Going, going, gone

Posted on October 13, 2014 Written by

You only have two more days to test the new BP Global Energy Data Visualization Tool.  The Library is currently conducting a trial of this product which maps major energy developments from the last 27 years.  The trial ends on Wednesday.

bp

Explore oil, natural gas, coal, and alternative energy production by country or region.  Chart how production, capacity, or consumption has changed over time with a sliding timeline bar.  An interactive globe will take you around the world with a swipe of a mouse.  The tool includes a separate chronology section to explore major energy developments over time with pictures and a commodities filter to narrow or broaden your results display.

The page also include links to the Statistical Review of World Energy for 2014.  From there, view PDFs and Powerpoint slides on the major facts and figures for energy production in the last year.

Take it for a test drive and let us know what you think at askalibrarian@atu.edu.

 

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Statista Trial

Posted on September 22, 2014 Written by

Looking for industry reports, company data, and market forecasts?  The Library is currently hosting a trial of Statista–a statistical database containing more than 1,000,000 statistics on more than 80,000 topics, from over 18,000 sources.

This database includes industry reports, as well as current company information, arranged largely in simple, easy-to-understand charts and graphs.  To use Statista, begin with a keyword search.  Results can include topic pages, industry reports, and “dossier” reports consisting of brief Power Point presentations summarizing the key facts of your topic.  Statista also provides you with an encyclopedia of statistical terms and a collection of infographics for quick, visually appealing snapshots of complex data.

Give it a try today and let us know what you think at askalibrarian@atu.edu.  We rely on your feedback to help determine what to add to the library’s buffet of databases, so please drop us a line to let us know if you love it/hate it/feel “meh” about it.  This trial ends on October 3rd, so take it for a test-drive soon.   For this and other Library trials, see our Trial Database Page.

Infographic: Engineering is America’s Highest-Earning Major | Statista

You will find more statistics at Statista
 

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Streaming Psychotherapy

Posted on September 9, 2014 Written by

From now until October 15th, the Library is offering a trial of Psychotherapy.net.  The site features streaming training videos in the fields of counseling, psychotherapy, and addiction.   Videos come in diverse formats geared for a variety of teaching needs, including single-session demonstrations, multiple-session demonstrations, clinical case consultations, interview and documentary style films.  Psychotherapy.net includes videos on individual therapy, group therapy, couples and family therapy, child therapy, art therapy, psychodrama and therapeutic communities.  More details include:

  • Custom-developed, state-of-the-art streaming platform includes: captions, searchable transcripts, and clip-making and clip-sharing ability.
  • Links to videos can be embedded in Blackboard.
  • Video quality is automatically adjusted depending upon the strength of the user’s Internet connection.
  • Downloadable Instructor’s manuals (with suggestions for role-plays, reaction papers, discussion questions and additional resources).

Check it out and give us your feedback and favorite videos at askalibrarian@atu.edu

 

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On Sept. 9th

Posted on September 8, 2014 Written by

We’re having a Brown Bag “Munch & Learn” Workshop on basic library databases at Baztech 202, between 11-1. Drop in at any time for show-and-tell on the top 3 library databases , and win fabulous door prizes!!! Bring a lunch, bring a friend, and bring an appetite for instruction.

baby hamster eating a cucumber by saqopakajmer-d6nxs6p

“Tasty, tasty knowledge…”

For more delicious facts about this event or others, contact your friendly neighborhood librarians at askalibrarian@atu.edu.  You can also LIKE us or FOLLOW us for more news and events throughout the semester.  See you Tuesday!

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8 Library Facts

Posted on August 25, 2014 Written by

If you are new to campus, it’s quite possible you haven’t had the chance to visit the Ross Pendergraft Library and Technology Center.  Here are 8 library facts you should know to help you make the most of the collections and services we offer at the Library.

1. We have all the things

Looking for books?  Sure, we’ve got books.  But did you also know we check out graphing calculators?  DVDs?  Audiobooks?  Headphones?  CDs?  Scanners?  Yes, we have all of those, too.  Search our catalog to find all of this and more.  If you just need a quiet place to study, print your paper, or book a study room, we offer that, too.All the things

2. Get started with Libguides

There are so many resource at the Library, it can be overwhelming to find the right resource for your topic.  Where do you start?  LibGuides can give you direction for finding books, articles, and search strategies for whatever assignment is thrown at you.  Compiled by librarians, each guide is tailored for a specific subject, and in some cases, a specific course.

libguides

 3. Learn anything with online tutorials

Whether you want to brush up on your Spanish or learn Microsoft Excel, the Library can help you further your education from the comfort of your own dorm room.

