Distance Learning Library Services

Library Subject Guides

2007-09-23T15:00:00.000-04:00

Librarians are primarily responsible for helping others navigate information resources. In a higher education setting, it can be challenging to match researchers up with appropriate academic databases and other helpful resources. As a result, subject guides are essential when you're not sure where to turn for more information.

Typically, subject guides--sometimes referred to as "pathfinders"--collect lists of reference sources by type, such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, manuals, handbooks, guidebooks, etc. Depending on the library or librarian that compiles these lists, they may be annotated. At University Libraries, our subject guides are annotated with the call number of the resource, aiding in its location within the libraries.

Ball State University Libraries is planning to upgrade our subject guides using a Web 2.0 application called LibGuides, developed by Springshare. Keep an eye out for demos and other features on the current subject guide page (linked above), or check back here for an update closer to the Spring 2008 semester.

Welcome Back!

2007-08-22T20:44:00.000-04:00

Greetings BSU distance learners and faculty! I'd like to kick off the 2007-08 academic year with an overview of the suite of services which are available to you from Ball State University Libraries.

Electronic Information Resources -
Find books, full-text articles, online reference materials, and more.

Reference services –
Contact a librarian via instant message, e-mail, or phone. Set up a reference appointment to get help with individual reference questions. Use the chat window to the right to talk directly to the Distance Education librarian (yours truly), or click the link above if I'm not available.

Library instruction -
Schedule a library instruction session for your students. Instruction sessions can be done virtually via Blackboard or other means suited to a distance education environment, by request.

Interlibrary loan -
Request items from other libraries for your use.
Tip: Many public libraries offer this service, too. Check with yours to see if it's a more convenient option for you.

Electronic course reserves -
Put digital copies of course material on the web. (Copyright restrictions do apply.) Students may access electronic reserves via this link, as well.

Copyright compliance assistance -
Faculty, do you need help understanding how to stay within “Fair Use?”
Students, are you not sure how copyright issues affect work done for classes at BSU?
Contact the Copyright Center for help.

Please visit our Distance Learning Library Services portal.

Check out our MySpace page for video tutorials, fun trivia, and more!

And remember, you don't have to be in the library to use it!

Find What You're Looking For...

2007-08-01T20:49:00.000-04:00

The new library homepage makes it easy to find what you're looking for.

Click on the yellow Find button to see the University Libraries' options for access to a variety of information services available to you. They're summarized below:

Books: This section connects you with resources that help you find books owned by the University Libraries or other libraries in Indiana or around the country. You can also find out what new items have arrived on campus recently.

Course Reserves: If your instructor has put material on reserve (either electronically or in print), you can find it here.

Articles: You probably guessed this, but these links take you to our database listings and other tools to help you find articles in newspapers, scholarly journals, popular magazines, and other sources.

Research Tools: The links here will lead you to resources that can help get you started with research on various topics.

Digital Commons: This icon links to the University Libraries' Digital Commons.

Music, Movies, Software: Believe it or not, but we don't only have books in the library! Check out the link to the Media Finders to locate CDs, DVDs, and more.

Digital Images: These are general links to image collections accessible with your BSU log on credentials, or those cleared for royalty-free use. The University Libraries' Digital Media Respository is also linked in this section.

And there you have it, another section of the website illuminated for you.

Join me next week for another revealing look at a part of the new homepage. Until then, remember, you don't have to be in the library to use it!

Get help with a click...

2007-07-25T21:23:00.000-04:00

When visiting the library homepage, help is only a click away.

As you can see in the image to the left, if you've got questions, we've got answers. Clicking on the violet Help button gives you access to several helpful services. I've highlighted a few for you below.

Ask a Librarian: This service provides you with ways to get in touch with a librarian who can help you find resources you need for whatever you might be doing. Whether it's research for a paper or you're just looking for something good to read, ask us!

How Do I...?: The links in this section can give you good information if you need help finding books, images, articles, or how to cite resources.

Finding Your Way: Need to visit Bracken Library or just curious about what it's like on the inside? You can access a virtual tour, get local maps of campus or Muncie, or driving directions. in this section.

Next week, look for another quick tour of part of the library website.

As always, remember you don't have to be in the library to use it!

Chat with the Distance Librarian!

2007-07-18T19:37:00.000-04:00

Now you can chat with the distance education librarian personally using popular IM clients. When you open up AIM, MSN or Yahoo! chats, just send a message to jasonlibrarian.

I'm typically available from 1pm to 5pm and 6pm to 10pm, Sunday through Thursday. If you get stuck on a research question, are having trouble accessing databases, or have a reference question, I'm there to help!

Just remember: jasonlibrarian on AIM, MSN, or Yahoo!

UF4U: CardCat, Part Two

2007-07-01T18:06:00.000-04:00

I missed last week's post due to attending ALA Annual. Now, let's return to our regularly scheduled blogging.

Several weeks ago, I wrote about an easily missed feature of CardCat. Now, another change has come around the bend: user logins!

When you access CardCat from the links on the library homepage, you'll automatically be taken to a screen that asks you to enter your BSU username and password. If you'd just like to do a quick search of the catalog, you can do that without logging in by clicking the link close to the middle of the page, "Use CardCat without logging in." Check out the screenshot for a more detailed look.

So, why log in? Just like with everything else these days, customization provides flexibility that people enjoy. By giving you access to a CardCat "account, " there are many things that can be offered that couldn't have been before, like online renewals.

If you have something checked out, but can't make it in to the library, log in and extend your borrowing time. (Note that some items can't be renewed, or have limits to the number of times they can be renewed.)

There is a list of available features right there for you on the login screen. Poke around and see if you find something you like. CardCat login is just one more example of why you don't have to be in the library to use it.

Digital resources that are anything but common

2007-06-17T20:52:00.000-04:00

About a month ago, I posted about Ball State's Digital Media Repository. The Repository is one small piece of a much larger project called the Digital Commons (DC). This week, I'll highlight a couple of the services available in the DC that you might not have known about.

To access the DC on the new homepage, click the yellow "Find" block and click the "Digital Commons" link on the right-hand side of the yellow bar. You'll see a wheel with multi-colored spokes (see the screenshot). Clicking on one of the colored dots will take you to the resource indicated. Below are just a few of the possibilities.

Dissertations and Theses - You can find digital copies of these documents produced by Ball State students as requirements for their degree programs. Search dissertations and theses from other schools in the databases listed on this resource page.

GIS Resources - Discover all kinds of mapping information by following this link. Resources cover geographic information at the state, national, and world levels.

These are just two examples of the whole host of information sources available to you as part of the Digital Commons. Remember, you don't have to be in the library to use it!

New Library Homepage: a Rainbow of Information Options

2007-06-10T18:38:00.000-04:00

You may have noticed that the library homepage changed at the end of May. Now, five colored blocks and corresponding tabs organize information on the site. This week, I'll take you on a brief tour of our new digs on the web, and even give you an "easy button" if the changes are just too much for you to handle.

The Blocks

Find - As you might expect, clicking on this yellow block will lead you to information available from CardCat or one of our many academic databases, for example.

Help - Click on this purple block to ask a librarian for help, read our FAQ's, or take a virtual tour.

Resources for... - This red block breaks out information for audiences who might be using the library: students, faculty and staff, distance learners, etc.

About - Learn more about the library's hours, how long you can check something out, and more with a click in this green block.

New & Notable - You can read about current library news by clicking on the headlines in this blue block.

