27 new databases added!

Miami University Libraries has added 27 new databases from Ebsco as part of our implementation of the OneSearch service (AKA Ebsco Discovery Service).  The databases are listed below with a direct link to each one.  The databases have also been added to the Databases A to Z list and will be added to relevant Subject and Course Guides.

Applied Science & Technology with Full Text FT
Art & Architecture Complete
Associates Programs Source FT
Biological & Agricultural Index Plus
Business Abstracts with Full Text FT
Caribbean Search FT
Central & Eastern European Academic Source FT
Energy & Power Source FT
Entrepreneurial Studies Source FT
Essay & General Literature Index
Food Science Source FT
Human Resources Abstracts
Humanities with Full Text FT
Humanities Abstracts
International Security & Counter-Terrorism Reference Center FT
Jewish Studies Source FT
Middle Eastern & Central Asian Studies
National Criminal Justice Reference Service Abstracts
Peace Research Abstracts
Play Index
Political Science Complete FT
Public Affairs Index
Race Relations Abstracts
Risk Management Reference Center FT
Shock & Vibration Digest
Short Story Index
Vocational Studies Premier FT

Digital Public Library of America

Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) launched today April 18, 2013 after two years of planning and work.  Digitized cultural content from libraries, archives, and museums are being made freely available worldwide.

A few contributing institutions include: “the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), the Smithsonian Institution, the New York Public Library, and Harvard University.” A few notable digital objects include: “images of women marching for the vote in Kentucky, news film clips of the Freedom Riders during the Civil Rights movement, The Book of Hours, an illuminated manuscript from 1514…and paintings by Winslow Homer.”

Find manuscripts, records, images, data, and works of science, culture, and art.  Search 2.4 million items by format, map, timeline, and topic.  Developers anticipate apps will be built to encourage creation using the maximally open data.

 

As lifelong learners, explore these exhibitions and collections @ http://dp.la/

Beyond Textbooks: Finding Alternatives Among Library Databases, E-Books, and Open Educational Resources

Have you considered the other options you have beyond textbooks when choosing assigned readings for your classes? John Burke will identify resources available through the library and collected in open educational resources (OER) repositories, from open (free) textbooks to individually-linked articles, library-purchased e-books, streaming video sources, and learning objects of all kinds.

John will share case studies and methodologies for creating a flexible mash-up of materials to convey course content and achieve your learning objectives. Not only can this approach lead to the selection of resources that are more closely attuned to the course, but it also reduces students' costs.

Come with your course needs in mind and consider whether you'd like to seek textbook alternatives for fall and beyond. If you cannot attend in person, this event will be available on Webex. Please go to the CTL Website,www.mid.muohio.edu/ctl for more information. You may also access the handout for the session and the presentation online.

Presentation on "In An Antique Land"

Join us for a presentation about Amitav Ghosh’s In An Antique Land. The event will be held on Monday, April 29 from 12:00-1:00 in the Gardner-Harvey Library.

Our guide to the book is John Schaefer, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Affiliate Faculty in Black World Studies. His research interests focus on the black communities of Arab North Africa, in particular their music. Before arriving at Middletown this fall, he spent three years teaching at the American University in Cairo.

Moving between past and present, anthropologist Amitav Ghosh presents a lyrical portrait of life in Egypt, as well as broad histories of that country, Tunisia, and India’s Malabar Coast. Ghosh weaves strands of his own life in rural Egypt into the story he is researching of a twelfth-century Jewish merchant and his slave. Exploiting an extraordinary cache of medieval documents in Cairo, Ghosh is able to piece together a fascinating story illuminating the reach of medieval Egyptian trade and cross-cultural interaction; he also tells of a form of slavery very different from the one familiar to most Americans.

The presentation is free and open to all. Light refreshments will be provided.

This presentation is made possible through the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) award of a Muslim Journeys Bookshelf to the campus’ Gardner-Harvey Library in cooperation with the Regional Campus Diversity Council.

