More Fall Library Labs!
Posted on October 21, 2009
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Hey Everyone!
I just scheduled more library labs for students and posted them over there on the right. PLEASE help me out by telling me if your students’ free time doesn’t coincide with any of the labs I’ve scheduled, and I’ll be happy to schedule some more.
There are LOTS of things happening in the library this semester! One big new thing is that Library West and the Architecture/Fine Arts Library now have Flip video cameras available to check out for three days. Awesome! If any of you create a video about doing research, share it with me and I’ll do my best to make you famous 
Cheers!
Missy
Happy Fall!
Posted on September 9, 2009
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I’m always so excited at the start of a new fall semester– so many students in the library, lots of people everywhere out on the Plaza… it’s a good time!
Today I posted some Library Labs for September and October on the First-Year Writing LibGuide and over there on the right side of this page. Instructors, please let me know if you’d like to see more during a particular week and I’ll schedule some. The labs are meant for your students to come to if they need a bit more help or have a question about research. They can work on their papers or look for books and articles if they don’t have a particular question.
A library person will be there the whole time to offer help!
Library toolbar for Firefox
Posted on July 21, 2009
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If you like Firefox, and I already know you heart the library and research, then the LibX UF toolbar is probably something you want to try out.
Here are some screen shots and instructions on downloading.
But why use it? It’s actually a very powerful tool. Let’s say you’re hopping around the internet and you see something you want to know more about. Plug in a keyword into the toolbar and search the libraries without going to the library catalog website.
Let’s say you’re doing a little research, maybe in Google Scholar or getting some background info on Wikipedia. If you have the toolbar installed, you’ll see an icon next to citations that you can click on to see if the libraries have that book or journal.
Or, let’s say you’re cruising through Amazon.com or another main bookseller… you’ll see the LibX icon next to titles. So you’ll just click on it to see if the book’s available at your library so you don’t have to buy it.
When you’re off campus, you know how you have to use off-campus access to be able to read articles in databases? With the toolbar, if you Google a topic, for example, you can right-click to see the option to reload the page using the library’s VPN server in case you forgot before.
What’s that you say? You don’t know what the VPN server is? It’s something you can download from the library’s website to help you with off-campus access. It’s the best thing to use from your home computer because it’s a secure connection, and you don’t have to log in using your Gatorlink id all the time. Have a look here for more info.
Goooo toolbar!
Library How-to’s on YouTube
Posted on July 17, 2009
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A new thing: we’re creating how-to videos for library stuff to put up on the UF Libraries’ YouTube channel. If you haven’t seen our channel yet, check it out! Here’s the link: http://www.youtube.com/user/UFlibraries
The first video of the series is “How to Find Books in the UF Library Catalog.” As of this this morning, it’s the first and only video :^( . But there’s much more to come! You’ll see how-to’s on using Ask A Librarian IM, how to find a good database for your paper topic, how to use course reserves, and much more.
These videos will also be linked from the First-Year Writing LibGuide.
Oh, and if you have an idea for a library how-to video, please let me know!
Last Library Labs for the semester…
Posted on March 31, 2009
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Hey Everyone!
Check out the newly-posted dates for the last round of Library Labs for the semester. Finals are coming up and your papers are due very soon (as if you needed me to remind you :^), so come in and get some help.
We can help you do this stuff, and MORE:
~find more information or more articles for your argument/topic idea
~incorporate what you find into your paper
~create your works cited/reference list page
~answer your questions!
You, too, can be happy with your results! Just like these ENC 1102 students from last semester…
5:30 p.m, Friday. First-Year Writing: Living Large and Loving their Library. These are some hard-core students, let me tell ya!
My motto is “don’t stew.” If you find yourself agonizing over research, don’t stew about it–do something about it! Go to the library. Or hop on chat and ask a librarian for help. Come to a Library Lab. Visit a research assistance desk in any of our nine libraries! See? We’re all over the place. It’s easy to get help.
See you in the library,
Missy
Who hearts research? I mean besides me :^)
Posted on March 3, 2009
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I’ve been hearing really great things about all the learning how to research and researching itself that’s happening in the library. ENC 1102 and 1101 students definitely have a presence here, and I couldn’t be happier because it means you’re going to have an awesome semester.
We’ve had a month full of library labs– are you Getting in Gear for Research? Lots of students came for specialized help on their topics. You can, too. I’ll post some more labs for March in the next few days.
