The library is recognizing Banned Books Week from September 25 to October 2. Did you know that over 460 books were challenged for removal from libraries last year? The ten most common ones are linked here (along with the reasons they were challenged). All books are not for everyone, but these challenges (and the outright bannings of books) remove that choice from individual library patrons.
We have a display in place that outlines the situation with banned books and offers examples of banned books from our own collection. Read them and decide for yourself.
Make your own choice! Read the books you want! Celebrate our freedom to read!
Monday, September 27, 2010
A new database for Genealogy research!
Ancestry Library Edition is an incredible genealogical tool! As with all of our electronic resources, it works for you both on- and off-campus. Here's the official description of the database:
"Ancestry® Library Edition, distributed exclusively by ProQuest and powered by Ancestry.com, delivers billions of records in census data, vital records, directories, photos, and more.
Ancestry Library Edition brings the world’s most popular consumer online genealogy resource to your library. It’s an unprecedented online collection of individuals from North America, the UK, Europe, Australia, and more.
Answers await everyone—whether professional or hobbyist, expert or novice, genealogist, or historian—inside the more than 7,000 available databases. Here, you can unlock the story of you with sources like censuses, vital records, immigration records, family histories, military records, court and legal documents, directories, photos, maps, and more."
We hope you'll enjoy using it as you track down interesting bits of family history.
"Ancestry® Library Edition, distributed exclusively by ProQuest and powered by Ancestry.com, delivers billions of records in census data, vital records, directories, photos, and more.
Ancestry Library Edition brings the world’s most popular consumer online genealogy resource to your library. It’s an unprecedented online collection of individuals from North America, the UK, Europe, Australia, and more.
Answers await everyone—whether professional or hobbyist, expert or novice, genealogist, or historian—inside the more than 7,000 available databases. Here, you can unlock the story of you with sources like censuses, vital records, immigration records, family histories, military records, court and legal documents, directories, photos, maps, and more."
We hope you'll enjoy using it as you track down interesting bits of family history.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Mini Saga Contest @ The Gardner Harvey Library
Creative Thinkers & Writers Take Note:
Pick up A Whole New Mind’s challenge and become a storyteller. Sharpen your writing, submit your entry, and possibly win big! For details read on.What: Write a mini saga, told in exactly 50 words, no more, no less. This genre is a very short story with a beginning, middle, and end, often surprising or funny. Include the usual fiction elements of character, plot, and setting.
When: Submit your entry by October 11, 2010 at the Library Info Desk or by email to tumbleb@muohio.edu
Who: Miami faculty, staff, and students may contribute any number of entries prior to the Mini Saga Deadline.
Prizes: Two Creative Types will win $25.00 gift certificates to the Miami University Bookstore. Judging will be conducted by MUM celebrity judges.
Need inspiration? See the Examples below:
“When I was shot, fear seized me at first. No surprise that. But once I realized I wasn’t going to die – despite the thermonuclear pain and widening puddle of weirdly warm blood – my mind recalibrated. And one thought, comforting yet disturbing, leapt into my head: I need to Tweet this.”
Dan Pink, author of A Whole New Mind
“I set out with high hopes for my grand journey.
I planned to traverse the country and see all of the sites; to venture off the beaten path and explore the America that most people bypass on the Interstates.
Sadly my car broken down on the second day outside Chattanooga” by cresswga
“Aghast, I stared at the disaster in front of me. How could this happen? I planned so carefully. The party guests arrived in good cheer, The food emerged from ovens and fridges looking delectable and festive. I just forgot to put the snake away. Oh well, one less lap dog.” by dlarson
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Nursing @ Ovid Arrives with Autumn
The Miami University Regional Campus libraries now provide access to 65 full-text nursing journals for students, faculty, and staff.
Here's the direct link to the database: Nursing@Ovid
This database package was negotiated by librarians from the Rentschler Library in Hamilton and the Gardner-Harvey Library in Middletown. It is a subset of the larger Journals@Ovid database. The database is searchable. You may also browse by subject and by journal.In addition, Miami University Regional users have access to all Table of Contents, bibliographic citations, abstracts, and references in the entire Ovid Nursing Database, 1950 to present. In addition to full-text articles from the 65 journals, article citations will be cross-linked to full-text held in other MU or OhioLINK databases when possible. The database is updated weekly.
Electronic access to nursing journals is 24/7 so research is easier and faster than ever before.When off-campus, you may access the database from the Hamilton and Middletown library websites or through the Nursing Research by Subject guide. When prompted, input your Miami ID and Password.
For more information, contact your Miami University regional librarians today.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Botswana: Read and Watch!
Middfest is just a month away (October 1-3), and it’s time to participate in the Books of Botswana Reading Challenge and related events at GHL!
