PowerBlog

A lot of you enjoy perusing our periodic list of those books which have been newly added to our shelves. So with that in mind...hold on a sec...I forgot to remind you that many of these particular titles, because they are, by definition, new, can be found in the nice little new book display in the lobby. Look for the bookcase with the gentle light spreading a heavenly glow (read: yellow) over the accumulated wisdom and imagination of the many great minds who wrote their contents. Where was I? Oh yeah, the list: Philosophy/Psychology Engaged philosophy: essays in honour of David Braybrooke / edited by Susan Sherwin and Peter Schotch True to our feelings: what our emotions are really telling us / Robert C. Solomon Presocratic philosophy: a very short introduction / Catherine Osborne Plato and the virtue of courage / Linda R. Rabieh Freedom and neurobiology: reflections on free will, language, and political power / John R. Searle The legacy of Socrates: essays in moral philosophy / Ja...

Have a nice break? Did you miss us? So, the turkey's history and you can't wait to start writing papers again. Or something like that... A few library things (old news, new news) we wanted you to know: - We're back to our usual hours: M-F 8am-11pm, Sat 10am-7pm, Sun noon-11pm - Need a quick print job? Don't wait in line. We now have express printing in the Reference Room - If you use APA style and you use electronic sources (who doesn't?), you should be aware that there have been some recent changes to how to cite these. For more information (they can explain it better than I can), go to http://apastyle.apa.org/elecref.html - "Due to popular demand" we're trying to find ways of making the library a little less noisy, with a little less conversation (maybe you saw the ad in The Journal a while back?). Do your part, keep it down. Remember, these next 4 months will fly by and you'll be free again. Or something like that...

Ever circled around the library's computers in a cold sweat, disc or memory stick in hand, waiting for one to become available so that you could print that essay due in 10 minutes? Well your circling days are over! We now have an Express Printing station in the Reference Room (follow the bright green signs) where you can quickly print your Word, PowerPoint or Excel documents. To insure that we keep the "express" in Express Printing", we have set it up so that it can be used for printing only - no editing, no e-mailing, no web surfing. Which also means that the document has to either be on a portable device (disc, memory stick, etc.) or the J: or P: drives. And because you log in to your student account, you can use your print credits. We think you're going to like this new service. Scratch that, we know you're going to like it.

Those who like to bring their laptop to the library to take advantage of our wireless access (and there are lots of you) should be even happier. Now when you are searching Novanet , or our journal databases, or writing those brilliant essays when you're sitting in those purple armchairs, you can conveniently print the results of all that hard work on the library's printers. Just go to http://www.smu.ca/administration/library/wirelessPrinting.html for information on setting it all up, troubleshooting, etc. (it's not that complicated). Because this is is a pilot project, it does not yet have full technical support and so far it seems to work better with Windows XP and Mac O/S than with Vista. But we're working on that. If you have any questions, problems or suggestions, e-mail research@smu.ca so that we can forward them to the appropriate tech people. Like other campus printing, print credits will be charged against your "S" account (and don't worry, ...

It's been a while since I posted a list of some of our newest books. So here they are (remember that if you see something you like, simply copy and paste the title into the Novanet catalogue to get the call number and determine its availability): Philosophy The know-it-all: one man's humble quest to become the smartest person in the world / A.J. Jacobs Good and real: demystifying paradoxes from physics to ethics / Gary Drescher Reshaping reason: toward a new philosophy / John McCumber Spinoza’s book of life: freedom and redemption in the Ethics / Steven B. Smith Educating the human brain / Michael Posner Euclid in the rainforest: discovering universal truth in logic and math / Joseph Mazur Plato’s fable: on the moral condition in shadowy times / Joshua Mitchell Intricate ethics: rights, responsibilities and permissible harm / F.M. Kamm Religion The Oxford handbook of religion and science / Ed. by Philip Clayton Church and state in Canada / Albert Menendez A church divided: G...

