Something old, something new, something borrowed, something BLUE

Over Spring Break, the Shadek-Fackenthal lobby had a bit of a makeover. Our rose-pink undertones were traded for Diplomat blue, to give the lobby a regal look.

Click on the thumbnails, or stop by the Library to take a gander.







The rose relief was a vestige of Library additions and renovations in 1983.

A lovely palette of blue, black and white. Many ladders, many chances for bad luck.

Holding our breath till we turn BLUE. Spring Break is over - we can breathe!

- Andy

One Half Million Books!

The Franklin & Marshall College Library adds 10,000 to 12,000 books to the collections each year. The Library has been developing its fine resources since the first documented library collection of 136 books was bequeathed to Franklin College in 1821 by William Reichenbach, Professor of Mathematics from 1787-1821. The collection has grown by leaps and bounds - 50,000 volumes in 1928, 100,000 in 1944, 200,000 in 1969, 300,000 in the mid-80s, 400,000 in 1996, and NOW ... One Half Million volumes in 2007.

It just so happens that the celebrated book is Reading Greek Vases by our Provost & Dean of Faculty, Ann Steiner. Imagine the odds!

CLICK HERE to follow the route our 500,000th volume took, from ordering to acquisition to cataloging to circulation before it could be checked out and enjoyed by our patrons.

- Andy

Things you MUST know (like DUH!!):

You can check out a book for 4 weeks at a time.

You can renew your book ONLINE…so easy….
1) Go to MY ACCOUNT in the library catalog
2) Choose “renew my materials”
3) Enter your FandM ID barcode for user ID, and the last four digits of your SS# for the PIN.
4) Check-mark the items you want to renew

You can check out up to 50 books at one time!

Books on reserve can only be checked out for two hours at a time.

You CANNOT check out reference books.

- Roshni

DID you KNOW?

Hello!

My name is Roshni. I blackmailed Andy (yes, the “Ask Andy” cartoon boy is real but I’m not quite sure if the black cape gives him flying powers…) to get the password for this blog so I can tell you more about this library. We have access to some amazing resources! I am a senior and I regret not making the best of what this library provides.

DID you KNOW?

….IF you don’t find the book you’re looking for here, you can check E-Z borrow or Interlibrary loan. I’ve never had to wait more than 10 days for the book to arrive.

…The library website has a “How To CITE” link. Helpful hints on MLA, APA and CHICAGO style. GO NO FURTHER….you’ve got the information you need right here.

…The COMPUTER ROOM on the second floor is open until 11:45pm from Mondays to Thursdays. Not quite 24/7….BUT GOOD ENOUGH!

…You can make an appointment with a librarian and learn about effective search strategies (print and online resources) for your research papers.

- Roshni

5 random pictures

On the walk to work, enjoying the first significant snow of the season.



Life Sciences roof holds up quite well under the snowy burden.



These bikes haven't moved in months, and aren't budging now.



Quiet moment over the steam vents.



Ben is undaunted.



Yet, there is still swimming.

- Andy

Tips & tricks

Just a few tips that might make your visit to the Library more worthwhile...

- Stop by the Ask Me desk or Circ desk if you're not sure where to find a book in the Library.
- Electronic Resources: By Subject and Class Guides are good places to start if you're not sure which resources to use.
- Visit the Ask Me desk with any questions regarding GoPrint.
- The second and third levels in Shad-Fack are still quiet study areas.
- You can reserve the first and third level study rooms. See the Circ desk for details
- On the non-Classroom computers (Shad-Fack), the Temporary folders will be emptied weekly, so be sure to move files you wish to retain into your eDisk space.

AND

- If you have any questions or would like to make an appointment with a research expert, you can always Ask Andy, or Meet with a Librarian

- Andy

24/7 pictures

More pictures can be found here here!

- Andy

It's been a while...

... a lot can change in a month, a week, an hour. Mediocre research can become stellar research in a matter of minutes. Now that Shad-Fack is open 24 HOURS, you can visit us anytime, and discover new and better ways rescue research papers. Stop by the Ask Me desk before you reach for that dreaded Wicked-Pedia!

- Andy

Peace of Mind

With all the possible resources, it can be hard to know if you've found ALL of the good stuff. Reaching a level of contentment with a research topic can seem elusive. It may not be possible to find EVERYTHING, but librarians can get you mighty close! Make an appointment with a librarian. We can help you find good print and online resources, and possibly provide some peace of mind.

A Room of One's Own

Many students have told us that the Library could use more group study rooms, and we are happy to tell you that two have been added to the back of the first floor. Both rooms have a large study table, six chairs, overhead lighting, a white board and vintage College photos on the wall.

