Odum Library Blog

I’m going to go over the ten tips you’ll need to know in order to find some reliable articles for your term paper.  We’re getting close to the finish line for Fall 2010, and I don’t want to waste any of your time.

Photo by Caro's Lines: http://www.flickr.com/photos/caroslines/3199807082/

1. The library’s databases (Academic Search Complete, JSTOR, etc.) are designed for doing scholarly research. Google isn’t.  If you use the databases properly they will actually save you time.
2. If you need to find articles for your paper, start at the articles tab.
3. General databases are a good place to start because they have a little bit of everything (like the Palms!).  Give Academic Search Complete a try first.
4. If the general database doesn’t have what you need, try a subject database.  These databases are focused on just one discipline (like a barbeque restaurant!).  Select a subject from the drop-down menu labeled “Articles by Subject”.  You’ll see the databases our librarians recommend under “Try these first!”.
5. Whichever database you choose, don’t waste your time with a basic search.  Do an advanced search and break your topic into key concepts.  If you’re writing about childhood obesity, try searching for the terms children and obesity.
6. Most databases don’t recognize natural language.  What does that mean?  Instead of searching for influence of high fructose corn syrup on childhood obesity rates in Mid-Atlantic states, you will need to break your idea down into keywords.  There is no right answer to which keywords will find everything you want, so be patient and keep trying.
7. Most databases will let you limit your search in a variety of ways.  If you need to search for peer reviewed journals only, or if you can only use a certain date range (maybe nothing older than ten years), look for these limiters.
8. If you want more information about the best way to search, try our guide: http://www.valdosta.edu/library/learn/booleans.shtml
9. It isn’t too late to do a great job on your papers, but your deadlines are getting closer every minute.  You need to start writing as soon as possible to make sure we can help you get the information you need.
10. Finally, research can be a messy and confusing process.  If you get stuck, ask a reference librarian for help.  That’s what we’re here for!

If you’re off campus, don’t forget to login to Anywhere Access with your BlazeVIEW username and password before you try to access our databases.

Just because you’re heading home to spend some quality time with your family doesn’t mean you can’t work on all of your term papers.  You know the ones: they’ve been nagging you all semester, their deadlines approaching, but you’ve put them off until now.  Well, there’s no time like holiday time for getting them done.  Here’s why:

1. You can only watch so much football.  Whenever your viewing quota is finally met, hit the library homepage.

2. Those day-after-Thanksgiving sales only cause temporary bliss.  Remember that you’re only saving money if you would have bought the same stuff at full price.  Put a time limit on your shopping extravaganza (can you fit it all into 2 hours?) and get to work on your papers!

3.  If you take a post-turkey nap, you will be full of energy on Thanksgiving evening.  Channel that into something useful.  Just imagine: if you write your papers now you’ll actually be able to study for finals.  What a concept!

You can still get access to our databases when you’re at home with your family over Thanksgiving break.  Just start from our homepage and click on Anywhere Access.  Once you’ve logged in with your BlazeVIEW username and password you’ll be free to find journal articles and read ebooks to your heart’s content.  Click on GALILEO@VSU to go directly into GALILEO, or if you prefer using our subject guides, click on Odum Library to search from our homepage.  You’ll then be able to use our Articles Tab to get into the general databases or find a more specific database under articles by subject.

If you just don’t know where to begin, there’s lots to learn on our Library Help page.

Sometimes it’s hard to focus without a little bit of background noise.  Why not listen to some classical music while you work?  We created a station just for you that you can listen to for free online at Pandora.com.  If you’re studying in the library, please remember to be considerate and use headphones.

Finally, keep in mind that the Library will be closing at midnight on Tuesday, November 23, 2010 and will reopen Saturday, November 27, 2010 at 9:00 AM for the Thanksgiving Holidays.

Happy Thanksgiving!

It’s time to fall back again!  Daylight saving time ends Sunday morning at 2AM.  Remember to turn your clocks back an hour before you go to sleep tonight.

Why should you care?  Well, you get to sleep an extra hour!  Also, you probably don’t want to show up an hour early for any obligations you have Sunday, or for that first class of the day Monday morning.

