PowerBlog

From all of us to all of you. Sure this term has been tough. Late nights. Anxiety-ridden deadlines. Lots to learn. But that's in the past. Forget about it and just enjoy the time off. Next term will take care of itself. Worry about it when it gets here. In the meantime, you've got a few weeks to relax, eat well, maybe watch a few movies, play a few (or more than a few) games, spend time with those you like to spend time with. And we'll be here waiting for you when you come back. It'll be 2012. Endless possibilities.

Those three words just seem to go together. They have a history. Libraries fit in there too. December and April are two of our busiest months as students fill every vacant seat in search of a place to get ready for those multiple choice/essay/take home barometers of their progress. Some exams are wake up calls, some are pleasant surprises, some are satisfying affirmations. All of them are tough. So if, in the next few weeks, you're among those crowded into the first floor (I'm not talking about those angels on the upper floors working silently away like so many sixteenth century monks), how about turning the volume down a bit? Have some compassion for your fellow students. Maybe they're an hour away from their third exam in four days. An hour to squeeze as many facts, ideas, concepts and professor's opinions as possible into their heads. Notice the beads of sweat forming on their brow, the haunted look in their eyes, the nervous twitching. Try whispering. And d...

For most students the next month is not their favourite time of the year. Papers and then exams to write. Lots of research and studying. Lots to do before they can take that well-deserved Christmas break. There's not a whole lot that the Library can do to ease that burden. But there are a few things: Staff at the Reference Desk can help with your research. And we can stay open longer hours so you have a place to go to study. Which is what we'll be doing starting this weekend. As of this Saturday and continuing every day until December 19, the Library will remain open until 1:00 in the morning. Even though the Circulation Desk will close at 11:00, the rest of the library will be open so that students will have a quiet place to cram (or use the computers). For a full schedule, right into the new year, go HERE . And good luck with your exams (and papers).

Tomorrow is November 11, the day when Canadians honour those past and present members of the armed forces who served and protected their country. Remembrance Day is a statutory holiday so that people can attend the various ceremonies held in communities across Canada, including Halifax, to mark the occassion. Most of these ceremonies are held in the morning. In recognition of this, the Patrick Power Library will be closed that morning. We will open at noon and stay open until our usual 11:00pm.

Sometimes Wikipedia works just fine - if you need a quick, simple introduction to a topic. And you don't care how well it's written or who wrote it... But sometimes Wikipedia just doesn't cut it. Like when you need an authoritative description and analysis of a subject, written by a recognized expert in the field. Like you'll find in reference books (encyclopedias, handbooks, dictionaries, etc.). Of course, one of the reasons for Wikipedia's great popularity is its ease of access as a web-based, 24/7 resource, always just a few mouse clicks away. Well now you can have "the best of both worlds": e-reference books. These are electronic versions of standard, high quality reference works, available remotely from the library web site. To access them, you just have to go to our e-books page, available HERE . Some of them are available as part of a collection. For example, Access Engineering contains hundreds of handbooks and encyclopedias on civil, indus...

With all the recent renovations to the Library, especially on the main floor, we thought it would be a good idea to add some more visual interest to the space. Hence the arrival of some new art installations. The first, a 6'x16' mural, was created by Nova Scotian artist Jamie Baxter in 1993. It makes a bold statement on the brick wall near the Information & Research Desk, as pictured here. It is an impressive, imposing presence. The second, entirely different work, is a ceramic sculpture created by American artist Matt Wedel. Entitled Blue Flower Tree on Orange. i t was part of an exhibition of the artist's work by the Saint Mary's University Art Gallery in 2009. About 4' high and 3' wide, it adds a splash of colour among the armchairs in front of the glass wall looking out on to the quad. If you're interested in samples of other work by these artists, go to a Facebook page HERE or a web site HERE . And let us know what you think of these latest en...

Apparently there is a water pressure problem throughout Halifax which the water commission is busy trying to repair. Which is why the washrooms in the library and many other parts of the campus need to be closed. Some washrooms are available, including the Atrium, Science and Burke buildings. A bit of a hike but not too far. The library's packed today so hopefully the problem will be fixed soon. In the meantime, thanks for your patience.

...for the past few days now a fairly loud drilling noise can be heard periodically in many parts of the library, some louder than others. We know it's disruptive and we know it's annoying. And we apologize profusely. But, unfortunately, there's no way around it. This building is about 35 years old and some of the exterior is starting to show it's age. In order to prevent further deterioration and leaking, repairs need to be made to the brickwork. Which requires a lot of drilling. Which explains all that noise. We wish it didn't need to be done but.... We've been told that the work is scheduled to be completed by October 21. For your and our sake we hope they're right. We're keeping our fingers crossed.

...started today and the Library is a big part of it. Education Week is a series of events designed to inform Saint Mary's students about the various campus resources and services that are available to them. For more info and the full schedule, go to SMUSA's web site . On Tuesday we will be offering workshops on how to use the library to get the books, articles and other materials your professors want and you need. We'll introduce you to the book catalogue and our journal databases as well as provide tips on getting the most out of the library's web site. If you want to learn how the library works, this is your chance. Sessions are open to all, just drop by the new classroom at the far end of the main floor. They're being held 11:00-noon and 4:oo-5:00 (and "refreshments will be served"). Hope to see you tomorrow.

If you are, be sure to check out our new Forensics Sciences LibGuide. You can find it in the "Get started in..." drop down menu on our homepage or by going HERE . Libguides are convenient, one-stop-shopping electronic introductions to a particular academic discipline. We have 30 of them, one for every department on campus. The forensic science guide includes tips on searching for books (including e-books), reference sources, recommended relevant journal databases, even suggestions for other useful web sites. It also provides help with academic writing and style guides and citations. While LibGuides were designed for those exploring a subject for the first time, experienced researchers find them useful as well. It really is a great way to "get started".

