NU Library News

Tax Season Begins

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 15:27:20 -0500

It's that time of year again - tax time. Here are the links to the federal and New York State tax sites:

Federal: http://www.irs.gov/
New York State: http://www.tax.ny.gov/

New Library Computer Training Lab

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 15:33:30 -0500

The Library recently opened an enclosed Computer Training Lab in the former Acquisitions Office on the basement level (turn right at the bottom of the stairs and walk to the end of the movable shelves).

The lab has 24 computers running Windows and some study tables. It is primarily used by librarians to instruct students on how to use resources for their research. However, when it is not being used for library instruction, students may use the space to work on their own.

Three New Faculty Publications by Drs. Tewksbury and Tsekanovskii

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 15:36:51 -0500

Dr. Doug Tewksbury, Assistant Professor of Communication Studies, and Dr. Eduard Tsekanovskii, Professor of Mathematics, recently published the following articles:

Tewksbury, D. (2012). Crowdsourcing Homeland Security: The Texas Virtual BorderWatch and Participatory Citizenship. Surveillance & Society, 10(3/4), 249-262.
Tewksbury, D. (2012). Online-Offline Knowledge Sharing in the Occupy Movement: Howtooccupy. org and Discursive Communities of Practice. American Communication Journal,14(3), 11-23.
Makarov, K.A. and Tsekanovskii, E. (2013). On the Weyl-Titchmarsh and Livˇsic functions. arXiv,1301.4610v1 [math.SP], 1-23.

Library Survey Results: Need More Comfortable Chairs at Study Carrels in Basement

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 15:38:11 -0500

We received this suggestion in a survey conducted last fall:

“In the basement area to right there is a row of single occupancy desks that come with a light, outlet, etc. I was wondering if the library might be able to update the chairs for those desks and give us something more comfortable, because I enjoy being able to use those desks if I need a little quiet time and I find myself sitting in that row almost every time I visit the library. Thank you.”

Library Director's response:

"You are right. Those chairs are not comfortable enough for extended study, so we just ordered eight new padded chairs. They should arrive in about six weeks."

New Book Display

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 09:37:21 -0500

Wondering what books the Library just bought?

We now put our newly-acquired books on display for you to browse. The shelf is located to the right of the Circulation Desk and across from the Reference Desk.

Library Director Responds to Patron Suggestions

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 09:38:57 -0500

We need more computers.

We just added 20 more with the recent opening of a computer lab in the basement.

When getting a journal article, is there a way to make sure we get the pristine PDF (from JSTOR-type sources) instead of scanned copies that are sometimes sloppy and hard to read?

This can indeed be a problem. Sorry to say we don’t control what is happening at the Library sending a copy to us. We sometimes will catch poor copying and ask a Library to resend, but that delays delivery. We are also purchasing articles more often directly from publishers, which results in pristine copies.

Faster book delivery.

This is a goal of ours, too. We purchase most books you ask for because we can get them in two days, which is quicker than traditional Interlibrary Loan.

Max out electronic subscriptions via JSTOR, EbscoHost, MLA online, etc.

We are working on this, too. For example, we are about to sign a contract with Taylor and Francis, which will provide access to more than 1,000 additional journals. And just this last year we added more than 100,000 additional electronic books to our collection.

More of the booth-style study units would be great! (Second floor has a couple.)

We added two more last month. It’s slow going because the cost of booths is high. But we agree—we need more.

One suggestion - could we have Cabell's for all disciplines online?

The challenge here is the cost for a niche database. We do offer a service where we do research for faculty on journals, and we even travel to larger libraries to do so.

I do go to the Library often during the week and make use of quiet space. One thing I would improve is making the space more inviting to students, which would possibly include updating the space. possibly painting the walls so they are not so boring and updating the layout.

A renovation plan is in development.

Need coffee access.

A coffee bar has been included in renovation plans.

I think the Library should update their software on the computers. The computer lab has programs like SPSS and Visual Studios for the current year. But the Library has older versions (as much as 3 years older) and I can only to my stats and cis homework in the computer lab. This isn't very convenient because now I have to either wait until after 10 pm or before 7am to get into the computer lab. I am a commuter with a full time job, so staying on campus or coming in before 7am is way too inconvenient for me.

We forwarded this suggestion to the Information Technology Department.

To improve the library - give the Vinnie's 24-hour lab back their computers and keep the same library hours. It is more efficient getting things done in Vinnie’s than the library. People are noisy, disrespectful and annoying in the library when you are trying to get work done.

I will forward your suggestion to the Information Technology Department. There are some quieter, more traditional computer areas on the basement level, and all the group study rooms have computers in them - and those rooms are quieter.

24-hour service... we are in SERIOUS need of a 24 hour lab complete with printing.

I think there needs to be a stapler downstairs near the printer in the basement. I know there are a bunch on the first floor, but none downstairs. Thank you for adding more computers, I think the new computer lab is a great idea especially for holding classes.

A stapler has been ordered. We are working toward keeping the main floor of the Library open 24 hours. For now, Vinnie’s 105 is the Overnight Lab. It has a printer.

Happy 5th Anniversary to NU Library and ILLiad!

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 09:39:52 -0500

Since November 27, 2007, Niagara University Library and ILLiad have been making interlibrary loan easier for students, faculty, and staff.

How? Here's what some of our ILLiad users had to say:

"I find ILLiad to be one of the most helpful and time saving technological innovations to date."
"I like ILLiad because whatever I needed was ordered right away and came quicker than I thought it would."
"I was really surprised at how quick the turn around was for requesting an article and receiving the electronic file! It was fantastic!"
"I use ILLiad to get books that the library here does not have. More importantly, Niagara makes sure to get the books to you in a quick manner, and it is helpful that they let you know when your book has arrived."
"I love to use ILLiad when I do research. The information I need is sometimes so obscure that I think they will never find it, but they do and fast!"

So, here's to five great years ... and many more to come!

P.S. Don't know what ILLiad is? Check out the FAQ at http://niagara.illiad.oclc.org/illiad/FAQ2.html.

Library Extends Friday Hours

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 09:41:04 -0500

Beginning Friday, November 30, the Library will be open until 10pm on Fridays until the end of the fall semester (Nov. 30, Dec. 7, and Dec. 14).

Brother Augustine Towey's Poetry Collections in the Library

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 09:41:39 -0500

Brother Augustine Towey, C.M., passed away Thursday, Nov. 22, 2012, after a long illness at age 75. Brother Towey was Director Emeritus of Niagara Theatre and a respected poet.

The Library owns several of his poetry collections; you may view the list here.

Thankgiving Week Hours

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 09:42:13 -0500

The Library's hours of operation for Thanksgiving Week are:

Monday, November 19: 7am - 2am
Tuesday, November 20: 7am - 10pm
Wednesday, November 21: CLOSED
Thursday, November 22: CLOSED
Friday, November 23: CLOSED
Saturday, November 24: 10am - 4pm
Sunday, November 25: 11am - 2am