Hey, if you came to a library lab, or even if your class came to the library, feel free to share what you learned as a comment to this post. Who knows– maybe one of your classmates has the same question or would benefit from hearing your story.
–missy
February Magic @ Your Library
Posted on February 10, 2009
Filed Under 3rd floor, Uncategorized, common reader program, databases, design, questions, research assistance, resources | Leave a Comment
There’s lots happening this month @ your library! Best of all, or maybe tied for best of all with the second point you’re about to read, is that Library Labs are starting! Library Labs are great because you’re guaranteed specialized assistance with somebody who knows the kinds of assignments you’re working on. The lab times are posted here on the UWP/Library Mentoring Blog and on our LibGuide.
The second really magical thing I wanted to tell you is that we now have video chat up and running from the Hub! It’s actually really awesome. What happens is this– say you’re at the Hub, you can’t connect to the wireless for some dumb reason like your network was disabled, and you have a question. Or maybe you forgot to email yourself that article you found in Jstor or Academic Search Premier and you need it in the worst way. So you pick up the phone and smile into the camera and say, “Hey!” to a librarian (or one of our awesome student assistants!) at the Research Assistance Desk at Library West.
I had my first question a few minutes ago so I’m still crazy-excited that it’s working, and that students even found it. My question wasn’t actually a research-related question, though… it was more of a, “Hey, what is this thing and wow it’s awesome!” kind of exploration thing. He couldn’t believe he was talking to me while I was in the library! Other students were walking by with the greatest looks of curiosity on their faces, too. Ha ha ha, I had the first video question! I love it. Oh, and guys– in the Hub, it’s right across from Starbucks. I know that because I could see the baristas in the background. Go on and try it out!
And there’s lots more going on, too. Hey instructors, are you looking for a great way to incorporate a little culture and campus relevance into your class? Check out the current exhibit over in Smathers Library East on the second floor. It’s called “Reflecting on African Americans: History and Culture.” Goes right along with the 50th anniversary of integration at UF!
There’s another really popular exhibit in Library West on the third floor about presidential elections in times of American crises. I never thought about it before but some really bad stuff has happened at election time. It’s well worth the walk!
Fresh Start
Posted on January 21, 2009
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I know they call it the “spring” semester, but these blustery winds blow springtime thoughts right out of my mind! I hope the cold temps so far this January do not stiffen your writing muscles. Put on your thinking caps to keep yourselves warm and get ready to Get in Gear for Research!
Get in Gear for Research!
When you see this sign on the door to 211 in Library West, you know you can come on in. Library Labs start in February– see the front page for dates and times, or check the LibGuide.
I hope everyone stays warm and is ready for researching and writing!
–Missy
Great keywords
Posted on October 23, 2008
Filed Under databases, paper topics, questions, research assistance | 1 Comment
First-Year Writing students are learning how to uncover the best keywords for their research. A student in one a section I’m working with told me her topic and she admitted to not knowing what keywords to use when searching a database.
She started with “overweight kids” as a topic. My first question to her was, “What are some synonyms for “overweight” and “kids” that are more professional-sounding? She thought for a while, and realized that “fat” wouldn’t cut it, and neither would “chunky.” I helped her out by suggesting “obese.” For “kids,” right away she decided that “children” was the word she should use, and, sure enough, plugging in “obese” and “children” gave her lots of articles on her topic.
When I say, “lots,” I mean hundreds. Actually, I really mean thousands. She still needed help narrowing down that topic. If you’re getting hundreds or thousands or tens of thousands results, the big bell in your head should be ding-a-linging like crazy, telling you that something’s missing– a third keyword.
So at that point we had some choices. She speaks with an accent, and so I told her she could focus her research on her home country. She didn’t fall in love with that idea, so I said, “Well, how about something that you think is making these kids overweight?” Then came a long, “Ooohhhh,” and she said, “watching t.v. instead of playing outside.”
That was it. She totally understood what we did– how we moved from her original keywords, which were not bringing up the money hits, to using more professional synonyms that are database-friendly.
You can do it, too! What are some keywords you figured out for your topics? Go ahead and reply with them here!
Happy researching!
Missy
Library Labs begin this week!
Posted on September 22, 2008
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Don’t forget, students, to come to a library lab if you need more help finding articles or navigating databases. The schedule is over there on the right. More library labs will be added so check back again soon!
–Missy
keep looking »