Database Finder Debuts

Posted on March 24, 2008 by Steven Bell

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:

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

Posted on March 23, 2008 by Fred Rowland

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

Posted on March 12, 2008 by Anne Harlow

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

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

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

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.

Kittye DeChavis, Anne Harlow, and Trudy Pitts

–Anne Harlow

Asad’s Lecture Available at iTunes U

Posted on February 29, 2008 by

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.

(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

Posted on February 20, 2008 by

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.

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)

Changes to History News

Posted on February 19, 2008 by Gerald Doyle

History News has for the last several years been a sub-category of the main Temple University Libraries News blog. As of this semester Temple Library History News is its own distinct blog. What’s the difference? Not a whole lot beyond a more up-to-date interface. There is, however, a new URL and a new RSS feed.

Paley Adds Color Laser Printing

Posted on February 19, 2008 by Steven Bell

A common question at the Paley Library reference desk is “Where can I print color pages from the computers?” and up till now the answer was “Not here.” That’s about to change. To respond to student requests for color laser printing in the library, Paley has recently added a color printer to its two black & white printer stations in the first floor computing area. Owing to the much higher cost of color laser prints it is necessary to charge a fee for the color prints, and the cost is $.50 per copy, the same fee charged in the TECH Center. The procedure to print to the color print station is the same as for the black & white printers, but students must specify that they want to send their print job to the color printer. Students must then swipe their identification card in order to pay the copy fee with Diamond Dollars. We are unable to accept cash or coin as payment for color prints. – Steven Bell, Associate University Librarian

MultiSearch Makes Your Library Research Easier and Faster

Posted on February 18, 2008 by Steven Bell

Temple University Libraries offer nearly 400 different research databases, everything from the highly used and well known ones such as Academic Source Premier and LexisNexis to some niche products such as Mediamark Reporter or Women Writers Online. For many students and faculty a comprehensive research process often requires more than one database, and for some of our users just choosing the right database can be challenging. It can be time consuming to run a literature search in each selected database, and each search system may use a different search interface. MultiSearch, a new way to search library databases, changes everything.

MultiSearch is a collection of approximately 250 library databases, plus sources such as Google and Google Scholar. It allows library databases to be searched in any number of combinations, either those pre-determined by librarian subject specialists or those the searchers select themselves. The beauty of MultiSearch is that there is only one interface to use. You can now obtain results from multiple databases, all at once, with a single simple interface, and the search automatically deletes duplicate records.

Starting a MultiSearch is easy. Either choose one or more search subject categories or design your own combination of databases:

Record results are displayed by default in a most recent to oldest order, and records from the different databases are interfiled. The results are also categorized in a number of ways: by subject content, by author, by database, and by journal. You can easily rearrange the results to meet your specific needs:

Please give MultiSearch a try. We think you’ll like it. But whatever your reaction is, we want to know. This is just our first version of MultiSearch – and we will use your feedback to guide our future customizations. Please share your reactions and suggestions by adding a comment to this post or use our library suggestion page.

For more information see our “Introducing MultiSearch” page.

And if you’ve got a better name for this thing than MultiSearch, we’d like to hear from you.

New Phones For Help in the Paley Stacks

Posted on February 14, 2008 by Steven Bell

Getting help while in the Paley Library stacks can sometimes be a challenge. If no library workers are immediately available, seeking assistance requires a trip to the first floor. That can mean a time-consuming walk down the main stairway or an elevator wait. To alleviate that situation and improve the availability of quick help when needed, four service phones have been added to the Paley stacks. The four beige phones are found on central columns, well marked with signs, on both the east and west sides of the second and third levels. The phones directly dial one of five different numbers. The menu is as follows:

Campus safety and security
Locating books (call the access service desk)
Reference & Research Assistance (calls the reference desk)
Campus Computer Help Desk
Library Hours

We encourage our library users to make use our new service phones to quickly call for help as needed from our library stacks.

– Steven Bell, Associate University Librarian

Religion Professor Laura Levitt Interviewed

Posted on February 13, 2008 by Fred Rowland

On February 4, 2008 Associate Professor of Religion Laura Levitt stopped by Paley Library to talk about her new book American Jewish Loss After the Holocaust, published by New York University Press. Below is a link to the MP3 file of the interview. Her book deals with the normal everyday losses that American Jews experience and tries to situate these in the larger context of American Jewish community life and the “grand narrative” of the Holocaust which tends to overshadow so much. During the course of American Jewish Loss After the Holocaust Levitt analyzes and meditates on selected poems, photographs, and films, as well as tells personal family stories. The interview gives a nice sense of Levitt’s new work and her interests. It runs about twenty-one minutes. Have a listen.

[ensemblevideo contentid=GUxCuKb7KkSwNUzk2nJUjw audio=true] (February 4, 2008)