Chat Service Not Working - UPDATE

TC Library's Ask a Librarian chat service is currently out of order. If you have a question, please call us at (612) 728-5108 or email tc-library@smumn.edu. We apologize for the inconvenience! UDPATE: Chat service is now working. Thanks for your patience!

Hours: Friday, Dec. 10th

Hi Library Community,

Due to the Annual Holiday Luncheon for TC Campus faculty and staff, the library will be open only from 9:00am - 11:30am this coming Friday, December 10th.

We are then closed all afternoon and will reopen Saturday, December 11th, from 8am-3pm.

Really interested in reading about our upcoming Holiday Hours? Click here.

Holiday Break Hours

Season's Greetings everyone!

The librarians are planning on building an epic snowbeast* in the library near the end of December, probably about 28' in length. Because this is a large undertaking, TC Library will close for a week.**

Our holiday break hours are listed below and on our hours page.

• Monday, Dec. 20 - Wednesday, Dec. 22
• *change* Thursday, Dec. 23: 9am-12pm
• Friday, Dec. 24 - Sunday, Jan. 02, 2011: CLOSED
• Monday, Jan. 03 - Friday, Jan. 07: 9am-5pm
• Saturday, Jan. 08: CLOSED
• Monday, Jan. 10: normal semester hours resume

Best wishes for a happy, healthy, and joyous holiday season!!!

* This is a slight exaggeration. While a librarian or two may build a snowbeast on their own time, in reality the beasts will be much smaller and not inside of the library.

** Also a slight exaggeration. TC Library is closed because the Saint Mary's campus is closed.

Thanksgiving Holiday Hours

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! The Librarians will be eating a fair amount of turkey, tofurkey, and beef jerky over the coming days, so TC Library will be closed.

• Wednesday, November 24: open 9am-noon.
• Thursday, November 25 - Sunday, November 28: CLOSED
• Normal hours resume Monday, November 29

See our hours here.

Website Unavailable 11/26

Hi Library Lovers, TC Library's Website will be inaccessible for a few hours this coming Friday. Read why below.

Original from: Mike Montgomery

The Information Technology Department is planning for a network outage on Friday, November 26th, 7am - 9am. This outage will affect network connectivity to the following services.

• Users residing off-campus (not physically present at the Minneapolis or Winona campus buildings) will not be able to get to Blackboard, Tegrity, Webmail, Webtools, or WWW2 pages.
• Users residing on the Winona Campus will have No off-campus internet or access to FSDirect (SchoolDude)
• Users residing at the Minneapolis Campus should not be affected.

TC Library Chat is Down

Twin Cities Library's chat is temporarily down. We expect service to be restored later today.

Thursday, November 4th: Closing at 7:00pm

TC Library will be closing at 7:00pm tonight (Thursday). We will resume our regular hours on Friday (9:00am - 5:00pm). We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience!

ERIC via EBSCO

Education students rejoice! The beloved database vendor EBSCO has created a search platform for ERIC. Many of you have shied away from ERIC due to its not-super-intuitive search function. While brilliant, it was hard to use, I admit.

But shy away no more! You can search in ERIC, using ERIC-specific search features, all while wrapped up in the happy and warm EBSCO interface.

Try ERIC via EBSCO out here.

You can still access ERIC Classic, as I like to call it, from our Databases A-Z page. Also listed there is ERIC via EBSCO. An updated database guide will soon be posted here, to help you get started searching.

Singing about VHS Tapes

TC Library's bringing VHS back.

Them other DVDs don't know how to act.

I think it's special that VHS is back.

So turn around and I'll plug in our new VHS/DVD combo station so you can watch this interesting VHS tape on Adlerian Therapy.

That's right SMU community! We've got an in-house VCR now!!!! We've got your headphones too, so you can ROCK OUT and bring your own VHS back.

Free Books

Once again the TC Librarians have weeded our collection. We have some good quality, older editions of texts that need new homes. Stop by the Library and help yourself--they go fast!!