  • Mango Languages feature online tutorials for learning 63 languages, including Japanese, English as a second language, and Pirate.
  • If you are more interested in learning software, create an account with the Virtual Training Center (VTC).  As a student (or faculty/staff), you have free access to over 98,000 video tutorials on programming, databases, web design, or basic computer courses through the VTC.
  • For help using library resources, check out our own Library Tutorials page, featuring videos on using Dewey Decimal, online library resources, interlibrary loan, and other services.
Keanu Reeve's face

(Kung Fu tutorials not yet available)

4. Credo Reference is your new best friend

Think of Wikipedia.  Now imagine if it was a reputable, scholarly resource which could connect you to articles, books, and other academic resources about your specific topic.  That’s Credo Reference.  Comprised of hundreds of encyclopedias and dictionaries, it can mean one-stop shopping for many research assignments.  We love it so much, we put it on our homepage.

credo

5. We give away fabulous prizes on social media

Last year, we gave away books, buttons, and even a Doctor Who Sonic Screwdriver on our Facebook and Twitter accounts.   We also gave away free information about our hours, events, and new additions to the library.  Like us & follow us.  We might even be giving away something right now…

6. We’re constantly acquiring new stuff

The Library continues to add new books, DVDs, and other materials as the semester progresses.  You can keep up new items by clicking the Open Your Mind logo on the top right corner of our homepage.  That will take you to a list of recently purchased books, movies, and music.

If you are in the library and would like to browse just the new books, we also have a new books section in the lobby, near the south entrance.

openyourmind

7. Can’t find it?  Library A-Z it

We have a new way to navigate every library resource we offer—the Library A-Z page.    The Library A-Z list provides direct links to library maps, electronic tools, policies, collections, contact information, and anything else that we can provide through our website.

LibraryAZ

8. Home of the ultimate know-it-alls

Despite their godlike powers, the librarians at RPL are highly approachable, friendly, and helpful.  No question is too mundane or too complex for them to lend their expertise and attention.  Give them a call (toll-free) at 855-761-0006 or email them at askalibrarian@atu.edu.  Drop by the Reference Desk for on the spot questions.  Remember, you cannot yet contact them through intense mental concentration, but keep checking our website for additional services we may provide in the future.

Librarians

 

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New audiobooks!

Posted on July 7, 2014 Written by

Planning a long trip this summer?  Take along the ultimate road companion—audiobooks.  The Ross Pendergraft Library and Technology Center recently added a selection of newly published award-winning fiction, comedy, science fiction, biography, and more to our audiobooks section located to the east of the Reference Desk.

Browse our latest titles by clicking this link.  Most of our audiobooks are available in audio CD format, but we have a growing number of titles in MP3-CD format, which makes downloading a book to your phone or ipod a breeze.

The titles below represent only a fraction of the books you can take along for your work-outs, road-trips, or just a lounge by the pool-side:

Richard PryorFurious cool : Richard Pryor and the world that made him

Provides a rare glimpse into the life of the outspoken comedic genius whose humble beginnings as the child of a prostitute helped shaped him into one of the most influential and outstanding performers of all time.

Great Gatsby audiobookThe great Gatsby 

James Gatz, a self-educated nobody from North Dakota, amasses a fortune and adopts the persona of Jay Gatsby, an Oxford-educated man about town. His motive? To win back the heart of Daisy, the woman he loved in his youth.  This classic novel is narrated by Hollywood star, Jake Gyllenhaal.

I am Malala

I am Malala: [the girl who stood up for education and was shot by the Taliban]

When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, one girl spoke out.  She was shot in the head at point-blank range while riding the bus home from school, but her miraculous recovery has taken her on an extraordinary journey. 

LongbournLongbourn

Pride and Prejudice was only half the story.  The servants at Longbourn estate, only glancingly mentioned in Jane Austen’s classic, take center stage in Jo Baker’s new novel.

The SystemThe system: the glory and scandal of big-time college football

An explosive and revelatory portrait reported from deep behind the scenes of big-time NCAA football: the passion, the thrilling action, and the shocking realities that lie beneath this colossal, multibillion-dollar business.

I suck at girls I suck at girls

Presents a humorous collection of stories about the author’s relationships with the opposite sex told chronologically, from his first kiss to getting engaged.

