Library Newsleter contest deadline extended

If you still have some names to suggest for the new newsletter for the Library and Instructional Technology, you still have time to send us your ideas. The deadline has been extended until Friday, Jan 23. Click here to enter your ideas!

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Browsing for Fiction Books in Kimbel Library

If you are looking for something fun to read over winter break, you may have already noticed that Kimbel Library does not have a "fiction section" like a public library or bookstore. Most university libraries shelve books by Library of Congress call numbers, which don't separate fiction and non-fiction. Instead, you will find fiction books in the literature section with books about novelists, poets, and other writers. Here's some ideas to start browsing:

PS3600 through PS3626 is American Literature from 2001-present
PS3550 through PS3576 is American Literature from 1961-2000
PR6100 through PR6126 is British Literature 2001-present
PR6050 through PR6076 is British Literature 1961-2000

Please feel free to ask for help at the information desk if you would like help finding specific books or authors.

Lost and Found in the Library

Before you leave for winter break, make sure that you didn't lose anything in the library. The library has a display case near the front doors filled with lost and found items, including books, clothes, sunglasses, umbrellas, jump drives, keys, and many other items. If you see something that is yours, ask at the circulation desk to identify and claim your belongings.

A Fun Database for Recreational Reading Recommendations

It is almost that time of year when you may actually have some free time (finally!). Whether you are looking for a great book to get as a present for a family member, or just something to read yourself on your long plane ride home for winter break, Kimbel Library's Books and Authors database is a great place to start. You can enter the title of a book you like, and it will recommend similar titles, or you can choose the setting, genre, characters, etc. that you would like to read about. There's even lists of celebrity book recommendations available each year ("who reads what")! And remember, if Kimbel Library doesn't have the book you want, there's always PASCAL or Interlibrary Loan. Happy reading!

Pascal Delivers on hold for Winter break - place orders early.

The Pascal Delivers couriers will stop delivery of books on Friday, December 19 and resume delivery on Monday, January 5.

If you would like to request a book for use over the break, be sure to place your request by December 5.

We need your help! Name the library newsletter!

Kimbel Library will be publishing a newsletter next semester, but we need your help! It needs a name!

We're having a contest to see who can give us the best, most creative, name for the newsletter. You may enter as many suggestions as you like!

The winner will receive a free, personalized READ poster (see example).

To enter, click on this contest link and submit your ideas. Remember to include your email address so that we can let you know if you've won! We will be accepting entries up to Friday (Dec 12) of finals week. (DEADLINE EXTENDED TO Jan 23.)

Thanks, and Good Luck!

More Tables and Chairs

Over the break, more tables and chairs were added to first and second floors of the library. Some of the large study rooms were re-arranged to accomodate more students and better conference tables and chairs were added to some of the large study rooms. We hope you find a good spot to study in.

Hours during Thanksgiving Break

Kimbel library's hours during Thanksgiving break...

Sunday November 23: 1pm - 9pm
Monday November 24: 7:30am - 7pm
Tuesday November 25: 7:30am - 7pm
Wednesday November 26: 7:30am - Noon
Thursday November 27: CLOSED
Friday November 28: CLOSED
Saturday November 29: CLOSED
Sunday November 30: 1pm - 2am

National Gaming Day - Thank you for coming!

Thank you to everybody who attended National Gaming Day and filled our our survey about gaming at the library!

We had excellent turnout with both the video games and board games enjoyed by students.

Many of the board games were purchased for the library for this event, and so they will soon be available to be checked out from the media collection. (This includes Monopoly, Scrabble, Sorry!, Chutes & Ladders, and Chess/Checkers+)

Remember to keep checking this blog for more news from the library, including future gaming events!

Below are some photos of Gaming Day, and more can be seen at our Picasa website.

From http://picasaweb.google.com/lisaccu/NationalGamingDayKimbelLibrary

From http://picasaweb.google.com/lisaccu/NationalGamingDayKimbelLibrary

Help with Citing is available in Kimbel Library

Are you almost finished writing a research paper? Wondering how to cite all those great journal articles, magazines, newspapers, and websites that you found? Kimbel Library can help you out. The library has copies of the APA, MLA, CSE/CBE, ASA, and Chicago style manuals that you can use in the library if you don't have your own copy. The library's Citing Sources website recommends useful online resources to help you figure out your citations. Some popular websites include Research and Documentation Online, which has sample papers in many styles to help you with page layout questions like "Where do my page numbers go?", and the Citation Machine, which helps you construct your own citations by filling in blank templates. Still have questions? Stop by the library's Information Desk and ask for help (you can also call or "Ask A Librarian" online).

