MCC LIBRARY BLOG

Cause-Effect Topics

2008-10-22T03:58:00.000-07:00

Before starting your research, use the Assignment Calculator to plan out your work.

Find books, videos, DVDs available in MCC Library or 26 area public libraries by searching iBistro. Try our new online book collection, Opposing Viewpoints.

CQ Researcher provides an overview of many topics of interest.

Locate current news articles on your topic of choice in Lexis-Nexis.

For most topics, magazine and journal articles can be found in Academic Search Premier.

For health related topics, you can also search Science Direct and Medline.

Find articles on the psychological aspects of certain topics (horror movies, high school sports, public spaces, etc) by using PsycInfo.

If you are having difficulty finding what you need,
REMEMBER:
Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Call us at 732 906-2561
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
Post a question on this Blog
or use QandANJ

Racism or Prejudice

2008-10-01T04:54:00.000-07:00

Before starting your research, use the Assignment Calculator to plan out your work.

Get some background information on racism or prejudice by the History search in Facts on File.

Find books, videos, DVDs available in MCC Library or 26 area public libraries by searching iBistro.

You can also search for psychology e-books by using PsycBooks.

Locate current news articles on your topic of choice in Lexis-Nexis. Limit your search results to the last 3 or 6 months.

Find articles on the psychological aspects of racism and prejudice by using PsycInfo.

Additional articles can be found in Academic Search Premier.

If you are having difficulty finding what you need, REMEMBER:
Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Call us at 732 906-2561
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
or Post a question on this Blog.

Finding Author Credentials

2008-09-25T13:20:00.000-07:00

Before starting your research, use the Assignment Calculator, the procrastinator's best friend!

Learning about the authors of articles, books, websites or other materials, provides one approach to verifying the accuracy of information. However, many authors work in relative obscurity and finding extensive (or any) information on their credentials or expertise can be a challenge. The steps outlined below, offer a systematic approach to locating information about authors.
Please see a Reference Librarian if you encounter any difficulties.

FOR AUTHORS OF BOOKS:

Check for biographical information on the dust covers of hard bound books, or on the covers of paperback books. (Unlike many other academic libraries, Middlesex County College retains the dust covers of books added to the collection.)

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION:

Redo a Author/Name search in iBistro to locate other books by the same author or books ABOUT the author.

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION:

Check Biography Reference Bank, Literary Reference Center, Literature Resource Center, or Biography Collection Complete under the author's name.

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION:

Look for a book review on one of the author's books. Lengthier reviews may provide information on the background of the author you are researching. (See a Reference Librarian for help in locating reviews)

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION

Follow some of the steps outlined in "FOR AUTHORS OF ARTICLES".

FOR AUTHORS OF ARTICLES:

When using MCC Library's databases listed under Magazine, Newspaper & Journal Articles , the following techniques can help you find author credentials:

If the article you find is available full text or full image, you may find information about the author at the beginning or the end of the article. This is particularly true for journal articles.

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION

Where possible, check for a paper copy of the the magazine, journal or newspaper containing the article in question. You may find information on the author at the front of the issue under "Contributors" or under the information detailing the editorial staff and most prominent staff writers. (Of course if the article was not available in electronic format to begin with, you would have to find the paper source).

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION

If using the databases on the Magazine, Newspaper & Journal Articles page, try clicking on the author's name. You may find other articles written by him/her which may contain biographical information. You may also find that the author seems to write exclusively for one publication, on one particular subject area. (If this is the case, follow the instructions that follow).

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION

Find the website for the publication. (If you are using one of the EBSCO databases, do a "Publication Search". The website will be listed in the details of the publication). You may find the author's credentials listed there.

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION

Do a search on GOOGLE or other search engine. A word of caution: there may be many people with the same name. It may prove difficult to determine which one is the author you are seeking.

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION

See a Reference Librarian or....

Maybe the lack of information on the author is telling you something?....

Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Call us at 732 906-2561
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
or Post a question on this Blog.