You can reserve the new rooms (and the 3rd level rooms), and borrow markers and erasers for the white board at the Circulation desk. Enjoy!

Library ... Unplugged!

The plugs have been pulled; the campus is dark. Yet, a light still shines on the Library website! Be sure to check Frequently Asked Questions to learn how to connect to Library resources when off campus. Also, Ask Andy will be available if you have any basic research questions.

Now, if you're all caught up on your classwork, go out and enjoy those autumn leaves!

Sounds of Silence, pt. 2

As you may already know, the 2nd and 3rd levels in Shadek-Fackenthal are quiet study floors. What's interesting is that the entire Library seems to have gone silent, to the point where students are a bit concerned that they are being too loud on the Ground, First and Mezzanine levels. Best bet is to use your best judgment. If you are on the first 3 levels, and if conditions allow, feel free to talk (using library voices of course!). You can also reserve any of our the group study rooms - 4 rooms on the first level, and 3 on the third - at the Circulation Desk.

What's up .DOC?

There have been some problems viewing/editing/printing files on Library computers. Sometimes it's a network issue, but many times there are problems with the way files are handled. This is most noticeable with Word, since most files are .DOCS. Here are a few tips...

- always move files using eDisk or a memory stick, NOT webmail
- be sure files have the proper extension (Word - .doc, Excel - .xls, Powerpoint - .ppt)
- keep file names to eight characters or less, with no spaces or strange punctuation

This term, networking might be a bit faster and opening Word files may be a bit speedier, but give yourself plenty of time to launch and print files. While the Library staff can be magical, we may not be able to perform every miracle in those 5 minutes before class.

5 random pictures

An irregular feature of random Library and College pictures, all taken on the same day.

Setting Summer Sun

Shorter days and cooler mornings can only mean one thing, the start of another Fall term. So much has happened at F&M over the summer, its hard to know where to begin - new tennis courts, lots of interesting digging in front of North Ben, and an almost full roof on the Life Sciences building. If you're a returning student, take a trip over the rusty Armstrong bridge and take a look at College Row.

For new students, the best, first view of campus would be the Library! After you've moved in, stop over with your roommate and we'll give you the grand tour. Oh, and don't tell anyone, but coffee from Jazzman's, sipped while sitting out on Manning Green (front of Library) can be quite pleasant.

(click on picture for larger view of sunset, Berkshires)

*NEW* Library resources

The ARTstor Library's
initial content includes approximately 500,000 images and its software tools support a wide range of pedagogical and research uses.

American Broadsides and Ephemera
Fully searchable facsimile images of approx 15,000 broadsides (political materials) printed 1820-1900 and 15,000 pieces of ephemera printed 1760-1900.

Early American Newspapers
Fully searchable, cover-to-cover reproductions of more than one million pages from more than 650 historical American newspapers, covering titles published 1690-1876.

Clase and Periodica
CLASE indexes documents published in Latin American journals specializing in the social sciences and humanities. PERIODICA covers journals specializing in science and technology.

Westlaw, Campus Research
Includes superior law-related resources, including both primary law and analysis plus news databases arranged topically and geographically. Agree to "Terms of Use" to start search.

XReferPlus -
Digital reference library containing 100 high quality reference books from leading publishers: dictionaries, thesauri, encyclopedias, quotation books, and subject-specific titles.

24 hour power

The angst, the stress, the glory, and THE PICTURES from this term's Shadek-Fackenthal "24/7" extravaganza.

Drive safely, have a great summer, and please ... GET SOME SLEEP!

Word of wisdom

That's right, only one word, and that's....

SAVE

your work! Computers can crash, and eDisk can take a hiatus - and at the worst possible time. With MS Office applications, you can go to Preferences and establish Autorecover, but the best possible strategy is to SAVE CONSTANTLY. Also, its a good idea to periodically restart your computer, and re-establish your eDisk connection.

The campus-wide issue with slow launching Word/Excel/Powerpoint will persist through the end of the term. After many minutes, these applications will open, and will work fine, so be patient.

Please see the ASK ME desk if you are stuck with any computing or research concerns.

It's all about image!

There has been tremendous growth in the number of quality image resources, and an increased interdisciplinary demand for images in research.

Please review this fine resource for library-supported and open-web image resources.

Consult with our Visual Resources Librarian Louise Kulp if you have questions about finding or using digital images.

Friends of the Library Event

(click on pic for larger view)

On April 6, Kathleen Spencer, Adjunct Classics professor and College Librarian Emerita, gave a wonderful talk on the guidebooks of Rome. The packed audience, including students from the most recent class trip, learned about the city's history, architecture, religious and political machinations, all through the various guises of guidebooks from 300 A.D. to present day.