As we announced earlier this summer, on Tuesday, September 21 from 12-1 the MUM Book Discussion Group will discuss Alexander McCall Smith’s The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency as part of the Challenge (see http://ghlibrarynews.blogspot.com/2010/04/books-of-botswana-reading-challenge.html for more information). Copies of the book are available from Miami libraries and from OhioLINK.
The basic plan is that anyone who reads one or more books from Smith’s series can email middfestreads@gmail.com to be entered in a drawing for various prizes. The drawing will be held on Sunday, September 26th at a Botswana Tea and Talk gathering featuring Botswana historian Dr. Neil Parsons. It will be held at 2:30 at the Middletown City Building.
In addition to the Challenge, the Gardner-Harvey Library has a display of Smith’s No. 1 Ladies’ books along with other recent publications about the nation of Botswana (including two of Dr. Parsons’ books). Please drop by to see the display, which is located by our front entrance.
Finally, the library will host a viewing of an episode of HBO’s The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series. The series was filmed in Botswana and will provide a partial visual introduction to the country as well as an enjoyable drama. We will watch the episode on Wednesday, September 15, from 12:30-1:30. Join us in STAR Lounge 2 in the library. The library has two copies of the full DVD set for the series for those who wish to watch more or who cannot attend.
We hope you can join us in one or more of these activities!
As we announced earlier this summer, on Tuesday, September 21 from 12-1 the MUM Book Discussion Group will discuss Alexander McCall Smith’s The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency as part of the Challenge (see http://ghlibrarynews.blogspot.com/2010/04/books-of-botswana-reading-challenge.html for more information). Copies of the book are available from Miami libraries and from OhioLINK.
The basic plan is that anyone who reads one or more books from Smith’s series can email middfestreads@gmail.com to be entered in a drawing for various prizes. The drawing will be held on Sunday, September 26th at a Botswana Tea and Talk gathering featuring Botswana historian Dr. Neil Parsons. It will be held at 2:30 at the Middletown City Building.
In addition to the Challenge, the Gardner-Harvey Library has a display of Smith’s No. 1 Ladies’ books along with other recent publications about the nation of Botswana (including two of Dr. Parsons’ books). Please drop by to see the display, which is located by our front entrance.
Finally, the library will host a viewing of an episode of HBO’s The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series. The series was filmed in Botswana and will provide a partial visual introduction to the country as well as an enjoyable drama. We will watch the episode on Wednesday, September 15, from 12:30-1:30. Join us in STAR Lounge 2 in the library. The library has two copies of the full DVD set for the series for those who wish to watch more or who cannot attend.
We hope you can join us in one or more of these activities!
New materials added in July and August
The July and August new materials list is now available. We added 133 books, DVDs, and other items over those months, thanks to the impressive efforts of our faculty selectors and the library staff.
We will shortly be providing 2010/2011 acquisitions budget figures to academic departments and selectors. Watch your email!
Have a suggestion of something to order? Use our online request form, email one of our staff members or drop by the library with your request. Thanks!
John
We will shortly be providing 2010/2011 acquisitions budget figures to academic departments and selectors. Watch your email!
Have a suggestion of something to order? Use our online request form, email one of our staff members or drop by the library with your request. Thanks!
John
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Textbooks on Reserve for Fall
The Textbooks on Reserve program at the library has recently been updated. Thanks to the efforts of the MUM Bookstore posting the list of required textbooks (with ISBNs and prices) and to faculty members who placed their orders early, we were able to add many new and updated books well ahead of time this semester.
Though a few books are still being added, we now have textbooks for 124 courses offered at Middletown (most of these were purchased by the library, and others are personal copies added by faculty members or purchased separately by academic departments). The full list is available here.
We had a very strong summer of textbook use. From the middle of May through the end of July we had 179 checkouts (easily our biggest summer ever, even without having all of the stats in). Don't forget the other methods we have for accessing textbooks through the library.
If you can help further spread the word that the textbooks are available, that would be most helpful. If you would like to correct information on our list or if you have suggestions on other courses we should consider buying textbooks for, please let us know.
We thank you for your use and support of this program!
Though a few books are still being added, we now have textbooks for 124 courses offered at Middletown (most of these were purchased by the library, and others are personal copies added by faculty members or purchased separately by academic departments). The full list is available here.
We had a very strong summer of textbook use. From the middle of May through the end of July we had 179 checkouts (easily our biggest summer ever, even without having all of the stats in). Don't forget the other methods we have for accessing textbooks through the library.
If you can help further spread the word that the textbooks are available, that would be most helpful. If you would like to correct information on our list or if you have suggestions on other courses we should consider buying textbooks for, please let us know.
We thank you for your use and support of this program!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
August and September reads from the Book Discussion Group
The MUM Book Discussion Group is back in action for fall! We have our books in place for August and September, and we're hoping to have you join in.