The Tabs

Once you click on a color block, you'll be taken to a page with a tab of the corresponding color. A great feature of these tabs is that the headings on the page appear on the right-hand side of the tab. Click on the heading, and you'll be taken to that section of the page. (See the example of the Find tab in the screenshot.)

The Easy Button

If you get stumped, you can always click on the link that takes you to the previous version of the homepage. If you're familiar with that homepage, it might make things easier to find.

The End of the Rainbow

You use the library homepage as your path to the pot of gold available to you as a student, staff, or faculty member of Ball State University: information. Remember, you don't have to be in the library to use it, and there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!

Your own virtual library

2007-06-03T20:06:00.000-04:00

We're back after a hiatus for the Memorial Day holiday.

This week, I'd like to highlight an alternative to the main library web site that you see when visiting from outside of the library. There is another site that has many of the same features of the "official" library page, but with an emphasis on resources for researchers. This, loyal blog-readers, is the Student Virtual Library,or SVL for short. To get there, just click the light blue logo on the left side of the main page (see the first screenshot).

Once there, you're presented with several options. Search CardCat for "books & more," look at the Subject Guides for great places to start research, access electronic reserves, or view our academic databases by subject. Just choose an area of study from the list and click the "Go" button. You'll get a listing of databases covering that subject (check out the second screenshot).

Remember, if you're not sure which database to choose or need additional help finding resources, help is always available via our Ask a Librarian services.

Once again, this proves you don't have to be in the library to use it!

Three dimensions in two: BSU's Digital Media Repository

2007-05-20T20:02:00.000-04:00

Nowadays, we all expect information to be available online. For printed material like books or even photographs, it's an easy task to turn them into a format you can post on the web. But what about objects in three dimensions like architectural elements or anatomical models? Ball State University Libraries' Digital Media Repository (DMR) attempts to transform these 3-D items into digital formats that are searchable and browsable.

To access the DMR, click on the locations indicated in the first screenshot of the University Libraries homepage. (From the Digital Commons graphic, the DMR is located at the top center.)

Once there, you're presented with a menu of options to choose from. You can perform a simple search by keyword, or browse the digital collections if you're not exactly sure what you're looking for. An advanced search feature gives you more options, specifically the ability to choose individual collections to search in.

In addition to three dimensional objects, the DMR also contains scanned slides, film, audio files, posters, and more. An extensive help file is available, or if you need additional assistance, you can always Ask a Librarian. The DMR is another way you don't have to be in the library to use it!

Citations with Style and a Useful Feature or Two

2007-05-13T14:09:00.000-04:00

Synthesizing your own thoughts with the thoughts of others is common in most projects at the college level. To avoid plagiarism, you must report the external sources of ideas and information by citing them. We have several resources available to you that help put your citations in the proper format (check with your instructor for his/her preferred format). This week, I'll cover the resources available at the University Libraries, as well as point out some helpful features of popular databases.

As part of our Virtual Reference Shelf, we have a short list of resources that cover citing sources in two standard formats: APA and MLA.

You may not be aware, but some of our databases have help for putting citations in the proper format, too. For example, Academic Search Premier's Help file has detailed instructions for not only APA and MLA citation formats, but for Turabian (Chicago Manual of Style) and AMA, as well. To access the Help file,

Click on the link labeled "Help" in the upper right corner of the main page. Then,
On the page that pops up, scroll down until you see the "Citation Styles" section on the left, and click on the help topic of your choice. (See the screenshot for details.)

Another database, CINAHL (Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature), illustrates a different example of how electronic resources can help you cite sources. When you run a search in CINAHL and click a title in the list of resulting articles, you have the option of printing or e-mailing the record to yourself. If you choose the e-mail option, CINAHL will let you pick the citation style you'd like to use. Take a look at the screenshot for more information. Note: This feature is also available in Academic Search Premier and other EBSCOhost databases.

A WORD OF WARNING: Contrary to popular belief, computers are dumb. They try their best to put these citations in the proper format, but goof up sometimes. Always double check that automatic citation-makers have put the parts of the reference (e.g., article title and dates) in the order specified by your instructor.

UF4U: CardCat

2007-05-06T13:59:00.000-04:00

You know how when you go to the library and are in the stacks looking for a particular book, and while you're searching the shelves, you stumble across an equally interesting book you'd like to check out? You'll be glad to know that even if you can't physically visit Bracken Library, you can still browse the shelves! This week, I'm highlighting another Useful Feature for You in CardCat, Ball State's online library catalog.

CardCat has a great feature where you can search items on the shelf near the one you're displaying on your screen. Just look for the Nearby items on shelf link on the left-hand side of the screen. See the screenshot for a clearer view.

So, when might you want to use this feature? Well, say you're interested in a book on a particular topic like "nursing management." You enter the search in CardCat and find a book you'd like to get via interlibrary loan. If you click on the Nearby items on shelf link, CardCat will show you a list of other items dealing with similar subjects which may relate to your original search. It does involve a little bit of good fortune to find useful items this way, but it can help you see what the library has on a broad subject, at the very least.

This is another great example as to why you don't have to be in the library to use it!

Interlibrary Loan: an Epic Library Service

2007-04-29T17:57:00.000-04:00

Last week, I alluded to an often overlooked service of epic proportions: interlibrary loans.

This week, I'd like to take you on a voyage that will help you to navigate the sometimes daunting waters of the interlibrary loan (ILL) process.

First, you'll need a map. The ILL frequently asked questions page will answer basic questions you may have about this service and get you pointed in the right direction. Be sure to explore the ILL information specifically for distance learners.

Once you've got your bearings, you'll need to access ILLiad, the interlibrary loan system. Just enter your BSU username and password to log in. Next, fill in the registration page, making sure all required fields are complete. Most importantly, if you are enrolled in a distance education program select "Distance Ed Graduate" in the Status box. This guarantees your requests are handled as if you are not physically on campus. See the screenshot for an example of choosing your status. You only need to complete the registration process once, so if you need to log into the system again, it will remember your information.

After you're logged into (and registered for) ILLiad, you'll need citation information from the item you'd like to request. If you've clicked on a Find It button, this information will be automatically filled in for you. You can also get citation information automatically by clicking the "Request via interlibrary loan" link from an item record in WorldCat.

The ILL office asks that you allow one week before an electronic copy of a journal article is sent to the e-mail address you provided when you registered. If BSU doesn't own the journal, it may take up to three weeks.

Books owned by University Libraries can be mailed to your home address (you must pay for return postage). However, if an item has to be borrowed from another library, you must come to campus to pick it up, which may be an option for you if you live near Muncie. If you don't, check WorldCat to see if a library close to you owns the book you're looking for.

I hope this gives you enough information to chart the sometimes murky waters of interlibrary loans. If you have more questions about the interlibrary loan process, you can get in touch with me or contact ILL Services directly. ILL is a great example of why you don't have to be in the library to use it!

Window to Your WorldCat

2007-04-22T18:08:00.000-04:00

If you're using library resources at a distance, you may find yourself wondering how to get an item that's not available in a full-text format from one of the University Libraries' many databases. Say you've looked up a book in CardCat that's just not available. You could request the item via interlibrary loan, but you live in Iowa and can't justify a trip to Muncie to pick up material from Bracken Library.

Did you know there's a quick and simple way to see if a local library has the item you need? Did you also know that many public libraries offer interlibrary loan services to their patrons? Read on about the wonders of WorldCat.

WorldCat allows you to search thousands of library catalogs (like CardCat) at once, providing you with a list of libraries that own the item you're looking for. The first screenshot shows an example of the number of options available when
searching WorldCat.

