Tag Archives: Top News

Philadelphia’s Waterfront Wobblies

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ourbigunion.jpgOn April 17, after visiting the Temple Book Club to discuss his new book Wobblies on the Waterfront: Interracial Unionism in Progressive Era Philadelphia (University of Illinois Press, 2007), author Peter Cole was interviewed by librarian Fred Rowland. In the interview, he provides a fascinating look at Progressive Era Philadelphia, an industrial dynamo of American capitalism whose busy port along the Delaware River gave rise to a successful interracial multiethnic union (IWW Local 8) that was able to overcome employer resistance to control work on the docks from about 1913 to the early 1920’s. While discussing Local 8 and its unique success in bringing together white Protestant, black, and immigrant Catholic and Jewish longshoremen, he talks about the radical Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)and their relationship to the rest of American labor, the nature of work on the docks, local labor and race relations, the effects of World War I and Bolshevik Revolution on the port of Philadelphia and the IWW, as well as lessons to be learned from Local 8’s rise and fall.  If you’re interested in Philadelphia history, you’ll like this interview.

[ensemblevideo contentid=c75xRq8Td0yEQGOogwLuqQ audio=true] (MP3, 20 minutes)

iTunes U link (for downloads)

Subscribe to this podcast series

For a brief overview of the Industrial Workers of the World, go here (Temple-only).

Researcher Rights, Obligations & the NIH

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On April 7, 2008 a new reporting requirement goes into effect that affects researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Principal investigators must ensure that electronic versions of any peer-reviewed manuscripts arising from NIH funding and accepted for publication on or after April 7, 2008 are deposited in PubMed Central (PMC), NIH’s digital archive of biomedical and life sciences journal literature. Specifics:

  • The manuscript must be made publicly available no later than 12 months after the official date of publication.
  • Beginning May 25, 2008 researchers submitting an application, proposal, or progress report to NIH must include the PMC or NIH Manuscript Submission reference number when citing applicable articles that arise from their NIH funded research.

The policy applies to you if your peer-reviewed article meets the following criteria:

  • Directly funded by an NIH grant or cooperative agreement active in FY2008 (October 1, 2007-September 30, 2008)
  • Directly funded by a contract signed on or after April 7, 2008
  • Directly funded by the NIH Intramural Program
  • If NIH pays your salary

Important information on researcher rights:

  • Some publishers will deposit your manuscript for you: they are listed here.
  • Before you sign a publication agreement or similar copyright transfer agreement, make sure that the agreement allows the article to be submitted to NIH in accordance with the Public Access Policy.

The NIH estimates approximately 80,000 published articles arise yearly from NIH funds. Temple University researchers are one group of investigators who contribute to this scholarship, and as per the NIH, were awarded 119 research grants totalling $42,157,757 in 2006. Additional Information:

-Katherine Szigeti, Science Librarian

SEAL eResources Fair Raffle Winners Announced!

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Students, faculty and staff visited the SEAL eResources Fair on Wednesday, March 19th, to learn about library resources and tools, enjoy cookies and coffee, and enter a Prize Raffle.

Raffle Winners:

  • $100 Best Buy gift card from CSA/Proquest Erik Lion, Electrical Engineering undergrad
  • iPod Shuffle from the Library Tanya Riddick, CST undergrad
  • $25 Circuit City gift card and tote bag from Thomson Walter Johnson, Mechanical Engineering undergrad
  • 1GB Flash Drive from IEEE Michael Chen, CST undergrad
  • 1GB flash drive from IEEE Ajo Maret, Electrical Engineering undergrad
  • 4-port USB Hub from IEEE Kyle Goldstein, Civil Engineering undergrad
  • 4-port USB Hub from IEEE Kaveh Laksari, Mechanical Engineering graduate
  • $25 iTunes card from Engineering Village Timothy Jennings, Mechanical Engineering undergrad
  • $25 iTunes card from Engineering Village Tejal Patel, Electrical Engineering undergrad

Thank you to all who attended our first eResources Fair at SEAL. It was quite a success. As a graduate Mechanical Engineering student said, “This was a great event and very helpful. I’ll definitely be here next time!”

An undergraduate student in the Biology Department noted, “I learned that Temple had many databases that can ease my workload and make searching for sources very easy.”

At Temple University Libraries we’re always happy to support your research needs. Thank you again for making the eResources Fair a success!

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No Joke – We Now Offer Total Access To The Chronicle

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While some of the Libraries’ online databases (e.g., LexisNexis) have long contained searchable content from the Chronicle of Higher Education, we are now pleased to offer free, campuswide access to the complete contents of the Chronicle. That includes every new weekly issue, the complete searchable archive back to 1989, and the full-text of the Almanac of Higher Education back to 1995.. Simply navigate to the Chronicle website and click on links to any article to gain access to the full text. When off campus, simply authenticate yourself using your Temple network account.