No Seats in the House?

Why are there no seats available in the Library? Because KL is experiencing phenomenal use this semester. In September, the door count was 34, 562, October is was 40,303, and it looks like November may top this. As a comparison, more people have used the library in the first four days of this week than used it all of June. Look for more computer seating and more study space coming after Thanksgiving as we try to accommodate this level of growth.

Gaming Day - We have prizes!

National Gaming Day is almost here! (Saturday, November 15 from 11:00 am - 5:00 pm)

We have plenty of board games ready and have begun renting the video games. We currently have Spiderman: Web of Shadows for Xbox and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and Madden NFL 09 for the Playstation 3.

We now have prizes! If you fill out one of our surveys, you will be entered in a drawing to win either a copy of Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Starter Set or Magic the Gathering Two-Player Starter Game.

See the blog for all of our other Gaming Day updates, or visit our Facebook Event Page for complete information!

National Gaming Day - ratings, online gaming, and reserving a playing time

We have some answers to questions related to the video games for you! (But don't forget, we will have board games, too!)

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Q: Even though we are only allowing video games with a rating of "T"een or lower, is it alright to bring in a Mature game if we can change the settings to show less graphic images?

A: No, even if we can change some of the settings, these games are being played in a public place, and we need to be considerate of ALL of our library's patrons.

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Q: Can we connect to the internet or to other gaming consoles to play with other students.

A: No, unfortunately, since we are using rented equipment and have limitations on our classroom connections, we will be limiting this to local multiplayer games.

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Q: What if somebody is already using the video game equipment that I wanted to use?

A: We are not yet sure when most players will be visiting the library, and so we will create a sign-up grid. The player(s) who first sign up will have an hour to play the game. If nobody has signed up after their hour is up, they can continue to play until somebody else wishes to take a turn. (At that point, the current players have until the end of the next 30 minutes to finish the game. You may call ahead of time on that day to sign up for a slot. Please call me (Lisa) at 843-349-6552. If I don't answer, I might be in the gaming room. Try calling the Circulation desk at 843-349-2400, and they will find somebody to help you! (Please, be here on time, though, or you might forfeit your slot!)

National Gaming Day update

We're less than two weeks away from National Gaming Day!

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We will have a selection of board games, including Monopoly, Scrabble, Chutes & Ladders, Checkers, Chess and some that are being loaned to us by staff members.

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If you are waiting for a turn at any of these games or a video games, there will be jigsaw puzzles to help occupy your time!

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Please remember to RSVP at the Facebook event . If you're planning to play video games, let us know what your favorites are. We will try to rent the top 3 requested games for each gaming unit (Playstation 3 and Xbox 360), with a rating of "T"een or lower.

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Also, feel free to bring your own games. If you have controllers, and wish to play in a group, you may want to bring those as well. (We have been told that the consoles only come with one controller, but we will try to obtain some extras!)

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We hope to accommodate everybody the best we can, so there may be a sign-up board with blocks of time reserved for the Playstation and Xbox. Keep posted to this site and the Facebook event for updates!

Coming soon: National Gaming Day! (Nov 15)

Kimbel Library is celebrating the first annual National Gaming Day!

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On Saturday, Nov 15 (11-5) we will have video game consoles and cartridges for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. We will also have a small selection of board games for your use in the library!

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Do you have a favorite video game? Please let us know by leaving a comment here or on the Facebook event wall. We will do our best to get the most requested games.

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If you already own a game, but would like to play it on a larger screen, please bring it with you! You're also welcome to bring your own board games and meet up with your friends to play.

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Snacks and drinks from Aramark will also be available!

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Thank you to the Office of Student Activities and Leadership for the funding for this day of fun! Stay tuned here and at our Facebook event for more information!

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See you on November 15!

Save your money, visit the library!

Are you feeling a bit more thrifty than usual lately? These days many of us are being more selective in where our money is spent. So, what do you do when the weekend arrives, and you need a bit of entertainment?

Don't forget the library! We have a wonderful collection of DVD's music CDs, and even books! The DVD collection is on the second floor of the library. Stop by and just browse the collection. We have a variety of popular movies, including many of the American Film Institute's 100 Greatest Films. You also may want to look at the Media Collection's home page for other types of videos and items.

Don't forget the value of a good book! Use our catalog to look for your favorite author. If we don't have it here, don't give up! Just click on the PASCAL Delivers icon to check for books in other SC academic libraries, and we can have them delivered here for you!