After clicking the Search button, you'll get an item record like the one displayed in the second screenshot.

By clicking the link for "Libraries worldwide that own item," you'll get a detailed list of libraries and their locations (see third screenshot). Notice that the list of locations starts with libraries close to Ball State's location, then spirals out from there.

WorldCat is a quick way to locate books anywhere in the country (or the world). You can even use the information in WorldCat records to fill out your interlibrary loan request forms.

Access WorldCat from the University Libraries' databases page under the W's. If you get stuck or need additional help, check out the Ask a Librarian services. And as always, remember you don't have to be in the library to use it!

Useful Features For You (UF4U)

2007-04-15T18:04:00.000-04:00

This week, I'd like to point out a feature that you may have noticed while using some of the resources available from the University Libraries: Find It @ BSU.

When you click on this icon while searching a database offered by the University Libraries, you access a powerful tool that can help you to find the information you need.

An article citation in a database may not have full text available. Clicking on the Find It icon brings up a window like the one in the screenshot. There are typically 3 parts to a Find It window:

Full text - If a full text version of an article is available in a database other than the one you're searching, it will be listed here. Click on the blue "Go" button to be taken to the new database. Your results may vary when you click Go, so be aware that in most cases, you'll want to have the year, volume, and page numbers handy as you try to locate the link to the article.

CardCat - If a full text version is not found, clicking the Go button next to the CardCat section will run a search for the title of the magazine or journal (not the article) in CardCat. If BSU Libraries subscribes to that journal, a record for that title will pop up. Look at the Holdings information and that will give you the location of the particular volume number you need.

Interlibrary Loan / ILLiad - Clicking the Go button in this section will take you to the ILLiad login screen. Follow the instructions to request the article via interlibrary loan. Please be aware that if full text of the article is available, interlibrary loan will not appear as an option on the Find It screen.

That's it for this week! Keep an eye out for other Useful Features for You highlighted in my weekly blog posts. If you have questions about this feature, feel free to use our Ask a Librarian services or leave a comment below.

As always, remember you don't have to be in the library to use it!

Distance Learning blog is back!

2007-04-08T18:15:00.000-04:00

Hello, everyone!

My name is Jason Fields, and I am the new Information Services Librarian for Distance Education at the University Libraries. I'll be updating the Distance Learning blog weekly either to draw your attention to new resources or to share a tip or trick with you regarding how to get the most out of Ball State's library services wherever you are!

So, let me start out with pulling back the curtain on two of our newest databases, PILOTS and CuminCAD.

PILOTS, or Published International Literature On Traumatic Stress, is updated monthly and deals specifically with the topic of post-traumatic stress and its effects. The range of literature dates back to 1871 and covers current information to date.

CumInCad, or the Cumulative Index of Computer Aided Architectural Design, gives you access to journals and conference papers in the field of computer aided architectural design. It's important to note that first-time users must create a new account with the "New users" link on the left-hand side of the page. The graphic shows you where to click the first time you visit.

Another new resource has been added to the Digital Commons under the E-Books node. From the resource's website: "Hebrewbooks.org was founded in order to preserve old American Hebrew books that are out of print and/or circulation. Many American Rabbis wrote seforim (Hebrew books) in the early part of the 20th century. They have long since passed away and in many instances so has their holy work.

Currently our mission has expanded to include all Torah Seforim ever printed. At Hebrewbooks.org you will be able to view and print the entire Sefer online."

And there you have it! Three new resources to try out when you have time, or need information. Remember, you don't have to be in the library to use it!

Until next week....

February 2007 newsletter online

2007-02-11T17:18:00.000-05:00

The February 2007 of the Library Insider newsletter is now available at http://www.bsu.edu/ library/ virtualpress/ libinsider/. It includes the following articles:

Cardinal Scholar Selected as Name for the Ball State Institutional Repository, p. 4
Libraries’ Digital Commons Provides One-Stop Access, p. 4
Fourth Annual Copyright Conference Carries Continuing Legal Education Credit, p. 6
Oxford African American Studies Center Now in the Libraries, p. 7
Elaine S. Nelson Enjoys Challenges, Changes in Interlibrary Loan Services, p. 10
Recent Updates to the Libraries’ Mobile Web Site for Handheld Devices, p. 10

January 2007 newsletter online

2007-01-26T15:35:00.000-05:00

You can read the latest edition of the Library Insider newsletter at http://www.bsu.edu/ library/ virtualpress/ libinsider. The January 2007 issue includes the following articles:

Bookmark Café @ Bracken Library Opens January 8, 2007, p. 1
Portable DVD Players Available for Loan, p. 1
Update on Libraries’ Digital Commons for Desktop Access, p. 2
Digital Media Repository Offers Collection of Collections, p. 2
Exhibit about Muncie’s Civil Rights Movement, p. 4
Integrated Library System Upgrade, p. 4
Libraries’ Instruction Program Strengthen Student Technical, Information Literacy, p. 5
Staff College Provides Libraries’ Personnel Learning Opportunities, p. 5
Connecting with Students Using Web 2.0 for Collaborative Communication, p. 6
Libraries Expand SFX Link Resolving Technology, p. 7
Xrefer Features Ball State University Libraries in Upcoming Case Study, p. 7
Interlibrary Loan Response Time Continues to Improve, p. 8
Developing Custom PowerPoint Application with CONTENTdm API, p. 9
Libraries Add ZUULA.com to Libraries’ Favorites, p. 9
Chapbooks Now Cataloged, p. 10
Historic Chapbook Collection for Research, Learning, p. 10
Stephen Abram’s 25 Technologies and the University Libraries, p. 11
Videos, Public Service Announcements Highlight Libraries’ Programs, Services, Collections, p. 12
WIKI Facilitates Collaboration at the University Libraries, p. 12

Welcome back, BSU!

2007-01-08T17:57:00.000-05:00

As the Spring 2007 semester begins at Ball State University, we just want to remind you to check out these useful web services from your University Libraries:

Ask a Librarian: Available by chat, e-mail, or phone, librarians are here to help you find resources and assist you with your research.
Student Virtual Library: Gain quick access to the research-oriented resources at the University Libraries by using this web portal.
Distance Learning Library Services: This recently updated webpage provides you with information about library services for distance education students, faculty, and staff. Be sure to check out our latest offerings here!
BSU Libraries' Hours and Calendars: We're here for you most every hour of every day; use this listing of hours and calendars to find out the best times to call, IM, or e-mail us!
Digital Media Repository: This repository of primary sources and other digital materials was created by the University Libraries for Ball State students. We hope you find it useful!

We look forward to working with you to make the University Libraries part of your success at BSU this semester!

Ball State University Libraries hours during finals and holidays

2006-12-08T16:21:00.000-05:00

The library will observe special hours during finals and the holidays. (Click the image below to enlarge the calendar.)For a complete list of dates and hours the University Libraries will be open, please go to http://www.bsu.edu/ library/ article/ 0,,14625--,00.html.

New resource: Web of Science

2006-11-16T15:52:00.000-05:00

The University Libraries recently purchased a subscription to the Web of Science database. This research resource offers "cross searching of Science Citation Index Expanded, Social Sciences Citation Index, and Arts & Humanities Citation Index back to 1992." Check out the database at http://www.bsu.edu/ libraries/ electronicresources/ databases.asp.

Thanksgiving Break hours

2006-11-16T15:51:00.000-05:00

The University Libraries will close at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, November 22, and reopen at 9 a.m. on Saturday, November 25, in observance of Thanksgiving Break. Ask a Librarian services, including chat and email, will not be active during the Break.

