Biology Lab Library Assignment

Last year I updated the recurring Biology Lab Library Assignment, but the old version lives on and continues to show up at the reference desk. You will recognize this assignment as the one that calls for students to find 5 PDF articles (no problem!) and 5 copied from print journals (incredibly cumbersome!). The sample topic is mycorrhizae, but students have the option to pick from a list.

Here are some tips for finding biology articles in our PRINT periodicals collection.

1. Search for the student's topic in the Biological & Agricultural Index Plus database w/ “Peer-Reviewed” limit. (**Date option will help. See below.)

2. Click the "Library Owns?" link to see if the library owns this title in print. This will sometimes give you two catalog entries. Select the one that says, "1st Floor – Periodicals” to see the exact holdings/dates that are available in the library.

** Note: We cancelled a lot of print biology subscriptions after Dec. 2007. If you are having problems finding print articles from 2008 to the present, revise your search and limit the date to “To: 2007.”

**Update: I heard from the faculty member who coordinates the Biology lab GTAs. He inadvertently sent out the old version to the GTAs, but then followed up with the newer version saying to use that instead. I have printed the full assignment and left it at the reference desk.**

Jason

JSTOR volumes in stacks are on the move

As part of our plan for shuffling reference books to the stacks we are moving all of the JSTOR journal volumes that were relocated to the stacks back down to periodicals. We will use shelves removed from reference to make room for the volumes to be incorporated into the periodicals collection after the winter break.

In the meantime, Neal Pistole and crew are bringing them down and shelving them in call no. order on the very last range of Periodicals, facing the south wall. If everything goes well with a global change in Millenium we will have the location fixed soon.

You're not likely to get any inquiries about these but if someone comes to the desk because these aren't in place in the stacks you will know where they are. They of course are available online through JSTOR. - Mayo

Reference USA is back on

Reference USA is now available again. There is are tutorials on the new features at http://www.referenceusa.com/Static/VideoTutorials

Public Copiers

The upper floor copy rooms are now group study rooms, each with one table. All public copiers are in the 1st floor copy center.

Research Coach form

Thanks to Mary Ellen's editing skills, we have a Research Coach request form at http://library.mtsu.edu/reference/res_coach.php

You can find a link to the Research Coach page on Library Forms and on the Library Help page at
http://library.mtsu.edu/help/

U S Government Manual

Please keep an eye open for the 2009/2010 United States Government Manual. The call number is R Un3g 2009-2010. It belongs at the reference desk.

Also, note that the United States Government Internet Manual is now titled the eGovernment and Web Directory.

Lexis Nexis links in Journal Locator

They're now going to the new interface since Lexis Nexis' migration is complete. You may remember that during the migration we were using the new interface but the Journal Locator links were going to the old one.
http://mtsurefstaff.blogspot.com/2010/01/lexis-nexis-links-in-serials-solutions.html

STAT-USA

STAT-USA is going extinct. Apparently the internet has encroached on it's habitat and food source.

Campus Fax Services

I confirmed today that students may receive a fax at the Phillips Bookstore as well as send a fax.

The cost for receiving is $0.49 per page plus tax. Sending is $1.00 per page plus tax for a local number, $2.00 per page plus tax for a long-distance number.

The fax number is 615-898-5680. Faxes are held at the service desk at the front of the bookstore for a few days and then discarded if not picked up.

CRSP & Other Software

Don't forget that the BAS computer lab has a variety of special software applications, many for use in specific business classes.

A student yesterday was looking for CRSP, a subscription service that provides securities price information. He insisted he had used it at the library in the past, which sent a few of us scurrying around for a bit, until Sharon saved us by checking the software list at the BAS.

http://www.businesslab.mtsu.edu/Lab/

Visiting Scholars and Faculty

Visiting scholars and faculty can receive borrowing privileges by turning in a completed form that provides information and signatures from the sponsoring department.

The form is located at http://library.mtsu.edu/circulation/visitingschol.pdf

It is also listed on the Forms page as Visiting Scholar/Faculty Library Privileges Form.

Placing a Hold

Something to know about placing holds--

If you initiate a hold from the advanced catalog (Millennium) you are allowed to select the expiration date for the hold.

If you initiate a hold from InfoSearch (Encore), the hold is placed without allowing you to select an expiration date. Sounds great, except that the system automatically assigns an expiration date 30 days from today, regardless of how many holds are in front of you. Thus, your hold could expire before you come up first on the hold list.

Ann has contacted the vendor about this, but please be aware when helping patrons place holds.