Online Newsletter of Roxbury Community College Library

April 2004

STUDENT LIBRARY USE EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH. STAFF WORKING HARD

The library has received 2003 statistics that show comparisons among the 15 Massachusetts public community college libraries. Here are some conclusions from the figures.

RCC student library use is exceptionally high.

· By comparing gate count divided by Fall 2003 student enrollment for RCC, RCC ranks 1^st among the other public community college libraries in student use. This is TWICE as high as 6 other community colleges and THREE times as high as 2 others.

· By comparing circulation divided by student enrollment, RCC ranks 3^rd. This is 50% higher than 8 other colleges and TWICE that of 5 others.

RCC library staff is working very hard.

· By comparing circulation divided by number of staff, RCC ranks 3^rd busiest. Staff is 50% busier than those at 5 other libraries. In the last six months, with a full time staff member absent or position vacant, the staff has been the 2^nd busiest by this measure.

· By comparing hours open divided by number of staff, RCC ranks 2^nd busiest. In the last six months, with a full time staff member absent or position vacant, the staff is tied for 1^st busiest.

There are at least three reasons for high student usage of the library:

· High use of books on Library Reserve for students who cannot afford their own textbooks.

· High use of the library as a quiet place to study for those without study places at home.

· High use of computers for those without them.

BRAND NEW WEB PAGE

The library’s brand new and attractive web page opened for business March 15. Designed and implemented by web master Thu Khong, it was the first part of the college’s new web site that is operational. The content is largely new too and the organization is simpler and hopefully easier to use. Everything is arranged under three broad categories: Library Services, Electronic Resources and Library Information. Here are the highlights:

• Electronic Resources. The term “Electronic Resources” has a new meaning. It used to mean simply the library’s online databases. Now, it refers to a selection of electronic library tools. ILink, the library catalog is now under Electronic Resources as are links to other library catalogs. The online databases are here too.
• Databases. You can now choose to get into the databases either alphabetically as well as by subject. The number of subjects has been expanded. In order to describe database contents better, some databases are put under more than one subject. For example, the multifaceted Lexis-Nexis Academic is now listed under Business, Health/Nursing, Legal Studies, and News & Newspapers.
• Online Reference Tools. This selection of about 70 Internet links was chosen for their usefulness to students and faculty. Others will be added as time goes on.
• There is a link under Library Information to Library Maps that shows the library floor layout and Calendar where library events will be listed.

Coming soon will be Research Guide by Program listed under Electronic Resources. This will include a series of pages aimed at helping students of particular academic departments or programs. Two pages are almost ready. One is for the Nursing program that will replace an out-of-date library-nursing guide. The other page will give career resources in the library and elsewhere and will be put up in coordination with the Career Services. Several other web pages of this sort are anticipated.

If you have any comment on the new library web site or suggestions for further improvement, send them to Mark Lawrence. To reach the new website, click www.rcc.mass/lib

DISPLAY OF NEW BEGINNINGS POETRY

April is National Poetry Month. Come see a display of original poetry in the library windows created by students from the RCC New Beginnings Program. They are Janeth Teixeira, Melva Canuto, Loredana Pontes, Marlene Montero, Traleese Young, Sarah Greaves, Jaquim Williams, Antonia Gomes and Natonya Hall. All attend Boston neighborhood high schools. New Beginnings teacher Natonya Hall created the display.

The New Beginning Program is a comprehensive after school program dedicated to supporting the efforts of 8^th through 12^th graders to improve their academic performance. The goals are:

· School retention & graduation,

· Improving grades,

· SAT & MCAS preparation

· College education

The program runs classes and tutoring sessions for 30 students on the 4^th floor of the academic building. Gloria Gallego is the director. As part of the program, students visit the library and learn basic library techniques.

Coordinating with the New Beginnings display, Evening and Saturday librarian Bill Hoag has organized:

· A world map showing the origin of poets from around the world and many of the countries that RCC students come from, and

· A display of poetry books at the library entrance.

