Jen Library Reference Department

Vacation time! Did you know that Jen Library has reduced hours and services between the Fall and Winter quarters, November 20 - January 3? These include:

• Reduced building hours: Monday - Friday 8:30 A.M. - 7 P.M.; closed weekends
• Closed on holidays: Thanksgiving & the day after (Nov. 26 and 27); Christmas Day (Dec. 25) and New Year’s Day (Jan. 1)
• Reference Desk, IM, email, refdesk phone, Ask A Librarian: CLOSED until Jan 4. If you have a question call the Jen Library main line at 912-525-4700, or contact one of the Reference Librarians directly.
• Visual Resources & Special Collections hours:  Monday - Friday 8:30 A.M.  - 5:00 P.M
• Inter-Library Loan: requests received between Dec. 5 and Jan. 3 will be sent on January 4, start of the Winter Quarter

We’ll be back to our regular scheduled programming on January 4. Stay tuned here for additional updates and info. In the meantime, what will you do over break? Travel? Work on personal projects? Hang out with friends? Sleep in? Maybe even read a book (or two)?

CC image by Aaron Jacobs

The finish line is in sight! The Fall Quarter at SCAD wraps up on Thursday, November 19. During this busy time the Jen Library can offer:

• A range of spaces - cozy chairs, group & individual study rooms, large tables - for both personal and group work. Open until 1 AM through Thursday night.
• Research help at the ref desk, via email, Ask a Librarian, and IM from 8AM - 9PM through Thursday. Even if you’re at home in your jammies we can help!
• Montgomery Hall too busy? Use our advanced MAC lab on level three. All of the software that is in Monty is in that room too!

Most importantly: do not sacrifice your health and sanity just to complete your assignments! There are many ways to take care of yourself during this busy time, but there are three biggies to remember:

1. Eat and sleep: Lack of proper food and rest will wear you down and make you more susceptible to sickness; the last thing you want right now is to spend the day in bed, unable to get your work done. Take extra care to eat healthy meals (ehem, candy bars from the vending machine do not count) and if you do need to pull an all-nighter, try to rest up the next day.

2. One step at a time: If finishing a project seems akin to climbing Mount Everest, try breaking it into smaller, manageable tasks. Flexibility is important too: this is just as true with the research process as it is with making art. If one material, source, or topic does not work, can you shift what you’ve started into something more ‘do-able’?

3. Take a break: Have you been re-writing the same sentence for the past half-hour? Take five minutes to walk around the block, stretch, breathe deeply, have a cup of coffee, put on some loud music and rock out, etc.  Working nonstop saps your energy and creativity. Short, periodic breaks will allow you to rest your eyes, mentally re-focus, and come back to your project refreshed and ready to make REAL progress - saving you time.

Stress management resources:

• SCAD’s Counseling Services provide stress management workshops that are specifically geared toward the needs of artists. They also provide one-on-one counseling sessions. Login to MySCAD to learn more.
• SCAD’s Writer’s Studio (AKA Writing Center) can provide assistance with planning and writing research papers. Make an appointment with them on MySCAD.
• UGA has an excellent website on Managing Stress for College Students with advice on a range of topics, including exercise, nutrition, spirituality, relationships, and more.

The Savannah Film Fest is GO and it’s centered right across the street from Jen Library, at the Trustees Theater. While you’re in the neighborhood enjoying movies this weekend, stop in to peruse our massive collection of screenplays, cinema studies, and performance books. You might even end up rubbing shoulders with the stars: some have been popping by the Jen to talk about what they do best.

For example:

Emmy Rossum and Zach Gilford interviewed at the Jen Library

Drop in and say hello!

CC image by philip.bitnar

Happy Halloween everybody! For your spooky enjoyment, please enjoy this selection of library materials on the art of the horror film. Curl up with a book on a dark and dreary evening, or choose a VHS or DVD for late-night viewing at the library. Plus, we’re open until 1AM on Halloween night! Just don’t go down to the basement…

Stuff to read - lots more to choose from in our catalog:

• Sound Design for American Horror Films (Thesis)
  
• Making a Monster: The Creation of Screen Characters by the Great Makeup Artists
• Cult Horror Films: from Attack of the 50 foot woman to Zombies of Mora Tau
• Horror Poster Art
• Horror International (about horror films worldwide)
  
