Penn State Abington Library

Can you find the Nittany Lion?

2010-11-11T16:23:00.001-05:00

Why The Next Big Pop-Culture Wave After Cupcakes Might Be Libraries

2010-07-21T13:34:00.001-04:00

I realize we're picking the bones from the Old Spice campaign at this point, but when I saw that the Brigham Young University parody of the Old Spice ads had gotten more than 1.2 million views (Old Spicy himself — that's what I'm calling him — did a video for libraries), it got me thinking more

"Sixth Sense" Technology

2010-01-14T19:08:00.003-05:00

TED is a small nonprofit company devoted to "Ideas Worth Spreading." TED began in 1984 as a conference bringing together experts in technology, entertainment, and design. Today, along with the annual TED Conference in Long Beach, CA and the TEDGlobal conference in Oxford UK, TED includes the award-winning TEDTalks video site, the TEDx community program, and its newest addition, the TEDIndia Conference.

In a 2009 TEDIndia conference, inventor Pranav Mistry demonstrated a wearable device that enables new interactions between the real world and the world of data. Mistry calls his development SixthSense, which is a device that can only be described as a paradigm-shifting paper laptop.

To watch the 13-minute video, log on to ted.com and search for "Pranav Mistry".

Google Books Hopes to "Digitize Every Book Ever Printed"

2010-01-14T18:22:00.005-05:00

One of the most popular search engines, Google, began a project now known as Google Books, in 2004. The ambitious project is a service from Google that searches for the full text of books - that were scanned by Google - and converts those scans using optical character recognition and stores them in its digital database. So far Google has scanned 12 million books and has made them available on the internet; however, Google's goal is to scan up to 40 million titles. Director of Google Books, Daniel Clancy, believes that it is Google's mission to organize all the world's information by scanning every book every printed and making them available online.

According to Michael Keller, who is a Google Books supporter and a librarian at Stanford University, Google Books is a valuable program. "The indexing of every word in every one of the books would allow us to get more out of the books. Another goal was to make more accessible the contents of these libraries to others around the United States and indeed around the world."

Although Google Books has many supporters, including the University of California-Berkeley, the University of Michigan, and Stanford University, there are many universities and scholars who do not support the project.

Gary Reback, an attorney from Silicon Valley, CA who represents the Open Book Alliance - which includes members such as Microsoft and Amazon - predicts that Google will begin this project without charging for what it digitizes, but will eventually impose hefty fees. "What Google is proposing here is not like any library you have ever been to. It's not a public library. It's a private library. And it's being run for profit, big profits. Google is going to charge university scholars, ordinary people, even schoolchildren, to get access to books that Google copied without the permission of the publisher or the author."

Selling digital copies of books could be quite profitable, however Google insists its plans and its investment, which it won't disclose, are not based on profits.

Read or listen to the story online at http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/entertainment/july-dec09/google_12-30.html.

UPI.com reports Facebook Personalities Are Fairly "Accurate"

2009-12-08T18:04:00.005-05:00

According to a study conducted by psychologist Sam Gosling of the University of Texas at Austin, Facebook users' profiles' "actually capture a person's true personality, instead of an idealized virtual identity."

The findings also suggest that social networking profiles covey such accurate images of their users because those users "aren't trying to look good or because they are trying and failing to pull it off."

Gosling collected 236 Facebook profiles of U.S. and German college-age adults for the study. He used questionnaires to assess the profile owners' actual personality characteristics, as well as their ideal-personality traits. A second group of people, strangers to the first group, rated the first groups's Facebook profiles. These ratings were then compared to the profile owners' actual personality and their ideal-personality.

The study found personality impressions based on Facebook profiles were accurate and were not affected by profile owners' self-idealization. The study is set to be published in Psychological Science.

