December 17, 2008

Library Hours: Winter Break

The library, included in Ashland University's Closed for the Holiday schedule, will be closed Saturday, December 20th through January 4, 2009.

Wishing you and yours a blessed and safe holiday season; Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

December 16, 2008

Library Spotlight: New Books

AU library adds new books to it's collection throughout the academic year. When shelf ready, new books are featured on the book shelf located on the main floor, adjacent to the reference and circulation area. All titles have been selected by AU librarians and are subject to the library's collection development policy which includes professional reviews and recommendations by faculty members.


Here are a few recent additions to the library circulating collection:

The Instructional Resource Center Blog provides information regarding new additions to the IRC, juvenile, and education collections.

December 15, 2008

Library Hours

Don't forget! Holiday hours are in effect this week and the library is open:

Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

The library is included in Ashland University's Closed for the Holidays and will be closed December 22, 2008, to January 4, 2009.

December 11, 2008

Spotlight: Reserves for Spring!

Spring is right around the corner! It’s time to get your reserve materials ready for the 2009 spring semester. The reserves manager and staff are currently accepting reserves and electronic reserves from AU Faculty. Reserve lists for each semester should be submitted as early as possible, well in advance of the first class meeting of the semester.

All reserves materials are processed on a first in, first out basis. Additionally, please allow at least five working days for materials to appear on your electronic reserve course page.

More information on reserves may be found on the library Reserve Policy page. Interested in E-Res?

Forms for electronic reserves are available in word and PDF:

Each item placed on reserve should have an accompanying form.

Please direct any questions concerning electronic reserves to E-Res Manager and Acting Head of Circulation, Judi Humphrey at x5400.

December 10, 2008

Extended Hours End Today


Reminder, extended hours end this evening.



Library holiday break hours begin Thursday morning, 12/11, at 8:00 am.

New Reference Books

The following titles have been added to the library reference collection. You will find them shelved in the new books display in the reference area, library main floor, or in their regular location within the reference collection.

December 8, 2008

Extended Hours end Wednesday (12/10)

Don't forget, extended hours end Wednesday, December 10th. Hours of operation this week are:
Monday- 7:45 am to 2:00 am
Tuesday - 7:45 am to 2:00 am
Wednesday - 7:45 am to 2:00 am
Thursday - 8:00 am to 5 pm
Friday - 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Reference assistance is not available during extended hours and these hours do not apply to the Instructional Resource Center.

AU Library wishes everyone success on final exams!

December 2, 2008

Library Open House



You are cordially invited to the annual library holiday open house to be held on Wednesday, December 3, 2008. Join us from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm for refreshments and seasonal entertainment.


Scheduled Performances

Holiday Music by Ron Sprunger
2:00 pm to 3:30 pm

The Madrigal Singers
3:30 pm to 4:00 pm

November 24, 2008

OhioLINK: Saturday, 11/29

Don't forget, as previously reported, database access on Saturday, Novemer 29th, will be offline most of the day:
Just a reminder as everyone goes off for your Thanksgiving holiday, all of OhioLINK central systems will be offline on Saturday, November 29, from 7 a.m. to hopefully no later than 4 p.m. This includes the central web server, the EJC, the EBC, the Central Catalog, the DMC and DRC, ETD, and the OSearch Databases. If you have direct links to databases at vendor sites such as EBSCO or OCLC, you should still be able to access those sites. - Anita Cook, OhioLINK

November 20, 2008

Extended Library Hours Are Here!

Beginning Sunday, November 23, the library begins extended hours and will remain open until 2:00 a.m. on the following days to provide study space for interested students.
Open until 2:00 a.m.

Week of November 24th:
Sunday & Monday, 7:45 am to 2:00 am

Week of November 30th:
Sunday through Thursday, 7:45 am to 2:00 am

Week of December 7th:
Sunday thorough Wednesday, 7:45 am to 2:00 am

Please note that reference assistance will not be available during these hours. Extended hours do not apply to the Instructional Resource Center.