Writing about Literature? Try Literature Resources from Gale

If you are working on a paper for an English class, you might be interested in Kimbel Library's newest literature database, Literature Resources from Gale. This database allows you to search several different literature databases published by Gale simultaneously. These databases include Literature Resource Center, the Scribner Writer Series, and LitFinder. Literature Resource Center contains full-text literary criticism and author biographies from both books and journals. The Scribner Writer Series contains full-text author biographies from American Writers, British Writers, and other encyclopedias published by Scribner. LitFinder is a bit different: it provides full-text access to "more than 135,000 full-text poems, stories, plays and more". So if you are looking for literary criticism, biographical information about authors, or a copy of a short story or poem by your favorite writer, Literature Resources from Gale might be a great place to start.

PASCAL Delivers system down on Friday evening

The PASCAL Delivers request system will be unavailable on Friday, October 17 from 5:00 pm until approximately Midnight. They are upgrading their software, but expect to be back in operation on Saturday.

Group Study and Presentation Rooms

Are you looking for some peace and quiet to study for your classes or work on your class projects? The library has both Group Study and Presentation Rooms available for student use. These are available on the second floor, along the right and the back walls. Simply choose the room that works best for your needs and let yourself in!

Global Information at your Fingertips!

Are you working on a project where you need to learn facts about a particular country? Are you just interested in learning some facts, statistics, trivia, etc. about other nations other than or in addition to the United States?

Kimbel Library has a variety of databases that are excellent resources for this type of information. These are available on our list of indexes and online resources, or you can click below to check them out!

COUNTRY WATCH - Under "Country Reviews", you can find demographic, political, economic, business, cultural and environmental information for all countries. The "Country Wire" gives the latest news headlines related to a selected country. "Country Data" provides a variety of data including health, education, environmental, industry, etc. for countries. It allows you to export the selected data directly to an Excel spreadsheet or Word Document. "CountryWatch Maps" allows you to generate political or statistical maps. These are only a few of the options available, so take the time to browse this database for some valuable information!

CQ GLOBAL RESEARCHER - This database provides a variety of reports on world issues. It is searchable by keyword, but also can be browsed by topics, dates, issues, or countries. If you have a particular topic or country that you are interested in, you can set up an account with email alerts that will let you know when new information is available.

CQ POLITICAL REFERENCE SUITE'S POLITICAL HANDBOOK OF THE WORLD - This database provides political information about each country, including information about the legislature, cabinet, and various "quick facts".

GLOBAL ROAD WARRIOR - This database also provides a variety of facts about each country. Some topic areas include climate, society & culture, travel essentials, health & medical, business services. The database also provides various resources to assist with communication in international travel. These resource include assistance with mobile phones, electricity, and Internet access.

Enjoy these databases, and remember to check with a Librarian if you have a particular interest and would like assistance finding your best resources.

Voter registration deadline is tomorrow!! ACT NOW!

Election day is November 4, 2008 and is slated to be one of the most important in our country's history. Are you registered to vote yet?

VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE: October 4, 2008. (That's tomorrow!)

Don't panic, but act quickly and decisively!

To register by mail:
Visit http://www.horrycounty.org/ and click on the "Voter Registration & Elections Office" under the General Information headline. Then click on "Online Application to Vote by Mail," located in blue on the right side of the screen (will open a PDF document).

Or, directly access the Registration Application by visiting (will open PDF doc): http://www.horrycounty.org/forms/registration/VR_Blank_Form.pdf

Next, fill out the form, put it in an envelope (include a stamp, silly!!) and then mail it to:

Voters Registration & Election
103 Elm Street
Conway, SC 29526

NOTE: You must submit it to the post office before the last pick-up time (varies by location) on Saturday, Oct. 4. If you drop your form off later than that, it will be invalid. Contact your local post-office for more information on pick-up times and hours of operation.

To register in person:
Visit any library, Chamber of Commerce, Department of Motor Vehicle office, DSS, Mental Health, health department, or the local Voter Registration & Election Office (103 Elm Street Conway, SC 29526).

NOTE: You may need to provide proof of local address, such as utility bill. Also, you may need to provide your own stamp and envelope, depending on where you visit.

What are you waiting for? Hurry up and go register!!

Printing in the library

All computers on the second floor now print to the computer lab.

All computers on the first floor and all laptops print to the circulation desk.

Banned Books Week - Free People Read Freely

September 27 through October 4 is Banned Books Week. Please take a moment to visit our displays and celebrate your freedom to read next week.