Databases on Vacation

Oct. 13: MOST UP-TO-DATE UPDATE! No need to worry anymore. Database problems fixed.

Lesson learned: Always check our blog for the most up-to-date information!

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Oct. 12: You can access EBSCO databases through the ELECTRONIC LIBRARY FOR MINNESOTA databases page. Note that some of these databases may require your public library barcode for access.

Also note--there will NOT be a Saint Mary's University Find it button--so if you cannot access the full text of the article, check Journal Finder to see if our other (working) databases have the full text of the article. If they do not, use this form to order the article through Interlibrary Loan.

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Oct. 11: Monday morning surprise leaks into Tuesday! Our beloved EBSCO databases are inaccessible through TC Library's webpage. Librarians are aware of the issue and database reps are working on it!

Databases affected include:

• Academic Search Premier
• AltHealth Watch
• Business Source Premier
• EBSCO MegaFILE
• MasterFILE Premier
• Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition
• Library, Information Science, & Technology Abstracts
• MasterFILE Premier
• Points of View Reference Center
• Professional Development Collection-Education
• Regional Business News
• Wall Street Journal

Art on Park Opening, 10/7

Join us on October 7 for an Art on Park opening befitting of a library; it’s all about book arts! Sheila McNellis Asato, an alumna of Saint Mary’s Human Development program, will showcase her convertible book collection, which is heavily influenced by her father’s background in magic and her study of dreams.

Opening Reception October 7, 2010 4:00—7:00 p.m. Artist Talk at 4:00 p.m.

Databases Combine Forces!

Psyc and MFT students will be pleased to know they can now find reviews on assessment tests in one place in a happy database marriage we like to call Mental Measurements Yearbook with Tests in Print. The two parts of that long database name used to be two separate databases, each to be searched separately. No longer, assessment test users! You can find all you need in one spot. Check it out!

Database Description: Mental Measurements Yearbook provides users with reviews on current assessment tests. This database is good for students who want to evaluate testing products for education, marriage and family therapy, and psychology. Tests in Print is an index to assessment tests that are currently in print. This index provides reviews and information about each test that will help users make educated decisions regarding test quality and validity.

Semester Break Hours

Twin Cities Library Semester Break Hours

It's that time again, when the Librarians close TC Library at 5pm so they can spend the ever-shortening summer evenings doing librarian-like things, like knitting, reading to the mosquitoes, and teaching cicadas about database research. See hours below.

Monday, Aug. 23 - Friday, Aug. 27	9am-5pm
Saturday, Aug. 28 - Sunday, Aug. 29	Closed
Monday, Aug. 30 - Friday, Sept. 3	9am-5pm
Saturday, Sept. 4 - Monday, Sept. 6	Closed
Tuesday, Sept. 7	Regular hours resume

See library website hours for more details.

Westlaw vs. LexisNexis

Need legal information? Use Westlaw! Westlaw's Campus Research database provides access to both business and legal information. Available business information includes newspapers, trade journals, and company information. Legal coverage includes law reviews and journals, federal and state cases, statutes, and regulations. TC Library no longer subscribes to LexisNexis.

July 21: Closing @ 6pm.

Extra extra! Unheralded circumstances force the library to close at 6:00pm tonight. Normal hours resume on Thursday (9am-9pm). Apologies for any inconvenience.

4th of July holiday weekend hours

In honor of the Fourth of July Holiday Weekend, TC Library will be closed Saturday, July 3 - Monday, July 5.

Librarians will be using all precautions whilst lighting off small, legal fireworks over the long weekend. It should also be noted that librarians, while oft thought to shush loud noises, actually enjoy the majestic sounds of the 4th, whether it be from a firework or the National Symphony Orchestra.

Enjoy the 4th!

Regular hours will resume on Tuesday, July 6th.

New Photos @ Flickr

TC Library (the ephemeral and intellectual entity) has posted some new photos taken from our latest Art on Park exhibit. Visit our Flickr page and check them out!

