Author: Neil D. Grimes

Spotlight on Oxford Reference Online Premium Database for Research

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April 9, 2019

10:25 pm

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Have you ever wondered where the best place to start your research is? If you have sought the answer to this question, I would like to suggest checking out the Oxford Reference Online Premium database. This database provides authoritative answers to research questions across 25 different subject areas. The database contains over 2 million digitized entries across Oxford University Press’s Dictionaries, Companions and Encyclopedias. The database can be accessed on the Weinberg Memorial Library website by clicking on the Articles & Databases tab, then under Reference Resources within the browse databases by subject or alphabetically under the letter O in the A-Z list of database titles. This database is equivalent to having a reference library at your fingertips.

As a librarian and a researcher, I decided to run some test searches on two different topics – World War II and Pearl Harbor using the Oxford Reference Online Premium database. On the topic of World War II, there are over 12,000 entries ranging from a simple definition on World War II of 624 words from A Dictionary of World History to a detailed article of 6,047 words from The Oxford Companion to United States History. On the topic of Pearl Harbor, there are over 700 entries from titles such as A Dictionary of World History and The Oxford Companion to Military History.

The Oxford Reference Online Premium database did not disappoint in terms of the ease that it provided researchers in running searches to the breadth and depth of information provided in some of the entries. The database also suggests related content and topical overviews that allow researchers to continue their exploration. The database provides four options to record your research, including printing, saving, citing, and emailing the article. Overall, the Oxford Reference Online Premium database is an excellent resource for exploring new topics and getting started on your research. Good luck with your research!

Interactive Visible Body Human Anatomy Atlas Database Allows Students to Explore the Human Body Up Close

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November 4, 2018

5:13 pm

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One of the newest databases that the Weinberg Memorial Library has added—the Visible Human Body Atlas—is an interactive database published by Wolters Kluwer. The database contains interactive anatomy and physiology learning and visualization content that includes 3D models, illustrations, and even animations. This database can be accessed from the A-Z list of databases, and from the Biology, Exercise Science & Sport, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Stream Media databases by subject guides.

In this database, students can explore the human body up close by looking at different body systems and regions of the body. Users of this resource can rotate the body, zoom into an area, and read explanations about different parts of the body and body functions. In addition to providing 3D models, illustrations, animations, and images of the human body, this interactive resource even includes encyclopedic anatomy reference content that provides information on every bone, muscle, and organ in the human body. If you are looking to learn more about the human body and its complexities, then look no further. This database is the place to start as it has the entire body mapped out in a way that will allow students to travel inside the human body to learn through interaction and simulation that this learning tool provides.

First-Year Writing Drop-in Research Workshop on 5/7

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April 30, 2018

9:10 pm

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Events, News, Resources & Technology

Date/Time: Monday, May 7, 2018 at 6:00-8:00 pm
Location: Weinberg Memorial Library, Room WML 306

Are you a Writing 106 or 107 student who is working on your final paper? 

Research & Instruction Librarians Kelly Banyas and Neil Grimes will be hosting a drop-in workshop for Writing 106 and 107 students on Monday, May 7th, from 6:00-8:00 pm.

This workshop will give you more time with librarians during which you can focus on their project needs and have developed conversations with librarians regarding their topics and the research process.

As a result of attending this drop-in workshop, you will be able to properly cite sources, be more comfortable in interactions with librarians, and become aware of the many research services available to students at the Weinberg Memorial Library.

You can bring your own computer or use one of ours. Drop by any time between 6:00 and 8:00 pm to learn more about the library services available to students at the Weinberg Memorial Library!

Featured Research Databases at the Weinberg Memorial Library – CQ Researcher Plus Archive, ProQuest Central, and Academic Search Elite (EBSCO)

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November 15, 2017

9:04 pm

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After meeting with several undergraduate students at the University of Scranton over the past few weeks, I had the opportunity to explain some best practices for research when using the following three databases: CQ Researcher Plus Archive, ProQuest Central, and Academic Search Elite (EBSCO).


Before diving into the research process, the first step in the research process is identifying one’s research topic and coming up with appropriate search terms. The next step to conducting research is identifying databases in which to search for articles which are appropriate to the research being conducted. If one is looking for original, comprehensive reporting and analysis on issues in the news then the CQ Researcher plus Archive database is an excellent place to start. When using this database, one should use key words to look for a well-researched report on their topic. Upon finding a report, it is recommended that one obtain the citation for the report and that they e-mail the citation and the report to themselves. At the end of the report is a comprehensive bibliography of resources used in compiling the report. These resources could provide further insights into one’s topic.