The American Library Association has created this video to illustrate the frustration of book banning:

De-Tagging Facebook: new weekend ritutal

It's Sunday afternoon, have your de-tagged your weekend photos yet? According to the New York Times college students across the United States spend the end of the weekend cleaning up their images from "Saturday Night's Escapades"

Air Conditioning issues today

Right now, the air conditioning is not working on the 2nd floor of the library, but it is being repaired.

A reminder - Quiet Study area on second floor

Sometimes, when living on (or off) campus, it can be difficult to find a quiet place to study or work on your homework. The second floor of Kimbel Library has been designated as a quiet study area.


Please show consideration for students in this area. For some students, this is the only place that they can go for a quiet environment. If you are working in groups, please use the first floor, or check out a key to one of our study rooms or presentation rooms. If you need to make or receive a telephone call, please take your cell phone to the first floor or outside the building.


We appreciate all students who respect this quiet zone. If you are on the second floor, and find that the noise level is too high, please report this to Library staff at the Information or Circulation Desks.


For more information, please see the library's Noise Policy on our website.

Need help managing your citations?

Software is available to help you with your citations. Some can store and organize your information, and others can even help you format your citations into a particular style. You can purchase software like this, but free options are also available.

Zotero is an add-on for Mozilla Firefox. It recognizes most major library databases and indexes. When you find a book or article that you might use for your research, simply click a button to save the information. It also helps you format your citations for the works cited page of your paper.

EndNote Web is an online version of the EndNote software. Coastal Carolina University students, faculty, and staff have access to this through the library's subscription to Web of Science. (You will need to create a free account in Web of Science, and then in EndnoteWeb to use this.) With an EndNote Web account, you can save citations online. It also formats the citations for you in a variety of styles. Plug-ins are available for this to help save information from Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox as well.

If you have a lot of research in your future, you may want to become familiar with these resources (or others like them). They can make your research findings much more manageable!

Visit Kimbel Library from your home

Are you a student who is currently living off campus? Did you know that you can access the library's databases from the comfort of your own home?

All that you need to do is go to the Kimbel Library home page, and click on MyLibrary.

If you choose the option that says "Click here to go directly to the login page", all that you need to do is enter you name and student ID number (from your CINO card). After that, just click on "Indexes and Online Resources" to choose your favorite database!

While you're in "My Library" you will notice other options available. This is where you can request books through interlibrary loan. You can also review your record to see what items you currently have checked out. (This is also where you can renew those items!)

Library Hours Update - Tropical Storm Hanna

The library will close today at 2:00 pm and will re-open tomorrow at 1:00 pm.

Weekend Hours
Friday: 7:30 am - 1:00 pm
Saturday 1:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Sunday 1:00 pm - 2:00 am

Tropical Storm Recreation

Stuck inside your apartment or dorm while the rains come and the winds blow? Stop by the library before the storm hits and stock up on the latest films or classic movies. We have over 2,000 DVD's that can be checked out by students for 3 weeks at time. Catch a favorite or watch a classic and see what all fuss is about.

Labor Day Weekend - Kimbel Library Hours

Kimbel Library will be closing at 3:00 on Friday, August 29, and will be closed on Monday September 1 for Labor Day.

Weekend Hours:

• Friday, August 29 - 7:30 am - 3:00 pm
• Saturday, August 30 - 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
• Sunday, August 31 - 1:00 pm - 2: 00 am
• Monday, September 1 - Closed

Turnitin? Try It Out!

Faculty: Monday, Sept. 8 2:30-3:30 pm, come try out Turnitin. The session will cover --setting up your classes in Turnitin --composing an assignment --submitting a paper --interpreting an Originality Report --getting students started in Turnitin. Register at TEAL.

Turnitin is a plagiarism detection and deterrent service that checks student work for exact matches with searchable Internet documents, select commercial periodical databases, and previously submitted student work.

CCU has a trial license for Fall 2008 (sponsored by English and FYE) and any CCU faculty/staff can use it for an unlimited number of classes and students.

Newspapers in KL

Looking for the latest news online? Try New York Times or USA Today. Looking for a different perspective or state view? Check out the full text newspapers listed on KL's website under News Sources Online.

New History on Film Web Page

Whether history scholar, student or buff, you'll find something worth watching among the titles featured on the History on Film web page. History on Film highlights documentaries and feature films by subjects such as the Roman Empire, Slavery, the Holocaust, and the Iraq War. Access History on Film from the Media Collection link on the library's home page or directly at http://www.coastal.edu/library/media/history.html.