Be sure to drop by.

New Beginnings Program

“Success is a journey not a destination”

9 NEW DATABASES

The library is proud to offer the RCC community 9 new databases at no extra cost to the college. The library now has 41 databases in all. The new ones are part of the package supplied by the EBSCO Company. The library gets this package by cooperative leasing, at steep discount, with the other Massachusetts public college libraries. Here is the list along with short descriptions:

• American Humanities Index.

A collection of bibliographic references to over 1,000 literary, scholarly and creative journals published in the United States and Canada from 1975

• Communication & Mass Media Complete.

Provides the most robust, quality research solution in areas related to communication and mass media. Is the result of the merging of two databases -- CommSearch (formerly produced by the National Communication Association (NCA)), and Mass Media Articles Index (formerly produced by Pennsylvania State University).

• EBSCO Animals.

Provides in-depth information on a variety of topics relating to animals. The database consists of indexing, abstracts, and full text records describing the nature and habitat of familiar animals.

• MAS Ultra: School Edition.

Designed specifically for high school libraries, this database provides full text for nearly 550 popular general interest and current events publications with information dating back as far as 1975 for key magazines.

• Military & Government Collection.

Provides full text for over 320 military related periodicals and general interest magazines.

• Pre-CINAHL.

A companion database to CINAHL, the leading nursing database. Includes index of entries of new publications that have not yet been included in CINAHL. Although it does not contain full text articles, it can alert the researcher to the very latest of nursing literature.

• Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection.

A comprehensive database with nearly 480 full text titles covering topics such as emotional and behavioral characteristics, psychiatry & psychology, mental processes, anthropology, and observational and experimental methods.

• Religion & Philosophy.

Provides coverage of world religions, denominations, biblical studies, religious history, epistemology, political philosophy, philosophy of language, moral philosophy and history of philosophy. Offers 300 full text journals, including more than 250 peer-reviewed titles, making it an essential tool for researchers and students of theology and philosophical studies. Updated daily.

STUDENTS DOING MORE DATABASE SEARCHES

RCC students continue to do more and more library database searches for course research projects. Student-initiated database searching became fully functional through the RCC library only 2½ years ago. Since then, students have made rapid progress in learning how to access the tens of millions of online articles available. Library professional staff conducted 75 training sessions for 1,664 students last year. The use of online databases is a fine example of why the library is not just a physical place anymore. Increasingly it is an online presence as well. Consider that fully 25% of database searching happens between 9:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. when the library is closed. This service is especially useful for students with job and family obligations who need to do library research at one o’clock in the morning.

Database searches, since October 2001, for 12-month periods prior to the months below:

NEW BOOKS—POPULAR AND BEST SELLERS

	FICTION		NON-FICTION
	Retreat, Hell! W.E.B. Griffin		American Dynasty Kevin Phillips
	The Amateur Marriage Anne Tyler		Dude, Where’s My Country? Michael Moore
	The Da Vinci Code Dan Brown		Tour of Duty: John Kerry and the Vietnam War Douglas Brinkley
	Divided In Death J.D. Robb		Who’s Looking out For You? Bill O’Reilly
	The Last Juror John Grisham		Flyboys James Bradley
	The Murder Room John Lescroart		Give Me A Break John Stossel
	The Lady and the Unicorn Chevalier, Tracy		My Prison Without Bars Pete Rose
	The Zero Game Brad Meltzer		The Enemy Within Michael Savage
	The Five People You Meet In Heaven Mitch Albom		After Life: Answers from the Other Side John Edward

NEW BOOKS—TO SUPPORT THE CURRICULUM

--organized by call number category

B--PHILOSOPHY, PSYCHOLOGY, RELIGION

Allen, Roberta. The playful way to knowing yourself: a creative workbook to inspire self-discovery / BF697.5 .S43 A44 2003.