For more information about the University Libraries' hours and calendar, please go to http://www.bsu.edu/ library/ article/ 0,,14625--,00.html.

November 2006 newsletter online

2006-11-16T08:23:00.000-05:00

You can read the November 2006 issue of the University Libraries' Library Insider online at http://www.bsu.edu/ library/ virtualpress/ libinsider/. Articles of interest may include:

Libraries Developing a Digital Commons Web Page, p. 2
Libraries Offer Access to the Homeland Security Digital Suite, p. 4
Find It @ BSU Points to Lexis-Nexis Academic Database, p. 4
Expanding Online Catalog to Handle Modern Bibliographic Information, p. 5
Teaching Archives and the Digital Media Repository, p. 6
Newly Created Media Finder Makes Finding Chamber Music Easier, p. 7
Libraries’ GIS Workshop and Assistance Connects Researchers to Data, p. 8

Check out the entire issue online today!

Fall Break hours

2006-10-27T17:01:00.000-04:00

Bracken Library will remain open as usual over fall break, except for closing at midnight on Sunday, Oct. 29, and Monday, Oct. 30. Stop by and see us if you're in town!

To see the University Libraries' hours and complete calendar, please go to http://www.bsu.edu/library/article/0,,14625--,00.html.

October 2006 newsletter online

2006-10-18T16:41:00.000-04:00

The University Libraries' October 2006 issue of the Library Insider is now available online at http://www.bsu.edu/library/virtualpress/libinsider/. Articles in this issue include:

Improving Customer Service: Saying "Yes" when "No" has been the Answer, p. 1
Automated Card-Swipe Locks are Key to Bracken Library's Convenience and Security, p. 1
Sights and Sounds of Learning in the University Libraries, p. 2
University Libraries' Instructional Services Program, p. 3
Information Fair Connects Students with Campus Organizations, p. 3
Computers and Library Information Systems for Access to Global Information, p. 4
Roy S. Simmonds Papers Added to the John Steinbeck Collection, p. 5
Personal Tribute to Roy S. Simmonds by Prof. Tetsumaro Hayashi, p. 5
Two Outstanding Steinbeck Scholars Receive Pruis and Burkhardt Awards, p. 6
University Libraries' Regularly Reported on by The Ball State Daily News, p. 6
Architecture Images Collection Strengthened by Donations, p. 6
Instructional Technology for Student Engagement, p. 7
Deyang City Delegates from the People's Republic of China Tour Bracken, p. 7
Libraries' Digital Media Repository Mentioned in Microform and Imaging Review, p. 7
ISI's Web of Science Interdisciplinary Citation Database Now Available, p. 8
Murry M. and Edith C. Wise Library Fund Established, p. 8
Supporting the University Libraries - Tribute with Books, p. 10

September 2006 newsletter online

2006-09-15T14:23:00.000-04:00

You can read the latest issue of the Library Insider at http://www.bsu.edu/library/virtualpress/libinsider/. The newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest news and events at the the Ball State University Libraries.

This month's issue included information about new library funding, additions to the music collection, the increased availability of full-text journals through the University Libraries' online databases, instructions on how to care for optical discs, and more. Read all the articles in the September 2006 issue online.

Resource to try: McClatchy-Tribune Collection

2006-09-11T16:10:00.000-04:00

Ball State University users can access the McClatchy-Tribune Collection from the University Libraries' databases page: http://www.bsu.edu/ libraries/ electronicresources/ databases.asp. The database, formerly known as the Knight-Ridder Collection, includes newspaper articles published in the last 90 days. You will find over 100 newspapers from around the nation and published by McClatchy in the database; this includes the Chicago Tribune, Orlando Sentinel, Seattle Times, and others.

You can search the database for keywords or browse by publication. For example, this sample keyword search of the database will find articles on Sept. 11th remembrance activities. You can also browse publications by title and date; for example, this link takes you to all the articles from the July 4, 2006, issue of the Chicago Tribune.

Off-campus users will be prompted to enter their BSU username and password in order to access the database.

If you have questions or would like additional information on library resources, please contact Stacy. To find out more about the University Libraries' latest resources, check out the News & Events blog.

Nursing Blogs

2006-09-06T16:59:00.000-04:00

Welcome Nursing 605 students. Take a look at one of the blogs listed below and make a short post (no more than a paragraph) to this blog (i.e. The Distance Learning Services Blog).

Comment on one of the following:

a.)Strength of blogs for professional communication
b.)Weakness of blogs
c.)Whether or not you feel blogs are useful and why

Alternatively, if you already regularly visit a blog, tell us the name of the blog and either
How it benefits you or what you like about the blog.

Nursing Blogs

Code Blog - tales of a nurse
Head-Nurse
About a nurse
Tales of an aspiring nightingale
The Nurse Practitioner's Place
Third Degree Nurse
University of Arizona College Nursing Blog

Labor Day hours

2006-09-01T15:50:00.000-04:00

Bracken Library will open at noon on Monday, September 4, 2006.

For a complete listing of the University Libraries' hours, please see http://www.bsu.edu/library/article/0,,14625--,00.html.

Ball State University Libraries' News - August 2006

2006-08-08T16:01:00.000-04:00

The August 2006 version of the Library Insider, the Ball State University Libraries' newsletter is now available online.

The University Libraries will resume regular service hours on Monday, August 14. For a complete list of service hours, please refer to the hours & calendar page.

Change in Library Hours

2006-07-20T23:30:00.000-04:00

For the interim period between July 23 and August 20, the library will be open until Midnight from Sunday through Thursday. See the Hours & Calendar page for a complete list of service hours.

New Database

2006-07-17T18:04:00.000-04:00

We recently added CQ Weekly to the databases page. Each issue of CQ Weekly - fully archived to 1983 on the Web - looks forward and back. You get in-depth reports on issues looming on the congressional horizon, plus a complete wrap up the previous week's news, including the status of bills in play, behind-the-scenes maneuvering, committee and floor activity, debates and all roll-call votes.

If you have any questions about this database or any other library resources, feel free to ask a librarian!

ILLiad Interlibrary Loan System Available Again

2006-07-12T23:06:00.000-04:00

The University Libraries is pleased to announce all online features of the ILLiad Interlibrary Loan system are available to members of the campus community following the completion of technical improvements to the system.

In addition to increased security, users of this popular service for obtaining informational materials from other libraries will notice improved response time during the user authentication process.

The University Libraries thank users of this service for their patience while the server was being installed. We invite everyone to try the new service at www.bsu.edu/library/collections/ill.

For more information, please contact Elaine Nelson, Interlibrary Loan Supervisor, at 765-285-1324.

Fourth of July Hours

2006-06-29T23:27:00.000-04:00

We will be open from noon until 3:00 a.m. on Independence Day. A daytime librarian will be available to answer your questions from noon until 6:00 pm and I will be available from 4:00 pm to 1:00 am.

The Hours & Calendars page has a complete list of summer and holiday hours.

IM a Librarian!

2006-06-29T23:26:00.000-04:00

You can now IM a BSU Librarian morning, noon, or night! Not sure where to start your research? Having trouble getting to the full text of an article? Add us to your buddy list and ask away!

AIM: bsulibrarian
MSN: bsulibrarian
Yahoo: bsulibrarian

If you aren't comfortable with using instant messaging, you can still email or call the reference desk.

A Couple of Recently Acquired Databases...

