HM Briggs Library Web Toolbar

Access library and other research resources quickly from your browser using the free Briggs Library Toolbar! The toolbar is compatible with Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari. The toolbar is very easy to install and updates quickly with a built-in refresh option. The toolbar is also easy to uninstall if you wish to remove it from your browser. The HM Briggs Library Toolbar provides searching and one-click access to:

* Library Catalog
* Library Databases
* Journals List
* Electronic and Paper Reserves
* Google Scholar
* Archives & Special Collections
* Government Documents
* Library Research Tools such as: Interlibrary Loan, Citing & Copyright, Distance Library Services, Renew Books Online.
* The main SDSU Web Page

Try it out today: http://lib.sdstate.edu/services/toolbar.html

Laura M. Wight, Associate Professor & Information Literacy Librarian

EndNote Bibliographic Software available from Briggs

The South Dakota Board of Regents has obtained a license for all students and employees of South Dakota State University for the EndNote Bibliographic Software.
EndNote is will help manage citations for research and writing and for bibliographies for classes. After the bibliographic information for references have been entered by downloading them from databases or manually entering it the “Cite-while-you-write” feature will automatically insert citations in the text and create a bibliography at the end. “Cite-while-you-write” works with Microsoft Word and Open Office. Even more amazing is that over 3700 styles including MLA, APA, CSE, Chicago, etc. and styles required for many specific journals are available for use in EndNote. Is it possible to change the citation style after writing the paper without laborious reformatting, just choose a new style and EndNote makes all the changes.
The software can be loaded onto your computer at work and home. Libraries of citations can be shared between computers or users by using flash drives or EndNote Web (an online limited version of EndNote accessible to anyone).
To load the software onto your computer, faculty should access InsideState and choose Academics and Briggs Library. On the Briggs Library InsideState page, the EndNote software is linked on the right side of the page. Students should check on MyStateOnline under My Academics in the Library box (if it is not listed here, e-mail Elizabeth Fox at elizabeth.fox@sdstate.edu). Two files need to be saved onto your computer. Once the two files are saved on your computer, you just need to double click on the ENX3Inst.msi file and follow the directions.

~Elizabeth Fox, Digital Information Services Librarian

Where is the Information Desk and where do I get help?

The short answer is: The information desk is gone, but our librarians are available to help you at the Library Services desk (formerly Circulation/Reserves desk) in the lobby of the library. The new Library Services desk provides one location where students, faculty members, and others may get help with finding information, checking out or returning books, borrowing reserve materials, and other needs. The location of the desk, immediately inside the entrance in the lobby, enhances the visibility of our librarians, which makes it easier for students and faculty to find them. Merging circulation/reserves and information services in one location also eliminates the inconvenience of referring people from the circulation desk to the information desk and vice-versa. It also enables librarians at the desk in the lobby to take advantage of opportunities for assistance and instructional interactions that may never have happened at the former information desk. While checking out or returning books and reserve materials students may talk about their information needs and/or express frustrations with their research. In addition, some students are reluctant to approach a librarian for help, but they may feel more comfortable talking with a library student employee at the desk. These situations create easy “hand-off” opportunities for these students to get help from a librarian.

Of course, not all needs can be satisfied at the Library Services desk. Some people will still be referred to the Archives & Special Collections on the library’s upper level; or to the Government Documents Department on the lower level; or to the Acquisitions Department, Serials/Bindery Department, or the Dean of Libraries’ office on the main level. However we believe inquiring at the new Library Services desk is the most efficient way to begin any trip to the Briggs Library. BTW: The old Information Desk was dismantled in June, but not totally discarded. Parts of it live on after being repurposed to provide work stations elsewhere in the library.

Clark Hallman, Head of Public Services

Mountains Beyond Mountains

 If you like to read and then discuss what you’ve read, consider the book Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder.

 This fall students in twenty-five sections of freshman opportunities and orientation courses, such as General Studies 100, will be reading the book, a biography of Dr. Paul Farmer.  Farmer, a world leader in public health and medical anthropology, founded Partners in Health, an organization which has provided health care to disadvantaged populations throughout the world, conducted ground-breaking research, and influenced policy in world health organizations.

