Seminole State College of Florida Library Blog

World Newspapers

2012-01-18T18:23:00.002-05:00

The Newseum is a new museum in Washington DC that offers visitors an experience that blends five centuries of news history with up-to-the-second technology and hands-on exhibits.

Its website offers the front pages of newspapers around the world each day. Place your mouse over the city anywhere in the world and the newpaper headlines will pop up in color.. Double click and the page gets larger. You can read the entire issue of some papers if you click on the "Web" link.

Discipline-based collection of digital images

2012-01-17T08:09:00.001-05:00

Here is a great source when you need images to complement your resarch paper or speech. The University of Minnesota Libraries have compiled excellent comprehensive lists of discipline-based digital image collections.
Here are links to the separate categories:

Welcome back!

2012-01-06T13:26:00.000-05:00

The Spring 2012 term is upon us and things are as busy as ever around the library. Please stop by this week for help with locating your classroom or the bookstore, asking about course reserves, getting your ID made, or anything else you might need!

Please make sure to check out Library Chat on the Library's home page. We can answer many questions directly from your computer! Also feel free to give us a call any time we can help- our phone numbers are all available here.

We look forward to helping with your research papers, speeches, and other projects this semester. Have a great one!

Book due date

2011-12-05T12:53:00.000-05:00

All books that are checked out are due back this Friday, December 9th

Wolfram Alpha (and iPhone 4S!)

2011-11-30T09:38:00.000-05:00

If you wanted an answer to a question the old model was: look it up in a book.
The newer model says: Google it.
An even newer model directs you to Wolfram Alpha, a computational knowledge engine.

What is the difference? A search engine such as Google or Bing scans web pages and returns links to those pages matching the search query. Wolfram Alpha returns answers from its “own internal knowledge base.” For example, say you want to know the route an airplane would travel between Chicago and Tokyo rather that what the airfare is between Chicago and Tokyo? If you are looking for facts like the five longest rivers or the population of Jordan, try WolframAlpha.

For more information try this demo of answers given by WolframAlpha. And if some of those answers seem familiar you must be iPhone 4S user. Your digital assistant, Siri, got some of her information from WolframAlpha.

Mobile App for Research

2011-11-28T19:44:00.003-05:00

If you're like many students, mobile technology has become increasingly prevalent in your daily routine. And as a student, class research undoubtedly factors into your academic routine as well.

Smartphone users are in luck- Gale (one of our largest research database providers) has recently launched a mobile app for their databases called AccessMyLibrary, College Editon, available for Apple or Android phones and tablets! It provides a mobile interface for several of the Gale databases, arranged by subjects including literature, science, history and more.

First, you'll need to download it from the app store/market. When you initially open Access My Library, you will need to enter your Seminole State e-mail address only. A confirmation e-mail will be sent you with a password to use for logging in. Once you've received the e-mail, you can reopen the app and enter the password to gain access to the mobile databases.

Try it out and report back on how well it works- it might be the future of research...a library available everywhere!

Help Us- Take Our Library Survey!

2011-11-16T18:28:00.004-05:00

We're promoting our library survey to collect feedback on what our users want and need, and to determine what we can do to improve the overall library experience. It's important to us to know what is working well and what can be expanded or altered to provide the best possible service.

Please take a few minutes to respond to the survey. There are several ways to access it: 1) Click the image above and to the left. 2) Click the survey link here. 3) From the library home page, you'll see the link on the top left corner of the screen.

If you would, please pass this along to your fellow students. Everyone's input is very much appreciated!

What are "scholarly journals"?

2011-11-14T10:15:00.000-05:00

Your teachers will often ask you to use scholarly sources for your papers and projects. Many of the Library's databases consist entirely of scholarly articles, for instance, JSTOR, PsycArticles, and Medline. Nearly all the other databases have an option on the search screen to limit your search to all scholarly (all peer reviewed) results.

But what is it about a book or an article that makes it scholarly?"Scholarly research" boils down to a system for verifying facts and logic. It's a set of checks and balances to prevent errors, nonsense, and lies, from being passed off as good information. A scholarly researcher first learns the ideas and findings of others in the field. The researcher then develops a hypothesis and designs and implements a methodology to prove or disprove that hypothesis.

Scholarly also means "by scholars and intended to be read by other scholars." Popular sources have articles that are intended to be interesting and comprehensible for as many people as possible. They have to leave out some details and simplify others. Scholarly sources have more detailed, advanced, sophisticated information. And it's closer to the source, not translated for you by another non-expert.

In the peer review process, an article being considered for publication is inspected by two or more other subject area experts. They question whether the author did enough background research, used a solid methodology, collected data properly, and interpreted statistics accurately. They look for logic flaws, signs of bias or agenda, outdated or discredited information, and more. The article may be rejected; if it is accepted, the author must fix all the problems before it can be published.

New Nursing E-Book Collection!

2011-11-01T15:52:00.005-04:00

The Seminole State Library today added a collection of 55 electronic nursing books to our library databases. When you log into the databases, look at the alphabetical listing and open the link titled Books@Ovid. The books range from study guides to basic overviews of select topics- ideal for nursing students reviewing material for practicals and exams! Remember, all e-books can be accessed from home, so take a look for yourself.

Texas Child Care now free online

2011-10-28T09:32:00.000-04:00

Because of their budget cuts, the journal Texas Child Care Quarterly has become a stand-alone electronic journal. You may now read, downnload, print, and distribute all content for free at http://www.childcarequarterly.com/

Words for Research Papers

2011-10-26T11:28:00.000-04:00

So you have a research paper due in 2 weeks, and you have no idea how you are going to find enough information to write 10 pages on your topic, what are you going to do?

One of the biggest hurdles students encounter when writing a research paper is locating adequate sources for their topics. Part of the difficulty is their "search" technique, actually many students will begin by searching, and then after their first search switch or morph to a browsing technique. The other difficulty is that students may not be familiar with the language that their topic experts use, creating a virtual language barrier right from the start. Here are a few tips to hopefully overcome these two difficulties and make your research efforts more productive.

Tip 1: Once you have chosen a topic brush up on the technical language dealing with the topic. Use a dictionary or thesaurus to locate unique terms that illustrate the essentials of your topic.

Tip 2: Ask your professor or librarian for ideas in refining your search terms.

Tip 3: When conducting your search, stick to it. Instead of switching to browsing mode (that is scrolling through page after page of some 2K results) refine your search terms. Use a thesaurus or dictionary to develop a search query that works. In the end searching with a good query is more effective than browsing.

Tip 4: When conducting a search in a database or federated search engine (i.e. Google Scholar) use the provided limiters (date, publication type, subject terms, thesaurus terms) to broaden, narrow or refine your search.

Lastly, remember, a little preparation goes a long way. Before you even begin searching online or in the library for materials you should create an outline with some good focused questions that you want to answer in your paper. Having these questions will aid you in choosing effective search terms and queries.

Need library help? Then Text Us!

2011-10-25T20:26:00.005-04:00

That's absolutely true- now you can get library help by text messaging us! Our texting number is 386-320-3229. We do our best to staff the service whenever we're open, so please feel free to use it inside the library or from home. If we can't respond immediately, we will get back with you as soon as we can- promise!

Try it out for a test run. And let us know what you think of it!

Edgar Allen Poe

2011-10-18T15:04:00.004-04:00

This being the scary month of October, what better time than now to celebrate the famous American literary figure Edgar Allan Poe 1809-1849. Click here at Golden Age Comic Blog to read various interpretations of "The Raven", illustrated by Will Elder, and Richard Corben, famous comic artists, as well as other illustrations from his works. Keep clicking "older posts' at the bottom right to see prior posts.

Two sides to every story

2011-10-11T16:23:00.000-04:00

There are [at least] two sides to every story, issues, topic. As you prepare for debates or when you are researching a topic, make sure to check out the database called Opposing Viewpoints for a wide variety of sources and ideas on over 5000 topics.

