 Grasselli Library & Breen Learning Center
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| Volume 14 Issue 1 |
November 2007 | |
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Dear John Carroll University community:
The Grasselli Library & Breen Learning Center newsletter will now be electronically delivered to you once per semester. This is a new vehicle for us to share with you new services, products, events, and training available from the library.
Comments and suggestions are welcome.
For the latest on library programs and services go to the Grasselli Library
news blog at: http://grassellinewsblog.blogspot.com
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 Reality Check
By Jeanne Somers
I expected that teaching FYS would provide strong support for my preconceived notions of how first-year students view and use library resources. By the end of fall 2006, however, I realized that most of my assumptions about student perceptions and preparedness were half-truths. Motivated by a desire to draw a more accurate picture, I did some research.
Assumption: Because so much information is available on their desktops, students believe they no longer have to visit the library in person.
The Data: In a major study conducted in 2005 by OCLC, a library service and research organization, 48% of college students surveyed reported using the library more than once a week. More than 67% of the students responding to a 2003 survey by The Electronic Publishing Initiative at ColumbiaUniversity also reported a minimum of weekly library use. On this campus, our gate count (more than 125,000 in a single academic year) suggests that the library is still an important destination for John Carroll students.
Assumption: Whether in their dorms or in the library, students believe that a keyword search on Google or Yahoo will meet all of their research needs.
The Data: Ninety per cent of college students responding to the OCLC survey indicated that when they need information, they go first to a search engine like Google or Yahoo. However, when asked to compare the reliability of search engines and library resources, 77% viewed the library as more accurate and credible.
Assumption: Although they may have a general understanding that information obtained through a library gateway is more reliable, students are not able to distinguish between popular and scholarly resources.
The Data: More than half the students in the Columbia study indicated that they have difficulty making judgments about the reliability of resources. A 2004 survey conducted by McGill University found that the majority of students at 15 Canadian universities could not identify the characteristics of a scholarly journal article.
Assumption: Students are not capable of instinctively formulating an effective search strategy.
The Data: Both the McGill study and a June 2002 OCLC white paper on the information habits of college students confirm that the majority of novice researchers do have difficulty focusing on a topic, identifying appropriate search terms, understanding Boolean operators, or working with controlled vocabulary.
Assumption: Students rarely make the effort to pursue print resources.
The Data: In the Columbia study, 78% of the students surveyed indicated that they had used books and print journals in preparing their most recent research paper. A 2006 student of graduate students at Carnegie-Mellon surfaced an amazing 83% who routinely use books and print journals.
Conclusions
For starters, my on-the-fly research, as well as John Carroll student feedback gathered through assessment initiatives, both dispel the notion that the internet has bred a generation of stay-at-home college students and clearly point to the fact that the library remains a prime setting for a wide array of academic purposes including use of computing facilities, individual or group study, and tutoring. Like many college and university libraries, we are taking steps to create an inviting and dynamic service center with amenities such as more comfortable seating and the new JavaCity coffee bar. In a perfect world, we would like to respond to the many student requests for longer hours by creating a separate 24/7 area where students could find appropriate equipment and technical help available around-the-clock.
My assumptions that students equate research with a Google search, have trouble identifying credible information, and lack the skills needed to maximize access to library resources all do have a basis in fact. Students overwhelmingly, and very sensibly, go to Internet search engines for immediate, concise answers or to get their bearings on a new topic. However, when they really have to get down to business, many know they need reliable library resources. Unfortunately, accustomed to one-box searching, the online catalog or the search screen of a research database may very well look, to the inexperienced undergraduate, like Jorge Luis Borges' Library of Babel-a labyrinth designed to frustrate.
Librarians understand this and are working aggressively toward improved navigation and search capabilities that better meet students' needs and expectations. Librarians are also prepared to deliver personalized guidance in finding, evaluating, and utilizing information - from the Reference Desk, in individual consultations, in the classroom, and in residence hall outreach programs. One of the most effective ways to ensure that students develop fundamental academic skills is through direct involvement of librarians in first-year programs. We believe the new FYS learning community model holds great promise for facilitating such involvement and look forward to working with FYS faculty to give John Carroll's first year students the strongest possible start toward the achievement of their academic goals. |
Grasselli Reference Desk extending hours to midnight Sunday through Wednesday
 It's
time to write research papers and it's busy late nights at the library
again. The Grasselli Reference Desk has extend its hours to midnight
Sunday through Wednesdays for this busy time period. Feel free to stop by
in person or call them at x4234 if you need help.
You can also
reach the reference librarian at the Reference Desk through Instant
Messaging (IM). Put JCURefDesk in your AIM, Yahoo! or MSN buddy list to chat with the experts at Grasselli whenever you need help
with your online research.
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Interlibrary Loan: Resources Beyond JCU and OhioLINK
By Diane Williams
Performing a once-sophisticated search and identifying relevant literature has never been easier due to 24/7 internet access and continually enhanced, user-friendly databases. Once identified, the process of retrieving books and journal articles begins. Ideally, you have access with the click of your mouse (or a short walk down our stacks) to the books and articles here in our own collection. Secondly, you can order books through OhioLINK and have them arrive in 3-5 business days. As many of you know, if an item is unavailable via those avenues, Interlibrary Loan (ILL) has the resources to get them for you. This summer, ILL has implemented several new services to make your scholarly research even easier.
