Thursday, December 19, 2013

Top Tens of 2013: Amusing Library Statistics

Twin Cities Library likes to reflect upon the past year by finding data like Weirdest Search Terms that Led You to Us. Enjoy.

Below are a selection of our favorite tongue-in-cheek and more useful statistics, courtesy of Google Analytics and our library system Aleph.

2013 Top Ten Weirdest (or Awesomely Misspelled) Search Terms that Landed Someone on our Website
  1. help
  2. centralize sticky notes
  3. kualitative and kuantitative research
  4. laptop chairs in mn
  5. quntitative research
  6. smumn blackbiarf  (I like to imagine this is a type of disease that causes retching)
  7. "controlled vocabulary" city of  (oooh I'd move there in a heartbeat!)
  8. ebsco sorry this ebook is in use
  9. blind date with a book umn
  10. www.popularmagz.com
2013 Top Ten Countries with Visitors to our Website (Besides the US)
  1. United Kingdom
  2. India
  3. Philippines
  4. Pakistan
  5. Malaysia
  6. Canada
  7. Jamaica (Saint Mary's University has a partnership with the Catholic College of Mandeville located in Jamaica)
  8. Kenya (Saint Mary's University's Christ the Teacher Institute for Education and Maryknoll Institute of African Studies are located in Nairobi, Kenya)
  9. Australia
  10. South Africa
2013 Top 13 Most Checked Out Titles
In 2013 we acquired 676 new items - and those are only physical items like books, DVDs, dissertations, and assessment tests. We brought you thousands of new items if you count the journal articles we got access to!
  1. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5. THE BIG WINNER with 9 loans (a lot, considering our loan period is 60 days). The APA came out with the much anticipated  fifth edition of their seminal, and sometimes controversial, manual.
  2. Business law and the legal environment (8)
  3. The child psychotherapy treatment planner (7)
  4. Three approaches to psychotherapy, Strupp - DVD (7)
  5. Three approaches to psychotherapy, Meichenbaum - DVD (6)
  6. The complete adult psychotherapy treatment planner (6)
  7. Developmental psychopathology: From infancy through adolescence (5)
  8. Transformational leadership styles of laboratory medical directors - dissertation (4)
  9. Lean in: Women, work, and the will to lead
  10. The nearly departed: Minnesota ghost stories and legends
  11. BIA, Beck Anxiety Manual - assessment test (4)
  12. The mind traveller, Oliver Sacks - DVD (4)
  13. Factors contributing to the exits from the superintendency in Minnesota - dissertation (4)
2013 Top Ten Mobile Devices Used to Access our Website
Mobile isn't king though - the traditional desktop computer still is. 92% of you accessed our website using a desktop computer. 4.4% accessed us from a phone, and 3.6% access us from a tablet. It'll be interesting to see if these numbers shift in the future. Check back in a year!
  1. Apple iPad
  2. Apple iPhone
  3. Apple iPod
  4. T-Mobile G2 Touch HTC Sapphire
  5. Samsung Galaxy SIII
  6. Samsung Galaxy SII
  7. Motorola Droid Razr 4G
  8. Samsung Galaxy S IV
  9. Google Nexus 10
  10. Opera Mini for S60

Remember the days before SuperSearch? We don't like to think about that dark period, either. SuperSearch launched on May 11, 2013, and changed the way you (and we) do academic research. In early September we began keep statistics on SuperSearch, some of which are Top Ten worthy.

2013 Top Ten Search Terms/Phrases Used in SuperSearch
  1. Search articles, books, and more all at once....  The big winner with 702 searches!! (This is the generic filler text in the SuperSearch box...y'all must be hitting search first! I do that, too.)
  2. autism
  3. dogs (LOL, this is the text Rachel always types in when she needs to test something or do a sample search. HER favorite term showed up in the top ten, the rest of ours didn't. Hmph.)
  4. strong interest inventory
  5. autism and education
  6. MBTI
  7. stroke
  8. ACOs (affordable care organizations)
  9. apa
  10. leadership

Friday, December 13, 2013

Save Articles in Google Scholar

An awesome SuperSearch feature is now available in Google Scholar, too - save articles in a folder and retrieve them later!  