Easily searchable, simply type in your topic in the search box, or click on the word "Issues" in the navigation to bring up an alphabetical listing of topics. If you are unsure what to study, look to the Opposing Viewpoints in Context homepage for inspiration. It changes frequently and usually contains topics in the news broken down into categories such as: Business, Family Issues, Health, and Medicine.

As you explore this resource you will see why it is a terrific place to start your research on social issues. It contains many useful resources including:

Viewpoints: more than 9,000 pro and con positions on a wide array of topics.
Articles: the database contains over 2 million full-text articles from magazine, newspaper, and academic journals. You’re sure to find the most current information, since new articles are added daily.
Statistics: there are nearly 6,000 statistical tables, charts and graphs on a wide variety of topics.
Multimedia Resources: including audio, podcasts, and streaming video are incorporated to broaden the scope of subject matter and dynamically engage users
Websites: experts have chosen over 2,300 subject-indexed outside Websites to assist in follow up study. Primary Source Documents, Maps, Reference Books, Curriculum Standards and more!

Wikipedia Loves Libraries

2011-10-10T14:00:00.004-04:00

Seemingly everyone knows that Wikipedia isn't much of a quality academic source...even Wikipedia! In an effort to increase their standing among scholars, Wikipedia has embarked on a new program named Wikipedia Loves Libraries that aims to get library staff and patrons involved in contributing "good" research to new and existing articles.

The program is in accordance with Open Access Week. Events are only being held at a handful of libraries around the United States and Canada, but perhaps others will join in next year. Any effort to improve the accuracy and credibility of Wikipedia is a step in the right direction.

Virtual Museum Tours via Google

2011-09-15T10:19:00.005-04:00

Have you ever wanted to visit some of the most famous art museums in the world? It's fully appreciated that not everyone can take a vacation to Berlin or London, but Google has made these museums a bit more accessible through their Google Art Project! Using Google Maps technology, you can take a tour of fourteen different museums and view the individual works of art up close.

Take a look around if you don't plan on being in Madrid any time soon. It's very cool and a new tool to apply towards your art research.

Meet the world's most recent country: South Sudan

2011-09-06T16:25:00.005-04:00

If you're doing any research on African countries, or on the development of nations, take note that as of July 9, 2011, South Sudan became the newest country to gain independence.

Check out the CIA World Factbook page for South Sudan for the official demographics and statistics on the country. This is an important note on the value of currency in research; books addressing its independence have not published yet, so be careful as you evaluate your sources from past years.

Term Papers

2011-09-02T08:27:00.000-04:00

Having problems locating information for your term paper? Finding too much information? Don't even have a topic yet? Don't worry-the Librarians at Seminole State College are avialable to help! Just come in the library to get assistance. We will be happy to help you with any information needs you have.

You can also chat with us live via the chat box on the library home page.

Find a book by asking a question

2011-08-26T13:12:00.001-04:00

MindTheBook.com connects questions with books, Like "Does God exist", "How do I become a good father?" which answers them. It also defines books with questions they answer well. Take a look...

Thanks to The Centered Librarian

AbeBooks "Long Live the Book"

2011-08-17T08:53:00.000-04:00

AbeBooks.com reply to the "I hate reading" Facebook page

FYI: Facebook page "I hate reading"

Thanks to The Centered Librarian

Important new study-check out books, get good grades

2011-08-15T15:01:00.002-04:00

In the new edition (July 2011) of College and Research Libraries, authors Wong and Webb uncover a mathematical correlation between student library material usage and cumulative GPA.
"Uncovering meaningful Correlation between Student Academic Performance and Library Material Usage"

In other words, book and multimedia loans are directly related to student academic performance. Note however the research did not electronic resources, such as databases.

Library Closed August 18th

2011-08-12T10:36:00.000-04:00

The library will be closed on Thursday August 18th for a day of Staff Development

The Power of Twitter

2011-08-12T09:00:00.000-04:00

Since there is not an official Twitter directory of all of our representatives in Congress, the folks at Fearless Revolution have made one for us. Click here for a link to your representatives and tips on the best ways to Tweet to them.

Prevent Your Own Plagiarism

2011-07-27T08:23:00.001-04:00

Many instructors use TurnItIn.com to gauge the authenticity of students' work. It is a valuable service, but it is difficult to use if you'd like to check your own work ahead of time. We've had several requests for a service that will help ensure that your papers are plagiarism-free and cited correctly. Well, you're in luck- here are some suggestions to use for pre-screening your work before submitting it:

*Paper Rater: This site will check your spelling, grammar, and originality, entirely for free! Just be sure to choose the "Include" option in the Originality Detection box. It will also analyze your word choice and style, and offer vocabulary options. Neat tool!

*PlagiarismChecker.com: Very basic in comparison, this site does allow you to enter shorter phrases that are then searched in Google to find instances of plagiarism in your work.

*WriteCheck: If you want to be really sure that your paper won't turn up any surprise plagiarism flags in TurnItIn, then you may be willing to spend the $5 that this site charges to check your paper. The advantage here is that the site is run by TurnItIn, and it checks your writing against the same papers and websites that your instructor is using to verify your original work.

Give some of these a try! They're valuable tools that may give you a quick lesson on plagiarism and the value of citation- or at least they might provide more confidence before you hit the submit button. And these three will not store and resell your papers, an accusation given to some of the free plagiarism checkers on the Internet.

Faxing in the library

2011-07-25T17:26:00.000-04:00

The library does not have fax machines available for the public to use, but there are apps available if you need to quickly fax something!

First, scan in your document. You can do this with the scanners located on the second floor of the library in the Computer Lab. If you need help, please do not hesitate to ask the Lab Assistant.

Once your documents are scanned, navigate to one of these web apps:

Hellofax is a web-based service that allows you to send faxes and fill out and sign documents from your Internet browser. New users are given five pages of faxing for free, and after that it costs $1.99 per fax (up to 10 pages, at $0.20/page after that). If you're a heavy duty faxer, you can also sign up for monthly plans which give you varying amounts of faxes each month.

If you're looking for a cheaper alternative, there is FaxZero which will allow you to send a maximum of two free faxes of three pages each a day for free! There is a catch, though. FaxZero will append a cover page with an advertisement on each fax. A $1.99 per fax payment through PayPal, though, will remove the advertisement and grant you up to fifteen pages per fax.

Mobile-Friendly Blog

2011-07-13T18:15:00.002-04:00

If you're like many of us at the library, our mobile phones and devices have become a common source of Internet access. A 2010 study from the Pew Research Center estimated that close to 40% of adults access the Internet via their cell phone, and that number grows each year.

Fortunately for those of us interested in the library, I can now report to you that this very blog is now completely mobile-friendly! It looks really great, too. So check it out next time you're poking around the Internet on your phone- and better yet, subscribe to our RSS feed while you're at it!

2011-07-06T13:05:00.000-04:00

The library is a great place to read something besides your textbooks and research material. Sanford, Oviedo, and Altamonte campus libraries have areas set aside for browsing and borrowing "Leisure Books". Here you'll find the latest best sellers, romance and thriller books, topical non-fiction, "fun" reads, and some books recommended to us by students and college staff! We carry many of the New York Times bestsellers. These are very popular since you can generally get them quicker than at your public library.

Movie Clips for You to Use!

2011-06-30T14:25:00.000-04:00

Ever wondered where to find copyright compliant movie clips to use for assignments and projects? This resource provides easy, legal access to film clips!

MOVIECLIPS.com provides free access to 12,000-plus film clips from over 2,000 films, legally licensed. The site provides browsing by actor, title, and genre as well as by concepts such as occasion, mood, and theme. Searching retrieves individual clips along with several selections grouped by the film in which they appear.

The Terms of Use allow the MOVIECLIPS player to be embedded in other sites for noncommercial purposes, when done in compliance with procedures listed on the site.

