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Category: Agriculture

RefWorks Tutorials at the MacRae Library

Need a hand organizing your bibliography? Learn how to use RefWorks, a tool that  compiles, edits and formats bibliographies by importing references directly from online databases that you’re using. You can also use RefWorks to enter your references manually and insert them into your finished paper in the citation style of your choice (eg. APA, MLA).

Make bibliographies easier with RefWorks.

The MacRae Library (Agricultural Campus) is offering tutoring sessions that explain how to create a RefWorks account, export article citations, create a bibliography and more. This session is open to faculty, staff and students.

Those attending a session are encouraged to bring their laptops and follow along; however, a laptop is not required. Each session will be held in the Writing Centre corner on the main floor of the MacRae Library (see the Circulation Desk for directions).

Sessions are limited to 15 participants. To register, please email erin.macpherson@dal.ca or sign up at the Circulation Desk and state which session you’d like to attend:

Friday, November 2/1-2 p.m.

                                    or

Tuesday, November 6/9:30-10:30 a.m.

MacRae staff profiles: Erin MacPherson

Erin MacPherson has worked at the MacRae Library since 2008.  She’s a graduate of the Nova Scotia Agricultural College, holding a Bachelor of Science (Agr) in plant science and a plant science technician diploma. She is currently doing her masters in library science (MLIS) part-time at Dalhousie.

 

Erin MacPherson, based at the MacRae Library on Dalhousie's Agricultural Campus.

At the Faculty of Agriculture, Erin teaches information literacy classes. She is also responsible for electronic resources (databases), the library website and copyright queries. Erin created and maintains the MacRae Library’s agriculture subject guides, she works on the reference desk, and has done many projects related to the merger.

“I’m really excited to be part Dalhousie team and to work in part of a large library system. I feel like there are many opportunities to make a positive impact,” says Erin. “Working with my colleagues at Dalhousie during the merger has been a great experience!”

Erin, welcome to the Dalhousie Libraries team!

 

The Open Access Rainbow

The open access logo.

In today’s installation for International Open Access Week, we’re taking a closer look at the Open Access rainbow. Green, blue, yellow, white and gold make up the open access rainbow, with each colour relating to a different option or model in the open access journal world.

Before we dive into what each colour means, we first have to understand the concepts of pre-print, author’s final version and post-print. Pre-prints are the draft, uncorrected version of an article. The author’s final version is the article written exactly as it will appear in a journal. Post-prints are how the article looks in a journal—this includes the typeface and layout as it appears on the pages of the publication. Usually this is a PDF of the article from the publication.

Each colour in the open access rainbow refers to different levels of open access allowed by publishers.

Green

When a publisher allows both the pre-print and the post-print to be archived, they are considered a green publisher producing green journals. Many publishers will allow the author’s final version to be archived but not the post-print. Such publishers are still considered green as they allow a version to be archived that has the same content as the published version.

Blue

Blue publishers will not allow pre-prints to be archived but will allow post-prints or the author’s final version to be archived.

Yellow

If a publisher allows their authors to archive their pre-prints but not their post-prints, then they are considered a yellow publisher.

White

Publishers that refuse to grant their authors any rights to archive their work online are called white publishers. Their journals are known as white journals.

Gold

Gold refers to open access journals that are available to readers free of charge.  Usually, these are electronic journals and the material is openly accessible on the Internet.  These journals are financed by payments for the article to be published, as opposed to being financed through reader subscriptions.  Sometimes referred to as “author-pays publishing,” when generally the publishing fee is paid from a research grant as part of the cost of doing research.

We hope that the blog posts featured on the LibVine throughout Open Access Week have shed light on some of the issues facing the academic world. In recognition of Open Access Week, the School of Information Management is launching the latest issue of their journal, the Dalhousie Journal of Interdisciplinary Management, as an open access edition.  The launch will take place today (Fri., Oct. 26)  from 12-1 p.m. in room 3089 of the Rowe Building.

 

Source: Green, Blue, Yellow, White & Gold: a brief guide to the open access rainbow, by Bill Hubbard.  http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/documents/sherpaplusdocs/Nottingham-colour-guide.pdf

Green or Gold? International Open Access Week

The Open Access logo.

In today’s installation for International Open Access Week, we’re taking a closer look at the two main roads to open access: green and gold.