AU Library wishes everyone success on the end of year studies and exams.

Library Notices Go Green!

AU Library is joining the campus-wide effort to conserve resources and Go Green. Beginning December 1, the Library will send notices by e-mail only.

Here are four ways to keep track of what you have checked out of the Library:
  1. Look for the due date stamped on each item you have checked out. If you renew an item, write the new due date on your date due slip.
  2. Check your AU e-mail account for library notices. If you rely primarily on a different e-mail account, set your AU account to forward messages automatically.
  3. Check your library record online! On the library web site choose “My Library Account” from Quick Links.
  4. Call or visit the library and ask us to check your account. We are always happy to assist you renewing items and determining when they are due.
Knowing when materials are due is your responsibility. Thanks for helping us Go Green.

November 19, 2008

OhioLINK Service

If you are noticing issues with using the OhioLINK catalog and/or accessing the OhioLINK web site, please see the following:

"We are having problems with our SAN (storage array network) and it has caused two machines to go offline, the central web server and the MetaLib machine. We are assessing the problem and hope it will be fixed within the hour."

AnitaOhioLINK


Thank you for your patience.

11/20/08 Update:
Systems were back online at 9:30 pm.

November 17, 2008

Database Issues

Off campus database authentication issues have been resolved!

Thank you for your patience.

Please feel free to contact the library if you have any problems accessing databases from off campus.

November 15, 2008

Off Campus Database Use

We are still experiencing problems with access to library databases from off-campus. This appears to be a server issue; IT is aware of the problem and working to rectify access.

If you are working from off campus, we recommend you access databases through OhioLINK:


Off Campus Database Use

Off campus database authentication issues have been resolved!

Please feel free to contact the library if you continue to have problems logging in from off campus.

November 14, 2008

Off Campus Database Use

We are currently experiences problems with access to library databases from off-campus. This appears to be a server issue; IT is aware of the problem and working to rectify access.

If you are working from off campus, we recommend you access databases through OhioLINK:

November 13, 2008

OhioLINK Service: November 29th

Please keep the following in mind for Saturday, November 29th. Due to Thanksgiving break, AU Library will be closed during this time.

Anita Cook: OhioLINK

We will be moving all of the central site hardware to the OSU Computing Center power (with backup generator -- something we have never had) on November 29th, the Saturday after Thanksgiving. To give the electricians the most time to work on this and to prevent any possible mishaps, we have decided to take all the systems offline while this is happening. This includes the Central Catalog, the central web server, central databases, EJC, and EBC. If you have direct links to services outside of OhioLINK such as Ebsco, these should work. OLINKS and the RAVE urls will also not be working.

We will begin the work around 7 a.m. and it should be completed no later than 4 p.m. and possibly earlier.

Ashland University Library will be open regular hours Sunday, November 30th for anyone needing assistance with database research and usage.

November 10, 2008

New Library Web Site

The new library web site was successfully launched this morning! Many thanks to Shelly Shaver, Ashland University web master, for making this process a wonderfully seamless transition.

At this time we are working on updating library templates for existing external server applications such as LibGuides (banner links do not work), ERes (old library header still exists), and Journals A to Z. Each application works, but there are a few issues with links returning to the new library web site.

Thank you for your patience as these problems are rectified.

New Library Web Site

The new library web site will launch today between 9:00 am and noon. Please note that the Library catalog will not be affected. If access to the catalog from the library web site is interrupted while the change-over is in process, please note the following direct links:

We do not anticipate any interruption in service; however, if you have problems accessing databases and/or the library catalog from the web site, please use the OhioLINK web site.

Thank you for your patience. We are looking forward to presenting our new streamlined library web site to the university community.

November 3, 2008

News: Library Web site


This week Ashland University Library will launch its new web site. Although the address/URL remains the same, links to individual library pages may have changed as we have reorganized the page to make finding information simpler.

If you find broken links on your personal web pages, online course documents or Angel course management pages please feel free contact Diane Schrecker, library web administrator at dschreck@ashland.edu for help locating and linking to your favorite pages.