New materials added to Library in March

To bring you up to date on what has recently been added to the collection, a new materials list is now available that reflects additions during March. We added 174 books, e-books, DVDs, and other items during that time, thanks to your selections and suggestions. The list is sorted by call number, with items grouped roughly by subject area.  

Of note in this month's new materials list are the 33 e-books we've added in March, for a total of 73 e-books added during 2012-13.

This tag will show you all of the prior lists of new materials.  

Have a suggestion of something to order? Use our online request form, email Jennifer Hicks or one of our other staff members, or drop by the library with your request at any time.  Our official ordering deadline is Friday, April 5, but if you have additional items to order, we can still get those orders in (or hold them until after July 1 for next fiscal year).  

We've added 852 items to the collection so far this year, and I expect we'll end up at around 1200 items (so long as you keep suggesting items for us to order!).

Thanks again for keeping our collection vibrant and your information needs met!

Muslim Journeys Materials and Programming at the Library

Miami University Middletown’s Gardner-Harvey Library has been selected to receive the Muslim Journeys Bookshelf, a project of the National Endowment for the Humanities Bridging Cultures initiative. The award includes 25 books and three films and is intended to promote community discussion in the library and build bridges among diverse cultures and faiths. The Miami University Middletown Diversity Council is a partner on the project and will co-sponsor programming.

Browse the Bookshelf titles at http://bridgingcultures.neh.gov/muslimjourneys/bookshelf or come by the library to see a beautiful display of the works created by Jessie Long, Public Services Librarian, and Amy Platt, Student Master.

The award also includes a one-year subscription to Oxford Islamic Studies Online, which features reference content and commentary by renowned scholars in areas such as global Islamic history, concepts, people, practices, politics, and culture.  Access to the database is available both on- and off-campus by clicking on Oxford Islamic Studies Online.

In addition to featuring the Bookshelf materials in the library all through April, the Gardner-Harvey Library and the Diversity Council are co-sponsoring two presentations of Bookshelf works:

• A film screening and discussion of the documentary "Koran by Heart" moderated by Gina Petonito (Sociology and Gerontology) on Monday, April 15 from 6:00-8:00pm in 142 JHN. More details.

• A presentation on Amitav Ghosh's book In An Ancient Land by John Schaefer (Anthropology) on Monday, April 29 from 12:00-1:00pm in the Gardner-Harvey Library.  A more detailed announcement will follow shortly.

Please join us for both programs and enjoy light refreshments.

We hope you will find the resources and programming useful and interesting.  

Film screening and discussion of "Koran by Heart"

Join us for a viewing and discussion of the film “Koran by Heart” on Monday, April 15th, from 6:00-8:00pm.  The event will be held in 142 Johnston.

Every year, about one hundred of Islam’s best young students from around the world come to Cairo for the International Holy Koran Competition. Many are in their late teens, some as young as seven. “Koran by Heart” follows the progress of three scholars, a girl and two boys, all ten years old, as they compete against students who, in some instances, are nearly twice their age.

Prior to the film, three local students between 11 and 12 will talk about their experiences participating in local and regional Koran competitions. They, along with a local Hafez and Koran teacher, will explain what it takes to become a Koran competition winner. This event will be hosted by John Burke, Library Director, and moderated by Gina Petonito, Department of Sociology and Gerontology, Miami University.

The film is free and open to all. Light refreshments will be provided.

This presentation is made possible through the National Endowment for the Humanities(NEH) award of a Muslim Journeys Bookshelf to the campus’ Gardner-Harvey Library in cooperation with the Regional Campus Diversity Council. Public performance rights have been provided by HBO.

New Library Tutorials – help us, help you

Is there a library instruction feature, database, or other online tool that you would like to have covered in a quick online tutorial that you can share with your students? Gardner-Harvey library staff are working on creating new screencasts and short video tutorials and we want your input on what topics to cover. Please send any questions or suggestions for tutorials to Jessie Long, longjh@miamioh.edu.