On Wednesday, August 25 we'll discuss Kathyrn Stockett's The Help. You can find an overview of the book at http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides_h/the_help1.asp, and then order a copy of the book from a variety of OhioLINK libraries at http://tinyurl.com/29dbg9m
As announced earlier this summer, on Tuesday, September 21 we will read Alexander McCall Smith’s The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency as part of Middfest’s Books of Botswana Reading Challenge (see http://ghlibrarynews.blogspot.com/2010/04/books-of-botswana-reading-challenge.html). Join this Middletown effort to support Middfest!
Be sure to check our website for upcoming events and to suggest additional titles: http://www.mid.muohio.edu/library/bookdiscussion.htm
We look forward to having you with us!
On Wednesday, August 25 we'll discuss Kathyrn Stockett's The Help. You can find an overview of the book at http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides_h/the_help1.asp, and then order a copy of the book from a variety of OhioLINK libraries at http://tinyurl.com/29dbg9m
As announced earlier this summer, on Tuesday, September 21 we will read Alexander McCall Smith’s The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency as part of Middfest’s Books of Botswana Reading Challenge (see http://ghlibrarynews.blogspot.com/2010/04/books-of-botswana-reading-challenge.html). Join this Middletown effort to support Middfest!
Be sure to check our website for upcoming events and to suggest additional titles: http://www.mid.muohio.edu/library/bookdiscussion.htm
We look forward to having you with us!
Thursday, July 08, 2010
How was the library used in 2009-2010?
As an update to our earlier post on library use through January 2010, here are the full annual stats for several library services. I hope you will find them useful to see how people use the library. How do you compare to the average user of the Gardner-Harvey Library (GHL)?
These stats reflect what's happened this year, running from July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010. Some stats we keep locally, others we pull from university-wide or OhioLINK-wide systems, and some are provided by database vendors.
Both a Borrower and a Lender Be
- GHL patrons checked out 4,583 books, DVDs, and videos from us (2,262 from our local collection, 1,475 ordered from other MU libraries, and 846 items ordered from OhioLINK - that means that more than half of the items used by campus patrons came from libraries beyond GHL). We also received 64 articles and 10 books and audiovisual items from libraries worldwide.
- The GHL collection registered 5,925 checkouts (that's the 2,262 items checked out by Middletown patrons above, plus 2,076 items sent to OhioLINK users, 1,418 sent to other MU libraries, and 169 items sent to libraries around the world - that means that more than 60% of the uses of our materials came from libraries beyond GHL). We also sent 76 periodical articles to libraries worldwide.
- GHL patrons checked out 3,851 reserve items from us (this includes faculty-placed course reserves, textbooks on reserve, laptops, Wii games, and other equipment).
- In addition to the printed or physical materials above, Middletown patrons have downloaded 6,894 e-books from the OhioLINK E-Book Center.
- In terms of building up our collection, Middletown faculty and staff ordered 1,665 items to add to our collection this year.
The Quest for Information
- Middletown patrons have performed 52,931 searches in databases provided to us by Ebsco and those hosted by OhioLINK. Statewide, 52% of database searches are done in Academic Search Complete, and our results are right on that average.
- Middletown patrons downloaded 20,332 full-text articles from the Electronic Journal Center. This is in addition to full-text articles found right within Ebsco or other databases.
- As part of getting to these databases, 54 people visit our web site every day. That's a total of 19,965 visits for the year, by 5,717 unique individuals.
A Place for Work, Study, and Remove from the World
- GHL is open 65 hours per week.
- We average 260 visitors per day, for a total of 75,350 visits this year.
- We regularly schedule the library learning lab (GRD 111) for occasional class sessions. We also had 12 classes meet there weekly during fall semester and 9 met there during this spring. In March 2009 we began scheduling COMPASS placement testing sessions in the lab on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays for incoming Middletown students.
- Our two STAR Lounges have been checked out 338 times this year. STAR Lounge 2 was used weekly by a class for its class meetings in the spring semester.
Helping You Find What You Need
- Inside and outside of the library, we gave library instruction presentations in 80 classes this year, reaching 1435 students. The courses represented were from 19 different departments.
- Our Blackboard Embedded Librarian program reached students in 43 course sections during the academic year. We have reached over 750 students through the program and helped them with their information needs.
- During calendar year 2009, we did our best to keep track of the questions you asked us at our InfoDesk. Here's what we learned from that tallying:
- One key part missing from these figures is off-campus use of library resources: all off-campus use is tallied as MU-wide use, so we do not know how many patrons are using databases from home.
- We don't have stats for all database searches - we're missing uses of Lexis-Nexis and other databases.
- We haven't surveyed the campus population at large about their use of our resources and their perception of the quality of our service for some time. We are hoping to offer such a survey in the next academic year, but we hope in the meantime you'll let us know what you think about the library, what you need from us, and what materials we should order for the collection.
On Average
Taking these numbers and guesstimating a total Middletown community of 2500 students, faculty and staff members (and including community patrons), here's what can be said about the average person on campus. She:
- visits the library every nine days.