The next recommended database for research on current issues is ProQuest Central. This database provides access to more than 11,000 publications. More than 8,000 of the publications are available in full text. ProQuest Central covers current and international content in over 160 subject areas such as: business and economics; medical and health; news and world affairs; science; education; technology; humanities; social sciences; psychology; literature; law; and, women’s studies. This database can provide thousands of results. The best way to limit your results when using this database and any database is to conduct an advanced search while setting certain limits such as full-text, peer-reviewed, setting the years of publication of articles for your search, and selecting the specific type of resource you are looking for – newspapers, magazines, scholarly journals, etc. When you find an article that interests you, it is recommended to read the abstract to determine if the article pertains to your topic. If it does, e-mail the article to yourself with the appropriate citation, and then go back to your results and keep searching.


The final recommended database for research on current issues is Academic Search Elite (EBSCO). This database contains Indexing and abstracts for 3,484 journals with full-text for over 2,000 journals, including more than 1,500 peer-reviewed titles. For this database, it is best to set limits when conducting your search, read the abstracts of articles that relate to your topic, and e-mail the articles with the appropriate citations that work for your current issue topics.

The final advice I gave to students that I met with was to feel free to come back to the Library Research Services desk and ask the Library Research Services librarians for assistance with any future research topics and projects that they may have. We are here to help and provide assistance on any research topic or project.

Google and its Impact on Our Lives – Resources Available in the Circulating Collection

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March 7, 2017

5:54 pm

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Google’s overall mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful (https://www.google.com/intl/en/about/). Google has seen success regarding ease of use and access to different apps, for example, it is the world’s most heavily utilized search engine (https://searchenginewatch.com/2016/08/08/what-are-the-top-10-most-popular-search-engines/), Gmail is a widely popular personal e-mail service, Google Scholar and Books provide access to research, and Google Sites offers free webspace for personal websites. However, as Google technology continues to transform our lives, it is important to take a step back and learn more about Google, its history, impact on society, and its apps.

Here are a few resources on Google available through the Weinberg Memorial Library:

* Google search secrets by Michael P. Sauers and Christa Burns. E-book available through the WML: http://weinberg.scranton.edu/search?/dgoogle/dgoogle/1%2C27%2C127%2CB/frameset&FF=dgoogle&16%2C%2C32/indexsort=-

* Googling security: how much does Google know about you? by Greg Conti.

Call # QA76.9.A25 C6678 2009 Circulating Collection (3rd Floor)

* Google world directed, DVD produced and written by Ted Remerowski.

Call # TK5105.885.G66 G66 2010 Media Resources Collection (3rd Floor)

* What Would Google Do? by Jeff Jarvis.

Call # HD30.2 .J375 2009 Circulating Collection (4th Floor)

Angels in the Outfield

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May 16, 2016

8:46 pm

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For baseball fans here at the University of Scranton, this story will be of particular interest. Did you know that the movie Angels in the Outfield was based on a story by Richard Conlin, pseudonym of Father Richard F. Grady, S.J. (1905-1989), who was Chair of the English Department and Dean of the Evening School here at the University of Scranton?
The story began as a 98-page radio comedy written by Father Grady and was sold to M-G-M Studios. Singer and Catholic celebrity Bing Crosby, a Pirates owner, and Branch Rickey, general manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, made the deal for the story and secured extensive filming rights in the City of Pittsburgh.

The 1951 movie was directed by Clarence Brown starring Paul Douglas and Janet Leigh, just 21 at the time. Action shots were filmed at Forbes Field in April 1951 and include the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning and cameo roles by Ty Cobb, Joe DiMaggio, Ralph Kiner, and Bing Crosby. Ellen Corby, later of The Waltons, is the orphanage Mother Superior.
The Walt Disney Company remade the movie in 1994, moving the team to Anaheim, home of the California Angels (the current Los Angeles Angels). Weinberg Library has DVD copies of both versions of the film, M-G-M’s 1951 version, and Walt Disney’s 1994 version. They are available for check out from the Media Resources Collection located on the 3rd floor.