New materials list for December through February

My apologies for the delay in posting a new materials list.  To bring you up to date on what has recently been added to the collection, a new materials list is now available that reflects additions from December 1 through February 19. We added 254 books, DVDs, and other items during that time, thanks to your selections and suggestions. The list is sorted by call number, with items grouped roughly by subject area.

This tag will show you all of the prior lists of new materials.  

Have a suggestion of something to order? Use our online request form, email Jennifer Hicks or one of our other staff members, or drop by the library with your request at any time.  Our ordering deadline is April 5, 2013.  

We've added 479 items to the collection so far this year, and I expect we'll end up at around 1200 items (so long as you keep suggesting items for us to order!).

Thanks again for keeping our collection vibrant and your information needs met!

Oxford Islamic Studies Online

As a recipient of the Muslim Journeys Bookshelf award, the Gardner-Harvey Library has a subscription to Oxford Islamic Studies Online through February of 2014. We'll be sharing more about the other resources that we gained through the award, but we wanted to make sure that the word on the database went out immediately.

Oxford Islamic Studies Online features reference content and commentary by renowned scholars in areas such as global Islamic history, concepts, people, practices, politics, and culture, and is regularly updated as new content is commissioned and approved under the guidance of the Editor in Chief, John L. Esposito. Encompassing over 5,000 A–Z reference entries, chapters from scholarly and introductory works, Qur'anic materials, primary sources, images, maps, and timelines, Oxford Islamic Studies Online offers a multi-layered reference experience designed to provide a first stop for anyone needing information and context on Islam.

Access to the database is available both on- and off-campus using the link below:

Oxford Islamic Studies Online

Let us know if you have questions about the database.

New Playaways - Digital Audio Books to Go!

GHL has added 19 more titles to our Playaway collection.  That brings us to a total of 352 audio books, conveniently placed on deck of cards-sized audio players that you can use with earbuds or in your car or wherever you want to listen to a great book.

The new titles include several New York Times bestselling titles, such as:

• Wonder, R. J. Palacio
• The Casual Vacancy, J. K. Rowling
• Hallucinations, Olive Sacks
• Bring Up the Bodies, Hilary Mantel

For a list of the whole 19 (and the other 333), see this search in the MU catalog, which lists the titles in the order we've added them (the newest are listed first).

Oh, and if you have questions about Playaways in general, let us know, or take a look at this page on the Playaway site.

Tweet Your Dream

In the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the short messages of Twitter, the library invites you to Tweet your Dream.  Travel, school, family, work, there is no end to what your dream may cover. We invite everyone, students, faculty and staff, to write out their dreams in 140 characters and email them to us at midref@lib.muohio.edu.

All participants who submit a dream will be entered in a drawing to win a gift, so don’t forget to include your name and email address with your dream. In February we plan to display submitted dreams in the library. Entries should be submitted by January 31st to be entered in the drawing.

Happy dreaming!  

The Spring Newsletter is Here!

See what's happening this spring at the Gardner-Harvey Library by viewing our newsletter here.  You can learn what students and faculty think of our Embedded Librarian program and read about how to take part in our Tweet Your Dream project.  You are also invited to stop by and say hello to our new Acquisitions and Technical Service Supervisor, Jennifer Hicks.  And, don't forget to turn to the library website for new databases and all your old favorite information sources.

Spring has sprung!  Let us know how we can be of help.

Studying or Relaxing, the Library Offers Both

Whether you need a quiet place to study, a room to meet up with friends to work on a group project, a caffeine boost, or some relaxing downtime, the library has you covered. All this week the library will have coffee, hot tea and hot chocolate available to help you stay alert during your exams.  And if you need a break, stop by STAR Lounge 1 and play a few games on the Wii.

As a special bonus to help everyone relax, Tuesday, December 11th from 1 - 4, we will be having some of the dogs in from PAWS to spread some cheer.  Why not stop by and say hello to our furry friends?

Good luck on finals!

New items added in November

The November new materials list is now available. We added 41 books, DVDs, and other items during the last month, thanks to your selections and suggestions. The list is sorted by call number, with items grouped roughly by subject area.