D, E. F--HISTORY

The Holocaust: problems and perspectives of interpretation / D804.3 .H648 2003

H--SOCIAL SCIENCES

Soros, George. Open society: reforming global capitalism / HB3722 .S67 2000.

French, Wendell L. Human Resources management / HF5549 .F718 2003.

Dave Ellis. Career planning / HF5549.5 .C35 E57 2003.

J--POLITICAL SCIENCE

Miroff, Bruce. The democratic debate: an introduction to American

Politics / JK276 .M62 2002

O'Connor, Karen. Bibliography Produced American government: continuity and change / JK276 .O23 2001.

L—EDUCATION

Ornstein, Allan C. Foundations of education / LB17 .O78 2003.

N. Amanda Branscombe. Early childhood education: a constructivist perspective / LB1139.25 .E262 2000.

Burns, Paul Clay. Teaching reading in today's elementary schools / LB1573 .B882.

Gooding, Marion F. Pre-test study manual, Test of Essential Academic

Skills: reading, mathematics, science, English, and language usage / LB2353.7 .T43 G66X 2003B 2003.

Ko, Susan Schor. Teaching online: a practical guide / LB2395.7 .K67 2001.

Beierlein, James G. Bibliography Produced Navigating your future: the principles of student. / LB3605. B35.2002.

P--LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

Mary Lou Conlin. The working reader / PE1127 .W65 W56 2001.

Perrin, Robert. The Beacon handbook and desk reference / PE1408 .P4395 2003.

Wong, Linda. Sentence essentials: a grammar guide / PE1441 .W6 2002.

Andrews, Patricia Hayes. Public speaking: connecting you and your audience / PN4121 .A677 2002.

Lawrence Block. The best American mystery stories / PS648.D4 B4 2001.

Alan Lightman. The best American essays 2000 / PS681 .B48 2000

Bibliography Produced Friday, March 19, 2004. / PS681 .B48 2000.

Q—SCIENCE

Stoker, H. Stephen. Essentials of general, organic, & biological chemistry / QA31.2 .S758 2003

Aufmann, Richard N. Basic college mathematics: an applied approach / QA39.2 .A885 2001.

Aufmann, Richard N. Basic college mathematics : an applied approach.

QA39.3 .A939 2003.

Barker, Vernon C. Essential mathematics with applications / QA107 .B37 2003.

Ron Larson. Algebra 1: concepts and skills / QA152.2 .A4354 2001.

Aufmann, Richard N. Introductory algebra: an applied approach. / QA152.3 .A85 2003.

Aufmann, Richard N. Intermediate algebra: an applied approach.

QA154.3 .A842 2003.

Larson, Ron. College algebra: concepts and models / QA154.3 .L35 2003.

Larson, Ron. Elementary linear algebra. / QA184 .L39 2004.

Brase, Charles Henry. Understandable statistics: concepts and methods / QA276 .B6846 2003.

Moore, David S. The basic practice of statistics /.QA276.12 .M648 2004.

Larson, Ron. Calculus: an applied approach / QA303.2 .L367 2003.

Ricardo, Henry. An introduction to modern differential equations / QA371 .R357 2003.

Seager, Spencer L. Chemistry for today: general, organic, and

Biochemistry / QD31.2 .S4115 2000.

Seager, Spencer L. Study guide and solutions manual for Chemistry for today: general, organic, and biochemistry; /QD31.2 .S4115 2000 STUDY GUIDE.

Seager, Spencer L. Safety-scale laboratory experiments for Chemistry for today: general, organic, and biochemistry / QD31.2 .S4115 2000 SUPP

Laidler, Keith James. Physical chemistry / QD453.3 .L35 2002.

To build a better college library and provide superior customer service, we need your comments. Send both praises and gripes to mlawrence@rcc.mass.edu.

If you missed earlier issues of Welcome to the Library, click on “Read the Library’s newsletter” on the library website http://www.rcc.mass.edu/lib.

Welcome to the Library, published by Roxbury Community College Library, Roxbury Crossing, MA

Mark Lawrence, Acting Library Director