News and Microforms Reference Desk Blog

This is a public web space for News and Microforms Library staff and faculty to share reference and operational information, post answers to recurring questions, explanations of class assignments, and other information to help with the News and Microforms Reference/Service Desk

History assignment

Hello desk staff,

There is a history assignment due on Wednesday, April 23rd, for which students will be coming to us for help.  The students are looking for events that occurred before and during the American Civil War, 1850s-1860s.  You can use the following strategies to help them.

The students will want to find newspapers from the antebellum period in the United States (the third question includes the Civil War period) from specific northern and southern states.  There are some sources on microfilm and others in the America's Historical Newspapers database.  The Libraries has recently subscribed to another US newspaper database, Nineteenth Century US Newspapers, that will also yield good search results.  It is on the A-Z List under 'N.'

As for the microfilm titles, use NewsCAT to locate newspapers within the collection for these eras by choosing "1850-1874" as the time period and "microfilm" as the format.  Show them that they can also limit by state if they choose.

The America's Historical Newspapers database has many titles for this time period, but there are some that do not have complete coverage for this time period.  Rather than having them browse titles in this resource, show them how to do a search.  First, click the "Places of Publication" tab and highlight all of the states they want to search.  Then, click the "Dates and Eras" tab and either select Antebellum or Civil War era (James Buchanan or Abraham Lincoln under Presidential Eras should also work) or use the date options on the left of the page to narrow down the time frame more specifically for the search.  Finally, enter a keyword(s) at the top of the page.  Practice with some searches of your own so that you will be better prepared to help them as needed.

The Nineteenth Century US Newspapers database will search with the same parameters.  Use the Advanced Search page.  Select a date or date range from the drop-down menus for day/month/year.  Choose states or cities from the drop-down menus as well.  The database will allow you to search up to 10 geographic designations (use CTRL + left mouse click to enter multiple selections).  Enter one or more keywords at the top of the page.  Please familiarize yourself with this database.  Let us know if you are having problems using this new source.  NOTE: These titles are not yet in NewsCAT.  Therefore, you need to show them how to get directly to the database.

They may not be permitted to use Pennsylvania or New York newspapers, but if they are, don't forget about the New York Times Historical database and the Pennsylvania Civil War Newspapers database, as well as several microfilm titles for this era.  NOTE: There are several new titles in the Pennsylvania Civil War Newspapers  database that are not entered into NewsCAT at this time.  Please be aware of this and show them directly to the database.

And, as always, if you have questions or are not sure how to proceed, please ask any of the full-time staff.  We will be more than glad to help you help the students.

Happy hunting, Lisa

posted by: newsmicro at 19:11 | link | comments |

Comm 401: USA Today assignment

The Comm 401 class has its last assignment.  The reels of microfilm for USA Today 1990 are on the little desk where we've put others (under the humidity reader)  for this assignment just behind the reference desk.  For those of you who are new, the Comm students will typically ask for these reels at the Reference Desk so be sure you check and know where to find these for them on the table, rather than in the drawer.

Let any one of the full-time staff (Lisa, Debora, Sandy) if you experience any problems with the assignment. 

Journal 12

Examine a copy of USA Today on your birthday during the year 1990. What were the major stories on that date and how did USA Today cover them? Why was USA Today such a pioneering newspaper? What makes the paper unusual as compared to other newspapers published during this time in terms of its design, layout, content and general approach to covering the news? How has newspaper reporting, editing and layout changed over the past 200 years and why have they been forced to change? [USA Today is available at the News and Microfilm section of Pattee Library.] 

Debora

posted by: newsmicro at 15:24 | link | comments (1) |

Assignment for History 20

Two students came tonight with an assignment that makes use of two specific collections in the NML: the Collected Papers of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony (microfilm A297) and the Cornell University Collection of Women's Rights Pamphlets (fiche Micro 4 Cornell).  For the former, they are instructed to look at correspondence from the year 1848, which is on reel #6; for the latter, they are to look for pamphlets related to the suffrage movement.  I'm leaving the index to the Cornell fiche collection at the reference desk for easy access should others ask for assistance.  The assignment is due November 26.