• Hollywood Horror: From Gothic to Cosmic
• Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film, 1978-1986
• Gorehound’s Guide to Splatter Films (two books): The 1980s and the 1960s and 1970s
• The Changing Vampire of Film and Television : A Critical Study of the Growth of a Genre
• Zombie Culture: Autopsies of the Living Dead

Stuff to watch:

• Poltergeist
• Psycho
• The Exorcist
• Invasion of the Body Snatchers
• Night of the Living Dead
• Nosferatu
• Frankenstein
• American Movie (about the making of a “no budget” horror film)

What are some of your favorite horror classics? Is there a book or film that the library should have, but doesn’t? Tell us about it by leaving a comment below!

CC image by UBC Library Graphics

Did you know that fellow SCAD students are ready and waiting to help with your classes and assignments? SCAD Peer Tutors are upper-level students who have deep knowledge of their discipline, and of course know all the ins and outs of SCAD student life. Whether you need to master a complicated Visual Effects program, boost your design know-how, re-work a drawing, or write a research paper, they can help! And they work all across campus - in fact, there is probably a tutor in one of the buildings you visit regularly.

To view tutor profiles, learn about the program, and schedule an appointment:

• login to MySCAD (in a new tab)
• then return to this page and click here to enter the Peer Tutoring website.

Matt Fisher is one such tutor whose office is located in Jen Library, room 218 (2nd floor). His specialty is Reading Comprehension. Matt graduated with honors with a B.A. in English and Education, and is now pursuing the M.F.A. in Dramatic Writing at SCAD. Matt kindly answered a few questions about what he does. Read on…

Jen Library: What does ‘reading comprehension’ mean exactly, and why is it an important skill to have?

Matt: Reading comprehension entails the skills necessary to read effectively and understand what’s being said. Even if you’re a strong reader, it’s easy to fall into the trap of simply “looking at the words,” while thinking of something else. By developing skills in reading comprehension, you will cut down the time you spend on assigned readings, and have a better understanding of the content.

As Reading Comprehension tutor, it sounds like you can assist with a range of academic needs. What are some of the services that you provide to SCAD students (especially with finals)?

As finals approach, the concerns of heavy readings are compounded by research paper deadlines. If you need help learning and implementing editing techniques for your essays, or developing skills that will lighten the burden of assigned readings, consider setting up an appointment via MySCAD under reading comprehension.

What inspired you to become a Peer Tutor?

Before coming to SCAD, I had the chance to teach reading for several weeks in 7th grade and 12th. I love helping people in any facet of life, but pedagogy has proven itself to be one of the ways I can best do so.

Any other things you’d like to share?

This is a laid-back environment. We will take a look at whatever problems you have, and I will do my best to assist you. It’s a free service, so there’s nothing to lose.

Thanks Matt! Again, please visit the Peer Tutoring page on MySCAD to learn more and make an appointment.

Image via Library of Congress @ Flickr

If you’ve visited the Jen Library in the past two weeks, then you’ve noticed we’re currently sprucing up our building’s appearance, inside and out. Everyone involved - Library staff, SCAD Facilities, and various crew- are working closely together to keep intrusions to a minimum. We thank you all for your continued patience with these changes, and let us know if there is anything we can do to make your Library visit more comfortable.

A few requests and notices:

• Please do not lock your bike to the scaffolding outside of the library! If workers need to move the scaffolding, you may lose your ride. There are racks located at Norris Hall down the street and at various other points in the downtown area.
• Our Visual Resources department and our Technical Services Department are swapping offices (both on the 3rd floor). By the end of the week, Tech Servs will be in Room 318 and VR will be in the windowed office between the book stacks and the Mac Lab.
• Some of the books on 2nd and 3rd floor are slightly out of order while we install new carpet underneath the shelves. If you cannot find what you’re looking for - just ask a friendly staff member.

Again, thanks for your attention and patience.

CC Image by Reeding Lessons

Now that the Fall Quarter is halfway through, many of you are knee-deep in writing research papers. With all of the work that goes into research - from choosing a topic, finding and reading sources, and synthesizing your argument - it can be easy to overlook writing accurate citations. However, citing your sources (whether they are print, online, text, or image) is an essential part of this process.

Thankfully, there are some excellent resources out there to guide you in creating citations. Formatting in-text citations, reference lists, and bibliographies is not as difficult as it seems!

