Binghamton University Libraries News and Events

Summer Hours for Special Collections and University Archives

jgreen — Wed, 16 May 2012 19:56:29 +0000

Binghamton University Libraries Special Collections and University Archives summer hours begin on Monday, May 21, 2012.

We will be open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and closed weekends.

For more information, call (607) 777-4844.

Trial to Literaturnaia Gazeta

jgreen — Mon, 14 May 2012 19:57:48 +0000

Binghamton University Libraries will be offering a trial to Literaturnaia Gazeta. Established on April 22, 1929 with the support of the “father of Soviet literature,” writer Maxim Gorky, Literaturnaia gazeta is a landmark publication in Russia’s cultural heritage. With its focus on literary and intellectual life, Literaturnaia gazeta allowed Soviet Russia’s preeminent authors, poets, and cultural figures a particular podium for commentary, affording perhaps fewer restrictions than might be possible in other publications. Literaturnaia gazeta was considered the most open among newspapers of the Soviet era, and it remains popular among the intelligentsia in today’s Russia. (Note: Publication of Literaturnaia gazeta was completely suspended in 1942 and 1943, and no issues were produced. In 1944, only 8 issues were published. The lack of database content for this period is not a gap, but reflects the publication schedule during these challenging years.)

Trial ends June 11, 2012.

Summer Session(s) Reserve Requests

erushton — Tue, 08 May 2012 14:37:04 +0000

The Library would like to remind you that it is time to submit your Summer Session(s) reserve requests as soon as possible. If you have any materials on reserve for this semester (Spring 2012) that you would like put on for Summer Session, please let us know. We cannot automatically turn around materials without written notification to do so.

All Reserve requests – including those for the Science Library and College of Community and Public Affairs will be processed in the Newcomb Reading Room. Requests are processed in the order in which they are received. To ensure your list will be processed by first day of classes for Summer Session, we recommend that you turn your list in prior to May 15^th, 2012.

You may also submit reserve request Fall 2012 semester at this time. You may either reply to this email: mainresv@binghamton.edu, or you may visit The Reserve Department website to download your reserve request form.

If you have any questions, please contact David Gates or the Reserve Department at 777-3940

Treasure Unearthed in the Bartle Stacks!

jgreen — Tue, 08 May 2012 14:03:16 +0000

Beth Kilmarx, Curator of Rare Books at the Binghamton University Libraries, was going through the Special Collections closed stacks one afternoon last December when she came across an unusual looking book. Kilmarx noticed that the book’s fore-edge, the side opposite the book’s spine, was a shade darker than the other edges.

“I saw the discolored gilt edge,” Kilmarx said, “and when I bent the leaves to find the cause of the coloring, I saw the painting!” Kilmarx’s discovery is known as a single disappearing fore-edge painting. The painting was found on an 1818 edition of The Book of Common Prayer. Printed in London, the book was published by J. Cook and S. Collingwood at the Clarendon Press.

Aside from the book’s age, it is the watercolor painting that makes the book so rare. The disappearing artwork can only be seen by bending all of the pages at once, and then curving them until the painting appears on the edge of the book, Kilmarx said.

Stop by Special Collections to see it for yourself.

See Beth Kilmarx talk about the find here

Exam Week Stress? The Libraries Can Help

erushton — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 16:15:40 +0000

Photo from BInghamton University Photo Gallery

The end of the semester is quickly approaching and that means it’s crunch time for papers and exams. The Libraries have a variety of services available to help you find scholarly resources such as books and journal articles. We also offer several tools to help you conduct research more effectively and efficiently.

Find It! is a search tool for books, journals, articles, videos, sound recordings, digital images and more. The single search box retrieves ranked results from the Libraries’ Catalog and Digital Collections as well an aggregated index of scholarly electronic resources.

Subject Guides provide access to relevant databases, journals and web resources for a particular discipline.

The Research Project Calculator helps you plan the time needed to work on an assignment.

RefWorks is a online tool that formats in-text citations and creates bibliographies in citation styles such as a APA and MLA.

As always, you can Ask a Librarian for research assistance. We are available in person, by phone, by text and online via chat or Skype.

Don’t forget that the Bartle Library and Information Commons will be open 24 hours beginning Friday May 4th to Thursday May 17th.

Library Catalog on your Mobile Phone

erushton — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 15:30:22 +0000

The Library Catalog is now optimized for mobile devices. The mobile version allows you to easily and quickly search the Libraries’ collection of books, DVDs, etc. and it provides the location and availability of these items.

The Libraries’ mobile website has other useful links for the researcher on-the-go including library hours, floor maps and a list of mobile friendly databases . Check it out today!

Binghamton Research Days: Library Jeopardy Game

jgreen — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:43:08 +0000

As part of Binghamton Research Days, come to the Bartle Library Instruction Lab in the Newcomb Reading Room from 10-11 a.m. Friday, April 27, to challenge your knowledge of the Binghamton University Libraries. All are welcome to participate — faculty, staff … Continue reading →

Students! Tell Us About Your Research Habits!

jdixon — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:47:37 +0000

In order to discover better ways to help you with your information needs, we invite you to participate in the survey “Student Research in the Libraries” to learn more about your research and study habits for a single assignment.

The survey is open to all Binghamton University students. If you decide to participate in this project, simply complete the online questionnaire, which will be available April 27 to May 14, 2012: Student Research in the Libraries Survey. This anonymous survey should only take a few minutes.

If you have any questions about this survey, please contact Angelique Jenks-Brown at 607-777-4596 or ajbrown@binghamton.edu.

Thank you!

National Technical Reports Library Trial

dvose — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:21:16 +0000

National Technical Reports Library (NTRL) / NTIS Database
The Libraries are offering a trial of NTRL through May 21st. Updated every business day, the NTRL acquires, indexes, abstracts, and archives the largest collection of U.S. government, and government funded, technical reports in existence. It includes 2,000,000+ searchable reports, with 600,000+ available full text. Reports come from all government agencies and cover broad subject areas in the sciences, technology, engineering, business, economics, management, government, the environment, medicine & biology, the behavioral sciences and more. RSS feeds are available to keep you current on new publications in your field. View a complete list of subjects covered or browse the NTR Newsletter archive to see the variety of materials available. Please send feedback to Dave Vose.

Pass it On! Preservation Week is April 22nd-28th

jgreen — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 17:55:00 +0000

Preservation Week gives libraries, special collections and archives the opportunity to connect to users and communities through events, activities, and resources that highlight what we can do, individually and together, to preserve our personal and shared collections.

The Binghamton University Libraries are strongly committed to providing and preserving access to materials within the libraries. Significant amounts of our library materials are in paper format and many of these often irreplaceable materials are deteriorating on our shelves. Providing methods for efficient and effective preservation and continued access to the intellectual contents of these volumes is essential.

Our Preservation Department is responsible for the long-term care of the rich and unique collections contained in the Binghamton University Libraries’ collections. Preservation activities include but are not restricted to: education, outreach, research, repair, and conservation.

A comprehensive preservation program includes a system of plans, policies, procedures, and resources required to care properly for and prolong the life of the Library’s collections. An active preservation program conserves collections through the application of preventive and corrective measures and promotes respect for the Library and its holdings. The Preservation Department leads the preservation program by establishing and implementing relevant policies and procedures. Preservation treatment decisions for Library materials are made by members of the Preservation Department in collaboration with relevant selectors, curators, bibliographers, and/or technical experts.

Here are some preservation-related links of interest:

Society of American Archivists Preservation Week 2012

American Library Association Preservation Week

Preservation at the Library of Congress

Northeast Document Conservation Center

American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works