Monthly Archives: August 2016

Back to School with the Libraries: Tips & Resources from Your Subject Librarians

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Welcome to the fall semester! Whether you are looking for research assistance, to browse or borrow from our collections, or for a place to study, we hope to see you in the Libraries soon. In the meantime, we want to remind you of all the resources and services available to you by checking in with a few of your subject librarians for tips, resources, and advice. Kristina DeVoe, English and Communication Librarian; Rebecca Lloyd, History, Latin American Studies, Spanish & Portuguese Librarian; and Jill Luedke, Art, Art History, Architecture Librarian each offer their perspectives below.

 

1. What’s the library resource you can’t stop talking about and why?

Kristina DeVoe, photo courtesy Dustin Fenstermacher

Kristina DeVoe, photo courtesy Dustin Fenstermacher

Kristina: I’ve been having conversations about citation management tools with graduate students lately. Tools like zotero, RefWorks, and Mendeley are like smartphone contacts list for the sources that have the most influence on your work. Citation management tools help you format sources for a paper and keep track of the most important sources you encounter so that you can “get in touch” with them again later. Some citation management tools are very basic, while others allow for note-taking, file uploads, and have social sharing options.

Rebecca: Global Issues in Context is one of my favorite library resources. This database brings together content from a wide range of sources and media including news, academic journals, videos and podcasts. It’s a great introduction to international issues like the European migrant crisis or food shortages in Venezuela. You can search by topic or country and quickly find background information, historical context, and in-depth articles. It’s an extremely useful source for undergraduate research in the social sciences and humanities.

Jill: Zines! We have a pretty sweet collection of zines (pronounced “zeens”). Zines are diy self-published magazines that have their roots in the 1930s science fiction fandom culture. Zines are still produced today, often by fringe and outsider communities. Recently, Temple Libraries scored a donation of over 300 zines from a local collector. We now have zines that span almost 90 years and cover topics such as LGBTQ, race and identity, feminism, Philadelphia culture, science fiction, and more.

 

2. What’s one piece of advice about using the Libraries you want to share with students?

Kristina: The Libraries is more than just books. It’s a dynamic, ever-changing space on campus for a whole range of activities from getting one-on-one research help and broadening your skills and knowledge sets in a variety of areas to engaging programs and relaxing from the stress of finals week, plus much more!

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Rebecca Lloyd, photo courtesy Dustin Fenstermacher

Rebecca: Librarians can help with far more than finding books! We can work with students on all stages of the research process from choosing and evaluating the feasibility of a topic, to exploring new digital research methods like textual analysis or GIS mapping, to managing your research and citations using tools like Mendeley or RefWorks.

Jill: Remember to breathe. When you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed or both, take three long deep breaths and slowly sigh them out. This won’t magically compose your thesis statement or make that perfect article appear, but it will definitely put you in a better place than you were three breaths ago. Then, go talk to a librarian.

 

3. Can you share a favorite interaction with a student or a course you’ve had recently?

Kristina: I had the happy pleasure of working closely with a Diamond Research Scholar last year during the student’s year-long research intensive, hybridized poetic project, serving as a kind of mentor. We met regularly to carve out the scope of the project, identify relevant resources, and discuss available productivity tools to help guide her workflow and creative writing process. The student presented her culminating project at TURF-CreWS and later applied to the Livingstone Undergraduate Research Award, which she won in the Creative Works and Media Production category!

Rebecca: I am working with a class this semester that will be creating and editing Wikipedia pages for an assignment. I’ve had great meetings with the instructor thus far. While this is new territory for both of us, we are very excited that students will get to be active creators of content that can have an impact beyond a typical class research paper. In learning how Wikipedia articles are written and edited, students will also become more savvy and critical users of Wikipedia and other sources. I am eager to partner with instructors on innovative assignments and new approaches to information literacy!

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Jill Luedke, photo courtesy Dustin Fenstermacher

Jill: Last year I decided to take my engagement with contemplative pedagogy a step further and reached out to a couple studio instructors to gauge their interest in letting me teach mindfulness to their students. Both instructors agreed to let me teach a series of three 30-minute sessions in their classroom. I talked to the students about mindful and contemplative practices and taught a few basic techniques they could use anywhere, anytime.