Bridget Borato, of the Interlibrary Loan Department, has highlighted some of these changes:
· Traditional method of request is still available. From library home page, under "Find Books & other Materials", click on ILL
·New open URL links - Requests can be made directly from WorldCAT and the majority of EBSCO & FirstSearch databases. Simply click on "Send requests to JCU Illiad" icon at the bottom of the screen. An important benefit of this feature is that Illiad (the database system used for submitting requests) keys in most of the information, saving keystrokes and eliminating errors. (Note: please click on the "Find It" link first to see if the library already owns a copy. The ILLIAD link is always there but your request will only be processed if JCU doesn't owns a copy.)
Need a copy of a print article from Grasselli?
·This semester, in an effort to make faculty lives easier, we've added a new service called JCU article express. If we have a current print subscription or bound copy of an article you'd like a copy of, you no longer need to come to the library to get it. To save you valuable time, we'll scan it and deliver an electronic copy to you! You can expect a delivery time of 2-3 business days. You'll be notified via email of its delivery to your ILLIAD account. Look for this link under "New Request" menu when you log in to your account.
New web design
·Forms easier to complete
·Forgot your password?? A password reset button has been added.
·RSS feed
·Direct Request - the very latest enhancement to Illiad. Based on profiles set up by Bridget, the system saves time by automatically ordering items for you, bypassing the need for manual input. An OCLC number or ISSN/ISBN is also necessary for this to happen. (All fields will be automatically keyed in if submitting request directly from database.)
*Books are typically delivered in 7-10 days (they are shipped USPS from outside OH).
*Articles are typically delivered within a few days.
*Number of items JCU annually borrows - nearly 1700
*Number of items JCU annually lends - over 4,700
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 Bridget Borato - Interlibrary Loan can be reached at: X4658
bborato@jcu.edu
"I find ILL interesting because of the ever-changing technologies and opportunties to develop the field to better serve our patrons."
Personal Profile:
Work: Bridget has enjoyed working at John Carroll in the library for the past 8 years.
Favorite books: Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt & Reading in the Dark by Seamus Deane
Hobbies: Swing dancing, music - especially the blues, dabbles in painting, and water sports
Favorite vacation spot: Norris Lake, TN
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The Interlibrary Loan Department works hard to facilitate the constant flow of books, journal articles, and other materials, both in and out of our library. Many other things go on behind the scenes, dealing with custom groups and holding, LVIS, and Illiad management in an effort to share resources with the academic community. Thank you Bridget and ILL staff for serving us well. |
Let's Talk About It:
The Jewish Literature Series
By Marcy Milota
Seventeen readers ranging in age from twenty-something to eighty-something met in the Library's Muer Room on September 25 to discuss Sholem Aleichem's much-loved novel Tevye the Dairyman. The gathering was the first installment in a series of discussions entitled "Let's Talk About It! Jewish Literature and Imagination." Senior Librarian Marcy Milota received a $2500 grant from the Public Programs Office of the American Library Association and Nextbook to coordinate the reading group. Debby Rosenthal of JCU's Department of English serves as Guest Scholar for the series.
"Let's Talk About It" includes five novels that explore the theme "A Mind of Her Own: Fathers and Daughters in a Changing World." The October discussion centered on The Bread Givers by Anna Yezierska. The group will meet on the last Tuesdays of November, January, and February to discuss 1185 Park Avenue by Anne Roiphe, American Pastoral by Philip Roth, and Bee Season by Myla Goldberg, respectively. New members are welcome at any time. Free copies of the books are available from Marcy Milota.
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 15 Things You Didn't Know About OhioLINK
You know OhioLINK gives you the ability to borrow books from 89 libraries statewide, but do you know about all the other ways OhioLINK can make your academic life easier?
1) We deliver! Don't live near JCU? You (and your students) can have OhioLINK books and other materials sent to any participating library that's convenient.
2) Find and assign course materials. Use OhioLINK resources as course materials and include them in your course packs, class Web sites, and course management sites. Link to specific scholarly articles, journals, e-books, and digital videos to provide students with direct and easy access to assigned readings and additional resources.
3) Receive better-researched papers. Show students the wealth of OhioLINK and library-provided scholarly resources that are available to them and you can expect better-researched papers and assignments in return. Surveys and anecdotal evidence continually show that faculty recommendations heavily influence which resources students use and even their awareness of library-provided scholarly resources.
4) Search 140+ electronic research databases from on or off campus. These databases cover many academic disciplines at varying levels of detail and include a variety of full-text resources.
5) Stay up-to-date with important journals and research in your discipline or field. Many journals (more than 12,000) and articles are available electronically from OhioLINK at no cost to you. Use the E-Journal Finder to find and utilize specific e-journals.
6) Put literature searches on auto-pilot. Once you create an OhioLINK Electronic Journal Center account, you can save articles and journals, create e-mail or RSS alerts for new issues, save searches and set up automatic alerts for new search results. You can also create search alerts in other databases, such as Academic Search Complete and ISI Web of Science.