This tag will show you all of the prior lists of new materials.

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 at any time.

Thanks again for keeping our collection vibrant and your information needs met!

Finals Week Refreshments at the Library

The Library will offer free coffee, tea, and hot cocoa all during finals week, starting on Monday, December 10th.  Please drop on by!  It's our way of making your last minute studying and paper/project preparation a bit more relaxing.  Thanks for being a part of our our library community!

Play Games, Win Prizes

Come down to the Gardner-Harvey Library on Monday, November 5, 2012 to celebrate International Games Day.  A variety of board games and Wii games will be available to play starting at 9am and ending at 8pm.  Don’t miss your chance to compete for prizes in our Wii Frisbee Golf Challenge from 10am – 4pm.  Snacks will be provided to help keep your gaming energy up.

New materials added in October

The October new materials list is now available. We added 75 books, DVDs, and other items during the last month, thanks to your selections and suggestions. The list is sorted by call number, with items grouped roughly by subject area.

This tag will show you all of the prior lists of new materials.

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 at any time.

Thanks again for keeping our collection vibrant and your information needs met!

Open Access Week Oct 22-26

What is Open Access?

Open Access to information is the free, immediate, online access to the results of scholarly research, and the right to use and re-use those results as you need.

How does this affect authors?

Check out our updated and revised Author's Rights brochure, which can be downloaded in PDF format.

How does this affect students? 

Information on open access specific to undergraduates can be found at the Right to Research site.

How does this affect the library?

Without Open Access we wouldn't be able to obtain articles from any of these great databases:

Open Access resources which appear in our Databases A to Z list

ArXiv

• Hosted by Cornell University.

• Includes open access to 707,446 e-prints in Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Quantitative Biology, Quantitative Finance, and Statistics.

Directory of Open Access Books (DOAB)

• The Directory of Open Access Books is a service of OAPEN Foundation. The OAPEN Foundation is an international initiative dedicated to Open Access monograph publishing, based at the National Library in The Hague.

• DOAB contains more than 1,000 academic peer-reviewed books from more than two dozen publishers.

Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)

• Currently includes 7,148 journal titles.

• Covers all open access scientific and scholarly journals.

• Journals must be peer reviewed or have editorial quality control.

• All content is free and full text, and none have embargo periods.

• Specific information listed under each title includes publication fees (if any), subject headings, keywords, publisher, ISSN(s), start date, language, license information (if any), and archiving information (if any).

Dissertations and Theses Open (ProQuest)

• PQDT Open provides full text (PDF) of open access dissertations and theses free of charge.  The authors of these theses and dissertations have opted to publish under the open access model.

FDSys 

• FDsys provides free online access to official Federal Government publications. You can search for documents and publications, browse for documents and publications (by collection, Congressional, committee and date), access metadata about documents and publications (in standard XML formats), and download documents and publications in multiple renditions or file formats.

National Academies Press E-Books

• In 2011, the National Academies Press made the vast majority of it's books available for free in PDF format on their website.  These e-books include reports published by the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Research Council.  Subject areas include science, engineering, and health.  You will be asked to create a free account on the site at the time of your first download.

NDLTD (Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations) Union Catalog Project

• A growing catalog of full-text electronic dissertations from a variety of participating institutions, including MIT, Virginia Tech, University of Virginia, OhioLINK, and numerous European institutions.

PubMed

• The freely accessible interface to the MEDLINE bibliographic database.  Many citations connect to full-text.

Governor proclaims Information Literacy Month in Ohio!

October has been designated Information Literacy Month in Ohio by Governor John Kasich (here is the full proclamation).  The proclamation “seeks to remind all citizens of the importance of the role of all libraries and librarians—academic, public, school, and special—in teaching information literacy, which fosters educational opportunities, economic prosperity, social cohesion, democracy, and quality of life.”

The Gardner-Harvey Library provides educational resources to assist in building your information literacy.  Check out our tutorials and research guides, or talk to an information literacy expert on your library staff!

Here is a quick list of information literacy skills and how you can use some of our resources to build them up.