Our Turn: Library Responds to 14 Days to Have Your Say!

The staff of the Bentley Library thanks everyone who submitted their comments, suggestions, criticisms, and compliments during the most recent installment of the 14 Days to Have Your Say! blog.  Now that everyone has “had their say”, we’ll address those issues that arose most frequently (though be assured that we read closely every comment made!).

Click here to view our responses

Check out our track record:

We wouldn’t run 14 Days to Have Your Say if we weren’t committed to bettering our resources and services, and we want you to know that we are listening. In fact, here’s a quick list of changes that the Bentley Library made in response to the feedback we received from the first two rounds of 14 Days to Have Your Say!, which were held in 2008 and 2010. Over the past four years, in response to your suggestions, we have:

  • increased both our normal operating hours and exam period hours
  • adjusted our borrowing policies to allow better/longer access to our DVD collection and enhanced our communication by emailing due-date reminders
  • improved the functionality of the group study room reservation system by providing off-campus access to the system and adding an edit/cancel feature
  • continually worked to improve the physical facilities through such measures as upgrading lighting, installing extra recycling receptacles, adding more study carrels, signage, etc.
  • worked to combat the problem of noise in the library by installing cell phone booths and adding a login-free, anonymous “Help Keep the Library Quiet” chat widget to the library’s home page
  • responded to student requests for access to coffee outside of the cafe’s hours by installing a coffee vending machine
  • worked with Sodexho to add a 2nd cash register to the Einstein’s café, reconfigure the lines, remove the counter that inhibited traffic flow, and to expand the cafe’s hours
  • installed new equipment and technology –  including “quick print/lookup” stations, color printers, and scanners – and increased the number of black & white printers to reduce wait times and lines
  • conducted usability studies and focus groups to improve the usability of our website
  • developed a mobile-friendly library website – the first mobile site at Bentley

We’re still listening…

We’d like to remind you that you don’t have to wait for the next 14 Days to Have Your Say to voice your opinion or make a recommendation. Simply use the “Contact Us” link on the library’s website and send us your feedback anytime.

Final Exam Study Hours Begin Monday, December 10

We’re happy to announce that this semester we are starting 24-hour access one day earlier than normal!

open 24 hoursOur ’round the clock schedule starts at 7:30AM on Monday, December 10 (the day before Reading Day) and ends at 9:00PM on Thursday, December 20 (last day of exams).  *Please note the Saturday night/Sunday morning exception – because everyone should take a little break from studying!

Monday, December 10 – Saturday, December 15:
Open at 7:30AM on Mon. 12/10 & remain open until 9:00PM on Sat. 12/15

*Saturday, December 15:
Close at 9:00PM

Sunday, December 16 – Thursday, December 20:
Open at 10:00AM on Sun. 12/16 and remain open until 9:00PM on Thurs. 12/20

What to expect:

  • Reference services will not be available during the extended late-night hours.
  • All patrons in the building at 2:00am will be required to show a Bentley ID in order to remain in the building.
  • Patrons entering the Library after 2:00am must enter via the front entrance and will need to show their Bentley ID upon entry.

For more information about the library or cafe hours please view our full hours calendar online.  Best of luck with your finals, and have a wonderful winter break!

Citation Frustration? These Sources Will Help.

Citing sources is important and necessary. It can also be confusing and frustrating. Every student is familiar with the nerve-wracking task of triple-checking their work to make sure the parentheses are in the proper place, the words are appropriately capitalized and italicized, and the punctuation is exactly right.

We (students, professor and librarians alike) are left to wonder why the people who create the rules don’t agree on a standard format.  Case in point, the three major citation styles even differ on what to call the list of citations at the end of a paper. In APA style it’s called a “Reference List”, MLA style refers to it as “Works Cited” and the Chicago Manual of Style uses the term “Bibliography”.  Fortunately, there are many excellent resources that provide citation examples and guidance:

Guide to Citing Sources libguides.bentley.edu/citingsources

While this guide points you to many sources, here are my personal Top 3 Picks:

  1. Research and Documentation Online – the companion web site to the popular handbook, A Writer’s Reference by Diana Hacker. This site provides examples of APA (Social Sciences), MLA (Humanities), Chicago (History) and CSE (Science)  in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, informational notes, and Works Cited/Reference List pages. You may also view sample research papers.
  2. The Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab) – provides numerous examples for the general format of APA and MLA research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and Works Cited/Reference List pages.
  3. And last but not least, our very own Bentley Library Guide to Citing Online Business Sources in APA Style. This guide provides a list of APA style citation examples for our business databases (e.g. Mintel, IBISWorld, ProQuest).

Ask a Librarian library.bentley.edu/research/askalibrarian.asp

Visit the reference desk or contact a reference librarian via email, phone or IM/chat.  Librarians can be especially helpful in cases where the style manual doesn’t have an exact example of how to cite an unusual source, like a Trading Room resource or a library database.

RefWorks ezp.bentley.edu/login?url=http://refworks.com/refworks

RefWorks is a citation management tool that the Bentley Library subscribes to. It’s a little like EasyBib, but different, and every Bentley student gets their own personal account. RefWorks helps you create bibliographies and format research papers in the citation style of your choice. RefWorks also allows you to easily organize and keep track of your references in folders in your RefWorks account.  Our citing sources guide has more information on RefWorks.  We advise you to create your account while you are on-campus.  If you need to create an account while off-campus, you will need to contact the Reference Desk for a registration code.

We hope you find these resources helpful. Please let us know if you have any questions!

Thanksgiving Holiday Hours Tuesday 11/20-Sunday 11/25

Holiday hours will be in effect from Tuesday, November 20 through Sunday, November 25:

Tuesday, 11/20:
7:30am – 9:00pm

Wednesday, 11/21 –  Saturday, 11/24:
CLOSED

Sunday, 11/25:
1:00pm – 2:00am

Please note that the Deloitte Café closes at 8:00pm on Tuesday, November 20, and will not reopen until 8:00am on Monday, November 26.

For more information about the library or cafe hours please view our hours calendarHappy Thanksgiving!

On Display: Science Fiction & Fantasy

On display at the Bentley Library is a selection of Science Fiction & Fantasy novels for your reading pleasure. Come escape into an adventure filled with magic, explore visions of the future or marvel at the vivid worlds created by these brilliant authors. We are highlighting a number of Hugo & Nebula Award winners, NPR Listeners Top 100 Science Fiction & Fantasy Book Choices, and new releases in these genres for you to experience.

Many of these titles are available as downloadable books & audiobooks through our Overdrive service which you can experience on a device of your choosing (laptop, NOOK, Kindle, iPad, etc.). Stop by and browse, view a list via the catalog (you can click “Request” to place an item on hold), or check out the display on Pinterest.

Science Fiction Display Word Cloud

Now Showing in the Art Gallery: Thomas Willis

Opening today in the McGladrey Art Gallery is an installation by artist Thomas Willis titled A Few More Paintings.  All are invited to attend the opening reception for the artist on Wednesday, November 7, from 5:00PM-7:00PM. There will be a Q&A session starting at 5:30PM. Light refreshments will be served.

Thomas Willis
A Few More Paintings
November 5 – December 7, 2012

Opening Reception:
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
5:00PM – 7:00PM
Artist Talk and Q&A at 5:30PM

A Few More Paintings / Thomas Willis