See for yourself - go to http://movieclips.com/

Are Books Obsolete?

2011-06-30T14:21:00.000-04:00

Contrary to dire predictions that books (and reading) are dead, a recent report cited in a erecent issue of the College & Research Libraries News' "Fast Facts" revealed that U.S. book sales in 2010 reached 751.7 million books, just under the record numbers achieved in 2008 (757 million) and 2009 (777 million). The latest available figure for the number of original book titles published in print was 289,729 different titles in the U.S. alone in 2008. That's good news indeed for readers, book buyers and libraries.

Here in the Seminole State College library, our share of book purchases focuses primarily on acquiring books related to academic curricular needs. Librarians regularly evaluate and update the book collection and purchase additional materials as needed to help students in their assignments.

If you have a specific title that you need for your research paper or want to suggest more books in a particular subject area, please don't hesitate to talk to the librarians at the Information Services Desk. You can also contact us at (407) 708-2305. If the book you need isn't on the shelf, we can help you find alternative materials on your topic and also suggest other libraries' resources.

Need a Laptop? Borrow One From Us!

2011-06-29T20:37:00.004-04:00

Every so often, our library computer labs are completely full. Or maybe you just prefer to do your research on your own in the quiet areas of the library. Either way, the Seminole State College Library has several Netbook computers for you to borrow while you're here! They're equipped with wireless Internet access, the Microsoft Office programs, and they even have touchscreen features.

Laptops are available at the Sanford/Lake Mary, Oviedo, and Altamonte Springs campuses- just ask at the desk when you come in. While you're at, feel free to borrow a set of headphones at the same time.

Citation Help

2011-06-20T10:09:00.000-04:00

The Seminole State College Library want to help you with your citations.

Why bother?
Citing sources:

gives credit to the author/creator
helps prevent plagiarism
allows the reader to understand your process
gives the reader a means for further research

and most importantly,

it is an expectation of college-level work!

Where do I get help?
APA Style Handbooks: Ref BF76.7 .P83 2010
MLA Style Handbooks: Ref PN147 .G444 2008
Turabian Style Handbooks: Ref LB2369 .T8 2007

and from the Library website, click here for our link to the Purdue Online Writing Lab:

Happy Citing!
Uncle Sam picture courtesy of connect.in.com

You May Have Noticed Our New Library Catalog...

2011-06-07T14:53:00.015-04:00

If you looked at our library catalog in the last week or so, no, you weren't mistaken- the Seminole State Library now has a new library catalog! It looks different, but functions largely the same way as it did before...with a few tips and tricks added:

1) It is much better to use the Advanced Search option to begin your research.

Here you'll be able to select your preferred material type (book, e-book, audio/visual, etc.), desired campus, and use Boolean search terms (AND, OR, NOT). This will allow you to conduct a good search from the start.
2) The results screen may be the biggest change to the catalog, but it still works just like the previous version.

The "Details" tab will provide you with all of your citation information as well as a summary/table of contents for the item, instead of clicking the title link.

The "Locations" tab will give you a list of all Seminole State campuses where the item is available, as well as options from other colleges to obtain it.

The "Request Item" tab is where you will place a request for the item to be sent to your desired campus. Remember that you must log in at the top right of the screen first.

3) The best way to search for journal, magazine, or newspaper articles is to use the "Search Databases" option on the main library page. Once you log in, you'll be able to choose individual databases to best suite your research needs.

Hopefully using these tips will allow you to use the catalog more or less the same way as the previous version.If you have any problems, please give us a call at 407-708-2305. We'll be able to walk you through any of the new features.

QR Codes in the Library

2011-05-25T20:19:00.003-04:00

Have you ever seen those funny looking barcodes around the store or in the newspaper? Next time you stop into the Seminole State Library, you might notice several QR codes posted around the building. If you have a smartphone, download a QR Code reader from here- I-nimga is, in our opinion, the best QR Code reader available- and play along with us!

We have eight different codes plastered around the library- see if you can find them all, and then come tell us about it at the desk! We also have a display in the second floor computer lab with examples and some history behind the technology...so come check that out too!

And lastly, before you leave for the day, stop by the designated computer terminal to create your own QR Codes. Please post them on the display board so everyone can see your message, and take a look at what others are doing. We want you to experience this technology first hand and show us what you can do with it.

All Campuses closed Monday May 30th for Memorial Day

2011-05-24T15:26:00.000-04:00

First established in 1868 by a civil war veteran in remembrance of his fallen comrades, Memorial Day is now a nationally celebrated holiday.
Memorial Day, now officially declared each year by the president of the united states, began as "Decoration Day" to honor those soldiers who fell during the American Civil War (1861-65). As America aged and her armed forces continued to serve, the holiday became Memorial Day as all war dead were honored. Read the history from the U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs.

Some of the celebrations on Memorial Day include:

Flags at half-mast: "On Memorial Day the flag should be flown at half-staff from sunrise until noon only, then raised briskly to the top of the staff until sunset, in honor of the nation’s battle heroes." (From the U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs.) Read more here.
Poppies: Canadian poet and military surgeon John McCrae honored the dead of the World War I Battles in Flanders with his poem "In Flanders Fields," and the red flowers he wrote of have become an emblem of remembrance. Click here to read the poem and learn more about poppies on Memorial Day.
At Arlington National Cemetery, a wreath is placed at the Tomb of the Unknowns.

What is your college degree worth?

2011-05-24T15:07:00.000-04:00

Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Work Force staff Anthony Carnevale, Jeff Strohl and Melanie Melton have just published What's it Worth? The Economic Value of College Majors.

This 82 page report is available on line - and annual salaries for many different areas are reported. In addition, race and gender information is provided.

Netlix in the Library

2011-05-19T16:12:00.000-04:00

Need to watch a movie for your class? Are you in between classes and and to watch a movie or favorite TV show. The Library now offers Netflix instant streaming of select movies and television shows on two Roku media players. Come to the Informations Services Desk if you are interested.

Citing Websites, APA style

2011-05-11T08:08:00.000-04:00

For many learners, trying to follow the APA style guidelines can be an extremely frustrating process, especially when the item you’re trying to cite doesn’t fit neatly within a given category, for example, citing from a Website. Keep in mind there might be reasons why there aren’t clear citation examples. In this case, Websites don’t tend to be cited in academic writing – instead researchers and students make use of peer-reviewed articles. So make sure you consider if your source is appropriate before citing it.

Here’s a blog entry I found, How to Cite Something You Found on a Website in APA Style that goes over the best practices for citing from Websites. Because this blog is put out by people from the APA (American Psychological Association), it has some weight and authority behind it instead of some professors’ ‘best APA tips’ page that you might find on the Web.

The APA Style Blog is actually part of the larger APA Style Website, which has a lot of useful resources and might clear up a few APA headaches before they become raging migraines.

Welcome back, students!

2011-05-09T07:00:00.006-04:00

Now that Summer Term has started, here is a quick refresher of some the services the library offers that you may not be aware of:

Student ID's are made in the library at Sanford and Altamonte
We lend out Kindles and Nook eReaders
We offer live chat from our home page for instant assistance
The library has 38,000 e-books you have access to 24/7
Streaming movies area available for your class assignments with our Netflix subscription
Netbooks can be checked out in the library, as well as headphones and portable DVD players

Library Hours between semesters

2011-04-28T09:27:00.000-04:00

The Library will be open the following hours next week, May 1-6

Sunday-Closed
Monday through Thursday-8-4
Friday 8-2

We are also closed Saturday and Sunday. Regular hour will resume Monday May 9th, the first day of Summer Term classes.

LOL in the OED-OMG!

2011-04-26T14:11:00.000-04:00

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) calls itself “the definitive record of the English Language.” Unlike standard dictonaries, which have current meanings and spellings of words, the OED is a historical dictionary. The OED defines current words, but also traces the history of words through real examples. Think quotes and examples (3 million in all) from literature to film to cookbooks.

