Your FAQ's About the Cat...Answered!

At least once a night, a student or a faculty member come to the library looking to perform research on a number of topics. (Most recently, I have had requests for information on Monet, gay marriage, and the Civil War) Those that are brave enough to ask for help also learn exactly how to find what they're looking for; but for those who are a little shy when it comes to asking for help, here are a few frequently asked questions and answers about the Cat.

Q: What is "the Cat?"

A: The Cat is Penn State's entire catalog of books, videos, electronic resources, magazines, etc. and it can be used to locate any source at any Penn State library.

Q: How do I use the Cat?

A: You can use the Cat to search for information by keyword, author, and title, as well as by library, just by typing a general or specific topic(s) in the keyword box. You can also view an online tutorial of the Cat by logging on to http://extranet.libraries.psu.edu/instruction/tutorials.htm, and clicking on "the Cat Tutorial"

Q: Where can I find the Cat?

A: The Cat can be found by logging on to http://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul.html, and clicking on "The Cat," located in the left hand corner under "Find Books."

Do you have any other questions about the Cat? If so, please comment this blog and ask me!

Come check out our newest spooky and political displays!

If you're looking for frightening fun, come on in to the library and check out our creepiest display of the year. Located on the first floor of Abington's library, our Halloween display features the Collected Works of Edgar Allan Poe, 1809-1849, Poems: Volume 1, Last Things: Death and the Apocalypse in the Middle Ages by Caroline Walker Bynum, and Salem Possessed: the Social Origins of Witchcraft by Paul Boyer.

With the Presidential election just two weeks away, a trip to the library to brush up on your political science may be in order. Located on the second floor of Abington's library, our display, which is dedicated to voting, features Why Americans Still Don't Vote: and Why Politicans Want it That Way by Frances Fox Piven, Votes for Women: the Struggle for Suffrage Revisited by Jean H. Baker, and the October issue of Political Science and Politics.

Also, please stop in and enter our raffle for your chance to win some PSU goodies! The drawing will be held on November 3rd, so stop in Monday through Thursday between 8pm to 10pm!

Give us a piece of your mind! Are you more or less satisfied with the library's extended hours? Please leave a comment on this blog and let us know your thoughts!

Information Resources...are your friends.

Mid-terms. Ugh. Although heading back to school is not any student's idea of a good time, there is nothing worse than mid-terms. For those of you who are frantically writing papers, cramming for tests, and spending every spare moment finishing labs, projects, and presentations, before you head on over to Google and use the top three results as your only sources, check out PSU's library homepage, www.libraries.psu.edu.

Here you can find Research Guides by Subject (including Early Childhood Education, Genetics, and Historical Speeches) Encyclopedias (try 'World Press Encyclopedia') Datebases by Title (check out 'JSTOR' for all of your researching needs) and of course The Cat.

Everything you need is available right here in your own library, so before you begin with 'WWW,' give 'LIBRARIES' a try.