Finally! The renovations to the third floor have been (almost) completed - and just in time for the start of the Fall term. I have been so busy emptying shelves, carrying books, shifting journals and re-assembling shelves that I have not been able to provide regular progress reports as we moved through the process. But we have managed to accomplish just about everything we had promised: - New flooring throughout. We have replaced the original 32-year-old carpeting with a clean, quiet and environmentally-sensitive carpet tile that also looks great - The book collection (PR4000-Z) has been moved to the beginning of the room so that it follows naturally from those on the second floor and re-oriented to visually separate it from the journal collection and to allow for light to flow through. - The journal collection has been consolidated to better reflect the university's current research focus and to better complement our growing electronic offerings. - Previously the floor housed on...

We would like to let you know about some changes which will be occurring in the library over the course of the summer..... The library is currently in the midst of a comprehensive planning process to insure that library space is utilized to the utmost benefit of the university’s students, faculty and staff. Our intention is to critically assess all three floors of our study, collection storage and work areas and to implement those changes which will contribute to our goal of providing a comfortable, effective, congenial and stimulating environment for the Saint Mary’s research community. In all of our deliberations we have been guided by the many thoughtful ideas, comments and opinions conveyed to us by our users in the recent LibQual survey. Needless to say, the ever-evolving, technology-driven nature of contemporary scholarly research and communication has been a crucial consideration. And all of it has been framed by the principles and objectives outlined in the university’s Acad...

Need something good to read? Here are some of the books recently added to the Library's collection: Philosophy/Psychology The philosophy of enchantment: studies in folktale, cultural criticism, and anthropology / R.G. Collingwood; edited by David Boucher, Wendy James, and Philip Smallwood Spinoza's book of life: freedom and redemption in the ethics / Steven B. Smith Subjectivity and selfhood: investigating the first-person perspective / Dan Zahavi Understanding people: normativity and rationalizing explanation / Alan Millar An argument for mind / Jerome Kagan On determinism and freedom / Ted Honderich Mourning and modernity: essays in the psychoanalysis of contemporary society / Isaac D. Balbus Moral skepticisms / Walter Sinnott-Armstrong This changes everything: the relational revolution in psychology / Christina Robb Religion Authentic fakes: religion and American popular culture / David Chidester ...

Classes are over for the year - the last papers have (hopefully) been shipped out - the "only" things left are those pesky exams. A few more days and you'll be free. Just... a... bit... more... sweat and blood. And there's no better place to sweat and ... study than the library. That's why we've extended our hours so that we're open every night till 11:00 right to the last day of exams (for all our hours go here ). So good luck! Do well! And we'll see you in September. And if you're graduating, thanks for the memories (I know, I know, we don't even have any memories but I wanted to end with something really profound and this was the best I could come up with- Billie Joe Armstrong I'm not)

A little more convenience in your (academic) lives.... Now when you log on to SMUport your eyes will be drawn to the centre of the page. That's where the library lives. We (actually, our systems librarian Peter Webster) have designed a great little presence for the library which allows you direct and easy access to many of our most important resources and services. You can do quick searches of Novanet or for journal articles. Or you can follow links to our web site, our hours and contact info - even to this blog! Check it out the next time you're in SMUport. This is all part of our plan to meet you wherever you are. Hmmm, maybe we should be in MySpace or, better yet, Facebook (I don't think I'm ready for Second Life ). What do you think? Drop me a line (comment on this post). - Ron

Here are some new book titles to peak your interest. Remember that, if there is a book about which you would like more information (call number, status, etc.), just copy and paste the title into the Novanet catalogue .... Religion The Myth of religious superiority: multifaith explorations of religious pluralism / edited by Paul F. Knitter Westward dharma: Buddhism beyond Asia / edited by Charles S. Prebish, Martin Baumann History/Geography A concise dictionary of first names / Patrick Hanks and Flavia Hodges. Rediscovering the British world / edited by Phillip Buckner & R. Douglas Francis. Nine visits to the mythworld / Ghandl of the Qayahl Llaanas; translated by Robert Bringhurst. The secret Mulroney tapes: unguarded confessions of a prime minister / Peter C. Newman. Business/Economics Marketing to women: how to increase your share of the world's largest market / Marti Barletta. Small business survival book: 12 surefire ways for your business to survive and thrive / Barbara W...

