Month: March 2013

Research Guides to the Rescue

Lisa

What do you do when you don’t have time to ask a librarian for help? Where can you turn for a list of the best databases or books to use for your class assignment? Where do you get help when the Reference Desk is closed? Give our online library research guides a try!

Library research guides are available for a number of popular research topics and course assignments (like GB214 and GB320). The guides are designed by Bentley Reference Librarians to help you locate the best resources for your research. Research guides can answer questions like:

“How do I get information about a company?”

“Where do I find financial ratios for an industry?”

“Which databases should I use to get articles for my Business Ethics paper?”

“How do I cite sources in APA Style?”

“I’m taking GB214. What are the best databases for my assignment?”

The entire collection of library research guides is available at http://libguides.bentley.edu/, or just look for the link on our homepage.

Library Research Guides
Look for the Research Guides link on our homepage.

If you’d like to suggest a topic for a library research guide please comment on this post. Don’t forget, you can Ask a Librarian for help 7 days a week! Visit us in-person at the library, send us an email (redesk@bentley.edu), use our chat widget, or give us a call at 781.891.2300.

TONIGHT: Bentley Library Information Literacy Series: Your Own Private Internet

Liz

IL series blog imagePlease join us tonight, Wednesday, March 20, for the third event in the Bentley Library Information Literacy Series, featuring a panel of experts on the phenomenon of personalization on the Internet known as the “filter bubble.”

Join us in LaCava 305AB at 5:30 for light refreshments, with the discussion getting underway just before 6:00.

 

 

 

 

Your Own Private Internet: What the Internet is Hiding from You (And Why)

Bentley Library Information Literacy Series

 

Panelists

Zachary Newell, Humanities Librarian, Salem State University

Dan Schultz, Knight-Mozilla Fellow, Boston Globe

Heikki Topi, Professor of Computer Information Systems, Bentley University

 

Moderator

Nathan Carter, Associate Professor of Mathematical Sciences, Bentley University

 Free and open to the public

Synopsis:

“A world constructed from the familiar is a world in which there’s nothing to learn.” So wrote Eli Pariser in his 2011 book The Filter Bubble, about the ever-increasing personalization Internet users experience. Is he right? How can we evaluate information when it has been hand-picked for us – what are we missing when we search for information, and how do we know? How do crowdsourcing and other, more traditional conceptions of authoritative information contribute to this information environment? Is there an inherent tradeoff between precision and personalization when searching on the Internet? A panel of experts and researchers will convene at Bentley University to discuss these questions and others related to evaluating information on the open and social web.

 

Founded in 2011, the Bentley Library Information Literacy Series is a series of lectures, panel discussions, and other events featuring experts in the field of information literacy. The series is designed to bring together librarians and experts from other fields inside and outside academia in order to bridge gaps in knowledge and understanding, and to expand awareness and critical thinking about information literacy. The events in the series are aimed at undergraduate and graduate students, faculty members, librarians, and anyone with an interest in teaching and learning in an era of rapid change in information delivery and discovery.

Database of the Month: Gartner Group Resources

Macee

Gartner Group Resources provides proprietary expert analysis and opinion on IT-related topics at the intersection of business and technology. Gartner helps users to research, gartner1analyze and interpret the business of IT within the context of their individual roles in various markets and industries.

Reference librarians have recommended Gartner for researching such topics as:

  • IT outsourcing in particular countries
  • Reviews and comparisons of PCs, laptops and handheld devices
  • Forecasting, market trends, vendor strategies and product life cycles

Searching Gartner
There are several ways to find content in this database. Type keywords into the Search Research box in the upper right corner, and a list of results appears in a separate window. Filter your search by using the context-based tags provided on the left side of the page.

Or, click the Other Options link under the single search box to tailor your search. You may refine your search by date, topic, region, industry, content type, and more.

You may also use the Research Fast Finder to search by Markets, Topics and Industries. Topics gather Gartner research on a specific subject. If you are looking for the most recent research on a given topic, browse the content on these pages.

Topics
A sample of Gartner research topics.

In addition to PDF reports that you can download and print, Gartner offers blogs, podcasts and webinars, all accessible by dedicated sections on the home page as well as by using the search methods described above.

Search Alerts
With Gartner, you can track the latest research on topics of interest to you by creating search alerts. Specify keywords or topics of interest, and results will be delivered to your email.

Support and Assistance
To learn more about using Gartner, you can view the Online Training document and a Site Index, along with other support documents.

Connect to Gartner
To begin your research, visit Gartner Group Resources and enter your full Bentley email address and network password. You can also access the database from the Databases A-Z page, or the Databases by Subject page for IT & CIS.

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Database of the Month provides a very brief introduction to an important research database, highlighting key features of the database that you should know about. If you would like more information about this database (or any of the library’s databases) please Ask a Librarian. If you would like a demonstration of this database for a class, please contact our Coordinator of User Education, Elizabeth Galoozis.

Now Showing in the Art Gallery: Garett Yahn

Lisa

Now showing in the McGladrey Art Gallery is an installation by artist Garett Yahn titled Salon.  All are invited to attend the opening reception for the artist on Wednesday, March 20, from 5:00PM-7:00PM. There will be an artist talk starting at 5:30PM. Light refreshments will be served.

Garett Yahn
Salon
March 8 – April 12, 2013

Opening Reception:
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
5:00pm to 7:00pm
Artist Talk at 5:30pm
light refreshments will be served

Salon by Garett Yahn
Salon

 

Delayed Opening: 10:00am on Tuesday, March 19

Lisa

weather-snowDue to the snowstorm, Bentley University and the Bentley Library will be opening at 10:00am today.  Bentley’s official emergency information can be found at the Bentley University web site and the Storm Emergency line at 781.891.2020.

Library Hours during Spring Break: March 9-17

Lisa

Those of you who are not headed out of town for spring break might be wondering if the library will be open.  You’ll be pleased to hear that we are, with some minor modifications to our normal hours.

Saturday, March 9 & Sunday, March 10:
 CLOSED

Monday, March 11 — Thursday, March 14:
8:00am to 6:00pm

Friday, March 15:
8:00am to 4:30pm

Saturday, March 16:
CLOSED

Sunday, March 17:
1:00pm to 2:00am

Please note: The Deloitte Cafe/Einstein Bros. Bagels will be closed Saturday, March 9 through Sunday, March 17.

The library and cafe will resume regular hours on Monday, March 18, 2013. To view more information about our hours please check our online hours calendar.  Enjoy the break!

I Just Need 3 Sources Workshop: March 4 & March 6

Kimberly

ResearchHelpHave a paper or project due soon, and need information to complete it?

Drop in to:

“I Just Need 3 Sources By Tomorrow!”
Drop-In Research Help

Bring whatever you are working on to a reference librarian and get immediate expert assistance in finding the information you need, whether it be articles, statistics, company information, or books. You will walk away with the source or two (or three) that you need!

Three sessions:

  • Monday, March 4, 2:30 to 3:30 (during activity period)
  • Wednesday, March 6, 1:00 to 2:00 (during activity period)
  • Wednesday, March 6, 5:00 to 6:00

(No RSVP necessary; come in anytime during the hour)

These sessions will take place in the Research Instruction Center (Room 11) located on the library’s lower level.

New on the Shelves: Popular Reading, Books, DVDs & Audiobooks

Lisa

Take a look at what hit the shelves in February. Go to our New Books & DVDs page to browse by subject or format.   If you find something you want, simply hit the “Request” button to place a hold on it.  Happy browsing!

feb-2013-selected-new-titles