*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