October 31, 2008

A Halloween Classic

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, by Washington Irving was first published in 1820. Since then this short story has become an American literature classic and a favorite Halloween ghost story. Set in North Tarrytown, New York. Schoolmaster, Ichabod Crane competes for the hand of eighteen year old Katrina Van Tassel, only to find himself hunted by the menacing, Headless Horseman. Two hundred years after the story has been written, the town of Tarrytown, NY has since changed its name to Sleepy Hollow in order to embrace its connection to Irving’s famed story. Despite the gas stations and other modern shops along North Broadway, also known as Route 9, visitors can still envision the terrified ride that the village schoolteacher Ichabod Crane took from Sleepy Hollow, leaving a party given by the family of the Katrina Van Tassel. Henry Steiner, the village historian, occasionally gives tours of the one-mile route, pointing out the bridge to the church where the Headless Horseman mysteriously disappeared, leaving behind a trampled saddle and a smashed pumpkin. Today the bridge is gone, to mark the spot for sightseers two years ago on Halloween; the village erected a steel statue of the headless horseman preparing to hurl his jack-o’-lantern at his target.

Read a copy of, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow online, from Encyclopedia Britannica and have a Happy Halloween!

Find this book and more Halloween stories at the AU Library:

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
PZ7.I68 Le 2007
Special collections CB 536

City of Masks : A Cree Black Thriller
PS3558.E284 C54 2003

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
PZ8.1 .S399 Sc 1981

Halloween Through Twenty Centuries
GT4965 .L4

October 28, 2008

Library Spotlight: New Books

AU library adds new books to it's collection throughout the academic year. When shelf ready, new books are featured on the book shelf located on the main floor, adjacent to the reference and circulation area. All titles have been selected by AU librarians and are subject to the library's collection development policy which includes professional reviews and recommendations by faculty members.

Here are a few recent additions to the library collection:
What about new children's books? A set of new book shelves is located on the library second floor and features new additions to the juvenile collection. The Instructional Resource Center Blog routinely provides information regarding new additions to the IRC, juvenile, and education collections.

October 16, 2008

New from OhioLINK

OhioLINK now offers users an upgraded and interactive map for locating OhioLINK member libraries.

The following information is from Zoe Stewart-Marshall, Assistant Director of Library Systems - User Services Development at OhioLINK.

"We have released a new version of the OhioLINK Member Libraries page with upgraded functionality based on Google maps. It still provides access to a list of the Member Libraries and their contact information.

http://www.ohiolink.edu/members-info/

For those who may not be familiar with Google maps functionality, here are some helpful tips from Thomas, who developed this new version:

For those of you whose campuses are right next to another school (especially if the other school comes later in the alphabet), and your marker is largely covered up, there are several ways to navigate the map to get to your school. First and simplest, click the name of your school in the alphabetical list. The Google Maps software also provides several ways to zoom in and out: the "+" and "-" icons on the left side of the map, plus the gradients in between them; you can also double-click any spot on the map (except for markers, where you'll just open and close the information window); and if your mouse has a scroll wheel, that will also zoom in and out. Additionally clicking on one of the view by region links will help you zoom to a close up of a region,making it easier to spot schools that are clustered closely together.

Contact information becomes visible when you click on a marker for a given school. There are two tabs - one containing the links to institution URLS and the second tab labelled Contact Us, containing the contact information which you have provided.

A link to the text-only version remains available from the revised page."


Interested? Choose Ashland University from the menu to view:


It is possible to zoom in and out of the Google map with relative ease and view street names surrounding the library and campus. From the information balloon, "links" includes links to the library web site, library catalog, and the main Ashland University web site and "contact us" provides email, phone, and chat information for the library. A nice one stop way to find OhioLINK member libraries.

Don't forget, if you prefer the previous version of this page it continues to be available in text-only format.

October 1, 2008

OhioLINK Service: October 4th

Please keep the following in mind for this upcoming Saturday. The library is open on Saturday's from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.