Also don't forget that we're on Facebook too. If you love our services, librarians, or beta fish mascot, feel free to become a fan!

Library closing @ 6pm

Monday, June 14: Library closing at 6:00pm

The student lounge and upstairs computer labs (LSH 212 & 224) will be open for computer use.

Books can be returned to the book drop near the back entrance of LaSalle Hall.

Closed at 1pm, Friday, June 11

The library will close at 1pm on Friday, June 11. Computers are available in the student center area and computer labs on the second floor of LaSalle Hall. Return items in the book return in the rear entrance of LaSalle Hall.

Art on Park Opening-June 10 at 4pm

Kathryn Mussack’s Art on Park exhibition, Minnesota Seasons: Oil on Canvas or Board, opens June 10! Mussack’s works celebrate the four full and varied Minnesota seasons. In Mussack’s words, “My collection consists of scenes from Minnesota, mostly from the Twin Cities area. The smaller pieces were done plein air, outdoors in one session.”

Join us in the Library for art, community, refreshments, and an artist talk, during which Mussack will share insights into the collection. See the Library’s web site for a full description of Mussack’s collection and upcoming Art on Park exhibits.

Opening Reception: 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.

Artist talk: 4:15 p.m.

Twin Cities Campus Library is currently accepting applications for 2011 Art on Park exhibits. Learn how to apply here.

Memorial Day Weekend hours

The library will be closed this upcoming weekend due to the librarians' preoccupations with hot dogs, parades, and sunscreen application. Lots of sunscreen application. After all, it is Memorial Day. An all staff meeting also wriggled into the schedule, somehow.

Hours:

• 1 p.m. - 9 p.m.—Thursday, May 27, 2010 (all staff meeting in the morning)
• CLOSED—Saturday, May 29 - Monday, May 31, 2010

Librarians may also be seen planting tomatoes, mustard greens, and arugula.

New Database--CTIV

Hi SMU Community,

TC Library is happy to welcome a new member to our database family: Counseling & Therapy in Video (CTIV). Counseling/psyc, addiction studies, MFT, and play therapy students and faculty need to check out this streaming video database! CTIV self-describes as providing "the largest and richest online collection of video available for the study of social work, psychotherapy, psychology, and psychiatric counseling." Topics include counseling sessions and demonstrations, consultations, and lectures, presentations, and interviews.

Links to this database can be found on the Counseling, Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy and Play Therapy subject pages.

BONUS: EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT ASSESSMENT TESTS!

On TC Library's Psyc & MFT subject pages you can now learn everything you need to know about assessment tests (also called instruments). From the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System to the Woodcock-Johnson Tests Of Cognitive Ability, easily find out which tests are available to you through TC Library. Place holds on tests if they are checked out to ensure you get first access to them when they return. Also find out where to locate assessment test critiques online.

The screenshot to the left shows you where to locate this information on each subject page. Please contact TC Library with any questions.

Revisions to Web site

TC Library has improved our Web site based on your constructive feedback and suggestions. Below is list outlining the main changes. Please contact us if you have any questions--and we would love additional comments and feedback!

• Homepage - Article searching: The new default on the main page searching tabs allows you to search articles first. Choose a broad topic from the dropdown menu to see a page with database recommendations. If you know the database in which you'd like to search, select the link "Databases A to Z" under the dropdown menu.
  • You can also access links to Journal Finder and our Interlibrary Loan (ILL) article from here.
• Homepage - Book & Video searching: No longer the default tab on the homepage. Click the Books & Videos tab to search for these items.
• Homepage - top-of-page dropdown menus: Articles, Books & More leads you to pages specifically designed to help you find those different types of items.
• Homepage - top-of-page dropdown menus: Research Help is the new, more intuitive name for the old tutorials tab.
• Events: The old Events dropdown menu is now a Web page located under the About Us dropdown menu.
• Articles page: Find it by mousing over Articles, Books & More. The tabs explained:
  • Find Article Databases: Lets you choose a broad topic from the dropdown menu to see a page with database recommendations.
  • Find a Specific Article: Lets you use Journal Finder.
  • Request an Article: Lets you go to our ILL form.