- checks three items out from the library in a year (reserves and local/MU/OhioLINK collection items)
- performs 21 database searches per year.
- accesses the library web site eight times per year.
- views 2.75 e-books each year.
- participates in a library instruction session at least every other year (if she is a student).
Thanks to everyone for making the library and its resources a vital part of your academic lives!
These stats reflect what's happened this year, running from July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010. Some stats we keep locally, others we pull from university-wide or OhioLINK-wide systems, and some are provided by database vendors.
Both a Borrower and a Lender Be
- GHL patrons checked out 4,583 books, DVDs, and videos from us (2,262 from our local collection, 1,475 ordered from other MU libraries, and 846 items ordered from OhioLINK - that means that more than half of the items used by campus patrons came from libraries beyond GHL). We also received 64 articles and 10 books and audiovisual items from libraries worldwide.
- The GHL collection registered 5,925 checkouts (that's the 2,262 items checked out by Middletown patrons above, plus 2,076 items sent to OhioLINK users, 1,418 sent to other MU libraries, and 169 items sent to libraries around the world - that means that more than 60% of the uses of our materials came from libraries beyond GHL). We also sent 76 periodical articles to libraries worldwide.
- GHL patrons checked out 3,851 reserve items from us (this includes faculty-placed course reserves, textbooks on reserve, laptops, Wii games, and other equipment).
- In addition to the printed or physical materials above, Middletown patrons have downloaded 6,894 e-books from the OhioLINK E-Book Center.
- In terms of building up our collection, Middletown faculty and staff ordered 1,665 items to add to our collection this year.
The Quest for Information
- Middletown patrons have performed 52,931 searches in databases provided to us by Ebsco and those hosted by OhioLINK. Statewide, 52% of database searches are done in Academic Search Complete, and our results are right on that average.
- Middletown patrons downloaded 20,332 full-text articles from the Electronic Journal Center. This is in addition to full-text articles found right within Ebsco or other databases.
- As part of getting to these databases, 54 people visit our web site every day. That's a total of 19,965 visits for the year, by 5,717 unique individuals.
A Place for Work, Study, and Remove from the World
- GHL is open 65 hours per week.
- We average 260 visitors per day, for a total of 75,350 visits this year.
- We regularly schedule the library learning lab (GRD 111) for occasional class sessions. We also had 12 classes meet there weekly during fall semester and 9 met there during this spring. In March 2009 we began scheduling COMPASS placement testing sessions in the lab on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays for incoming Middletown students.
- Our two STAR Lounges have been checked out 338 times this year. STAR Lounge 2 was used weekly by a class for its class meetings in the spring semester.
Helping You Find What You Need
- Inside and outside of the library, we gave library instruction presentations in 80 classes this year, reaching 1435 students. The courses represented were from 19 different departments.
- Our Blackboard Embedded Librarian program reached students in 43 course sections during the academic year. We have reached over 750 students through the program and helped them with their information needs.
- During calendar year 2009, we did our best to keep track of the questions you asked us at our InfoDesk. Here's what we learned from that tallying:
- You asked us 5245 questions during the year.
- That averages out to 19.5 questions per day. This is in addition to more routine, but essential, activities that we didn't count, like checking books out and back in.
- 19% of those questions came by phone, and 2% through instant-messaging, with the rest in-person (we also get a lot of questions in email, but we did not track those).
- The topics of those questions were fairly evenly divided, with nearly 20% in each of the categories of research (where to look for articles on X, etc.), technology (how to double space in Word, etc.), circulation (when will the book I requested arrive, etc.), and the ever-popular "other" category.
- 90% of the questions came between 8:00am and 5:00pm.
- One key part missing from these figures is off-campus use of library resources: all off-campus use is tallied as MU-wide use, so we do not know how many patrons are using databases from home.
- We don't have stats for all database searches - we're missing uses of Lexis-Nexis and other databases.
- We haven't surveyed the campus population at large about their use of our resources and their perception of the quality of our service for some time. We are hoping to offer such a survey in the next academic year, but we hope in the meantime you'll let us know what you think about the library, what you need from us, and what materials we should order for the collection.
On Average
Taking these numbers and guesstimating a total Middletown community of 2500 students, faculty and staff members (and including community patrons), here's what can be said about the average person on campus. She:
- visits the library every nine days.
- checks three items out from the library in a year (reserves and local/MU/OhioLINK collection items)
- performs 21 database searches per year.
- accesses the library web site eight times per year.
- views 2.75 e-books each year.
- participates in a library instruction session at least every other year (if she is a student).
Thanks to everyone for making the library and its resources a vital part of your academic lives!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
New materials added in May and June
The May and June new materials list is now available. We added 438 books, DVDs, and other items over those months, thanks to the impressive efforts of our faculty selectors and the library staff.
Have a suggestion of something to order? Use our online request form, email one of our staff members or drop by the library with your request. Thanks!
