Library winter break hours

Friday, December 19 - Friday, January 16

• Monday – Thursday 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
• Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
• Saturday - Sunday CLOSED

Break Week

• Mon 12/22 through Fri 12/26 CLOSED

New Year's

• Wed 12/31 8:00am - 5:00pm
• Thu Jan 1 CLOSED

MLK Day Weekend

• Sat 1/17 10:00am - 6:00pm
• Sun 1/18 10:00am - 6:00pm
• Mon 1/19 CLOSED

Please refer to the Hours page for additional information.

Award-winning fiction for holiday enjoyment or gift-giving

During the past two months a number of major, national book award programs have announced their 2008 winners. Check out these stellar titles for yourself or as potential gifts for others.

The Man Booker Prize: The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
Video: watch an interview with Adiga

"The White Tiger is decribed as a compelling, angry and darkly humorous' novel about a man's journey from Indian village life to entrepreneurial success. It was described by one reviewer as an ‘unadorned portrait' of India seen ‘from the bottom of the heap'" (from the award announcement).

The National Book Award for Fiction: Shadow Country by Peter Matthiessen
Video: watch Matthiessen's acceptance speech

"Inspired by a near-mythic event of the wild Florida frontier at the turn of the twentieth century, Shadow Country reimagines the legend of the inspired Everglades sugar planter and notorious outlaw E. J. Watson, who drives himself relentlessly toward his own violent end at the hands of neighbors who mostly admired him, in a killing that obsessed his favorite son" (from the publisher).

The Nobel Prize in Literature: Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio, author of Onitsha
Video: Watch Le Clezio reading a passage from the book

Le Clezio is an "author of new departures, poetic adventure and sensual ecstasy, explorer of a humanity beyond and below the reigning civilization" (from the awards site).

The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

"Diaz immerses us in the tumultuous life of Oscar and the history of the family at large, rendering with genuine warmth and dazzling energy, humor, and insight the Dominican-American experience, and, ultimately, the endless human capacity to persevere in the face of heartbreak and loss" (from the publisher).

New additions to ARTstor

The ARTstor digital library continues to expand. You can now access these image collections:

1,600 images of British architecture from the Brian Davis archive. The collection documents architectural and garden sites in Europe, primarily architecture in Britain from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century.

1,100 images of the cave temples at Ellora. This initial release focuses on Buddhist caves, the earliest structures at Ellora, dating from 500 to 700 C.E.

Try out the Enhanced Biosciences Database

BIOSIS Previews is now available via ISI Web of Knowledge!  This will replace Biological Abstracts in the New Year (January 2009).  Why care, you say? In addition to the information about journal articles that Biological Abstracts includes, BIOSIS Previews contains information about meeting papers, reviews, reports, book chapters, etc.  

All the content of Biological  Abstracts will be available in BIOSIS Previews, PLUS MORE. Not only that, but the content will extend back to 1955. But if searchers want to see only articles in the results, or just meetings, they will be able to limit their search to those document types.  In addition to the enlarged database, the content will now be available on the Web of Science interface.      

So give BIOSIS Previews a try today.  

Beth 

Reference Librarian

Library open 24 hrs during finals

The first floor of the Albertsons Library will be open 24 hours a day from 10:00 AM Sunday, December 14, through 7:00 PM Thursday, December 18. Staff will be on hand to answer questions and check out first floor reserve materials.

Security will be provided by the Boise Police Department; an officer will be on duty in the library all night and can provide escort service.

Free coffee and treats provided each night (while supplies last!) by the Associated Students of Boise State University (ASBSU).

For a complete list of holiday hours, please refer to http://library.boisestate.edu/hours/ .

Idaho Film Collection

On November 26, the Boise Weekly featured an article by Jeremiah Robert Wierenga on Idaho's film industry history and future. The article mentions the Idaho Film Collection, which is housed in Boise State University's Special Collections Department. 

Arranged by English Professor Tom Trusky, the Idaho Film Collection contains films, photographs, articles, correspondence, and posters relating to feature films made in Idaho. The collection features films created by Idaho silent film pioneer Nell Shipman and other filmmakers.

Read article

Writing Center in the Library!

To simplify your end-of-semester projects, the Writing Center will hold walk-in consultations on the first floor of the Library on the following two dates:

• Thursday, December 4th, from 5-8 p.m.
  
• Tuesday, December 9th, from 6-9 p.m.
  

