Ohio University Libraries News and Events

By Alexis Malure, Journalism/PR

“Scholarly sources required” — a phrase most students sigh, cringe, or roll their eyes at when read or heard uttered by a professor. Although such reactions are common and initially signal to the prof. a lack of interest, intimidation and ignorance are guised under their apathetic reactions. With this in mind, it comes as no surprise that many college students are in fact illiterate when it comes to online academic learning and researching.

Throughout years of research, the Nielsen Norman Group, led by JakobNielsen, has conducted numerous experiments regarding Web experiences and consumer aspects of new technologies. The results were startling. In his work, The Dumbest Generation, Mark Bauerlein summarizes Nielsen Norman’s findings, “People seek out what they already hope to find, and they want it fast and free, with a minimum of effort. They judge what they see not on objective traits of the content delivered, the quality of the language and image, but on the subjective traits of familiarity and ease”.

Considering the above, professors are far from shocked when a student hands in a reference sheet in which Wikipedia is a listed source. Students who do not know or care to learn how to manipulate and utilize information engines, such as Ohio University’s InfoTree, often resort to Wikiality. A phrase comedian Stephen Colbert coined back in 2006, Wikiality refers to a pseduo-reality in which information is turned into believed credible fact if enough people agree with you. Rather than referring to scholarship found in LexisNexis Academic or in Ebsco’s Academic Search Complete, students often look toward civilian-created ‘knowledge’, such as information found on Wikipedia, solely because it is easy to find, understandable, and comfortable to digest.

Fortunately, Ohio University’s Libraries have undertaken the task of making their academic search guide, InfoTree, more visible to students in an effort to combat e-illiteracy. Boasting an easy-to-use interface, students are able to first locate academic databases by major/subject. Once a topic is chosen, then one can either pick a database directly, or continue to refine their search by browsing databases by topic. Ohio University Libraries hope that by making InfoTree more visible, accessible, and user-friendly, students will eventually turn to its databases rather than resort to comfort and ignorance of Wikiality.

*Image by Flickr user Will Lion.  Used by Creative Commons Attribution, Non Commercial No Derivative license.

It’s midterms this week and we can tell – the library is getting busier, especially in the middle of the week.    Here’s a look at what’s been going on around the library this week.

• The Alden Library Sustainability Group continued their Consciousness series this week with the Transition Town workshop.  See their blog post on the workshop for links and more resources.  Next week the library will show The Story of Stuff, a 20 minute film that explores the roots of American consumerism.  A discussion will follow.
• A new story in the News Blog showed the library’s displays in celebration of Black History Month.  A general display showcases a few of the many books in Alden on African Americans history, literature, art and more.  The second display comes from the OU Libraries’ Veteran’s Group and displays books on the role of African Americans in the armed services from the Revolution to just before the Civil War.  Both displays can be found on the 4th floor display cases.  We hope you’ll stop by and take a look.
• The State Library of Ohio publishes a monthly newsletter that shares information for librarians around the state.  The February 2010 edition features an article by Library Associate Derek Malone and Librarian Lorraine Wochna and on the use of the Alden Library Facebook page.
• Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you have probably heard that the Super Bowl is coming up this weekend.  Along with the game, many viewers look forward to the unique or controversial ads during the game.  On the Comm Blog, librarian for Journalism Diana Nichols has a post about Super Bowl ads and links to last year’s ads.
• On her blog, African Studies librarian Araba Dawson-Andoh has two new posts listing the wealth of new books on African Studies that the library has purchased in November and December.
• This weekend is Parent’s Weekend at OU.  Don’t forget that you can always bring your parents into the library and show them where you can do all that studying.

Are there any great resources you’d like to see the library promote?  Any library news or updates we missed?  Let us know!

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In celebration of Black History Month, Alden Library has two new displays on the 4th floor. (Click on the images below to see larger versions in Flickr)

The first is showcases some of Alden Library’s many books that focus on African American history, literature, art and more, as well as a poster depicting African American writers.  To find more resources for Black History Month, search ALICE, check out the African American Studies section of Info Tree, or see a list of books and videos compiled by the Libraries’ Diversity Committee.  This display was compiled by Cathy Sitko.