Ever had a book brought in from another library via interlibrary loan? Saint Mary's students and faculty can now take advantage of some significant improvements to the way interlibrary loans work. After lengthy negotiations, the universities in the Atlantic Provinces, Ontario and western Canada have reached an agreement on resource sharing which will promote the easier movement of books and journal articles among the country's researchers. The most important changes are: 1. there will now be no charge for interlibrary loans of books among the participating schools 2. there will be a flat rate of $5 for journal articles , regardless of length - some of the larger research libraries used to charge up to $20 per article 3. the turnaround time will be 4 days which means that, allowing for shipment, books should be in the hands of the researcher 10-12 days after a request was initiated. Journal articles, because they can be sent electronically, should not take longer than 4 day...

Some interesting stuff this month. Here are the newest books, hot off the press: Religion: Bodies and souls, or spirited bodies? / Nancey Murphy Crossing and dwelling: a theory of religion / Thomas A. Tweed Contemporary varieties of religious experience: James's classic study in light of resiliency, temperament, and trauma / Lynn Bridgers; foreword by James W. Fowler Dream catchers: how mainstream America discovered native spirituality / Philip Jenkins Oba's story: Rastafari, purification, and power / by George D. Colman Islam and liberty: the historical misunderstanding / Mohamed Charfi Black church beginnings: the long-hidden realities of the first years / Henry H. Mitchell How to read the Bible: history, prophecy, literature -- why modern readers need to know the difference, and what it means for faith today / Steven L. McKenzie History/Geography: Red Hugh O'Donnell and the Nine Years War / Darren McGettigan Sudan: the elusive quest for peace / Ruth Lyob, Gilbert M. Khad...

...etc., etc., etc. How was the time off? Great? Busy? Slow? Weird? Too much food? Too much drink? Too much YouTube? It doesn't matter. It's ancient history now. It's January and you probably don't have an assignment due for at least a week. So drop into the library, see your old friends, exchange New Year's Eve horror stories. We open at 8 and I figure the lineups at the computers will start forming around 9:30.... Have a great term!

The library's book collection is growing all the time. Below are some of the latest additions. If there is something here you think you would like to look at during your well-deserved break, simply copy and paste the title into the Novanet catalogue to find out more about it. The course of recognition/ Ricoeur, Paul Giving an account of oneself/ Butler, Judith Why life speeds up as you get older: how memory shapes our past Applications of nonverbal communication Us and them: understanding your tribal mind/ Berreby, David Basic instinct: the genesis of behaviour/ Blumberg, Mark Gender, nature, and nurture/ Lippa, Rchard Imagination and play in the electronic age/ Singer, Dorothy Religion online: finding faith on the Internet/ Dawson, Lorne Culturally-conscious worship/ Black, Kathy The psychology of demonization: promoting acceptance and reducing conflict/ Alon, Nahi Interacting with the dead: perspectives on mortuary archaeology for the new millennium/ Rakita, Gordon Appropriate...

...for university students. Papers are due and exams are right around the corner. The holidays can seem a long, long way away. So this is a good time to remind you about some of the things the library offers which might help you in the days ahead: Extended Hours - We always increase our hours at the end of the term to give you more research and study time. Here's what they look like for the next few weeks: December 1- 3 Friday 8:00am-11:00pm Saturday 8:00am-11:00pm Sunday 10:00am-11:00pm December 4-10 Monday-Thursday 8:00am - 11:00pm Friday (Note: December 8 is the Patronal Feast of the university) 9:00am-11:00pm Saturday 8:00am-11:00pm Sunday 10:00am-11:00pm For our hours for the remainder of the term, go here . Quiet Study Space - sometimes silence is golden. You just want a place where there are no distractions, where you can finish reading that novel or get ready for that exam. Remember that the Reserve Reading Room on the main floor of the library is just such a place. It...