If you so desire, we also have a short video introduction to our Web site available here. While not as creative as a Lady Gaga video, we feel it still has a respectable amount of artistic merit.

Semester Break Hours

It is semester break time, SMU Community!!! That means the library will be on reduced hours.

• Monday, April 26 - Friday, May 05: 9:00am - 5:00 pm
• Closed Saturdays.

Normal semester hours resume Monday, May 10. Enjoy the break!

And as a bonus, here is some Spring haiku by the library staff:

• Submitted by Tech Services Librarian:
• Warm breeze blowing.
• Insects buzzing.
• Book drop full.

• Submitted by Reference/Instruction Librarian #1:
• Oh look there's some grass.
• Green green green green brown green green.
• Dandelion. Shoe.

• Submitted by Reference/Instruction Librarian #2:
• Oh, spring allergies
• from pollen infested plants,
• doth make my nose stuffed.

Closed for Holiday

TC Library will be closed April 2-5. It will reopen on Tuesday, April 6th at 9am.

Book Drop it Like it's Hot

Hi SMU Community,

Noticed a big wooden box near the back entrance of LaSalle Hall? Could it be a treasure chest? A big Jack-in-the-Box? Alas, no, it is even more exciting. It is the new TC Library Book Drop!

Materials may be returned to the Library Book Drop when the Library is closed. You can still drop your items off at the reference desk during Library open hours.

P.S. Don't get any clever ideas.

Coming soon: NEW WEB SITE

Hello SMU Community!

Mark your calendars and get out your bottles of celebratory champagne. It is with bated breath and much excitement that TC Library announces the introduction of our new Library Web site during the month of March!

TC Library’s new Web site features improved navigability, new databases, a new library catalog interface, new services, and additional tutorials. Some highlights include:

• Catalog and database searching from the homepage.
• Research tutorials in html, PDF, video, and mp4 format.
• Consistent dropdown menus on every page.
• Web 2.0—follow us online.

Be sure to click over to www.smumn.edu/tclibrary during the month of March. We hope you’ll like what you see!!

(The image above is a sneak peek of what one little section of our new homepage might look like.)

Text a Librarian!

Text a Librarian!

TC Library is guilty of texting in class, too! You can now text us and the librarian on the reference desk will text back a response to your question. We’ll keep our answers 140 characters short, don’t worry!

How to text us:

1. Address your text message to 246246
2. Start off the body of the message with send smutclibrary
3. Add your question/message

We’re able to provide this service to you using AOL's Mobile AIM Service. This service should work with most major cell carriers, but if you try it and do not receive a response from us, please try a different method of contacting us.

Also, remember that depending in your cell plan, sending and receiving text messages can cost money. The library is not responsible for these charges.

Feb. 01: Closing @ 7:30

Hi SMU community, TC Library is closing at 7:30pm tonight. Please travel carefully in the snow!

Library Closed at 6pm: January 18, 2010

The Library will close at 6pm on January 18, 2010 in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Art on Park Opening February 10th!

Twin Cities Library's new art program, Art on Park, opens February 10th! The inaugural exhibit features the collection, Rocks and Trees: Acrylics on Canvas, created by Jeannie E. Roberts, a Saint Mary's Arts Administration alum. Join us at 4:00pm for an artist talk, during which Roberts will give a brief insights of the collection and answer questions. Roberts is a trained artist, award winning and published poet, and the owner of JR Creative Studios (www.jrcreative.biz), an advertising, marketing, art, and design firm. Roberts' collection depicts the Norway pines that border her front yard in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. Roberts' rock imagery was inspired by the man-made stone landmark and cairn called an inuksuk (plural inuksuit) used by the Inuit and other peoples of the Arctic region of North America for Communication and directional aids. See the Library's web site for more information on Art on Park's upcoming exhibits. Opening Reception: February 10, 2010 from 4:00-7:00pm Artist talk starts at 4:00pm