July hours update

The Library will be open until 9 .m. on Wednesdays in July starting tomorrow, July 1. Our hours will now be Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Library is closed on Sundays for the summer.

This week, however, the Library will be closed Friday, July 3, and Saturday, July 4, for the Independence Day holiday. We will reopen Monday, July 6, at 9 a.m.

Library offers lawn chairs!

There's something new to “check out” at the Wheelock College Library.

Lawn chairs and seat cushions are now being offered for recreational use. Come to the library, pick out a summer read, check out a lawn chair, relax and enjoy the weather on the new Campus Center and Student Residence lawn. Chairs and seat cushions may be checked out for 2 hours.

Summer hours change

The Library announces a change in summer hours. We will now be open until 9 p.m. on Wednesdays in July! And don't forget, we start Saturday hours tomorrow, May 30.

Our schedule will be as follows for the remainder of the summer:

May 29 to June 30: Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, closed

July 1 to 31: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, closed

August 1 to 6: Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, closed

August 9-September 1: Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, closed

We will be closed July 3 to 5 for the Independence Day holiday, and August 7 to 9 for the College's summer holiday.

Watch this space or the Library's home page for updates. We hope to see you here this summer!

Memorial Day Closing

The library will be closed from Friday, May 22nd through Monday, May 25th in observance of the Memorial Day holiday. We will reopen on Tuesday, May 26th at 9am.

Closing early May 15

The Library will close at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 15, in honor of the Wheelock College Commencement. We will remain closed for the weekend and will reopen Monday, May 18, at 9 a.m.

For more information on our hours or to access the Library's online resources, please visit our website. Congratulations to all the graduates!

Intersession and summer session hours

As the 2008-2009 academic year comes to a close, the Library announces its schedule for intersession and summer session as follows:

Intersession: May 12 to 21, August 9 to September 1
Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday, closed

Summer Session: May 26 to August 6
Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday, closed

The Library will be closed May 22 to 25 for Memorial Day, July 3 to 5 for Independence Day, and August 7 to 9 for the College's summer holiday.

Check the website or this blog for other changes to the schedule as needed.

Library lobby display: match the events and artifacts

Below are the matchups of the dates and the artifacts in the Library lobby display.
For descriptions and explanations go the the Holidays, Festivals, and Celebrations Subject Guide from the Library's home page.


G   April Cow Fights

P   April, May, June Tako-Age

O   April 2 International Children’s Book Day

H   April 6 North Pole discovered

D   April 8 Vesak

Q   April 15 Tax Day

B   April 23 Shakespeare’s birthday

L   April 24 Library of Congress created

F   April 26 Frederick Law Olmstead’s Birthday

M   April 30 Walpurgis Night

I   April National Whistler’s Convention

J   April Cynonfardd Eisteddfod

E   May 1 May Day

K   May 9 Lemuralia

C   May 10 Transcontinental Railroad

A   May 15 Commencement

N   May Emmet Kelly Clown Festival

Extended hours April 26 to May 10

The Library will once again be open for end-of-semester extended hours. Our schedule will be as follows:

Sunday, April 26: 12 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Monday, April 27 — Thursday, April 30: 8 a.m. to 1 a.m.
Friday, May 1 — Saturday, May 2: 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Sunday, May 3: 12 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Monday, May 4 — Thursday, May 7: 8 a.m. to 1 a.m.
Friday, May 8 — Saturday, May 9: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Sunday, May 10: 12 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Monday, May 11: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Library doors will be locked after 10 p.m. nightly. You must use your Wheelock ID or call x2220 to be let in after 10 p.m.

Best of luck to you all as the 2008-09 academic year comes to a close!

Boolify to the Rescue!

Are you tired of doing research and finding irrelevant results? Can’t figure out why your search brings nothing but more frustration? Boolify to the rescue! Boolify is a fun and interactive tool designed to help you understand Boolean logic behind your web and database searches. Click and drag Boolean search operators (and, or, and not) between search words, and instantly see how your search results change.

New Website, Rooms, Equipment, and Staff!

Library Hours
A concern was raised that the Library has been closing earlier than the posted hours. I have worked with Security to resolve this problem. The front door will continue to be automatically locked at 15 minutes before the closing time. The posted hours by the door and on the Library webpage now accurately reflect this. Students inside the building will be reminded at that time of the closing by Library staff; however, lights will not be shut off and the building cleared and secured until the scheduled closing time.