Is your clock right?  Check the Official U.S. Time to be sure.

Would you like to learn more about the history of daylight saving time and the controvery that surrounds it?  Check out Spring Forward: the annual madness of daylight saving.  We have a copy available on the 3rd floor: HN49.D3 D69 2005

If you just want general information about daylight saving time, why not check the encyclopedia?  You can access many encyclopedias, including Encyclopædia Britannica, online through GALILEO.  Simply click on GALILEO > Resources by Type > Encyclopedias.

“Salvador Dalí: The Persistence of Memory, oil on canvas, 243×333 mm, 1931 (New York, Museum of Modern Art); © 2007 Salvador Dalí, Gala–Salvador Dalí Foundation/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York, photo © Museum of Modern Art/Licensed by SCALA/Art Resource, NY.” Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. 6 Nov. 2010 <http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/img/grove/art/F017252>.

For some students, noise can be a major distraction when they’re trying to study.  A little bit of white noise helps others focus.  There is no right or wrong way to study, and you should do whatever works best for you.

We want to make sure everyone has the kind of environment they need so they can focus, which is why we have designated quiet zones in certain parts of the library.  Please refer to our maps to find these areas.

How do you like to study?  Are you happy with the noise level in the library?  We are always trying to make Odum Library a better place for you to do research, so let us know!

If you need another credit hour for next semester, why not sign up for LIBS 1000?  It’s called Introduction to Library Resources, and it’s an online class designed to familiarize you with doing college-level research.  You’ll learn how to find the information you need to write your papers, how to know if you should trust what you read on the web, and much more.  The CRN is 22536.  If you have any questions about the class, send an email to ghwilliams@valdosta.edu

Put this number in your phone! 229.234.1947

People are raving about our new service that lets you text message your question to Odum. It’s a great way to find the information you need when you aren’t at a computer or you’re in a hurry. Maybe you just want to know if the library is open before you walk over here. In any case, keep the questions coming! Send them to 229.234.1947

Aren’t you curious about what happens when you send us a late night text?  We thought so!

When you text us any time, day or night, your question goes to the Reference Librarians.  We will text you right back during our normal hours.  Even though Reference Librarians live to help our students, we don’t live at the library.  When we open up the Reference Desk in the morning  we get to read and answer all of the text messages you sent us overnight.  On weekdays, that means you might get a return text from a Librarian at 8AM!  We don’t want to wake you up, but we do want to get you the information you need as quickly as we can.  If you don’t plan on being up that early you might want to put your phone on silent.

To find out what hours the Reference Desk is open or to send us a chat, email, or text question, go to http://www.valdosta.edu/library/ask.php

This weekend is the beginning of Fall Break, and we know you’ve earned it. Unfortunately, it’s pretty likely that you have a paper or two you need to start working on. Lucky for you, Odum Library is open normal hours this weekend!

Saturday: 9am-9pm
Sunday: 12pm-2am
Monday: 7:45am-2am
Tuesday: 7:45am-2am

The reference desk will be closed on Saturday and Sunday. If you need help with your research, you can always email the reference librarians for help. They get to take the weekend off, too, so you can expect a reply on Monday. You can submit an email question from the Live Chat page: http://www.valdosta.edu/library/ask.php

Have a great break!

The librarians at Odum do a lot of teaching.  You may have come to the library with one of your classes to learn how to find journal articles for a research paper.  We also teach one-on-one at the reference desk when you ask us how to find or use information.

If we left the programming up to you, what would you want us to teach? How to protect your privacy on Facebook? How to create a podcast? How to find books about vampires and zombies in the library’s catalog? Let us know!

South entrance of Odum Library, 10/07/2010

We hope you’re enjoying the beautiful October weather here at VSU.  It can be hard to study outside, though, so why not come study in Odum Library?  We have plenty of seating on the second and third floors surrounding our atrium, where you’ll have nice views of the outdoors.

For your information and entertainment, we would like to share this short video about Odum Library’s services.  We created it to use when your class visits the library for a lesson on accessing our materials.

Let us know what you think! You can also create your own videos at www.xtranormal.com