4. What’s your favorite part about the beginning of the semester?

Kristina: I enjoy catching up with faculty on their research endeavors and helping them with their course preparation. I also enjoy the energy and excitement surrounding TempleFest.

Rebecca: I always enjoy the buzz of excitement and energy among the incoming students who are eager to think, learn, and be challenged in new ways.

Jill: I still get excited for the first day of school. I can feel the energy amp up as the semester draws nearer. The fresh curiosity of the new students and the cultivated inquisitiveness of the upperclassmen, all of them eager to begin again, bring a palpable vigor to campus.

 

Remember, you can contact your librarian directly or schedule an appointment. Our AskALibrarian services are also a direct line to research support.

Paley Library Construction FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

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Temple University students will notice a substantial change in Paley Library as they return for the fall 2016 semester.

Almost the entire east side of the first floor of Paley Library is closed for a construction project.

This FAQ has information about the impact of this project on Paley Library and its resources and services throughout the construction.

That section of Paley is where I always study. Why did you close it?

The decision to close the east side of Paley Library’s first floor was a University administration decision. In order to create more space for the Fox School, a decision was made to move advising staff out of 1810 Liacouras Walk. Those advisers are being relocated to the first floor east of Paley Library. In closing the first floor east, the Library administration is complying with a request from the University administration.

We need more study space, not less? What happened to all the chairs and study carrels?

Despite the construction there is no loss of study seats in Paley Library. All of our carrels and soft seating have been relocated to other spaces throughout the building. Many of the popular individual carrels will be found on the second and third floors.

What about the computers on the first floor?

Unfortunately the construction project meant the loss of approximately 50 desktop computers. For now the bulk of our desktop computers are on the west side of the first floor, with a more limited number on the second and third floors. Many more students now bring their own computer to Paley Library, but for those who need to use one while here we will be introducing Chromebook computers for loan from our Media Services Desk. Look for an announcement.

Does the construction project affect any of the services at the desk in the Tuttleman Building?

No. The construction project will have no impact at all on any Temple University Library services. Whether it’s access to books on reserve, asking a librarian for help choosing a database, DVDs in Media Services, using primary research materials in the Special Collections Research Center or getting help with a research project at the Digital Scholarship Center, Temple students will experience no change in the high quality services they always receive from Temple Libraries.

How long is the construction project expected to last?

The project is expected to be completed by mid-November 2016. However, it is possible the new area will not be occupied by staff members until the start of the spring 2017 semester. The timeline on this remains undetermined for now.

What if the construction makes Paley too noisy for quiet study

We are dealing with an active construction zone in our building from 7:00 am until 2:30 pm, weekdays. There will be noise. The entire project will be enclosed within walls that separate it from the rest of the building, which will help, but there will still be some noise. If you feel there is too much noise, speak to a library staff member at any service desk. There are numerous other quiet spaces in Paley, so seek them out.

How do I get one of the magazine or journal issues that were on the shelves in that area?

We do plan to re-install the shelving and make all those issues available for browsing once we are able to get back into the corridor. Until then, request a magazine or journal issue at the main service desk in Paley Library, Monday – Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

UPDATE – Sept. 13: The current periodicals are now available in the corridor that leads into the east side of the first floor.

Will I still be able to get to the photocopiers when I need them?

The corridor where the photocopiers are located will remain open to the community during and after the completion of the construction project. If for any reason that area is temporarily unavailable, there are additional photocopiers on the second and third floors.

UPDATE – Sept. 13: The photocopiers are now re-installed in their original location on the first floor east.

Does the project affect the hours that the Paley Library will be open this fall?

No. The Paley Library hours are not affected by the construction project.

What should I do if I have concerns about Paley Library during the construction project?

Temple University students are always welcome to share their concerns or suggestions about any aspects of library services with members of the Library Administration team. The office is located on the mezzanine level of Paley Library and is open from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm. You can also contact us through our virtual suggestion box.

Transition to cashless payment system at the Tuttleman Circulation Desk.

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Starting Monday, August 29th 2016, Temple University Libraries will stop accepting cash at the Tuttleman Circulation/Reserve Desk. Acceptable forms of payment are Diamond Dollars, Credit/Debit cards, as well as checks and money orders. If you have questions please speak with Tuttleman Circulation/Reserve Desk staff. Thank you for your cooperation as we transition to our cashless payment process.