John
Have a suggestion of something to order? Use our online request form, email one of our staff members or drop by the library with your request. Thanks!
John
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Summer Reads from the MUM Book Discussion Group
A summer of reading is ahead from the MUM Book Discussion Group! We have picked our next two monthly reading choices for June and July.
Our June book discussion will be on Wednesday, June 23, from 12:00-1:00 in the library (aim for the blue chairs). Our book is Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake. We join family of Indian immigrants as they transform themselves into Americans. A fuller description is available at http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides3/namesake1.asp The book is widely available through OhioLINK and can be requested from this page: http://tinyurl.com/29q2ka3
Our July discussion will be held on Thursday, July 22, from 12:00-1:00 in the library. The book is the Scandinavian thriller The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larsson. Financial intrigue and a mysterious disappearance challenge Swedish journalist Mikael Blomkvist and his putative ally, the enigmatic Lisbeth Salander. More information on the book is available at http://www.bookbrowse.com/reviews/index.cfm/book_number/2179/The-Girl-with-the-Dragon-Tattoo The book may be requested from OhioLINK at this page: http://tinyurl.com/2agrpny
August is currently open for suggestions, but in September we will read Alexander McCall Smith’s The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency as part of Middfest’s Books of Botswana Reading Challenge (see http://ghlibrarynews.blogspot.com/2010/04/books-of-botswana-reading-challenge.html).
Be sure to check our website for upcoming events and to suggest additional titles: http://www.mid.muohio.edu/library/bookdiscussion.htm
We look forward to having you join us!
Our June book discussion will be on Wednesday, June 23, from 12:00-1:00 in the library (aim for the blue chairs). Our book is Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake. We join family of Indian immigrants as they transform themselves into Americans. A fuller description is available at http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides3/namesake1.asp The book is widely available through OhioLINK and can be requested from this page: http://tinyurl.com/29q2ka3
Our July discussion will be held on Thursday, July 22, from 12:00-1:00 in the library. The book is the Scandinavian thriller The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larsson. Financial intrigue and a mysterious disappearance challenge Swedish journalist Mikael Blomkvist and his putative ally, the enigmatic Lisbeth Salander. More information on the book is available at http://www.bookbrowse.com/reviews/index.cfm/book_number/2179/The-Girl-with-the-Dragon-Tattoo The book may be requested from OhioLINK at this page: http://tinyurl.com/2agrpny
August is currently open for suggestions, but in September we will read Alexander McCall Smith’s The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency as part of Middfest’s Books of Botswana Reading Challenge (see http://ghlibrarynews.blogspot.com/2010/04/books-of-botswana-reading-challenge.html).
Be sure to check our website for upcoming events and to suggest additional titles: http://www.mid.muohio.edu/library/bookdiscussion.htm
We look forward to having you join us!
Friday, May 14, 2010
Summer Reading 2010
Whether you are beach bound, heading to the mountains, or sitting in your backyard, pick up a book and read this summer. Here are a few titles to consider.
Double Comfort Safari Club. Alexander McCall Smith. 2010.
Prepare for 2010 MidFest which will highlight Botswana, Africa by reading the latest novel in the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency series. MidFest Book Discussion Groups will be discussing this internationally best-selling author’s series in coming months, which focuses on the mysteries of life, using humor, culture, generational differences, ethics, and the call of community.
Beatrice and Virgil: A Novel. Yann Martel. 2010.
A celebrated now struggling author Henry meets with an older taxidermist to discuss his play featuring a howler monkey and donkey. Through the framework of fable, a holocaust tale unfolds. Thought-provoking themes on the human condition are raised, such as creativity and cruelty.
Wolf Hall. Hilary Mantel. 2010.
Follow the fascinating power play and intrigue in Henry VIII's court as he quest for a male heir with the help of Oliver Cromwell, and the hindrance of Sir Thomas More.
Life Among the Lutherans. Garrison Keillor. 2009.
Explore Keillor's spiritual roots spiced with humor and insight on living the good life.
Made for Goodness: And Why This Makes All the Difference. Desmond Tutu. 2010.
Reflect with one of the transparent movers and shakers of our time on the outworking of sin, goodness, and forgiveness.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Accessing Textbooks Through the Library
Students have a variety of options to access required course materials through the Gardner-Harvey Library:
1. The library may have purchased the course textbook as part of our Textbooks on Reserve program. The current list of available textbooks (arranged by course) is available at http://www.mid.muohio.edu/library/textbookreserves.htm The library will also purchase additional textbooks as requested for Summer Semester. Each textbook may be borrowed from the library for two hours, or if checked out after 5:00pm, it can be kept until 9:00am the next morning.
2. Faculty members may have placed textbooks or other materials on library reserve. Many of the textbooks provided by faculty members are on the list linked above. If a faculty member would like to place an item on reserve, please consult the information at http://www.mid.muohio.edu/library/reserves.htm and use the online form at the bottom of that page.