7) Get educational films and documentaries on demand. Download a video to show in class or assign to distance learning students. OhioLINK's Educational Films & Documentaries collection alone features more than 2,000 digital videos on a wide variety of subjects.
8) Visit our virtual museum with thousands of art works on display, including Van Gogh, Warhol, and Michelangelo. Visit the DigitalMediaCenter's Art & Architecture collections for images to show in class or use as course materials.
9) Find foreign language videos and clips in the DigitalMediaCenter to use in class, assign to students, or to recommend for extra practice.
Video clips are available in Russian, Arabic, French, German, Mandarin,
Spanish, or Swahili.
10)Solve your computer and tech troubles stat! Need to learn a new software program, solve a computer problem, or fix some code? Try Safari Tech Books Online. Safari offers thousands of computer and IT titles from top technology publishers.
11)Read and search scholarly e-books online, anytime. Visit the Electronic Books Center for 5,600+ scholarly e-books from Springer and Oxford Publishing. The E-BookCenter will guide you to OhioLINK's other electronic book collections.
12)Extra, extra, read all about it! Did you know you can read newspapers from Ohio and around the nation right from your desktop? America's Newspapers contains the full text and archives of 17 Ohio newspapers, including the Akron Beacon Journal, Toledo Blade, Cincinnati Enquirer, The Cincinnati Post, Dayton Daily News and The Plain Dealer, as well as popular national papers. Use Newspaper Source to access even more papers.
13)Want to get the best laptop, digital camera, or other gadget? Find reviews and product tests in Consumer Reports and hundreds of other popular magazines online. Use the Electronic Journal Finder to quickly connect to magazines and scholarly journals.
14)Tell students about the free, online practices tests they can use to improve their scores. Encourage your students to try LearningExpress Library to take free online practice tests for the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, PPST Praxis I and much, much more. Students will receive instant scoring, answer explanations, and personalized evaluations of where help is needed. LearningExpress also features information for improving math skills, resume and interview skills, writing skills, and much more.
15)See what Ohio looks like from space or download Ohio satellite data for your research. Visit the LANDSAT 7 Satellite Image Server to monitor urban growth,
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 Featured Database: Unlocking the riches to be found in The Vault By: Cindy Lenox Yes, there is more to a college education than preparing for a job. However, that doesn't change the fact that one really big objective of a college education is to prepare for a career and find a good job. The Grasselli Library has always offered resources on selecting careers and preparing for and finding jobs. Now we offer an online library of career information. The Vault Online Career Library is a multifaceted collection of guides on interviewing and resumes, careers, employers, and industries and associated careers. This database represents the first time that the library partnered with both the JCU Career Services and Alumni Offices.
Following is a just a sample of these online books:
· Guide to Finance Interviews
· Top Advertising and PR Employers
· College Career Bible
· Guide to the Top 40 Accounting Firms
· Guide to Top Internships
· Guide to Schmoozing
· Guide to International Careers
· Conquering Corporate America for Minorities and Women
· Top Government & Nonprofit Employers Guide to Biotech
· Top Telecom Employers Guide to Health Care Management
·Guide to Supply Chain Management
Each online book has a wealth of information on a specific area of preparing for a career or employment. For example, the Vault Guide to the Top Hospitality & Tourism Industry Employers is 240 pages. It describes the challenges, opportunities and trends in the so-called "industry of fun" and profiles 43 hospitality companies--from Accor (the European leader in hotels) to Yum! Brands, Inc. (a fast-food conglomerate). A special feature in the series of books on top employers is "what employees have to say" about workplace culture, compensation, hours, diversity, and the hiring process.
Find the Vault Career Library on the library list of databases and then follow the first-time-user registration process. From the library home page select "Find article/data and select "alpha list" and select "Vault".
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To serve you better...
Librarian@Murphy Hall
Libraian@Pacelli Hall
One-stop help for research and writing help! For when your students can't get to the library, a Grasselli Library research consultant is available in their dorm along with a Writing Center consultant: Sunday nights from 6:30 to 9:30 in the Murphy Hall Bunkhouse
Wednesday nights from 7:30 to 9:30 in Pacelli Hall Room 036 We can help:
- Develop a timesaving and effective search strategy
- Locate creditable information
- Cite sources accurately
- Borrow items through OhioLINK
- Request Interlibrary Loan items
- Learn about other library online resources
- For more information, contact Nevin Mayer at x3055 or by email: mayer@jcu.edu
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Java City Coffee Bar Opens in Grasselli
Grasselli Library's newest service - Java City - is open and business is booming! Located on the library's lower level of the Breen Building, it is an inviting place to sit and have a cup of coffee with a colleague or student. Java City offers a complete line of hot and cold drinks, including lattes, espressos, teas, fruit smoothies, pastries, and snacks. Java City is open Sunday through Thursday from 11am to 11pm, Friday from 11am to 3pm. Plus Points, Flex Dollars, John Carroll Cash, Credit Cards and Cash are gladly accepted. |
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