2006-06-27T23:32:00.000-04:00

AgeLine - A bibliographic index to social gerontology and aging-related research from psychology, sociology, social work, economics, public policy, and the health sciences.

Fiction Connection - Not sure what to read this summer? Try this new, reader's advisory database!

Ball State University Libraries' News - July 2006

2006-06-27T23:26:00.000-04:00

The July 2006 version of the Library Insider, the Ball State University Libraries' newsletter is now available online .

This month's newsletter contains articles on summer reading, social software, improvements to the University Libraries, and much more!

Access Your Library Account Online!

2006-06-15T18:54:00.000-04:00

Did you know that you can view and renew library materials online?

Here's how!

First you must request a PIN for your library account:

Go to the University Libraries' homepage and click on the "Policies & Forms" link under the "About the Libraries" heading.

Go to the "Forms" column and click on the "PIN Request" link. Complete and submit the form. Your PIN will be emailed to you within two days. (For security reasons, we can only email your PIN to a Ball State University email account.)

You may also call the Main Circulation desk at (765) 285-5143 to request that a PIN be sent to you by snail mail.

Now you are ready to log in to your library account! You will find links to "My Account" in the following places:

In the blue toolbar near the top of the screen in CardCat.

In the library links column located on the left-hand side of every University Libraries' web page.

After you click on "My Account" you will see this menu:
Click on "Review My Account" and enter your BSU ID and PIN to access a list of all of the materials you have checked out from the University Libraries. Click on "User PIN Change" to change your PIN. (We recommend that you change your PIN from the number issued to you.) Click on "Renew My Materials" and enter your BSU ID and PIN to renew all or any of the materials checked out to you.

Online Learning in the News: Social Software and Recommended Resources

2006-06-12T23:57:00.000-04:00

Social Software and Online Education:

Teaching Social Software with Social Software - Examines how social software enables students to participate in distributed research, an approach to learning in which knowledge is collectively constructed and shared.

Uses and Potentials of Wikis in the Classroom - Argues that wikis are one possible tool to help bridge the gap between teachers and students.

Safety and Social Software:

Online Persona Undermines a Resume - Can MySpace prevent you from landing your dream job?

The Pandora's Box of Social Networking - Talking about online safety is important!

Recommended Resources to Get You Started:

Blogger - Provides free, automated blog publishing tool that allows you to create and customize blogs. The Distance Learning Library Services blog runs on Blogger.

del.icio.us - Share bookmarks and add tags to describe a link. Here is an example of an educator's account.

Facebook - Social networking for College and University students.

Instructional Video Resources - A portal to sites that will help you to create and share online videos.

Flickr - Store and share photos online. One Art History class used Flickr to encourage students to comment on paintings.

MediaWiki - A free software package originally written for wikipedia. The Biz Wiki is a good example of a site that runs on MediaWiki.

MySpace - Ubiquitous social networking site. See the University Libraries' Myspace for an example of an educational utilization.

Ball State University Libraries' News - June 2006

2006-06-12T22:44:00.000-04:00

The June 2006 version of the Library Insider, the Ball State University Libraries' newsletter is now available online.

This month's newsletter contains articles on distance learning, major accomplishments of 2005-06, an update on the interlibrary loan system and much more.

Online Learning in the News: Net Neutrality and Higher Education

2006-06-04T17:12:00.000-04:00

Articles on Net Neutrality and Higher Education:

The Net Neutrality Debate: The Basics - Overview of the problem and potential solutions from the EDUCAUSE Review

Net Neutrality Showdown - CNET portal providing up-to-date information on Net Neutrality and the Internet Freedom and Nondiscrimination Act of 2006.

Net Neutrality and Higher Education - Bangor Daily News article discussing the relationship between Net Neutrality and distance education.

Link to "Selected Internet Resources for Nurses and Nursing Students"

2006-05-30T15:55:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Distance Learning Library Services blog Nursing 605 students!

Here is a link to the Selected Internet Resources for Nurses and Nursing Students post.

I hope you enjoy our blog! Please let me know if you have any questions.

Want to Get Some Work Done on Memorial Day?

2006-05-28T18:43:00.000-04:00

You can with the university Libraries!

Bracken Library will open at noon on Memorial Day! You can also rely on our regular Ask a Librarian services to handle your research and information needs as a reference librarian will be on duty.

For more information on our summer and holiday hours, see the Hours & Calendars page.

Online Learning in the News: Podcasting

2006-05-28T17:40:00.000-04:00

A few links related to online learning and podcasting:

Podcast Lectures for Uni Students - A lecturer at West Yorkshire University has abandoned traditional lectures in favor of podcasts.

AU Washington Collge of Law Podcasting Success - Their 200+ episodes have been downloaded almost 65,000 times.

New Free Podcasting Application - A free PHP script that lets users upload media files via a web form and automatically create an RSS 2.0 podcast feed.

Podcast Alley - A Podcast directory that includes an online forum, podcast software and other podcasting information.

Current Database Trials

2006-05-24T23:20:00.000-04:00

The following is a list of our current database trials:

ArchiveGrid (Available through 5/31/2006)

Descriptions of archival records held by libraries all around the United States. Items include historical documents, personal papers, and family histories.

Associations Unlimited (Available through 6/17/2006)

Associations Unlimited is the online version of Encyclopedia of Associations and is a directory of international, U.S. national, and local associations and non-profit agencies. Entries typically include the address, phone number, budget, number of members, narrative sections and other detailed information.

Health and Wellness Resource Center (Available through 5/26/2006)

Medical, statistical, health, and wellness information from reference books as well as full-text magazines, journals, websites, and pamphlets from a wide variety of authoritative medical sources.

Historical Statistics of the U.S. (available through 6/2/2006)

A package of web-accessible statistics relating to U.S. history and demography. Same content as the print and CD-ROM versions available in Bracken Library 1West.

Oxford African American Studies Center (Available through 6/15/2006)

Online reference books on African American Studies published by Oxford University Press. Also includes biographies, timelines, images, primary source documents, maps, selected websites, charts and tables.

Let me know if you think any of these would be useful to you. Also, be sure to let me know if you would like us to arrange a trial subscription for a particular database in your field.

Database of the Week

2006-05-22T16:59:00.000-04:00

I will be spotlighting a new library database every Monday!

This week's database is the New York Times historical newspapers. The New York Times database allows you to search the complete text of the New York Times from 1851-2003 and retrieve PDF images of original articles, including photographs and drawings, obituaries, birth and marriage announcements, and advertisements. Supplements, including the Magazine and the Book Review, are also included.

The content in this database will always be two years behind the present. For current New York Times articles, see LexisNexis Academic News (text only from 1980 to present).

Online Learning in the News

2006-05-21T17:10:00.000-04:00

A few links to some news articles related to distance learning...

Homework Help, From a World Away - Online students find cheap overseas tutors

Managing Intellectual Property for Distance Learning - The University System of Georgia's formal protocol and assessment process for using intellectal property in online courses. For more on intellectual property and copyright law, visit the University Copyright Center.

Online Degree Programs Take Off - As schools embrace online programs, students log on to expand their education as they work.

Palm-Sized Digital Device Redefining the Classroom - It's the ipod's turn to redefine the way college students learn.

Create a Link from Your Blackboard Course to the Distance Learning Library Services Page!

2006-05-18T23:26:00.000-04:00

1. Once in your Blackboard course, click on the Control Panel.

2. In the Control Panel, click on the "Other Web Sites" link in the "Content Areas" box.

3. Click on the "External Links" link located in the gray toolbar near the top of your screen.

4. Name the link and add the URL (http://www.bsu.edu/library/collections/distanceed/), review the availability options and click the Submit button.

