Welcome to Spring!

The Library welcomes everyone to a new semester. As you start getting your library research assignments, please remember that librarians are available to help you at the reference desk. We are always happy to teach you how to use the databases, the Library Catalog, how to search the Web effectively, and other methods to research.

Meanwhile, we have new announcements:

1. The Library's hours have changed this semester. Please make it a point to plan your visits to the Library, the Student Computer Lab, and WRAC Center with these new hours in mind.

2. The Library is proud to announce we have two new staff members: Thomas Hugel is our Audio-Visual library tech person and Lia Thomas is a new adjunct (part-time) librarian.

3. As promised last summer, the new Literature Resource Center interface is now live. We hope that the new interface will be an improvement to those of you who are seeking for literary criticisms or biographical information on authors. If you have questions about the new interface, please come to the reference desk and a librarian will show you how to use it.

4. The Student Computer Lab has updated and gotten more software! The computers now have both Microsoft Office 2003 and 2007, and other updated programs. Look at the Student Computer Lab page for more information. As a reminder, you no longer need to show and leave your Student ID card to use the Lab. Just sit at an available computer, and type in your User ID number.

5. Searchpath: The new Library Online Tutorial--some of you taking certain Distance Education courses may already be using it for your classes, but the Library is proud to announce the launching of its new online, interactive tutorial: Searchpath. This tutorial includes lessons on the types of resources, how to plan your research, how to find books in the Library Catalog, and articles in the Library subscription databases, how to search and effectively evaluate information found on the Web, and how to cite resources responsibly. We encourage you to use the tutorial, and if you have any questions about it, please see us at the reference desk!

REMINDERS: Wireless access is available in the Library. There is no username/password to get access. Just turn on your wireless ready laptop and go online. We do ask that you refrain from playing any games or movies, however as high use bandwidth does effect the entire wireless network.