The print version of OED is a huge text (20 volumes) which is in the Library Reference collection on the second floor at REf PE1628.F6. We also have the online version in our databases.Every three months the OED reveals its revisions, which may include new words, new useage, or new examples.
Some surprising new entries:

LOL, int. and n., Originally and chiefly in the language of electronic communications: ‘ha ha!’; used to draw attention to a joke or humorous statement, or to express amusement

OMG, int. (and n.) Expressing astonishment, excitement, embarrassment, etc.: ‘oh my God!’

muffin top, n,: slang. A roll of flesh which hangs visibly over a person’s (esp. a woman’s) tight-fitting waistband.

Psst....We're on Youtube!

2011-04-25T20:25:00.006-04:00

No, we weren't the subject of an embarrassing video, but did you know that the Seminole State College Library has our own Youtube channel? Well...we do, and you can find us right here!

You'll find our library tutorials on how to use the library catalog, how to choose a research database, requesting a book, and even how-to guides to some free Web tools. Check us out periodically, because we'll be adding new videos as quickly as we can make them- everything from evaluating sources to free research-oriented mobile apps. Feel free to leave a comment and let us know what kinds of videos would be most helpful to your own research!

Celebrate National Poetry Month!

2011-04-21T13:46:00.002-04:00

National Poetry Month was started in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets. It is now held every April and is celebrated by publishers, booksellers, literary organizations, libraries, schools and poets around the county! Visit the Library of Congress website (www.loc.gov/poetry/) for more about the celebrations on poetry this month!

Be a poet - send a tweet of YOUR original poetry (140 characters or less, of course) to #TMMPoetry. If YOUR poem is chosen, National Public Radio (NPR) will help you record it and will air it by the end of the month. Now, that's next week - so get busy!

Study Rooms

2011-04-21T10:41:00.000-04:00

Now that the term is coming to an end, the Group Study Rooms are in high demand. Please be courteous to your fellow students and leave the study rooms for two or more students. The very large Quiet Study room is perfect for individual study.

April 18 is Tax Day

2011-04-18T10:43:00.000-04:00

Today is Tax Day. Normally it is April 15 but it had been extended to midnight tonight. The library carries many of the forms you need at the Information Services Desk

National Library Week April 10-16

2011-04-11T09:11:00.000-04:00

National Library Week is April 10-16. Come to the Library and help us celebrate it with cool prizes and candy. Fill out an entry at the Information Services Desk to win Book Store gift cards, Nature's tables certificates, Seminole State t-shirts and sweatshirts, pens, book cubes, book lights, hardback copies of Tom Clancy and John Grisham books, and a "lunch with a librarian".
If you have a smart phone enter our Foursquare contest too. Scan our Foursquare code and win a 4MB jump drive!

Tagging the Library Catalog

2011-04-04T15:47:00.005-04:00

One of the neat features of using our PRIMO library catalog is the ability for users to add their own tags to items.

It allows you to provide some context and commentary on books, e-books, DVDs, or other items that you have used and found particularly useful or good (or, I suppose, not very good, too). It helps other students to find materials for their research, as well as leaving a reminder for you to come back to later.

All you need to do is log in to your LINCC library account to get started!

The Truth about Wikipedia

2011-03-29T18:13:00.000-04:00

Wikipedia is not verified, fact checked, or guaranteed to be true.
Honest!
From Wikipedia:
“It is in the nature of an ever-changing work like Wikipedia that, while some articles are of the highest quality of scholarship, others are admittedly complete rubbish. We are fully aware of this.”

With Wikipedia, anyone can change any page. Are these changes fact or opinion? Are authors the expert on their topics? Some are...and many are not.
Wikipedia is great for casual research, and excels at pop culture information. (The Anime page is comprehensive and packed with verifiable links and references.) But with academic research, you want information to be correct and written by experts, not by enthusiastic volunteers.

You must go beyond Wikipedia for good research. Check out a book, or find an article in Academic Search Complete.
Unsure where to start? Library staff can help! We know the online and print resources and love research. Just ask!

Is your computer keeping you away at night?

2011-03-28T14:50:00.004-04:00

Have you ever been up late working on a paper or project until the wee hours and then fallen into bed certain that you will be out like a light, only to lie awake for hours?
Perhaps the problem is that you have been staring so long at your unnaturally bright computer screen.
F.lux is an application that can help to minimize the effects that the bright light has on your ability to relax and go to sleep at night. F.lux adapts the color of your computer screen to be bright during the daylight hours and then warms these colors in the evening, reducing the strain on your eyes and allowing you to fall asleep when you finally finish that paper in the middle of the night. It automatically adjusts the lighting of your computer based upon where you live and what lighting is occurring naturally at each moment during the day.

Click here for the free application.

Printing From Our eBooks

2011-03-16T20:28:00.011-04:00

We're all back from Spring Break here in the library. Did you have a chance to explore our eBooks while you were away from campus? Even if you didn't here's a quick tip that might entice you to check them out...

Are you aware that you can print pages from any of the library's electronic books? It's true: all of the Seminole State Library eBooks will let you print, and the number of pages allowed has grown exponentially over the past year or so. Here's how you'll do it:

Netlibrary books will allow you print up to 60 pages from one book. Simply click on the print button and choose the number of pages you want to print. They do need to be 60 consecutive pages, either; pick and choose from individual chapters, if you'd rather!

ABC-CLIO books don't explicitly state a number of printable pages and will seemingly allow you to print from anywhere in an eBook. First, choose a chapter, section, or page by using the Contents section or by flipping through individual pages. Then press the "print" button at the top of the screen. The chapter or page you selected should appear in a new window. From there you are able to print that entire section or just a single page.

Hopefully you've given eBooks a try- they can be extremely helpful. This is just one tiny way to maximize their benefit...and not just to save money on photocopies!

“Read an E-Book Week” / March 6 – 12, 2011

2011-03-03T13:45:00.002-05:00

Did you know that electronic books or e-books, for short, have been around for 40 years?
It is true!
In 1971, Michael S. Hart embraced the idea that computers should do computing, but should also be used for the storage, retrieval, and searching of what was stored in our libraries. His very first e-book was a copy of the Declaration of Independence.

From this quiet start, Mr. Hart founded Project Gutenberg which allows you access to 33,000 free e-books for your PC, iPad, iPhone, Kindle, Sony Reader, Android, and other portable devices. For more information about “Read an E-Book Week”.

Seminole State College Library has a large and growing collection of e-books. You can find them, along with the print books, by searching the Library’s Online Catalog.

Currently the Library has approximately 37,000 electronic books that come from two main vendors, NetLibrary and Ebrary, plus Gale Virtual Reference Library, which contains a collection of about fifty reference books.

Ebrary, which requires the download of the free ebrary plug-in, contains close to twenty thousand scholarly books. This collection is growing and will continue to grow.

NetLibrary has some scholarly books and some for more general reading.

Gale Virtual Reference Library doesn’t require any special software and is a good place to start to get background information on topics.

There are two ways to get to our e-books:

1.You can go to the Library’s Databases A-Z page and choose NetLibrary, Ebrary, or Gale Virtual Reference Library, then search each of these groups separately.

2.You can also go to the Library’s catalog, where you can search for books by topic and get a single list that includes all the books from these three collections that match your search plus all the matching paper books in the Library. Use the limiter "ebook".

To open the book, Click on the book title to go in the record.

Then click on the green "View online". Next log in with your 14-digit SSC ID and last 4 number of your Social Security or student number

So the next time you just need to quickly check on some information, whether for pleasure or for research, you might want to try e-books as an online source

Search all State College libraries

2011-03-02T17:41:00.001-05:00

A little known fact is that you can borrow books from all of Florida's state/community colleges. You can do this from the LINCC online catalog by requesting a book from a member college.
The first step is to visit the LINCC online catalog on the Library home page, then from the Advanced Search page change the drop-down menu from Seminole State College to search "All 28 Colleges". Search for the book, and once you find a college that owns it, you can borrow it if it's status says "Available". If the book is available, click on the "Request" link next to it and fill out the form.
Remember to select which campus of Seminole State College the book should be delivered to. It will generally arrive there in just 5 days, and staff will notify you when it does.