And, as only Kathy could say, "Roma, non basta una vita" or "Rome, a lifetime is not enough!"

A few questions with ... Shauna Lehman

Just a few questions with our super-star, senior, library student assistant ... Shauna!

1. What's your year, major and hometown?
I'm a senior, a Business Admin and Astronomy double major, and I'm from the small town of Orwigsburg, PA.

2. How long have you worked at the library?
I have worked at the library for 4 years.

3. What do you enjoy about working at the library?
The staff!! The staff here really is excellent. They're so down-to-earth and willing to help however they can - and fun!

4. What was the last book that you read just for pleasure?
"Undead and Unwed" by Mary Janice Davidson.

5. If you were to write a book, what would its title be?
"Noncommital - The Difficulties of Wanting It All"

Sounds of Silence

For years students have been asking for comfortable, QUIET space in the Library.

Started Monday 3/20, the Shad-Fack quiet study area was moved to the back of the 2nd and 3rd floors. The ground floor had been the quiet area, but there weren't any tables for groups, lighting was poor, and security was a concern.

Upper levels of libraries tend to be more quiet. There are a number of larger tables, and lighting is much better. Until the campus switches over to AC, on warm days these floors will be warmer.

We will depend on students to self-police these areas. If someone is noisy, kindly ask that they please keep it down. You can certainly ask staff for help, but these sorts of policies are always best enforced by peer pressure.

There have been furniture moves to encourage quiet study. Let us know how this works.

Enjoy the silence!

Hairstyles from the 60s 70s 80s & 90s!

Full-text online access to the student newspaper has been expanded to include 1964-1987, in addition to existing coverage through 2001. There are plans to convert 1940-1963 next.

The College Reporter is a terrific resource for research in the areas of popular culture, as well as local and college history

The word on Word

You may have noticed that when you eDisk login at any of the Library or Martin Workroom computers, Microsoft Word has been SLOW to launch. This is a known problem, which has nothing to do with the integrity of your files. Computing Services is aware of the issue, and is working to find a cure. In the meantime, allow Word to slowly open, then edit and SAVE files like normal. ALWAYS save to your eDisk Desktop, NOT to the local Microsoft Office folder.

In other other news... GoPrint print management was a success last term. Overall printing was reduced 35%, with a LOT less waste. Stop by the ASK ME desk if you have any questions about your printing account.

Wikis and whatnot

There's a lot of good, free stuff on the internet, but also a lot of incorrect stuff. The trick is to understand where the info comes from. Wikipedia, for instance, has become quite popular. Google tends to shoot Wikipedia hits straight to the top of a search. Started by a broker and a philosopher in 2000, Wikipedia was intended to be a source where anyone can contribute, with the intent that entries might improve over time. Contributors are supposed to register, but this doesn't prevent abuse or vandalism. Some of the most frequent authors include high school students. Robert McHenry, former editor of the Encyclopedia Britannica, likens Wikipedia to a, "public restroom, you never know who has been using the facilities."

The intent of Wikipedia is noble, "free information for the world." But the value of any wiki (software that allows users to create and edit web pages using any browser), should be kept in perspective.

Use Wikipedia and Google as tools to brainstorm. Then use valuable Library-supported resources like JStor or Lexis-Nexis to gather peer-reviewed materials, where it's much more likely that reputable fact-checking has occured.

New & improved

ABC-CLIO has upgraded two of our more popular databases, America: History and Life and Historical Abstracts While both resources have HISTORY as a focus, both are excellent for awide range of disciplines.

Neither resource is full-text, but a link to full-text may be available if we subscribe to full-text for the journal title. If a link is not present, we may still have access. Always check Journals, Magazines & Newspapers @ F&M to see if we own a title - online, print or microfilm.

Choose Interlibrary Loan, then Request an Article, to obtain an article from another library if we don't own the journal title.

the HEAT man, the HEAT!

As you know, its been unseasonably warm outside, which doesn't really help the temperatures inside. Some time during the Fall, college facilities turns on the heat for the ENTIRE campus, and doesn't turn it off till some time in the Spring. This means if we get 50-plus degree days outside, the Library gets warm, and progressively warmer as you go upstairs.

The rest of this week is supposed to stay around 50 for highs, so the Library will remain warm, till maybe next week when we might again see 20-40 degree days.

Only suggestion... dress in layers!

*NEW* reference resource

xreferplus is a digital reference library that places a world of factual information at your fingertips. Containing 100 high-quality reference books from the world's leading publishers: dictionaries, encyclopedias, thesauri, and books of quotations, not to mention a host of subject-specific titles covering everything from the arts and literature to technology.