The second display, built by Joyce Douglas, member of the OU Libraries’ Veterans Committee.  The materials displayed explore the legacy of African Americans who have served in the US armed forces from the Revolutionary era to just before the Civil War.

In developing the display, Douglas consulted Timelines of African-American History: 500 Years of Black Achievement and Black Firsts: 2000 Years of Extraordinary Achievement and added many more relevant books to the display, such as the List of Black Servicemen Compiled from the War Department Collection of Revolutionary War Records (below).

You can find more events for Black History Month on the website of the Ohio University Multicultural Programs and Multicultural Center.

The fourth week of the winter quarter is already coming to the end.  The library is getting pretty busy.  OU librarians have been busy too, answering your questions and keeping up with all the resources we know you need for your classes.

• The OU Libraries’ Diversity Committee is focusing on American Regionalisms this quarter, exploring the variety of language we use across the country.  There will be two speakers later this quarter, but now you can see an online presentation showing some of the common regionalisms.  Our favorite?   The debate over what to call a carbonated beverage – coke, soda, pop, or something else?
• A news blog post earlier this week showcased a joint effort between the OU Libraries, the WOUB Center for Public Media, and the Ohio University History Department .  The story announced the launch of the  Cantigny First Division Oral History Project-Phase II, a digital archive of interviews with members of the First Infantry Division, also known as the “Big Red One.”
• The Southeast Asia Collection blog has two new posts this week, describing a “New Monograph on the Javanese Village Economy” and a “New Anthology of Previously Published Essays on Islam in Southeast Asia.”
• In response to a recent article in the OU Post where students expressed concern about the lack of access to  USA Today and The New York Times, Diana Nichols, librarian for Journalism updated the Comm Blog with links and tips for reading these (and other) papers online through the OU Libraries.  The post includes a brief YouTube video showing students how to search for newspapers through the OU Libraries.

Are there any great resources you’d like to see the library promote?  Any library news or updates we missed?  Let us know!

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University Libraries, WOUB Center for Public Media, and the History Department at Ohio University have launched a new collection of digital historical resources – the Cantigny First Division Oral History Project-Phase II. Ohio University received a generous grant from the Cantigny First Division Foundation in Wheaton, IL, to interview veterans of the First Infantry Division – the “Big Red One.” This project preserves the dramatic memories and compelling experiences of those dedicated veterans for their fellow soldiers, family member, scholars, and future generations of Americans. Paul Herbert, Executive Director of the Cantigny First Division Foundation said, “Preserving veterans’ memories is a critical dimension of military history that greatly enriches the narrative derived from documents. Their testimony reminds us of all that we ask of our fellow citizens in uniform. Partnering with great institutions like Ohio University gets an important job done that we can’t do ourselves and is a win all the way around: for us, for the University and its students, for the veterans and for the future.”

During the summer and fall of 2009, four Ohio University graduate and undergraduate history students learned about oral history interviewing techniques and the history of the First Infantry Division. They then interviewed 22 veterans of that unit, whose service date from World War II to the present conflicts in the Middle East. With support from the WOUB Center for Public Media and University Libraries, their efforts resulted in more than 40 hours of video footage and hundreds of pages of interview transcripts. Gerald Goodwin, Ohio doctoral student in history, said, “I was very grateful to be involved in the project and I found it to be an educational, humbling, and humanizing experience.”

Master videos and transcripts will be permanently stored at the Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections in Alden Library, where they complement other significant military collections, including the Cornelius Ryan Collection of World War II Papers. Doug McCabe, Curator of Manuscripts at the Mahn Center said, “The breadth and depth of these interviews are a valuable new resource for students and scholars and a valuable addition to our military collections.” Videos and transcripts will also be available at the McCormick Research Center, part of the First Division Museum at Cantigny, in Wheaton, IL.