Citation how-to’s and tips:

• SCAD’s very own Writer’s Studio (formerly known as the Writing Center) has some excellent online handouts on creating citations in MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, as well as citing images. MySCAD login is required.
• You can also schedule a one-on-one writing consultation at the Writer’s Studio– contact them to learn more.
• I am a big fan of the OWL at Purdue website, which offers pointers on using the 2009 updated edition of MLA formatting, as well as in-depth explanations of several other citation styles.

Automatic citation generators:

• Several of SCAD’s databases, such as Art Full Text, Wilson OmniFile, and CQ Researcher have their own built-in citation generators. When viewing an article or abstract, look for a “cite” link that will give you a sample citation for that source.
• The instructify blog recently listed top 5 citation applications on the Web, including several generators.

Call me old-fashioned, but I don’t completely trust citation generators. Humans are smarter than robots, and not every research source falls into the precise citation-creation formula that the ‘bots use. It’s a good idea to double check any automatically generated citations against the most current manual. Lucky for you, we have all of the latest editions at SCAD Libraries!

• MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (2009 / 7th edition)
• MLA Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing (2008 / 3rd edition)
• The Chicago Manual of Style (2003 / 15th edition)
• A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (Chicago / Turabian Style; 2007 / 7th edition)
• Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (2001 / 5th edition)

Happy citing!

SCAD Libraries have just acquired access to two fabulous new online resources: Stylesight and Reference USA. Like all of our databases, these can be accessed anywhere, 24/7. All you need to do is login with your last name and SCAD ID card number. Please give them a try and let us know what you think!

Stylesight is an incredible resource for those who are studying fashion, fibers, interior design, and marketing. It provides:

• up-to-date fashion news
• trend and color forecasting
• coverage of events and trade shows
• create custom color palettes and fashion collections

My favorite feature, though, are the 2 million+ images of the runway and street, store displays, interiors, vintage fashions, royalty-free graphics, and even a wide selection of inspirational themes to get your creative juices flowing. Use the links in the left-hand column to start browsing - and budget lots of time, because it’s visually addicting!

Anyone seeking information on U.S. and international businesses will want to give Reference USA a close look. Search for a business to learn about its:

• brands and products
• names of executives and managers
• business size
• stock analysis
• recent news
• historical data

Reference USA also indexes residential data from around the U.S., making it an ‘online phone book’ for finding individual contact information.

Printmakers, Renaissance history buffs as well as interactive designers: check out the excellent website for The Brilliant Line! The exhibit, now on view at the Museum Of Art at RISD, highlights the work of key Renaissance and Baroque engravers from throughout Europe. While it’s sure to be a fine showing of great art and excellent scholarship, the accompanying website is really stunning, because it shows users exactly how these masters created their etchings, layer by layer. Select a work and click “analyze lines” to give it a test drive, as I did with Robetto’s “Adoration of the Magi”:

Analyze Lines feature - via the Museum of Art at RISD

I couldn’t help but be reminded of MoMA’s “What is a Print?” tutorial. Fine printmaking is a rather obscure process to many, and both of these sites do an excellent job of explaining print history and technique for a general audience.

Have you been “wowed” by an exhibition website recently? Add a comment to tell us about it!

James Krenov, influential master woodworker, author, and teacher has passed away. His cabinets exhibit simplicity of form, and highlight the natural and unique qualities of wood. Krenov referred to himself as a “pre-kerouac Hippie” who roamed Europe and worked in shipyards and factories before studying fine woodcraft under Carl Malmsten in Sweden. He founded and taught at the College of the Redwoods Fine Furniture Program in Fort Bragg, California, in addition to keeping a personal studio.

Many were influenced by Krenov’s philosophical approach to his art. In a Smithsonian interview, he said the main belief informing his work is “you should not be unhappy in the primary thing that occupies you”. Kranov’s books are much more than just a how-to. He speaks of the smells, colors, natural variances, and feel of woodworking materials, and of the process of transforming raw wood into unique works of art.

Anyone who enjoys the pleasures of handwork will want to take a look at Krenov’s writings. Jen library has several of his books: James Krenov, Worker in Wood; The Impractical Cabinetmaker, and The Fine Art of Cabinetmaking.

See images of James Krenov’s works here.