New "My Favorites" Feature Through "The Cat"

A new feature available through "The Cat" on the University Libraries website now allows users to keep a list of their favorite subjects and authors.

To add a subject or author to your favorites list, search "The Cat" for a record with your subject or author listed listed as the first subject heading or primary author. Click on "Tell me when new items on this subject are available," which is located to the left of the record, and the subject or author is added to your "My Favorites" list. Your list will appear at the bottom of the Quick Search screen. To make changes to your list, click on the Modify button underneath "My Favorites."

If new materials on your favorite subject or by your favorite author are added to the Libraries' collections, you will receive an e-mail about the materials. E-mails are sent monthly.

Massachusetts Boarding School Trades Books for Kindles

Cushing Academy, located in Ashburnham, M.A., just finished an overhaul renovation of their library that consisted of removing all of the library's books "in favor of going digital." This move from print to entirely digital is believed to be the first of its kind in the U.S.

Instead of a circulation desk, book shelves, and study carrels, Cushing's library now features a cafe, easy chairs, and flat screen televisions. According to Cushing's Dean of Academics, the switch to digital is a result of surveys that were conducted by the school, which showed that students "weren't turning to printed materials for research; instead, they were immediately going online." Although some of Cushing's students are in favor of the new renovations, others are less enthusiastic.

Will other academic libraries follow Cushing's example? Only time will tell.

Read the full article "Digital School Library Leaves Book Stacks Behind" by Tina Antolini at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120097876.

Gale Information Access Database Trial Offer

The Gale Information Access database is currently offering Penn State Abington Library a free trial of Global Issues in Context (GIC) and Global Reference on the Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources (GREENR). Our free trials began on November 2 and will be available until December 15. A future subscription to these databases will depend on student and faculty interest. For more information, stop in to the library and ask to speak to one of our librarians.

GIC:
http://find.galegroup.com/gic/start.do?prodId=GIC&userGroupName=psu_trials

GREENR:

http://find.galegroup.com/grnr/start.do?prodId=GRNR&userGroupName=psu_trials