Colgate University Libraries News and Events

This week, April 12-18, is National Library Week and that means it's time to celebrate in true library style (with a good book, cup of coffee, and comfy chair).
To start off, a little trivia:
Did you know that J. Edgar Hoover, Mao Zedong and Casanova all worked in libraries at some point in their lives? It's true. Also, Laura Bush was a librarian before she was at the White House and Batgirl was a librarian when she wasn't fighting crime.
If you liked all that, then you might want to try this scavenger hunt posted by the Oxford University Press.
And, of course, libraries (and librarians) have played a starring role in some classic movies, you know, like Ghostbusters (or, in this case, Be kind, rewind).
Lastly, a couple of library inspired haikus to inspire you or maybe, make you laugh. Here's my meager attempt at it:
 

on a sunny day
in the libary there is
an empty chair

 
that's right. the library misses you when you're not here.
 
 
 

The sun is coming out. The ambient temperature outdoors is rising. Is that music I hear? I can start my paper tomorrow…
 Recently researchers at University of Washington's Information School investigated undergraduate students’ research behaviors and learned something that is usually treated as common knowledge. Students procrastinate. Specifically, their study found that “a large majority of students reported spending three hours on research and another two hours on writing—one or two days before a 5-7 page course-related research paper was due.” (1)
 The librarians at Colgate would like to help you avoid passively joining this crowd. The following services and resources are now available in addition to regular reference assistance at both libraries.
 A. Augmented research assistance.
 Reference librarians are poised to offer in-depth and extended research assistance through personal appointments. You can make arrangements via a web form:
 http://exlibris.colgate.edu/about/write/mailto_appointment.html
 and use a variety of other means for getting assistance:
 http://exlibris.colgate.edu/services/reference.html
 B. The Assignment Calculator
 The Assignment Calculator is a tool for organizing and scheduling the work flow involved in doing a research project. It is found at:
 http://libscoolsv01.colgate.edu/assncalc/
 C. RefWorks Workshops
 The workshop provides instruction in managing and using information for research papers using the citation management resources of RefWorks. You can also discuss your project with a librarian at that time. The workshops will be held:

• Thursday, 16 April, 3:30-5PM, Case-Geyer 501 (Cronin Lab)
• Monday, 20 April, 3:30-5PM, Case-Geyer 501 (Cronin Lab)

These are drop-in sessions. You are invited to come anytime before 4:30PM.  In addition, you are encouraged to make personal appointment using the means listed above.
 So, nose to the grind-stone. The weather will be warmer and music louder and much more enjoyable when the work is finished.
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1. Head, A.J., Eisenberg, M.B. “Finding Context: What Today’s College Students Say about Conducting Research in the Digital Age.” Project Information Literacy Progress Report February 2009. p.7.<Accessed from http://projectinfolit.org/pdfs/PIL_ProgressReport_2_2009.pdf on 8 April, 2009>

Back in January CRL purchased a large batch of material with member funds.  The items rejected from the fall wish list were then available for individual library sponsorship under the “shared purchase program”.  A group of the larger research libraries banded together and raised enough funds to make certain titles affordable for the group.  The list of titles which will be purchased is below.
 

• Bibliothek der Frauenfrage in Deutschland collection Supplements 1 & 2.459 fiche
  The two supplements will augment the works in the original set acquired by CRL previously, containing literature on the German women’s movement and gender studies.
• Flugschriften des 17. Jahrhunderts in der Staats- und Stadtbibliothek Augsburg [17th Century Pamphlets in the Augsburg State and City Library].683 fiche.
  • (Note: Three institutions expressed interest in access to the PDF download service for an additional cost for their institutions.  Negotiations are underway. CRL will forward additional information when available.)
• Hebrew, Judeo-Arabic, and Marathi Jewish Printing in India. 1,376 fiche.
  The Valmadonna Collection of Hebrew and Jewish books from India is a unique and unparalleled resource for the study of Eastern printing and lithography, Hebrew poetry and liturgical history, Eastern Judeo-Arabic literature, and the folklore traditions and vernacular writings of the Jews of South Asia.