Oberservations from a New Librarian: Library Acronyms
Oh, acronyms…every organization has at least one and libraries are no different; in fact there a ton of library acronyms. Why? Because there are national, international, local and institutional library organizations with specific terms that are easier to say in a series of letters. So just for the fun of it, I decided to write down how many acronyms I could name off the top of my head.
ALA-American Library Association
NLA-Nebraska Library Association
YALSA-Young Adult Library Services Association
IMLS-Institute of Museum and Library Science
RDA-Resource Description and Access
MARC-Machine Readable Cataloging
RUSA-Reference and User Services Association
ILL-Interlibrary Loan
AACR-Anglo-American Cataloging Rules
OCLC-Online Computer Library Center
ISLT-Information Science and Learning Technology
ACRL-Association of College and Research Libraries
IFLA-International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions
The acronyms above are the ones that I deal with on an everyday basis but there are plenty more out there. In fact there are so many that the American Library Association (ALA) created a list of common library acronyms. So enjoy this jumble of letters, if you dare!
May Display Case
The May display case is ready for perusal. This month you will see comic books (Free Comic book Day was May 4), Privacy Week (May 1 – 7), and social media – particularly showcasing the Bellevue University Library’s blog (Facts from the Stacks), Facebook, and Pinterest pages. To view the display case online, please visit the Display Case board on the Library’s Pinterest page.
Database Data: ProQuest
ProQuest was probably the first library resource you were introduced to and it is a great place to go for journal articles, but how much do you really know about it? ProQuest is a giant conglomeration of databases with great depth and breadth in its content. Its roots lie in preserving newspapers and dissertations on microfilm before it switched to using CD-ROM’s and added a full-image periodical database to ProQuest’s offerings in the 1980’s. Soon after, it made the leap to the Internet, and from there, it has grown mightily, acquiring all manner of products and content along the way. True to its roots, ProQuest still provides databases dedicated to newspapers and dissertations, though it parted ways with its original product when it sold its microfilm periodical business in 2005. Over the years, it was acquired by Xerox, Bell & Howell, and in 2007 by Cambridge Information Group, its current owner, and has been known since then simply as ProQuest.
Today, there are dozens of databases under ProQuest’s umbrella, and the library subscribes to many of them. Though too numerous to mention and describe in detail, the ProQuest journal databases are its backbone, providing millions of documents from thousands of sources on all manner of subjects like: business, computing, criminal justice, education, healthcare, psychology, social science, religion, and more. The journal databases can be searched simultaneously by simply clicking on ProQuest, though you may choose to search them individually or select a few to search. If you cannot decide, choose ProQuest Central, which is multidisciplinary and will search many journals at one time. Some ProQuest databases have unique content, such as Heritage Quest (genealogy) and ProQuest Statistical Datasets, and must be searched individually.
In addition to basic and advanced search options, you can use Boolean connectors, choose search fields, and set filters for date, publication type, and document type. Once you have found an article, you can save, print or email it, and even check the citation. For details on how to get the most out of ProQuest, see the Library Databases LibGuide, view the Library Tutorial, or contact the Reference Desk by email, library@bellevue.edu, or phone, 402-557-7313.
*This article has been altered and shortened for the blog post. To see the full original article visit http://library.bellevue.edu/news/books.htm pg 5.*
Family History Workshop Held on April 23
Barbara Haney and Allie O’Connor moderated their third genealogy workshop/sharing session in room 460 from 4:00 – 5:00 on Tuesday, April 23. One of the many databases owned by the Bellevue University Library is Ancestry Library edition, affiliated with Ancestry.com. By using this database, any member of the Bellevue University community (student, alumni, staff, faculty, or community user) has free access to a wealth of family history information.
The first of the three family history workshops was held in February, 2012, and was entitled “Getting Started on Your Genealogy”. This initial workshop was aimed at those who were interested in investigating their family, but weren’t sure how to start. The second workshop was held in late September, 2012, and was entitled “Finding Family Facts Using the 1940 Census”. The 1940 Census was made available to the nation in April, 2012, and this workshop emphasized the information that can be gleaned from this latest census.
The April, 2013 workshop was entitled “Tracking Your Family History through the 1910, 1900, and 1880 Censuses”. Using Barbara’s husband’s family as an example, the moderators demonstrated how to access the 1910, 1900, and 1880 censuses, and the types of information that each one lists. Those who attended also learned that very little of the 1890 census is still available, due to a Commerce Department fire in Washington D.C. in 1921. One of the websites on the Bellevue University Library Genealogy LibGuide is “Find a Grave”, and some families may be able to find family information using that resource. Seventeen attended the April workshop, and some brought laptops so that they could research their own family during the session.
Another family history sharing session/workshop is planned for late October, 2013, and Barbara and Allie seek your input for the next topic.
- Are you a genealogy “newbie”, interested in attending a “getting started” workshop?
- Would a workshop focusing on how to find military records using Ancestry Library interest you?
Please respond to barbara.haney@bellevue.edu or allie.oconnor@bellevue.edu by the end of June if you have a preference between these two topics, or have a different one to suggest. You can also leave a comment.