 The book focuses on Farmer, a fascinating individual, who Kidder describes as “a man who would cure the world,” but it also invites discussions of broad and varied topics like public health, poverty and wealth, land use, and the responsibilities of the individual.  

 This fall you’ll find plenty of students who have read the book, but if you can’t wait contact Tim Nichols, Dean of the Honors College, at 605-688-5268, about a summer reading group. 

 To further advance study and discussion, Dr. Farmer will speak on campus on November 19, 2009, as the Griffith Honors Forum lecturer. 

 Ready to get started?  The library has two copies of Mountains Beyond Mountains (BOOKS/UPPER LEVEL R154.F36 K53 2003) and the University Bookstore has copies for sale.

 If you are interested in further investigation of the topics addressed in the book, the library has many resources available.  Search the library’s catalog to find records for books and government documents; search databases, such as EBSCOhost Megafile and ProQuest, for articles in newspapers, magazines and journals.   Also consult the library’s Topic Guides for research guidance in a particular subject area.  Librarians are available to help you research—consult with us in-person at the Information Desk, send an e-mail, a text message, or set up an appointment. 

 Happy reading!

 Linda Kott
Information Services Librarian

Librarians Make Presentations at Conferences

Three librarians from H. M. Briggs Library recently participated in regional conferences.

Laura Wight, Information Literacy Librarian and Associate Professor, conducted a session entitled “Stuck in the Social Web” at the Library Technology 2009 Conference held in St. Paul, Minnesota, March 18-19. Ms. Wight’s presentation helped library professionals analyze World Wide Web social networks and discriminate between technology fads and social networks that could improve library services. Participants discussed applications such as Facebook, Myspace, Meebo, blogs, and wikis and which of these applications would best serve particular libraries and their customers. For more information view the following Web site http://lib.sdstate.edu/wight/socialweb/ or contact Ms. Wight at laura.wight@sdstate.edu or 605-688-5955.

Elizabeth Fox, Digital Information Services Librarian, presented a session called “Embedded Librarians: Fighting for Information Literacy” at the Mountain Plains Library Association/Kansas Library Association (MPLA/KLA) joint conference held in Wichita, Kansas, April 1-3. Ms. Fox focused on her experience working with an undergraduate Sociology class over the course of several weeks as they created group poster presentations. Ms. Fox also discussed a variety of ways librarians could become more integrated in university classes. If you are interested further information, contact Ms. Fox at elizabeth.fox@sdstate.edu or 605-688-5569.

Vickie Mix, Government Documents Librarian, presented “E-Government: Documents and Services to the People” at the MPLA/KLA 2009 Conference held in Wichita, Kansas. Ms. Mix noted that government information and government services are increasingly delivered to citizens via the internet. She explored the implications of this trend for public, school, and academic libraries in delivering services to library users. She noted that electronic government services require librarians and library users to learn and employ new knowledge, skills, and collaborative strategies. For more information access “e-government” from http://lib.sdstate.edu/find/govdocs or contact Ms. Mix at vickie.mix@sdstate.edu or 605-688-5958.

Behind the Scenes at Briggs Library/ILL

A lot of work at the library goes on behind the scenes. Read about the success of one department below.

Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

Through Interlibrary Loan Services, SDSU students, staff and faculty members may request resources not found in Briggs Library collections. Often the ILL Department can borrow or gain access to resources from another library in a week’s time.

The flip side of ILL is that the library lends our resources to other libraries. Reciprocal lending agreements with other libraries allow us to operate ILL services economically, meaning users do not usually pay a fee for the resources provided through Interlibrary Loan.

Briggs Library is a member of a library consortium called Minitex, which provides services for Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota libraries. Minitex recently recognized Briggs Library as number four on its list of top ten ILL lenders, with 5,509 ILL requests filled in 2008.

Kudos to ILL Lending Technician Rachel Manzer and her student assistants for their hard work.

Linda Kott
Information Services Librarian

Schedule Library Instruction Sessions

The librarians in the Information Services Department of H. M. Briggs Library want to remind faculty that they are available to teach course-integrated sessions.  Sessions addressing students’ research and information needs can be designed for specific courses or specific assignments.

