Library Newsletter - Fall 2013

The library newsletter for Fall semester, 2013, is now available online.

What's inside?

• Upcoming events
• Exhibits
• Information about the library's employees
• Affordable Learning Solutions
• and more!

Check it out at http://library.csudh.edu/newsletter/NewsletterFall2013.pdf

March on Washington: Exhibits and Bibliography

In celebration of the 50^th Anniversary of the March on Washington the Library is showcasing exhibits on this historic event.

1^st floor lobby Exhibit – includes the PBS Video Eyes on the Prize, No Easy Walk (1962-66)

2^nd floor lobby Exhibit – photographs and books showcasing 1963 Civil Rights Movement

We have also created an online bibliography, with links to books, e-Books, and other resources available through the library and the web.

http://library.csudh.edu/info/guides/march/

If you have any questions, please call 310-243-3586

New Online Research Help

The Library is pleased to announce that it will be offering online research help during the 2013/2014 academic year, as part of a pilot project funded by the Office of Research and Funded Projects through a grant from the University Committee on Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity.

Starting August 22nd, you will see a new option in the library home page side bar which says "Get Research Help!"

During regular business hours, you can type your name and question into the box, and click "Chat!" to receive live help from one of our reference librarians.

Even when we're not available, this box will allow you to ask any questions you may have online, quickly and easily, and to see a list of common answers--or to get an individual answer if the question you have has never been asked before.

In the next week or so, we will also be rolling out a tool which will allow students to check out study rooms through the library's website.

We hope these new resources are as helpful to our users as they are exciting to us, and ask that you please pardon any hiccups as we transition to this new stage in our quest to make library patrons' use of our materials easier and easier.

Saturday Hours, Graduation, Follow Us!

The Library will be closed on the last two Saturdays in May, 5/18 and 5/25.  Saturday hours, 9-5, will resume in June.  View the Library calendar to check daily hours.

The Library faculty and staff would like to extend their hearty congratulations and best wishes to all graduating TOROS!  And, look forward to seeing soon-to-graduate TOROS next Fall!

Please, stay connected to the University Library through Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Blogger, and Pinterest during the summer months.  You never know what great resources will be shared!

Enjoy your summer!

iPads & CSUDH

Last week a few librarians attended the iPad learning session, IPAD Basics and Course Application, hosted by the CSUDH Faculty Development Center along with Title V and Instructional Technology.  The session was quite informative as we learned how to make a movie using the iMovie app and link our iPad screens to classroom laptops so the tablet screen can be displayed on class projectors (Doceri and Reflector apps).  Other apps presented, or shared by attendees, included Notability, Good Reader, and CloudOn, along with those that keep track of our ever growing collection of online resources and documents such as Evernote or Dropbox.  These apps allow students and professors to easily integrate iPad features into course presentations or Blackboard posts.

iPads and other tablets are increasingly becoming more visible here at the University Library.  Students often have them out on desktops as they also work on their laptops or Library PCs.  Not only are tablets out, but smartphones are plugged in and calculators are visible.  As tablets become more common students will quickly discover the use and relevance of the many apps available.  To stay abreast of the literature on using iPads in the academic environment, be sure to search our Library databases for recent journal articles.  Use the Articles & E-Resources tab at the top of the search box on the Library homepage, inputting keywords such as iPad, teaching, faculty, or student to quickly get to relevant articles. The infographic  shown below provides an interesting synopsis on today's use of tablets.  

As students continue to interact with mobile and digital technology the University Library is working to expand access to digital materials.  Through the Affordable Learning Initiative of the Chancellor’s Office, the Library now has access to more than 150,000 eBooks accessible through EBSCOhost, Safari Books Online, and ebrary.  Many of these books are used as textbooks.  Students can not only read these materials on their desktop or laptop, but many can be downloaded to an iPad and a number of dedicated e-readers. 

And, to allow students to explore the many possibilities inherent in the applications of an iPad, the Library now loans out 30 iPad 2s for student use.  More information on the checkout program can be found here.  

Please feel free to post your comments on which iPad apps you find useful!  Let's start a conversation about what is working for you!


Click to see full size image
The infographic above was published on Aug. 21, 2012 as a blog post from OnlineUniversities.com.

Fast, Effective Research Help!

“Research is so frustrating!”  “I get thousands of hits when I search Google, but nothing is appropriate for my class assignment.”  “Can you help me find some scholarly journal articles?”

Librarians have noticed that studious TOROS are well into their search for scholarly resources for course assignments. Other than the friendly, personalized assistance you can find by speaking with a reference librarian, there are a number of available online research guides that can help TOROS easily navigate the research process. 

The guides have been developed by CSUDH librarians over the years and are either general subject guides or are specific to course sections. Guides cover a variety of topics including - 

• how to find a book in the library catalog 
• how to find scholarly articles 
• how to evaluate web sites 
• understanding plagiarism and citing sources, and
• tips and techniques for database searching.  

Feel free to take a look at a number of different guides to find the information you need. 

To find the guides, click on the link to Online Research Guides, found about ½ way down on the Library home page within the Research & Scholarly Assistance section.  Once on the page, you can select from General Subject Guides or Course Specific Guides by Department. 

If you have an idea for a research guide, please contact one of the University Librarians!  

If you would like additional help finding resources for your topic, contact a librarian at the Reference Desk or set up an appointment with a librarian for an individualized research session.  

GO TOROS!