This project was co-directed by Dr. David J. Ulbrich, formerly of Ohio University, and Dr. Michael Wm. Doyle of Ball State University. Doug McCabe also provided invaluable support throughout the project, including several trips to supervise the students as they interviewed the veterans. For further information on this project, contact Doug McCabe, Curator of Manuscripts, Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections, Ohio University Libraries, mccabe@ohio.edu, 740-593-2715.

Welcome to yOUr Library Week in Review for January 22, 2010.  This week, we’ll continue to look at some of the work librarians here in Alden do, but also some news stories from around the Ohio University community.

• First up is a story from the Centers for Osteopathic Research and Education (CORE) News about Alden Health and Sciences Librarian Debi Orr who is now spending part of her time at the OU-COM Learning Resource Center.
• A recent OU Outlook article about services for student veterans counts “library resources and staff” as a strength in a SWOT analysis of the current situation for OU vets.  That comment was made by Doug Franklin, retired Navy-reservist and current Assistant Dean for Recreation and Wellness.  The library has recently established a Veteran’s Committee to ensure quality library services for all OU Vets and compiled literature racks for Veterans in the Learning Commons and 4th floor of the library.
• The Sustainability Group in Alden held a workshop this week on Reducing Home Energy Use as part of the Consciousness series.  The series continues next week with the film The End of Suburbia, screening at 12pm and 5:30 pm on Wednesday January 27 in the Friends of the Library Room.
• On the Business Blog, Business Librarian Chad Boeninger has a new video about the importance of thorough research, no matter what you’re researching.
• Finally, for those of you looking for research paper topics, librarian Tim Smith has recently published a new Current Issues research guide which includes links to the “hot topics” resources that may spark an idea for a research question.

Are there any great resources you’d like to see the library promote?  Any library news or updates we missed?  Let us know!

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With the exception of the 2nd floor Learning Commons, Alden Library will close at 6pm on Sunday, January 17, in observation of Martin Luther King Jr Day.  The Learning Commons will close at midnight on Sunday.  All floors of the library will re-open at noon on Monday, January 18.

You can find information resources about King all around the OU Libraries.  Here are a few selected resources, search ALICE to find more.

• Robbins, M. S. (Ed.). (1999). Against the Vietnam War: Writings by Activists (1st ed.). Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press.
  [1st floor South East Asia collection]
• Adi, H. (2003) Pan-African History: Political Figures from Africa and the Diaspora Since 1787.  London: Routledge 2nd floor Reference Collection]
• King, M.L., & MPI Home Video. (1989). Martin Luther King, Jr. MPI Home Video [2nd floor Media Library]
• Chassman, G. (Ed.). (2001.) In the Spirit of Martin: The Living Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Atlanta, GA: Tinwood. [3rd floor Fine Arts Library]
• Levine, E. (1990). If You Lived at the Time of Martin Luther King. New York, NY: Scholastic.
• Peace Corps (U.S.), & Paul D. Coverdell World Wise Schools (Peace Corps). (2009). Martin Luther KIng Jr. Day of Service Honor the Dream [part of the 5th floor Government Documents, but this document is available online]
• Friedly, M. (1993). Martin Luther King, Jr.: The FBI File (1st ed) New York: Carroll & Graf. [6th floor Alden Library stacks]
• Koplow, P. (1996). Sonata in Memoriam Martin Luther King Jr.: For Viola And Piano. Cincinnati: Liben Music Publishers [Glidden Hall, Music Library]

Aside from items in the library, there are many resources available through Info Tree that touch on King’s life and legacy.

• Martin Luther King Paper’s Project – Info Tree record links to a project at Standford University
• African American History Online
• Oxford African American Studies Collection
• African-American Years: Chronologies of American History and Experience
• Primary Sources in African American History
  

yOUr Library Week in Review for January 15, 2010

Welcome to yOUr (first) Library Week in Review.  This new series will wrap up the end of each week in the OU libraries, with links to new resources, blog posts and more.