5. Your students can now access the Distance Learning Library Services page by clicking the "Other Web Sites" link in the welcome screen of your course in Blackboard.

Summer Hours 2006

2006-05-08T21:51:00.000-04:00

Over the summer, variations in the University Libraries hours correspond with the Summer Sessions and interim periods.

Basically, Bracken Library will remain open from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. from Sunday through Thursday whenever classes are in session and will close at midnight during interim periods. Check the online calendar for weekend and holiday hours.

My personal hours will shift to 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. for the entire summer.

The Ball State University Libraries Are Cutting-Edge Cool!

2006-05-03T01:44:00.000-04:00

A few of our newest technological feats...

University Libraries' Toolbar - Download the University Libraries' toolbar for easy access to library resources and services in Internet Explorer and Firefox.

RSS Feeds - RSS feeds allow you to view the headlines of news content from several sources in one location. The University Libraries' has several blogs (including this one) with RSS feeds. You can subscribe to these feeds and access them all at once through an online news aggregator, like Bloglines.

MySpace - The University Libraries' has its very own MySpace profile! MySpace is a free online social community that allows its users to blog, join groups, send instant messages, promote events, share photos and much more. If you have a MySpace page, be sure to add us to your friends list!

Selected Internet Resources for Educators and Education Students

2006-04-27T23:58:00.000-04:00

Here is a list of education-related sites that I have collected from various sources. Enjoy!

Books for Youth

ALSC Literary and Related Awards
A list of the annual awards granted by the Association for Library Service to Children. This includes Newberry Medal Books, Caldecott Medal Books,
http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/awardsscholarships/literaryawds/literaryrelated.htm

Books in Print
An online database provided by University Libraries, Books in Print provides bibliographic information on over 5 million books.
http://www.booksinprint.com/bip/

Challenged and Banned Books
Information about how and why books are challenged and banned and links to lists of frequently challenged and banned books.
http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bannedbooksweek.htm

The Children’s Literature Web Guide
Provides access to Internet resources related to books for children and young adults, including award lists; parent, writer's and storyteller's resources; full text children's books; publisher's information; listservs; and author's pages.
http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/%7Edkbrown/index.html

Coretta Scott King Book Award
An annual award honoring the work of African American authors and illustrators and books that promote understanding and appreciation of the culture of all people and their contribution to the realization of the American dream.
http://www.ala.org/ala/emiert/corettascottkingbookawards/corettascott.htm

Imaginary Lands
A portal to three distinct sites: Picturing Books: A Website about Picture Books, Children’s Literature Navigator (a directory of links related to children’s literature, literacy, and early childhood), and Passport: International Children’s Literature.
http://www.imaginarylands.org/

Kidspace @ The Internet Public Library: Reading Zone
Information about children and young adult books and authors as well as links to other online children and young adult literature resources.
http://www.ipl.org/kidspace/browse/rzn0000

Read-Aloud Books Too Good to Miss
An annual list of read-aloud books for primary school, intermediate school, middle school and high school aged students.
http://www.ilfonline.org/AIME/ReadAloud/ReadAloud.htm

Indiana Education Sites

Indiana’s Academic Standards
http://www.doe.state.in.us/standards/

Indiana Department of Education
http://www.doe.state.in.us/

Indiana K-12 School Data
http://www.doe.state.in.us/htmls/education.html

Indiana School Directory
http://www.doe.state.in.us/publications/schooldirectory.html

Indiana Textbook Adoption
http://ideanet.doe.state.in.us/olr/textbook/welcome.html

Educational Testing and Assessment

American Psychological Association
Provides information on finding published and unpublished tests and measures as well as a review of the coverage provided by Tests in Print, Mental Measurements Yearbook, Tests, and Test Critiques. Access to the “Code of Fair Testing Practices in Education” is also provided.
http://www.apa.org/science/faq-findtests.html
http://www.apa.org/science/fairtestcode.html

Buros Institute of Mental Measurements
Contains general information on psychological tests as well as guides to effectively their publications, Mental Measurements Yearbook and Tests in Print.
http://www.unl.edu/buros/

Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST)
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education and the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, CRESST conducts research on topics relating to K-12 educational testing and provides online access to their policy briefs, newsletters and assessments and rubrics.
http://cresst96.cse.ucla.edu/resources/justforteachers_set.htm

Educational Testing Service
The Educational Testing Service provides access to over 20,000 tests and other measurement devices from the early 1900s to the present as well as educational assessment research and analysis.
http://www.ets.org/

Frontline: Testing Our Schools
A Frontline special on educational assessment as they relate to the No Child Left Behind Act.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/schools/

Lexile Framework for Reading
A widely adopted approach for measuring reader ability and text difficulty, the Lexile Framework is recognized as an accurate way to match readers with text.
http://www.lexile.com/EntrancePageFlash.html?1

Yahoo Education: Education Standards and Testing
Includes links to companies and organizations that produce tests as well as test preparation information.
http://dir.yahoo.com/Education/Standards_and_Testing/

K-12 Curriculum Materials

Best on the Web for Teachers
A ranked, annotated list of education related sites.
http://teachers.teach-nology.com/

Blue Web'n
From SBCKnowledge Network, an online library of 1968 outstanding Internet sites categorized by subject, grade level, and format (tools, references, lessons, hotlists, resources, tutorials, activities, projects).
http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/bluewebn/

Education World
Education World provides access to original content, such as lesson plans, educational technology, site reviews and journal articles. The site also contains a search engine for educational web sites.
http://www.educationworld.com/

Educator's Reference Desk
Formerly AskERIC, the Educator's Reference Desk includes over 2000 lesson plans and over 3000 links to online education information.
http://www.eduref.org/

Federal Resources for Educational Excellence (FREE)
Dedicated to making federally supported teaching and learning materials more accessible, FREE is a searchable collection of curriculum materials created by federal agencies.
http://www.ed.gov/free/index.html

Gateway to Education Materials (GEM)
Sponsored by the US Department of Education, GEM is a Consortium effort to provide educators with quick and easy access to thousands of educational resources found on various federal, state, university, non-profit, and commercial Internet sites.
http://www.thegateway.org/

Internet Mathematics Library
A searchable listing of math teaching activities and lesson plans.
http://mathforum.org/library/

Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators
Provides extensive resources for K-12 students and teachers covering 20 major categories of curriculum subject matter; excellent source of background material and curriculum content as well as teaching activities.
http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/

Kooker Kids
Online games, coloring pages, easy craft projects, early learning, kids activities, art galleries, and more!
http://www.kookerkids.com/index.htm

Lesson Plans and Teaching Strategies
A huge listing of internet sites that freely provide K-12 curriculum resources.
http://www.csun.edu/~hcedu013/plans.html

Lesson Plans Page
A collection of over 2,500 lesson plans, most of them at the elementary level, developed and selected by students and faculty at The University of Missouri.
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/

The Learning Page
A project of the Library of Congress, The Learning Page is designed to help educators use The American Memory Collection to teach history and culture. The Learning Page contains lesson plans, tips for using primary resources, discussions and activities.
http://memory.loc.gov/learn/

MarcoPolo
MarcoPolo is a nonprofit consortium of premier national and international education organizations and the MCI Foundation dedicated to providing the highest quality Internet content and professional development to teachers and students. MarcoPolo includes seven content Web sites with lesson plans, student interactive content, downloadable worksheets, link to panel reviewed Web sites and additional content created by education organizations.
http://www.marcopolo-education.org/home.aspx