From Anita Cook @ OhioLINK:

Saturday, October 4, between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m.,
OhioLINK will be migrating our power source. This (process) will support our equipment through any type of downtime including the one that happened recently where parts of Columbus were without power for days.

During this time, the Central Catalog, the Webserver, DMC and DRC servers, and the Ebooks should remain online. The EJC and the OSearch databases will see some significant downtime though we hope to keep thatas minimal as possible.


Update: 10/2/08
Announced late this afternoon, server maintenance has been cancelled. There should be no interruption of service on Saturday.

September 24, 2008

Library Spotlight: Theses & Dissertations

Looking for theses and dissertations available electronically? Ashland University Library offers the following resources:

Dissertation Abstracts (ProQuest)
Provides access to citations of more than one million dissertations and master’s theses. This resource is updated monthly.

OhioLINK ETD Center
"The ETD Center is a free, online database of Ohio’s masters and doctoral theses and dissertations from participating OhioLINK member schools. It contains the abstract for all included theses and dissertations. The full-text is also available if it was submitted." (OhioLINK ETD FAQ's)

WorldWide ETD
"A Global index of freely available electronic theses and dissertations, provided by major ETD collections around the world. This index lets you search for information about each ETD (“metadata,” including authors, titles, and abstracts). It does not search the full text of the ETDs.(OhioLINK WW ETD)


Ashland University doctoral theses and dissertations are available in the library catalog. Additionally, Ashland University Rowe Practicums are part of the ciruclating collection. Rowe Practicums and AU Doctoral Dissertations are located on the second floor of the library.

September 23, 2008

NCEE: What Works Clearinghouse Reports

From the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), new reports have been released to the What Works Clearinghouse:

The National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance has released two What Works Clearinghouse reports. The first, "Reducing Behavior Problems in the Elementary School Classroom", is a practice guide offering five concrete recommendations for helping elementary school general education teachers reduce the frequency of the most common types of behavior problems encountered among students. The second, "Dropout Prevention Topic Report", summarizes the Clearinghouse's dropout prevention intervention reports prepared through September 2008.

IES Newsflash Subscription 9/23/08

For more information, or to sign up for IES News Flash email alerts, visit IES.

September 19, 2008

OhioLINK Welcome's New Students

What's New at OhioLINK featured a welcome back for new and returning students on August 27th that included a great resource: "Six Ways OhioLINK Can Make Life Easier."

"Download electronic articles instantly
Get the articles you need for your paper or read entire journals, newspapers and magazines online, anytime. Choose from
140 research databases to find articles in a specific subject area, or try Quick Search @ OhioLINK to find articles from multiple sources easily. With more than 12,000 journals and millions of articles, odds are you'll find what you need.

Enhance projects with images, videos and sounds
You don't need a passport to view works of art from museums around the globe, a DVD player to watch educational films and documentaries, or a time machine to view historical documents. With a quick visit to OhioLINK's
Digital Media Center, you can find thousands of electronic images, sounds and videos to use in papers, presentations or to enhance your learning.

Paper panic? Try a Quick Search
Find articles for class or resources for your paper quickly.
Quick Search @ OhioLINK saves time by searching multiple resources simultaneously. It provides reliable, library-quality results that are appropriate for class and research.

Find the perfect thesis or dissertation topic
Get topic ideas, see what peers have written in your discipline, or find a particular theses or dissertation via the
Electronic Theses & Dissertations Center. The ETD Center contains 16,000 theses and dissertations from students at participating Ohio colleges and universities.

Get the books you need in 2-3 days
Can't find the book you need at your library? OhioLINK it! Use the
OhioLINK Library Catalog to find and request library materials online and pick them up at any participating library you choose in two to three days. With more than 47.4 million books and library materials to choose from, you're likely to find what you need. Renew books online via your library's Web site and keep them for up to 15 weeks (unless another user has requested them).

Find answers anytime with e-books
OhioLINK's growing
collection of 38,000 e-books cover a wide variety of subjects and include encyclopedias, dictionaries and other reference works (for tracking down a quick fact or illustration); scholarly books; and computer and technology titles (for in-depth, how-to books and technology tips)."


