Tag Archives: Top News

Paley Library Break Hours

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Paley Library will be open from 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Monday, December 17 through Friday, December 21 and again with those hours from Wednesday, December 26 through Friday, December 28. Paley will be closed December 22-25 and December 29-January 1.

From January 2 through the start of spring semester on January 22, Paley is open from 8:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. on weekdays, 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. on Saturday, and noon-8:00 p.m. on Sundays.

Starting on January 22 we’re open from 8:00 a.m.-2:00 a.m. during the week, like always during the semester.

Check our schedule for other library locations, more details, and all the most up-to-date information.

 

Read ‘The Teaching Professor” for Inspiration To Teach Better

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The Chronicle of Higher Education has a worthwhile essay about a unique publication called The Teaching Professor.  Titled “Inspiration From ‘The Teaching Professor” it sings the praises of this publication. This is how the author describes it:

What struck me as most distinctive about the newsletter was the feature that remains most valuable to me today: brief summaries of recently published articles on teaching and learning from a wide range of journals. The summaries not only evaluated the quality of the latest research but also teased out its practical implications.

The Teaching Professor is a monthly newsletter that averages about eight short articles per issue. They provide either first-hand accounts from faculty of their own teaching experiences with advice on some technique they’ve tried to improve student learning or it might be a summarization of a research article about a pedagogical technique.

The good news is that the Temple Libraries subscribes to a site license version of The Teaching Professor. That means every Temple University community member has free access to the newsletter. Click on this link to get to our group page. Keep in mind that this link will work on campus. You can then subscribe to the RSS feed to be notified when the latest issue is published. When you are off campus you will be prompted to authenticate to our network. The other great thing is that you can search the complete archive of all past issues. This is invaluable when seeking advice on a particular teaching issue, such as how to generate better class discussions, how to improve grading or how to deal with class disturbances.

You will find this essay a good source of inspiration, and it just may motivate you to become a regular reader of The Teaching Professor.

 

New Upgrade to Digital Collections Interface

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The Temple University Libraries are pleased to announce a new upgrade to our Digital Collections interface. On November 1, 2012,  Temple Libraries will upgrade to the latest version of our digital presentation platform, CONTENTdm®.

Some of the new features of Version 6 are:

  • Streamlined interface: Users will be able to browse by collection or by thematic subject area.
  • Improved Search capabilities:  The default search options have changed, so that users that create a search can “drill down” by refining their search set with additional keywords.
  • Enhanced Faceting: Improved faceted browse and search results that are customized for each collection will help patrons to narrow down result sets by author, date, subject, and other relevant categories.
  • Tracking recent additions: Digital Library Initiatives, the Special Collections Research Center, and the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection are adding to Temple’s digital collections on a regular basis.  To keep informed of new additions, users can now subscribe to an RSS feed by clicking on the option to “receive updates” for the digital collection.

This new upgrade represents a large amount of behind-the-scenes effort from the Digital Library Initiatives Department and the Digitization Practices Group in coordination with other Library departments to design the layout and settings of this new interface. Many hours were spent troubleshooting software bugs and issues with our database provider, OCLC, and this work has led to improvements made to the software’s functionality. We believe that the wait for CONTENTdm® Version 6 has been worth it, as our patrons will benefit from various enhancements.

For questions about the new interface, or to suggest items to be digitized for inclusion in Temple’s digital collections, please contact Digital Library Initiatives at diglib@temple.edu .

Temple Libraries close due to Sandy

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Due to the approach of Hurricane Sandy a state of emergency has been declared in Philadelphia and Temple University is taking steps to secure the campus in order to assure the safety of students and staff.

Sunday October 28th,  Paley Library will close at 9:00 p.m.  as will the TECH Center. The Science & Engineering Library will close at 5:00 p.m.  The Ginsburg Health Sciences Library will close at 9:00 p.m. and Krausz Podiatry Library will close at 6:00 p.m.

All libraries, including Paley and Ginsburg, will remain closed on Monday, October 29, and Tuesday, October 30 due to the severe weather forecast for Philadelphia.  

As the storm subsides, please watch for further announcements from Temple as to the re-opening of the campuses.

Jonathan LeBreton, Senior Associate University Librarian

 

 

 

 

Campaign 2012! All the Info You Need to Vote is Right Here!

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A red, white and blue button with stars that says "vote". We created Voter Information –2012 Election Guide to give voters at Temple quality information on the upcoming presidential election. If you are a first-time voter, you can find information in the guide about polling locations and voter registration. To stay informed on daily campaign developments, to read public statements made by candidates, and to see what is being said about candidates, you can read the RSS feeds from fact checkers, reporters, polls, and bloggers. If you are curious about the history and political theory behind presidential elections the United States, you can find information about these subjects on the guide and through links to other research guides. Checking this guide regularly will keep you informed before you head to the polls in November.