The CU Online Handbook: Instructional Uses of Twitter

2009-12-08T17:39:00.002-05:00

Twitter, a web 2.0, microblogging tool, is now being used as an educational and instructional tool. The CU Online Handbook, published by the University of Colorado at Denver, offers some instances when Twitter can be used as an educational tool. In a 2008 study, students were asked to participate in an experiment where instructors used Twitter as an educational tool. The following two scenarios played out as a result of using Twitter: "A student is reading something in the textbook and has a question about the chapter on multi-modal learning. She immediately tweets her question to the Twitter community, and gets three responses within ten minutes - two responses from classmates, and one from her professor."

"A student sends a private tweet her professor regarding a difficult situation with a project team member. While in the middle of a meeting, Joni immediately tweets back, arranging a time to talk with the student outside of Twitter."

According to the researchers, by using a tool that enables just-in-time communication with the local and global community (Twitter), they were able to engage in sharing, collaboration, brain-storming, problem solving, and creating within the context of the moment-to-moment experiences.

For more information, check out the Mobile Libraries blog at http://mobile-libraries.blogspot.com. To read more about The CU Online Handbook on the Mobile Libraries blog, check out http://mobile-libraries.blogspot.com/2009/12/book-chapter-instructional-uses-of.html.

New e-Readers Take On Textbooks

2009-12-08T17:08:00.005-05:00

Although many people are now using e-readers (e.g. Amazon's Kindle (pictured below), Sony's Reader) to read newspapers and novels, textbooks have yet to find a suitable electronic home. Textbooks can be downloaded to e-readers, laptops, and smartphones, however, the small screen displays can have negative effects on a person's eyes.

In an attempt to ease the backlash, some companies are now developing two-screen e-readers that feature an e-paper display on one side and a liquid-crystal display on the other to render graphics and color.

In February, enTourage Systems will release a two-screen reader called the eDGe (pictured above). The device will be priced at $490. The eDGe device uses Google's Android operating system, so other applications like word processing can be added, according to enTourage Systems' vice president of marketing and business development.

Other companies seem to be following suit. Barnes and Noble just released its version called Nook priced at $259. Nook features a small LCD touch screen beneath the reading display to be used primarily for navigation. Spring Design will also be releasing the Alex, which will featue a 3.5-inch LCD screen for browsing the Internet and interacting with the e-reader content. Pricing for the Alex will be announced in January.

For more information, check out the article "Devices to Take Textbooks Beyond Text" by Anne Eisenberg from nytimes.com.

New Kindle App for the iPhone and iPod Touch

2009-12-03T18:26:00.005-05:00

For those of you who are iPhone and/or iPod Touch users - and bibliophiles - Apple has recently introduced a FREE Kindle Reader application. By downloading this FREE app, you can read Kindle books - some FREE, others a small cost - on your iPhone or iPod Touch.

New "My Favorites" Feature Through "The Cat"

2009-11-10T20:00:00.005-05:00

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

2009-11-10T17:59:00.002-05:00

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

2009-11-09T17:42:00.002-05:00

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

First Annual Open House! Wednesday, October 28th!

2009-10-22T20:51:00.006-04:00

Come to our Open House on Wednesday, October 28th!
See the Technology Petting Zoo (Rm. 10, 10am -Noon), learn more about the Digital Commons (demonstrations to be held in Rm. 104 at10:30am, 12:30pm, and 1:30pm), and Resources (Databases, videos, journals and books, oh my!)
Enter our raffle for a chance to win a PSU-themed prize pack. Get some free candy!!

I Love My Librarian Award!

2009-10-10T13:35:00.006-04:00

Up to 10 PSU librarians will be honored with the Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times I Love My Librarian Award this year.

Each will receive $5,000 and be recognized at an awards ceremony hosted by the "New York Times." Nominations closed on Friday, October 9. The winners will be announced in early November.

Stop In For Our Library Open House!

2009-09-29T20:21:00.006-04:00

The library will hold its First Annual Open House on Wednesday, October 28th from 10AM to 2PM! The Open House will showcase a variety of technologies, including smartphones and the library's own Digital Commons. There will also be an opportunity to win some PSU prizes and to ask questions. We will be providing snacks and refreshments, as well!