Drop by during those times for a one-stop paper-writing extravaganza: librarians to help you research your papers; computers and technicians for your software needs; and writing center consultants to help you get the words out!

Albertsons Library on KBSU

President Kustra's guest on his radio program "New Horizons in Education" this past weekend was New York Times journalist Adam Clymer, who came to Albertsons Library in 2006 to use the Frank Church collection while researching his book, Drawing the Line at the Big Ditch: The Panama Canal Treaties and the Rise of the Right (University Press of Kansas, 2008).

The book explores how the conservative movement was able to parlay its opposition to the canal treaties in the 1970s into electoral success in 1980, including the defeat of Senator Frank Church. President Kustra mentioned Mr. Clymer's visit to Boise and his use of the Frank Church collection in his introduction.

The entire interview can be heard on the New Horizons website, - look for the Nov 28 program. The book is available for check out and in the Albertsons Library Special Collections department.

Western Writers Series Digital Editions

A partnership between Albertsons Library Special Collections and the Boise State English Department - Western Writers Series is making 23 out-of-print titles available digitally for the first time. The Western Writers Series provides brief, authoritative introductions to writers and classic texts of the American west.

The purpose of the 50-60 page booklets is to deepen the understanding and appreciation for the literature of the American west. The Western Writers Series are written by scholars and intended for lay readers and fellow scholars alike.

In celebration of this undertaking, a launch event featuring readings by Brady Udall, Clay Morgan, Janet Homes, and Mitch Wieland will be held at The Cabin on Thursday December 4th at 6 pm. Further details can be read here.

Rick Stoddart

Reference Librarian

Phone: (208) 426-1626

Library hours during Thanksgiving week

Albertsons Library will be open limited hours during the Thanksgiving Holiday starting this Sunday, November 23rd:

Sun 11/23...... 10:00am-6:00pm

Mon-Tues 11/24-25... 8:00am-6:00pm
Wed 11/26.......8:00am-5:00pm
Thu-Fri 11/27-28..... CLOSED
Sat 11/29..........10:00am- 6:00pm
Sun 11/30.........10:00am- midnight

Please refer to the library's Hours web page for additional information. Have a great Thanksgiving holiday!

Live reading of Three Cups of Tea

Once again Albertsons Library staff will perform a public reading of this year’s First-Year Read book, Three Cups of Tea, on November 18th starting at 9:00 am on the first floor of the Interactive Learning Center.

Information about the book, online resources, and where to get additional copies can be found at http://guides.boisestate.edu/fyread.

Will you be spending the evening with Greg Mortenson? Learn more about him first

This year's First-Year Read book is Three Cups of Tea, a nonfiction tale about one man's quest to improve education for Pakistani children despite the perils of war and Islamic extremism, written by Greg Mortenson and Oliver Relin. Mortenson is currently head of the Central Asia Institute, a nonprofit organization that is continuing his humanitarian work in the Middle East.

The big news is: Greg Mortenson is coming to the Morrison Center on November 18th! To read more about his visit, check out the press release.

If you're working on research related to the book, or just want to learn more about Mortenson and his efforts, check out our LibGuide on Three Cups. The guide includes recommended websites, video, and links to related books in the library.

CLIO Notes added to America: History & Life and Historical Abstracts databases

Historical research just became a lot easier! We are pleased to announce the addition of CLIO Notes to America: History & Life and Historical Abstracts in the library's databases collection. CLIO is available via the EBSCOhost suite of databases:

CLIO Notes for America: History & Life will guide you through subjects in United States history, by allowing you to browse through chronologies and brief summaries of significant events and themes in American history. On the main screen, you will find a list of major time periods and events. Each of these is further divided into subtopics that display informative essays and suggestions for further research. Linked subject terms are also provided, which allow you to search the entire America: History and Life database for articles, book and media reviews, and dissertations.

CLIO Notes for Historical Abstracts will guide you through subjects in World History since 1450 (excluding the United States and Canada), by allowing you to browse through chronologies and brief summaries of significant events and themes in modern history. On the main screen, you will find a list of major time periods and events. Each of these is further divided into subtopics that display informative essays and suggestions for further research. Linked subject terms are also provided, which allow you to search the entire Historical Abstracts database for articles, book citations and dissertations.

