The WK Kellogg Health Sciences Library will be open on Thanksgiving Day, Monday, October 14 from 10am-6pm.
Off-campus access to Wiley blocked
Update, October 9: Dalhousie’s off-campus access to Wiley resources has been restored.
The publisher Wiley has blocked all off-campus access to their eJournals, eBooks, and databases while tech support investigates a possible case of compromised access. We can still offer access from computers on campus. The Dalhousie Libraries apologize for the inconvenience to our users.
Canadian Library Month 2013
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 Unfortunately, the outdated and commonly held perception that libraries are just books on shelves persists, and with the rise of tools like Google, some people question why we even need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 Library 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 Library 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 our service 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?
Not receiving library notifications? We have a fix.
Recently, Dalhousie migrated the Dal email system to Office 365. If you had your Dal email set up to forward emails to another personal account, you might be missing out on some important information since the switch to Office 365. That’s because during the migration process, Dalhousie was able to move your email to your new inbox; however, they could not move all of your configurations.
The Dal Libraries send you important information, such as notices about when books and materials come in for you from Novanet or Document Delivery. These message go to your Dal email. If you’re not checking your Dal email regularly and you’ve been expecting these messages to be forwarded to another account, you may not be receiving them.
Luckily, we have a fix. Follow this link for information about how to set up a forward that works from your new Office 365 account.
Win a copy of Fauna by Alissa York
Send us a pic of your favourite animal (@DalLibraries on Twitter, or Killam Memorial Library on Facebook) and tell us why you love it, for a chance to win a copy of Alissa York’s Fauna. Alissa is reading at the University Club Pub this Thursday at 7 p.m.
Which animal does the Dal Libraries love? We love so, so many, but we especially love the dogs of Paws to Read, a program that matches reluctant readers with dogs. The dogs are patient and non-judgmental listeners, turning reluctant readers into enthusiastic readers. (Picture above from the Paws to Read program by Halifax Public Libraries.)
Reduction in Hours at the Killam Library
This fall, the Killam Library had to reduce the amount of hours that we are open. We made this decision very reluctantly, due to a significant reduction in the Dal Libraries’ budget this year. We now close at 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights (we were open until midnight last year), and we have slightly reduced hours on statutory holidays. We have also made cuts to our collections in order to balance the budget. Friday and Saturday nights were chosen as the hours to cut because those were the hours when library use is shown to be less than at other times.
We understand that this reduction in hours is an inconvenience for students and other researchers, and we would not have taken this course of action if there were alternatives. Reducing access to the Library’s collections and services is never our aim, and should our funding levels increase again next year, we will certainly restore the hours then.
Beginning on October 27, Night Owl hours will return for approximately six weeks before and during exams (this pattern will be repeated in the spring, too). During Night Owls, we will be open until 3 a.m. on Sundays-Thursdays, and until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Beginning November 23, we will also open at 8 a.m. (as opposed to 10 a.m.) on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
Your feedback is important to us, as it helps us to know which hours are most important to you, our users. Should we be able to find more funding next term, or in the next fiscal year, and if we were able to restore either Friday evening or Saturday evening hours but not both, which night is more useful? Any feedback you can provide regarding priorities for open hours would be very valuable to us when we’re making decisions in future.
Thank you,
The Dalhousie Libraries
P.S. For later study hours on Fridays and Saturdays before Night Owls, the Sexton Design & Technology Library is open until 9 p.m. both nights.
New database: ClinicalKey
ClinicalKey is a search tool and database which provides full-text access to over 1,000 books, over 500 journals and over 13,000 procedural videos, as well as practice guidelines, patient education material and drug information.
Access ClinicalKey here: http://ezproxy.library.dal.ca/login?url=http://www.clinicalkey.com
Clinical Key replaces MD Consult which the publisher has retired.
Please note that in order to print a PDF copy of a book chapter, you must first create and log in to a free personal account on ClinicalKey. The complete user guide is available here: http://info.clinicalkey.com/docs/Complete_User_Guide.pdf
Copyright Drop-in Sessions
Do you have questions about copyright? Representatives from the Dal Libraries’ Copyright Office will be on hand to answer your questions for the following copyright sessions.
Wednesday, October 2, 12-1 p.m.
Room G70, Killam Memorial Library
Wednesday, October 9, 1-2 p.m.
Service Desk at the Kellogg Library
Thursday, October 17, 12-1 p.m.
Lobby of the Killam Library
Wednesday, October 23, 1-2 p.m.
Main service area in the Sexton Library
Wednesday, October 30, 12-1 p.m.
Lobby of the Killam Library
Reading with Alissa York
Alissa York will be reading at the University Club Pub on Thursday, October 3 at 7 p.m.
Alissa’s book, Fauna, is the One Book Nova Scotia selection for 2013, as well as the DalReads selection for this academic year. Alissa will be touring the province in October, doing readings from Yarmouth to Sydney, and we are excited to be one of the lucky locations that will be hosting her.
Fauna is described by author Annabel Lyon as “rich and strange and deeply satisfying.” The novel explores the complicated relationships between humans and animals, portraying humans both as the animals’ advocates and adversaries.
Fauna can be borrowed from the Dal Libraries. We’ll also be giving away copies from Sept. 30-Oct. 3, so stay tuned to our Twitter and Facebook accounts for information about how you can win a copy.
Note: for our friends on the Agricultural Campus, Alissa will be doing a reading on Tuesday, October 8 at 7 p.m. at the Truro Public Library.
Win your own copy. Stay tuned to our Twitter and Facebook accounts to learn how.
Welcome, Laura
The Killam Library has just hired a new intern from the School of Information Management. Laura Corscadden will be working with Joyline Makani and Lindsay McNiff, providing research and instructional support, updating LibGuides, and working at the Killam Library Service Point (KLSP), formerly the Circulation Desk.
Laura has just started her second year of the Master of Library and Information Studies program and is eager to start working in the Killam. Originally from Fredericton, Laura worked at the Harriet Irving Library at the Fredericton Campus of the University of New Brunswick. “I observed the passionate professionals who worked there, and they inspired me to pursue my library degree,” says Laura.
She returned to the Harriet Irving Library this summer to complete her practicum. “I was placed in Research and Learning Services, which involves departments related to public service, and I worked primarily in their reference department. It was a very well rounded practicum,” says Laura.
Laura hopes to end up working in academic libraries when she’s finished her degree. For now, she’ll be at the Killam until April. Stop by and hi if you see her on the KLSP, she’ll be happy to help.