What’s New @ Speed Library 2007-08 

New Databases and Resources

·        America: History & Life – a comprehensive database covering the history and culture of the U.S. and Canada from prehistory to present.  Includes citations and abstracts of articles in history, related humanities, and the social sciences.  Includes information about book reviews and some links to full text.

·        FirstSearch databases – ABI Inform, AGRIGOLA, Dissertation Abstracts, and others.  A password is needed for these databases.

Remember, there are many discipline specific databases, as well as newspaper databases, legal resources, business resources and e-books. A complete list of databases is available at the library home page/electronic databases page at http://www.mc.edu/campus/library/el_indx.htm.  Please consider giving assignments that require your students to use these valuable resources.

Other Resources and Services

·        Electronic Reserve – if you have reading materials or articles that you would like placed on electronic reserve (passworded access via the internet), please bring them to Wanda Mosley.  After your material has been placed on electronic reserve, remember to tell your students that it is available remotely.  Or on your syllabus/web page, you can create a link to the electronic reserve.

• Table of Contents Alert – Would you like to receive an e-mail alert with the table of contents when your favorite journal is published?  In the Ebscohost databases, you can create an alert so that you will be e-mailed the content of an issue when it is added to Ebscohost.  You can also create a search strategy in Ebscohost and be notified when additional articles are added to the database that match your search criteria.  Contact Susan Newman (newman@mc.edu or ext 3279) for assistance. 
• MyDropBox – a course management/plagiarism prevention system that enables instructors to post class material, manage and organize electronic assignments, mark papers and maintain an electronic grade book.  The plagiarism component of MyDropBox, called SafeAssignment, allows students to submit draft papers and receive reports, providing a method to educate students about ways to avoid plagiarism and learn to cite information sources properly.  SafeAssignment compares all submitted student papers to the internet, paper-mill websites, and some databases.  It also provides detailed originality reports that the instructor may review to determine if plagiarism is present, and to evaluate and decide if follow-up is necessary.  Currently, MyDropBox is provided through the Graduate School and is available only for graduate classes.  If you have questions about MyDropBox, please contact Kathleen Hutchison at khutchis@mc.edu (ext. 3870) or Susan Newman at newman@mc.edu (ext 3279).
• Learn-A-Test – a test preparation and skill building practice database provided by public libraries in Mississippi.  The database provides practice tests for many subjects and vocations including the GRE, LSAT, Teacher Certification, and TOEFL.  The URL is www.learningexpresslibrary.com.  Click on Returning User.  The username is 0399253232 and the password is leland.

 Online Tutorial

An information literacy tutorial is in progress.  The tutorial will offer self-paced instruction in finding, evaluating and using information ethically.   

Department Heads - Adjuncts

Please be sure that all adjunct professors have a campus identification card and a Novell account so that they can use library resources (books, databases, equipment such as projectors, laptops, etc.)

Scheduling Classes for Instruction

The Library’s instruction program is designed to introduce students to basic sources and search strategies, critical evaluation of sources, and information technologies needed for effective information access.  The instruction is course related, according to the specific needs of the class.  Undergraduate and graduate classes are both welcome.  Contact Susan Newman (925-3279/newman@mc.edu) to schedule information literacy/research instruction or to request the use of the library computers for group research projects. 

Placing class materials on the web-restricting to MC-affiliated users

Some faculty members may be interested in placing materials (class notes, Powerpoint presentations, or study guides) on a web page to be accessible only to MC students.  The Leland Speed Library maintains a proxy server known as EZ Proxy to provide and authenticate access to databases and restricted resources when connecting from outside the Mississippi College Internet domain (MCNET).  If you are interested in putting class materials on the web but behind the proxy server (restricting that information to MC students), we can assist you in setting that up.  Call Kathleen Hutchison (ext. 3870), khutchis@mc.edu or Susan Newman (ext. 3279), newman@mc.edu. 

Speed Linking

“Speed Linking” allows for the creation of a direct link from a web page (syllabi, reading lists, course packs) to a specific full-text article, book review, editorial, etc. in a database.  The persistent link takes the student directly to the specific article.  Speed Linking is a great tool for professors who want to create reading lists and/or enhance syllabi.  These Speed Links can be created to be routed through the proxy server, so that only MC authenticated students will access the articles. If you need assistance in identifying or creating a Speed Link, call Kathleen Hutchison (925-3870) or Susan Newman (925-3279). 
 

How can we help your students?

Please let us know how we can better assist your students in becoming independent researchers and lifelong learners.  Questions ???   Contact your liaison librarian or a Reference Librarian at 925-3916 or send e-mail to speed_reference@mc.edu

LELAND SPEED LIBRARY - DEPARTMENTAL LIAISONS

Each academic department at MC has been assigned a liaison librarian to make the faculty aware of new print and electronic resources within the discipline and to facilitate the ordering of those resources. The liaison serves as a contact within the library to respond to suggestions about developing the collection and improving library services.

COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES 
 Speed Library’s Collection Development Principles@ are available on the web at http://www.mc.edu/campus/library/acq.htm#col_dev.  

The library subscribes to Choice Online to aid in selecting appropriate materials.  The liaison librarian will periodically send by campus mail or e-mail a list of newly reviewed titles in your discipline.  You may want to circulate the list within the department and return the marked list to the liaison librarian.  In addition, please send any materials you are interested in from publisher’s catalogs or brochures. 

If a selected item can be used for a graduate level course, mark the order “’GRAD”.  The library is tracking graduate purchases for accreditation and assessment purposes. 

Submit orders as early in the academic year as possible.  February 1 is the deadline for departments to submit orders to the library to be processed by the current fiscal year. 

The library subscribes to several electronic databases that are discipline specific.  In keeping with the goal of being a good steward of limited financial resources, the library is constantly evaluating the usage statistics of such databases.  Please encourage/require your students to make use of library resources in your discipline. 

If your department has any special needs (new courses, approaching accreditation visits, etc.), please contact your liaison librarian or Kathleen Hutchison, Library Director.