Access to America: History & Life and scores of other databases is available via the Albertsons Library's Databases page. Please contact one of our helpful reference librarians if you would like to know more about this or any of the resources available to you at the library.

Magnum Photos Coming to ARTstor

The ARTstor Digital Library, now at over 800,000 images, is growing monthly. A recent ARTstor announcement provides exciting news about the addition of Magnum photos in spring 2009:

Beginning this spring, Magnum will launch 80,000 high-quality photographs within the ARTstor Digital Library to share images of major events and personalities from the Spanish Civil War to Vietnam to the present day for scholarly purposes. Mark Lubell, Managing Director of Magnum’s New York office, says of the collaboration, "The ARTstor Digital Library is a wonderful way of providing students and the academic community with access to a selection of Magnum’s iconic photographs.

You can find ARTstor on the Library's 'Find Articles, Databases' page.

Innovative Librarians Wanted

Boise State University seeks two proactive and innovative librarians, to become a part of our team to continue our quest toward becoming a Metropolitan Research University of Distinction.

The Reference Librarian positions will provide reference services; participate in collection development as the liaison to academic departments; and have responsibility for bibliographic instruction and orientation sessions. Interested? Take a look at the job description.

Join us for International Connections: “Bridging Heritage and International Studies"

Please join us at 12:30 p.m. on November 13, 2008, in the SUB Hatch B Ballroom to hear from Nere Lete, Assistant Professor of Basque and Director of the Basque Studies Minor at Boise State. Lete, a native of Spain’s Basque country, grew up and attended school in Spain during the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco. She received her first Basque language teaching certificate from Euskaltzaindia when she was 15, and later studied Basque Philology.

While pursuing her studies, Lete worked for Basque television and film translating and adapting scripts. In 1994 she received her Master of Fine Arts degree in translation from the University of Iowa. She has taught Basque and Spanish in the Basque Country and in the United States at the University of Nevada, Reno, the University of Iowa, and Boise State University.

In her talk, “Bridging Heritage and International Studies,” Lete will discuss how Boise State University has embarked on the unprecedented journey to link the Basque Diaspora, the Basque Country and U.S. higher education. Boise State University joined forces in 2005 with the Treasure Valley’s vibrant Basque community, the U.S. Department of Education and the Basque Government to create the Basque Studies program. Three years later we have a strong program that is gaining prestige in the local, national and international spheres. Lete will also explain how Boise State is building a bridge between Heritage Studies and International Studies.

Light refreshments will be provided or feel free to bring your own lunch. The event is sponsored by the Albertsons Library and Boise State University International Programs. For more information, call 426-3652.

Want better Grades? We can help!

Want to get better grades? Take University 106: Library Research (1 credit) and learn to find the information you need to succeed in course papers and projects. UNIV 106 will get you on the path to becoming an information ninja, able to slice through the web and maneuver the library’s rich information landscape to conquer projects.

New! Some sections will explore disciplinary research; one class will focus on Business & Marketing and another on Diversity Studies. All courses are one credit, pass fail and taught by Librarians. If you have any questions, please contact the instructor directly.

ENGLISH 102 & UNIV 106 are teaming up to help you get a jump-start on your research skills.You can take both courses simultaneously. Get the course schedule and learn more on this page.

An American Librarian in Paris

If you are visiting Paris this Fall (Paris France not Paris Idaho) be sure to stop into the American Library in Paris, a few blocks from the Eiffel Tower, to see an exhibit of letters, photos, and memorabilia from Idaho librarian Ruth McBirney, who worked in the American Library for 6 years (1947-1953), before returning to her hometown of Boise to become head librarian of Boise Junior College.

When the Boise State University Library dedicated its McBirney Room in 2005, Special Collections created an exhibit in our display windows (and a website), about Miss McBirney's work and life in Paris. This summer the American Library in Paris asked if they could borrow the exhibit and we gladly complied.

Here is the notice from the American Library's e-newsletter announcing the McBirney exhibit in Paris:

Chère Mac: An American Librarian in Paris Now through 3 January 2009

"On February 5, 1947, twenty-nine-year-old Ruth McBirney set sail for Europe. Ahead of her was a great adventure: six years in Paris, the opportunity to witness the "City of Light" come back to life after the grim experience of German occupation during World War II and a new position at The American Library in Paris.

"With special thanks to the Boise State University Library's Special Collections Department, experience part of the Library's history through Ruth's photographs, words and memorabilia, on display through January 3rd. "

Alan Virta,
Head of Special Collections

Welcome

Welcome to Boise State University new faculty for 2008.