Merlot
A free and open resource primarily designed for students of higher education, Merlot provides access to online learning materials, including peer reviews and assignments.
http://merlot.org/Home.po

Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning
Links to lesson plans that and other resources that are helpful for curriculum planning.
http://www.mcrel.org/lesson-plans/

Teachers’ Domain
A multimedia digital library for the classroom that includes background articles for each resource, correlations to national and state curriculum standards and media-rich lesson plans.
http://www.teachersdomain.org/

Sites for Teachers
Links to lesson plan sites, classroom projects, interactive activities and other sites that provide curriculum support resources. The sites are ranked by popularity.
http://www.sitesforteachers.com/

Organizations, Associations and Government Agencies for Education

Access Indiana: Education and Training
A portal to education agencies and associations in Indiana.
http://www.in.gov/ai/education/

Educational Associations and Organizations
This site contains an annotated list of over 30 educational associations and organizations selected by the US Department of Education.
http://www.ed.gov/about/contacts/gen/othersites/associations.html

Education Resource Organizations Directory (EROD)
EROD is a directory used to identify and contact organizations that provide information and assistance on a broad range of education-related topics.
http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/Programs/EROD/

Indiana Department of Education
Links to state education information as well as current news, listservs and related web sites.
http://www.doe.state.in.us/

State Education Departments
Links to US State Education Departments.
http://edstandards.org/St/StandardsSED.html

U.S. Department of Education
Includes information on policies, programs, publications, research and statistics.
http://www.ed.gov/index.jhtml

Yahoo Education Organizations
Links to education organizations and professional education associations.
http://dir.yahoo.com/Education/Organizations/

Standards in Education

Curriculum Standards for Social Studies
Developed by a Task Force of the National Council for the Social Studies and approved by the NCSS Board of Directors in April 1994.
http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/

Developing Educational Standards
Standards by subject and locale
http://edstandards.org/Standards.html

Indiana’s Academic Standards
Full-text versions of Indiana’s academic standards, standards resources and assessment materials.
http://www.doe.state.in.us/standards/

National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
An independent organization that has developed standards in 27 different fields for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do.
http://www.nbpts.org/standards/index.cfm

National ESL Standards for Pre-K-12 Students
Developed by The Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), the standards are currently being revised to reflect changes resulting from the No Child Left Behind Act.
http://www.tesol.org/s_tesol/seccss.asp?CID=113&DID=1583

National Standards for Health Education
Developed by the American Association for Health Education.
http://www.aahperd.org/aahe/template.cfm?template=natl_health_education_standards.html

National Information Literacy Standards
Developed in 1998 by the American Association of School Librarians.
http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslissues/aaslinfolit/informationliteracy1.htm

National Science Education Standards
Developed by the National Research Council in 1995.
http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/html/

National Standards for Arts Education
Developed by the Consortium of National Arts Education Associations, the National Standards for Arts Education outline what every K-12 student should know about the arts.
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/teach/standards/

National Standards for Dance Education
Developed in 1994 by the National Dance Association.
http://www.aahperd.org/nda/template.cfm?template=standards.html

National Standards for Foreign Language Education
Developed in 1996 by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.
http://www.actfl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3392

National Standards for Music Education
Developed in 1994 by the National Association for Music Education.
http://www.menc.org/publication/books/standards.htm

National Standards for Sport and Physical Education
Developed by the National Association for Sport & Physical Education.
http://www.aahperd.org/naspe/template.cfm?template=publications-nationalstandards.html

National Standards for the English Language Arts
English language arts standards developed by the International Reading Association and National Council of English Teachers in 1996.
http://www.ncte.org/about/over/standards/

Principles and Standards for School Mathematics
Math standards and expectations for all grade levels as set by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics in 1991.
http://standards.nctm.org/

Temporary Interlibrary Loan Changes

2006-04-24T23:08:00.000-04:00

Though the interlibrary loan request system is currently unavailable, you can still submit interlibrary loan requests by email to interlib@bsu.edu. For each request, please supply your full name, department, contact telephone, and contact email address. In addition, please supply this descriptive information about your desired item: author, title, journal title, volume, issue (if applicable), date of publication, and your "not needed after date".

The ILL office will attempt to email the requested article to you as a PDF. If the file is too large, they will try sending it in sections. If this doesn't work, they will mail a print version of the article to a specified address.

Please call the ILL office at 765-285-1324 if you have any further questions!

End of the Semester Resources

2006-04-19T00:02:00.000-04:00

Here are a few sites that should help to ease you through the last few weeks of the semester! Leave comments if you would like to suggest additional resources!

Ten Things Every Microsoft Word User Should Know

If you don't have access to Endnote, use EasyBib!

Online reference books are a fantastic way to begin your research. Give xreferplus a try.

Don't forget to Ask a Librarian if you get stuck (check out our extended April hours)!

Want a better way to search the web? Use Furl to search and save Web pages in a personal archive.

Brush up on study skills

Need a soundtrack by which to study? Create a personalized radio station!

Searching the Deep Web

2006-04-11T23:06:00.000-04:00

The deep web is made up of all the Internet resources that cannot be retrieved through traditional search engines. Much of the deep web consists of information that is stored in databases. Search engines cannot find this information because the database dynamically generates a web page for every query. See this article for further explanation.

Luckily, there are approaches we can take for accessing information stored in the deep web:

Internet directories are sites that consist of a collection of links that are organized by a classification scheme to enable subject browsing.

Librarians' Internet Index - This directory was created and is maintained by librarians. The sites are organized by Library of Congress Subject Headings (as is the University Libraries!).
Infomine - A virtual library of Internet resources relevant to faculty, students, and research staff at the university level.
The Open Directory Project - The largest, most comprehensive human-edited directory of the web. It is constructed and maintained by volunteers'

Use Google and other search engines to locate searchable databases by including the word "database" in your search. For example, search "UFO and database" or "zombie and database."

If you would like to learn more about the deep web, please see Deep Web Research, a blog devoted to monitoring deep web research resources and sites on the Internet.

Selected Internet Resources for Nurses and Nursing Students

2006-04-07T01:39:00.000-04:00

The latest edition of College & Research Libraries News includes a sampling of sites for nurses and nursing students.

Here is a selected list of their sites:

U.S.

government medical and health information resources

NLM Gateway
This site is a handy entry point for searching the many valuable resources at the National Library of Medicine. It provides a global search function for Pubmed, Pubmed Central, and Medline Plus, all of which are discussed below.
http://gateway.nlm.nih.gov/gw/Cmd

Resources for medical professionals and researchers

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
This federal agency both conducts and sponsors research on healthcare quality, safety, and cost-effectiveness.
http://www.ahrq.gov/about/nursing/

National Institute of Nursing Research
One of the National Institutes of Health, this organization’s mission is to support research in nursing in clinical and community settings through grants and other funding programs.
http://ninr.nih.gov/ninr/index.html

Nongovernmental portals

BioMed Central
This resource publishes more than 140 open access journals covering all areas of biology and medicine.
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcnurs/

Hardin MD
The “MD” stands for “Meta Directory” and the University of Iowa’s Hardin Library for the Health Sciences is one of the best and most complete directories for medical and health-related links.
http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/hardin/md/index.html

HealthWeb
This well-organized collection of evaluated, noncommercial resources is a collaborative project of health sciences libraries at more than 20 leading academic medical centers in the Midwest. Easy to use, it offers basic and guided searching or browsing by categories from AIDS and HIV to Women’s Health.
http://healthweb.org/index.cfm

Online Journal of Issues in Nursing (OJIN)OJIN is a free, peer-reviewed, international journal addressing topics affecting nursing practice, research, education, and the wider health care sector.
http://www.nursingworld.org/ojin/

Study aids for nursing students

AMA Medical Ethics Web pages.
The American Medical Association (AMA) offers resources and information about medical ethics. One especially helpful resource for nursing students is their "Virtual Mentor, an interactive, Web-based forum for analysis and discussion of ethical and professional issues."
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/2416.html.

