3 databases get a makeover: MLA, PsycInfo, & ProQuest Curriculum Package

The Marygrove Library subscribes to three article databases that are maintained by the parent company ProQuest. These include MLA International Bibliography, PsycInfo (as of July 1), and ProQuest Curriculum Package. At a date yet to be announced, ProQuest will be transitioning all three to a new interface, meaning the look and feel of these databases will change while their content remains the same. We will be given a transitional period to explore the new interface while still having access to the existing one.

The new interface will be introduced within the next five months. In the meantime, you can read more from ProQuest and watch a very brief preview video here: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/promos/feature08_pq.shtml.

4 Reasons Why the Library Should Affect Your College Choice

From US News & World Report:

"If you talk to a college admissions officer or a high school guidance counselor about things to do when you visit a college campus, one of the first things they say is to visit the libraries on campus."

Read more:  http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/2010/06/17/4-reasons-why-the-library-affects-your-college-choice.html

PsycInfo database will soon have a new look

PsycInfo is one of the Library's most popular databases for psychology and psychology-related articles. The vendor from whom we license this database has changed. As a result, beginning July 1 you'll notice it has a different look. You'll still find the same up-to-date scholarly articles but if you need any help using the new interface, take a look at this quick reference guide or call the library reference desk at 313.927.1346.

Take Back the Night Detroit - April 9

Please join us at our second annual Take Back the Night Detroit, to be held at Marygrove College, Alumnae Hall, on Friday, April 9, 5:00-8:30 pm.

The purpose of this event, celebrated nation-wide, is to raise awareness, promote prevention, and support survivors of sexual assault as they cast off shame and guilt and access the help they need on their journey towards healing and wholeness.

Take Back the Night-Detroit is being sponsored by the Marygrove Student Government, the Women's Center, and the Social Work Department, together with Sasha Center, a community based organization.

The Take Back the Night Committee invites each of you to attend this important event!

If you would like more information, please contact Prof. Kalimah Johnson, Chair, at kjohnson1099@marygrove.edu, x1484, or Prof. Darcy Brandel, Co-chair, at dbrandel@marygrove.edu, x1447.

We hope to see you on April 9th!

March 18: An Evening of Recent Detroit Fiction

The Marygrove College Institute for Detroit Studies and English and Modern Languages Department present a Defining Detroit event:

An Evening of Recent Detroit Fiction: a reading and book signing featuring Peter Markus, Susan Messer, and Michael Zadoorian.

Thursday, March 18, 2010 at 7:00 PM

Marygrove College

8425 West McNichols, Detroit

Alumnae Hall, Madame Cadillac Building

Free and open to the public

* * *

Peter Markus has written two books of short stories, "Good, Brother" (2005) and "The Singing Fish" (2006), and a novel, "Bob, or Man on Boat" (2008).

"Peter Markus' gorgeously spare, riverine fables of brotherly sweetness and violence are hypnotic, haunting, and sublime." - Gary Lutz

Novelist and short-story writer Susan Messer is the author of "Grand River and Joy" (2009).

"With unsparing candor, Susan Messer thrusts us into a time when racial tensions sundered friends and neighbors and turned families upside down. The confrontations in Grand River and Joy are complex, challenging, and . . . spot-on accurate." - Rosellen Brown

Michael Zadoorian is the author of two novels, "Second Hand" (2000) and "The Leisure Seeker" (2009), and one book of short stories, "The Lost Tiki Palaces of Detroit" (2009).

"Zadoorian’s pace [in "The Leisure Seeker"] is deceptive, it's restful. But unexpected scenes jump out at you. Come to the end and you’ll say, 'Oh my God!'" - Elmore Leonard

Check out Marygrove's weather station!

The Marygrove College weather station is now linked and reporting data to the Weather Underground Network, a nationwide network:

http://www.wunderground.com/weatherstation/WXDailyHistory.asp?ID=KMIDETRO12

Data from the weather station are presently used by the students in Dr. Mary Lynam's ENV 300 (Weather and Climate) as part of their learning experience.