Robbie

posted by: newsmicro at 23:29 | link | comments (1) |

Film/Video vs. Group Study rooms: how to help our users

Sometimes I've gotten questions about whether someone should be allowed to use the Film/Video Viewing Room.  Generally we want to try and help requestors as much as possible, but also try to make sure the room is primarily used for students/groups who need to view film/video.  Its a balancing act and I'm asking for your help in making those judgement calls.  Here's some suggestions:

If you're not sure, you can also provide them with other group study rooms in the Libraries using the link below.  Unfortunately there is no way to reserve a room remotely but you can call ahead to a location and find out if a room is booked using the phone numbers on the web page below.

If a group of 2 is standing in front of you and asking to use the room for a video or film viewing, please feel free to make that exception, noting to them that you are making an exception. If I'm here, always feel free to drop by and ask me if its ok to make the exception.  Or if its in the evening/weekend and they want it for a day or two in the future,  give them my business card and suggest they e-mail me to request the room. 

All these ideas can be used as appropriate given the individual circumstances.--THANKS, Debora

E-mail for Library Learning Services:

Dear Colleagues,

Library Learning Services is happy to provide a comprehensive listing of group study rooms that are
available at all Libraries and all campuses. The direct URL for this site is:
http://www.libraries.psu.edu/LLS/instruction_study_rooms/GroupStudyAreas.htm

The site is also linked from other locations, the shortest route is from our libraries' homepage: under "Information &
Services" (lower right corner) click on "For Students" and then on "Group Study Areas". It is also linked from the
Libraries FAQ, Library Learning Services' page and Instructional Programs' page. Many thanks go to our own Vicki Brightbill for creating this page.

We hope this is helpful to you, especially at service desks where you may have questions about group study rooms. Please let us know about any updates or changes for your library.

Best,
Emily Rimland
Emily Rimland, MLIS
Information Literacy Librarian

posted by: newsmicro at 22:09 | link | comments (3) |

Thanksgiving Hours: Yellow hours card

Lisa is going to use the Black Board to advertise the change in Library hours during the Thanksgiving week.--she'll put that up next week on Monday.  She's going to suggest people pick up the yellow busines card with the library hours at the NML reference desk.

So, if you notice the supply of yellow business cards getting low, please notify your supervisor immediately so we can go up and pick up some more cards.

If for some reason we are run out of cards before we can get more, offer to print out the hours and give our users a copy from http://www.libraries.psu.edu/hours/special.html#thanksgiving

Be sure you can get to this page quickly from the Libraries' home page quickly and easily so that our users don't have to wait. 

Thanks so much.

Debora

posted by: newsmicro at 21:17 | link | comments (2) |
library news and information

Helping Students find an Open Computer

To all:  I've noticed recently that there are often students looking for an open computer in NML.  The following website allows you to see rooms/locations in the library where there are open computers and to get a sense of how busy our terminals are at any one moment vs. other locations in the library.  There should be link to this on one of the Libraries' web pages and when its available, I'll update this posting.

Let me know if you have questions.

Debora

 

Good news. It is now possible to see how many of the Libraries public workstations at UP are in use at any given time -- take a look at https://clc.its.psu.edu/CurrentLabUse.aspx?Campus=UP&Types=L. A big thanks to Betty Nirnberger (I-Tech) and Chris Sacksteder (ITS) for making this happen.
 
(At the top of the Current Lab Usage page,  under Lab Types, both the Open and Library boxes need to be checked)

FYI - When checking the current lab use remember that:

PatteeW 104a - Gateway Instruction Room

PatteeW 104 - Gateway

PatteeW 109 - Diversity Room

PatteeW113L , 113, 113R - Reserve Reading Room

and of course NML is PatteeW 24

posted by: newsmicro at 12:40 | link | comments (3) |

100 Years of Daily Collegian, Digital 1887-1987

In case you didn't catch this in Library-wide e-mails.. 

Please be aware we recently added the years 1976-1987 into the Digital Historical Collegian Database.  Links directly to the database and to other Pennsylvania newspapers that are part of the Libraries' Digital Newspapers project are available at:  http://apps.libraries.psu.edu/digital/projects.cfm?type=newspapers

This is a fully searchable digital archive database that allows you to search articles, images, and advertising from 1887-1987.

Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions.

Debora

posted by: newsmicro at 13:49 | link | comments |
collection information

Template by motime.com  |  header image credit: Markus Gann © www.begann.de