As you know, most of the library's computers are clustered near the entrance. In the midst of a high traffic area. With the service desks close at hand. And study tables and working students just a few feet away. Which means (as some of you have informed us) that computer users are frequently trying to work in the midst of a pretty hectic environment. It's true that there are more PCs at the far end of the first floor but they're pretty popular. With that in mind, we recently made some changes to the IT services we offer: 6 computers have been relocated to the third floor. This, of course, is a "Quiet Zone" where no noise is permitted, assuring that some of you will be able to use a computer free of the distractions all too common on the main floor. 4 of them are along the right hand wall as you come on to the floor while the other 2 are in the far corner. And they are connected to the printers downstairs. Many students own a laptop, tablet or smart phone,...

It doesn't matter whether you're just starting out at Saint Mary's or you're a seasoned veteran. September represents a fresh start. Grade 12 or your first (or second or third) year is history. Now there's new courses, new profs, new things to learn. That's where we come in. The Library will be here whenever you need us. Got a paper to write? Can't find that one perfect article that will shine a light on a topic giving you fits? Need a quiet place to study? For you or your group? Need a computer? Need some advice? We offer all those things. So drop into the library or drop by our web site. And if you can't find what you need, ask us. We're there to make your (academic) life just a little easier. Enjoy the year.

We're just about to start the Labour Day weekend - the calm before the storm. Which means that the library will be closed Saturday, Sunday and Monday to give us a breather before the campus revs up for another Fall term. On Tuesday we'll be open 9:00am-5:00pm. Because Wednesday is the first day of classes, that's when we'll move into the schedule we'll have for the rest of the semester: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 11:00pm Saturday 10:00am - 7:00pm Sunday noon - 11:00pm But in the meantime, we're going to enjoy these few days off...

It's that time of year! A new batch of incoming students is careening around the corner and they're all going to need an ID card. And not just any old card. The official Saint Mary's "get into football games, get your bus pass, check out library books, I'm now a real university student" card. And where and when can you acquire such a hallowed piece of identification? It goes like this: August 25 - noon August 30: in the Library ID office (closed Sat. & Sun.) August 31 - September 2 10am-4pm: at the Service Expo, Loyola 290 September 3-5 11am-3:30pm: at the Service Expo, Loyola 290 September 6-7 5 10am-4:30pm: at the Service Expo, Loyola 290 September 7 7pm-9pm: back in the Library September 8 10am-9pm: Library September 9 10am-5pm: Library September 10> regular ID office hours resume That should just about cover it. But if you have any questions related to the wonderful world of IDs, just call the Circulation Desk at 420-5547.

Well, a new version of your (and our) favorite bibliographic citation manager is on its way. RefWorks 2.0 will be unveiled on August 22. It will have a new, more intuitive interface but you will still be able to do all the things you've come to rely on. You can preview the new interface by logging on to your account and clicking the "RefWorks 2.0" link. The "classic" version will be supported until December. For more information, you can watch their introductory video here . Not familiar with RefWorks and all it can do for you? Go to the library's RefWorks page and find out for yourself.

As most of you know, the first Monday in August (which, of course, is this coming Monday) is a municipal holiday in many cities and towns in Canada. And Halifax is no exception. So there will be many government offices, etc. closed on Monday. But not the Library! Here are our hours for the next few days: Friday 8:30am-5:00pm, Saturday CLOSED, Sunday 1:00pm-9:00pm and Monday 9:00am-9:oopm. Enjoy the weekend everyone (and Happy Birthday Halifax).

Nature and Science are two of the most influential and widely read journals in their field. And they have been for a very long time - Nature was first published in 1869 and Science in 1880. The Library still has dusty copies of those early issues (and subsequent ones) on our third floor. But times change. And so do we. We're now able to provide Saint Mary's researchers with online 24/7 access to both of those publications. Including the very latest issues. How to find them? Go to our Journals A-Z list, located in the middle of our web site's main page. Enter the title of the journal you wish to read, check "match exact title" and follow the links from there. You'll find all the content of the paper edition, going back a number of years. Maybe you're a fan of these classic journals. Or maybe you hadn't heard of them till now. It doesn't matter. It's now easier for everyone to enjoy them.

Closed. Not open. Unavailable. There's no gentler way to say it. There are only a few times in the year when the Library is closed for a long weekend and this is one of them. So celebrate, relax, enjoy. I just read (for what it's worth) that it will be sunny for the next four days. Cross your fingers...

Not a major overhaul, more of a re-shuffling of priorities. And at first glance it may appear pretty much the same. But we've moved a few links and added a few new ones. Among the highlights: a direct link to our New Books page. Every month we'll post a new list of our latest titles (a fresh batch was put up just a few days ago) a link to some of the Library's official policies. This is new. We wanted you to be able to read our positions and procedures on various issues: Circulation (who can borrow what and how); Collection (how and why we acquire all those print and digital resources); Gifts (guidelines for donating books, etc.) and Noise (where you can talk, where you can't). easy access to the Mobile version of our site. If you have a smartphone you can search our catalogue, find articles and lots of other information. a prominent link to our Facebook page. Why not join us? Search: Patrick Power Library As usual, if you have comments or questions on any ...

Yes, the moment you've all been waiting for. The renovations to the washrooms on the main floor are finally finished. No more treks upstairs or to the Atrium. They're ready to go. And that, I believe, is the last of the work to be done on the first floor. Maybe a few finishing touches. But otherwise, that's it. We think (and we hope you'll agree) that it was very much worthwhile. It certainly looks far different than it did before. None of us will miss the noise, debris and general upheaval of the past year or so. Now we, and September's new students, can just enjoy it. Thanks for your patience.