Xtreme Ben

In case you're feeling instant-nostalgia for BEN300, you can visit this wonderful website...

"In order to commemorate Benjamin Franklin's 300th birthday, the Government Printing Office (GPO) has enhanced Ben's Guide to U.S. Government (http://bensguide.gpo.gov). Help Ben blow out his birthday candles and then enter the new mini site, Learn About Ben. Read the expanded biography of Ben the statesman, Ben the inventor, and learn about his childhood. Link off to other Ben Franklin Web sites, play a few games, or peruse the list of books about Franklin."

choose Comments for more...

Brand new term

Hope everyone had a restful time off. Of course the "Franklin Experiment" is in a few days, that should be fun. The Library staff returned January 3rd to get everything ready for the new term. ASK ANDY on IM is back in business. As always, if you have questions about anything, feel free to ASK. If you'd like to spout off anonymously, TELL US! is also available.



In case you missed it, 24 Hour pics from last term.

The F&M Plot

In addition to the current campus first established west of Lancaster city in the early 1850s, Franklin & Marshall College has purchased or owned many off-campus properties. One of the earliest, but lesser known, properties was a large burial plot in Lancaster Cemetery. Today the plot includes the graves of several College presidents and other College-affiliated persons as well as a monument to one president that was once a prominent feature on campus.

choose Comments for more....

Oh the weather outside is frightful

(click on the snowman!)

Two hundred and twenty five hours

That's how long Shadek-Fackenthal Library will be open till close of business December 18 at 5pm. That's plenty of hours to complete those last-minute papers, study for exams, or catch up on sleep! Speaking of sleep, your fellow classmates would be quite happy if you kept noise in the Library to a minimum during these frantic last few days.

Librarians and staff will be available throughout to assist with research, and help with computing and printing problems.

Hey, keep it quiet down there!

The Shadek-Fackenthal Library ground level has been designated as a QUIET floor. BUT, it's up to students to maintain the silence. If it gets a bit chatty down there, kindly approach your peers and mention that they are on the QUIET floor, and to please keep it down. If all else fails, flash them a SHUSH!

I want to fly like an eagle...

Bald eagles, YES, bald eagles have been spotted flying over the campus! Most likely they make their home along the Susquehanna River, where a number of pairs have been seen. So, you might ask, how does this relate to my research, and continued happiness at F&M? Well, over the course of the term this blog has noted a number of good starter resources and ways to get research assistance. You can peruse through the various posts, or ASK ANDY for help. And why, because to fly like an eagle has GOT to be better than flopping like an old Thanksgiving turkey!

PS. 2 free ASK ANDY questions to anyone who can name the title track

Database Spotlight: Jstor

JSTOR (an acronym for Journal STORage) is a large, stable electronic backfile containing the full text of core academic journals in the social sciences, humanities and sciences (over 500 titles!). JSTOR is unique among other full text databases because complete backfiles have been scanned and are searchable online. Their digitization results in a high resolution scanned image, which is a perfect replica of the original journal page.

Printing is also unique. Choose PRINT from within Jstor so that printjob is complete, with correct margins.

Coverage starts with the first issue of each title and stops at a 'moving wall,' a period of 4 or 5 of the most recent years maintained by the journal publisher. As each year passes, another year of issues is digitized and added to the archive. This makes JSTOR a great resource for older materials, but it isn't a place to find the most recently published research on a topic.

JSTOR offers simple, advanced and expert searching, with multiple options such as using keywords, topics, titles, authors and dates. You can also limit by discipline, journal title and publication date range.

The truly interdisciplinary nature of JSTOR becomes evident as soon as you enter the database. Choose the areas you're interested in, or search the whole collection and turn up hits from journals in philosophy, history, education, anthropology and psychology, to name a few.

If you have any questions about using or accessing JSTOR or our other resources, call the reference desk at x4217, or email us at ask.andy@fandm.edu.

Building on the Campus, 1854-1940

Professor David Schuyler gave a fabulous Friends of the Library talk about the first college buildings, and the new(er) buildings that shape and define our campus. Archivist, Christopher Raab can provide more information about this talk, college history, and Friends of the Library.

Open thread

Feel free to comment about anything, including the Library!

Score at halftime

Maybe you're ahead at halftime - already know where to find good info, found some good materials and have decent leads on the rest. But if your team is trailing, and you need to put a few more points on the board before Thanksgiving, there are many ways find good research and ask for help

- at the library homepage, try Electronic Resources By Subject, to narrow your scope to relevant choices
- for quick help you can ASK ANDY, by email or IM
- to make an appointment with a librarian, you can fill this form
- and last (but not least!) you can visit librarians at the ASK ME desk

Warning: if you are counting on Google and Sparknotes, and the belief that "everything is on the Web," there is a good chance your team will not make it to playoffs!