Top 5 Web Trends of 2009

2009-09-21T19:42:00.005-04:00

According to ReadWriteWeb, a blog that provides analyses of web products and trends, the 5 biggest web trends of 2009 are: structured data, the real-time web, personalization, mobile web/augmented reality, and the internet of things. The internet of things, also the final part of the series, is a network of Internet-enabled objects, together with web services, that interact with these objects. Technologies such as RFID (radio frequency identification), sensors, and smartphones are within the network of the internet of things. Among the future, more sophisticated technologies that will be among the internet of things network, the internet fridge is probably the most discussed. The internet fridge is a refrigerator that tracks the food inside it and notifies when products are running low; the internet fridge may even gather recipes and create shopping lists for its users.

The most important part of this new technology is not the novelty of an internet fridge, but how these technologies will enable users to maintain a healthier lifestyle. For example, products will have their own RFID tags, which will tell the buyer when it was produced and packaged (as opposed to just trusting the use and sell by stamps) and what the precise ingredients are and associated health benefits (as opposed to merely trusting the contents labels.)

For more analyses of web products and trends, visit http://www.readwriteweb.com/. To read the New York Times article by Richard Macmanus on the internet of things, visit http://www.nytimes.com/external/readwriteweb/2009/09/11/11readwriteweb-top-5-web-trends-of-2009-internet-of-things-98888.html.

McGraw-Hill Education Goes Digital With Its New E-textbooks

2009-09-16T17:52:00.004-04:00

McGraw-Hill Higher Education just launched a new line of e-textbooks, called McGraw-Hill Connect, for students. President of McGraw-Hill Higher Education, Edward H. Stanford, said that the new e-textbooks were developed based on an "ethnographic investigation of student study habits." According to Stanford, students tend to jump around in the text while reading or studying. These new e-textbooks should make jumping around in the text easier for students and produce better grades as a result.

McGraw-Hill Connect includes about 100 titles in 18 disciplines, and innovative features such as note sharing, which allows students to e-mail parts of the book to their friends with their notes attached, and "lecture capture," which allows teachers to download and share recorded lectures; there is even a feature that grades a student's work automatically!

Check out the article, "New E-textbooks Do More Than Inform: They'll Even Grade You," by Jeffrey R. Young from The Chronicle of Higher Education at http://chronicle.com/article/New-E-Textbooks-Do-More-Than/48324/.

Google's Book Search: A Disaster for Scholars

2009-09-10T09:11:00.001-04:00

Whether the Google books settlement passes muster with the U.S. District Court and the Justice Department, Google's book search is clearly on track to becoming the world's largest digital library. No less important, it is also almost certain to be the last one. Google's five-year head start and its relationships with libraries and publishers give it an effective monopoly: No competitor will be able to come after it on the same scale.more

Court Filing: Open Book Alliance Attorney Makes Case Against Google Books Settlement

2009-09-08T16:43:00.000-04:00

Silicon Valley antitrust lawyer Gary Reback made his case against the Google Books settlement Tuesday, arguing that the settlement is illegal but could be remedied if the Justice Department insists that Google license the books it scanned to competitors.

In a court filing (PDF) on behalf of the Open Book Alliance, a consortium that opposes the settlement, the attorney argues that the settlement between Google, the Authors Guild and the Association of American Publishers gives publishers and Google monopoly control over the pricing of digital books. Reback, who was involved in spurring the Justice Department to bring an antitrust suit against Microsoft in the 1990s, co-founded the consortium along with the Internet Archive, a nonprofit that is trying to create a digital archive of the Web, last month. Many members of the consortium, including the Internet Archive, Amazon.com, Yahoo and Microsoft, have filed their own briefs opposing the settlement too.read more

Reference Tools: Finding a New Job Using Twitter

2009-09-08T16:37:00.000-04:00

As online job boards have grown crowded amid the recession, many big companies now list job openings on Twitter.read more