Citation Help

2011-02-17T09:35:00.001-05:00

Do you know you can email yourself an article with the citation from resources found on our Library Website? Many of our most heavily used databases have this option. Stop by the Library Information Services desk and ask a librarian how.

More New Databases!

2011-02-16T19:27:00.008-05:00

The Seminole State library is always doing our best to provide you with quality article databases for your research. This term we added some of our most scholarly, research-oriented databases to date: the Springer e-journal collection!

These databases are very heavy on scientific research, though they do branch out into other fields of study in the individual subjects. Here's what we have available to you:

*Behavioral Science eJournal Collection
*Biomedical and Life Sciences eJournal Collection
*Business and Economics eJournal Collection
*Chemistry and Materials Science eJournal Collection
*Computer Science eJournal Collection
*Earth & Environmental Science eJournal Collection
*Engineering eJournal Collection
*Humanities, Social Sciences, and Law eJournal Collection
*Mathematics and Statistics eJournal Collection
*Medicine eJournal Collection
*Physics and Astronomy eJournal Collection

Or you can elect to search them all at once by using the link for the Springer eJournal Collection in our database list. Try these out next time you're digging through journals; there are thousands of exclusive publications available here!

IRS Tax Forms

2011-02-09T15:05:00.001-05:00

If you lke to file your taxes early to get your refund sooner than later, check out these handy links to websites you might need. Note: We also have a number of paper forms, schedules, and guides available in the Library at the Information Services Desk.

IRS Forms and Publications–Download your federal tax forms and guides here
Free File–IRS tax efiling software

Google Art Project

2011-02-08T20:45:00.001-05:00

Google has unveiled Art Project, a website with 1,061 high resolution artworks from a star studded cast of cooperating museums. Explore museums from around the world, discover and view hundreds of artworks at incredible zoom levels You can virtually move around the museum’s galleries, selecting works of art that interest you, navigate though interactive floor plans and learn more about the museum. These include the Metropolitan Museum of Art, MoMA, London’s National Gallery, the Uffizi and the Hermitage.

This is FYI, Cezanne's "Card Players and Girl" from the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Find us on Foursquare!

2011-02-07T15:52:00.005-05:00

All four of our Seminole State College Library locations are now established on Foursquare, a popular social media platform that allows users to "check-in" at their favorite spots around town using your smartphone. Connect with friends, bookmark information about us, leave comments about our libraries, and who knows- you might become the "mayor"! Check it out next time you stop by the libraries!

What is so "scholarly" about scholarly sources

2011-02-03T11:20:00.001-05:00

Your teachers will often ask you to use scholarly sources for your papers and projects. Many of the Library's databases consist entirely of scholarly articles, for instance, JSTOR, PsycArticles, and Medline. Nearly all the other databases have an option on the search screen to limit your search to all scholarly (all peer reviewed) results.

But what is it about a book or an article that makes it scholarly? "Scholarly research" boils down to a system for verifying facts and logic. It's a set of checks and balances to prevent errors, nonsense, and lies from being passed off as good information. A scholarly researcher first learns the ideas and findings of others in the field. The researcher then develops a hypothesis and designs and implements a methodology to prove or disprove that hypothesis.
Scholarly also means "by scholars and intended to be read by other scholars." Popular sources have articles that are intended to be interesting and comprehensible for as many people as possible. They have to leave out some details and simplify others. Scholarly sources have more detailed, advanced, sophisticated information. And it's closer to the source, not translated for you by another non-expert.

In the peer review process, an article being considered for publication is inspected by two or more other subject area experts. They question whether the author did enough background research, used a solid methodology, collected data properly, and interpreted statistics accurately. They look for logic flaws, signs of bias or agenda, outdated or discredited information, and more. The article may be rejected; if it is accepted, the author must fix all the problems before it can be published

RefWorks is here!

2011-02-01T16:31:00.004-05:00

That's right- the Seminole State Library has recently acquired access to RefWorks, a popular citation and bibliographic management program! It will allow you to retrieve citation information from journal articles found in many of our databases, store and organize your sources, and create a list of your references...from anywhere!

You'll find RefWorks listed along with our other databases here. Once you have opened it, you will need to create a separate account so that you may manage your research from any computer you access. It may be advantageous to view the official RefWorks user guide in order to get a full overview of its potential. There's a lot it can do for you!

Check it out and tell us what you think!

eReader Guide

2011-01-26T11:56:00.007-05:00

Have you been looking to dive head-first into reading books on a mobile device? There are so many different devices competing for our attention now that it is difficult to know where to begin. What software will be supported and in which formats will the books be available? Who provides customer support? Where do you even get the books in the first place?

BookBee has created a very helpful guide to eBookreaders, complete with answers (and links!) to all of these questions and more. Take a look at it here.

Attention Film Students

2011-01-25T15:43:00.000-05:00

Jinni.com is dedicated to helping you find films based on your mood. After you create a free profile you can start rating films and selecting your favorite genres. With this information Jinni then generates your "movie personality" and provides recommendations. Or you can just search by mood, title, plots, people and other queries.
Students in Dr. Stokes film classes might try words like wu-xia, neo-realism, film noir, and titles like "Infernal Affairs".

As a social network, you can invite friends, share and compare profiles. The site is well designed, easy to use, lots of photos and helpful features. Their use of film screenshots for a tag cloud instead of text, is pretty awesome . And if you are thinking about your Netflix account right about now, they have you covered. You can add movie recommendations right from the Jinni website straight into your Netflix queue. You can also import movie reviews and filter recommendations by what Netflix has available.

Free Books for Kindle

2011-01-23T10:02:00.003-05:00

1001 Books was designed for Kindle owners and offers hundreds of free downloadable editions of some of the world's greatest literature. There are also some commercial offerings for a price, but there was enough offered at no charge that we thought it worth posting. 1001 Books offers:

•A list of the world's greatest books

•Links to download the free books on that list

•Links to buy the books that aren't free

•Links to request unavailable books be made available

Thanks to the Centered Librarian

Welcome Back Students, Faculty, and Staff!

2011-01-09T15:39:00.000-05:00

The Spring 2011 term is upon us and things are as busy as ever around the library. Please stop by this week for help with locating your classroom or the bookstore, asking about course reserves, getting your ID made, or anything else you might need!

Hours for the Spring term are:

Note that the hours have Sanford/Lake Mary have been extended on Tuesday evenings. We'll be here until 10:00pm each Tuesday during the Spring 2011 semester!

Please make sure to check out Library Chat on the Library's home page. We can answer many questions directly from your computer! Also feel free to give us a call any time we can help- our phone numbers are all available here.

We look forward to helping with your research papers, speeches, and other projects this semester. Have a great one!

Fab Four in the Library

2011-01-07T12:48:00.014-05:00

The second floor library display is showcasing memorabilia of the Beatles. Included are magazine covers from the early 60's when the lads from Liverpool were front page news, books, shots taken by a certain library staff at their Shea's Stadium concert, and even several ancient, mysterious phonographic disks called "45's.

SmartHistory.org

2011-01-07T09:14:00.000-05:00

SmartHistory is an open source, web-based textbook created by two art historians. Study art in a modern way with video, commentary and interactive content. SmartHistory.org won a Webby for Best Education Website in 2009.

Watch videos of two scholars analyzing work while viewing it in person. (The Starry Night video includes discussion about how difficult it is to see such a popular painting in a crowded museum!)
View eras and commentary organized both stylistically and chronologically with both text and images.
Explore artist singly or within larger context.

