New MSW students may sign up for one of three Social Welfare Research Seminar sessions held in June. The Social Welfare Research Seminar is part of the MSW program’s information literacy requirement and is mandatory for all students pursuing the Masters' degree in Social Welfare.

The June schedule is as follows:

• June 9 (Monday): 11:00am
• June 18 (Wednesday): 4:30pm
• June 25 (Wednesday): 4:00pm

You may sign up one of three ways: stop by the Dewey Library Reference Desk, call us at 442-3691, or register online.

Posted by Elaine Lasda Bergman at 11:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Spring semester classes are now over, and exams have begun. For those of your preparing to end your time here at UAlbany, we want to remind you of the services offered by the University Libraries that remain available to you long after you’ve written your last paper and turned in your final projects. We encourage you to view our page with the complete description of Alumni Services, but here are some of the highlights:

• University Libraries offers borrowing privileges to those students who have received degrees from the University at Albany. Present a valid photo ID at the circulation desk (at any of the three libraries), and once your alumni status is confirmed, you will be able to check out up to 25 items for a 30 day loan period.
• We also encourage alumni to take advantage of the reference services offered by librarians – available in person or through our electronic Ask-A-Librarian services. Our librarians will gladly assist with any research question and will help you locate the information you need.
• The Interactive Media Center offers free technology instruction for students, staff and faculty which alumni may also attend.
• Alumni access to the Libraries’ online databases and indexes is limited to on-site use. However you might find our list of free databases helpful .
• You can also refer to this blog for the latest information on resources and services available.

So, even as your enter another stage of your life, remember that the University Libraries remain eager and willing to help you in your research and continuing education needs.

Blog post created by Michael Daly

Posted by Elaine Lasda Bergman at 11:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's spring at the Dewey Library when the tree is blossoming and we put out the banners.
Take a look at our other photos on Flickr.

photo credit: Morris Stilson

Posted by Elaine Lasda Bergman at 11:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just a reminder: all materials currently on loan to faculty are due back tomorrow, April 30. You may renew your materials either in person or online.

Ph.D candidates have a fixed due date of May 31. Loans to Masters' students are for 90 days from checkout.

We appreciate your efforts to return or renew books in a timely manner. Questions about the library's lending policy? Check out our Circulation Services page, or call us at 442-3693.

Posted by Elaine Lasda Bergman at 09:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dewey will be offering the final two informational workshops for graduate students this week. If you are a Social Welfare student needing to fulfill the information literacy requirement, you may want to use this opportunity to complete the workshop before the end of the semester. Sign up in person at the Dewey reference desk, call 442-3691, or register online.

This weeks classes:

Thursday:
2:00 PM: Introduction to Online Research Databases

Friday:
11:00 AM: Conducting Research from Home

Posted by Elaine Lasda Bergman at 11:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The APA Style Guide to Electronic References is now available in both print and online format. As scholars and students know, providing accurate citations to information sources is an essential component of any research project or paper. Such research increasingly relies on documents in electronic formats, and it has not always been clear how to properly identify and cite these items. This new reference from the American Psychological Association offers researchers a comprehensive guide to citing digital materials. It is now available in print or online – there is a copy in the Dewey Reference section, and one on Reserve (Call Number: BF 76.7 P84X 2007). Search Minerva for the link to our electronic access.

Organized into categories ranging from reference materials such as online encyclopedias , to digital dissertations , to slightly more esoteric formats, such as audio podcasts -- this guide provides a quick overview of the type of material being discussed and provides specific citation examples.

Of particular note is the section on journal articles. The proliferation of journals now available full-text online (both with and without print counterparts), can make navigating the world of electronic citations somewhat cumbersome. Using simple language, the style guide erases much of the confusion. In particular, this section clarifies citing in situations when an item is pre-published on the web ahead of print, or when it has been assigned a Digital Object Identifier (DOI number). The style guide provides commentary explaining the differences between types of online journal articles to help you determine which citation format is most appropriate.

For a refresher on some of the more “standard” citation rules for APA and other formats, be sure and visit the University Libraries’ Style Guides and “How and When to Cite…” pages. These pages provide summaries of a wide variety of citation formats, and instructional resources to help you assure that you’ve properly attributed the sources in your research.

Reference Librarians can also help you answer any questions you have regarding when and how to cite a source. When in doubt, Ask a Librarian!

Blog post created by Michael Daly

Posted by Elaine Lasda Bergman at 11:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)