World War ZWorld War Z

Max Brooks, driven by the urgency of preserving the first-hand experiences of the survivors from those apocalyptic years, recorded the testimony of men, women, and sometimes children who came face-to-face with the living, or at least the undead, hell of that dreadful time.  Read by an all-star cast including Alan Alda, Mark Hamill, Henry Rollins, John Turturro, Nathan Fillion, Simon Pegg, Bruce Boxleitner, and many others.

You can find these titles and more just across from the Reference Desk.  Have a suggestion for a great audiobook title?  Give us a shout at askalibrarian@atu.edu.  

 

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Holiday Hours

Posted on July 3, 2014 Written by

To celebrate Independence Day, the Ross Pendergraft Library and Technology Center will be closed Friday, July 4th-Sunday, July 6th.  We will reopen Monday, July 7th, from 7:00 am – 11:00 pm and continue with Summer II hours which can be viewed here.

Have a safe and fun Fourth of July weekend!

 

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Remembering Maya

Posted on June 2, 2014 Written by

Maya AngelouLast week, the country and the state lost one of its great poets, Maya Angelou.  To celebrate her life and legacy, we’ve assembled just a few of the resources documenting her extraordinary life and work:

Books at Ross Pendergraft Library:

*These books are located on the first floor at the display table near the south entrance.

Online Resources:

Music:

  • A Woman’s Life  A concert arrangment composed by Richard Danielpour, performed by soprano Angela Brown with lyrics by Maya Angelou.  Available through Naxos Music Library.
  • Did you know she was a Calypso singer?  Here is “Neighbour, Neighbour” from her album, Miss Calypso:

Her last scheduled visit to Arkansas would’ve occurred on April 11th, 2014 at the Fayetteville Public Library.  However, she was forced to cancel the appearance for health reasons, and issued a statement expressing her apology and her deeply profound and personal reflections on Arkansas:

I learned in Arkansas at a very young age from my grandmother who taught me, ‘when you learn, teach and when you get, give’.

In Arkansas I also learned not to complain.  I was taught that there are people all over the world who have less than I have and who would give anything for a portion of my possessions.  They went to sleep last night as I went to sleep and they never awakened.  Their beds have become their cooling boards and their blankets have become their winding sheets and they would give anything and everything for what I was complaining about.

In Arkansas, I learned to trust love, not the romance of it, but the heart of it.  In Arkansas I learned to have respect for friendship, to honor it, to trust it and to build it.

The former poet, author, civil rights activist, actress, screenplay writer, cable car conductor, Calypso singer, film director, dancer, newspaper editor, radio voice, cocktail waitress, professor,  and Arkansan died on May 28th, at the age of 86. 

 

 

 

 

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Hours for Finals

Posted on April 28, 2014 Written by

The Ross Pendergraft Library & Technology Center will have extended hours this week and part of next week for finals.  Stay up and study with us:

Mon.-Tues. (Apr. 28-Apr. 29)
7:00 AM – 1:00 AM
Wed.-Thurs. (Apr. 30-May 1)
7:00 AM – 12:00 AM
Friday (May 2)
7:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday (May 3)
10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday (May 4)
2:00 PM – 12:00 AM
Monday (May 5)
7:00 AM – 12:00 AM
Tuesday (May 6)
7:00 AM – 10:00 PM

After finals, beginning May 7th through June 1st, the Library will begin “Summer Interim Hours”:

Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM — 5:00 PM
Saturday-Sunday, CLOSED

In addition, the Music Lab will close at 10:00 PM on Tuesday, May 6 for the Interim, reopening Monday, June 2 for Summer Session I.

Good luck on your exams and remember:

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BioOne

Posted on April 24, 2014 Written by

Sometimes, the search results in Academic Search Complete can seem . . . less than complete.  If you are having trouble finding full-text articles in biological sciences, switch over to the BioOne full-text database.  With more than full-text 100,000 articles from 179 journals, BioOne can be a great place to find research in Biology, Zoology, Entomology, Plant Sciences, and Environmental Sciences.

Located in our list of “Tech Databases”, BioOne allows you to search by author, title, DOI, and keywords within the full text of the article or captions from figures & charts.  Unlike many of our other databases, all results will include full-text articles—no Inter-Library Loan necessary.

You can email links to articles, download citations to a citation manager, and even track citations with RSS feeds.  For videos, tutorials, and more information about using BioOne, visit their Resource Guides page.  For more information about BioOne, biological science, or finding full-text articles, contact your friendly neighborhood librarians at askalibrarian@atu.edu.

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