Observations from a New Librarian: Library Lingo
“It’s like he’s trying to speak to me!” said Marlin the fish in Disney’s Finding Nemo; sometimes that is how it can feel at a library. Libraries have their own language that can be confusing at first. To clear the air I will define a very brief list of common library terms that confused me in hopes that you can better understand library lingo.
General Collection—general collection is a term used to describe any library material that can be checked out.
Reference Librarian—reference librarians are a specific subset of librarians whose specialty is helping you find and use resources for your academic needs.
Database—think of a database as a prebuilt bag of resources ready to be searched.
LibGuide—lib is short of library. A LibGuide is a document created by librarians as a quick reference sheet for specific topics with a list of various recommended resources.
Circ Desk—circ is short for circulation. The circulation desk is where materials are checked out and checked in, where general questions (such as where’s the bathroom) are answered and where most of the phone calls come to.
April Display Case
Now that April is here, it is time to check out the Library’s latest display case. This month, the Bellevue University International Club has created a display featuring Africa called, African Connection. Do you know what a “vuvuzela” or a “chipendani” is? Well, you will have to either visit the Library or the Library’s Display Case Board on Pinterest to find out!
Also, featured in the display is National Library Week, which occurs April 14 – 20, 2013. Please be sure to stop by the Library that week to get a READ Poster made, shop at the book sale, enter yourself into a drawing to win an Amazon gift card or a USB drive, and much much more! You also have a chance to win a Kindle Fire HD, by submitting your ideas on why communities matter at the Bellevue University Library to: bulibrarycontest@gmail.com. We hope to see you soon!
We Shook the Family Tree
My free time is spent tracing my family tree. When I was in school, if history had been more than dates of past occurrences, history would have been my favorite subject.
At the present time, I am searching for more information on the Shook side of the family. I am finding articles on families during the early nineteenth century. Husbands would move the family to safety and carry a gun while attending to crops. Some sold their land and moved to another state. After compiling information about eight generations, I want to share this history with current family members.
How do I write a book on the family history? The Omaha Library offered a workshop with speaker Charley Kempthorne, whose presentation focused on providing attendees with a guide to writing their own family history. He recommended you start your writing by concentrating on what you already know. Mr. Kempthorne tasked us to write a short paragraph about the home we grew up in. He asked several people to read the short paragraph they had written to the class. Each shared their own interesting short stories about their family. These stories would be a good addition to any family history book.
One of the ladies at the library presentation brought her family history book for us to view. She had one or two pages complied on each family generation. She titled every new family page. The first page was, “The Immigration.” She had ship information and a short story of the family.
In my case, I have selected the use of a narrative which includes biographical information about the family as well as with pictures including a headstone. I love to see the clothing the family wore with ruffles in a light color. How did they keep them clean? Newspaper articles may also be used to verify the dates of occurrences. I am asking my family members for pictures that were handed down through the generations.
My friend and I plan to take a trip to Clyde, North Carolina to view a home on the National Register which is over 200 years old.
The home was built by a Shook who came from Germany through Holland. The ship was detoured to North Carolina. The next generation moved to Kentucky then to Illinois. I do not have positive source information that we are related. Maybe I will be able to add three more generations to the family tree after my visit.
After recently moving, I emptied a box of books and discovered a book my Grandmother (Anna) had from her cousin. Her cousin, Mary, was at Anna’s house when I went to visit. Mary gave Anna a book she wrote, “The Life and Times of Mary Franklin West.” Mary had written a book about her life which included information about her moving with her parents and family to a new state and how she met her husband.
Much to my surprise, a distant relative of the West family named Daniel, contacted me to see if I had any information that I could share with him. Daniel did not know Mary, his great, great grandmother had written a book. We both were very happy that this book was discovered as it contained a wealth of family information.
Do you have any stories about your family tree that you’d like to share?
Black History Month
February is Black History Month, also called African American History Month. Originally this celebration was known as Negro History Week and was started in 1926 by the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History and its founder Carter G. Woodson. The month of February was chosen to coincide with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.
Following the initiation of the event there was an overwhelming amount of support and interest among both blacks and whites. There was an influx in local celebrations and groups endorsing the idea. Soon not just small groups of people but whole communities were recognizing Negro History Week each year. The Civil Rights Movement brought even more support and by the time the country’s bicentennial arrived Negro History Week had expanded into Black History Month and was officially recognized by President Gerald R. Ford. Every president since has also recognized Black History Month and there is also recognition in Canada and the United Kindgom.
Black History Month is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the roles played by African Americans throughout history and give recognition to their contributions. There are many prominent African American inventors, performers, athletes, writers, artists, politicians, activists, etc. who have inspiring stories. It is easy to celebrate this Black History Month. Take some time to learn about one of the many African American contributions, how they influenced a particular event, or the life of someone who did something moving.