The terms green and gold already have a lot of meaning. When we hear something is ‘green’ we usually think of environmental-friendly initiatives. When we hear something is ‘gold’, it usually conjures the phrase ‘gold standard’, meaning the best. In the open access world, these associations don’t necessarily hold true.

The green road

The green road means self-archiving. Authors are encouraged to archive pre-prints (draft, uncorrected versions) and/or post-prints (the final version as it will be published) in repositories. The repositories can be institutionally based, such as DalSpace, or they can be connected to specific disciplines, such as arxiv for Physics, RePEc for Economics, and E-LIS for Library and Information Science. The repositories can be searched with tools such as Google Scholar, Scopus, and OAIster. To find which repositories publishers allow authors to deposit in, visit the SHERPA/Romeo site.

To be considered ‘green’, an author can publish in a journal that is open access or not, but they have to also deposit in an institutional repository (IR).

The gold road

The gold road refers to open access publishing, particularly journals. Open access journals are available to readers free of charge.  Usually, these are electronic journals and the material is openly accessible on the Internet. Since these journals don’t charge a subscription fee, they employ different methods of paying for the publishing including sponsorship, grants, advertising, and submission fees. Two well-known open access publishers include BioMed Central (BMC) and Public Library of Science (PLoS).

If you plan to publish in a journal, consider the open access implications. Also, consider retaining your rights as an author.

Source:

“Scholarly Communication - Open Access.”
University of Calgary.
ucalgary.ca/scholarlycommunication/openaccess

 

 

 

 

Dalhousie Night Owls Are Back

Can’t get enough time at the library? Need to keep on studying after midnight?

Dal Night Owls means you can study til 3 a.m. at the Killam!

Beginning Sunday, October 28, the Learning Commons in the Killam Library will remain open until 3 a.m., Sundays through Thursdays, until the last day of exams (December 17).

These extended hours apply to the Learning Commons and atrium only. The Help Desk, Circulation Desk, and upper library floors will close at midnight. Students in those areas can move to the Learning Commons or atrium.

Access to this service is for current Dalhousie or University of King’s College students with a valid DalCard. To access the Killam after midnight, swipe your card through the reader at the main University Avenue entrance. Students already in the Learning Commons/Atrium at midnight will need to swipe their DalCard in a mobile card reader as requested by the commissionaires.

PARKING & SAFETY

To improve safety, the McCain Building Parkade* across from LeMarchant Street will offer FREE parking from midnight until 3 a.m., Sundays through Thursdays, until December 17.

If you’re walking or biking, consider becoming “study buddies” with friends or classmates who live near you, and head home together.

*The McCain Parkade is the main parking area for events at the Arts Centre each evening and a fee will be charged if you park there before midnight. After midnight, parking is free of charge until the Learning Commons and atrium closes at 3 a.m.

Have questions about Night Owls? You can call the Killam Circulation Desk at 494-3617.

Good luck with your studies!

 

Securing Your Rights as the Author of a Journal Article: International Open Access Week

In recognition of International Open Access Week, we wanted to address the challenge of maintaining your rights as an author of a journal article and offer a solution.

If you have had an article published in a journal, did you have to sign a restrictive publication agreement? Sometimes called a ‘copyright transfer agreement’ these agreements often do just that—transfer the copyright from you (the author) to the publisher. But did you know that publishing agreements are negotiable? Publishers only need your permission to publish an article, they do not need to control the copyright as well.

By retaining the copyright of your journal article, you can freely share it with colleagues and students. If you retain the copyright, you can post the article on your website or in an online repository and include sections from the article in later works. In short, you will be able to share your article with the academic community as you wish, giving your research the exposure it deserves.

SPARC®, the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition, is an international alliance of academic and research libraries working to correct imbalances in the scholarly publishing system. They have developed the SPARC® Author Addendum, which is a “legal instrument that modifies the publisher’s agreement and allows you to keep key rights to your articles.” In keeping with the open access theme, this form is a free resource developed in partnership with Creative Commons and Science Commons.

The Open Access logo: International Open Access Week is Oct. 22-26.

 

International Open Access Week

The Open Access logo used by many institutions.

Today marks the first day of International Open Access Week (October 22-28). Not sure what Open Access is and why it matters to Dalhousie students and faculty? Read on.

Peter Suber, a leader in the field of Open Access, said it best: Open Access (OA) is the practice of providing unrestricted access via the Internet to peer-reviewed scholarly journal articles. Open Access literature is digital, online, free of charge, and free of most copyright and licensing restrictions.