We’re only two weeks into the quarter, but your librarians are already busy helping students delve into research projects and keep up with information in their fields:

• Business librarian Chad Boeninger has been answering lots of questions from business students, many of whom are researching the bookstore industry.
• Librarian for Social Work, Anita Grant updated the Social Work Research Guidewith even more valuable resources for research social work topics.
• Diana Nichols, librarian for Journalism, updated a research guide for students in JOUR 430: Magazine Editing and Production.
• Lorraine Wochna, who runs the Twitter Account @AldenDVDs has been promoting the Arts for Ohio film series on water , an increasingly scarce natural resource (running at the Athena Cinema), and letting us know about the available from the Media Library
• Lorraine is also part of the Alden Library Sustainability Group, which has worked hard to put together a film and workshop series for the winter quarter called Consciousness.
• Finally, African Studies librarian Araba Dawson-Andoh has continued to add to her African Studies blog with new posts about and calls for increased partipcation of women in Ghanian politics

Some New E-Resources:
All links to go Info Tree, your link to all of the OU Libraries e-resources.  You can keep up with all of the new e-resources by using the Newest Additionslink in Info Tree.

• CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics Online
• Great Events From History: Modern Scandals
• Historical Encyclopedia of American Business

Are there any great resources you’d like to see the library promote?  Any library news or updates we missed?  Let us know!

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Or leave a comment below!

The Libraries will be observing special hours on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day which is Monday, January 18.

Alden Library, including the Learning Commons on the 2nd floor, will open at noon on Monday. (On Sunday, January 17, Alden Library–except for the Learning Commons–will close at 6 pm. The Learning Commons will close at midnight.)

For more detailed information, see our Hours page.

Holly Deakyne, Project Archivist

Ohio University Libraries has received a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, part of the National Archives and Records Administration, to process and raise awareness of important primary source materials residing in the Robert E. and Jean R. Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections.
The grant provides the Libraries with $116,514 over the next two years, primarily for personnel and student employee expenses. As a result of the grant, Holly Deakyne has been hired as the new Project Archivist for the Mahn Center. Deakyne will oversee the project to process and make thousands of linear feet of valuable manuscript and University Archives collections discoverable through ALICE, OhioLINK and WorldCat. Kelly Broughton, Assistant Dean of Research and Education, said that this project will allow public access to a wealth of material that has been hidden to the general public.

Broughton said that Deakyne’s past experience with a variety of institutional archives and her technical skills made her the perfect candidate to help make this project a success. Prior to her job at OU, Deakyne was a project archivist for the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City. She graduated from Florida State University in 2002 with a BA in Art History and a minor in Museum Studies. She continued her education at the Pratt Institute in New York City where she graduated with a MS in Library and Information Science in 2008.

Alden Library Sustainability Group at Ohio University is bringing back its popular Consciousness film series with newly added workshops now showing at noon and again at 5:30 every Wednesday in the Friends of the Libraries Room on the third floor of Alden Library.

The end of suburbia

Starting with Everything’s Cool on January 13th you can learn how despite a veritable mountain of evidence Climate Change continues to be at the center of controversy.
On January 20th you can learn how to take your impact into your own hands with Ron Young’s presentation Reducing Home Energy Use.
The following week on January 27th we will look at Peak Oil and investigate the changing landscape during the End of Suburbia.
February 3rd finds us learning about Transition Town and how we can use it build locally resilient networks to help fight against Climate Change and Peak Oil in an impacting presentation by Benjamin Shender.
On February 10th The Story of Stuff takes us on a whirlwind tour of where our stuff comes from and where it goes.
From compost to clothes drying, the Ohio University Office of Sustainability Eco-Reps will show you how to save the planet from the comfort of your room in our final workshop of the quarter Living Green in an OU Dorm on February 17th.
Ending Consciousness for this quarter Buyer Be Fair will talk about the benefits and opportunities represented by the fair trade movement on February 24th.
Bring something to eat, bring a friend, and bring your questions for our discussion to follow!

