DawgBlog : Reference

Students Being Hired for New Information Commons

spfitzin — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:36:00 GMT

Students are now being hired for Fall 2009 employment in the new Information Commons which is being developed. Any students interested in emerging technologies, rich media, research skills, and excellent customer service are encouraged to visit http://www.butler.edu/infocommons for more information and to apply. (Copy and paste the link into your browser.)

Mission
The mission of the Information Commons is to provide support for Butler University students in the discovery and creation of information, especially focusing on rich media creation, technology assistance and training, and research assistance.

Description
The Information Commons is both a physical space and virtual space. It comprises the Reference area and Education Commons in Irwin Library, the Instructional Technology Commons in Jordan Hall, and the online environment of information technology and knowledge media. The Information Commons is a place for Butler students, faculty, and staff to get access to information, knowledge, technology, and research assistance to aid them in their pursuits of discovering and creating information.

The Library is Coming to YOU!

elutz — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:36:00 GMT

Need help doing research for that final paper?

Having trouble formatting your bibliography?

Well, don't worry because the Library is coming to you!

Librarians will be providing research assistance in Ross Hall on Tuesday, December 2 from 7:00-10:00 pm and in ResCo on Sunday, December 7 from 7:00-10:00 pm.

Stop by with your research questions and pick up a flyer about CRAMMAJAMMA, when Irwin Library will be open all night!

Groups in the Library

spfitzin — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 13:35:00 GMT

Do you have a group project to work on? The libraries are excellent places for this work. Rather than take up lots of space in the main "computer lab" areas, the libraries encourage you to make use of the spaces that have been designed for group work.

The Science Library has four small group study rooms upstairs. There are no computers in these, so if you need one, you can either bring your own or check out a laptop from the Circulation Desk. There are also two computers across from the Circulation Desk specifically for groups to use.

In Irwin Library, there are three computers on the main floor that are designated as Group Workstations. Downstairs there are a couple more. You can also check on the availability of room IL119, our library instruction room, which is available when a class session has not reserved it. Group study rooms are available downstairs and on the second floor.

If you have any special needs or requests, please stop by the Circulation or Reference Desks or use the Ask A Librarian link on our website.

Butler Libraries obtain Citation databases (Web of Science)

sneal — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 02:39:00 GMT

Butler Libraries has subscribed to the following Web of Science, Science Citation databases:

Science Citation Index
Social Sciences Citation Index
Arts & Humanities Citation Index

The Libraries obtained backfiles to 1999, and plans are to add more backfiles in future years.

The power of these databases resides in being able to track who is citing whom and how often articles are being cited, resulting in an article's impact within a field.

To access these databases go to: www.butler.edu/library and select 'Databases'

For assistance in learning how to navigate these research databases, contact the Butler Libraries Reference Services:

Irwin Library: 940-9245
Science Library: 940-9401

or

www.butler.edu/library/ask

Career-Related Resources

spfitzin — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 01:10:00 GMT

Irwin Library has a collection of career resources in print and online that can provide you with loads of information to help you make decisions about your future. There are books about jobs in various fields, graduate schools, internships, and even how to write a resume or do well in a job interview.

There are two locations for these materials.

Career Reference

The Career Reference collection is separate from the regular Reference collection, but is in the same room. Specifically, on the right near the computers when you walk into the Reference Department. These are still Reference books, which means they cannot be checked out, but most of the time the books are used for quick reference, so they're not normally needed in that way.

The Career Collection Online

This is a collection of 100 electronic books that are available for free online through NetLibrary. The books are all in PDF format, so you'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view them. Topics include resume writing, job hunting, interviewing, and more. Just select a book then search within it for a keyword related to what you need to know. Or start at the beginning and read through it like any other book.

If you have any questions, please stop by the Reference Desk or Ask A Librarian.

Student winners of Project SAILS assessment

sneal — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 01:37:00 GMT

A congratulations goes out to students:

Emily Stewart
Jarron Lincoln

who won the Project SAILS Assessment drawing being held in conjunction with students who are participating in the Project SAILS (Student Assessment of Information Literacy Skills) test. To better understand students' research skills, the Library is conducting this 30 minute, multiple-choice test in selected first-year and senior level classes. The aggregate data obtained from this assessment will help the Library determine future directions with classroom library instruction and reference services.

A thank you goes out to all the students who have taken the test and to the faculty who have allowed us to conduct the test in their classes or via outside class participation.

Congratulations winners! We will have two more drawings announced when the test closes, February 8.