New Media Equipment & Technology
We are adding four new Canon Powershot A470 digital cameras and four new Canon ZR950 digital video cameras to our collection. These will be available to be borrowed from the Circulation Desk very shortly. You will find this equipment a vast improvement over the old media equipment!

There will shortly be ten new iMacs in the Reference area on floor 1M for student use. No more waiting for the PCs to load!

Student-Use Library Rooms
There are two new rooms on the second floor available for student use. One is designated as a Group Study Room and it may be reserved through the Circulation Desk. If no one has reserved it, then it is available for anyone to use. The room contains a table, four chairs, and a whiteboard. The other room is a Media Room with a TV/VCR/DVD setup and a couple of soft chairs. There is no need to reserve this room.

Updated Library Website
The Library website (http://www2.wheelock.edu/wheelock/x1038.xml) has been updated. We hope that you will find the cleaner presentation easier to use. Amy Basque, our Systems Librarian, is looking for students to help with usability testing of the new site. If you are interested (you will be rewarded for your time), please contact her at x2296 or abasque@wheelock.edu.

Please note the Talk Back link on the right side of the Library page. This is an area where you can post any questions or comments (not research questions—contact Library staff with those!) you may have about the Library and its operation, and the question and response will be posted on the site.

New Staff
We are very pleased to have a new Access Services Librarian starting in mid-May. You will most likely see her at the Circulation Desk area. Our student staff have done a great job of running the Circulation operation in the absence of a librarian. Once the new librarian starts, she will review and revise policies and procedures to help ensure that everything runs smoothly for the summer term and beyond.

Reminder
Please return all library materials you have borrowed by May 11!

Survey
I am working with Jeannie Blazar, Director of the Resource Center, on future planning for the Resource Center. As part of that planning, we will conduct a survey to gather usage information. Please take the time to complete the survey after you receive it, even if you have never used the Resource Center. It is important to have the input of as wide a cross-section of students as possible.

Communications
I am very interested in ensuring that the Library and Resource Center work to support all your needs. If you feel there is an issue that needs to be addressed, please bring it to my attention. I can be reached by phone at x2225 or email at becsedy@wheelock.edu, or just stop by my office on the second floor of the Library. I am working with SGA to maintain communications through that group also.

Best of luck to you all as the semester winds down!

Brenda Ecsedy
Director of Academic Resources & Library Services
x2225

Search Flickr by sketching with Retrievr

Hey everyone!

Looking for a fun study break? This cool tool lets you explore Flickr by sketching a picture in a box on the left side of the page. The site takes your rough sketch of colors and shapes and compares it to some of the most interesting pics found on Flickr.

Go ahead. Give your brain a little break from the stresses of homework!

Vote for your favorite picture books!

New York Public Library children's librarian Elizabeth Bird is conducting a poll of the top 100 picture books of all time on her blog on the School Library Journal site, A Fuse #8 Production. Through March 31, everyone is invited to submit their top 10 picture books, and in April the top 100 will be counted down. Complete details are available in this post.

What are some of your favorites? We're not conducting an official poll, but we'd love to hear from you just the same. Who knows, maybe you'll find a new favorite in someone else's old favorite?

Spring break hours Friday, March 6, through Sunday, March 15

Spring break is upon us, and the Library will be open on the following schedule:

Friday, March 6: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please note the early closing time to correspond with the closing of the residence halls.

Saturday, March 7, and Sunday, March 8: Closed

Monday, March 9, to Friday, March 13: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday, March 14: Closed

Sunday, March 15: Noon to 11 p.m. These are the regular Sunday hours.

Don't forget, you can find electronic reference books, databases and thousands of full-text journals online from anywhere you can access the Internet through links on the Library's home page. Have a safe, restful break!

Holiday hours Monday, February 16

In observance of Presidents' Day, the Library will be open for holiday hours from 1 to 11 p.m. on Monday, February 16.

Good reads for good eats

Have you been eating at the new dining hall in the Campus Center and Student Residence and wondering, "Where did they come up with the names for the stations? Wickedly Scrumptious? Pete's a Pizza? Those are some unusual names."