On the search results page, save articles in My library, a feature of Google Scholar that appears when you are signed into your Google account. Select Save below a search result to save it to your library where you can read or cite it later. Select My library to see all the articles in your library.


Monday, December 09, 2013

Holiday Break Hours

Twin Cities Library will have reduced hours over the next few weeks due to various holiday happenings. Check ahead before you come by!

Holiday Hours:

Thursday, 12/19 9:00am - 11:00am
CLOSED 11:00am - 3:00pm
3:00pm - 5:00pm
Friday, 12/20 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Saturday, 12/21 CLOSED
Monday, 12/23 9:00am - 5:00pm
(Staff may be in full holiday regalia.)
Tuesday, 12/24 -
Wednesday, 01/01
CLOSED
(Yuletide and whatnot.)
Thursday, 01/02 -
Friday, 01/03
9:00am - 5:00pm
Saturday, 01/04 CLOSED
Monday, 01/06 Normal hours resume.

Sunday, December 01, 2013

December 2013 New Books

Ho ho ho and mistletoe. Here's a list of the newest additions to the Twin Cities Library's print collection.

  1. Admissions, Academic Records and Registration Services: A Handbook of Policies and Procedures / Quann, James C. 
  2. Ariadne's Thread: Case Studies in the therapeutic Relationship / Cowan, Eric W. 
  3. Assessment for Excellence: The Philosophy and Practice of Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education / Astin, Alexander W. 
  4. Autism Spectrum Disorder / Lubetsky, Martin J. 
  5. Constructing Grounded Theory: A Practical Guide through Qualitative Analysis / Charmaz, Kathy 
  6. Counseling Boys and Young Men / Degges-White, Suzanne 
  7. Disrupting Class, Expanded Edition: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns / Christensen, Clayton 
  8. Evaluating the Economics of Complementary and Integrative Medicine / Herman, Dr Patricia 
  9. Families, Professionals, and Exceptionality: Positive Outcomes Through Partnerships and Trust (6e) / Turnbull, Ann 
  10. Flourishing: Positive Psychology and the Life Well-Lived / Keyes, Corey L. M. 
  11. Health Economics / Sloan, Frank A. 
  12. Higher Education and First-Generation Students: Cultivating Community, Voice, and Place for the New Majority / Jehangir, Rashné 
  13. How We Think / Dewey, John 
  14. Making Learning Whole: How Seven Principles of Teaching Can Transform Education / Perkins, David 
  15. Marriage and Family Therapy: A Practice-Oriented Approach / Linda Metcalf 
  16. Measuring the Success of Coaching / Phillips, Patricia Pulliam 
  17. Naturalistic Inquiry / Lincoln, Yvonna S. 
  18. Self in Social Psychology: Key Readings / Baumeister, Roy F. 
  19. Student Engagement in Higher Education: Theoretical Perspectives and Practical Approaches for Diverse Populations / Harper, Shaun R. 
  20. The Crowdfunding Bible: How To Raise Money For Any Startup, Video Game Or Project / Steinberg, Scott 
  21. The Crowdfunding Revolution: How to Raise Venture Capital Using Social Media / Lawton, Kevin 
  22. The Kickstarter Handbook: Real-Life Success Stories of Artists, Inventors, and Entrepreneurs / Steinberg, Don 
  23. The Mismeasure of Crime / Mosher, Clayton J. 
  24. The Mummy at the Dining Room Table: Eminent Therapists Reveal Their Most Unusual Cases and What They Teach Us About Human Behavior / Kottler, Jeffrey A. 
  25. The Networked Nonprofit: Connecting with Social Media to Drive Change / Kanter, Beth 
  26. The Secrets of Crowdfunding: A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting the Most From Your Kickstarter Campaign / Akers, Sean 
  27. Unmasking Identities: An Exploration of the Lives of Gay and Lesbian Teachers / Janna Marie Jackson

Monday, November 25, 2013

2013 Thanksgiving Break Hours

tryp·to·phan. n.  An essential amino acid, but not the cause of post-Thanksgiving dinner sleepiness. (Blame the carbs.)

