Reader Services@ucd Library

Research Workshops

noreply@blogger.com (UCD Library) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:22:00 +0000

UCD Library has developed a series of workshops/seminars to help you explore and effectively exploit the vast range of information, resources and services available to you. While designed to complement the Structured PhD transferable skills programme, these workshops are open to all research and taught masters. Places are limited so early booking is advisable. James

Midnight + extended weekend opening from 9th November

noreply@blogger.com (UCD Library) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:32:00 +0000

It's time once again to burn the midnight oil and with the lead up to the exams approaching, the James Joyce Library will commence opening until midnight (mon-fri) from today Monday 9th November. This will last for a six week period. Remember you can use our express service machines to borrow, renew and return books during the extra hour of opening. Weekend hours will be extended with the James Joyce Library opening 9am - 9pm on Saturday and Sunday. The Sunday will be "Reading Room" only. See here for the full list of opening times. James

October Bank Holiday

noreply@blogger.com (UCD Library) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:58:00 +0000

UCD Library will be closed on the bank holiday Monday 26th October, all other opening hours are as normal. Happy Halloween. James

Dr John B Howard - introducing the new University Librarian

noreply@blogger.com (UCD Library) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:26:00 +0000

Library staff are delighted to welcome Dr John B Howard to the position of UCD Librarian. Dr Howard began his new role on October 1st, 2009, succeeding Sean Philips, who retired last year. John comes to UCD Library after 30 years working in Harvard University and Arizona State University. An American musicologist and librarian, John Howard studied at Connecticut College, Bryn Mawr College, Pennsylvania, from where he received his PhD in historical musicology in 1983, and the University of Rhode Island. From 1979 through 1998, he held various positions at Harvard University, including Keeper of the Isham Memorial Library, Richard F. French Music Librarian, and Senior Lecturer in Music. Since 1998 John's work has focused on issues of computation and data, information and knowledge management. Positions at Harvard College and Harvard Medical School to 2004 focused on technology administration and research computing. From 2004 to 2009, he served as Associate Dean of Libraries and Professor of Informatics at Arizona State University, where he was responsible for the planning and administration of digital library services and all library technology functions. He continues to serve as adjunct Professor of Informatics at Arizona State University's School of Human Evolution and Social Change. Previously, John served as head of the U.S. Working Group of the Repertoire International des Sources Musicales (RISM), overseeing the successful completion of the U.S. contribution to RISM Series A/II, an inventory of music manuscripts of the period from 1580-1825. He received a Special Achievement Award from the Music Library Association for his accomplishments in relation to RISM. John continues to serve on the governing council of RISM. John's research interests in music include the church music traditions of the early Evangelical Lutheran church and the history of music theory. He played a key role in the Society for Seventeenth-Century Music in conceiving and publishing the journal Seventeenth-Century Music. John is also on the editorial board of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach: Complete Works. John Howard will be based in the Librarian's Office of the James Joyce Library.

UCD in Top 100 in Times Higher Education QS World University Rankings

noreply@blogger.com (UCD Library) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:21:00 +0000

Good news for UCD, for the full scoop see. James

Lunchtime Introduction Sessions to Endnote

noreply@blogger.com (UCD Library) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:31:00 +0000

UCD Library is offering introduction sessions to EndNote for students and staff. These sessions are designed for beginners and will cover the creation of EndNote libraries and references, the download of references from online resources and the use of Cite While You Write to add references to a Word document. Each session will be held in the Information Skills Room of the Health Science Library, always from 1pm-2pm. The dates for semester one are:Tuesday 22nd September; Wednesday 30th September; Friday 9th October; Monday 12th October; Tuesday 20th October; Wednesday 28th October; Thursday 5th November; Friday 13th November; Monday 16th November; Tuesday 24th November; Wednesday 2nd December. Advance booking is possible. Michael.

findit @UCD Library

noreply@blogger.com (UCD Library) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:10:00 +0000