Angels in the outfield (1951) / PN1995.9.S67 A54 2007

Angels in the outfield (1994) / PN1995.9.B28 A55 2002

 

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National Football League and Super Bowl 50

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January 31, 2016

1:00 pm

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With Super Bowl 50 fast approaching, I thought it would be interesting to find out more about the history of the Super Bowl and the history of the National Football League.

Here are some interesting facts I learned about the Super Bowl and Super Bowl 50:

• With a television viewership of over 100 million people and hundreds of millions of dollars spent each year on tickets, concessions, and merchandise alone, the Super Bowl is the most watched and greatest sports game on Earth.

• Super Bowl 50 will be the 50th edition of the Super Bowl and the 46th modern-era National Football League championship game.

• In a departure from the NFL tradition of using Roman numerals, this game is marketed in Arabic numerals as “Super Bowl 50” instead of Super Bowl L (the Roman numeral for 50).

• The game is scheduled to be played on February 7, 2016, at 6:30 pm Eastern time at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. This will be the first Super Bowl held in the San Francisco Bay Area since Super Bowl XIX in January 1985.

• It has been dubbed as the Golden Super Bowl because it will be located in the Golden State (California); held in the home stadium of the San Francisco 49ers, a team named after the miners of the California Gold Rush and because a 50th anniversary is traditionally the “golden anniversary.”

• CBS will telecast the game in the United States.

In an effort to learn more about the National Football League, check out some of the resources that are available at the Weinberg Memorial Library here at the University of Scranton:

Books
• America’s game : the epic story of how pro football captured a nation
MacCambridge, Michael, 1963-
New York: Random House, c2004.
Call # GV954.M32 2004

• Close calls : the confessions of a NFL referee
Schachter, Norm.
New York: Morrow, 1981.
Call # GV939.S29 A33

• League of denial : the NFL, concussions, and the battle for truth
Fainaru-Wada, Mark.
New York: Crown Archetype, 2013.
Call # RC1220.F6 F35 2013

E-books (Accessible from our catalog)

• NFL football : a history of America’s new national pastime
Crepeau, Richard C., 1941- author.
Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2014.

• Outside the lines African Americans and the integration of the National Football League
Ross, Charles Kenyatta, 1964-
New York: New York University Press, 1999.

• Tailgating, sacks, and salary caps how the NFL became the most successful sports league in history
Yost, Mark.
Chicago, IL: Kaplan Pub., 2006.

World Series Resources at the Weinberg Memorial Library

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October 30, 2015

2:08 pm

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As a librarian and sports fan, I decided to research the history of the World Series, given that the World Series starts this week, with the first game of the Series being played between the Kansas City Royals and New York Mets on October 27, 2015.  I have shared below what I have found on the World Series using some of the resources that are available to faculty, students, and staff here at the University of Scranton.

The World Series can be defined as an…

“Annual series of championship baseball games between the pennant winners of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL), played after the end of the regular season in October. The first team to win four games becomes the U.S. champion. The 1919 series is the most notorious because after the heavily favored Chicago White Sox were upset by the Cincinnati Reds, it was proven that members of the White Sox team had conspired with gamblers to throw the series. In what became known as the Black Sox Scandal, eight players were eventually acquitted but banned from baseball for life by the game’s first commissioner, Kenesaw Mountain Landis. Played every year since 1903 (except 1904 and 1994), the World Series is a major sporting event.”

Taken from the University of Scranton – Weinberg Memorial Library Credo Reference Database

World Series. (2004). In P. Cornelison & T. Yanak, The great American history fact-finder. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. Retrieved from Credo Reference.

Upon further research, I found that The University of Scranton’s Weinberg Memorial Library has 6 books in our circulating collection that deal with the World Series. Here are some book recommendations: Autumn glory : baseball’s first World Series / By: Louis P. Masur (Call # GV878.4 .M37 2003), Eight men out : the Black Sox and the 1919 World Series / By: Eliot Asinof (Call #  GV875.C6 A8 1987), Saying it’s so; a cultural history of the Black Sox Scandal (Call # GV875.C58 N38 2003), The World Series : a history of baseball’s fall classic / By: Ron Firmrite (Call #  GV878.4 .F55 1993), The Story of the World Series / By: Fred Lieb (Call #  GV863 .L53 1965), and World Series Classics / By: Dan Gutman (Call # GV878.4 .G89 1994).