On August 26, 1971, Ohio University was the first library to go online—to press the button to produce catalog cards using the OCLC Online Union Catalog—now known as WorldCat, and Lynne Lysiak was there when it first went live. “There were nine of us who started around the same time,” Lynne recalls. “We became a pretty tight group, like members of a class… There were many manual steps and processes in the beginning. “As we started to use the offline system, we continued to maintain our battery of typists. When the cards came in, if we didn’t like something on them, the typists would take their hand-held electric erasers—erase and retype information. Stacked up, the books waited for the cards to arrive, and then we matched the cards and released them for physical processing.” And so it all began. Read more…

The Technology Services desk on the 2nd floor has a new scanner for assisting patrons when all the other scanners on the floor are in use.

Distance and non-traditional students, among others (patrons during break times), will benefit from OhioLINK’s Pickup Anywhere service. Pickup Anywhere, a new option in the OhioLINK Central Catalog, is available to all OhioLINK users.

In the past, users were only able to pick up a requested item at one of their own campus locations. Now, with Pickup Anywhere, users can pick up a requested item at locations associated with other OhioLINK participating institutions.

If the book is OhioLINK you may also DROPOFF at any OhioLINK library. So if your OhioLINK books are due/overdue just drop them off at a nearby OhioLINK library.

The Pickup Anywhere option expands OhioLINK services to distance learners and other users who are not located near their home campus.

If you have questions or problems with this service please call Alden Library’s Circulation Desk at (740) 593-2695.

Update 12/8/09: Technicians will performs routine maintenance on Alice, our library catalog, on Tuesday, Dec 8th at 6pm. The system will be unavailable for no more than an hour.

During Winter Intersession, the Libraries’ IT Department will be doing a variety of maintenance and upgrade projects to our servers. There may be some periods of time when certain online resources will not be available. It is more likely that this will affect off-campus access than on-campus connections. Among the results of these projects will be more user-friendly URLs for many of our online resources.

We regret any inconvenience this may cause; please bear with us as we make these necessary changes.

From Sunday, November 29 through Friday, December 18, the Library is providing a paging service during selected hours when the Learning Commons is open and the rest of the building is closed. Anyone needing books or journals from other floors during these hours may place a request for their retrieval at the Library Services desk in the Learning Commons.

• Mondays through Thursdays – 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
• Fridays – 5:00-7:00 p.m.
• Saturdays and Sundays – Noon to 9:00 p.m.

Faculty members and graduate students may also request passes at the Learning Commons Library Services desk for access to the rest of the building during these hours.

Normal hours of operation will resume on Monday, January 4, 2010. For all library hours, see our Hours page.

The function of requesting items from OhioLINK is not working. We are working on a solution to the problem. The only thing to do is to keep track of what you want to request and try again later. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Update: as of 11 am on November 19, the problem has been repaired.

Alden Library will keep later hours on all floors during final exam week.

Monday – Thursday,  Nov 16, 17, 18, & 19 All floors will remain open until 2 AM.  The second floor will be open its usual 24 hours.

Friday, Nov 20 All floors will remain open until midnight.  The second floor will continue to remain open until 2 AM.

Saturday, Nov 21 All floors will remain open until midnight.  The second floor will continue to remain open until 2 AM.

Sunday, Nov 22 The second floor will open early at 10 AM and remain open until Tuesday evening at 9 PM.  All other floors will keep their usual hours of 12 noon – midnight.

Alden Library has special hours for Veterans’ Day: note that the Learning Commons will close at midnight on Tuesday, November 10 and reopen at 8 am on Veterans’ Day, November 11.

Alden Library formed a Veterans’ Committee last year to review the library needs of veterans at Ohio University.  We have established two literature racks, one on each entry floor.  We also have a representative on the university-wide Veterans’ Committee.  We would appreciate any input from veterans on how to better serve them, and for any additional resources they would like to see at the library.

Veterans,  please feel free to contact anyone one the Committee with any type of question.  The library committee member are Kevin Angel, Joyce Douglas, Teresa Nelson, Sherri Saines, Sandra Seeley and Jason Whited.  Their contact information can be found in the Libraries’ staff directory.