Thursday, October 28, 2010

New resource: practice tests & job search info

Learning Express Library is a collection of practice tests (for the GED, SAT, ACT, TOEFL, and others), exercises, skill-building courses, and job search information offered via MeL (the Michigan eLibrary). The practice tests require that you create a free account. Do some exploring - there's a lot here that you might find helpful. And as always, get in touch with a Marygrove librarian if you have any questions!

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Vote Nov 2! Take a look at these voters' guides

Remember to vote on November 2!

Here are two websites that will describe the issues and candidates in your area:
 Also, be sure to take a look at the beautiful display case that librarian Jennifer Meacham created in our circulation lobby. :-)

ProQuest databases unavailable for 12 hours

ProQuest will be performing maintenance on its databases during a 12 hour period beginning this Saturday. It will begin at 10 p.m. on Saturday, October 30, and end at 10 a.m. on Sunday, October 31.

The following databases will be unavailable during this period: ProQuest Curriculum Package, SIRS Researcher, and HeritageQuest Online. Thanks for your patience!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

New resource: Choice Reviews Online

The Marygrove College Library now has access to Choice Reviews Online, a source of "reviews of academic books, electronic media, and Internet resources of interest to those in higher education." It's published by the Association of College and Research Libraries, a division of the American Library Association.

If you register with the site, you can sign up to receive monthly newsletters, you can save searches, and you can make and save lists. If you're new to Choice, take a look at "Top Tips for Using CRO" as well as the FAQ, located at the bottom of the left panel of the page. And as always, feel free to contact a Marygrove Librarian with any questions!

Begin searching Choice Reviews Online.

Monday, October 18, 2010

New lighting in reference room

Over the next few days, you'll notice workers in the library reference room replacing the lights in the ceiling. The fabulous Fred from Marygrove's Facilities department is overseeing this project so that it causes minimal interruption to your work. All computers and all books and journals in the reference room will remain available to you.

Meet Andrea Hanserd, library assistant

Andrea Hanserd is one of the Library's part-time assistants. She's an Education major and will earn her B.A. from Marygrove College with a concentration in English and CIS this May. Following graduation, she plans to work towards her master's degree in the Library & Information Science Program at Wayne State University. Andrea has a passion for literacy, teaching, and technology. She says, "With guilty pleasure I enjoy watching (perhaps a little too much) television, especially reality tv programs and in particular all the Housewives episodes from Washington to Atlanta." Andrea's patience, expertise, and unfailing gentleness help make the Library a welcoming place for students.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Coming soon: Changes to the ProQuest databases

In the near future, the look and feel (or "interface") of the library's ProQuest databases will be changing. The ProQuest databases include PsycInfo, MLA International Bibliography, and the Curriculum Package (ProQuest Biology, ProQuest Computing, ProQuest Education, etc).

Currently, the PsycInfo and MLA databases have one interface, and the Curriculum Package has another. ProQuest's intent is to unify these databases with one shared interface, but also to make your work as a researcher easier by improving the way you search for and manage articles, archives, research reports, e-books, and multimedia.

Questions? Feel free to contact a Marygrove Librarian. In the meantime, we'll continue to keep you updated on this important change.

Monday, October 11, 2010

She wrote: "I < heart > the new chairs. Thank u!"

You're welcome - we love the new chairs in the back of the library's reference room too! The dry erase board and the comfy furniture, with its swivel desktops and built-in outlets for laptops, make "the Spot" a very convenient place to work.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

New resource: Children's Literature Comprehensive Database

The Marygrove Library has just begun a subscription to the Children's Literature Comprehensive Database.

The CLCD contains information about children's books, video and audio recordings, and other children-focused media. It includes critical reviews, information about awards, best book lists, and state reading lists.

Ask a Marygrove Librarian for help using this new resource, or jump right in!

Thursday, October 7, 2010

New resource: MLA Literary Research Guide

The Marygrove Library has just begun a subscription to the MLA Literary Research Guide.

The LRG is "a selective, annotated guide to reference sources essential to the study of British literature, literatures of the United States, other literatures in English, and related topics." In this guide, James L. Harner describes and evaluates "important bibliographies, abstracts, surveys of research, indexes, databases, catalogs, general histories and surveys, annals, chronologies, dictionaries, encyclopedias, and handbooks."

Ask a Marygrove Librarian how to use this guide, or explore on your own! Use the LRG

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Welcome, Robin!

The Marygrove Library is happy to welcome our new work study student, Robin Turner. Robin brings library experience to her new position, as she's a current employee at the Detroit Public Library. After completing her BA at Marygrove College, Robin aspires to enter the Wayne State University School of Library and Information Science. By working at the Marygrove Library she hopes to get a feel for what type of library she would like to work in, public or academic.  If you see Robin in the hall be sure to congratulate her on her new position!