Twin Cities Library is closing at 12:00pm on Wednesday, November 27th and will be closed for the entire Thanksgiving holiday weekend.  Normal hours resume Monday, December 2nd.

Warm wishes to you and your loved ones for a fulfilling Thanksgiving Holiday, from Twin Cities Library.



Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Art on Park Reception

Calling all art lovers - celebrate Saint Mary’s University artists at the Centennial Exhibition reception. The opening reception is Wednesday, November 20th, from 5:00pm - 6:00pm.

Centennial Exhibition Redux

Celebrate Saint Mary’s University artists at the Centennial Exhibition reception! This special show is curated by the Twin Cities Library's Art on Park program and commemorates the diverse talents of SMU staff, alumni, and students. Refereshments will be provided.

When
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Where
Twin Cities Library - Lasalle Hall Room 132
2500 Park Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55404

Have questions about Art on Park? Contact us.

Wednesday, November 06, 2013

November 2013 New Books

A cornucopia of knowledge floweth over in Twin Cities Library this month. With Thanksgiving approaching, we filled our larder with new books and other resources for you to overindulge in. Please do not chew or slobber on the new materials until we get dust jackets on them.
  1. Adult Attachment: Theory, Research, and Clinical Implications - Rholes PhD, W. Steven
  2. Adventure Therapy: Theory, Research, and Practice - Gass, Michael
  3. Aggressivity, Narcissism, and Self-Destructiveness in the Psychotherapeutic Relationship - Kernberg, Otto
  4. Autoethnography as Method - Chang, Heewon 
  5. Beginning Qualitative Research: A Philosophical and Practical Guide - Maykut, Pamela
  6. Culture and the Therapeutic Process: A Guide for Mental Health Professionals - Leach, Mark
  7. Classroom Habitudes: Teaching Habits and Attitudes for 21st Century Learning - Maiers, Angela 
  8. Destructive Trends in Mental Health: The Well Intentioned Path to Harm - Wright, Rogers
  9. Hacking Your Education: Ditch the Lectures, Save Tens of Thousands, and Learn More Than Your Peers Ever Will - Stephens, Dale
  10. Handbook of Couples Therapy - Harway, Michele
  11. Integrated Treatment for Co-Occurring Disorders: Treating People, Not Behaviors - Klott, Jack
  12. Inside the Black Box of Classroom Practice: Change without Reform in American Education - Cuban, Larry
  13. Letting Go of the Words, Second Edition: Writing Web Content that Works - Redish, Ginny
  14. Life Code: The New Rules for Winning in the Real World - McGraw, Phil
  15. Maximize Your Potential: Grow Your Expertise, Take Bold Risks and Build an Incredible Career - Glei, Jocelyn
  16. Morgan and Mikhail's Clinical Anesthesiology (5e) - Butterworth, John
  17. Organized Activities As Contexts of Development: Extracurricular Activities, After School and Community Programs - Mahoney, Joseph
  18. Postmodern Interviewing - Gubrium, Jaber
  19. Qualitative Interviewing: The Art of Hearing Data - Rubin, Herbert
  20. Rethinking Assessment in Higher Education: Learning for the Longer Term - Boud, David and Falchikov, Nancy
  21. Semantic Polarities and Psychopathologies in the Family: Permitted and Forbidden Stories - Ugazio, Valeria
  22. The Aesthetic Dimensions of Educational Administration and Leadership - Samier, Eugenie
  23. The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog: And Other Stories from a Child Psychiatrist's Notebook - Perry, Bruce
  24. The Long Interview (Qualitative Research Methods) - McCracken, Grant
  25. The Widening Circle: A Lyme Disease Pioneer Tells Her Story - Murray, Polly
  26. Understanding Adoption: Clinical Work with Adults, Children, and Parents - Hushion, Kathleen
  27. Understanding Paranoia: A Guide for Professionals, Families, and Sufferers - Kandor, Martin
  28. What Does It Mean To Be Hmong in the Twin Cities of Minnesota? - Baas, Sally
  29. Instead of Education: Ways to Help People do Things Better - Holt, John

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Library Hours

Take note! We've got some changes to our library hours this week.
  • Friday, 10/25:  9am-12pm  
  • Saturday, 10/26:  8am-3pm  
  • Monday, 10/28:  1pm-9pm  
  • Tuesday, 10/29:  12pm-9pm  
Normal hours resume Wednesday.

Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, check out the Lasallian Research Symposium held next door at the Saint Mary's Event Center. Several librarians will be there, as well as a vibrant community of scholars committed to supporting, conducting, and publishing Lasallian research!

Thursday, October 17, 2013

New Library Website Launches


Go on, feast your eyes. Chances are you’re reading this paragraph in the blog feed embedded in our new website. Lovely isn't it?

Our new library website is easy to use, requires fewer clicks, and gives you instant access to SuperSearch.
Take a short video tour, and then blast off into awesome.

Let us know what you think of the new site - feedback is most definitely welcome

Thursday, October 03, 2013

October 2013 New Books

In addition to bulk orders of Halloween candy, Twin Cities Library has ordered some spooktacular new books for your reading and learning pleasure. Can you tell that the person blogging this week enjoys a certain holiday?


Tuesday, October 01, 2013

ERIC Shutdown

Our largest database of education research and information, ERIC, happens to be a sponsored by two government entities - the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) of the U.S. Department of Education. If you've followed the news as of late, today marks the start of a partial government shutdown. Imagine our surprise to learn ERIC is affected.

On ERIC's website:
Dear Users,
Due to a lapse of appropriations and the partial shutdown of the Federal Government, the systems that host eric.ed.gov have been shut down. Services will be restored as soon as a continuing resolution to provide funding has been enacted.
If you find a resource in SuperSearch and try to access the full text from ERIC, you'll be met with this message:


We'll keep you updated! Until then, continue using SuperSearch for most of your education resource-related  needs. You can manually request items from ERIC using our Interlibrary Loan Article Request Form.

Tally ho!

Monday, September 30, 2013

Last Week of Art on Park Centennial Exhibition Part 1

The start of October marks the end of Twin Cities Library's Art on Park Centennial Exhibition. Come by the library before the end of this week to enjoy the diverse selection of artistic works by talented SMU alumni, staff, and students one last time!

And wonderful news! Because of the overwhelmingly positive response to Art on Park's call for artists, a second Centennial Exhibition will open soon, showcasing additional works by talented SMU alumni, staff, and students! Wahoo! The second show will start in November. Watch our website and blog for more details.

From the whole SMU community (and especially from the librarians) to the artists - we LOVE your work and have enjoyed it immensely for the past six months. And we're looking forward to the next show!

Renee Vevea, bulles d'air

Wednesday, September 04, 2013

September 2013 New Books

Football season is upon us! For those of you not into "handegg" - we got you some new books so you can occupy yourselves. Skol reading!!!
  1. Equal Employment of Persons with Disabilities: Federal and State Law, Accommodations, and Diversity Best Practices / Parry, John W.
  2. The Autistic Brain: Thinking Across the Spectrum / Grandin, Temple
  3. Dorland's Pocket Medical Dictionary, 29e
  4. Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches / Creswell, John W.
  5. Pearls, Politics, and Power: How Women Can Win and Lead / Kunin, Madeleine
  6. Microaggressions and Marginality: Manifestation, Dynamics, and Impact / Sue, Derald Wing
  7. Effective Supervision: Supporting the Art and Science of Teaching / Marzano, Robert J.
  8. Introvert Power: Why Your Inner Life Is Your Hidden Strength / Helgoe Ph.D., Laurie
  9. Bad Leadership: What It Is, How It Happens, Why It Matters (Leadership for the Common Good) / Kellerman, Barbara
  10. What Therapists Don't Talk about and Why: Understanding Taboos That Hurt Us and Our Clients / Pope, Kenneth S.
  11. Contemporary Psychotherapies for a Diverse World / Jon Frew
  12. Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action / Sinek, Simon
  13. CLEP Official Study Guide 2013 / The College Board
  14. Researching Lived Experience: Human Science for an Action Sensitive Pedagogy / Van Manen, Max
  15. A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America / Takaki, Ronald
  16. Don't Shoot the Dog!: The New Art of Teaching and Training / Pryor, Karen
  17. The Class (Entre Les Murs) DVD / François Bégaudeau
  18. The Neuroscience of Psychotherapy: Healing the Social Brain (Second Edition) / Cozolino, Louis
  19. Dual Relationships And Psychotherapy / Lazarus PhD ABPP, Arnold
  20. Lonely at the Top: The High Cost of Men's Success / Joiner, Thomas
  21. Beyond the Numbers: Making Data Work for Teachers & School Leaders / White, Stephen
  22. Data Wise: Revised and Expanded Edition: A Step-by-Step Guide to Using Assessment Results to Improve Teaching and Learning / Edited by Kathryn Parker Boudett
  23. Drowning in Data? How to Collect, Organize, and Document Student Performance / Shea, Mary
  24. Dissertations And Theses from Start to Finish: Psychology And Related Fields / Cone, John D.
  25. Finish Your Dissertation Once and for All!: How to Overcome Psychological Barriers, Get Results, and Move on With Your Life / Miller, Alison B.
  26. Designing Middle and High School Instruction and Assessment: Using the Cognitive Domain / Badgett, John L.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

