USF Polytechnic Library

Facebook has a new application called Blog Networks. People can look up their favorite blogs, read them and rate them. Blog authors can list their blogs on the Blog Network and that is what I did with the USF Poly Library blog. If you are a Facebook member,please add this blog to your list by clicking “Join Blog Network” on the right.

P.S. the Library also has a Page and a Group on Facebook.

For fun and a good cause:
First Book is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to give children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books. They partenered with cereal-brand Cheerios and actor/author John Lithgow in a book donation challenge. Cheerios will be distributing 100,000 children’s books by John Lithgow to programs serving children in need across the country.

Visitors can “help decide where the books will be donated by answering trivia questions […] from now through Sunday, June 15, 2008. Every correct answer counts as one vote […] Cheerios will donate 20,000 children’s books to programs in each of the 5 states that receive the most votes. Cheerios’ nonprofit partner First Book will be identifying programs that will receive the books in each state where the books will be donated.”

As of today, Florida is in the 13th position.

John Lithgow has written 7 children’s books, including Marsupial Sue, Micawber, I’m a Manatee and The Remarkable Farkle McBride.

In honor of Black History Month, the Lakeland Library prepared an handout listing the various resources available at the Library on the topic as well as a selection of e-journals and databases. It is available at the Front Desk.

Various activities from the USFL Office of Diversity will also take place during the month.

The Lakeland Public Library’s Special Collections department have prepared an exhibit of photographies about the African American experience in Lakeland (at main branch).

Please see the comments for a January 22nd session in the Tampa Bay area!

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These may not be taking place near Lakeland, but could still be interesting source of information. Job opportunities for MLIS/MIS graduates are very diverse and, in my opinion, fullfilling. These workshops are organized by the Northeast Florida Library Information Network (NEFLIN).

Here are the links to the two schools in Florida offering those degrees:
USF’s School of Library and Information Science
FSU’s College of Information

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Becoming a Library and Information Professional: All About Graduate School

• Are you working in a library and wondering what it would take to get a Master’s Degree to become a professional Librarian, Information Professional or School Media Specialist?
• Do you know or work with someone who should consider looking into library school to further his or her career?

In this informative workshop we’ll cover the degree programs at FSU and USF, admission requirements, distance learning options, costs and financial aid availability. Join us for all your questions to be answered. Two dates and locations. Free for all.

Trainers: Christie Koontz, FSU and Andrea LaRochelle, USF

Monday, January 28, 1:00 – 4:00 pm at Santa Fe Community College in Gainesville
(http://guest.cvent.com/EVENTS/Info/Summary.aspx?e=bd5e9656-0882-4546-91a9-18fb280f460c )

Or

Tuesday, January 29, 9:00 am – 12:00 noon at NEFLIN in Orange Park
(http://guest.cvent.com/EVENTS/Info/Summary.aspx?e=bd5e9656-0882-4546-91a9-18fb280f460c)

The APA just released new rules about the citation of electronic documents with Digital Object Identifier (DOI) numbers. You can find details on the APA website at http://www.apastyle.org/elecmedia.html as well as on the University of Maryland University College Library’s website at http://www.umuc.edu/library/guides/apa.shtml#DOI.

But, students, before you apply these new rules, check with your instructor first.

The USF Lakeland Library was mentioned in the September 9th edition of The Ledger, in the “School Notes” column. Scroll down http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070909/NEWS/709090373/1005/NEWS02 to read.

The full press release can be found at http://www.lakeland.usf.edu/News_Releases/Fall_2007_Articles/08-30-2007-library.html.

The USF Tampa Library has a useful site about copyright at http://www.lib.usf.edu/public/index.cfm?Pg=CopyrightInformation.

Two new websites, created by the University of Texas-Austin’s Harry Ranson Humanities Research Center, could also be useful, especially as they build up.

• Firms Out of Business (FOB) can be searched for the contact information of copyright holders for out-of-business printing and publishing firms, magazines and literary agencies
• Writers, Artists and Their Copyright Holders (WATCH) contains copyright holders information for authors and artists

USF recently revised its Use of Copyrighted Materials policy . Needless to say, respect of copyright and intellectual property is important and relevant to students, staff and faculty.

Two recent titles in the Lakeland Library collection can also help with copyright issues:

• The complete copyright liability handbook for librarians and educators / Tomas A. Lipinski.
  USF LIBRARY - Lakeland — Circulating Collection — KF3080 .L57 2006
• Copyright law for librarians and educators : creative strategies and practical solutions / Kenneth D. Crews ; with contributions from Dwayne K. Buttler … [et al.].
  USF LIBRARY - Lakeland — Circulating Collection — KF2995 .C74 2005-General Collection

Submissions are now accepted for the 2nd Annual Florida Book Awards, a program established in 2006 that recognizes, honors, and celebrates the best Florida literature published the previous year.

Authors who have residency in Florida may submit works of fiction or poetry that have a publication date between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2007. Non-fiction works on a Florida topic published in 2007 may be submitted by any author. (…) Submissions are accepted in the following seven categories: General Fiction, Florida Nonfiction, Spanish Language Book, Poetry, Young Adult Literature, Children’s Literature, and Popular Fiction.

More information can be found at http://www.fsu.edu/~ams/bookawards/index.html.

I just created a Facebook group for the users and friends of the USF Lakeland Library. The group is open to all but you do need a Facebook account. Featured will be news, events and discussions. Join in and be a Friend!