The Dalhousie Libraries are developing a repository to make the research done at Dalhousie more visible to the university community and the world. This repository will be a single access point for academic research documents that will showcase the quality and breadth of research conducted at Dal. In addition to faculty profiles, the repository can hold published papers, including conference posters, slide presentations, educational materials, schematics, data, and videos.

The Dalhousie Libraries are making a commitment to Dalhousie scholars and researchers to preserve this material in perpetuity, migrating the data to new platforms over time as technology changes. The key objective of this project is to provide unrestricted permanent access to research for the purpose of advancing knowledge.

The principles of Open Access are founded on ideas of public access to publicly funded research, author rights, availability of educational resources, and affordable access to materials for educational institutions. The Dalhousie Libraries are pleased to be using these principles to bring the research activities of Dalhousie to the world.

 

Canadian Library Support Staff Day

The Canadian Library Association (CLA) has proclaimed today to be Canadian Library Support Staff Day.

From the CLA proclamation:

“The purpose of the day is to celebrate and show our appreciation for the work of library technicians, library assistants, library clerks, pages, shelvers, and all other support staff members who perform daily miracles in our public, private, school, government, academic, and corporate libraries. This day is recognized during Canadian Library Month, an annual celebration of libraries, library workers, and the services they provide to their communities.”

Thank you to all of the library support staff at the Dal Libraries. Your daily contributions help make the Dal Libraries the special places that they are.

October Is Canadian Libraries Month

The poster for this year's Canadian Library Month.

What is a library? Libraries are hubs, connecting people to services, information and their community. Unfortunately, the outdated and commonly held perception that libraries are just books on shelves persists, and with the rise of tools like Google, some people question why we even need libraries. This is why we take time every October to recognize Canadian Libraries Month. Developed by library partners from across the country, Canadian Libraries Month reminds us of the valuable role that libraries play in the lives of Canadians.

Instead of ‘What is a library?’, the better question is ‘What do libraries do?’ Libraries foster lifelong learning by helping people of all ages access the information and tools they need to live, learn and work. Libraries bolster economic prosperity by providing access to decision-making information for organizations and businesses, they enhance the quality of life for all Canadians, and they help ensure that Canadian culture continues to flourish and thrive. Academic libraries play a special role contributing to the academic growth of Canadians.

The theme for this year’s Canadian Libraries Month is Libraries Connect. Here at the Dalhousie Libraries, we’ve taken some time to reflect on how we connect with our users and our community. Here are just some of the ways that we connect:

  • connecting with library users face-to-face at the Information Desks, Reference Desks, Circulation Desks and Help Desks
  • connecting users with services through the libraries’ website, mobile website and blog
  • connecting with users through social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest
  • connecting users with reference services through live chat
  • connecting anonymously with users through the Comments/Compliments/Complaints boards
  • connecting with on-campus events like Pink Day and Dal Reads
  • connecting with the community through initiatives like One Book Nova Scotia
What role have libraries played in your life? How has their role changed as you’ve grown? How do you connect to the Dal Libraries?

The display at the Killam Library for Canadian Libraries Month.

 

 

Ian Colford’s New Novel

Author and librarian Ian Colford.

Ian Colford, the collection development librarian for the Dalhousie Libraries, is launching his new novel, The Crimes of Hector Tomás, this Thurs., Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. at The Company House.

The book is described as an “epic novel about disappearance and deception.” Set in an undisclosed South American country, the story revolves around a family and their secrets.

At 414 pages, it’s a hefty debut novel. “The book took eight years to write. I completed the writing in 2010 and then came the edits,” says Ian. Ian’s first book, Evidence, a collection of short stories, was published in 2008. It won the Margaret & John Savage First Book Award and was shortlisted for the Danuta Gleed Literary Award, The Thomas Head Raddall Atlantic Fiction Prize and the ReLit Award.

Ian’s first book was also highly praised by reviewers. The Globe and Mail called it, “a rich, shadowed, mind-tweaking puzzle.” The Danforth Review said, “These stories explode in vivid detail, amazing breadth of characterization and geography, and stunning displays of conflict and emotional upheaval.”

“I think people are going to be surprised,” says Ian. “This novel is not typical CanLit. I’m grateful to Freehand Books for taking this risk.”

Congratulations on the launch of your novel Ian! We can’t wait to read it.

 

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