Who's that couple?

Who are the two people gazing across the atrium on the second floor? The man is Clarence R. King, who in 1868 at age 25 led one of the first scientific geological expeditions into Idaho. King later became the first director of the U.S. Geological Survey.

The woman's name is unknown, but she was crowned Miss Ida-Ho, Harvest Queen of 1911. Find out what other neat historical resources are available in Special Collections, second floor of the Library.

2008 Election Resources

The election is November 4^th and some voters are already mailing in their ballots. These websites provide a wealth of information to help you sort out the voting process and make an informed decision.

For Student Voters

Rock the Vote

A multi-media site aimed at young voters.

On the voting process

Idaho Votes

Official site of the Idaho Secretary of State, who oversees elections in Idaho. Includes information on registration and where to vote, rules for students and voting residency, absentee voting, and more. Also has a list of candidates and links to their campaign websites.

About the candidates

Project Vote Smart

Provides non-partisan information on state and national candidates, including voting records, interest group ratings, and campaign finances. Issue positions are also included, but only if the candidate chooses to participate, so coverage is uneven. Check out this page for young voters.

Political ads

Politifact’s truth-o-meter

Nonpartisan; analyzes the accuracy and truthfulness of political ads.

Debates

Commission on Presidential Debates

Idaho Debates

Covers debates for state races. Also includes links to news outlets around the state.

News and commentary

NPR’s Election 2008

National Public Radio’s news site on the elections. Includes news, commentary, polls, and blogs on the candidates and the issues, mainly at the national level.

Vote 2008

Includes videos from the Public Broadcast System. Try out their Budget Hero to see if you can balance the federal budget.

Albertsons Library's Election Information
http://guides.boisestate.edu/election

For Theatre studies, or just for fun! New video database

video still from From King Lear (1988)

Whether you're interested in plays, playwrights, or acting, check out Theatre in Video, a new database of online streaming video productions of live plays from the 1930s to the 20th century, including BBC's productions of every play in the Shakespearean canon.

Find plays written by Samuel Beckett, Anton Chekhov, Harold Pinter, William Faulkner; plays starring Meryl Streep or Anthony Hopkins; and much more.

According to Alexander Street Press, the creators of Theatre in Video:

With live television broadcasts of New York productions from the 50s, revivals of classic works and experimental performances from the 60s and 70s, as well as important contemporary performances, Theatre in Video covers a wide range of 20th century theatre history. Unlike Hollywood adaptations, these are the actual original productions, captured and recorded while performed for a live theatre audience.

Watch from home, work, or in the library. To access from off-campus, just log in with your BroncoWeb ID and password. Find a play to watch online now! ->

Librarian Daniel Lester retires

Long-time Albertsons Librarian Dan Lester will be retiring at the end of October after 18 years of service to Boise State University and the Idaho Library community.

An open farewell celebration for Daniel W. Lester will be held Thursday, Oct. 23 from 3 -4:30 p.m. in the Albertsons Library’s McCain Room, 2nd Floor. There will be a brief presentation at 3:30pm.

Join us!

Marilyn Moody,
Dean of Libraries

International Connections: Evelyne Trouillot

Join us for an International Connections luncheon with Haitian writer Évelyne Trouillot. Ms. Trouillot's presentation, "The Linguistic Situation in Haiti: Languages and Instruction," will examine the current status of French and Creole in Haiti, and discuss her personal experiences with both languages from her point of view as an educator.

When: 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM, Thursday, October 23, 2008
Where: Student Union Building, Hatch A.

Évelyne Trouillot is an award-winning author from Haiti who has written essays, poetry, novels and a play, as well as short stories and fairy tales for children. Born in Port-au-Prince, she lived more than ten years in the United States (New York and Florida) before returning definitively to Haiti in 1987. In addition to being a university professor and writer who has published in French, Creole and English, Ms. Trouillot participates actively in Haitian cultural activities and organizes writing workshops for children and young adults.

University Author Celebrations

Get ready for the Albertsons Library's 4th annual Boise State University Author Recognition reception.

Albertsons Library celebrates the scholarship and creative output of all Boise State University faculty and staff who published articles, books, and creative texts between September 1, 2007, and August 31, 2008.