Becoming Bicoastal

2009-09-08T16:25:00.000-04:00

In an effort to expand their readership and sales, both the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal are planning to start San Francisco editions, the NYT reported. The new editions would offer more local news for the San Francisco Bay Area in a bid to win new readers and advertisers.read more

Librarians are still "invaluable guides" for exploring information

2009-06-02T16:17:00.002-04:00

In a recent article published in Penn State's online magazine of scholarship and creativity, ResearchPennState, Assistant Dean for Scholarly Communications, Michael Furlough, and Assistant Dean for Technical and Collections Services, Lisa German, discussed the future of libraries in the age of computers and digitized media.

According to the article, recent studies suggest that digital media has "promoted more networked modes of learning" by not only drawing people into the libraries with updates and changes, but also by pushing the materials available in libraries out to those people by way of the internet.

German and Furlough agree that the future of the library and librarians will lie in helping people "navigate a vast and shifting sea of information."

To read the full article by Jesse Hicks, please visit http://www.rps.psu.edu/probing/todayslibraries.html. Photo Credit to Dan Chibnall.

Calculate Your Environmental Footprint!

2009-05-23T14:07:00.003-04:00

Log on to the Earth Day Network's website at http://earthday.net/footprint/ or the EPA's wesbite at http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator.html to calculate your environmental footprint, and learn how to reduce your household's greenhouse gas emissions! The quiz takes about 30 minutes to complete, and you will need your most recent gas and electric bills to answer the questions.

The U.N.'s World Digital Library Online

2009-04-20T17:39:00.003-04:00

The U.N. World Digital Library is now up-and-running online. The purpose of the library is to "display and explain the relics of all human cultures."

The new digital library, which is located at www.wdl.org, was created to make many resources available - including the first novel in history and the Aztecs' first mention of the Christ child - on an easy-to-navigate site.

The resources on the website are free for scholars as well as all curious people. The collection of primary documents from the planet's leading libraries will be officially inaugurated tomorrow at the Paris headquarters of UNESCO.

Check it out at www.wdl.org!

Tell the library what you think!

2009-04-09T13:32:00.005-04:00

The library is conducting a survey to determine if the new library hours are satisfactory. The questionnaire will take no more than 10 minutes. Just click on the Survey link! All responses are anonymous. Paper copies of the survey are also available at the circulation desk in the library.

Thank you very much for your help!

College Students Are Reading...More?

2009-04-07T17:44:00.004-04:00

A recent article from Iowa State University News Service mentions a study on the reading habits of undergraduates in this technologically-obsessed world. Apparently, students are reading more frequently than they were 10 years ago.

"...students reported spending 7.98 hours per week on recreational reading and 15.19 on academic reading -- considerably higher than the amount spent by college students in comparative studies conducted in 1999..."

The reason for this jump in student recreational reading? Because the internet offers easier access to information, students have more time on their hands, and are using that time wisely, according to this study.

Check out the article at http://www.public.iastate.edu/~nscentral/news/2009/mar/readingstudy.shtml.

Using Twitter to Teach?

2009-04-07T17:27:00.003-04:00

In a new article from Chronicle.com, Jeffrey Young introduces 10 college administrators - and avid twitterers - who are quickly changing the world of higher education one "tweet" at a time.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, Twitter is a social networking tool - much like Facebook - except instead of "friends" you collect "followers" and instead of posting "status updates" you "tweet."

Twitter is free to join and easy to use; most people just post what they had for breakfast and their agenda for the day, but several administrators from the world's biggest and best universities are using Twitter for educational purposes. Professors and staff members from the University of California, NYU, Fordham University, the University of Texas are using Twitter; even the President of Ohio State University is tweeting.

Check out the article at http://chronicle.com/free/v55/i31/31a01001.htm, and sign up for a Twitter account at http://twitter.com/.

