Jen Library Reference Department

CC image by Flickr user Jurvetson

The Library Reference Department will host some sweet online workshops over the next few weeks. Students can log in to these free workshops from almost anywhere – simply point your browser to the URLs below at the appointed times. Whether you’d like to get a grip on managing your time, learn just what the *heck* a database IS, exactly, or master the power of Google Scholar, we have a workshop for you:

Time Management: Researching at the Library (online)
Sunday, June 27th @ 4pm / Monday, June 28th @ 3pm

Do you have a big research paper coming up? Did you promise yourself you wouldn’t procrastinate this quarter? Are you tired of all-nighters? Attend this workshop and learn how to manage your time to reduce stress, save time and improve your grades!

http://scadconnect.scad.edu/timesummer10/

Research Survival 101 (online)
Sunday, July 11th @ 1pm / Monday, July 12th @ 8pm

Does writing research papers feel like an impossible task? Are you full of great ideas, but not sure how to get them down on paper? Do trustworthy, professor-approved sources seem to elude you?

If you answered YES to any of the above questions, attend Research Survival 101 online! This interactive workshop will provide practical strategies for staying organized, focused, and creative with research assignments. Come ready to share ideas and any questions you might have.

http://scadconnect.scad.edu/researchsurvival101/

Advanced Research Survival – Library Resources Beyond the Basics (online)
Sunday, July 18th @ 3pm / Monday, July 19th @ 8pm

You’re a research survivor – now take your skills to the next level. This interactive online workshop is intended for anyone who is already familiar with the SCAD library catalog and databases, but wants to go beyond the basic resources. We will discuss practical tips such as constructing advanced keyword strings, “hacking” Google to discover interesting library resources, obtaining items from non-SCAD libraries, and more. Ideal for those writing senior and graduate theses, and anyone who wants to improve their searching overall!

http://scadconnect.scad.edu/adv_researchsurvival/

Questions? Contact the reference department at ref(at)scad(dot)edu

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.

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!

Who's your favorite reading partner?

It’s the first week of the quarter. You’re finding your way around campus, settling into your classes, and becoming familiar with all of the places and people you need to get on with your daily life. It’s exciting, but overwhelming – it seems like a lot to keep track of.

Class readings are an important mark on the big to-do list. Many of you are starting to come into the Library to look for assigned texts. Here’s the rundown of some of the basic book-finding skills that will serve you well in the months (and years) to come.

http://library.scad.edu/ – the Library Catalog

• Your best buddy for looking up books
• Access it anywhere you’re online
• Simply type in the name of an author and/or title to see what is available.

When you find your book, jot down the call number and keep it handy. Also look for the location of the book. These include:

• The campuses – Jen (Savannah), Atlanta, and Lacoste
• Reference – use in library only. In the Jen library, these are on the first floor.
• Reserve – use in library only. Provide the call number and title to circulation desk staff

A note on the book’s status:

• Available = on the shelf and ready to check out
• Checked out & due date = someone else has it
• Use the request button to become next in line to read a checked out book, once it is returned
• You can also use ‘request’ to send a book from Atlanta to Savannah, and vice versa

Other handy information:

To learn more about book checkout and loan periods visit our policies page

Not sure where in Jen to find it? Take a look at our library floor plans

And you can always ask us to learn more!

Image by Flickr User Stuck In Customs

The Acropolis. Michaelangelo’s Medici Chapel. Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye. While there’s no substitute for actually being there, the ARTstor database provides the next best thing: interactive, panoramic views of thousands of architectural icons. Sites and buildings from across the world, from antiquity to the present day, are available. Viewers can virtually place themselves within the image by looking around, up and down, as well as zooming in and out. And all it takes to get there is one simple search term.

While architects and art historians will appreciate the ability to closely inspect important details, I can easily see a game designer examining ancient temples while creating a Tomb Raider-style action sequence, or an interior designer gathering ideas for adding old-world library touches to a client’s study. Not to mention, the images are just fun to play around with!

To get started:

• Access ARTStor from SCAD Libraries’ list of databases (you will need your MySCAD ID to login)
• Type QTVR in the search box (with other keywords, if you like)
• Within the list of results, click the word “QTVR” which appears below the thumbnail (instead of the image itself)
• Enjoy!

And as with all of the material in ARTstor, SCAD students and faculty can use the images for research and classroom purposes, worry-free.