As of this writing there are over 190 university authors in the bibliography! Please go to http://library.boisestate.edu/faculty/ and note the following improvements:

• Updated online submission form
  
• Expanded fields to include multiple co-authors
• Submit multiple citations by the same author
  
• Draft bibliography is available online
• Draft bibliography auto-updates when new citations are entered

Please note: Your citations may already be in the draft bibliography so check before you submit.

Mark your calendars! Albertsons Library will display the books, articles, and creative works of University Authors in the library during January and February, culminating with a celebration on February 4, 2009, from 3:30-5:00 in the library's McCain Room. The university community is invited to meet those being recognized and applaud their scholarship and creativity. Individual introductions will be made at 4:00 pm.

If you have questions, please contact Barbara Glackin.

Campus Sustainability Day

Boise State is gearing up for Campus Sustainability Day on October 22. This annual event takes place on campuses nationwide, and the Library is supporting the effort.

We're constantly buying new books and other materials on this subject, from green building to water policy and more. Some of our newest books include:

• Go green, live rich: 50 simple ways to save the earth and get rich trying by David Bach
  


• Sustainable living: the role of whole life costs and values by Nalanie Mithraratne, Brenda Vale and Robert Vale
  


• Growing smarter: achieving livable communities, environmental justice, and regional equity edited by Robert D. Bullard


• Contractor's guide to green building construction: management, project delivery, documentation, and risk reduction by Thomas E. Glavinich


• Water policy for sustainable development by David Lewis Feldman


• Green plans: blueprint for a sustainable earth by Huey D. Johnson


• Handbook of sustainable development edited by Giles Atkinson, Simon Dietz, and Eric Neumayer


• Keeping the lights on: towards sustainable electricity by Walt Patterson


• Sustainable commercial interiors by Penny Bonda and Katie Sosnowchik


• Organizations and the sustainability mosaic: crafting long-term ecological and societal solutions edited by Sanjay Sharma, Mark Starik, and Bryan Husted


• Ecological applications : toward a sustainable world by Colin R. Townsend


• Green building A to Z : understanding the language of green building by Jerry Yudelson

In addition to our new books on sustainability, you can always find new articles being published in newspaper, magazines, and academic journals. A great place to search for articles on green topics and sustainability is GreenFILE. Check out some of the recent articles on sustainability from GreenFile.

Welcome Ellie Dworak, Web Services Librarian

I'm Ellie Dworak, the new Web Services Librarian at Boise State University. My husband jokes that my tag line should be "I go to the Library so that you don't have to!" While I do hope that you will visit us, it's true that much of my job is to make it easier for you to access resources such as journal articles, ebooks, and other library tools while wearing your pajamas in your nice cozy home.

I spent my first 22 years in Eugene, Oregon, where I attended the University of Oregon and earned a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature. I then attended the University of Michigan for a Master's degree in Library & Information Services. My career then took me to the sleepy (except for Friday nights!) town of Athens, Ohio and then to San Diego, California, where I worked at San Diego State University. After 8 years in Southern California, I became weary of the big city and 70-degree perfect day after 70-degree perfect day, so I applied for this job in Boise. I'm really excited to be part of the team here - I can tell already that it's a great group of people who are dedicated, energetic, and creative.

Off work, I like to spend time with my husband and our two energetic dogs. We have a 6-year old rescued pit bull mix named Raisin, and a Vizsla (a Hungarian hunting dog) named Gus, both of whom need to run for at least an hour a day. When the dogs aren't keeping me busy, I like to bake, cook, read trashy mystery novels,watch movies (Netflix is my Best Friend Forever), hike, lift weights at the Student Rec Center, and hang out incognito at the public library.

I look forward to becoming part of the Boise State University community. If you have comments, questions, or suggestions for improvement to the Library Website, please feel free to contact me at elliedworak[at]boisestate.edu

Sign up for ARTstor training

Did you know the Library subscribes to an image database of nearly one million images called ARTSTOR? Those of you who use images in your classes will want to sign up for ARTstor training in Room 203 at the Albertsons Library on Thursday, October 30th. Please RSVP to Elaine Watson, Reference Librarian and indicate which session(s) you plan to attend. Space is limited.