ProQuest Interruption

To our Saturday night researchers out there,

On August 24th, ProQuest will make storage infrastructure improvements. An eight hour (8) maintenance window is needed to perform the necessary infrastructure maintenance and during this time our ProQuest databases will not be available. The interruption will last from 9:00pm - 5:00am, Sunday morning.

Perfect! An excuse to go to the State Fair on Saturday night! Or watch SNL! Or, like me, sleep!

Actually, this interruption shouldn't affect you too much if you do need to do some homework on Saturday night. You can still search in SuperSearch and get the full text of darn near everything you need. But if you are linked to a ProQuest database to retrieve the full text of something, you'll get an error message. Our suggestion:
  1. Add those items to your SuperSearch folder
  2. Sign in on Sunday morning whilst sipping some coffee
  3. Retrieve the full text


Thursday, August 08, 2013

Using Folders and Notes in SuperSearch

Folders:
Folders are a great way to organize your research and streamline the process of reviewing your search results. You can access individual articles and eBooks, saved searches, checked-out eBooks, and more in your SuperSearch folder.
Create custom folders to organize resources for different assignments or courses.
  1. Select the Folder icon (in the upper right side of the SuperSearch page).
  2. Select "My Custom" (left toolbar).
  3. Select "New."
  4. Add a clever name.
  5. Select "Save."
As you review your search results, add useful-looking resources to your specialized folders.
Folder contents can be shared with colleagues.
  1. Select your clever custom folder name.
  2. Select "Share." (You can make access to your folder password protected.) 
  3. Enter email addresses.
  4. Select "Invite."


Notes:
New as of August 2013: In SuperSearch, you can create and save notes regarding specific resources, including articles, books, eBooks, and videos. Anything that you can find in SuperSearch, you can create a note for!

How to create a note:
  1. Log in to your personal SuperSearch account.
  2. Find a resource; select its title (this takes you to the item's record).
  3. Select the "Create Note" link in the toolbar to the right.
  4. Select the "New Note" button at the top of the record.
  5. Type a note in the space that pops up.
  6. Select the "Save" button.
  7. Success! Your note is saved and can be accessed and edited anytime by selecting the "Folder" icon in the upper right side of the SuperSearch page. Your note will also show up automatically when you open the item about which you wrote the note.
Check out the visual below. Select the image to enlarge it.


Using Search Alerts with SuperSearch

Save yourself time by setting up a search alert in SuperSearch. Search alerts automatically notify you each time a new article, book, or report is published that matches your search criteria. You can also be notified every time a new issue for a selected journal title is available.

How to set up an alert:
  1. Perform a search. A super search, if you will.
  2. Stare at the results page. 
  3. Select "Share" in the medium-upper right.
  4. Select either "Email Alert" or "RSS Feed" (you can be alerted by email or add your alert to your favorite RSS reader).
  5. Create the alert using the form that pops up (image #2 below).
  6. Select Save.
Select the images for a visual explanation.