3. Students may be able to borrow a copy of the textbook from another Miami University Library or from one of our OhioLINK library partners around the state. Materials may be borrowed for up to 15 weeks through OhioLINK. The starting point is to use our library catalog at http://www.lib.muohio.edu/multifacet (this searches all Miami libraries) and then to click on “Request Item.” Library staff would be happy to run searches and assist anyone in checking the availability of a title in OhioLINK.
4. Some textbooks are available as electronic books purchased through OhioLINK. A quick way to search these e-book collections (along with the print collections of OhioLINK libraries) is to use the University System of Ohio’s Textbook Portal at http://textbooks.uso.edu/ Enter either the ISBN or a combination of the title and author of the book to see if it is available.
The library stands ready to assist any student or faculty member who needs help with these matters. Please contact us at 513-727-3222, midref@lib.muohio.edu, IM us @ askghl, or contact any of our staff members directly using the information at http://www.mid.muohio.edu/library/contactus.htm
1. The library may have purchased the course textbook as part of our Textbooks on Reserve program. The current list of available textbooks (arranged by course) is available at http://www.mid.muohio.edu/library/textbookreserves.htm The library will also purchase additional textbooks as requested for Summer Semester. Each textbook may be borrowed from the library for two hours, or if checked out after 5:00pm, it can be kept until 9:00am the next morning.
2. Faculty members may have placed textbooks or other materials on library reserve. Many of the textbooks provided by faculty members are on the list linked above. If a faculty member would like to place an item on reserve, please consult the information at http://www.mid.muohio.edu/library/reserves.htm and use the online form at the bottom of that page.
3. Students may be able to borrow a copy of the textbook from another Miami University Library or from one of our OhioLINK library partners around the state. Materials may be borrowed for up to 15 weeks through OhioLINK. The starting point is to use our library catalog at http://www.lib.muohio.edu/multifacet (this searches all Miami libraries) and then to click on “Request Item.” Library staff would be happy to run searches and assist anyone in checking the availability of a title in OhioLINK.
4. Some textbooks are available as electronic books purchased through OhioLINK. A quick way to search these e-book collections (along with the print collections of OhioLINK libraries) is to use the University System of Ohio’s Textbook Portal at http://textbooks.uso.edu/ Enter either the ISBN or a combination of the title and author of the book to see if it is available.
The library stands ready to assist any student or faculty member who needs help with these matters. Please contact us at 513-727-3222, midref@lib.muohio.edu, IM us @ askghl, or contact any of our staff members directly using the information at http://www.mid.muohio.edu/library/contactus.htm
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
New Materials Added in March and April
The March and April new materials list is now available. We added 549 books, DVDs, and other items over those months, thanks to the impressive efforts of our faculty selectors and the library staff.
Have a suggestion of something to order? Use our online request form, email one of our staff members or drop by the library with your request. Thanks!
John
Have a suggestion of something to order? Use our online request form, email one of our staff members or drop by the library with your request. Thanks!
John
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Books of Botswana Reading Challenge
As part of its celebration of the nation of Botswana this year, Middfest International is sponsoring a Books of Botswana Reading Challenge. It features the works of Alexander McCall Smith, specifically his "No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency" series which is set in Botswana. The books are a great introduction to the country as well as intriguing detective fiction. I have read several of them and really enjoyed them.
There is a flyer which outlines the reading challenge. The overall goal is to inspire individuals to read one or more of the books, email Middfest to enter a prize drawing, and then attend a Botswana Tea 'N Talk on September 26, 2010 (just prior to Middfest itself, which runs from October 1-3). That event will feature a talk by a historian of Botswana and prize drawings for readers. Just to note, the April 21 book signing by Alexander McCall Smith had to be cancelled due to the Icelandic volcano interrupting his travel plans (there is hope it will be rescheduled).
The Gardner-Harvey Library would like to support this effort by offering our resources over the summer or in the early part of fall semester. I have recently ordered copies of all 11 No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books for our collection (in addition to two by the historian) for individuals to use. Our library would be happy to serve as a meeting spot for any interested book discussion groups. I would be interested in leading a book discussion group as well. If I or my staff can help get groups started or offer guides to discussion questions, we would be glad to do so.
We also have DVDs of the first season of the HBO series based on the books. I would love to offer viewings of the episodes on campus or we'd be happy to lend those out for individual use.
If you would be interested in reading one or more of the books, watching the DVDs, participating in or leading a discussion group, please contact the library. It's great to read on your own, but discussing books with a group can be a lot of fun and bring out aspects of a work you never noticed.
