May 2010 Archives

The Walk-In Research and Writing Clinics at Cabell Library are designed for students with research and/or writing questions. Anytime the clinic is open, a librarian or Writing Center consultant can provide one-on-one assistance to find library resources or assist in the writing process. These clinics are targeted to students in ENGL 200 and UNIV 112, and open to anyone working on a research paper. Attending these open, hands-on clinics can help students save time and stress!

Walk-In Research & Writing Clinics
James Branch Cabell Library
Library Instruction Classroom, Room 319

• Wednesday, June 2, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
• Tuesday, June 8, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
• Wednesday, June 16, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
• Tuesday, June 22, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
• Wednesday, June 30, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
• Tuesday, July 6, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
• Wednesday, July 14, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
• Tuesday, July 20, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
• Wednesday, July 28, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
• Tuesday, Aug 3, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
• Wednesday, Aug 11, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Researchers and writers are encouraged to stop by anytime the clinics are open. For a list of library instruction classes and events on both campuses, visit the VCU Libraries Events page.

The VCU Libraries has released a new addition to its Digital Collections: The First 125 Years of the Medical College of Virginia. MCV celebrated its 125th anniversary in 1963, culminating in the publication of this volume. Issued as hard- and soft-back publications in the college's bulletin series, the 96-page photo history, largely the work of Thelma Vaine Hoke, was the college's first full-length history. Hoke pulled photographs, letters, documents, reports, and publications for the book from a rich collection of historical materials gathered and preserved by James Ralph McCauley, who served as secretary-treasurer for the college and secretary for the Board of Visitors from 1902 until his death in 1950.

This and other works may be viewed at the site of the VCU Libraries Digital Collections.

Selected resources on the Natural & Man-made Disasters Resource Guide will link you to various news, science, and relief Internet sites for the 2010 earthquakes and recent Gulf of Mexico oil spill, as well as resources on other natural disasters including landslides, tornadoes, and floods.

Resource Guides on a number of different topics are available online from VCU Libraries. Ask Us if you need research assistance on this or any other topic.

Tompkins-McCaw Library is hosting the traveling exhibit "Harry Potter's World: Renaissance Science, Magic, and Medicine" through June 26 in the Special Collections & Archives Reading Room. 

This exhibition, using materials from the National Library of Medicine, explores Harry Potter's world and its roots in Renaissance magic, science, and medicine. In 1997, British author J. K. Rowling introduced the world to Harry Potter and a literary phenomenon was born. Millions of readers have followed Harry to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he discovers his heritage, encounters new plants and animals, and perfects his magical abilities. Although a fantasy story, the magic in the Harry Potter books is partially based on Renaissance traditions that played an important role in the development of Western science, including alchemy, astrology, and natural philosophy. Incorporating the work of several 15th- and 16th-century thinkers, the seven-part series examines important ethical topics such as the desire for knowledge, the effects of prejudice, and the responsibility that comes with power. More information is available by visiting the official exhibit Website.

The VCU Libraries has gathered together a list of the major new electronic resources it has acquired in the past year. The list categorizes the new material into journals, e-books, and other digital resources. Journal packages were added from Duke University Press, Emerald Management eJournals, and Philosophy Documentation Center, as well as important backfiles (older issues) such as the JSTOR Arts & Sciences Collection and Scientific American. The library continues to add to its e-book collection. Major packages purchased this year include the Encyclopedia of Microbiology and the Sage Reference Collection. Other resources added by the library this past year include more than 25 electronic databases, from the Dental and Oral Sciences Source to the Historical New York Times to the Philosopher's Index.

Visit the VCU Libraries Website to view the complete list of new new digital collections.

VCU Libraries has added Springer Protocols to its collection of online resources. Protocols are "recipes" that researchers use to recreate experiments in their laboratory. The typical protocol offers step-by-step laboratory instructions, lists of the necessary equipment and ingredients, as well as notes on troubleshooting and safety precautions. Springer Protocols contains more than 20,000 molecular biology and biomedical protocols, many from the classic series Methods in Molecular Biology. Other prestigious titles covered include: Methods in Molecular Medicine, Methods in Biotechnology, Methods in Pharmacology and Toxicology, and Neuromethods.

Users can search by category, series or volume and save searches for favorite protocols. These reproducible protocols can be printed or downloaded for later use. Personalization features include alerts, RSS feeds, bookmarks and the ability to export citations. Registered users can also comment on published protocols and upload their own protocols for sharing publicly.

Springer Protocols can be accessed from the Libraries list of Databases A-Z. A video tour and user's guide are available for an introduction to this comprehensive, peer-reviewed collection of life sciences protocols. For a preview, try a simple search in the box below. (Note that the preview will not work if you are off-campus or on the wireless network -- use the Springer Protocols instead.)

Search SpringerProtocols

VCU Libraries has acquired the Historical New York Times (1851 - 2006) database, with comprehensive coverage of all aspects of world affairs in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Researchers will have access to in-depth coverage of science, politics, the arts, economics, business, as well as extensive critical reviews of books, music, and theater. An index is included for 1851 - 1993.