“Help, I Just Need 3 Sources by Tomorrow!” Drop-in Research Help for Students

Liz

Do you have a paper or project due soon? This drop-in research help session is for you!

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! (Of course, you can always contact a Reference Librarian to get immediate help – they are here 7 days a week).

Pre-registration is NOT required!  Drop-in to the library’s Research Instruction Center (RIC), during the scheduled times (the RIC is located on the lower level in room 11). We are holding seven drop-in sessions from November 10 to December 1:

Wednesday, November 10:
3:00pm – 4:00pm

Monday, November 15:
1:00pm – 2:00pm

Tuesday, November 16:
5:00pm – 6:00pm

Wednesday, November 17:
5:00pm – 6:00pm

Monday, November 29:
2:00pm – 3:00pm

Wednesday, December 1:
1:00pm-2:00pm

5:00pm – 6:00pm

Books & Films That Will Whet Your Appetite

Lisa

Foodies delight! Our current display is a mouth-watering selection of books and films about food and drink. One part history, one part culture, a generous dollop of biography, a dash of business and pinch of fiction is the perfect recipe for a collection to savor. We’ve also thrown in a few cookbooks to inspire you to whip up your own gastronomic delights.

We have books that pay tribute to the potato chip, unveil the tale of the first genetically engineered tomato, examine the six beverages that have changed history, and tell the saga of the chocolate wars.  You can learn more about two of the first ladies of food – Julia Child and Betty Crocker – and follow the humorous adventures of New York Times food critic Ruth Reichl.

Explore the cultural, social, and historical importance of food from places near and far, and take a trip back in time to examine how food and cooking have evolved from ancient civilization to the present day. We also have all of the icons covered, whether you’re thirsting for information about Coca Cola or looking for something just a bit stronger, like the life and times of Jack Daniel.

Stop by and pick up something you can sink your teeth into.

October Acquisitions: New Books, Bestsellers, DVDs & Audiobooks

Lisa

Check out our book, popular reading, DVD and audiobook (including Playaway) acquisitions for the month of October. Go to our New Books & DVDs page or use the links in the left hand column.

Artist Reception: Tonight, 4:30pm – 6:30pm

Lisa

Please join us at the Caturano and Company Art Gallery this evening for a reception for artist Lynda Schlosberg. The reception runs from 4:30pm – 6:30pm and light refreshments will be served.

Lynda Schlosberg
Formlessness
on exhibit until November 30, 2010

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 at the Art Gallery: Lynda Schlosberg

Lisa

The new exhibit at the gallery presents paintings by artist Lynda Schlosberg in an installment titled Formlessness. All are invited to a reception for the artist on Thursday, October 28, 2010, from 4:30pm to 6:30pm.  To learn more about the artist visit  http://www.lyndaschlosberg.com/.

Lynda Schlosberg
Formlessness
October 26 – November 30, 2010

Opening Reception: Thursday, October 28 from 4:30pm to 6:30pm

Volcanic Mangrove, acrylic on panel, 16 x 16 inches, 2010

No Tricks, Just Treats: Halloween Facts & Figures

Lisa

Here are some fun-sized pieces of Halloween trivia, plucked from a few industry research resources.

Trick-or-Treat…

Who do you expect to see on your doorstep this October 31st?  The U.S. Census reports that there are an estimated 36 million potential trick-or-treaters in the United States, and according to a National Retail Federation survey, many of those kids will be dressed as princesses (4.3 million), Spider Man (1.8 million), and witches (1.7 million).   Children aren’t the only ones getting into the holiday spirit – check out the complete costume survey results to also see the top costume picks for adults and pets (like our favorite French Bulldog, Jasper, pictured to the right).

In fact, Mintel’s Holiday Shopping report indicates that $1.8 billion will be spent on Halloween costumes this year, with the average expenditure being $34.96.  Mintel anticipates that total expenditures for Halloween (including costumes, decorations, candy and greeting cards) will be $4.8 billion.

…Give Me Something Good to Eat!

