Packing up and heading home? Don’t forget to check the due dates of any books and DVDs you currently have checked-out, and return or renew them before you leave for winter break (DVDs may not be renewed). Log-in to My Library Account to view your account and renew your books online. You may also contact the Library Services Desk at 781.891.2168 or libraryservices@bentley.edu for renewal assistance.
Category: general news
An Update on Unattended Belongings in the Library
If you’ve been in the Library to study over the past few weeks, you’ve probably noticed slips of paper that look like this:
Members of the Library Services staff have been walking through the building and leaving the slips on unattended items. We’ve been doing this for a few reasons.
With the closure of the Client Services computer lab on the lower level of the Library over the summer, we’ve lost seats in the building, leading to a noticeable uptick in complaints from students who can’t find a place to sit and study. Several students have mentioned to us that they notice seats being reserved with personal or library property.
Being popular is a strange problem to have, but the fact is that the Library is one of the busiest buildings on campus and offers some of the most plentiful and comfortable study space. When some people are staking out seats they’re not using, it means that other people don’t have a place to sit. The library staff has a responsibility to make sure that the spaces in the building—whether they’re carrels, chairs, tables, or group study rooms—are available for everyone to use.
While we’re talking about unattended belongings: Theft is not a major problem in the library, but thefts have occurred. Whenever you leave your belongings unattended—even in a safe place, like the Bentley campus—you are leaving yourself vulnerable to theft. We’d rather have library patrons take precautions than risk having valuable items stolen.
We know it can be jarring to get up to use the bathroom and come back to find a warning slip on your chair. But we would be neglectful if we didn’t respond to student concerns. It’s simply an effort to make the Bentley community aware that library space is shared space and to ask people to treat each other with respect.
Got a question about this or anything else at the library? Don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Please Pardon the Disruption…
You’ve probably noticed that we are in the process of installing study seats and rearranging furniture throughout the building. We are working as quickly as we can to reincorporate the desks and computers that were removed when the Help Desk Computer Lab was closed. As carpenters and electricians work to finish this project, you may be asked to move to another area as needed. We apologize for any noise or inconvenience. Thank you for your cooperation and support as we continue trying to improve the Bentley Library’s #14 ranking in the country in the 2011 Princeton Review Guide, and let us know how we can best serve your needs!
Do you have questions, comments or concerns? Comment here or send email to library@bentley.edu.
October is Massachusetts Information Literacy Month
Governor Deval Patrick has proclaimed October 2011 to be Massachusetts Information Literacy Month. Never heard of it? The official proclamation says that information literacy:
“provides the tools and skills to find, evaluate and use credible information from all sources in our constantly evolving world”
and that:
“Individuals who are comfortable working with the informational resources available in the digital world are able to seek highly skilled jobs and compete at high levels in the global economy.”
Information literacy is crucial to seeking and understanding information, whether you’re writing a research paper, making health-related decisions, or trying to find unbiased news coverage.
Want to see what the Bentley Library does to promote information literacy? Visit our Information Literacy and Instruction Research Guide to learn about library instruction and initiatives related to finding, evaluating, and using information of all kinds.
Curious about what this has to do with being a member of the business community or of a business university? Come to the library’s October 26 event “Who Wrote This and Why Should I Care? Evaluating and Understanding Information in a Business Context.” A panel of experts will discuss the challenges of evaluating information, and being information literate, in an ever-changing information landscape. More information can be found in this blog post.
For even more information on information literacy, click on the badge in this post to be taken to the website of the National Forum on Information Literacy.
It’s Banned Books Week! Banned & Challenged Books are On Display.
From September 24 through October 1, the Bentley Library joins libraries around the country in observing Banned Books Week. During Banned Books Week, we celebrate the freedom to read by bringing attention to efforts to curtail that freedom. From classics to children’s books to nonfiction, hundreds of books are challenged in the US each year for a host of reasons, with the most frequent from 1990 to 2010 being sexually explicit content, offensive language, and violence. Real numbers are much higher since so many challenges are never reported to the American Library Association, which has been tracking challenges since 1990. Most challenges take place in schools, school libraries, and public libraries, but academic libraries are not immune to questions about controversial materials, and academic libraries’ dedication to research and free inquiry means that we have a particularly strong obligation to protect access to ideas and information of all kinds.
Stop by the library to view our display of banned and challenged books. You’ll find a sampling of classic and contemporary titles that have been at the center of controversy at schools and libraries in the United States and abroad, along with a description of why each title was challenged.
You can celebrate Banned Books Week in many ways:
- Browse the American Library Association’s lists of frequently challenged books and pick a banned book to read this week. How many of the frequently challenged titles have you already read?
- Look at a map of recent book challenges and see what’s been challenged or banned in your area.
- Take part in the Banned Books Week Virtual Readout by uploading a video of yourself reading a banned book to the Virtual Readout YouTube channel.
- Like the Banned Books Week page on Facebook or follow the #bannedbooksweek hashtag on Twitter to keep up with the conversation this week and learn how others are celebrating the freedom to read.
- Finally, tell somebody else about Banned Books Week, and talk about why you read banned books this week and throughout the year.
Elevator is Out of Service!
The library’s elevator is being taken out of service this morning in order to perform maintenance. Please stop at the Library Services Desk if you need any assistance. We apologize for the inconvenience.
78 Things is Back!
Last semester, we told you 78 Things You Didn’t Know About the Bentley Library. Well, the list is back, and this time it’s all over campus and on our social media sites. When you see one of our signs, scan the QR code and learn a little something new about the library.
Questions, comments, or other feedback about this campaign? Got something to add to the list? Let us know in the comments.
Fall Semester Hours at the Writing & ESOL Centers
The ESOL and Writing Centers have announced their fall semester hours! Undergraduate and graduate students are encouraged to make an appointment or drop by for assistance. Both centers are located on the lower level of the library. See below for detailed information and instructions.
ESOL Center
- Monday: 10:00am – 8:30pm
- Tuesday: 10:00am – 6:30pm
- Wednesday: 10:00am – 9:30pm
- Thursday: 10:00am – 9:30pm
- Friday: 10:00am – 2:00pm
Bentley University students whose home language is not English are invited to take advantage of the free tutorial services offered by Bentley’s ESOL Center. Students can schedule an appointment online via the English & Media Studies Department web page (note that there are specific scheduling links for undergraduate students and graduate students), call 781.891.2021 to make an appointment, or drop in to see if a faculty tutor is available.
The Writing Center
- Monday – Thursday: 10:00am to 10:00pm
- Friday: 10:00am – 2:00pm
- Sunday: 6:00pm – 10:00pm
Writing Center staff are available to provide one-to-one assistance with writing skills. Students can drop in during open hours, schedule an appointment online via the Writing Center web page, or call 781.891.3173 to make an appointment.