Research help is but a phone call, email, chat message away when you contact the library reference desk! If you have questions about your OhioLINK books, the circulation desk is ready to help with answers to the your books status in the system, due date, and renewals.

September 12, 2008

Library Spotlight: New Books

Looking for something new to read? AU library adds new books to it's collection throughout the academic year. When shelf ready, new books are initially featured on the book shelf located on the main floor, adjacent to the reference area. All titles have been selected by AU librarians and are subject to the library's collection development policy which includes professional reviews and recommendations by faculty members.

What about new reference books? New reference titles are located on the new book shelf on the other side of the pole.

Here is an overview of a few recent additions to the library collection:

What about new children's books? A set of new book shelves is located on the library second floor and features new additions to the juvenile collection. The Instructional Resource Center Blog routinely provides information regarding new additions to the IRC, juvenile, and education collections.

Need more? New recreational books are highlighted on a new book shelf next to the exit doors by the library patio.

September 11, 2008

Library Resources: September 11, 2001

The following is an abbreviated list featuring available September 11, 2001 titles/resources:

For more information, see these catalog subject headings:

Please note that Ashland University Library is a Government Depository Library and "as a depository library, Ashland selects government documents useful in research for our library patrons'" Government documents on this topic are available.

September 3, 2008

Library Spotlight: Ebsco A to Z

Ashland University Library now offers EBSCO's A to Z to assist patrons with locating available journal resources. Specifically:

"EBSCO A-to-Z® is a locator tool listing all of a library's e-resources, including e-journals, titles in full-text databases, publisher packages and e-books. EBSCO A-to-Z can include print titles and other local resources you choose to upload."

Using Journals A to Z:
  • If AU Library has online access to the journal, you will see a link to the appropriate online database(s).
  • Journals A-Z can also be searched by subject to identify journals on a subject.

For more information, visit the library's Journals A to Z information page.

September 2, 2008

Library Spotlight: Finding Help

Need help locating books, finding articles, or traversing the library catalog? Help is available!

In Person: Come to the library! Help is available at the circulation and reference desks.

Ask Us! IM: The Library Instant Message (IM) services with Ask Us. Use this service to ask us basic research questions from any computer with Internet access. Ask Us is available during regular reference desk hours.

By Phone: Contact the library by phone. For information about AU library circulation and OhioLINK, call ext. 5400 (419-289-5400). For reference assistance, call ext. 5402 (419-289-5402).

By Email: Email the reference staff with questions at library@ashland.edu. Librarians will usually reply within 48 hours.

Off campus: Make an appointment for a research consultation by calling the Reference Desk at 1-800-882-1548 (toll free Monday - Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm). Ask for the Reference Desk, extension 5402.

Seminary Students: Librarians at Ashland Theological Seminary are available for help. Contact the Seminary directly at 419-289-5169. If using the Seminary toll free number 1-866-287-6446, ask for ext 5169.


More information is available on the library web page; How to Find Help in the Library.

August 28, 2008

Library Hours: Labor Day Weekend

Library hours for Labor Day weekend are as follows:
  • Friday, August 29th: Close 4 pm
  • Saturday, August 30: Library Closed
  • Sunday, August 31st: Library Closed
  • Monday, September 1: Open 6 pm - Midnight

Regular hours resume on Tuesday, September 2nd. Enjoy the holiday weekend!

August 27, 2008

Library Spotlight: Reserves

Ashland University Library has both paper and electronic reserves available for faculty and students. Generally speaking, paper reserves are books and other hard copies of materials and electronic reserves are database articles, presentations, and links available via the library reserve system in various formats.

Electronic Reserves - ERes
AU library electronic reserve materials may include articles in Microsoft Word of PDF, class syllabus information, and even powerpoint presentations given in class. Docutek is capable of handling Microsoft Office documents (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel), PDF, audio and video clips as well as pictures (jpeg, gif).