Java City Hours

Java City is now open until midnight, Sunday through Thursday. Drop by for a specialty coffee or snack while you are using the library or relaxing in the expanded Java City seating area.

Library Instruction

Did you know that the library has two classrooms? If your class is scheduled to come in for library instruction, make sure to check the whiteboard when you enter the library. All of the classes being taught that day will be listed along with the room it is being taught in. If you have questions, aren't sure where to go, or just need general assistance, stop by the Information Desk for help.

Laptops and Study Rooms

Laptops and Study Rooms are now available for 4 hour checkout periods. To check them out, just bring your CINO ID to the Circulation Desk.

Food and Drink Policy

To promote a welcoming environment Kimbel Library permits consumption of food and drinks in the building. Users are responsible for any damage to university property and equipment caused by food or drink.

Library users must clean up after themselves, dispose of trash in appropriate trash containers and notify staff immediately of any spills or food-related mishaps.

KLIB is now on Facebook

Did you know Kimbel Library now has a group on Facebook? You can find updates about the library, as well as, pose questions to the librarians. Come and check out our group!

"PASCAL Delivers" reduced to 3 days per week

Beginning Monday, August 18, the courier service for the PASCAL Delivers program will be making deliveries only 3 days per week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday).


Requests may still be placed at any time. However the delivery time is expected to take 3-5 working days.


This change in service is due to a 90% decrease in funding from the SC state legislature this year for PASCAL (Partnership Among South Carolina Academic Libraries).


For more information about PASCAL services please visit their website. If you would like to add your voice to those who are asking that the funding be reinstated next year, PASCAL is providing an online form for your thoughts.

Fall 2008 library hours

Kimbel Library's fall hours will begin on Wednesday, August 20. The library will be opening at 7:30 am Monday through Friday.

Regular hours are:
Monday to Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday, 1 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Exceptions include Labor Day on Monday, Sept. 1 and Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 4 when the library is closed.

More Computers Added to Library

The library has been busy this summer adding computers and additional workstations on the second floor. With the expansion of Java City, the first floor computer lab has moved to the second floor. Besides the new computer lab, the library has added 40additional computing workstations on the second floor. This is in direct response to last spring's student survey which stated that the library needs more computers. The library plans to update the furniture and add some more computer workstations in the near future.

EBSCOhost Database updates

Over the summer, EBSCOhost databases upgraded to EBSCOhost 2.0! While your favorite databases may now look a bit different (EBSCO databases include Academic Search Premier, Business Source Premier, MLA International Bibliography, PsycINFO, Sports Discus, and many others), the content of each database remains the same. Improvements based on extensive user testing were made to the search interface screens and other database functions . Learn more about the changes and get help using the new interface on the EBSCO website here: http://www.ebscohost.com/thisTopic.php?marketID=1&topicID=969

Global Road Warrior

Kimbel Library has recently acquired access to Global Road Warrior, Library Edition.

This database provides information related to business travel, telecommunications, and business culture for 175 countries.

There are many categories of information covered, here are just a few notable ones:

• Climate
• Demographics
• Travel warnings
• Essential language terms
• Resources for women in business.

Please visit the database to see how it can be helpful for you!

Global Road Warrior

CQ Global Researcher

CQ Global Researcher is a new online resource available through Kimbel Library. If you are looking for background information, statistics, timelines, pro and con opinion pieces (and much more!) about current international issues, this is the database for you. Check it out!

Changes to our Online Catalog

You may notice some changes the next time that you search our online catalog, which was upgraded on July 25.

If you perform a keyword search, your results will now be ranked with the most relevant items appearing at the top of your list.

Item locations and call numbers will appear directly in the search results list, but you can still click on the item when you need more information.

Please try it out when you get the chance. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

New databases!

Have you looked at our list of databases and indexes recently? Kimbel Library has added some interesting and helpful new databases to its resources lately.

Some highlights include (but are definitely not limited to!):

• Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center, a collection of resources covering a variety of todays hot topics
• Birds of North America - a complete reference database describing a great variety of North American birds. It includes pictures of the birds, their nest and eggs to help in identification. Audio files are available for identifying various bird calls. Anybody interested in ornithology should definitely check this out!

Take a look at our newest arrivals here, or see the entire list of our databases here.

If you have any questions always feel free to visit or call the Information Desk, or use our Ask A Librarian system to email us your questions!

Welcome

Welcome to the Kimbel Library blog. We will use this as a resource for posting library news, helpful information, and any other information that may be helpful to Coastal Carolina University students, faculty and staff, as well as area residents interested in our library's services.

Please check back often for updates!