Because Remembrance Day is tomorrow, this is a good time to remind you that the library will be keeping its usual hours throughout the weekend, including Monday. Below is the schedule for this weekend and the rest of the term..... November 10- November 26 Monday-Friday 8:00am-11:00pm Saturday 10:00am-7:00pm Sunday Noon-11:00pm Note: Remembrance Day, Saturday, November 11 Regular hours 10:00am-7:00pm Note: Monday, November 13 Regular hours 8:00am-11:00pm November 27-December 3 Monday-Friday 8:00am-11:00pm Saturday 8:00am-11:00pm (extended) Sunday 10:00am-11:00pm (extended) December 4-10 Monday-Thursday 8:00am - 11:00pm Friday (Note: December 8 is the Patronal Feast of the university) 9:00am-11:00pm Saturday 8:00am-11:00pm (extended) Sunday 10:00am-11:00pm (extended) December 11-17 Monday-Friday 8:00am-11:00pm Saturday 8:00am-7:00pm Sunday Noon-11:00pm December 18-21 Monday-Wednesday 9:00am-5:00pm Thursday 9:00am-Noon December 22-January 1/07 CLOSED Tuesday, January 2/07 9:00am-5:00p...

Below are some of the latest new books added to the library's growing collection. A pretty impressive list-there are a lot of bright people doing great work out there. As usual, to find out more info about any that you want, just copy and paste the title into the Novanet Catalogue . Philosophy and friendship Psychology of gender identity The Handbook of evolutionary psychology Islam between culture and politics Christians and Muslims Islam and politics in the contemporary world The transformation of British life, 1950-2000 German scholars and ethnic cleansing, 1919-1945 Understanding the contemporary Middle East Getting Haiti right this time Tourism, religion and spiritual journeys Geographies of globalization Ethnicity, nationalism, and minority rights Bridging research and policy in development The Democratic Republic of Congo Globalization for development Helping people help themselves Researching conflict in Africa Understanding the European Union Intercultural communication i...

APA got you down? MLA a mystery? Then you'll be glad to know that the library has just acquired Refworks - a web-based citation management tool that allows you to collect, edit, and organize your bibliographic citations. Refworks takes the headaches out of creating your bibliography, reference list or works cited page. It's easy: when you are searching one of the library's journal databases, you simply mark the citations you want, export them to Refworks and they will be automatically converted to the style you have selected (MLA, APA, Chicago, Turabian or dozens of others). No more trying to remember if the journal title is underlined or italicized, if the page number is included, where does the date go? Everyone at Saint Mary's can create their own free Refworks account. For help in getting started, look for the Refworks link at the top of the style guides page on our web site. In addition, there will be a Refworks instruction session this Friday (October 27) from 1...

Some of you have been waiting for this. Saint Mary's faculty, students and staff now have the option of doing a Google-like "quick search" to find out what books or journal articles the Patrick Power Library has on a particular subject. Let me explain... If you look near the bottom of the library's web site you'll find two new search boxes. The Novanet Quick Search box does a keyword search of the Novanet catalogue. For example, if you're writing a paper on women's work in Canada, just type the words women work canada to get a list of all the books in the catalogue which deal with all three terms. It's fast and it's easy. Of course, you can still go in to Novanet and search the "old-fashioned" way but now you have a choice. Even better, the Article Quick Search box allows you to simultaneously search seven of our most popular journal databases , including ABI, Ebsco and Sage. No more searching one database at a time (unless you ...