Check Out Our New Display - Make the Most of Your Time on Earth!

2009-03-31T20:57:00.004-04:00

Located on the first floor of Abington Library is our new display - Make the Most of Your Time on Earth, which features travel materials showcasing Abington's Study Abroad program and the travels of the faculty and staff members. A few titles in our new display are: Contemporary Italy, Japan, Famous Homes of Great Britain, and Culture and Customs of Ireland. Come on in and check it out!

Check Out Our New Display - Technology and Society!

2009-03-31T20:53:00.007-04:00

Located on the bottom floor of Abington Library is our new display - Technology and Society, which features materials on the rise of the internet, blogging, television, and online societies. A few titles in this display are: How America Got Online, Blogging, and Virtual Society: Technology, Cyberbole, Reality.

Show Your Power and Participate in Earth Hour!

2009-03-19T17:20:00.006-04:00

On Saturday, March 28 at 8:30 pm, please do your part to stop global warming by participating in Earth Hour's "Lights Out" across the globe.

Earth Hour began in Sydney, Australia in 2007 when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. That year, the city's carbon consumption dropped by more than 10% during Earth Hour. Maintaining that level of energy reduction would be equivalent to taking almost 50,000 cars off the road.

By 2008, the message had grown substantially and 50 million people in 35 countries switched off their lights for one hour. Even landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge, the Colosseum, and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness for one hour.

For more information or to pledge your support, visit www.earthhour.org.

Check out MediaCloud.org!

2009-03-14T00:49:00.000-04:00

http://www.mediacloud.org/
http://chronicle.com/wiredcampus/index.php?id=3654

British search engine WolframAlpha.com will be "as important as Google"

2009-03-14T00:42:00.001-04:00

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1160667/Revolutionary-British-search-engine-important-Google.html

Search The Cat on Facebook!

2009-03-05T18:30:00.004-05:00

If you're unfamiliar with the University Libraries homepage, or it just seems too complex to even look at, why not search Abington's catalog of sources right on Facebook?

If you're looking to search the library's databases, hoping to find our hours, or searching for a librarian to speak to right from the comfort of your own home, add the University Libraries application on Facebook. The application is located at http://apps.facebook.com/psulibrary/.

From this application, you can virtually speak to a librarian through instant messages, search for your course reserves, or browse our databases (check out Proquest and WorldCat for amazing results!) right from home, work, class, or wherever.

For more information, come on in to the library and ask for assistance!

Come in and check out our new display for February celebrating Black History Month!

2009-02-10T17:05:00.003-05:00

Located on the bottom floor of Abington library is our newest display celebrating Black History Month!

Black History Month was originated in 1926 by historian Carter G. Woodson as "Negro History Week." Woodson chose to celebrate the important people and events in African American history in February because it marked the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, who both greatly influenced the lives of African Americans.

Included in the display is "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by contemporary poet and author Maya Angelou, "American Negro Poetry" by poet, author, and librarian Arna Bontemps, "Malcolm X : the man and his times" by Peter A. Bailey, "Giant steps : the new generation of African American writers," and February's issue of 'The New Republic.'

Come on in and check it out! Also, don't forget to come in between 8 pm and 10 pm to enter February's raffle for a chance to win some PSU gear!

How to get your library fees waived? Ask Sully.

2009-02-07T14:10:00.001-05:00

Check out this article from the Los Angeles Times Blog:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jacketcopy/2009/02/how-to-get-your.html

Check out our new display - Environment, Power and Society!

2009-01-26T18:36:00.001-05:00

Come check out our newest display, Environment, Power and Society, located on the first floor of the Abington library. This display features Astrology and Environment magazines, as well as several titles on conservation, wind power projects, contaminated waters, and environmental chemistry. A few titles featured are: Developing Wind Power Projects: Theory and Practice by Tore Wizelius, Water, a shared responsibility: the United Nations world water development report 2 published by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and Elements of Environmental Chemistry by R. A. Hites.