There is a flyer which outlines the reading challenge. The overall goal is to inspire individuals to read one or more of the books, email Middfest to enter a prize drawing, and then attend a Botswana Tea 'N Talk on September 26, 2010 (just prior to Middfest itself, which runs from October 1-3). That event will feature a talk by a historian of Botswana and prize drawings for readers. Just to note, the April 21 book signing by Alexander McCall Smith had to be cancelled due to the Icelandic volcano interrupting his travel plans (there is hope it will be rescheduled).
The Gardner-Harvey Library would like to support this effort by offering our resources over the summer or in the early part of fall semester. I have recently ordered copies of all 11 No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books for our collection (in addition to two by the historian) for individuals to use. Our library would be happy to serve as a meeting spot for any interested book discussion groups. I would be interested in leading a book discussion group as well. If I or my staff can help get groups started or offer guides to discussion questions, we would be glad to do so.
We also have DVDs of the first season of the HBO series based on the books. I would love to offer viewings of the episodes on campus or we'd be happy to lend those out for individual use.
If you would be interested in reading one or more of the books, watching the DVDs, participating in or leading a discussion group, please contact the library. It's great to read on your own, but discussing books with a group can be a lot of fun and bring out aspects of a work you never noticed.
Friday, April 16, 2010
The End of Overeating: Casper Lecture, & Book Discussion
This year Miami University Middletown invited Dr. David Kessler, former U. S. Food and Drug Commissioner and current Dean of the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine to campus as the 2010 Casper Lecture Series speaker. Dr. Kessler is a physician, lawyer, and author of The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite, 2009. On the evening of April 13, 2010 and again on the morning of April 14, Dr. Kessler spoke earnestly and knowledgeably of the brain circuitry and conditioned hypereating the American food industry has fostered by combining sugar, fat, and salt in its food products and which it uses to its advantage. He shared his scientific findings and suggested ways of addressing these health concerns as individuals and as a nation. To learn more, watch this video.
Prior to Dr. Kessler’s visit, the MUM Book Discussion group had a merry time discussing a number of questions, ideas, and insights gleaned from the book’s pages. The Gardner-Harvey Library provided free copies of the title to ten participating readers. Eating for health is not as easy as one might think, given the American culture of 24/7 eating and ubiquitous access to processed food. Food rehab is needed to combat the Cue-Urge-Reward-Habit cycle. Specific strategies to aid individuals are supplied in the closing chapters. If you would like to read and discuss this title with others, please see the list of book discussion questions that follow, compiled by the Assistant Library Director and discussion facilitator Beth Tumbleson.
- Why do we eat: nutrition, survival, stimulation, entertainment? Why do Americans tend to overeat?
- Before reading The End of Overeating, were you aware of the deliberate attempt by the food industry to capture your appetite and your dollars?
- After reading The End of Eating, what insights and impressions have lingered and shaken your core beliefs?
- What new vocabulary did you learn in these pages? (Bliss Point, Conditioned Hypereating, Hyper-palatable, Multisensory Experience)
- What startling scientific discoveries did you make in reading these pages? (Rewiring Brain Circuitry, Elevated Dopamine Levels, etc.)
- How are the efforts of the food and advertising industries personally affecting you the consumer at the grocery store, restaurants, vending machines, etc.?
- Why does the American culture foster 24/7 eating? How has the average American’s weight changed since the 1960s?
- What role do fast food restaurants and junk food play in your family’s life? Why?
- When eating/consuming becomes big business where profit matters more than nutrition, what ethical dilemmas are raised in the American culture?
- Do business and government have a responsibility to safeguard the individual’s and nation’s health? What reforms would you like to see put in place nationally? (Insurance Rates Tied to Lifestyle Choices, Financial Incentives for Healthy Lifestyle Choices, Food Tax on Unhealthy Items, Calories Listed on Menus, Healthier School Cafeteria Menus, etc.)
- How has your life and those you love been threatened by overeating? How has the obesity epidemic touched your life? What diseases concern you most? (Cancer, Cardiovascular, Type 2 Diabetes, Stroke)
- In what ways are the health care and insurance industries also profiting from the Western diet which results in chronic medical conditions?
- Now that you understand the Cue-Urge-Reward-Habit cycle, what changes will you make which were outlined in the Food Rehab chapters?
- Because eating cues are personal and are related to our emotions and memories, how might you establish healthier habits in future? How might you assume greater accountability in one or two areas of your life?
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
You asked, and asked, and asked . . . and we answered
In a recent post, we shared some statistics on how the library has been used in the first seven months of this academic year. One item we mentioned was a year long tallying of questions you asked us at our InfoDesk. During 2009, we did our best to keep track of the questions asked at the desk. Here's what we learned from that tallying:
- You asked us 5245 questions during the year.
- That averages out to 19.5 questions per day. This is in addition to more routine, but essential, activities that we didn't count, like checking books out and back in.
- 19% of those questions came by phone, and 2% through instant-messaging, with the rest in-person (we also get a lot of questions in email, but we did not track those).
