Two New Databases

Family Studies Abstracts and Public Administration Abstracts are two new databases that Steenbock patrons may find especially useful.

Family Studies Abstracts includes citations and summaries of journal articles covering essential areas related to family studies, including marriage, divorce, and family therapy. It complements Family & Society Studies Worldwide, which is heavily used by Human Development and Family Studies, Extension, and Rural Sociology researchers.

Public Administration Abstracts covers essential areas related to public administration, and complements our existing subscription to Public Affairs Information Service (PAIS). These databases are particularly useful for researchers in Urban and Regional Planning, Urban and Regional Planning, and Environmental Studies.

Reading the Body Eclectic

Campus librarians gather annually for a book-sharing event, replete with discussions and recommendations. If you are looking for something to distract you from the local wintry scene or simply need to come up with that 'little something' for a friend or family member, consider this year’s eclectic body of titles (generated December 2008).

Consult with your campus or public libraries to find available copies.

Handy links:

MadCat
Don’t forget UW System search and borrowing options!

LinkCat, South Central Wisconsin Library System

WorldCat

Remote Access

With the Libraries’ remote access service, you are never far away from the campus library resources you know and love. If you should find yourself snowbound, but enjoying Internet access, stay productive and continue your pursuit of information.

Select the resource you need to use from the Libraries’ homepage. Resources requiring authentication will prompt you to log in with your NetID. In some instances, apart from NetID, you may still be asked to submit your University ID number and last name as a password. Once you have entered either of these two pieces of identifying information, you will be able to use the resource as if you were on campus.

Should you have any questions regarding off-campus access, visit the Off-Campus Online Access page for general information and troubleshooting tips.

Winter Intersession Hours (Dec 22-Jan 19)

Steenbock Library will observe the following hours during the winter intersession:

Monday - Tuesday, December 22 - 23: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Wednesday - Thursday, December 24 - 25: CLOSED (Holiday)
Friday - Sunday, December 26 - 28: CLOSED

Monday - Tuesday, December 29 - 30: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Wednesday - Thursday, December 31 - January 1: CLOSED (Holiday)
Friday, January 2: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday - Sunday, January 3 - 4: CLOSED

Monday - Friday, January 5 - 9: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday - Sunday, January 10 - 11: CLOSED

Monday - Friday, January 12 - 16: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday - Monday, January 17 - 19: CLOSED

Tuesday, January 20: 8:00 am - 1:00 am (Classes Resume)

Course Reserves for Spring 2009

Have you prepared your course reserve materials? It's that time of year...time for instructors to submit their course reserve materials to the library for processing.

To ensure that your reserve materials are available in time for the first day of class, do submit these materials by December 20, 2008.

For more information, visit the Steenbock Course Reserves page, phone 263-8331 or email.

If you are a student, do note that you can access your e-reserve content by logging in to your MyUW and selecting the Library/Reserves link listed with your registered classes. Similarly, you can access these same library links from within Learn@UW. Should your instructor have placed materials for you to use at one of our campus libraries, visit the MadCat catalog to run a Course Reserves search.

Stress-Busters

Allow other people to make life a bit easier. Don't be afraid to ask for help.

Treat your body with respect and compassion. (Eat well; get some sleep!)

Accentuate the positive. It’s fine to acknowledge doubts, but always keep an image of success in your head. This focus can help bring out your best when needed most.

These are just a few of the tips listed on the “Healthy Ways to Handle Stress” page from University Health Services. Given that this is often a stressful time of the year for students and staff, UHS offers a variety of counseling opportunities and support services. Take a look at the links available from the Live Well pages. Additionally, you may find the Relaxation Exercises (MP3 audio) helpful.

Wishing you all the best for a successful end of term!

Study Spaces at Steenbock

As you prepare for your final projects and exams, do note the various areas of Steenbock Library that can accommodate your preferences for quiet, study space or areas for group work. For those sporting a laptop, each floor can connect to the wireless network; there are also additional wall outlets to power the laptop. If you should need to use your cell-phone, we ask that you set your phone to a silent indicator and take calls to the stairwells or entrance. Seeing as this is a stressful time of the semester and that there will be many more people in the building, we encourage everyone to be mindful of others so that all areas of the library prove conducive for productive work.