-Sally Neal
Assistant Dean for Public Services

Creating a Works Cited List

spfitzin — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 23:39:00 GMT

We're quickly approaching the end of the Fall semester and due dates for papers and projects. This is the time of the year when people are finishing papers and suddenly needing to know how to reference their sources for the "Works Cited" page at the end of those papers. Fortunately, the Butler Libraries have provided some guides to help you get everything in the right order and formatted correctly.

Just visit http://www.butler.edu/library/?pg=544 and pick the style you need. Whether MLA, APA, Chicago, Turabian, or other more specialized formatting styles, we've got them all, complete with examples for books, articles, electronic sources, and other types of media.

You can also get to the Citation Guides by going to the main Library webpage, http://www.butler.edu/library, and clicking on Citation Style Guides (listed in the Research column).

If you need more detailed examples than what are provided on our website, stop by the Reference Desk and grab the complete manual. You're also welcome to Ask a Librarian for assistance with citations.

Scanner Available in Reference Dept.

spfitzin — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 23:56:00 GMT

The Reference Department in Irwin Library now has a flatbed scanner available for your use. It is connected to the lab computers on the end of the row opposite the printers. It is labeled Multimedia Station. This is the same computer that has the CHOICES III database and is on a wheelchair-accessible table.

Instructions for using the scanner are available at the workstation and you are also welcome to ask at the Reference Desk.

More Computers in Reference Dept.

spfitzin — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 14:21:00 GMT

The computer lab in the Reference Department of Irwin Library has finished its reconstruction!

Reference shelving has been moved, new computer tables have been added, new wiring systems have been installed, a new switch has been added to increase our wired network connectivity, and now we've added additional computers. That brings the number of lab computers available in the Reference Department up to 25! With an additional three computers on the first floor that are specially designated for groups. And six other computers located throughout the other floors of Irwin Library.

All these computers still print to IL_120_1, which is the pair of printers in the Reference Department.

Reference Books and Shelving Moved

spfitzin — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 16:54:00 GMT

The books on the shelves in the Reference Department are all back up and ready for your use. The shelves have been moved and the books have been rearranged, so please take a minute to familiarize yourself with where things are now.

The shelf labels on the ends of the bookshelves are accurate, so you can easily find the materials you need. If you have any questions or problems finding anything, please ask at the Reference Desk.

Reference Dept. In Transition

spfitzin — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 15:01:00 GMT

During the next couple of weeks, the Reference Department and its accompanying computer lab will be in transition.

We are doubling the number of computers available and changing how the computer tables are arranged. The bookshelves will also be rearranged over the next couple weeks, providing easier access and more efficient space usage. In the meantime, though, there may be a little mess or disorganization. Please be patient as we make the Reference Department a more user friendly and welcoming space.

Thank you.

Reference Desk Service Begins

spfitzin — Thu, 17 Aug 2006 17:47:00 GMT

The Reference Desk in Irwin Library will be staffed beginning August 23, the first day of classes, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. This schedule will also apply to Thursday and Friday of that week.

Evening Reference service will begin on Sunday, August 27. As of that day, the regular schedule will be as follows:

Sunday:   5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Monday - Thursday:   10:00 am - 10:00 pm
Friday:   10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday: CLOSED

New Computer Tables

spfitzin — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 15:11:00 GMT

The Reference Department at Irwin Library is pleased to announce that they are purchasing new computer tables for the computer lab area. These tables are curved and provide a new look for the area that is light and modern and more conducive to group work. They are similar to this picture but they are oak instead of grey-colored, and they will only have two computers per half-circle, allowing for more flexibility with small groups.

A few have already been installed, but more will be coming over the next few weeks. We hope you enjoy them and find them even more helpful for your work in the library.

Printing Station in Reference

spfitzin — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 13:56:00 GMT

The Reference Department has set up a new printing station near the two printers. This table is for storing print jobs that were not immediately picked up and is also for equipment like the three-hole punch, stapler, heavy-duty stapler (40-90 pages), and tray for scrap paper. The recycle bin and garbage can are right next to this table, so all your printing needs can be handled in one place, while at the same time helping eliminate the crowds digging through the piles at the printers.

As always, print jobs that are not picked after one hour will be recycled (2-sided printing) or put in the scrap paper tray (1-sided printing).

Career Resources

bmatthie — Fri, 24 Mar 2006 20:02:00 GMT

Students graduating may want to peruse the Career Subject Resource Guide:

http://www.butler.edu/library/research/srg/career.html

It is a complete list of all our career resources. Better still, most titles can now be checked out by students.

Brad Matthies
bmatthie@butler.edu