Love print? Sanford and Heathrow campus libraries have a good collection of art books to check out. Search the catalog for a general art title, a period or an artist. Or come in to the library and browse…call numbers for the the art section start with the letter N.

Tell Us What You Think of the Library!

2010-12-06T13:39:00.005-05:00

We want to know what you think of the library. So stop by the library's home page, look for the icon that says "Take Our Survey", and tell us about your experiences with our collections, services, staff, and facilities! The survey is open to all students, faculty, and staff. Let us know how we're doing and how we can do better!

December Library Hours

2010-12-06T10:44:00.002-05:00

Starting Monday, December 12 the library will be open:
8-4 Monday -Wednesday
Closed Thursday
8-2 Friday
Closed Sunday 12/12
Monday and Tuesday 8-4, then closed through the rest of December

Best Books of 2010

2010-12-02T13:22:00.000-05:00

Amazon, the online books seller, lists the top 100 books for 2010 here

Search-Cube, a unique visual search engine

2010-12-02T13:01:00.000-05:00

Search-Cube is a visual search engine that presents web search results in a unique, three-dimensional cube interface. It shows previews of up to ninety-six websites, videos and images

Research Guides

2010-11-22T16:26:00.010-05:00

The Seminole State College Library has created Research Guides in many subject areas, designed to be used as a pathfinder for your papers, speeches, and projects. All of the resources are selected by librarians and are updated at the beginning of each term.

Each guide recommends print books, e-books, databases, journals, and websites that are credible and will be good choices for your research. You'll find them in the green "Research" column on the Library's homepage, or by using this link.

Let us know about other subjects that could use guides- we're always updating and adding new ones!

Bruce Lee display in Library

2010-11-16T08:14:00.000-05:00

This month, in honor of what would have been his 70th birthday, the library is having a special display in honor of Bruce Lee. Known throughout the world for his influences in both cinema and martial arts, Lee became the first Asian-born star to break Hollywood barriers when he was chosen as the lead role in the film Enter the Dragon, released shortly after his untimely death at the age of 32. Lee would develop his own form of combat, Jeet Kune Do, prior to starting up his prolific career as a film career as an actor, director, and stunt coordinator. He has worked with some of the biggest names in Hollywood, from James Coburn and Steve McQueen to Dean Martin and Chuck Norris.

The Bruce Lee dedication display is located in the first floor of the library. Pamphlets at the display case include a recommending list of books that contain information relating to Lee as well as a list of recommended websites that pertain to Lee.

Visual Searching

2010-11-08T19:14:00.005-05:00

If you've ever had a difficult time deciding which terms you want to use or how to narrow a topic in a database, then you might want to give visual searching a try. The EBSCO databases allow you to sort of "browse" the available articles, while still allowing you to limit the search to only full-text or scholarly articles. When you open the database, look for the option on the opening screen:

You'll still need to perform a search using keywords, but you will be presented with several options to help guide you to some of the better results of your search:

The visual search option can be a huge timesaver, and it might save you a big headache. Let us know what you think of it!

Today is Election Day!

2010-11-02T09:26:00.001-04:00

Electronic Texts of H.P. Lovecraft

2010-10-15T11:50:00.001-04:00

H. P. Lovecraft was an American poet and author of macabre short novels, who was virtually unknown most of his career. Lovecraft's posthumous fame, particularly in America and France, rests on his 'Cthulhu Mythos' stories, referring to a "race who, in practicing black magic, lost their foothold and were expelled, yet live on outside ever ready to take possession of this earth again."
Although Lovecraft's readership was limited during his life, his reputation has grown over the decades, and he is now regarded as one of the most influential horror writers of the 20th century. According to Joyce Carol Oates, Lovecraft — as with Edgar Allen Poe in the 19th century — has exerted "an incalculable influence on succeeding generations of writers of horror fiction". Stephen King called Lovecraft "the twentieth century's greatest practitioner of the classic horror tale"
What better time than the spooky month of October to celebrate this author.
The electronic edition of all of H.P. Lovecraft's fiction is available here.

How Well Do You Know Library Services? Did You Know That We Have:

2010-10-15T09:48:00.000-04:00

Over 110 research databases, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week?
Access to materials from any other library, no matter its location (all you need to do is tell us what you need)
Study rooms, wireless access, laptops and headphones to check out?
Free movies? (but you have to watch them in the Library)
Music CD's to check out?
Professional librarians with Masters degrees that have over 100 years of total library experience?

So visit us often (and its okay to bring your favorite beverage or snack!)

Seminole State via Google Scholar

2010-10-13T18:11:00.015-04:00

Did you know that you could locate resources available from the Seminole State Library's databases by searching in Google Scholar? Well, I won't blame you if you didn't- it only started a few days ago! This is how it works:

1. Create a Google Account (or just log in, if you already have one)
2. Go to Google Scholar
3. In the top right corner, you will then see an icon that resembles a gear, directly next to your Google ID. Click that link.
4. You may then choose the "Scholar Preferences" option from the menu.
5. Halfway down the screen, you'll find a section titled "Library Links". Type Seminole State College of Florida into the box and click the "Find Library" button. It will then offer you option to select the Seminole State College Library. Choose that box.
6. When you perform your search, if you find something available from the Seminole State Library, your search results will look like this:

If you click the Full Text via Seminole State link as highlighted above, you will be directed to our library's journal linker. This will locate the article in one of our databases.
On that screen, click the "Go" button and you will be prompted to log into the Seminole State databases using your Borrower ID and PIN number. Once you've logged in, it will open the article- pretty cool!

Ferguson's Career Guidance Center

2010-10-05T16:21:00.004-04:00

Today I'm proud to report that the Seminole State Library (in conjunction with the Seminole State Career Development Center) has added Ferguson's Career Guidance Center to our 120+ other library databases!

Ferguson's provides users with job/industry profiles, job-hunting and workplace skills advice and tips, resume and cover letter guides, directories to 55,000 career and industry resources, links to schools specializing in different fields, and even a Career Interest Assessment to see occupations you might like to explore! This is truly one of the best career resources available- log in and check it out for yourself!

It's Anime and Manga time here at the library!

2010-09-22T10:40:00.000-04:00

In the display cabinet on the second floor of the library you will a small collection of Anime and Manga as well as a little of the history about how each came to be. The magazines, books, and media items displayed here are a sampling of classic titles such as: Ranma 1/2 and Vampire Hunter D to some more recent titles such as Mars and Howl's Moving Castle. Anime and Manga come in a wide variety of styles and storylines as well as reaching a wide audience of people from children to adults.

Anime, *pronounced an-i-me (an-uh-mey), is a Japanese style of motion-picture animation, characterized by highly stylized, colorful art, futuristic settings, violence, and sexuality.

Manga, *pronunced (mahng-guh), is a Japanese graphic novel, typically intended for adults, characterized by highly stylized art.

Materials for display owned and donated by Val Gary, Library staff
*Definitions from http://dictionary.reference.com/
*images from Maki_Maki

Talking Databases

2010-09-16T20:17:00.009-04:00

Do you prefer to listen to class lectures over reading notes or Powerpoint slides? Retain more information after hearing it rather than doing hands-on practice? Sounds like you might be an auditory learner- and some of our databases are here to help you out!

This is taken from a database named SIRS Researcher, a good place to start an argumentative paper. Clicking the "Audio MP3" link will give you an audio recording of the entire article you've found! It's still be a somewhat mechanical-sounding voice, but it's pretty neat.

Other databases that offer audio versions of articles include Opposing Viewpoints in Context, Omnifile Full Text (or any of the Wilson databases), GREENR, and many others. Just look for the icons!

Print multiple PowerPoint slides

2010-09-10T13:16:00.002-04:00

A common question we get at the Information Desk is how to print a PowerPoint….but you hate the idea of printing all 25 slides? Print multiple slides per sheet! Save space in your notebook as well as the value on your print card.
Print Preview method:

Select PRINT PREVIEW under PRINT from the Microsoft button/file button at the top.