Every trick-or-treater has a favorite candy.  Last year one little boy stood on my doorstop, peered into my candy bowl, and shouted with delight when he discovered we had Skittles in the mix.  When I was a kid I thought nothing was better than a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, and at the end of the night my friends and I would dump out our bags to sort our stash and barter for our favorites.

According to the National Confectioners Association, of those households providing treats, the majority (52%) will be passing out chocolate.  When kids are asked about their faves, they say that they prefer homes that give anything made with chocolate (68%), followed by lollipops (9%), gummy candy (7%) and bubble gum or chewing gum (7%).

In their Seasonal Chocolate report, Mintel notes that from 2008-2010 Halloween chocolate sales decreased 2.9%.  Conversely, in 2009 sales of non-chocolate candy – which is more affordable – were up 2.9%.  The chocolate industry shouldn’t worry too much though, as Mintel predicts that Halloween chocolate sales will rebound as the economy improves, with a forecasted growth of 4.8% from 2010-2015.

Whatever your costume or candy preference may be, we hope you all have a safe and happy Halloween!

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Sources:
Mintel Group. (2010, June). Holiday Shopping – US – June 2010. Retrieved from Mintel Oxygen database.
Mintel Group. (2010, August). Seasonal Chocolate – US – August 2010. Retrieved from Mintel Oxygen database.
National Confectioners Association. (2009). Fun Facts About Halloween.  Retrieved from http://www.candyusa.com/FunStuff/halFunFactsDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=992.
National Retail Federation. (2010, September). 2010 Halloween Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey: Top Costumes. Retrieved from http://www.nrf.com/modules.php?name=Documents&op=showlivedoc&sp_id=5490.
U.S. Census. (2010, August 31). Facts for Features – Halloween: Oct. 31, 2010.  Retrieved from  http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb10ff19.html.

Welcome, Homecoming & Fall Parents Weekend Guests!

Lisa

Join us for a tour of our world class library, recently ranked 14th in the nation by the Princeton Review!

We’ll be showcasing our technologies, collaborative study spaces, moving shelves, research resources and more.  You might be amazed to see how much the library has changed (and how much it has stayed the same) over the years.

Tours will be held on Saturday, October 23, at 10:45am and 12:00pm.  Come see for yourselves what a 21st century academic library looks like.  Unable to attend the tour?  Please feel free to stop by and take a walk through the library; we’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.  We look forward to seeing you!

Database of the Month: JSTOR

Hope Houston

is like exploring your grandpa’s attic and finding a corner under the eaves stacked high and deep with letters, diaries, old photographs, military histories, an 1878 issue of the American Journal of Mathematics, and a review of Corporation Finance and Accounting by Harry C. Bentley.

Searching through JSTOR’s Arts & Sciences Collections will also unearth an article on the various dialects of slave workers on a Cuban coffee plantation in 1790, an image of a woman traveler and geographer in 1897, or the rate of turnover in the American labor force of the 1960s.

JSTOR is one of the premier databases for research in the humanities, and now with JSTOR’s Business Collection, you have access to 68 scholarly business journals, too. In all, Bentley faculty and students may peruse over 620 full-text journals in more than 50 disciplines, including:

  • African Studies
  • Archaeology
  • Business
  • Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
  • Feminist & Women’s Studies
  • History
  • Irish Literature
  • Law
  • Mathematics
  • Middle East Studies
  • Political Science
  • Public Policy and Administration
  • Zoology

Calling all researchers and authors!

As you know, JSTOR offers some of the world’s most reliable sources for academic content. Interacting with that content has just gotten easier using JSTOR’s powerful Data for Research (DfR) faceted search interface. Using Data for Research allows you to quickly and easily define content of interest through an iterative process of searching and filter results from approximately 1.25 million articles. More about this service may be found here – http://dfr.jstor.org/info/about/.

Connect to this Database:

Connect to JSTOR and explore this valuable database further, or visit our Databases page to view a complete list of other library resources.

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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 contact the Reference Desk.  If you would like a demonstration of this database for a class, please contact our Coordinator of User Education, Elizabeth Galoozis.