First floor (book stacks)
Visit the first floor to find the library’s group study rooms (that can be reserved using the Study Room Reservation System). Additionally, there are many large tables to accommodate group work. Snack machines (including one for hot beverages) can also be found here. A small bank of computers accesses online resources and the MS Office suite of software; for additional software, visit the InfoLab on second.

Second floor (entrance level)
The second floor (or entrance level) hosts the DoIT Infolab as well as library circulation and reference services where you can seek assistance from staff. The floor offers some relaxed seating and tables for reasonably-quiet group study.

Third floor (journal collections)
The third floor affords table seating and individual study carrels. While it is generally a quieter study area than the first floor (for instance), the open atrium with its view of second, does permit some sound to carry.

Fourth floor (journal collections, government documents, University Archives)
This floor has been designated as the quiet study floor for this building. While there will be some staff working in this space between the hours of 8:00-5:00, the library endeavors to preserve this space for quiet study needs. Large tables and individual carrels are available.

Best wishes for a successful end of term!

Top 10 of Everything

What a year it has been! For those of you who like to reflect on the past year, have some fun with a look at Time magazine’s Top 10 Lists of Everything from 2008—albums, food trends, news stories, movies, video-games, etc.

Wonder what 2009 has in store?!

Planning Ahead, Job Hunting Resources

As you begin your search for an exciting career opportunity, do consult Steenbock Library’s online guide to Job Hunting.

This guide supplies links to resources for helping you prepare your resume and cover letter, tips for networking and interviewing, sources to help you research potential employers and sources for retrieving current job listings--and finding those opportunities that may not be advertised.

College Library also maintains a Career Collection of more than 1,000 books on writing resumes and cover letters, preparing for interviews, job hunting, and choosing and preparing for a career. This collection is located in the center area of the third floor of College Library.

Call for Course Reserves (Spring 2009)

It's that time of year...time for instructors to submit their course reserve materials to Steenbock Library for processing. To ensure that your reserve materials are available in time for the first day of class, do submit these materials by our deadline date, December 20, 2008.

For more information, visit the Steenbock Course Reserves page, phone 263-8331 or email.

Farewell Union South

Campus will bid farewell to Union South at the end of this semester. For those students and staff accustomed to visiting Union South for its dining options and other services, you may find this modified campus map helpful for sourcing alternatives.

If you are interested in checking on the progress of new Union construction (and to weigh-in on its amenities), take a look at the Union Building Project site, read the blog or sign-on to the Facebook group.

There will also be a fun opportunity to issue a student farewell, this Friday (December 5) with the “Wreaking Ball” schedule of events—dances, karaoke, free snacks and midnight movie.

Second Harvest Donation Event

The campus Visitor & Information Programs (VIP) office will host an opportunity to donate to the Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin. On December 5, students and staff can bring non-perishable food items to the Red Gym (716 Langdon), between 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM, for this effort. While there, enjoy some hot chocolate, courtesy of University Housing.

Your contribution matters, here, locally!

For some additional information and statistics regarding food insecurity/hunger in the United States, consult the following fact-sheets and studies supplied by Feeding America (parent organization for the Second Harvest foodbanks).

Tree and Wreath Sale

The UW Forestry Club will hold its annual tree and wreath sale, December 5-7 in the Stock Pavilion. Students will be selling fresh trees--Fraser fir ($50), Balsam fir ($40) and white pine ($30) and Fraser wreaths ($22). Proceeds from this sale are used to help subsidize students’ experience at the summer field skills camp, Kemp Natural Resources Station, and to fund travel and registration at professional society meetings.

Hours:

Friday, December 5 8:00 am-8:00 pm

Saturday, December 6 8:00 am-8:00 pm

Sunday, December 7 9:00 am-3:00 pm