To get further value from the Libraries’ subscription to the full-text of the online Chronicle, sign up for free subscriptions to any of the Chronicle’s e-mail newsletters and RSS feeds. Daily reading of both Academe Today and Afternoon Update present an excellent strategy for keeping up with the latest developments in higher education. Just create your account and then sign up for your newsletters. For those who prefer to use a news aggregator, the Chronicle has plenty of RSS feeds from which to choose.

We hope that providing campuswide access to the complete text of the Chronicle of Higher Education will help every member of the Temple University Community to be better informed about the world of higher education.

New and Improved Self Check Machines in Paley Library

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We are pleased to announce that Paley Library has two new state-of-the art self-check machines on the first floor of Paley underneath the portrait of Samuel Paley. The new machines now feature a two step procedure that allows all sizes of books to be checked out successfully. With the old check-out machines we found that many of our users were unable to use them for large books such as music scores and art history books. Size and barcode placement is no longer a problem. The graphics on the screen make them very user-friendly and we hope that many more of our users will be able to take advantage of their convenience.

selfcheck.jpg —Penelope Myers

Database Finder Debuts

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While it’s great that the Temple University Libraries have added so many new electronic databases, journals and book collections, our list of databases was getting extremely long. Finding the right database for a research project was becoming a challenge, and scrolling our A-Z list a bit cumbersome. To improve student and faculty access to our rich collection of e-resources we introduce Database Finder. It’s a completely new way to find the right database. Instead of scrolling through the databases from A to Z, or examining subject groupings, Database Finder is a search engine that locates electronic databases, journal and book collections based on the words in the name of the database or by broad subject category. In time, Database Finder will feature a more robust keyword search capability. Here is a glimpse of the search interface:

dbfinder.jpg Note that if you do prefer the old A-Z list or subject browse of the databases, those approaches are still available. But we hope you’ll prefer the ability to quickly access your database of choice by searching its name or finding several to choose from based on your subject. If you have more questions about Database Finder, please contact your departmental library liaison. We look forward to your feedback and comments.

Daddy Grace and His House of Prayer

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Daddy Grace was a flamboyant preacher of the 1930’s, 40’s, and 50’s who created a religious organization with churches situated mainly up and down the east coast of the United States, including Philadelphia. His church was pentecostal in orientation and known for extravagant rituals, parades, and festivals. Until now, Daddy Grace and his United House of Prayer for All People has been relatively neglected in the scholarship of religious studies. Temple’s Adjunct Associate Professor Marie Dallam has gone a long way in filling in the gaps in our understanding of this fascinating figure in American religious history with her new book, Daddy Grace: A Celebrity Preacher and His House of Prayer, published by New York University Press.

On March 10, Marie Dallam stopped by Paley Library to discuss her new book with librarian Fred Rowland. Below is a link to this audio interview.

[ensemblevideo contentid=E4c0dOhHEEiIIXC7gdeGMQ audio=true] (mp3)

iTunes U link (for downloads)

Subscribe to this podcast series

Don’t forget that if Daddy Grace: A Celebrity Preacher and His House of Prayer is checked out from Paley Library, you can request it through E-ZBorrow.

—Fred Rowland

Interview with Legendary Performers “Kittye” DeChavis and Trudy Pitts

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In celebration of Women’s History Month, legendary jazz performers Katherine “Kittye” DeChavis and Trudy Pitts spoke and performed at Paley Library on March 5th, 2008. After the performance, Ms. DeChavis and Ms. Pitts joined librarian Anne Harlow for questions and conversation recorded on this Library Podcast.

In the podcast, Katherine “Kittye” DeChavis describes her earliest musical experiences. She recalls the musical environment of Philadelphia that provided many opportunities to learn, to perform, and to listen to various kinds of music. Ms. DeChavis describes her move to Montreal, and then to New York, working at the Paradise and the Apollo Theaters. She tells the story of how she unexpectedly came to record the hits “Hucklebuck” and “Be Anything but Be Mine.” Ms. DeChavis expresses heartfelt concern for young people today, and offers advice for students who are studying to be performers.

Trudy Pitts, a native Philadelphian, performs and records extensively on jazz organ. She has degrees from the Philadelphia Music Academy, Temple University, and Juilliard, and is currently on the piano faculty of the University of the Arts. In the podcast, Trudy recalls her extensive training in classical music, and how growing up in a musical family in Philadelphia influenced her music. She talks about her transition from classical music to jazz, and how she incorporates classical elements into her performances. Trudy shares her philosophies of being a wife, mother, and professional musician, and gives warmhearted guidance for aspiring young musicians.

Special thanks to Sebastian Derry, Media Services Librarian, for serving as the sound engineer for the podcast and to Dr. Diane D. Turner, Curator of the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection, for planning today’s program and reaching out and inviting these two extraordinary women to come to the library today. And thank you to Kittye DeChavis and Trudy Pitts for sharing their experiences and insights with us.

Get the audio here

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Ms. Kittye DeChavis performing at Temple University Paley Library on March 5th, 2008.