 

Members of the instruction team have experience teaching classes at all levels—from basic orientation to the library to graduate-level research.  Instruction sessions can be scheduled in the library or librarians can come to your classroom.  Librarians also deliver instruction sessions to SDSU distance students in-person and online. 

 

Requests for instruction sessions can be made using an online form or by calling 688-5570.   Also, faculty may contact an Information Services Librarian if they have questions about this service.

 

·         Laura Wight

   Phone: 688-5955 E-mail: Laura.Wight@sdstate.edu

·         Nancy Marshall

   Phone 688-5093 E-mail Nancy.Marshal@sdstate.edu

·         Linda Kott

   Phone: 688-5957 E-mail: Linda.Kott@sdstate.edu

·         Elizabeth Fox

   Phone: 688-5569 E-mail: Elizabeth.Fox @sdstate.edu

 

Linda Kott

Information Services Librarian

Summer Library Research Services Available

HM Briggs Information Services Librarians are available during the summer months to provide a variety of services to SDSU faculty and students:

Library Instruction (for more information or to book a session call (605)688-5570 or e-mail: laura.wight@sdstate.edu

• Individual or group tour/orientation to the library. Orientation for online research via the library is also available to support distance students/courses.
• Course-integrated instruction session designed to meet the library research requirements of a particular course or to assist with a special research assignment.
• General research concepts session: instruction on general research skills, such as finding magazine/journal articles, citing resources, evaluating information/critical thinking.

Research consultation– Individual research consultation is available for faculty, students and staff. Need a refresher on which databases the library offers in your field and how to effectively and efficiently search? Developing a research proposal and wondering about the scope of library resources available to support your research? Contact a librarian at the Library Information Desk: (605)688-5570, or fill out the online request form at: http://lib.sdstate.edu/forms/InformationReq.html

Librarians are available to consult with teaching faculty in the preparation of course-specific library assignments.

Ask Us! The Library Information Desk is staffed in person and virtually (via chat reference) regularly during the summer sessions. For hours and contact information see: http://lib.sdstate.edu/askus.html

Please also keep these services in mind when planning course curriculum for the Fall semester. We look forward to working with you !

Interlibrary Loan Turnaround Time

Comment from an SDSU graduate student received March 12, 2008:

It seems that it takes a very long time to get an ILL photocopy of a journal article any more. I can remember getting 1-2 day turnaround on requests, but ever since ILLiad, it takes 10-14 days. Will this return time improve?

Our Response:

I’m sorry to hear that you’ve been dissatisfied with our interlibrary loan service recently.  Most of our patrons (those who have commented on ILLiad) have been very pleased with the speed of the desktop delivery of articles and the fact that they can track the progress of their own interlibrary loans through ILLiad.  However, I was concerned that we may have gotten lax with some of your requests, so I looked at the 5 requests that you have submitted through ILLiad.  One request in September was filled within a few hours.  Two articles requested in January (on Friday before a 3-day weekend) took 3 working days to complete. A request submitted on March 6 was delivered today (4 working days).  I think you would agree that 3-4 working days is reasonable time for other libraries to fill our requests, and I’m betting that the weekends just made your wait seem unusually long. Unfortunately, with our library budget we can’t process requests over weekends and holidays. 

Thank you for your comment.  We really do strive to improve our services in any way that we can, and comments like yours help us do that.  Perhaps in the future we’ll find a way to process requests on weekends. – Mary Kraljic, Access Services Librarian   

Your Library Rocks (And we care about people, too!)

Okay, okay, I work here, so yes, my opinion is a little biased.  However, I think I can safely speak for all the employees at Briggs Library when I say that we truly enjoy interacting with our campus community and providing the most efficient and effective service possible.   Throughout the academic year, the staff and faculty of HM Briggs Library participate in a variety of outreach activities to promote the library’s services and materials.    Last week, we had a booth at the annual campus Financial Planning and Investment Day.  This was an opportunity for us to promote the myriad of resources we have available on everything from budgeting and investing all the way to retirement.  Below is a photo of our very own Barbara Pagel, Government Documents Library Technician, staffing the Briggs Library booth at that event.  Just a reminder that we’re here for you, in many ways, and we’re proud of our excellent service!