CSC 105 &106

2008-09-18T12:43:00.000-07:00

Remember to help yourself with time management of your paper by using the Assignment Calculator.

Want to get a jump-start on finding what's available through MCC Library? Try our new 360 Search. You can search up to 19 of our databases plus iBistro all at once.

Or search the following Library databases individually to find articles on your topic:

ABI/Inform

Academic Search Premier

Communication and Mass Media Complete

Lexis-Nexis

TIP: use "Technology gap" to see if you get additional resources for your topic "Digital Divide".

Locate Books, DVDs and videos in this Library and 27 other libraries by using iBistro.

To find items in other libraries throughout the country, use Worldcat.

Whatever we do not have in this Library can be obtained for you at no charge by using Interlibrary Loan.

On the Public Web:
Need additional help with:
Microsoft Office 2007? Try the University of Wisconsin's site.
Visual Basic? Look at the sites listed on the ARC website.
Writing a paper? Try the OWL at Purdue.

Want to know how a search engine works? Look at this How Stuff Works page.

If you want some details on Google's search algorithm, try How Google Works.

Check a few of the "human-powered" directories like the Librarian's Index to the Internet or Infomine to locate a few credible sites on computer science topics.

Try using a different search engine like Ask, Kartoo, Quintura or Exalead. Try an "unusual" one like Ms Dewey, or some search engines that are still in Beta like Powerset or Hakia, or metasearch engines like Dogpile, Ixquick or Mamma.

Investigate some interesting tools: Mint, iLighter, MyNoteIt, Ning, Spokeo, Jott, Delicious, NetVibes, SecondLife, OpenOffice, Mozilla, LibraryThing, EasyBib, SecondLife, and, last but not least, a game that does some good-FreeRice.

Take a look at the top 10 searches (in several categories) for July 2008. How many of these terms did you use?

Finally, take a look at the Search Engines Relationship chart.

Need more help?
Stop by the Reference Desk
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
Call us at 732 906-2561
or
Post a question on this Blog.

Dance

2008-09-16T04:52:00.000-07:00

Start off by using the Assignment Calculator at U of Minnesota Libraries.

Below are suggested sources for information on topics in Dance:

Check the International Encyclopedia of Dance
Look for books, DVDs and videos available in our Library by using iBistro. You can also see what some libraries in the Middlesex County area have as well.
For books, DVDs and videos available in other libraries, try WORLDCAT. Use Interlibrary Loan for items MCC Library does not have. Forms are also available at the Reference Desk.
Use The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts catalog. While the items are not full text, MCC Library can try to obtain them through Interlibrary Loan.

You can search 19 of our databases all at once, by using 360 Search. Note that the default is to search the words in the title, but it may give you a good idea of what databases would work best. (Titles with an asterisk are in 360 Search).

LIBRARY DATABASES

Biography Reference Bank

Academic Search Premier

JSTOR

Lexis-Nexis

Historical Newspapers- The New York Times- 1851-2004

Project Muse

WEBSITES

Professional Associations & Organizations

American Dance Guild

American Dance Therapy Guild

Dance Educators of America

Dance Notation Bureau

Dance New Jersey

National Association of Schools of Dance

National Dance Association

National Dance Education Organization

New Jersey Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance

Society for Dance Research

Society of Dance History Scholars

Dance Companies

Alvin Ailey

American Ballet Theater

Mega Sites & Misc. Dance Related Sites

ArtstLynx

CyberDance: Ballet on the Net

McCarter Theatre - Princeton

New York Magazine Classical & Dance Events

NJPAC

NYC Dance Connection (Ballroom and Latin Dance in the Tri-state area)

Performing Arts in Latin America

Star Ledger Arts & Events Calendar ( search "Dance")
State Theatre - New Brunswick.

Remember, MCC Reference Librarians are here to help:
Call 732 906-2561
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
or post a question on this blog.

HRI-Careers

2008-09-12T06:06:00.000-07:00

Remember to help yourself with time management of your research assignment by using the Assignment Calculator.