Paper Reserves - Library Catalog
Paper, or hard copy reserves include books, videos, DVD's, manipulatives, and/or audio materials selected by your instructor to enhance course curriculum. Audio and video items placed on reserve may be listened to and viewed in the listening lab, room 201 (top of the stairs), library second floor.

Where are reserve materials located in the library?
Paper reserves are available at the library reserves desk located on the library main floor near the printers and copy stations (turn right upon entering the library). Materials placed on reserve by professors are listed in the AU Catalog by Instructor’s Name and by Course.

How long may I keep reserve materials?
The length of time a reserve item may be kept is chosen by the course instructor. One-hour and three-hour reserves must be read in the library; one-day and longer reserves may be taken out of the building.



More information about reserves is available on the library web page; How to Locate Reserves.

August 24, 2008

Library Hours: 2008-2009

Welcome to Ashland University Library!

Library hours are available on the web site and posted on the library main doors. General hours are as follows:

  • Monday through Thursday
    7:45 am to Midnight
  • Friday
    7:45 am to 6:00 pm
  • Saturday
    10:00 am to 5:00 pm
  • Sunday
    1:00 pm to Midnight

Changes to regular operating hours, including semester breaks and extend hours during finals, are posted on the library web page.

Instructional Resource Center hours are located on the IRC web page.

August 21, 2008

Faculty College Rewind

If you were unable to join us for our Faculty College session, New Library Resources and Research Tips here are the highlights.

As we start this new academic year, we would like to remind faculty that the AU Library offers services to support full-time and adjunct faculty at the main campus and the off-campus centers. Each academic department is assigned a faculty librarian. The library liaison is your contact to request the purchase of books or other materials for the library collection. The Reference and Instruction Librarians are also happy to provide library instruction to any class, whether on the main campus or at an off-campus center. These library sessions can be tailored to meet your objectives for a particular course or assignment, or to introduce your students to library resources. For information on scheduling a library session or to discuss the collection with your library liaison please call us at x5402 or stop in.

In addition the AU Library supports teaching by providing Course Reserves, both in print and electronic. You may place course related readings, videos or items on reserve at the library for your students to use.

Why should you use E-Reserves?

10) Students aren’t forced to compete for limited copies of reserve materials, nor are they hindered by time restrictions.
9) Materials may be used by more than one student at a time.
8) The Electronic Reserves are never closed! It’s online and available anytime of the day.
7) The Electronic Reserves are user friendly. Links, documents and audiovisuals are available at any computer from a single access point.
6) More feedback for you! We can generate printable statistics on the use of course materials.
5) Electronic Reserve materials cannot be lost or stolen.
4) No muss, no fuss. Just provide the library with a clean, single-sided copy of print materials. We create the digitized copies and link them to your course reserves.
3) You can request that certain items be accessible for certain periods of time. At the
end of the semester all materials are withdrawn from view, but will be archived
electronically for future use.
2) Distance learners now have access to the same materials as on-campus students.
1) No more excuses from students! See above reasons.

When it comes to research the AU Library subscribes to over 200 research databases. A number of new databases have recently been added, these include but are not limited to, CQ Researcher, Biography Reference Bank, Science Online, Scientific American Archive Online, Nature, World Book Web, Mental Measurements Yearbook, Tests in Print, Philosopher’s Index and Christian Periodical Index.

Over 60 of our databases are provided by EBSCO which recently launched their new interface EBSCO 2.0 (view a sample using Academic Search Complete). Some of the new features include a more basic search screen, images, mouse over abstracts, Smart Text Searching which allows users to copy and paste an entire page of text into a search field, RSS feeds and the ability to copy a persistent link to the article. For more information on our new databases or for tips and tricks for searching our databases don’t hesitate to ask.

AU Library 2.0 offers two new features this year.
  • Ask Us! Students or faculty can send an instant message to the librarian on duty and receive instant library assistance. From the library webpage click on the Help page to chat with a librarian. We will do our best to answer all questions, however students and faculty that visit us in person receive priority.