For some more general research on the topic of baseball, I searched within the library’s catalog and came up with some great books from the Reference Collection.  For a nice overview of baseball through the decades from its early history though the end of the 1990s, check out The chronicle of baseball : a century of major league action / By: John Mehno (Call # Reference GV863.A1 M4 2000) or for a nice comprehensive look at everything you could ever want to know about baseball from its early beginnings up to 1992, check out The Baseball encyclopedia : the complete and definitive record of major league baseball /By:  Maxwell Macmillan International Publishing Company (Call # Reference GV877 .B27 1993).

Feel free to read up on baseball’s fall classic and learn more about the history of the game by using some of the resources that were mentioned in this library blog.

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Born Digital

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March 2, 2009

9:05 pm

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What does it mean to be born digital?  Maybe it is a question you never considered before.  To be born digital means to be a part of the “digital haves” and to have the ability to actively engage in technology that will continue to shape the very future of human civilization.  Those of you who are reading this blog are a part of the “Digital Generation,”  the generation whose lives were profoundly shaped by technology and continue to be shaped by technology.  Whether we realize it or not, the very world in which we live is being shaped by “Digital Natives,” people born after 1980 who grew up using technology and who have shaped the direction and impact that technology plays in our everyday lives.   I, myself, am a “digital native” and find it difficult to imagine a world without technology in it and feel that technology affects nearly every aspect of my daily life.

Not everyone in this world is born or becomes a “digital native.”  There still exists a digital divide between the digital-haves and the digital have-nots.  Only around 1 billion out of the 6 billion people in the world have access to digital technologies (Palfrey & Gassner, 2008).  It is this group of people (“Digital Natives”) that is shaping our day-to-day lives and is determining how civilization will advance as a whole.  Advancements in technology have led to the creation of new knowledge.   It is amazing how technology in its various forms has improved all of our lives in some way over the years.

Are our lives shaped daily by technology, the “digitization” factor?  Can you think back to a time in your life where technology played a less prominent role than it does today?  Would you refer to those moments of your life as the “dark ages?”  Certainly, a “digital native” would not be able to recall many moments where their lives weren’t shaped by technology.

The use of technology continues to shape our lives, yet there are many issues that arise from the use of it.  Among the issues are: security, privacy, identity, piracy, and information overload.  As we progress in the 21st century, it is important to consider the role that technology will play in our lives.  Will we be overly reliant on it or be more moderate in our use of it?  Only time will tell how my generation and prior ones will continue to be impacted by technology.

Note:  This post was generated as a result of a recent book that I had read titled Born Digital – Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives by John Palfrey and Urs Gasser which was recently published in 2008. It brings up many important issues that those who were born digital and those who use technology will continue to face throughout the course of their lives.  Also important to note, this book is a part of the Weinberg Memorial Library’s book collection (see link above for its record in the catalog).

Howard Gardner and Multiple Intelligences

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November 9, 2008

4:48 pm

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On Thursday, October 30, 2008, the annual Harry Mullin M.D. Memorial Lecture was given by Howard Gardner, PhD, Harvard University, who is also a native of Scranton.  His lecture, titled “Multiple Intelligences: The First Twenty Five Years… and Beyond” was open to the public in the Houlihan-McLean Center.  I was among those that traveled to see Dr. Gardner speak.  The basic interpretation of Gardner’s theory is that we all possess intelligence in a number of different areas to varying degress.  No person is alike, not even identical twins when it comes to intelligence.  Our intelligences interact and communicate with each other just as a series of computers can interact and communicate with one another when programmed to do so.  I knew the basics of his theory of multiple intelligences, but I wanted to hear more.  Over the course of his lecture, Gardner did say that it was difficult to truly measure intelligence and that traditional tests of intelligence only measured an individual’s abilities to read and calculate.  This made sense as I thought about how each person is gifted in different areas and reasoned that IQ tests were flawed because they only assessed math and reading abilities.  I was not disappointed as Gardner described how he came up with his theory and how he believes that in the future education will be customized or tailored to the individual student in order to strengthen and improve a student’s multiple intelligences and enhance a student’s overall learning and abilities.  This revolutionary man and his theory will continue to spark debate and influence how humans think, learn, and act for years to come.  I look forward to seeing who the speaker for next year’s  Harry Mullin M.D. Memorial Lecture will be here at the University of Scranton.

Howard Gardner - Theory of Multiple Intelligence
Howard Gardner – Theory of Multiple Intelligence