Pardon Our Progress: Reference Renovation

All throughout December, library staff have been moving and removing books in the Reference collection in anticipation of a major repurposing of the space in the spring semester (sorry for the extra dust, by the way). Students are invited to take our library use survey in order to help guide us in our updates.

Here's what we've done so far:

We removed all the books from the east set of shelves and moved those that are to remain in the reference area to the west set. This photo shows empty shelves on the east side.










This image was taken before we finished moving books, but the rows on the left were filled while those on the right were emptied.










Nearly 40% of the Reference collection will be removed or relocated, mostly to the upper floors. You will now be able to check these out like any other book. Until we get everything sorted, though, you may need librarian assistance to locate a former reference book.





The really noticeable changes start in January when big burly guys remove the empty shelving, freeing up space for .... well, you tell us. We certainly have some ideas of our own, and they have been developed from previous student surveys and focus groups, but we want to hear from you again before the major renovations begin.

See more of our Reference Renovation pictures on our Flickr page.

Check out Some Fiction Reads for Winter Break

Don’t forget to stock up on great books for your cozy fireside reading this winter break. We have a large selection of popular fiction, including the latest New York Times Bestsellers. You can check out the latest Patricia Cornwell, John Grisham, James Patterson, Stephen King, Stieg Larsson, Jodi Picoult, Nora Roberts, and many more. Need some ideas? We have put together some lists based on subject:
http://bit.ly/holidayfiction

http://bit.ly/detectivestories

http://bit.ly/fantasyfiction

http://bit.ly/suspensefiction

http://bit.ly/romancestories

http://bit.ly/westernstories

Still can’t find what you are looking for? You can do your own search with InfoSearch (or from your cell phone InfoSearch Mobile-http://m.library2.mtsu.edu/) for the subject, title or author that interests you.

Don’t forget you can always contact us for help or check out Fiction Connection for recommendations based on your interests.

Winter Break Hours

Exams are almost over, you may be walking in graduation on Saturday (congratulations!), and holiday planning has hit frenzy mode, but we're still here!Yes, you can get your library fix Monday-Friday from 8 a.m-4:30 p.m. on the following days:
Dec 17
Dec 20-23
Jan 3-7
Jan 10-12

Normal hours resume Jan 13, the first day of Spring semester.

Confused? Check the library hours page.

Nobel Prize 101

December 10, 1901, the first Nobel prizes were distributed. Ever wonder what the Nobel prize is all about? Have you seen the controversy surrounding the award to imprisoned Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo? Here is a primer on the Nobel Prize and the MTSU connection.

Alfred Nobel was a Swedish inventor and industrialist. On his death in 1895 he instructed that his fortune be set aside to fund five annual prizes (in 1969 a sixth award was added) “to those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind.”

• The six prizes are Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature and Peace. The newest prize is in Economics and was established by the Bank of Sweden.
• The first prizes were distributed 5 years after Nobel's death on December 10, 1901.
• The prize is a gold medal, a diploma and a sum of money (which changes based on the funds available in the Nobel Foundation).
• If no worthy candidate is found or if there is some reason that the foundation cannot complete the required research (as in the case of a World War) no prize will be awarded for that year. The Peace prize is the most common award to be withheld. Here is the selection process.
  
• Prizes are open to all regardless of nationality, race, creed or ideology.
• Governments can force individuals to decline the award. Individuals are still awarded the medal and certificate but not the money. They are labeled as a Nobel Laureates with the added remark, “declined the prize”. This will be the case with Chinese Peace prize winner Liu Xiaobo. He will make the fifth Laureate forced by authorities to decline the prize.
• There have been 840 Laureates, only 41 women
• The youngest Nobel Laureate thus far is Lawrence Bragg, who was 25 when he received the award for Physics in 1915.
• The oldest Nobel Laureate thus far is Leonid Hurwicz who was 90 when he received the 2007 Prize in Economic Sciences.
• The International Committee of the Red Cross has been honored three times.
• 2010 winners are listed here.
  

MTSU and Walker Library have their own Nobel connection. Dr. James M. Buchanan is an MTSU alumnus and 1986 winner of the Nobel Prize for Economics. Walker Library has the Buchanan Room, a study space endowed by the Buchanan family. On the Digital Initiatives page we also have a partly completed collection of documents and images following the James Buchanan family. MTSU honors college offers the Buchanan Fellowship, named in honor of Nobel Prize winner. The fellowship is the highest award given to freshman at MTSU.

For more information about the Nobel Prize you can check our library list of resources, http://bit.ly/nobelresources.

Additional Resources:
Encyclopedia Brittanica/Nobel
nobelprize.org

photo credit: Nobel Prize: chemistry, literature, physics, and physiology or medicine, obverse side. [Photograph]. Retrieved December 10, 2010, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online

Tired of trolling for computers just to print? Use the Express Print Station

Long lines at the computers got you down? Just want to print and move on?

Go to the Library's EXPRESS PRINT STATION. There you can print WORD, EXCEL, POWERPOINT and .PDF documents directly from your flash drive. Just insert your flash drive, select the document you want to print using the touch screen and then watch it print!

There is no internet connection on these machines. All prints are 2-sided. Don’t forget to remove your flash drive when finished!

The Express Print Station is located on the 1st floor next to the Circulation Desk.


Brought to you by The Student Government Association, The Provost’s Office, Academic Affairs, your Technology Access Fees, The Jones College of Business and Walker Library.

photo credit: flikr images, Need to print something really quick? No computer available?

Need a Silent Night? Quiet Study Spaces.

'Twas the week before finals, and all through the library,

Not a creature was stirring, not even a ....

What rhymes with library?

Never mind, because it's not true, anyway. It gets loud up in here this time of year. If you're looking for a space to get away from all the noise, check out our Quiet Zones on the 3rd and 4th floors past the elevators. If folks get rowdy in these areas, let us know.

Meanwhile, if you choose to study on the 1st and 2nd floors, expect a few more distractions. It is acceptable for groups to get together and work out in the open on these floors, but if the noise level becomes excessive, let us know at the Service Desk on the 1st floor or send a chat message to the librarian at the Reference Desk. With a little forethought and consideration, we can all have our ideal study spaces in the library.

...And may visions of A's dance in your heads.

image by PixCat on flickr

Extended Exam Hours

Starting this Sunday the Walker Library will be open extended hours during exams. We will be open til 1a.m. Sunday - Thursday.



For complete details about hours for the rest of December, see the library hours page for more info.



photo credit, flikr images, Alice Lucchin