Under PAGE SETUP on the ribbon, choose a layout from the dropdown menu. This gives you a preview too, which can be helpful.

Choose PRINT.

Print dialog box method:

Click PRINT from the Microsoft/Rainbow button.

When the print dialog box appears, choose 6 slides per page (or whatever layout you need.)

Click OK.

NOTE: 3, 4 and 6 slides per page all print the same SIZE of slides.

Confused? Come in to the library. Library staff are happy to walk you through

Enhancements for EBSCOhost databases

2010-09-10T10:20:00.002-04:00

EBSCOhost, the company that hosts the popular Academic Search Complete database now features a special PDF viewer designed to streamline the browsing of an entire issue, or all available volumes and issues from one screen. When you click on the "View PDF" link below an article you will now see several helpful features to enable you to navigate and manage the article in PDF format, including:

* Table of Contents column with instant access to citations with title, author and subject detail

* Hyperlinked access to full text issue contents, by article or chapter titles

* A convenient list of hyperlinked thumbnails to illustrations

* Expand/collapse arrow to control open PDF view

To view a short demonstration of this new feature, click here.

Make your web pages more readable with Readability

2010-09-10T09:54:00.001-04:00

Webpages are often so filled with clutter like popups and flashing ads that they difficult to read. Here is Readability, an add-on for Safari, Chrome and Firefox that will eliminate wepage clutter by removing the distractions. .

Try Readability today at http://lab.arc90.com/experiments/readability

Readability - Installation Video for Firefox, Safari & Chrome from Arc90 on Vimeo.

Starting Point for Online Research

2010-09-10T09:46:00.001-04:00

So you have found a few books on your topic but need many more sources. Ever wonder where to go next? Need scholarly information for your paper, that your professor will accept? Need more than just the Google and Wikipedia ?(we hope so!).

EBSCOhost, under the Library's "Articles" link has a solution, Academic Search Premier (log on here with your passwords). ASP database offers a wide range of sources on an equally broad base of subjects, from accident analysis to zoology.

Simply try entering your topic into the search box or try some of the more advanced features. Some of the advanced searching features include "Subject Terms," "images," or limiting by publication date. If you need peer reviewed articles make sure to check off the "Scholarly (peer reviewed) Journal" selection under the search box. And if you need the article right away select the "Full Text" option. Don't be afraid to experiment and play with all the buttons.
Academic Search Premier is a great starting point for your research. If you have any questions stop by or call the Library at 407-708-2305 for further information or help with your research.

We're Always Adding Databases!

2010-09-08T20:10:00.003-04:00

In fact, we have several new databases for the Fall Term. Let me tell you a little about them!

Associates Program Source Plus: This database is focused on different programs found at the Associate's Degree level, featuring full-text journal articles and books in fields such as criminal justice, interior design, and health care.

ConsumerReports.org: This one is exactly what it looks like: a database that covers the current and archived issues of Consumer Reports. Some other databases have older issues available electronically, but this is the only one that contains the current year!

DemographicsNow: A database mostly covering demographics of different populations and other market research sources, this is a great place to look for social science and even business students!

Library, Information Science & Technology with Full Text: If for some reason you need to research libraries (perhaps for an education course), we now have this database in full-text rather than its previous abstract-only form.

MasterFILE Premier: This database is very general, covering many periodicals, reference books, primary sources, and even images, all in an easy-to-understand manner. It might be a good place to start some of your research.

Take a look and tell us what you think of these databases in the comments section! And please ask us any questions you might have.

How secure is your password?

2010-09-03T07:47:00.002-04:00

Here is a site called "How Secure is My Password?"http://howsecureismypassword.net/ that tells you how long it would take a desktop PC to crack your current password. For instance my usual one which has a noun and numbers would take three days. Not bad but not good, considering the Top Secret Work that goes on behind the scenes of the Library (don't ask). Try it out and see how your password fares.

Library Research Guides

2010-08-24T13:00:00.000-04:00

One of the great things about the digital age is that we have instant access to a huge range of information. But, one of the frustrating things about the digital age is that we have instant access to a huge range of information – how can you find what you really need when you get over a million hits on a Google or Yahoo search? Finding an authoritative source can be like finding a needle in a haystack – and there are so many haystacks!

This is why the library website has 20 Research Guides organized by subject to help with just this problem. Simply follow the link for your subject, and you’ll find research guides with links to books, circulating materials, journals and newspapers, electronic resources, and juried websites. A juried website has been reviewed by professional librarians, and contents have been determined to meet all necessary quality standards.

Your Student ID is your Library Card

2010-08-20T11:13:00.000-04:00

Your official Seminole State ID is also your library card. You will need it to check out materials and to copy or print materials from College-owned machines. You will also need to to make Bookstore purchases and to obtain a parking permit. At the Sanford and Altamonte campus the Student ID's are made in the Library. At Oviedo go to the Business Office and at Altamonte it is done at Student Services.

You need to bring a current class schedule (which can be printed out free in the library) and a government-issued photo ID, such as a drivers license.
Click here further information on card services.

Why use Journals?

2010-08-19T11:55:00.026-04:00

The information found in journals is useful because it

reflects research, academic discourse and opinion
may not be available in books or other publications

Scholarly research is generally published in journals first. This includes:

medical discoveries
technological and experimental breakthroughs
case studies of groups or companies
reports on current events

How else are they different from magazine articles?

Author is usually an expert in the field / discipline
Content has been critically evaluated by other experts
Information sources used by the author are cited (in-text citations, works cited/references)

How do I find "scholarly or "Peer-reviewed" articles?

Some of the library's research databases include scholarly material, such as JSTOR and PsychArticles. For these, the results will all be scholarly.
Many of the other databases such as Academic Search Complete and OmniFile have an option to search only scholarly/peer-reviewed articles. Scan the databases' search or results page for this limit option.
Click here to log on to the Library databases

Tag Galaxy

2010-08-11T09:43:00.001-04:00

To use Tag Galaxy (really more like a solar system) just enter any word as a "tag" and generate your own Tag Galaxy .

Library Hours Over the Break

2010-08-02T18:34:00.004-04:00

Just a quick reminder that the library hours will be changing beginning August 3rd. We will open Monday through Thursday, from 8:00am to 4:00pm. This will give you a chance to return any late books, use our computers, get your IDs made and/or activated, or check out some leisure reading. Regular hours will resume on Monday, August 23rd, when classes begin.

We will also be closed on all day on Thursday, August 12th for a library staff training day. We're getting ready for the Fall term too!

Hope to see you over the break!

Another New Database!

2010-07-27T19:17:00.008-04:00

The library has another brand new database available to you now- the Encyclopedia of U.S. Political History!

This is an excellent electronic translation of the print version of the Encyclopedia. Brief articles (browseable by topic or era) comprise the majority of the content here, but you may also view a small library of images and overviews of political history from different eras. A neat feature is that users can save searches and add documents to a favorites folder within your account. Also of note is that several articles were authored by Seminole State Political Science instructor Michael Hoover!

You'll find it under the "Social Sciences" subject heading when you log in to the databases- give it a try. Even if you aren't taking a political science course, the information could apply to your history or sociology course.

All My Favorites

2010-07-21T08:59:00.000-04:00

No need to keep hundreds of bookmarks of your favorite sites. AllMyFavs is a visual log directory that specializes in the top 10 favorites of each category, like Blogs, Business, Education, Entertainment, etc. It makes the internent an easier place to search.

I did some rough math and counted 80 links via the sites logos, with a weeks fav link for the last three years too.

Medical Help from Salem Health

2010-07-21T08:56:00.000-04:00

Need real medical information for personal or academic use? Try Salem Health online.

The Salem Health has been described as an excellent “mix of accessibility and depth,” and is designed to be used for both student and general readers. Salem Health covers diseases, treatments, and anatomy, all in a straightforward style. Nursing students give Salem Health high praise for its excellent overviews of medical conditions and descriptions of the systems of the body.