Remeber to Enter Our Raffle Before December 19th!

2008-12-04T21:29:00.002-05:00

On December 19, we will be drawing the last raffle winner of the fall semester. Don't forget to stop in to the library between 8pm and 10pm to enter! The winner will receive PSU gear!

Happy Holidays!

Abington Library Has Been DIGITAL_ly Remastered!

2008-11-13T17:14:00.004-05:00

Abington Library's state of the art video production and editing suite, the Digital Commons, is up and open for business! Located on the main and lower levels in rooms 6 and 104, the Digital Commons is a creative haven for students, faculty, and staff. For those interested in honing their audio and video production skills, as well as those hoping to improve their course assignments, the Digital Commons is the place to be!

The Digital Commons is open Monday through Thursday 7:30 am to 10 pm, Friday 7:30 am to 5 pm, and Saturday and Sunday 1 pm to 5 pm. To make a reservation, please call 215-881-7424.

For more information log on to http://digitalcommons.psu.edu/abington for tutorials and lesson plans. Also, don't forget to join our very own Digital Commons Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2385613950.

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

2008-10-22T17:48:00.003-04:00

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!

2008-10-20T17:51:00.007-04:00

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.

2008-10-07T17:24:00.002-04:00

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.

Fall is Here!

2008-09-24T19:53:00.003-04:00

Fall is officially upon us. Although summertime pool parties, backyard barbeques, and tall glasses of ice cold lemonade are behind us, Halloween hayrides, perfect pumpkin patches, and mugs of apple cider are ahead! With a month of classes in the bag, treat yourself this weekend, and curl up on the couch with a good book, or a scary movie, and enjoy the long, cool fall nights!

It's football season, and for those of you who are die-hard fans, you may want to check out Football U: Spectator Sports in the Life of the American University by Douglas J. Toma, located in Abington's General Collection. A great read for national football fans, or those who love to cheer on those Lions!

For those who enjoy non-fiction, Arthur Miller, or ghost stories, come in and check out the Salem: Place, Myth, and Memory by Dane Anthony Morrison, Collected Plays by Arthur Miller, or Ghosts by Time-Life Books, all located in Abington's General Collection.

And last but not least, for those who cannot resist a good scary movie, a little bit of Halloween history, or a fantastic arts and crafts project, check out The Shining, located in the video recording cases on the first floor of Abington, Halloween and Other Festivals of Death and Life by Jack Santino, located in Abington's General Collection, or Pumpkin Carving by Ed Palmer, loctaed at Penn State Hazleton, which can be reserved and sent to Abington before October 1st!

Also, don't forget to stop into the library Monday through Thursday between 8pm and 10pm to enter our raffle! You could win some great PSU goodies, including hats, t-shirts, school supplies, travel mugs, and much more! The first drawing will take place on October 1st, so stop into the library to enter for your chance to win!

Decision 2008

2008-09-04T21:06:00.002-04:00

As I am sure you all know, the 2008 Presidential election is quickly approaching. For those of you who are politically savvy, congratulations and happy voting! For the rest of us, it may not be such a terrible idea to brush up on America's past - and present - before November 4th.

If you're a registered Independent, Democrat, or Republican, you may want to swing in to the library in the coming weeks and take a look at Abington's collection. For an abridged version of high school U.S. History, pick up The Price of Power: America Since 1945 by Herbert Agar, located in the General Collection. For a look into the difficult times for the middle-class, check out Boiling Point: Republicans, Democrats, and the Decline of Middle-Class Prosperity by Kevin Phillips, also located in the General Collection.

If religion is what interests you, check out Strategic Extremism: Why Republicans and Democrats Divide on Religious Values by Edward Glaeser, available in Online Content.

Lastly, for a closer look into the lives and policies of the Democratic and Republican Presidential nominees, check out Barack Obama: This Improbable Quest by John K. Wilson, located in the General Collection or John McCain: An American Odyssey by Robert Timberg, located at the Pattee Library. To have a copy sent to Abington, stop in to the library and use the Cat to request it.