Well, wonder no more. The stations are all named for children's books, and the Library is proud to announce that all the books are currently on display in our foyer and are available to check out. Find out how Grill Pan Eddy makes his mark. Learn 10-year-old author Aja King's "recipe" for a Three Grin Salad. Have a side of puns with your Jamaica Sandwich.

To check out one of the books, ask for assistance at the Circulation Desk. Just don't read them while you're eating!

Need an item on reserve? Here's how to get it

We can tell that you are starting to get down to the business of learning based on the number of requests we've had for items on reserve. To help the staff help you more efficiently, we ask that you come to the Circulation Desk armed with the call number of the reserve title you need.

"But I don't know how to find the call number," you say.

It's easy. Here's how:

From the Library's home page, click on Library Catalog (FLO) under Find Books and Other Materials. Click on the Course Reserve tab at the top of the search box. This brings you to the Course Reserve Data Page, where you have several ways to locate the item you're looking for: by instructor, department, or course. Choose your search term and click the search button on the right-hand side of the page. Once you retrieve the list of items from your search term, find the one you need, jot down the call number and head to the Circulation Desk to get your item.

If you have any questions, or if you still can't find what you're looking for, the Circulation Desk staff is happy to assist you.

Holiday hours Monday, January 19

In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Library will be open from 1 to 11 p.m. on Monday, January 19. Regular hours resume Tuesday, January 20.

Welcome back!

Welcome back for the start of another new semester! We hope everyone had a restful and enjoyable break. We're now open for regular semester hours: Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to 11 p.m.

There have been several changes at the Library while you were gone. Here are just a few:

• There are now faculty offices in the Lower Level, as well as new offices on Floor 2. One of the office spaces on Floor 2 has been designated as a group study room, complete with white board.
• The curriculum textbooks with call number T that formerly were shelved on Floor 2 now reside on Floor 3M.
• The video/DVD preview station has been moved to the conference room on Floor 2M.
• Soft seating chairs and sofas have been rearranged throughout the building.

We hope that you will take advantage of all the Library has to offer - especially now that we are just steps from the dining hall and coffee shop! Stop by, see what we've done with the place, and check out our wide range of resources and services.

Change in Library entrance

The main entrance to the Library will be closed off as crews complete the work on the Campus Center and Student Residence. Entrance to the Library will be from the door on the Riverway. This entrance is not handicap accessible. If you require assistance, please call the Circulation Desk at 617-879-2220.

While the main entrance is closed off, the book drop for after-hours return of materials will be inaccessible. Please DO NOT leave materials outside the door, where they will be susceptible to damage or theft. Patrons are responsible for the cost of replacing items that are damaged or lost. Materials should be returned during Library operating hours only. No fines will be charged for Wheelock items returned late during this time.

Please see the Intersession Hours post for the Library's schedule during the winter break. We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience.

Closing at noon on December 19

The Library will close at noon on Friday, December 19, due to the coming inclement weather. We will reopen Monday, December 22, at 9 a.m.

Intersession hours

The Library will be open on the following schedule during Intersession:

Wednesday, December 17, to Friday, December 19: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday, December 20, and Sunday, December 21: Closed

Monday, December 22, and Tuesday, December 23: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Wednesday, December 23, to Sunday, January 4: Closed

Monday, January 5, to Friday, January 9: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday, January 10, and Sunday, January 11: Closed

Monday, January 12, and Tuesday, January 13: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Regular semester hours start Wednesday, January 14.

Enjoy the break!

Don't forget to bring those items back!

As the end-of-semester break approaches, we would like to remind students to return any materials they have checked out of the Library by Tuesday, December 16. Unsure of what items are checked out in your name? Use the My Account feature of the FLO catalog to check your record. Directions on how to use this feature can be found here.

If the Library is closed when you come to return your items, you can use the drop box located to the right of the door. Just open the slot and slide the materials down the chute. Please do not leave materials outside the Library door - if something is damaged or stolen, you will be responsible for the cost of replacing it.

Thanks in advance for your prompt returns!

Extended Library hours December 3-15

The Library will be open for extended late-night hours for the rest of the semester, starting December 3 and ending December 15. Most Library services will be available during these hours, so come by and study, catch up on your reading, pound out that paper, or take a break from your coursework and play a game.

The Library's hours will be as follows: Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m. – 1 a.m.; Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m. – 11 p.m.; and Sunday, 12 p.m. – 1 a.m.