  • Libguides, these are new subject specific research guides. Each subject area will have its own online guide that includes new or featured books, reference books, recommended databases, and librarian evaluated websites. Many guides also feature podcasts, news feeds and videos. These guides are a great starting place for students to begin their research. You can access these guides from our webpage under Internet Resources, Subject Guides. Look for these new guides to begin replacing the current guides this semester.

For additional information please contact us: Reference Desk Ext. 5402 or e-mail library@ashland.edu

Article submitted by: Sara Klink

August 6, 2008

ERIC Unveils New Look: Expanded Coverage

The following information was posted to the EBSS List by Jane Atwell, Sr. Communications Specialist, ERIC Project.

We’re pleased to announce two recent advances in ERIC of interest to librarians and all ERIC users: the addition of more than 130 new comprehensively indexed journals, and release of a redesigned and enhanced Web site. Users can now search a richer collection of education-focused literature while taking advantage of improvements that speed information discovery on the public ERIC Web site. In addition, a newarea just for librarians includes useful information for patron support and collection maintenance.

New Journals in ERIC
As of June 30, 2008, ERIC has added more than 3,600 new records from newly acquired journals. Work is underway to increase coverage even further by seeking additional partnerships with publishers of both journal and non-journal literature. New journals are indexed from 2004 forward, exceptfor titles indexed prior to ERIC’s 2004 transition to an all-electronicservice. Once recent titles have been acquired and indexed, ERIC willacquire 2002-2003 electronic back issues of previously indexed titles toprevent gaps in journal coverage.

Redesigned Web Site
ERIC released a redesigned Web site on August 3. Highlights include:

  • A major restructuring features clearer, more intuitive paths to information, making the site easier to use.
  • A completely new and expanded Help section that includes brief tutorials, a glossary, and a searchable index.
  • Help tools have been integrated into the ERIC Web site. “How do I” links and help tips on key fields and features provide direct access to information that helps you take advantage of ERIC’s robust search tools and submit documents.
  • A new section, "For Librarians", consolidates information of interest to the library community into a single location. This area includes flyers, brochures, lists of ERIC microfiche, links to frequently used help topics, and other relevant information, including ways to provide feedback about ERIC.
  • Lighter visual design, so pages load faster and new graphics refresh the site while retaining ERIC’s look and feel.

For more information about ERIC’s new journals and the redesigned site (including a detailed list of what’s changed), see the rotating featuresarea on the home page of the ERIC Web site. - August 6, 2008


This information has been cross-posted on the Instructional Resource Center News and Information Blog.

August 2, 2008

Library Summer Hours Update

Beginning Monday, August 4th, Ashland University Library will be open the following hours:
  • Monday through Friday - 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
  • Saturday - Closed
  • Sunday - Closed

Please refer to the Library Summer Hours on the Library website for further information.

August 1, 2008

OhioLINK Remote Authentication

News from Candi Clevenger, OhioLINK communications manager:

"Next week is a big week here at OhioLINK. On Tuesday, August 5, we will make significant changes to OhioLINK’s remote authentication system. This work should only take a day; however, complications are always a possibility. While the changes are being implemented, OhioLINK's services may be intermittent and remote authentication and proxy will be unavailable. The central catalog will not be affected and users can still access OhioLINK resources while on campus and through the libraries' proxies."
- August 1, 2008


For more OhioLINK news and information, visit the OhioLINK What's New page.

July 15, 2008

EBSCOhost 2.0 now available

The new EBSCO interface, EBSCOhost 2.0, became available on July 15th. "This new version of EBSCOhost will incorporate powerful features in a simple, intuitive design" (EBSCO Publishing).