In addition, student Lloyd Weishap will make a presentation titled "The Marygrove Weather Station Project: Using Technology to Teach Students" at the Sigma Zeta Conference in Cambelsville, KY, at the end of March.  Lloyd has been working with Dr. Lynam as a research assistant and has been instrumental in getting the station up and going.  The weather station was purchased through a generous gift from the Sr. Mary Cabrini Fund.

Aardvark - the virtual reference desk

Have you seen this?

http://vark.com/

"Crowdsourcing" reference questions was one of the themes of the ALA TechTrends webinar that Dana, Michelle, and I attended, and it appeared at several points during the Handheld Librarian II conference. Many see it as an extension of what lots of libraries are already doing - joining a consortium so that one librarian, when s/he's on duty, is responsible for responding to the virtual reference questions (sent via IM, email, text) of students who may or may not be at the librarian's home university. Some have followed that thought to its logical conclusion. . .why should only librarians be responsible for answering these reference questions? Perhaps in the future (which is NOW) students will use sites like Aardvark for most of their questions and librarians (cybrarians) will work in a context less tied to the reference desk.

Want to weigh in on this controversial topic? Submit a comment below. :-)

New database: A to Z Maps!

A-to-Z Maps is the Marygrove Library's newest database. Included in the 4,000+ maps are political maps, physical maps, outline maps, population maps, precipitation maps, climate maps, and other thematic maps. New maps are added to the collection every month, so check back often!

Begin searching A-to-Z Maps.

Feb 23: Haiti update from Bishop Thomas Gumbleton

On Tuesday, Feb. 23, Bishop Thomas Gumbleton will give a presentation on the situation in Haiti one month after the earthquake. The presentation will be held at 7 p.m. at St. Mark Parish (4401 Bart Avenue) in Warren, MI.

Feb 23: Dr. Lynam hosts next Lunchtime Conversation

On February 23 from 12-1:30 pm in the Faculty Lounge, Dr. Mary M. Lynam, assistant professor of integrated science, will facilitate a discussion entitled, “Mercy Mercy Me, Fish Full of Mercury, Mercury and the Environment."

Dr. Lynam will trace the history of mercury use by mankind, the episode of mercury poisoning in Minamata, Japan, and the findings of the Mercury Report to Congress. She will talk about the forms of mercury found in the atmosphere, and methods used to sample and quantify them with an emphasis on the results of monitoring in rural and urban areas in the Great Lakes Region.

All faculty, staff, and students are welcome to join us for stimulating ideas and great conversation about this extremely important and timely subject. BYO lunch . . . tasty dessert will be provided.

Feb. 6 - 13 is Haiti Solidarity Week

The college's sponsors (Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary) have issued this action alert:

Pax Christi Haiti and the Haitian Catholic Bishops have designated Friday, February 12, (one month after the devastating earthquake) as an international day of prayer for Haiti. The IHM Haiti Committee will be holding a contemplative prayer service at 4 p.m. in the IHM Motherhouse Chapel. All are welcome to attend:

610 West Elm Avenue
Monroe, MI 48162
734.241.3660

Those who cannot come to the prayer service at the Motherhouse can use the following prayer resources recommended by the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns:

A prayer service for Haiti from the Taize community
Prayer resources from Catholic Relief Services
A reflection written by Daniel Tillias of Pax Christi Port-au-Prince

Need help with MLA, APA or Turabian formatting?

Has your instructor asked you to format your paper according to MLA, APA or Turabian style? Are you unsure where to begin or do you need a refresher?

The Library is offering workshops on MLA and APA citation styles this semester. Here are the details: (pdf, 1 page) Winter 2010 workshops.

Can't attend a workshop? Need help with Turabian?

1. Make an appointment at the Writing Center: 313.927.1278
2. Visit the Library website for printable guides
3. Browse the Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University

Calling all library supporters...

[From http://www.ilovelibraries.org/takeaction/mainstreetact.cfm]

We are asking all library supporters to contact their U.S. Senators regarding the Jobs for Main Street Act, also known as the “Jobs Bill.”