Speaking from experience, the humble search alert is the ultimate tool for the professional who needs or wants to keep up-to-date on a specific topic, but is too lazy to go into a database and do a search every once and a while. 
Also speaking from experience, in Internet-nerd speak this translates to:
1. Perform search.
2. Set up search alert.
3. Profit.

How to Bookmark Twin Cities Library's Website

Save time by bookmarking your oft-visited webpages in your Internet browser. Directions for bookmarking webpages in popular Internet browsers are listed below.

And may we suggest bookmarking this guy:  www.smumn.edu/tclibrary
  1. Google Chrome
  2. Mozilla Firefox
  3. Safari
  4. Opera
  5. Internet Explorer

Thursday, August 01, 2013

Off Campus Issues with SuperSearch

SuperSearch isn't letting some users log in to access full text of resources this morning.
We're aware of the issue but haven't figured out what is causing it, yet.
Keep trying - we've experienced getting blocked, then logging in a few minutes later, and having access. It's weird.

This is the error message you'll see.



Also, you'll notice SuperSearch has an updated interface this morning, too! It is cleaner, stream-lined, and more modern looking. Tutorials will be updated soon to reflect the changes.

August 2013 New Books

It's already August? Cripes.
The only way to deal with 2013 flying by is to buy some books and videos for you guys, and to dream of sweet, sweet cheese curds. By sweet, I mean salty. And delicious. *shudders in anticipation*


Monday, July 29, 2013

ProQuest Errors

Currently, the Saint Mary's University libraries are experiencing an error when linking to some ProQuest resources that contain symbols (e.g. apostrophes, quotation marks, etc.) in the title (e.g. Internet Daters' Body Type Preferences: Race--Ethnic and Gender Differences). We have reported this issue to the database administrator., but they do not have an expected timeline for its resolution.

In the meantime, worry not!! You can still access these resources by copying and pasting the title of your article directly into the ProQuest search box. Follow these steps:


Step 1:



Step 2:



Step 3:



Step 4:

Monday, July 15, 2013

ProQuest Databases Error

PROBLEM RESOLVED!!!!

WORK-AROUND: Use SuperSearch for your searching. You can access the full text of ProQuest database items using the links provided in SuperSearch. Learn how to use SuperSearch here.

ProQuest databases aren't allowing off-campus students to log in this morning. You're able to log in using your Saint Mary's username and password, but then this page pops up (see below). We're aware of the problem and have contacted ProQuest. We'll update you here when the problem is resolved.

ProQuest Error

Tuesday, July 02, 2013

July 2013 New Books

WE CELEBRATE OUR INDEPENDENCE BY OBTAINING BOOKS.

  • Nation of cowards : black activism in Barack Obama's post-racial America / 2012
  • Leading your healthcare organization through a merger or acquisition / 2010
  • Evidence-based medicine : how to practice and teach it / 2011
  • The leader's guide to skills : unlocking the creativity and innovation in you and your team / 2006
  • Subtle suicide: Our silent epidemic of ambivalence about living / 2009
  • And baby makes three : the six-step plan for preserving marital intimacy and rekindling romance after baby arrives / 2007
  • The science of trust : emotional attunement for couples / 2011

Fourth of July Hours

Happy Fourth of July!

  • Thursday, July 4th  CLOSED
  • Friday, July 5th  9:00am - 5:00pm
  • Saturday, July 6th  CLOSED

Normal hours resume Monday, July 8th.

Also, behold the book display for July. Red, white, and blue books.


Tuesday, June 18, 2013

ScienceDirect and PDFs

5:00PM: ISSUE RESOLVED. SCIENCEDIRECT IS OUR FRIEND AGAIN.




Seems ScienceDirect is not letting off-campus users access PDFs. We're aware of the problem and have contacted the fix-it peoples.

In the meantime, please EMAIL, CALL, OR CHAT WITH US if you encounter this problem. We will email you the PDF immediately. Faster than the Jimmy John's delivery person.