Academy Room makeover

The Academy room, located on the second floor of the Shadek-Fackenthal Library, has recently been renovated. The room is named in honor of Franklin and Marshall Academy, a boys preparatory school affiliated with the College that operated from 1871-1943. The Academy room was originally dedicated in 1983 after renovations were completed to the old Fackenthal Library. At that time, Academy alumni donated funds for the renovation of the room in honor of the school whose original buildings on campus were razed in 1975 and 1977. The current renovation was planned by a committee consisting of Academy alumni, college employees, and an interior designer. The new look of the room is intended to more closely suggest the look and warm feel of the living area of the old Academy building (also known as Hartman Hall). Additional memorabilia displays will be added to complement the room.

On October 8th, Academy alumni met in the room to dedicate a new portrait of Academy alumnus Theodore H. Rupp, a 1931 graduate who has been instrumental in organizing reunions, documenting the Academy's history, and collecting memorabilia for the College Archives. Rupp's portrait hangs on the north wall. Now displayed prominently on the west wall are the reframed portraits of the Academy's long-time headmaster Edwin M. Hartman and his wife Helen Stahr Hartman. A new addition on the south wall is the original Hartman Hall-inscribed doorway lintel saved from the 1975 demolition by Academy alumnus Robert S. Wohlsen.

In addition to hosting Academy reunions, the Academy room is used for Friends of the Library events, and is a popular place for students to study.

Don't forget your FOB

Shadek-Fackenthal and Martin libraries are open to FOB-only access after 9pm. FOBs are available to F&M students from Facilities & Operations Monday - Friday, 8am - 4pm. Faculty and Professional Staff may obtain a FOB by submitting a key request, signed by the Department Chair or Supervisor, to the Service Response Center.

Take 2 databases and call me in the morning

Sometimes doling out research advice by phone, email or IM can feel like an on-call doctor's diagnosis. You can go a long way towards finding good resources by narrowing choices By Subject. Also, think about all the synonymous and related terms that may be connected to your topic. You might do a general Google search, or search your topic in Encyclopedia Britanica to familiarize yourself. But, if symptoms persist, you can certainly make an appointment with a doctor (uh ... librarian!).

What the cell?

As convenient as they may be, not everybody needs to take part in your cell phone conversation. So the next time that oh-so-clever ringtone goes off, you can either join the smokers on the front porch, or sit in the foyer if its raining.

Two most frequent questions

Well, aside from "Can I use this stapler?"

While in your eDisk account, be aware of where you are saving files. The default location is the local computer Microsoft Office folder. If you save to this folder, your files will ONLY exist at that one machine. Always save to Desktop. This is your eDisk desktop, which will follow you to any eDisk logon.

In order to use wireless, you will first need to find a good wireless zone (at least 3 bars on a Mac), then you will need to authenticate. VPN (virtual privacy network) is used to authenticate. The most recent VPN software can be found at http://software.fandm.edu. If you are unsure how to install and use VPN, there are a few helpful tutorials found here.

For further assistance, either see a Librarian at the Ask Me desk or visit Computing.

6 beautiful words

I - Can - Help - Someone - Down - Here

Jazzman's added a second register! This means I can get my caffeine quicker.

(predicted Library segue)

Covered drinks are allowed in the Library, but no food. We try valiantly to keep out the bugs. And, if you do spill, please tell someone. We won't yell at you, honest. The sooner we can clean up, the less damage there might be.

Random library tips

A few tips come to mind with the start of a new term...

- ignore GoPrint jobs you don't want, they will dissappear in 2 hours
- go to Ask Me desk if you want to check on your GoPrint allowance
- always save to Desktop (eDisk), NOT to Microsoft Office on the local computer
- frequently SAVE your files, machines can and do crash!
- you must athenticate in order to use wireless network, use current VPN version 4.7
- Shadek classroom is OPEN for general use when not reserved for class
- always logout of eDisk session (2-step process) when done using a public machine, a machine left logged in is vulnerable to abuse - trashed files, printing to your account...

Feel free to comment with more tips OR if you have suffered from crashes. You might save that ONE person with your story!

Welcome back!

And if you're new to F&M, welcome! Its been another busy summer at the Library - new website, new print-management system. Lots of shifting and weeding, and many additions to print and online resources. As always, Library staff are ready, willing and able to answer any of your research questions. Stop by the Ask Me desk and say hi, or submit an Ask Andy question and we'll get back to you ASAP!