10:40 - 11:55 am - Introduction to ARTstor (see below for details)
12:15 - 1:30 pm - Teaching with ARTstor (see below for details)
3:15 - 4:30 pm - Teaching with ARTstor (a repeat of the 12:15 - 1:30 session)

Introduction to ARTstor
Prerequisite: none
Who should attend: anyone with an interest in using digital images (students, faculty) or those in a position to support others in the use of digital image resources (librarians, instructional technologists, etc.)
Topics covered:
- browsing, searching for content
- viewing images, zooming, rotating, printing, saving
- viewing data and saving your own personal commentary with images
- saving groups of images

Teaching with ARTstor
Prerequisite: working knowledge of ARTstor introductory topics covered in the first session
Who should attend: anyone who plans to teach with ARTstor (faculty) or those in a position to support others in their use of ARTstor (librarians, instructional technologists, etc.)
Topics covered:
- adding your own images to ARTstor
- collaborating with students online using shared folders
- integrating ARTstor with course management systems
- creating presentations using ARTstor's Offline Image Viewer (OIV) or Powerpoint

Elections & Politics

Check out this sampling of recent titles related to U.S. elections and political campaigns at Albertsons Library. Looking for more?

• Consult our Catalog
  
• Search our online databases
  
• Ask Us! Our reference librarians will help you find what you need. Contact us at the library 426-3301 or online
  
• Don't see what you want? Request a title to add to our collection
  

Library DIY: LibGuides for everyone

We live in a DIY culture! And if you're like me, you'd rather spend several hours trying to figure something out yourself before you ask for help. If do-it-yourself is the way you do things, you're going to love our new LibGuides (and if you're not, we hope you'll still love them).

LibGuides are a collection of library research guides that we are building for just about any subject you can think of -- from Accountancy to Theatre Arts, and everything in between. Each guide has recommended resources: books, databases where you can search for journal articles, and other subject-specific resources you can go to for authoritative info on your research topic.

We've also got special-interest guides that you may want to use: for citing sources, locating primary resources, and a guide for Library TV video tutorials.

Best of all, LibGuides are a place where you can sound off about what resources you like and what you'd like help with. You can comment, get updates, and vote on polls. Let us know what you think!

Faculty and Graduates: your room is ready

If you like a quiet, pleasant place to study in the Library, check out the Faculty Graduate Study room on the third floor.

Bring your own laptop and find speedy, excellent wireless access, plus comfortable furniture and surroundings. With more area to spread out, none of the first floor hubbub, and a door that closes, room 302 is right for you.

The room is open during regular library hours for your convenience. Check it out!

Melissa,
Reference Librarian

Bittner collection exhibit

This summer Denise Alexander Bittner presented Albertsons Library a collection of more than 300 books about Ernest Hemingway, his writings, and his literary associates. The John Robert Bittner collection, named in honor of Denise's late husband, a Hemingway scholar who was a professor of journalism at the University of Norh Carolina, is housed in Special Collections.  

Special Collections has put up a display in both of our display windows as well as the wooden exhibit cases outside the department showcasing the collection and the career of John Robert Bittner. Stop by and take a look. 

Alan Virta

Head of Special Collections

Need to use a Laptop? We've got one for you!

Albertsons Library now has 10 laptops available for 3-hour checkout at the 1st-floor Circulation Desk. All of these Windows laptops have wireless Internet access and the full Microsoft Office 2007 suite, and they'll print to BroncoPrint printers.

And perhaps best of all, we've taken care of Clean Access for you - just turn it on and you'll be ready to go! This pilot project is funded 100% by student technology fees, so at the moment, all of our laptops are available to current students only.

Bring your ID and check one out at the Library Circulation Desk, just like you'd check out a book. Note that the laptops are for use in the Library building only (which has 100% wireless coverage).

International Connections Luncheon: Elizabeth Veatch

Date and Time: Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 12:30-1:30p.m.
Location: Interactive Learning Center, Room 315

Elizabeth Veatch, Director of the Critical Language Scholarship Program, will speak about the program, which is funded by the U.S. Department of State and administered by the Council of American Overseas Research Centers.

This program offers intensive overseas studies programs for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to study critical need foreign languages - Arabic, Azeri, Bengla/Bengali, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Persian, Punjabi, Russian, Turkish and Urdu. It is part of the National Security Language Initiative (NSLI), a U.S. government interagency effort to expand the number of Americans studying and mastering critical need foreign languages.

Light refreshments will be provided or feel free to bring your own lunch. The event is sponsored by the Albertsons Library and Boise State University International Programs. For more information, call 426-3652.