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Ms. Trudy Pitts takes a bow after her performance at Temple University’s Paley Library, March 5, 2008.

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Curator of the Blockson Collection Dr. Diane Turner, WRTI radio announcers Harrison Ridley and Bob Perkins, and University Librarian Larry Alford with Tracy Pitts and Kittye DeChavis.

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Kittye DeChavis, Anne Harlow, and Trudy Pitts

–Anne Harlow

Asad’s Lecture Available at iTunes U

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On Wednesday, February 13, 2008, Dr. Talal Asad gave a timely, relevant lecture on violence in contemporary culture at Paley Library’s Lecture Hall. Asad, an influential anthropologist who has impacted anthropology, history, religious. area studies and other disciplines, spoke to a standing room only crowd.

To make this important event available to the widest possible audience, Temple University Libraries, the Center for Humanities and the General Education Program, sponsors of this event, are pleased to make a video recording of Asad’s lecture available on Temple University’s iTunes U (link will open iTunes, you must have iTunes to view the video). If you were unable to attend the event, this is an opportunity to share in the experience. In the image below, Dr. Asad takes questions from the audience.

Thumbnail image for 021308_Paley_Talal_Asad_Lecture_018.jpg (Click on the image to open iTunes and view the video.) Note that you must have iTunes software installed on your computer in order to use iTunes U. Feel free to direct any comments to Nicole Restaino, Library Communications Manager, at . Visit our Library Events Blog to find out about upcoming lectures, programs, and events offered by the Temple University Libraries.

Beyond Google: Spring Semester Workshops

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Temple University Libraries offer a number of short workshops to help familiarize you with library resources and the latest time-saving tools for conducting research.

Register by following the link. ——————-

10 Ways to do Scholarly Research in Your Pajamas Temple University Libraries offer thousands of online resources, plus personalized services. From using eBooks, streaming videos, and databases to requesting, receiving, and sharing online resources, learn how to make the library come to you!

  • 1 – 2pm: 2/20/08, 2/21/08, 4/9/08, 4/10/08
  • Location: TECH Center rm. 205A
  • Register Here (Click on “Research” to see all of the library workshops)

Getting Organized Online Forgot about a paper that`s due? Forget to pay your phone bill or to call back that cute classmate? Is your email inbox overflowing? In this session a Temple University Librarian will discuses ideas and demonstrate online applications that help you get organized: “to do” lists, events, email management, and documents. Get text message or IM reminders! Access your calendar from any computer, anywhere!

  • 1-2pm: 2/27/08, 2/28/08
  • Location: TECH Center rm. 205A
  • Register Here (Click on “Research” to see all of the library workshops)

Stuff You Didn’t Know You Could Do With Google How do you use Google? If you’re not going beyond the introductory Search Page, then you’re not experiencing the full potential of Google. Google is the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Universe wanna-a-be; learn how to use it to search Temple’s databases, to search for government information from any locality in the world, to find PowerPoint presentations on any topic, to find full-text books, and much more.

  • 1 -2pm: 3/5/08, 3/6/08, 4/16/08, 4/17/08
  • Location: TECH Center rm. 205A
  • Register Here (Click on “Research” to see all of the library workshops)

To Google or Not to Google Google provides fast but often ineffective results. Will you really impress your professor by citing a Wikipedia article as a source for a research paper? In this session a Temple University Librarian will discuss the pros and cons of using Google for academic research. Discover how to just as quickly access more appropriate sources without over relying on Google. This session will cover a new open source Wiki alternative, as well as some of the more traditional reference tools that have been digitized for easy web access.

  • 1-2pm: 3/19/08, 3/20/08
  • Location: TECH Center rm. 205A
  • Register Here (Click on “Research” to see all of the library workshops)

Citations Without Tears Save time on your papers, and throw out all those long citation guides. Learn to use RefWorks, a web based application (free to Temple students!) that allows you to easily and quickly gather your citations and organize them for the creation of bibliographies and in- text citations in almost any format APA, MLA, Chicago, and more. Note: This session will include hands-on learning in the use of RefWorks.

  • 1-2pm: 3/26/08, 3/27/08, 4/23/08, 4/30/08, 5/1/08
  • Location: TECH Center rm. 109
  • Register Here (Click on “Research” to see all of the library workshops)

Beyond Google: the Ultimate Search Engine Google is so easy to use that it`s tempting to begin and end your Web searching right there. But, the Web is actually much bigger offering more tools and resources than what Google covers. Dare to go beyond Google and discover excellent tools on the Web that you can use to expand your searching. Get tips based on the article “FrankenGoogle: How to mash together the ultimate search engine” by Christopher Beam (Slate.com on August 14, 2007) that describes reasons why you should sometimes dare to go “Beyond Google.”

  • 1-2pm: 4/2/08, 4/3/08
  • Location: TECH Center rm. 205A
  • Register Here (Click on “Research” to see all of the library workshops)