The current draft of the Senate's $80 billion Jobs for Main Street Act does NOT include library workers. The bill does include $20.5 billion for “Creating Jobs that Provide Public Services” which includes billions for some jobs but not a cent for library workers.

We know that libraries provide critical services to their communities. (Did you know that libraries are the only source of no-fee Internet access for 71 percent of Americans?) We know that library workers are an important part of public sector employees.

As soon as possible, we ask each of you to:

1. Call or email a personal message to your U.S. Senators. If you can do this every day until we are successful – so much the better;

2. Ask your friends, family, colleagues, and community groups to contact their senators as well.

Call the U.S. Capital switchboard ASAP at 202.224.3121.  For email addresses and other contact information go to http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Thank you!

Your Marygrove College Library

Follow us on Twitter as we celebrate Black History Month

In honor of Black History Month, the Marygrove Library will tweet about a website or new book in its collection each day in February. You can follow us here: http://twitter.com/marygrovelib.

Scheduled maintenance time - ProQuest database - Jan 30

ProQuest will be performing infrastructure maintenance on January 30, 2010. A 12 hour maintenance window will be required for this maintenance. The window will take place from Saturday, January 30, 2010, at 10 pm to Sunday, January 31, 2010 at 10 am.

Diversity Club Read-in

Do you respect diversity? Do you promote tolerance? Do you love quality literature?

Then this is the event for you! The Library together with the Marygrove Diversity Club is sponsoring a read-in that focuses on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) authors. Faculty, staff, and students will prepare a dramatic reading from an LGBT author and then lead a brief discussion on the socio-historical context and import of that author. Please join us in celebrating diversity, teaching tolerance, and sharing our love of quality literature!

Date: Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Location: Beyond Words Art Gallery in the Library
Time: 3 - 6 pm

One of our business databases has new features and content

Gale has just added some powerful new features and content to the database "Business & Company Resource Center." Now users have hundreds of new SWOT analyses to explore — including top global companies like AIG, CitiGroup, Freddie Mac and Wal-Mart. Additionally, the user interface has been updated with a contemporary new look and a “Publication Search” function has been added to the homepage.

Take a look for yourself: http://tinyurl.com/ydj3dwg. Off-campus users, login with your Marygrove username and password.

How the state budget deficit will affect Michigan libraries

The services offered by Michigan libraries are in danger of being cut. These services include access to important Marygrove Library research databases like Academic OneFile, Wilson SelectPlus, ERIC, and Social Sciences Abstracts, to name a few, plus access to more than 2,700 full-text periodicals. Furthermore, our plans this year to join the statewide interlibrary loan group, MeLCat, may be jeopardized since cuts in funding would likely cripple the system, depriving library users of fast, easy access to collections across the state.

This letter from the President of the Michigan Library Association (pdf, 2 pages) provides an update on MLA's advocacy efforts. For more information, please contact any Marygrove Librarian: http://www.marygrove.edu/library/refservices.asp.

We're hiring! Graduate research assistant

The Library is looking to hire a Marygrove graduate research assistant to provide background information for a Library Visioning Project. S/he would...

...complete a literature review on the subject of the “information commons” in higher education today
...create a Blackboard organization of professional articles and websites, with an introduction (literature review) written by the grad assistant and a bibliography
...engage in original research, under the supervision of a librarian, which would involve a visit to at least one local (southeastern MI) college or university which has an information or learning commons facility in place, in order to interview staff and students and take digital pictures
...prepare a PowerPoint presentation which would define the concept, give background/historical information, give examples, trends or forecasts and pros and cons

Interested? Contact Linnea Dudley (Head of Reference, Instruction and Access Services) at 313.927.1349.

We have a winner!

In December the library received a number of clever suggestions for naming the newly furnished "back of the reference room."

Last week the library staff voted. The winning name: "The Spot," submitted by Diane Brown, Coordinator of MAT-CIA. Runner up: "The Student Station," submitted by Ronda Mew, Marygrove student.

Congratulations, Diane and Ronda! We'll see you at the library's circulation desk to claim your prize.