-along Dec 7 at Noon and excellent research assistance always – take it all in

Annual Christmas sing-along and concert

Sing some; listen some. Get in the holiday spirit with carols and cookies at the O’Shaughnessy-Frey Library Center. The UST Women’s Chorus, directed by Robert Vickery, will perform at noon Tuesday, Dec. 7, in the O’Shaughnessy-Frey Library atrium.

Guests will have the opportunity to sing along with familiar carols and listen to works performed by the choir. Refreshments will be served.

 For more information, call Susan Price, (651) 962-5011.

 Research assistance available for students

As fall semester reaches the home stretch, students are reminded that research assistance is available at all UST libraries. Contact a reference librarian in person, via phone, e-mail or instant messaging for help locating books, articles or DVDs for term papers and projects. Stop by one of the UST libraries or check the UST Libraries website for details.

December 2, 2010 by
News & Events

English students present research poster session in OSF Library, December 3

All are invited to visit the undergraduate display of posters highlighting scholarship from their English classes and individual research on Friday, Dec. 3.   The forum will be held from 3 to 4 p.m. in the O’Shaughnessy Room 108, O’Shaughnessy-Frey Library Center and everyone is welcome.

This event is co-sponsored by the English Department and the UST Literary Club.

For more information e-mail Dr. Alexis Easley.

December 1, 2010 by
Database Highlights & Trials

Walter Cronkite, Apache Kid and Scooby Doo

What do Walter Cronkite, Apache Kid, and Joseph Barbera have in common?

cronkite apache kid barbera

First, who’s who.   Walter Cronkite reported news.  He represents something or another to Baby Boomers.  Apache Kid scouted for the U.S. Army and later became a symbol of Apache resistance.  Joseph Barbera was 1/2 of the genius team Hanna-Barbera, the very folks behind some of the most loved cartoon characters including Fred Flintstone, George Jetson, Papa Smurf and Scooby Doo.

But back to the question… what connects all of these men?

Fact: all are men.

Fact: all are dead.

Fact: all had mothers.

Fact: none of them were members of the Hair Club for Men.

That last one I just threw in to see if you were paying attention.  Give up?  They are all recent additions to the American National Biography.

Other great biography sources include:

November 23, 2010 by