For those of you who would like to participate in this year's historic election, please make sure to register to vote at www.rockthevote.org.

We are now open until 10 PM!

2008-08-28T21:33:00.002-04:00

It is the first week of class, and so far the nights are slow. Between 5 PM and 7PM, the library is busy and bustling with students studying and computing, but everything goes pretty quiet by 7:30 PM. It seems like the most quiet hours - 7:30 PM to 10 PM - are the best hours to stop in and get some school work finished.

Please stop in and take advantage of our new hours! We have been giving away lots and lots of candy, and between the hours of 8 PM and10 PM, we have been holding our raffle for a $20 Barnes and Noble gift card!

Don't miss out on this opportunity to win! We will draw a winner on October 1st! No book check-outs necessary!

Stay Out Late at the Library!

2008-07-28T19:48:00.002-04:00

Beginning this Fall, Abington Library will remain open until 10 pm!

In September, more information will be posted around campus on our upcoming gift card raffles and candy giveaways!

Check out our newest displays...

2008-07-15T18:54:00.002-04:00

We have just updated our display cases - located on the first and ground floors - with some new and fascinating materials, including biographies, DVD's, and magazines.

On the first floor of the library, stop in to see Living With Art, which features The Life and Times of Frida Kahlo on DVD from PBS Home Video, Edward Hopper: An Intimate Biography by Gail Levin, and The Summer 2008 edition of ARTnews, which features the world's top 200 collectors.

On the ground floor, check out First Love, then Marriage (?), which features Brokeback Mountain and Romeo and Juliet on DVD, the June/July 2008 issue of Working Mother, and Modern Love by David R. Shumway.

Stop in the library and check out these displays! They will remain up until the end of the summer.

A genetics struggle, romance, and a time traveling Librarian...

2008-07-14T18:57:00.003-04:00

I read 'The Time Traveler's Wife' about a year ago and the mention of it still haunts me. I'm not sure how many books I have read in my lifetime, but on the short list of those that have changed my life, 'The Time Traveler's Wife sits firmly at number one. Henry, the protagonist and time-traveling librarian, is one of the most fascinating - and flawed - characters I have ever fell in love with; and Henry's fragile wife Claire is - second only to Elizabeth Bennett of 'Pride and Prejudice' - my greatest literary hero. It is most difficult to put down, and the sense of urgency is overwhelming. (I found myself reading faster ahead than my brain could comprehend.) Every time I come across the cover in Borders, I'm envious of anyone who has yet to read this gem. Do yourself a favor and push 'The Time Traveler's Wife' to the top of your list of summer reads.

Buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Time-Travelers-Wife-Audrey-Niffenegger/dp/015602943X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1216076713&sr=8-1

Check out the upcoming major motion picture:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0452694/

Read a review:
http://www.reviewsofbooks.com/time_travelers_wife/review/

"A Hipper Crowd of Shushers" - N.Y. Times

2008-07-11T14:59:00.003-04:00

I recently found this article that was published in the N.Y. Times called, "A Hipper Crowd of Shushers." Because I will begin working on my Master's in Library Science in September - and more often than not I am completely unsure of myself - I am always looking for a little extra encouragement to aid me in validating my life's decisions. I found this article accidentally on another blog, and it made me smile. Mostly, though, more than ever, I know I'll fit in splendidly with these fascinating individuals. Please read if you have the opportunity!

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/08/fashion/08librarian.html

NIH Public Access Policy

2008-03-25T11:58:00.001-04:00

Attention NIH Researchers: Deadline Approaching

Principal investigators must ensure that electronic versions of any peer-reviewed manuscripts arising from NIH funding and accepted for publication on or after April 7^th, 2008 are deposited in PubMed Central (PMC), NIH's digital archive of biomedical and life sciences journal literature. Full text of the articles will then be made freely available to the public no later than 12 months after publication.

