Category: general news

Welcome, Family Weekend Guests!

Lisa

The Bentley Library extends a warm welcome to our Family Weekend guests!  Please join us for a guided tour of the library, being held on Saturday, February 20 at 10:30am and 11:30am.  Tours will depart from the Reference Desk.

Can’t make a tour? Feel free to drop-in at any time over the course of the weekend and check things out for yourself. Librarians are available at the Reference Desk to answer any questions you may have, and you can learn more about the Bentley Library at http://library.bentley.edu/history.asp.   We look forward to meeting you!

Elizabeth Galoozis is a Jeopardy Champion! Tune in Friday Night for Round 2.

Lisa

Congratulations to Reference Librarian Elizabeth Galoozis for her victory on Jeopardy Wednesday night!  Next up?  Liz returns to the show as reigning Jeopardy champion on Friday.   Tune in to WBZ-TV Channel 4 on Friday, February 19 @ 7:30pm to watch Liz defend her title.

Winter Storm Closing at 6:30pm

Lisa

Due to the snowstorm, Bentley University and the Bentley Library will be closing at 6:30pm today, Tuesday, February 16. Weather permitting, the Bentley Library will reopen on Wednesday, February 17, at 7:30am.    Please check the Bentley University Storm Emergency web site, or call the Storm Emergency line at 781.891.2020,  for the most current information.

Bentley Librarian Elizabeth Galoozis Appears on Jeopardy!

Lisa 5 Comments

Q: This Bentley Reference Librarian appears on Jeopardy on Wednesday, February 17, 2010 at 7:30pm.

A: Who is Elizabeth Galoozis?

Tune in to WBZ-TV, Channel 4, at 7:30pm on Wednesday evening to watch Bentley Reference Librarian Elizabeth Galoozis compete on Jeopardy!  Elizabeth was chosen to compete on the popular television game show after passing an online test and performing well during an in-person group audition held in Boston last spring.  In December 2009 Liz jetted off to California to film the episode that airs this week.  Join us in cheering her on!

Valentine’s Day Facts & Figures

Lisa

Heart-shaped boxes of chocolate, red roses, romantic dinners and poetic greeting cards are just a few of the ways millions of Americans will be celebrating Valentine’s Day this Sunday.  Here are some interesting Valentine’s Day facts from a few of the library’s databases and some other industry experts:

Sales are Looking Rosy

In 2009, a Mintel consumer survey found that the average per-person expenditure for Valentine’s Day was $102.50. 1 According to industry research firm IBISWorld, total Valentine’s Day spending (measured for seven categories – Dining Out, Romantic Getaway, Greeting Cards, Clothing & Intimate Apparel, Candy, Jewelry, Flowers) is anticipated to increase 3.3% over last year to $17.6 billion dollars this year. 2

Please Mr. Postman

Although Valentine’s Day cards date back to the 1400s in Europe, Massachusetts native Esther Howland can be credited with being the first American publisher of Valentine cards in the 1840s.  Her paper lace cards fetched from $5 to $10 (and you thought today’s greeting cards were expensive)! 3 According to the Greeting Card Association, Valentine’s Day is now the second most popular card-giving occasion (after Christmas), with an estimated 190 million Valentine’s Days cards being exchanged this year (over 1 billion if you count school-children’s classroom Valentine exchanges). 4

Love is Sweet

Candy conversation hearts galore!  According to market research firm Mintel, the National Retail Foundation reports that after cards (58%), candy is the top Valentine’s Day gift (48%).  In fact, in 2007, Valentine’s Day candy sales reached $83 million.5 The U.S. Census reports that the per capita candy consumption by Americans in 2008 was 23.8 pounds. 6 (This fact is not surprising, considering how quickly our office candy bowl gets emptied!)

Happy Valentine’s Day from the Staff of the Bentley Library!

[1] “Holiday Shopping – US – June 2009″. Mintel Oxygen database. 2009. Web. 11 Feb. 2010. <http://academic.mintel.com>
[2] “Valentine’s Day Sales Shift From Retail To Restaurants”. IBISWorld Press Release. 1 Feb. 2010. Web. 11 Feb. 2010. <http://www.ibisworld.com/pressrelease/pressrelease.aspx?prid=214>.
[3]  “A Brief History of Valentine’s Day Cards”. Greeting Card Association Press Release.  n.d.  Web. 11 Feb. 2010. <http://www.greetingcard.org/userfiles/file/V%20Day%20history10.pdf>.
[4] “Americans and Valentine’s Day”.  Greeting Card Association Press Release. n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2010. <http://www.greetingcard.org/userfiles/file/2010%20Valentines%20Day.pdf>.
[5] “Holiday Shopping – US – June 2009″. Mintel Oxygen database. 2009. Web. 11 Feb. 2010. <http://academic.mintel.com>.
[6] “Facts for Features – Valentine’s Day 2010: Feb. 14″. U.S. Census Press Release. 15 Dec. 2009. Web. 11 Feb. 2010. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/014493.html>.

Winter Storm Closing at 2:00pm

Lisa

Due to the snowstorm, Bentley University and the Bentley Library will be closing at 2:00pm today, Wednesday, February 10.  Weather permitting, the Bentley Library will reopen on Thursday, February 11, at 7:30am.    Please check the Bentley University Storm Emergency web site, or call the Storm Emergency line at 781.891.2020,  for the most current information.

Microfilm Goes Digital

Lisa

30 Day Trial of a New Microfilm Reader/Scanner ends February 12, 2010

You may be surprised to hear that microfilm is alive and well, but anyone who has conducted historical research or obtained a dissertation via Interlibrary Loan knows that microfilm is still very much a reality. The good news is that microfilm technology has changed some, and the library is currently test-driving a digital microfilm machine. This machine allows the content of microfilm to be digitally scanned to be saved, emailed and/or printed to the library printers.

We encourage you to stop by and take it for a spin.  Our trial of the machine ends February 12…please stop by the Library Services Desk before then and let us know you’d like to be introduced to the ST200X digital microfilm machine.

Is It Getting Loud in Here? Please, Help Us Keep the Library Quiet.

Lisa

It’s hard to believe that today is the last day of classes and finals are upon us. For most of you this translates into late-night study sessions and hours spent hunched over a keyboard typing papers. Many of you will retreat to the Bentley Library to seek out a quiet corner or comfortable chair to accomplish these tasks.  We ask that you work together with us to maintain a quiet environment conducive to study.

Please, be mindful of your voices and courteous to the people working around you. If you do encounter a person or group that is disrupting the quiet you may approach a library staff member either in person or by sending an anonymous instant message via our Meebo chat widget. Simply go to the library’s home page, look for “I Want To...” and click on “Help Keep the Library Quiet!“.  There’s no need to log-in or identify yourself. A  library staff person will respond as quickly as possible. Best of luck to all of you with finals, and have a wonderful winter break!