Geriatric Assessment-Case Studies
The Virtual Health Care Team Web site is sponsored by the School of Health Professions and the School of Medicine at University of Missouri. Among other resources, it offers four "interdisciplinary geriatric assessment" case studies.
http://www.vhct.org/index.shtml

Gray’s Anatomy of the Human Body
The Bartleby.com edition of Gray’s Anatomy features 1,247 pictures from the classic 1918 publication, as well as a subject index with 13,000 entries.
http://www.bartleby.com/107/

Human Anatomy Online
Easy to navigate, the user begins by choosing among ten systems: skeletal, digestive, muscular, lymphatic, endocrine, nervous, cardiovascular, male or female reproductive, and urinary. Graphics are interactive and users can view animations of the system, tutorials, and descriptions.
http://www.innerbody.com/htm/body.html.

McGill University Virtual Stethoscope
This is surely a unique Internet resource for medical and nursing students. As its name suggests, it is a multimedia tutorial featuring a virtual stethoscope to assess both respiratory and cardiovascular conditions.
http://sprojects.mmi.mcgill.ca/mvs/mvsteth.htm

Medical Images on the Web
University of Nebraska Medical Center offers this excellent portal with evaluated, annotated links to online image collections organized into the following categories: General, Anatomy and Histology, Cardiology, Dermatology, Embriology, Endoscopy, Neurology, Pathology, Pediatrics, and ENT.
http://www.unmc.edu/library/reference/medimage.html

Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy
The Merck Manual’s 17th, Centennial Edition is available free, searchable by keyword or the table of contents. Merck also offers two other complete manuals through this site: The Merck Manual of Geriatrics and The Merck Manual of Health & Aging.
http://www.merck.com/mrkshared/mmanual/sections.jsp

Physical Exam Study Guides
Created by the University of Florida Medical program, these guides are thorough and clear. The exams offered are: Vital Signs, Back and Extremity, Chest and Lung, Cardiology, Head and Neck, Eye, Abdominal, Breast, Pelvic, Neurologic, and Mental Status.
http://medinfo.ufl.edu/year1/bcs/clist/index.html

RN Central
Created by nurses for nurses and students, this site offers good resource links, but the highlight is its “Careplan Corner,” with predefined nursing care plans under three categories: “Altered/Alterations,” “Impaired/Impairment,” and “General.”
http://www.rncentral.com/

RxList
Information provided for each drug includes the description, clinical pharmacology, indications and dosage, side effects and drug interactions, warnings and precautions, drug overdosage contraindications, and patient information.
http://www.rxlist.com

Nursing associations, online forums, and discussion lists

American Nurses Association (ANA)
The ANA represents American registered nurses (RNs). The site provides information on current issues in nursing (workplace rights, patient safety, and ethics) and a sophisticated career center with a searchable jobs database, space for posting résumés, and advice for job-seekers. http://www.ana.org or http://nursingworld.org.

International Council of Nurses
"A federation of national nurses’associations (NNAs), representing nurses in more than 128 countries," that focuses on quality in nursing internationally and global health policy. http://www.icn.ch/index.html.

Online forums and discussion lists

Nursing Discussion Forums
http://nursing.buffalo.edu/mccartny/nursing_discussion_forums.html

Nursing Email Discussion Lists http://nursing.buffalo.edu/mccartny/nursing_discussion_forums.html#1

Skepticism in Nursing Discussion forum http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/skepticrn/

Library Instruction for Distance Classes is Possible!

2006-04-06T01:21:00.000-04:00

Just because your class doesn't regularly meet on campus doesn't mean you have to miss out on library instruction. If there are any class meetings on campus, faculty are encouraged to schedule a library instruction session. Please use the Library Instruction Request Form to schedule your session. Individual students who are going to be on campus may also schedule an appointment with a reference librarian for one-on-one instuction.

Faculty who have purely online classes should contact Kelli Keclik or Lisa Barnett, the Instructional Services Librarian, to discuss online library instruction opportunities.

Students needing research assistance should also try:

Revisiting Ready, Set, Research! for a general introduction to academic research.
Browsing our Research Guides to locate print and online resources on a given topic.
Going to the Ask a Librarian page to email or chat with a reference librarian.

Extended Library Hours in April

2006-03-31T01:49:00.000-05:00

Good news for all you night owls! From April 9 through May 4, Bracken Library will be open 24 hours a day Sundays through Thursdays!!!

An additional night librarian, Eric Fisher, was recently hired so that we could extend reference services during this time period. Eric will be available by phone (765-285-1101) and Live Cha t from 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. Sunday through Thursday. Contact Eric with any early morning questions or concerns and be sure to welcome him to the University Libraries!

The Skinny on Google Scholar

2006-03-22T01:18:00.000-05:00

Google Scholar is a quick and easy way to broadly search scholarly literature. Google Scholar searches across academic disciplines for scholarly materials like peer-reviewed journal articles, theses, books and abstracts.

“Citation chaining” is nearly effortless with Google Scholar thanks to the inclusion of “Cited by” links. Clicking on a “Cited by” link will display a list of the books and articles that have cited the document originally retrieved in the search. This allows you to uncover additional sources and quickly gauge the importance of the article within the field (if a lot of other authors are citing it, it should be an authoritative source!)

Links to “Find It @ BSU,” which direct Ball State University users from citations to full-text articles in the University Libraries’ databases, also appear in Google Scholar search results. If you are searching Google Scholar outside of the Ball State University campus, you will need to configure your Google Scholar Preferences to display Find it @ BSU links:

1. Go to Google Scholar
2. Click on the Scholar Preferences Link
3. Type Ball State University in the “Library Links” box
4. Save Preferences

Don’t forget that you can also remotely access the University Libraries’ databases to search for journal articles!

Keeping You Current!

2006-02-27T02:00:00.000-05:00

Hello, I am Kelli Keclik, Night Information Services Librarian and library liaison for the School of Extended Education. The purpose of this blog is to keep distance education students and faculty aware of new and notable resources and services offered by the Ball State University Libraries.

Distance education students and faculty can access the same resources and services as any other library user. Among the library resources available to distance learners are

CardCat: The University Libraries' online card catalog
Databases: Over 170 databases, many of which provide full-text access
Ask a Librarian: Research assistance by phone, email or Live Chat
Interlibrary Loan: Submit requests for journal articles and other circulating materials
Research Guides: Online guides to resources and databases

The Distance Learning Library Services web page is a great place to learn more about library resources and services available to distance learners.

Please don't hesitate to contact me with your information and research needs. I may be reached by

Phone: 765-285-1101 (Reference Desk) or 765-285-3326 (office)
Email: kkeclik@bsu.edu
Live Chat: Sunday through Thursday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and 11p.m. to 1 a.m

Other librarians are available to help by phone, email, and Live Chat throughout the day and on weekends. See the Ask a Librarian page for a complete list of service hours.

If you would like to share your questions or ideas with others, please use the "Comments" link below.