Sources:
http://www.history.com/topics/black-history-month
http://www.africanamericanhistorymonth.gov/about.html
16th Annual Library Professional Growth Day
It’s hard to believe another year has come and gone. On Wednesday, February 6, 2013, we held the 16th Annual Library Professional Growth Day. This is an annual event that provides the library staff with the opportunity to share something they have attended, read about, used, etc., during this 3½ hour event. There was definitely an emphasis on trends facing academic libraries and the future direction libraries are heading.
The day began with my presentation on the Top Ten Trends in Academic Libraries, based on an article written by members of the ACRL Research and Planning Review Committee, who will be preparing an environmental scan of their findings. The second session was presented by Allie O’Connor and was titled Viewing Another 21st Century Academic Library: Texas A & M in San Antonio, which Allie visited recently. The third session was titled The Academic Library in 2020, and was given by Diane Osborne, who emphasized what libraries might be in the future when it comes to communication, social networks, collections, and much, much more. The fourth session was delivered by Mike Bobak and was titled Tablets: A Look at Current and Future Markets; it focused on devices other than the iPad—I particularly was intrigued by the “Papertab.” The fifth session, presented by Barbara Hane,y addressed the next generation of interlibrary loan and helped us to understand the migration to “Worldshare;” her presentation was titled From Resource Sharing to Worldshare. The sixth session provided insight into a potentially new product for the library and was titled Basics of LibAnswers, delivered by Linda Black, who illustrated a new look to FAQ’s. The seventh session was Wikipedia: If You Can’t Beat it…Join it?, by Margie McCandless, and provided us “food for thought” 
and dispelled some misconceptions on the website. The eighth session belonged to Allison Schafer who discussed Pinterest and Libraries, from its inception to how it is currently being used. The ninth session focused on another social networking site; however, this one has been dubbed the “accidental social network.” This session was titled Tumblr, presented by Jennifer Sorensen. The tenth session of the day, submitted by Chrystal Dawson, explored a website and/or app used to visually demonstrate a tutorial; this session was called SnapGuide: Tutorials in a Snap—something this librarian found intriguing. The eleventh session concentrated on Re-Evaluating Our Relationship with Ebooks, researched by Colin Kehm; it probed the possibility that Ebooks may not be the future. The twelfth session considered accommodating users with a special need with the presentation titled A Dyslexic in the Library: How to Create a Dyslexic Friendly Library, prepared by Jessica Omer. Chris Armstrong discussed the Little Free Library in the thirteenth session, which happens to be a 
phenomenon sweeping the country with the idea “take a book, leave a book.” The fourteenth session delivered by Lorraine Patrick was a beautiful look into Library Gardens, an appreciation of expanding “libraries as a place” and welcoming communities. The final session of the day, cleverly administered by Casey Kralik, and titled Accidental Marketing at Bellevue University, pretty much pulled the entire day together with her focus on branding, publicity, promotion, advocacy, and advertising of library services—she even took it one step further and related it to a new service we will be unveiling in the very near future—so stay tuned…
All in all, it was a very informative, educational, and productive day. Once again, I would like to personally thank the library staff who participated this year and ask them to also express their perspectives of the day.
If you want to learn more about any of these presentations, feel free to contact us as we would be more than happy to share the day with you too. Until next year, enjoy these testimonials:
√ “I enjoy Professional Growth Day and I always learn something new”
√ “An excellent way to get an introduction to topics you may not have heard about before”
√ “I thought it was very beneficial and a lot of fun”
√ “There is always something to learn”
√ “I would recommend this program to my fellow colleagues or suggest they do the same kind of resource sharing”
√ “Staff members were well acquainted with their subject matter.”
√ “Topics covered are all timely and applicable, as well as fun to learn about”
√ “Most of the topics were directly related to library work, with many focusing on looking to the future and thinking outside the box”
√ “All of it was related to my job since it is important to keep up with the things that are going on”
√ “This program gives people in the academic world the ability to know and understand the advantages that the library world has to offer”
√ “A lot of the information makes you think of different aspects and challenges we could be taking on to expand our services”
√ “It was useful because it helps keep me up-to-date on what’s going on in the library field.”
√ “I could see some of them [presentations] being shared again as snippets in a blog”
√ “I plan to attend next year’s 17th Annual Professional Growth Day because I know that there will be new topics to educate me!”
Mathematics
Have your math skills gotten a little rusty? Have you forgotten how to find the area of a cube or how to do an algebra equation? The Reference Websites page on the Bellevue University Library’s website has several links to online resources on math to help you.
SOS Mathematics is a free resource for math review material from high school algebra through college-level differential equations. Sample problems are given as well as the solution to problems.
Virtual Math Lab‘s website has over 130 online math tutorials from Texas A&M University which are freely available to all, covering mainly algebra but also preparation for the math portions of tests such as the GRE.
MathWorld is an extensive mathematical resource from Wolfram Research that is updated daily and checked for quality and accuracy. It provides many interactive resources including thousands of downloadable Mathematica notebooks. It also serves as a clearinghouse for new mathematical discoveries that are routinely contributed by researchers. For example, on the website under applied mathematics click on “Business” then “Accounting” and you can find information on the Rule of 72, how to calculate interest, and how to calculate principal.