EndNote Web training in the Library

Albertsons Library is pleased to announce EndNote Web training for both faculty and graduate students. EndNote Web is a online reference organizer which offers reference storage and instant bibliographic formatting. It's available to the Boise State Community and is fully integrated with the Web of Science database system. Workshops are offered on the following dates:

Tu, Sept 16, from 1:40 - 3:00 (Grads)
We, Sept 17, from 11:40 - 1:00 (Grads)
Th, Sept 25, from 9:15 - 10:30 (Faculty)
Fr, Sept 26, from 12:40 - 2:00 (Faculty)

All workshops will be held in Library 203. Spaces need to be reserved and will be filled on a first come, first served basis. Classes are limited to 20 participants. To attend, please e-mail Melissa Kozel with your name and department. For further information, call Melissa at 426-1973.

What Albertsons Library can do 4 u

Well, the new school year is off and running! I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted already. So the bloggers here at the library thought we’d take a moment to remind you of some of the ways the library can help you out not only with your academic and research activities, but with leisure activities as well!

• If you’re already overwhelmed with the start of the year, you might want to stop by the Starbucks located just inside the library to the right of the main entry. Sit for a while and enjoy the music and a Vivanno, a nice refreshing iced tea, or any of your other favorite beverages.


• While you’re in the area, take a walk over to the browsing room in the front corner of the library (take a right on your way out of Starbucks). There we have plenty of chairs (including several of the raved about “comfy black chairs,” more of which are located on floors 2-4) and tables for lounging. Here we also have a browsing collection full of popular fiction and non-fiction titles for a nice escape from reality as well as lots of newspapers from all over the world.


• Maybe you just want to relax and listen to some music, whether you’re in the library, your dorm room, or someplace else. We can help you there too! We have 5 databases full of audio files for your listening pleasure including genres from classical to zydeco and American folk, jazz & blues to calypso & reggae. Check them out here - just scroll down to the middle of the page to the box labeled “Listening Databases.”
  

If you’re heading somewhere for the holiday weekend, you might be interested in our e-collections.

• We have a large collection of e-audio books that you can download. Simply navigate to the Basic Search page in our catalog and set the “Quick Limit” to “BSU/ICFL e-audiobooks” from the drop-down list. Then search by title, author, or keyword.


• “That’s nice,” you say, “but I don’t have a non-IPod MP3 player to listen to the books on.” No problem! We have several e-audiobook compatible MP3 players that you can check out with your student ID (for 3 weeks!) by going to the CRC desk on the second floor of Albertsons Library.


• If you’re not into listening to your books and would rather read an electronic copy, you should check out our e-book collection. Simply navigate to the Basic Search page in our catalog and set the “Quick Limit” to “BSU e-books” from the drop-down list. Then search by title, author, or keyword.

That’s it for now, but I hope you’ll stay tuned for our next “What Albertsons Library can do 4 u” post. In the meantime, enjoy the long weekend and try to catch your breath, there’s a long exciting semester ahead!

What's new for Fall 2008 at your library

Albertsons Library welcomes you to another exciting fall semester! We work hard to make the library a comfortable place to study and a resource to power up your research endeavors.

Here are some of the things we have in store for you for this semester:

• Scores of great new research databases! Access articles from thousands of journals and magazines in our growing collection of databases, such as Literature Criticism Online, Philosopher's Index, the backfiles of Web of Science, Ethnic NewsWatch, and Early English Books Online, to name a few. You can check out the list of our new databases, or view the A-Z list of everything we offer.
  


• Extensive interactive subject guides in Anthropology, Public Administration, Economics, Kinesiology, and many more via Alberstons Library's new LibGuides system.
  


• You wanted more computers? You got it! We added 20 computer stations on the second floor next to the Curriculum Resource Center desk. We're also adding two multimedia stations that students can use to create and edit multimedia projects.
  


• Want a laptop? In the coming weeks we'll be launching our laptop checkout program so that students will be able to check out laptops from the library's Circulation desk and use them in the library.
  


• New digital screens in presentation rooms on the first and second floors, so you can plug in your laptop and view your presentation on the big screen.
  


• You'll see more art on the walls and digital signage showcasing library resources.
  


• All student computer stations now have Microsoft Office 2007.
  


• We're creating more helpful video tutorials on how to use library resources.
  


