ETBU Library Blog

This week we've had two University chapels devoted to the subject of illegal immigration. On Monday we heard from our U.S. Representative regarding the government position and on Wednesday we heard from a Baptist General Convention of Texas representative and how to minister to illegal immigrants within the law. The library has many resources on this and related topics and for good basic pro-con information we suggest you look at CQResearcher , Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center , and TOPICsearch . Additional information will be found in almost all of the other electronic resources listed on the library's web site. From CQResearcher you'll find several reports, including the recent "Immigration Debate" (2/1/2008). You can also track this and related topics back to 1992 including "Real ID" (5/4/2007); "Illegal Immigration" (5/6/2005); "Debate Over Immigration" (7/14/2000); "The New Immigrants" (1/24/1997); "Cracking...

FAITS is an electronic resource that offers reports, vendor directories and a glossary related to the study of Information Technology (IT). Although students majoring in Management of Information Systems (MIS) might have the more obvious need for FAITS it's actually a useful tool for a variety of disciplines. All business students will find the product and company profiles of use in many of their classes. Education students will find interesting reports related to technology and the classroom. Perhaps you are researching technology in area of healthcare - FAITS is one place to get information on this very topic as it relates to healthcare facilities security, patient monitoring, and the pharmacy industry, and more. Other students might be researching privacy versus governmental identification via iris scan, RFID technology and smart ID cards - FAITS can help you! If you would like some comparison information on products you can also find that information in FAITS, as well a profile...

Each semester Jarrett Library employs many student workers and Spring 2008 is no different. Twenty students currently work in the library in the Access Services Department (checking in and out materials, shelving, etc.), in the Reference Services Department (directing students to correct materials, answering reference questions, etc.), the Technical Services Department (adding spine labels to books, checking in periodicals, etc.) or Library Administration (assisting the Director in the archives, collection development, and other projects). Of course, all student workers are expected to be serious, quiet and always professional. Okay, maybe not but the student assistants do work hard and they are invaluable in keeping the library going. "Could we run the library without our student workers? Absolutely not," stated Cynthia Peterson, Director of Library Services. "Student workers do many things that are essential to the smooth running of the library and as a result they fre...

Many of you have noticed that IT has installed a new printer in the library. Not only is this printer faster, but it prints pages on both sides, thus saving paper. The duplex printing is the default setting, but if you are turning in a paper that needs the content printed on one side only there is a way to set it up before hitting that print key. Computer monitors are available in the library to assist you with this - or if you can't find one inquire at the circulation desk and we'll find someone to help you.

This web site, hosted by the University of North Texas Libraries, offers users a digital gateway to the vast collections held in Texas libraries, museums, archives, historical societies, and private collections. The digital reproductions include photographs, maps, letters, documents, books, artifacts, and more. It also includes curriculum that applies to the TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) standards for use by classroom teachers. Search on "Marshall, Texas" and you find hundreds of pages of photographs of Marshall buildings and people. You'll also find copies of land grants made in Harrison County as well as other documents related to Marshall or the surrounding areas. This graphic sho ws a map drawn by Stephen F. Austin, showing the various land grants and colonies of the early settlement of Texas. Zavala's Grant, DeWitt Colony, and some of the surrounding states and territories can be seen. (Click on the map to see the full-sized image). In addition to s...

If you are a student working on an Honors Project don't forget to come by the library and get set up for research assistance with one of the three librarians. We can assign one of the librarians (or you can choose either Ms. Peterson, Mrs. Ravenell, or Mr. Horton yourself) to assist you throughout the work on your Project - they'll help you get started on your research, assist you in finding materials that aren't available in Jarrett Library, and be a listening post if you need it! We'll be there from the beginning until the day you turn in the Project - as long as you need assistance. Honors students can also request a change in their patron status and we also suggest a TexShare card, which will allow you to check out materials from other Texas libraries (academic and public) that also participate in the TexShare card program. For more information contact Ms. Cynthia Peterson at 2257 or at cpeterson@etbu.edu .

The library's electronic resources are valuable and necessary for your academic career, but there is a restriction on usage based on the campus network IP addresses. So what do you do when you use Go Zoe, or if you are off-campus and trying to access a database from the ISP you have at home? The answer is remote access through the library's proxy server. The proxy server was set up several years ago to assist students, faculty and staff who wished to use databases even when off-campus. And now Go Zoe users have the same access. Previously you had to go to the remote access link and login. You were then given a list of databases or database vendors (such as EBSCOhost) but you had to know which database was where. Fortunately, this past Fall you no longer have to go to that menu - simply find the electronic resource you wish to use from either the title or subject lists, then click on the resource that you wish to use and a login screen will pop up. Login the same way you ...

February is Black History Month and Jarrett Library has put up its annual display. This year the theme deals with the "Buffalo Soldiers." The "Buffalo Soldiers" were one of the first six all African American Army regiments created by Congress in 1866. Four of the regiments were infantry and two were cavalry. Cheyenne warriors, out of respect for the fighting abilities, gave the 10th Cavalry the nickname "Buffalo Soldiers" in 1867. Eventually all African American soldiers were referred to as "Buffalo Soldiers." The "Buffalo Soldiers" were sent to the outposts that were the furthest from civilization in areas where the weather and terrain were quite harsh. Mexican revolutionaries, outlaws, comancheros, cattle rustlers, and hostile Native Americans were just a few of the groups they were sent to subdue and/or fight. They also carried out many activities that allowed the west to be settled - mapping of the west, stringing telegraph wi...

Our prayers go out to the students of Union University, another Baptist school located in Jackson, Tennessee. Union University was hit by a tornado on February 5th, and approximately 80% of their dorms were rendered destroyed or unihabitable. In addition several classroom buildings and the administration building were damaged. We praise God that no deaths were reported among the students and none of the injuries were life-threatening. We prayer for the swift recovery of those who were hurt, and that Union recovers from the damage quickly.

The second annual "Great Information Hunt" recently ended, with the drawing for prizes being held on Friday, February 2nd. The "Great Information Hunt" is a fun event hosted annually by Jarrett Library. It allows students to become more familiar with their library and library staff. After students complete a short information hunt form, their names were entered into the drawing for prizes. Those prizes went to the following students: 1st prize: Adrian LeDay 2nd prize: Courtney Charles 3rd prize: Katy Chalker If you are a student we hope that you'll consider participating next year. Watch for publicity about it beginning in early January 2009!