"EBSCOhost 2.0. Based upon results gathered from extensive user testing, EBSCOhost 2.0 offers a clean new look and feel, for a technologically sophisticated, yet familiar search experience, with the built-in flexibility to provide individual user customization options. " - EBSCOhost

July 10, 2008

New Database added in July 08

Scientific American Archive Online is a comprehensive, searchable science and technology resource containing the full text and graphics of every Scientific American issue from 1993 to the present. The archive features the writings and colorful graphics that readers of Scientific American have come to depend upon and enjoy. Each of the more than 4,000 articles in the archive is available to view online or to download in color PDF, and presented exactly as originally printed in the magazine. In addition to the regular monthly issues of the magazine, users will find all of the Scientific American special issues included in the archive as well. Among the topics covered in the archive are: health and medicine, cosmology and astronomy, chemistry, life sciences, physics, oceanography, medicine, mathematics, archaeology, and much more.

Faculty are encouraged to use the persistent URL's in this database to link to the required reading section of their online courses.
Connect to: Scientific American Archive Online

July 3, 2008

Library Hours: July 4th

Library hours for the Fourth of July holiday weekend are as follows:
  • Thursday, July 3 - Close 4:00 pm
  • Friday, July 4 - Closed
  • Saturday, July 5 - Closed
  • Sunday, July 6 - Closed

Library summer hours resume on Monday, July 7th at 8:00 am. Have a safe and happy Independence Day!

July 1, 2008

Database Changes July 2008

Beginning July 1, several OhioLINK databases will be replaced with new resources. The affected databases are funded in whole or in part through an Institute of Museum and Library Services LSTA grant awarded by the State Library of Ohio, and are available to all Ohioans through Libraries Connect Ohio (LCO). LCO is a collaborative effort of OhioLINK, OPLIN, INFOhio, and the State Library of Ohio. Libraries Connect Ohio is constantly striving to provide the strongest portfolio of research resources possible within budgetary limitations to serve the diverse lifelong learning needs of all Ohioans.

What’s Changing?

  • Biography Reference Bank will replace American National Biography. Biography Reference Bank provides biographical information on approximately half a million people, from antiquity to the present, along with thousands of images.
  • Consumer Health Complete (an EBSCOhost database) provides convenient access to easily understandable health and medical information including medical encyclopedias, popular reference books and magazine articles.
  • Science Online will replace AccessScience. Science Online presents a broad range of scientific disciplines through extensive definitions, essays, diagrams, biographies, and experiments.
  • World Book Web (includes World Book Dictionary, World Book Atlas, World Book Advanced, World Book Kids, and Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos) will replace Encyclopaedia Britannica Online, Encyclopaedia Britannica School Edition and Enciclopedia Universal en Español. World Book Web is a suite of online research tools that delivers encyclopedia articles, primary source collections, educator tools, student activities, pictures, audio, and video, complemented by current periodicals and related Web sites.

June 18, 2008

EBSCOhost 2.0

A new EBSCO interface, EBSCOhost 2.0, will be available in July 2008. "This new version of EBSCOhost will incorporate powerful features in a simple, intuitive design" (EBSCO Publishing).

"EBSCOhost 2.0. Based upon results gathered from extensive user testing, EBSCOhost 2.0 offers a clean new look and feel, for a technologically sophisticated, yet familiar search experience, with the built-in flexibility to provide individual user customization options. EBSCOhost 2.0 will become available to all customers in July 2008." - EBSCOhost

Visit the EBSCOhost web site for a preview of new search screens, results list, and bibliographic functions.

New Reference Books

The following titles have been added to the library reference collection. You will find them shelved in the new books display in the reference area, library main floor, or in their regular location within the reference collection.

June 17, 2008

Cabell's Directory of Publishing Opportunities

Cabell's Directory (click on "member area") maintains current information on the addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses and websites for a large number of journals. The company seeks to provide information on publication guidelines and review information. Currenly subject areas include:
  • Business Directories: Accounting, Economics & Finance, Management, Marketing, and Business College Set
  • Education Directories: Education Curriculum & Methods, Educational Psychology & Administration, Educational Technology & Library Sciences, and Education Set
  • Psychology Directory: Psychology & Psychiatry

Please note, authentication is required for access to this database.

June 16, 2008

Welcome!

Welcome to the Ashland University Library News & Information Blog.