The door will lock at 10 p.m., so you'll need to use your Wheelock ID or call ext. 2220 to be let in.

Additionally, on the last day of exams, December 16, the Library will open at 8 a.m. for your last-minute studying needs. We will close at 5 p.m. that day, and starting December 17 we will switch to our intersession schedule of Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Best of luck to you all as the semester comes to a close!

Thanksgiving closing and Library access information

The Library will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday break from Wednesday, November 26, through Saturday, November 29. We will reopen for regular hours Sunday, November 30, at noon.



Also, please note that due to the ongoing CCSR construction project, the access ramp to the Library from the Riverway will be closed off starting Monday, December 1. Access to the Library will be from the Pilgrim Road side only. As the project reaches its final stages, access to the Library may change again, but we'll do our best to keep you up to date on how best to approach the door.

We thank you for your patience and wish you all a happy Thanksgiving!

What's Going on in the World?

We’ve all had our eyes and ears peeled to the news this fall, with the economic crisis and presidential election all taking place. Where does one go to find a pulse of what is going on in our country, let alone the world?

http://www.newseum.org/

- You can search by country or continent

- Look back through archived pages for momentous events (categorized by general topic)

Example: Red Sox win the World Series

- You can see front pages from around the world: 

O Globo, published in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Holiday hours on Tuesday, Nov. 11

In observance of Veterans Day, the Library will be open from 1 to 11 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 11.

Do you know why Veterans Day is celebrated on Nov. 11 no matter what day of the week it falls on, unlike most other holidays that are celebrated on Mondays? Visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs History of Veterans Day page to find out.

Getting to the Library -- an update

Due to construction work for the Campus Center and Student Residence, access to the Library from the Pilgrim Road side is currently blocked. Please use the ramp on the Riverway side of the building to get to the door.

We would also like to remind you that if you are returning items when the Library is closed, please put them in the book drop. A hole has been cut in the temporary wall so that the book drop is still accessible. If you cannot reach the book drop, do not leave items outside, as this may cause them to be stolen or damaged. Patrons are charged replacement fees for any lost or damaged items, so please be sure your items are returned safely.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, and we will update you further as construction progresses toward the anticipated January opening of the CCSR.

Electopedia: A Great Source for Silly Facts about the Candidates

This website - published by the New York Magazine - is one of the more hilarious campaign reference tools that we’ve seen this election year. Using an approach somewhat similar to the satire posted on Cracked.com, the 2008 Electopedia provides:

“A guide to (almost) everything there is to know about presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama, from the important issues (Best Speech) to the really important issues (Hairstyle).”

The 2008 Electopedia provides a well-organized, succinct and humorously-written resource for anyone looking for information about the sensational 2008 Presidential campaign. Each issue (Favorite Hobby, Taste in Alcohol, Greatest Political Accomplishment, etc.) can take up anywhere from 150-300 words per candidate, and range from the silly (Superstitions) to serious (Best Speech).

See the New York Magazine’s 2008 Electopedia for some fun, light-hearted relief from the 24/7 media coverage of the 2008 Presidential campaign. While it may not have the same academic weight as a typical encyclopedia it will definitely provide some laughs along with each article and maybe even some tidbits that are true.

Haunted Library on October 29

For a “spooktacular” time, join us on Wednesday, October 29, at the Haunted Library from 9 to 11 p.m. Free food! Scary stories! Creepy costumes! Come by for Halloween fun!

The event is free, but donations will be accepted to support the work of Mary O’Grady, who spoke about her work in Belize and Afghanistan at Convocation.

Late Night Library Hours Return!

The Library's late night hours resume tonight, Wednesday October 15, and will continue until the end of the fall semester. We will be open until 1 a.m. every Wednesday, with the exception of any holidays and when the Library must close early due to inclement weather.

Doors will lock at 10 p.m., so you’ll need to use your Wheelock ID or call the Circulation Desk at ext. 2220 to be let in. As always, the Circulation and Reference Desks will close 15 minutes before the Library closes (12:45 a.m. on Wednesdays), so make sure to check out or return any items before that time.

Holiday hours on Monday, October 13

In observance of the Autumn Holiday, the Library will be open from 1 to 11 p.m. on Monday, October 13. We will be open for regular hours on Saturday and Sunday.