This quirk is a little confusing because what happens is you can sign into the database, search around, and do everything but access PDFs. HTML full text is not affected by this quirk. If you are on campus, you are able to access PDFs just fine. We're not sure why ScienceDirect is being mean to off-campus users, but we'll get to the bottom of this travesty! 

Saturday, June 01, 2013

EBSCO eBooks Academic Collection expansion

Oh hello SMU community. We just received a few updates from EBSCO eBooks, a collection that you automatically search when you search with SuperSearch. We've got over 114,000 eBooks for you, and the academic caliber of our offerings just got stronger.

University Press Content Increases with May 2013 Update
The eBook Academic Collection subscription has added more university press content with its latest update. Titles from Harvard University Press and Yale University Press were recently added, and new books from The Brookings Institution and more titles from Harvard University Press will be included with future updates.

Coming Soon: Early Check-In Feature
Users will soon be able to check in eBooks before the check-out duration has expired using the Adobe Digital Editions software. Returning eBooks early will allow titles to be available for other users sooner. This is beneficial for libraries that have purchased titles on a single- or three-user model.

Thursday, May 30, 2013

June 2013 New Books

Longer summer nights mean more time to read new books. Better get on it. Also, some of our books have clear, protective covers on them, which means you can put your iced tea or other beverage of choice directly on the book covers. The condensation won't hurt them! (Do not attempt with trade paperbacks.)
Also, one of our library plants jumped to its demise. Our large aloe plant lived on top of the EDS Assessment Test cabinet in the back hall. In a moment of cabinet door slamming, the plant decided to leap onto one of our librarians and then the floor. Unlike the plant, the librarian survived and is recovering nicely, save for a little dirt in her hair and green aloe juice on her sweater.





Saturday, May 11, 2013

SuperSearch Launches!


Ever wish you had an easy button for library research? Well, your wish has been granted. On May 13, Twin Cities Library launched SuperSearch, a new search tool that will greatly simplify library research!
 

SuperSearch is a single search for articles, books, and more, and it enables you to:
  • search articles, books, eBooks, streaming videos, assessment tests, and more all at once
  • copy and paste APA and AMA citations into a reference list
  • save searches and resources to your account
  • organize resources into folders
  • get email notifications when new articles on your topic are published
Watch the one minute video demo below -- before it goes viral. You can learn more about SuperSearch by reading the SuperSearch FAQs and SuperSearch Handout or view the SuperSearch interactive tutorial.
 
You can still access individual databases (e.g. Academic Search Premier) from the library website if that is your preference.

SuperSearch will be added to the Twin Cities Library homepage on May 13. Let us know what you think, so we can help you maximize this powerful resource.



SuperSearch Quirks

As with any new product, you might experience some quirks and hiccups! Please let us know if you do and we will work to quickly resolve the issue. We'll list those issues here, and update you when they're fixed.

  1. RESOLVED 5/17. Get Full Text error. You've found a great article and now you want to retrieve the full text. If you select Get Full Text, then "Get this article from....", you will get an error if you are using the browser Internet Explorer.
    • Work-around. Use Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, or Google Chrome

Thursday, April 25, 2013

2012M3 Semester Break

Library hours are reduced the week of Monday, April 29 - Friday, May 3. It's semester break and with the sudden arrival of spring, we librarians need to crawl around on the muddy grass looking for locusts.

PLEASE NOTE WE ARE CLOSED SATURDAY, MAY 4TH.

Hours:

April New Books

We just got our refund check from the government and let me tell you, was it a doozy!
So we bought you guys a bunch of new books. Here's a sampling:

  • The invention of the white race / 2012
  • Differentiation through Learning Styles and Memory / 2008
  • Beginning interpretative inquiry: a step-by-step approach to research and evaluation /2012
  • Integrative play therapy / 2011
  • Police Crime Control Strategies / 2014
  • Clean : overcoming addiction and ending America's greatest tragedy / 2013
  • Virtual Team Success: A Practical Guide for Working and Leading From a Distance / 2010
  • Learning ACT: An acceptance and commitment therapy skills-training manual for therapists / 2007
  • Sexual offending and mental health: Multidisciplinary management in the community / 2008
  • Treatment plans and interventions for depression and anxiety disorders / 2012
  • Every officer is a leader: Coaching leadership, learning, and performance in justice, public safety / 2006
  • The Criminology of Place: Street Segments and Our Understanding of the Crime Problem / 2012
  • Putting Crime in its Place: Units of Analysis in Geographic Criminology / 2009
  • Decoding the ethics code: A practical guide for psychologists / 2013
  • Advanced methods for conducting online behavioral research / 2010
  • Make your brain smarter: Increase your brain's creativity, energy, and focus / 2013
  • Lean in: Women, work, and the will to lead / 2012

Search for these book in our library catalog. Sorry - it's been a super busy month so I'm not going to link to each record. Alas, how I've spoiled you in the past.

P.S. We also bought you an awesome new single search product called SuperSearch. Look for more information about it coming next month!

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Roller Derby in the Library

We got new computer chairs in the library! They are beneficial for students' postures and for conducting chair races after hours. They also saved one librarian's back from having to carry weeded older editions of super-heavy nurse anesthesia texts. Come and have a seat.




Wednesday, April 03, 2013

National Poetry Month

It's National Poetry Month, and TC Library is getting in on the action! Check out our April book display for an abundance of poetry.
Actually, in our whole print collection, I could only find eight books that feature and/or focus on poetry. (Not part of our academic offerings or collection development policy.) So - to make up for this outrageous hole in our collection, I wrote you a poem.


What does TC Library not have?
Books with poetry and rhyme!
Instead we own books on therapy 
and management and crime.  


So if you want a book of poems, 
your routine from us must vary. 
Order some through ILL, 
or visit your public library.

We also have a bunch of poetry books in our eBook database. POETRY SLAM STARTS NOW!!!

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Minnesota FoodShare

March is Minnesota FoodShare month and TC Library is excited to participate!

But actually, we participate year-round thanks to you and your generosity. You see, TC Library has a fun library-fine forgiveness program called Can Your Fine. This outreach program - the brainchild of Steve Swanson - is a library campaign that raises non-perishable food donations. Your donations go to the food shelf at Lutheran Social Services’ Center for Changing Lives, our next-door neighbors at 2400 Park Avenue.

How can you participate? Return an overdue book, donate three cans of food, and we will wipe the late fee off your library account. Can you be even more awesome? Return your book on time and donate non-perishable food anyway. It is Minnesota FoodShare month, after all!

Steve, Carrie, and Jane usually make the trek over to LSS about every other month with bags and boxes of non-perishable food items. Your donated food is distributed to Minnesotan families twice a month; over 150 households come to the Center for assistance. THANK YOU!!!!


Steve and Carrie gleefully dropping off some food items last summer. Hey Mother Nature. It's March 19th. Maybe you should start thinking about looking like this outside, instead of the white, wind-whipped tundra that is Minnesota today.

Monday, March 11, 2013

March 2013 New Books

- ahem -


♫ ♪ Here comes Peter Cottontail,
Hoppin' down the bunny trail, 
Hippity hoppity, Easter's on its way! ♪

♪ ♫ Bringin' ev'ry SMU girl 'n' boy, 
A basketful of Easter joy, 
Things to make your Easter a straight A! ♪

♪ He's got a mental health book for Tommy, 
Management texts for sister Sue, 
There's a DVD for your mommy, 
And an arts marketing book too. Oh! ♫

♪ Here' comes Peter Cottontail, 
Hoppin' down the bunny trail,
Hippity hoppity, Happy Easter Day. ♫ ♪


Easter is coming so early this year, but Peter Cottontail uses Amazon Prime to ensure two-day delivery on new books. Our Easter basket overfloweth.
Seems someone forgot to post new books for February, so this list is making up for lost time. It is also making up for lost awesomeness due to the rockin' jam listed at the start of the post. Please feel free to call TC Library and leave a message of you ♪ ♫ singing along ♫ ♪ with the Peter Cottontail song, and/or drop any new or gently used Cadbury Creme Eggs off at TC Library.