- The topics of those questions were fairly evenly divided, with nearly 20% in each of the categories of research (where to look for articles on X, etc.), technology (how to double space in Word, etc.), circulation (when will the book I requested arrive, etc.), and the ever-popular "other" category.
- 90% of the questions came between 8:00am and 5:00pm.
So, we know a bit more about what you need to know from us and when you need to know it. We're still analyzing the data and seeking to find applications to staffing our InfoDesk and training ourselves. We are also planning a new way to gather stats on questions and also get down some details on the content of each question that might guide us further.
All we can say to you is thanks for seeking assistance and keep those questions coming. As it says at our doorways, "how can the library help you today?"
- You asked us 5245 questions during the year.
- That averages out to 19.5 questions per day. This is in addition to more routine, but essential, activities that we didn't count, like checking books out and back in.
- 19% of those questions came by phone, and 2% through instant-messaging, with the rest in-person (we also get a lot of questions in email, but we did not track those).
- The topics of those questions were fairly evenly divided, with nearly 20% in each of the categories of research (where to look for articles on X, etc.), technology (how to double space in Word, etc.), circulation (when will the book I requested arrive, etc.), and the ever-popular "other" category.
- 90% of the questions came between 8:00am and 5:00pm.
So, we know a bit more about what you need to know from us and when you need to know it. We're still analyzing the data and seeking to find applications to staffing our InfoDesk and training ourselves. We are also planning a new way to gather stats on questions and also get down some details on the content of each question that might guide us further.
All we can say to you is thanks for seeking assistance and keep those questions coming. As it says at our doorways, "how can the library help you today?"
Spring time and the linking is easy . . .
Making links to any library resource available to you or other MU students, faculty, and staff from off-campus is easy . . . if you know the proxy secret. What is the proxy secret? (shhhhh! not so loud! read quieter in your head!) Here's the scoop:
If you find an article in a database and then email the URL of that article to a friend, the friend may not be able to get to the article unless he or she is on campus. This is what the proxy server is all about - giving access to library databases and resources to any MU person off-campus.
Here's how it works: if you want to post a link to an article, or e-book, or anything that you find through the library's web site, you add something to the front of the URL to make sure someone else can read it off-campus. That something is this:
https://proxy.lib.miamioh.edu/login?url=
That part of the URL makes the link take a detour through the proxy server, asking the link clicker to enter his or her UniqueID and password to get access to the end part of the link.
The databases themselves (like Academic Search Complete or Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe) already have this detour built in to their URLs for off-campus users - those on-campus never notice this. But if you are linking to a journal title like Business Week, don't just put a link in like this:
https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bft&jid=B7OA&site=eds-live
Add the proxy, and it will work fine off-campus.
https://proxy.lib.miamioh.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bft&jid=B7OA&site=eds-live
It's a great way to share articles or other items you find without making people do the searching for it themselves. Just look for links marked as "persistent links" or "link to this publication (article, etc.)." Try it out, or be sure to ask us if you have questions.
If you find an article in a database and then email the URL of that article to a friend, the friend may not be able to get to the article unless he or she is on campus. This is what the proxy server is all about - giving access to library databases and resources to any MU person off-campus.
Here's how it works: if you want to post a link to an article, or e-book, or anything that you find through the library's web site, you add something to the front of the URL to make sure someone else can read it off-campus. That something is this:
https://proxy.lib.miamioh.edu/login?url=
That part of the URL makes the link take a detour through the proxy server, asking the link clicker to enter his or her UniqueID and password to get access to the end part of the link.
The databases themselves (like Academic Search Complete or Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe) already have this detour built in to their URLs for off-campus users - those on-campus never notice this. But if you are linking to a journal title like Business Week, don't just put a link in like this:
https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bft&jid=B7OA&site=eds-live
Add the proxy, and it will work fine off-campus.
https://proxy.lib.miamioh.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bft&jid=B7OA&site=eds-live
It's a great way to share articles or other items you find without making people do the searching for it themselves. Just look for links marked as "persistent links" or "link to this publication (article, etc.)." Try it out, or be sure to ask us if you have questions.
Friday, March 19, 2010
New Materials Added in February
The February new materials list is now available. We added 152 books, DVDs, and other items over that month, thanks to the impressive efforts of our faculty selectors and the library staff.
Have a suggestion of something to order? Use our online request form, email one of our staff members or drop by the library with your request. Thanks!
John
Have a suggestion of something to order? Use our online request form, email one of our staff members or drop by the library with your request. Thanks!
John
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Your Life. Six Words. Can You?
The Gardner-Harvey Library is sponsoring an exercise in self-authorship based on the idea of the six-word memoir. Can you describe your life in six words? It's a lot of fun to try. Come by the library and see what people are writing about themselves on our white board (by the blue chairs). You can also peruse two books of collected six-word memoirs for ideas (with many well-known authors and others participating). The concept has been popularized by Rachel Fershleiser and Larry Smith of Smith Magazine.
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