The Date The policy applies to all peer reviewed NIH sponsored research accepted for publication on or after April 7, 2008.

Does It Apply To You? Yes, if your peer-reviewed article meets any of the following criteria:

· Directly funded by an NIH grant or cooperative agreement active in Fiscal Year 2008 (October 1, 2007- September 30, 2008) or beyond;

· Directly funded by a contract signed on or after April 7, 2008;

· Directly funded by the NIH Intramural Program

· If NIH pays your salary.

Major Issues Copyright compliance and Manuscript Submission. As Principle Investigator or Grantee you are responsible for ensuring that any publications derived from research conducted under the auspices of NIH funding is submitted to PubMed Central. It is the responsibility of the PI, whether or not he or she is an author on a particular manuscript, to make certain all personnel, even subcontractors, adhere to the NIH Public Access Policy.

Campus Resources The George T. Harrell Library organized a website to help guide you through the compliance process. http://www.hmc.psu.edu/library/PMC/pmc1.htm

Library Workshops will be scheduled in the near future.

Additional resources

The main informational gateway to NIH Public Access http://publicaccess.nih.gov/

Manuscript Submission FAQs http://www.nihms.nih.gov/faq.html

White Paper - Complying with the NIH Public Access Policy - Copyright Considerations and Options. http://www.arl.org/sparc/advocacy/nih/copyright.html
A SPARC/Science Commons/ARL joint white paper

Professor tries unique approach to Wikipedia

2007-11-01T14:08:00.000-04:00

A University of Washington-Bothell professor is trying a unique approach to the Wikipedia phenomenon by turning it into a class assignment...

Some Libraries shun deals to put books on the Web

2007-10-23T09:32:00.000-04:00

Some large research libraries are choosing to opt out of deals to digitize books offered by Google and Microsoft; some are hedging their bets

What Do Students think about Facebook?

2007-04-19T09:30:00.000-04:00

As part of the research conducted for the story Yada Yada Nada? that appears in the March issue of University Business, students were asked about Facebook. Here is what they said.

Preserving Our Printed and Digital Heritage

2007-01-24T16:58:00.000-05:00

Internet law professor Michael Geist discusses how governments can start building libraries that preserve both printed and digital publications...more

Wikipedia guru turns to search

2007-01-03T20:43:00.000-05:00

Jimmy Wales, the mind behind Wikipedia, is now focusing his energy on search engines ...more

Middle East Coexistence House fosters Jewish-Muslim understanding

2006-11-10T11:51:00.000-05:00

Students at Douglass College, Rutgers University, from different backgrounds and cultural heritages, are working hard to understand one another read more

Web Science as a New Field of Study

2006-11-06T11:37:00.000-05:00

A group of university researchers, led by Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the Web's basic software, will hold workshops on Web science and sponsor research fellowships. With initial support from M.I.T. and the University of Southampton, the group has decided to publicly circulate their ideas about Web science...read more

Things Your College Student Won't Mention

2006-11-06T11:11:00.000-05:00

SmartMoney.com has a feature called "10 Things your...won't tell you. This particular article features aspects of college life students are not likely to bring up with their parents. read more

Experimenting with the Peer Review Model

2006-11-06T10:53:00.000-05:00

Some academic journals are experimenting with a new twist on the traditional peer review model...read more

The Virtual Realm of Second Life

2006-11-06T10:33:00.000-05:00

The virtual world called Second Life is changing perceptions. The online society with a real economy is challenging assumptions...more

The Open Content Alliance: Universal Access to All Knowledge

2006-08-17T11:23:00.000-04:00

Brewster Kahle, an Internet pioneer, describes his vision of a modern version of the Library of Alexandria more

Google's Plan to Digitize Every Book

2006-08-17T10:29:00.000-04:00

Google, in typical fashion, is thinking big. Google Book Search is a project "to create a comprehensive, full-text searchable database of all the world's books" more