UCD Library is delighted to introduce findit @UCD Library - a new way of accessing all electronic resources via the redesigned Library homepage. findit enables you to simultaneously search a range of electronic products by resource type or subject via a number of different, easy to use search features. Journals can be sourced using the Journals search option, with full text links where available. Personalisation features are provided via the My Research option, enabling you to save results and searches, set up alerts and create database lists for future use. To begin using findit start at the library home page www.ucd.ie/library and select ‘Electronic Resources'. Then, simply login when prompted using your UCD Connect username and password and select the relevant search option (e.g. Subject Search, Databases, Journals). Help & Support: A getting started guide is available from the findit homepage. Help is available within findit by clicking the Help icon and Library information desks or contact your liaison librarian and we will be happy to help you. Samantha

Need help? Ask a Library Rover

noreply@blogger.com (UCD Library) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:37:00 +0000

We know that the James Joyce Library can be difficult to navigate, so don't panic if you're lost or need assistance, look for our Library Rovers who will be found circulating the floors between the hours of 11:30 and 15:30 to help readers with all library related questions you may have. Don't be shy and look out for the blue folder and Library rover badge and our friendly staff will help you locate that difficult to find book or journal. James

New Students webpage

noreply@blogger.com (UCD Library) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:29:00 +0000

A big welcome to all new students of UCD from the Library. Please see the New Student webpage for library details on orientation, services and why not sign up to UCD Library in Facebook or Twitter to keep up to date with Library news and information. James

Express Service video - over 1,000 hits on Youtube

noreply@blogger.com (UCD Library) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:41:00 +0000

The Express Service video was launched last November and this short video aimed at helping readers learn how to use the service, has recently passed the 1,000 hits on Youtube. The video is also available on the Express Service webpage in three shorter sections demonstrating how to borrow, return and renew books. James

James Joyce Library - opening times 31 Aug - 4 Sep

noreply@blogger.com (UCD Library) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:20:00 +0000

The JJL will revert to 17:30 closing time for next week (from Monday 31st August - Friday 4th September) with the desks closing at 17:00 and reading room only until 17:30. We will be closed on the Saturday and Sunday and term time opening for all UCD libraries will resume from September 7th. Please check our opening hours webpage to keep up to date with all revised times. James

Laptop Loan charge

noreply@blogger.com (UCD Library) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:23:00 +0000

In February of 2009 we ran a trial period of a €1.00 charge for loaning a UCD Library laptop. After listening to feedback from our Readers we have decided to discontinue with the charge and from today laptops can be loaned for free from both the HSL and JJL. So far we have issued over 20,000 laptops in just over two years from both locations and we hope that this popular facility will continue to provide a high level of service to our readers. James

August bank holiday notice

noreply@blogger.com (UCD Library) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:28:00 +0000

All UCD branch libraries will be closed on Monday 3rd August 2009. For full list of our summer opening times see our website. Fingers crossed that the sun might grace us with a warm, BBQ and suncream type bank holiday. James

July + August opening in the James Joyce Library

noreply@blogger.com (UCD Library) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:51:00 +0000

From next week the James Joyce Library will have extended opening on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings till 21:00, with Reading Room only from 17:00 onwards on these days. Monday and Fridays will remain at 17:30 closing and we will be closed on weekends. These hours will be effective up to and including the week of the 24th August. James

Great Library Moments in the Movies #2: Angels and Demons

noreply@blogger.com (UCD Library) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 09:27:00 +0000

It’s inevitable. From the moment Tom Hanks is led into the vaults of the Vatican Secret Archive—watched closely by a glowering official—you know that centuries-old manuscripts are going to come to mischief. It seems that, when sex and violence get boring, nothing rouses a film audience more than damage to books. (OK, so an archive isn’t a library. But it’s close enough.) The sequel to the dire Da Vinci Code is surprisingly watchable. Where the first film shows us a millennia-old cover-up being detected by Ian McKellen noticing that a disciple in Da Vinci’s Last Supper looks a bit girly, the plot of Angels and Demons is so convoluted that you don’t have time to notice the chasms in logic. Your brain might take a nap, but your eyes will have a blast. It’s like a trip to Vatican City without the danger of getting your pocket picked. (Did you know that the Holy See has the highest crime rate of any nation state in the world?) Which is all very well, but then we come to the wanton destruction in the Vatican Secret Archive. What is it with Hollywood and harm to library collections? Or do the movie-makes just reflect a wider social desire to get in amongst the stacks and wreak havoc? I’m working on a screenplay which will try to counter this glorification of library-wrecking. The working title is Dewey-Eyed. Picture the scene: a would-be killer, running from a vigilante, is chased into a public library. The two men of violence grapple with each other, knocking over bookshelves and racks of journals as they do so. So far, so ordinary. But in my film, the antagonists will come to their senses, realise what chaos they’re creating, give each other a long wary look, and—with an unspoken agreement—start clearing up. They get more and more absorbed in the work, discussing what books go on what shelves, and end up forgetting their feud completely. The last hour of the film is spent in an in-depth discussion of librarianship and information studies in the 21st century. I predict that word-of-mouth will lead to mobs at the multiplexes. You read it here first. Maolsheachlann