To get there go to the Library home page under Find and click on Articles/Databases. Once you log in go to the Health and Medicine category.

New Databases Available!

2010-07-08T10:25:00.008-04:00

We're happy to report that we've got 2 brand new databases available through our library's electronic resources as of this week.

First up is a database called GREENR. It provides "authoritative content on the development of emerging green technologies and discusses issues on the environment, sustainability and more". Contained within are journal, magazine, and newspaper articles, case studies, video clips, podcasts, and topic overviews exclusively pertaining to environmental issues. This is a great resource for science, sociology, construction, interior design, and even political science research. It will be found in the "Sciences" subject section when you log in, or you will find it in the G's alphabetically.

The other new database we have is called Powerspeak Languages, a language-learning resource designed to assist students in learning Spanish, English (here called Spanish ESL), German, Mandarin, and French. It uses a storybook-type approach, providing context to the words and phrases as you learn pronunciation and grammar. It will be found in the "Digital Content" subject section when you log in, or you will find it in the P's alphabetically. Oh and lastly, after you've logged in, you will again be asked to log in- you must create a simple account before starting a program, but all you need is an e-mail address.

Take a look and try them out now!

Summer reading

2010-07-01T19:53:00.001-04:00

Looking for some summer reading? Don't forget that Seminole State College Library has has a wide variety of fun reading material for you. The library has the latest NY Times best sellers and popular authors like James Patterson, Nora Roberts and Dean Koontz, located on the first floor by the Internet Computers at the Sanford/Lake Mary campus, and on display at Oviedo and Altamonte campuses.We also have a large collection of leisure magazines like Oprah, GQ, Hola, People en Espanol, People Weekly, Jet, Reader's Digest, Sports Illustrated and Southern Living. These are located on the second floor at the SLM campus and on display at OVE and ALT campuses, with plenty of soft seating nearby to relax and read.

Research Help....from the Web!

2010-06-22T16:31:00.008-04:00

If you're like most students, you probably spend a lot of your time researching on a computer. Luckily there are many free apps and tools to help manage your research, create citations, and find help- all by spending less than a minute downloading the tool! Here's some of my favorites:

*Zotero: Zotero is a Firefox extension that allows users to save data from a website (or library catalog), organize links and references into lists, and pull together a citation for the saved items.

*Notefish: Notefish can be used to compile and organize all of your Web research into one easy location for quick reference. Check this page out for an example.

*CiteULike: CiteULike lets researchers search citations and abstracts for over 4 million articles right from the Web. Each citation was submitted by fellow researchers who found the article helpful. You can then create lists of articles that you'd like to read and cross-reference them with the Seminole State Citation Linker or request an interlibrary loan copy.

*LINCC Catalog Search for Facebook: Here's a quick way to get some of your research done while you check your Facebook account! Just add the app to your page and you'll be able to search very similarly to the Seminole State library catalog, for books, e-books, and articles.

Do you know of any others? Please tell me and all your fellow researchers about them in the comments section! I'd love to hear what you're using.

Library in your Pocket

2010-06-15T08:58:00.000-04:00

BooksinMyPhone is a way to read free books that are in in the public domain right on your phone. No need to get a Kindle or other e-book reader (although we will be having Kindles soon in the library).

Features of the BooksInMyPhone book reader program include:
•Adjustable font size settings - make the letters bigger or smaller according to your personal preference.
•Night-vision mode - makes it easy to read in a dark room.
•Chapter navigation navigate the book by chapter.
•Pause & Auto-resume function - automatically pauses and resumes to accommodate incoming calls.
•Auto-bookmark - you never have to remember where you're up to in the book.

You can read everything from Pulitzer Prize winners to classic science fiction. All the books are out of copyright in the U.S. and in most cases the UK, Canada and Australia.

Avoiding the Too-Narrow Topic

2010-06-10T14:56:00.000-04:00

Picking the right topic is very difficult, especially when you are new to a subject area. Very often the issue that prompts a learner to talk to a librarian is the problem of the too-broad or too-narrow topic.

Having too broad a topic can be frustrating. You search and find way too many resources. But once you’ve found that out, you can quickly see what areas are well-covered in the literature, and focus in on a particular area.

Too narrow a topic can be much harder to deal with, especially if you’ve already committed yourself to the topic. If you think your topic is too narrow, here are some things you can do:

Search comprehensively: make sure you’ve tried many alternative keywords and all of the relevant databases.
Bibliography Mining and Cited Reference Searching. All scholarly works, whether in print or electronic form, will have bibliographic references (also known as a Works Cited or Reference List) that can help you expand your research by looking backwards in time. You can use the bibliography to find related articles that you wouldn’t discover otherwise, locate seminal works, theories or authors and trace an idea to its source. These along with Interlibrary Loan – can help you flesh out your list of resources across time.
Ask a Librarian for help with any of the above!

Best of all is to get in the habit of searching a bit before committing yourself. Five minutes of searching in the library databases can help you identify good topics from impossible ones.

Stay Current on the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill

2010-06-02T12:08:00.006-04:00

In the past few weeks, students have been looking for information on the oil spill occurring in the Gulf of Mexico. Since it is such a new, current topic, obviously there are limited sources available. These websites (and databases) may point you in the right direction if you're looking to research the issue or just want to stay on top of it:

*Deepwater Horizon Unified Command:
http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/site/2931/
*U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services Response:
http://www.fws.gov/home/dhoilspill/
*United States Environmental Protection Agency:
http://www.epa.gov/bpspill/
*BP Response:
http://www.bp.com/bodycopyarticle.do?categoryId=1&contentId=7052055
*U.S. Geological Survey:
http://www.usgs.gov/deepwater_horizon/

Since books and journal articles take time to be written and published, newspapers and other news magazines are the largest sources of information at this time. You may also want to search in the following databases from the Seminole State library:

*Americas Newspapers (NewsBank)
*Academic Search Complete (EBSCO)
*Access World News (NewsBank)
*New York Times (NewsBank)
*Newspapers Direct (Proquest)
*SIRS Researcher (SIRS)
*Omnifile Full Text (Wilson)

College Students Prefer Print Over Digital textbooks

2010-05-27T14:46:00.000-04:00

According to a study done by OnCampus Research, 74% of college students still prefer to use a printed textbook when taking a class. From the press release , “even with new digital handheld gadgets, smart phones, pads, and laptops glued to every college students hand, 74% still prefer to use a printed textbook when taking a class, according to the findings of a new Student Watch study conducted by OnCampus Research, a division of the National Association of College Stores (NACS) that helps companies better understand the college market.” The survey also found that 53% of students were unsure about purchasing digital textbooks or would not consider buying them even if they were available. Despite the findings, some anticipate digital textbook market share to rise to 18% by 2014.

Thanks to No Shelf Required

Spanish Language Databases

2010-05-19T19:56:00.006-04:00

If you've ever wanted a way to do your research using Spanish language resources, then you may want to check out a few of the databases we have here at Seminole State that collect newspaper, magazine, and journal articles from a variety of Spanish language resources. Start by clicking this link and enter your Borrower ID and PIN numbers. Your Borrower ID is the number beneath the barcode on your Seminole State student ID, and the PIN will be the last digits of your Social Security Number.

You should see a list of subject headings...the very last one being titled "Spanish Language". These are the 3 databases:

*Acceda Noticias - Contains over 60 Spanish language newspapers, all available in full-text

*Clase and Periodica - These are actually two different indexes, collecting article citations dating back to the 1970s. Clase indexes articles published in Latin American and Caribbean journals, particularly concerning social sciences and humanities. Periodica indexes scientific and technological journals published in Latin American and the Caribbean.

*Informe! Revistas en Espanol - Lists citations and summaries of most articles, but includes the full-text of over 50 of the most popular Spanish language magazines and newspapers.

Maybe you'll find a new way to put together your research papers!