• A revamped UNIV 106 course, a.k.a. Library Research, is now available as a distance course as well as two in-person courses.
  


• Implementation of the "Find it" button -- search and locate full text articles across multiple databases.
  
  

We're excited by these improvements, and hope you will be, too! We have even more up our sleeve for the upcoming year. After all, we're here to support you. Let us know if there are other ways we can help you succeed here at Boise State University and beyond.

Meet our new Librarian/Archivist!

My name is Erin Passehl, and I am the new Librarian/Archivist as of August. I work in Special Collections on the 2^nd floor of Albertsons Library.

One of my primary responsibilities will be to assist in overseeing the digital collections created using materials from University Archives and Special Collections.

I have just arrived from the Midwest, most recently from Milwaukee, WI, where I was a librarian at a small private university (notable moment: dressing up as a California Raisin for Halloween and winning 1^st prize).

A native of Wisconsin, I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a bachelor degree in history and political science. I received my Master of Science in Information (MSI) from the University of Michigan with a specialization in archives. Needless to say, I am a major Big Ten college sports fan (but Badgers come before Wolverines)! I can’t wait to get to a few football games here.

So far I am really enjoying Boise. I am making my way slowly through the city, identifying interests of mine (bicycling on the Green Belt, live music, dining, knitting, outdoor activities), so if you have any suggestions, lay it on me!

Come on up to Special Collections and enjoy all the great materials we collect. You can contact me at 426-1674 or at erinpassehl[at]boisestate.edu. I look forward to school starting and meeting everyone.

New digital collection: The Broncos Are Dancing!

BSU Library and Special Collections are pleased to announce the first digital collection entitled "The Broncos Are Dancing!" You can view the collection at http://library.boisestate.edu/Special/BroncosDancing.htm.

Dances have been an important part of student life at Boise State since the junior college days. The Broncos Are Dancing! offers a glimpse into student life and changes to campus over the span of almost fifty years, 1930s to 70s, from the swing era to disco. Included are photographs, dance cards, and excerpts from the student newspaper, Roundup. Photographs include scenes of students dancing at numerous school sponsored events, including Homecoming, President's Ball, Christmas Formal, Sweethearts Ball, Christmas and Spring Formals, and school mixers. The images and objects in the The Broncos Are Dancing! collection represent only a fraction of holdings in BSU University Archives related to dance.

Erin Passehl
Librarian/Archivist

Homeland Security Digital Library

The Library has added a new database to its Find Government Information page, the Homeland Security Digital Library .

In addition to searching for documents related to homeland security policy, strategy and organizational management, you can also browse the Featured Topics section for documents on Agroterrorism, Border Security, Climate Change, Energy and Immigration.

For more information, contact Elaine Watson, Documents/Reference Librarian.

Check us out on Flickr

Hey, we've got photos! We've got photos from events, photos of people, photos from projects. When we interviewed a recently graduated Master's student, Sarah Lenz, we took a whole bunch of photos of her work in Special Collections. We've got library photos from all seasons. And last year when they put in Starbucks we documented the whole process in two sets of construction photos -- it's fun to see how the coffee shop went from a pile of lumber to a real live business!

Did I mention we've got photos?

And they're all on our Flickr account, albertsons_library. So check 'em out, become our contact, and see for yourself what's going on @ the library!

Get The International Encyclopedia of Communication online

Welcome The International Encyclopedia of Communication into the loving arms of the Albertsons Library’s electronic resources!!!!

As the library liaison to Boise State University’s Department of Communication, I am extremely pleased to announce the acquisition of latest version of The International Encyclopedia of Communication for our Library.

This great resource is available electronically for the first time, which makes accessing and using the encyclopedia easier than ever. So click away to discover over 1300 expert written entries on all areas of communication including such interesting areas as:

• Hong Kong Cinema
• Spectator Gaze
• Communication Studies
• Habermas, Jurgen
• Advertising
• Speech Codes Theory
• Television as Popular Culture
• … and many many more!

The International Encyclopedia of Communication is hosted on the Blackwell Reference Online platform available from the Albertsons Library database page. Head to “B” on the database A-Z list for Blackwell Reference Online. Once inside Blackwell Reference Online, look for The International Encyclopedia of Communication in the menu on the left or under the subject of Communication.

Whether it is information on communication or any other subject, you will at Albertsons Library.

Rick Stoddart,
Reference Librarian