June Bank Holiday notice

noreply@blogger.com (UCD Library) — Tue, 26 May 2009 15:53:00 +0000

All UCD branch libraries will be closed next Monday 1st June 2009. For full list of our summer opening times see the website. James

Wolfram Alpha Launch 18 May 2009

noreply@blogger.com (UCD Library) — Mon, 18 May 2009 14:02:00 +0000

Taking a very different approach to a conventional search engine, Wolfram Alpha is described as a "computation knowledge engine" and after the anticipation and talk it eventually made the official launch today. Not sure if it will be an alternative rival to Google, seems more of a complimentary tool for pulling direct and specific information without having to trawl through a series of websites. Anyway to take a look visit Wolfram Alpha and give it a test run. James

Last night of midnight opening

noreply@blogger.com (UCD Library) — Fri, 15 May 2009 15:01:00 +0000

Tonight is the last chance to burn the midnight oil as the JJL will end the six week run of midnight opening. James

HSL Saturday Summer opening

noreply@blogger.com (UCD Library) — Fri, 15 May 2009 14:23:00 +0000

Of note to all readers who use the JJL, during the summer the nearest Library on campus with extended opening hours is the Health Sciences Library (HSL). So the opening hours from Monday 18th May – Saturday 27th June 2009: Monday – Friday 08:30 – 21:45 (Loans Desk staffed from 9am), Saturdays 0930 – 1700 and closed on Sundays. Then from 28th June, Monday – Friday 0900 – 1700 (Loans Desk staffed from 9am), Saturday's + Sunday's (CLOSED). A full list of the opening times for all UCD Library branches and the JJL will soon be added to the Opening Hours web page on the Library website. James

Superfines final day

noreply@blogger.com (UCD Library) — Fri, 15 May 2009 14:20:00 +0000

Well the exmas are nearly over and hence the Superfines have their last day today. James

Summer opening times

noreply@blogger.com (UCD Library) — Mon, 11 May 2009 16:42:00 +0000

Well the sun is actually shining and although it still cold enough we can now officially call it summer. To view the UCD Library summer opening times. James

Term Renewals

noreply@blogger.com (UCD Library) — Mon, 11 May 2009 13:18:00 +0000

From today, long loan books due back 22.05.09 can be renewed until 29.09.09. You can renew your books: - through UCD Connect, click on the My Library tab to access your library account, - online using the My Account feature of the library catalogue - at any library service desk - by telephoning +353-1-716 7639 - by contacting the Library using the instant messaging service at www.ucd.ie/library - by using the new express service machines on in the James Joyce and Health Sciences Libraries, to view a video demonstration of the Express Service see: PLEASE NOTE: Library Users Group recently approved a review of library charges and fines, including fines for staff, which came into effect on Feb 2nd 2009. For more information see. Please renew early to avoid overdue notices. Terms and conditions apply. James