It’s True. College Students Use the Library Website More Than Social Networking Sites

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Not that we’d ever run through campus shouting “We’re Number One”, but a set of data from the latest Chronicle Almanac does lead one to conclude that the greatest majority of college students indicate they use the library website at least once a week. While the students indicate they use a social networking site daily – only 90% of them can make that claim. That’s good enough for us to proclaim that we’re tops. And if it’s published in the Chronicle of Higher Education then it must be true.

Chart listing percentage of students by internet and computer activity on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Activities include: using the libraries web site, using presentation software, text messaging, social networking sites, and learning management systems, (linked to larger version).

The Library Website Tops Social Networking Sites

Top 10 Reasons to Use Temple Libraries

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The start of the new fall 2012 semester is a good time to remind Temple University students and faculty about the top 10 reasons to use the library. And we know that everyone can never get enough of top 10 lists, so here we go:

  1. Research tips for your majors and courses (go to our “Sources For Courses“)
  2. We’ve got one search box to rule them all (try our Summon Search)
  3. Books smell good. Like the smell of books. This is your kind of place.
  4. We know Philly! The Urban Archives is THE resource for photos, maps, manuscripts and more..
  5. Wireless Access. You can get wireless connectivity – and – borrow an iPad too!
  6. Escape the Dorms. Lots of quiet study spaces here.
  7. Online resources anywhere, anytime. Over 600 searchable databases, millions of e-books, streaming media resources and more.
  8. Never type a bibliography again. Learn how to use Refworks and the auto-citation formatting features of our research databases. Need help? Ask a librarian.
  9. Over 10,000 videos to watch. Stop by the Media Services Desk to learn more.
  10. Research help when YOU need it! Text! Live Chat! Email! Phone! One-on-One!

Not sure where to start? Download a copy of our 2012 Guide to Using the Library – and keep it with you at all times.

The Library Owl (stuffed animal) with a Library Book Bag full of books.

Be like the wise Library Owl. Know your Temple Libraries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Facts at Your Fingertips: Check out our 2012-2013 Quick Guide to Library Services and Resources

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Check out our recently released 2012-2013 Quick Guide [PDF], a one-stop spot for essential library contacts, information, and more. This two-page “cheat sheet” contains a list of subject specialists, information on how to use our various collections and search tools, and more. For our new students, it will introduce you to the libraries and get you on your way to locating course materials and starting research. For returning community members, it is an essential reminder of where to find materials and who to contact for research assistance.

 

 

Paley Library Will End Laptop Loans

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After many years of loaning laptop computers to Temple University students, the Paley Library will no longer loan laptops from its Circulation/Reserve Desk in the Tuttleman Building as of August 17th 2012. The decision to end the program was brought about by a confluence of factors. While this has been a valued service for many years, as more students bring their own laptops to campus there is a declining need to make laptops available for loan. To responsibly manage the Libraries’ budget we must make careful and informed decisions about the library services in which we will invest.Tablet computers, such as iPads, have grown in popularity, so we will be increasing the number of tablet computers available for loan. For those who still want to borrow a laptop, the TECH Center continues to have laptops available for short-term (three hour) loan periods.

Library Special Collections Boost a University’s Reputation

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Obtaining a great collection of papers from a scholar or organization or other types of unique materials can be a significant accomplishment for the special collections department of an academic research library. Increasingly, what makes an academic library unique or distinctive is the content of its special collections and archives. According to the New York Times article “In University Holdings, Entry to History and Culture“, these collections can also serve to enhance the reputation of the institution as a resource for global scholars. The article states:

U.T.-Arlington officials, meanwhile, hope their future William Blair Collection will bolster their library’s reputation as a repository for artifacts of black history. For universities striving to improve their reputation — particularly the handful, including U.T.-Arlington, vying to be the state’s next Tier 1 research institution — special collections can provide a boost. And for a general public largely unaware of the items stored in public universities, they can be a veritable treasure-trove.“Tier 1 is all about scholarship and recognition by your peers from around the world for the great and wonderful research that you do,” said Ronald L. Elsenbaumer, the provost at U.T.-Arlington. “And special collections bring that uniqueness to your university. Having those unique, scholarly activities going on that distinguish you, that’s important.”

The Special Collections Research Center (SCRC) at Temple University Libraries is just such a collection of unique materials with a focus on 20th century Philadelphia history. With the recent addition of content from the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News Archives and the papers of Lew Klein, the SCRC helps to build the reputation of Temple University as a unique research source for scholars. Visit the SCRC soon to learn more about the fantastic collections of unique primary research material waiting for you at Temple University Libraries.