Citation Help: A Students Perspective

Even with instruction and assistance from a great teacher, I still can barely slide by when it comes to the final part of a big project or writing assignment: the dreaded Works Cited page or Bibliography. All the different styles and formats, always different and always changing, it would seem. ‘MLA? APA?! Website or Online Journal? HELP!’ was once my trail of thought when confronted with this page. I’d almost prefer to do a second project than even attempt that material. Imagine (or remember) being up until midnight or later completing a project and now you have to cite and give credit to your sources. You won’t see any physical assistance until at least 8am, who knows when your teacher will get your e-mail begging for help, and you just desperately want to finish and go to bed. Well, the CLC website now offers resources to help you through this last trial. Going to the mainsite and selecting ‘Cite a Source’ will lead you to a page of options, from books you can purchase in the book store, to the quicker and free alternate website assistance.

My personal favorite amongst the links is NoodleBib, which allows you to make an account and save your citations, along with instructions and easy to use citation machines. It has an easy and appealing user interface which I like to leave open as I’m finding sources. As I find something I wish to cite or just get it over with, I fill out the information and save it to my account. However, I recommend trying out all the options so you can find one that matches yours needs and preferences.

However, as always, the traditional face-to-face assistance from librarians at the reference desk are exactly what you need.

Direct Link: http://library.clcillinois.edu/cite.cfm

On Dr. Weber's ipod.....

Looking for something new for you ipod or PC? Dr. Weber suggests WGLT’s Poetry Radio.

Visit the station website, here, to download the most recent program.

Poetry Radio is supported by the Illinois State University English Department. Programs feature a variety of poets reading from their own works or English Department faculty reading a variety of selections. After the poem, there is a short piece of music that relates to the meaning/mood/tone of the poem.

Suggestion Boxes: A Students Perspective

If you are one of those students who feels like they're in the library and in class more than they are at home (myself included), then perhaps you've thought of something that could improve your semester long stay. Perhaps a new reference book or medical journal, or a new series of novels that you particularly enjoy. Maybe you think the library computer labs could use a few new computers or equipment, or even just a few new chairs.

Whatever your thoughts are, feel free to manually pop them into the 'Suggestion Box' located on the first floor of the library. However, if you have a new book idea, you can manually drop it off OR you have the convenience of suggesting it via our website by clicking here.

Food for Fines: A Students Perspective

We’ve all incurred some kind of fine, be it from a movie rental, library book, and so on. That annoying, tiny fee follows you until you pay it back. Now, what if you could pay those back, and instead of a slightly lighter pocket, you got a warm fuzzy feeling? From Monday November 16th to Friday December 18th, the CLC Grayslake Campus Library will be accepting an item of donated food (nonperishable, so preferably canned) as payment for a fine. So, for every can of Campbells Cream of Mushroom or other good, you can waive a fee AND assist the COOL Food Pantry, located in Waukegan. Just bring your donation to the Circulation Desk on the first level of the library!

DVD's at the Library: A Students Perspective

You can surf through the CLC Library's DVD Collection easily, along with the other multimedia, from the comfort of your seat on the online library catalog here. To locate the catalog on the library website go to http://library.clcillinois.edu then select "Research" from the menu, then choose "Library Catalog".

When it has come to actually finding the DVD on the shelf, you may run into issues. DVDs are located in two areas at the Grayslake campus library. New releases, feature films, documentaries, and other DVDs are typically located in the basement of the library (indicated by a location of "Grayslake AV" in the library catalog link listed above. Sometimes the DVD you are looking for may be located behind the Circulation Desk (this is indicated in the online library catalong by a location of "Grayslake Reserve".

The Circulation Desk is located just by the entrance on the first floor and accross from the art gallery. If you bring your CLC ID or Library Card, you can check out a DVD for up to two days on newer releases or longer for others. The friendly circulation staff behind the desk will gladly assist you in finding your media.

My Media Mall: A Students Perspective

As a child born and raised in the age of technology, I have watched it grow and evolve as I have done the same. Technology is slowly replacing the need for physical texts (for example, the Amazon Kindle), and this push towards more convenient access by students and faculty to reference and source materials is persistent. MyMediaMall enables a user to gain instant access to a very wide selection of various media, including books in electronic form (Audiobooks, eBooks). 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, you can access this database and ‘check out’ books to download to your PDA, digital devices, music players, and all Apple Products, such as the iPod. All that is required is your CLC ID and an internet enabled computer. You can even rent videos of concerts and other media either for education or recreation!

By simply visiting the main website, MyMediaMall.net, and searching through the archives, you can select what you wish to download and ‘check out’ your media. As long as you have your CLC ID you can use the material as you wish with no late fees or worries about returns. Also, the files can be downloaded to any of your digital media players or devices, as well as burnt to CD’s!

Illinois Holocaust Museum and Resource Center (Library)

First hand information enriches student research, and the recently opened Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, located in Skokie offers students at CLC researching topics of worldwide genocide today, World War II and the Holocaust access to an incredible collection of artifacts, artwork, videos.

The facility also houses the Brill Resource Center --a library with a collection of 13,000 items, all of which are searchable through the library’s online catalog, and soon available through the OCLC WorldCat (FirstSearch) database. Although the library does not allow materials to be circulated, there is a reading room and 16 computers with access to databases and of the library’s resources during open hours. Access to the library is free and open to the public (12 years or older unless supervised by an adult). This Pioneer Press article provides more information about the Resource Center.

For readers, these are some recommended titles about the Holocaust. Check CLC and your local public library.

The Book Thief (Markus Zusak)
Boy in the Striped Pajamas (John Boyne)
Hana’s Suitcase (Karen Levine)
A Mad Desire to Dance (Elie Wiesel)
Nazi Officer’s Wife: How one Jewish Woman Survived the Holocaust (Edith Beer)
Stones from the River
Those who Save Us

Zookeeper's Wife