Call it What You Like

noreply@blogger.com (UCD Library) — Fri, 08 May 2009 15:57:00 +0000

If we go by the Good Book, the first recorded act of any human being was Adam giving names to all the animals (Genesis 2:20). Therefore the act of naming is even more venerable and primeval than the act of scrumping that followed hot on its heels. Human beings have been giving names to things ever since. We even give names to galaxy clusters, which—when you think about it—is about as presumptuous as a flea naming the Himalayas after its aunt. The names of books, in particular, are endlessly fascinating. I once came into a possession of a volume called Canoe-Building in Glass-Reinforced Plastic, by Alan Blyde (1974). That has to be my all-time favourite, although I have a strange fondness for the dramatic This is Donegal Tweed (Judith Hoad, 1987). Honourable mention should go to a collection of train-related ghost stories entitled The Ghost Now Standing on Platform One (Richard Peyton, 1990). With more than a million books in the James Joyce Library, there must be some pretty intriguing titles out there. Here are some that caught my own eye, for one reason or another. The Loved Body's Corruption : Archaeological Contributions to the Study of Human Mortality edited by Jane Downes and Tony Pollard. (1999) They Have Fooled You Again : Michael O'Flanagan (1876-1942) Priest, Republican, Social Critic by Denis Carroll. (1993.) The Silencing of our Lambs : the Foot and Mouth Epidemic by by Gwen Morgan. (2002) A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper by John Allen Paulos. (1995) Echoes Down the Corridor : an Examination of the Experiences of Gay Teachers in Ireland by Deaglan O Fathaigh. (2003) The Vanishing Irish : the Enigma of the Modern World by edited by John A. O'Brien (1954) Heterophobia : Sexual Harassment and the Future of Feminism by Daphne Patai (1998) Why do Women Write More Letters Than They Post? by Darian Leader (1996) How to Read a Book by Mortimer Jerome Adler, (1949) 'Your Dinner's Poured Out!' Boyhood in the Twenties in a Dublin that has Disappeared by Paddy Crosbie ; introduction by James Plunkett (1981) The Parade's Gone By, by Kevin Brownlow (a book about the silent movie era; the title comes from a remark made to the author in bemusement at his outdated choice of subject. Isn’t it poignant?) (1968) Don't Shoot--I'm Not Well, by Ted Bonner (1974) And the Band Played On : Politics, People and the AIDS Epidemic by Randy Shilts (1988) Not very taken with any of those? Then send us your own favourite book titles! Let’s find the best title lurking on the shelves of UCD library! Maolsheachlann

It’s That Time Again…

noreply@blogger.com (UCD Library) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:10:00 +0000

Once again, the academic year is hurtling towards its breakneck conclusion. In today’s world, where information positively drips from the walls and gets beneath your fingernails, the idea of being stuck in a hall for two hours and confined to the knowledge in your own head seems a little like rubbing twigs together to make fire. Feeling depressed? The Reader Services blog has some examination trivia to cheer you up! * James McNeill Whistler, the famous painter of his own mother, missed out on a military career as he failed the chemistry exam in West Point Academy. “If silicon were a gas”, he wrote, “I should have been a great general one day.” * In an oral examination during his Oxford days, Oscar Wilde was asked to translate from the Greek version of the New Testament. Even after satisfying the examiners, he continued to translate, and when asked to stop, said: “Oh, do let me go on. I want to know what happens in the end.” Despite winning a double first, he declared that: “In examinations, the foolish ask questions the wise cannot answer”. Obviously, UCD wasn’t around back then. * In 1848, the Theological Tripos Exam in Cambridge University demanded that candidates give the exact date of the Flood that Noah escaped from in his ark. The answer required was 2348 BC—a thousand, six hundred and fifty six years since the creation of the world. * Winston Churchill passed the entrance examination to Harrow despite writing nothing for his Latin paper except his name, a blot and some smudges. “It was from these slender indications of scholarship”, Churchill wrote in later years, “that Mr. Welldon drew the conclusion that I was worthy to pass into Harrow. It is very much to his credit.” * And finally, an anecdote from the insanely prolific science-fiction writer Isaac Asimov. In his 1992 book, Asimov Laughs Again, he tells the story of a despairing student who wrote in his exam answer book, during one end-of-year exam, “Only God knows the answer to these questions. Merry Christmas!”. After the holidays, his paper was returned with the annotation: “God gets an A, you get an F. Happy New Year!”. Good luck to all our students in the upcoming exams! Maolsheachlann

May Bank Holiday - Service desk opening times

noreply@blogger.com (UCD Library) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 12:01:00 +0000

As promised last week, the service desk times for the May bank holiday have been confirmed. The desks will open from 9:30am and will close at 16:45pm on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Normal opening times will resume on the Tuesday 5th May, see our website for the full list. James