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Author: Lisa
Databases to Get You Through the NYTimes.com Paywall
As you may have heard, the New York Times paywall goes into effect today. Visitors to the NYTimes.com website will be allowed to read only 20 articles per month for free. Additionally, readers who access articles through links from social media sites will be able to read those articles, even if they have reached their monthly reading limit. (There may be some daily limitations for articles accessed via search engine links.) Read the publisher’s A Letter to Our Readers About Digital Subscriptions to get the full scoop.
While casual readers of the New York Times may not run up against the paywall, regular readers may be impacted. Therefore, we’re happy to remind you that the Bentley Library has same-day, full-text access to articles from the New York Times via two of our databases: Factiva and ProQuest.
Users of the databases will notice that our subscription access to the full-text does not replicate the layout of either the NYTimes.com website or the print newspaper, nor does it include images. However, the article text is provided in its entirety. Also, the library continues to get delivery of the print New York Times newspaper should you want to read it in its original format.
We encourage you to contact the Reference Desk if you have any questions about accessing the New York Times via Factiva and ProQuest.
Spring Break Hours & Closing Information: March 12- 20
At long last, Spring Break has arrived! The library hours during the break will be:
Saturday, March 12 & Sunday, March 13:
CLOSED
Monday, March 14 — Thursday, March 17:
8:00am to 6:00pm
Friday, March 18:
8:00am to 4:30pm
Saturday, March 19:
CLOSED
Sunday, March 20:
1:00pm to 2:00am
Please note: The Deloitte Cafe will be closed Saturday, March 12 through Sunday, March 20.
The library and cafe will resume regular hours on Monday, March 21, 2011. To view more information about our hours please check our online hours calendar. Have a wonderful Spring Break!
February Acquisitions: New Books, Bestsellers, DVDs & Audiobooks
Check out our book, popular reading, DVD and audiobook (including Playaway) acquisitions for the month of February. Go to our New Books & DVDs page or use the links in the left hand column.
Reception in the Art Gallery Today 4:30-6:30pm
Please join us at the Caturano and Company Art Gallery later today for a reception for artist Maggie Connors. The reception runs from 4:30pm – 6:30pm and light refreshments will be served.
You can learn more about the artist, and view more of her work, by visiting her web site at http://maggieconnors.com/.
Located on the main floor of the Bentley Library, the Caturano and Company Art Gallery is free and open to the public. Check the online hours calendar for information about the Library’s hours.
Now Showing in the Art Gallery: Maggie Connors
Open until April 7, 2011, the current exhibit in the Caturano and Company Art Gallery features recent works by artist Maggie Connors. All are invited to an opening reception for the artist on Wednesday, March 2, from 4:30pm to 6:30pm. You can learn more about the artist, and view more of her work, by visiting her web site at http://maggieconnors.com/.
Maggie Connors
Recent Work
March 2 – April 7, 2011
Opening Reception for the Artist
Wednesday, March 2
4:30pm – 6:30pm
light refreshments will be served
Located on the main floor of the Bentley Library, the Caturano and Company Art Gallery is free and open to the public. Check the online hours calendar for information about the Library’s hours.
Holiday Hours for Presidents Day Weekend
The library’s hours for the upcoming Presidents Day holiday weekend will be:
Saturday, February 19:
9:00am to 5:00pm
Sunday, February 20:
1:00pm to 9:00pm
Monday, February 21:
1:00pm to 2:00am
Regular hours will resume on Tuesday, February 22, 2011. For more information about the library or cafe hours please check our online calendar.
Valentine’s Day By the Numbers
Love is in the Air…and in the Cash Registers
According to a few forecasters, Valentine’s Day spending is on the upswing. Does that mean we are feeling more romantic in 2011, or just wealthier?
Both the National Retail Federation (NRF) and IBISWorld predict that spending for Valentine’s Day will increase this year. The NRF forecasts that the average person will spend $116.21 on traditional Valentine’s Day merchandise in 2011, up 12.8 percent over last year’s $103.00, with total holiday spending expected to reach $15.7 billion. IBISWorld is even more optimistic, forecasting that holiday spending will top $18.6 billion, which amounts to about $125 per person. 
The NRF also points out that men will spend the most on Valentine’s Day gifts, with the average man planning to spend twice as much ($158.71) as the average woman ($75.79).
Sweets for Your Sweet?
In surprising news to anyone who has walked through a drugstore or supermarket the day after Christmas and spotted aisles full of Valentine’s Day treats, Mintel is forecasting that Valentine’s Day chocolate sales will be down for a third consecutive year in 2011. In fact, Mintel estimates a continued decline through 2015, anticipating that the $285 million market will decrease to $233 million by 2015. But, both the NRF and IBISWorld are seeing a rise in jewelry sales for the holiday. Good news for those who prefer sparkly to sweet!
In Keeping With Tradition
According to the Worcester Historical Museum, for nearly 100 years Worcester was the center of the commercial valentine industry in the United States. In 1879, Worcester resident Esther Rowland (widely credited with being the first American to manufacture valentines) joined forces with Edward Taft to form the New England Valentine Company. What had started as a home-based enterprise grew into a business that grossed $100,000 in annual sales. Today, the Valentine’s Day card industry is thriving. The Greeting Card Association estimates that 160 million greeting cards will be purchased for Valentine’s Day this year. We wonder what Esther would think about that?
The staff of the Bentley Library wishes you all a Happy Valentine’s Day!