A list of resources for finding career information is available on the Library's Subject Guides page, under 'Careers'.

Along with the general employment finding aids listed in the Subject Guide-Careers, the following selected websites are useful for anyone interested in the Hospitality industry:

Casino Careers Online
http://www.casinocareers.com/
Create and post resumes for free and search for job openings across the gaming industry.

CEC Search
http://www.cecsearch.com
Geared to the restaurant industry, the focus is on executive and management positions. Post your resume, get career advice and job seeking tips, along with viewing restaurant job listings.

Food Industry Jobs
http://www.foodindustryjobs.com/
Search for jobs and create resumes and cover letters. While free for job seekers, you are required to set up an "account" in order to use this website.

Hcareers.com
http://www.hcareers.com/
Covers job openings in all aspects of the hospitality industry, both for entry-level, executive/management and everything in between.

Hospitality Link
http://www.hospitalitylink.com/
Another free "registration required" website that allows you to post resumes and search for all types of jobs in the field.

Hospitality Net
http://www.hospitalitynet.org
A multi-purpose hospitality website, it includes an overview of current job openings, but free registration is required to search and view the details of job openings and to post a resume.

Hospitality Jobs Online
http://www.hospitalityonline.com/
Browse job openings by position, property, location and company. You can post a resume and get other types of help by registering (free).

Pastrywiz.com's Culinary Jobs
http://www.pastrywiz.com/talk/job.htm
Job openings and other industry information.

Restaurant Recruit
http://www.restaurantrecruit.com/
Look for job openings and career fairs nationwide.

Most industry association websites also provide career information and job listings. Most also offer discounted membership rates for students.

General information on researching any aspect of HRI is available on the Library's website under Subject Guides-Hotel, Restaurants and Institution Management.

REMEMBER!
Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
Call us at 732 906-2561 or
Post a question on this Blog.
Professional reference librarians are also available 24/7 through an international chat reference service. New Jersey's portion is called QandANJ

Voter Registration

2008-09-10T06:24:00.000-07:00

Interested in the Presidential campaign? Local elections are your passion?
Want to make your voice heard?
If you haven't registered to vote, it's not too late! (You have until October 14, 2008)

Not sure if you are eligible to vote? Not sure how to go about registering? Find out here.

Registration forms are available from the NJ Division of Elections website.

Get information on the Presidential candidates and New Jersey local candidates by looking at the NJ Voter Info website.

Still have questions?
Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
Call us at 732 906-2561 or
Post a question on this Blog.
Professional reference librarians are also available 24/7 through an international chat reference service. New Jersey's portion is called QandANJ

Utopia

2008-07-29T05:32:00.000-07:00

Check the Oxford English Dictionary for the definitions and history of the words 'utopia" "utopian" and "utopianism".

Find histories of utopian philosophy, communities and biographies of the people most identified with utopianism in Facts on File-History Database Search.

Search for books on topics related to utopia in iBistro.

The following databases can be searched for newspaper, magazine and journal articles:

Academic Search Premier - magazine and journal articles

JSTOR - journal articles

Historical Newspapers -The New York Times, Lexis-Nexis and the Star Ledger -newspaper articles

To find literary criticism:

iBistro

Academic Search Premier

JSTOR

Facts on File - Bloom's Literary Reference Center

Biography Reference Bank - search the name of the author and check under "Reviews and Criticism"

MLA Bibliography

Here are several websites on utopia:

America and the Utopian Dream - from Yale's Beinecke Library

Utopia: The Search for an Ideal Society - from NYPL

Utopia: Citizenship-Dreamers and Dissenters - from the British Library

Alternative and Utopian Communities - a megasite

Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
Call us at 732 906-2561 or
Post a question on this Blog.
Professional reference librarians are also available 24/7 through an international chat reference service. New Jersey's portion is called QandANJ

Eng 122 - Research Guide for Suggested Topics

2008-07-17T12:24:00.000-07:00

Remember to help yourself with time management of your paper by using the Assignment Calculator.

Social, Political and Legal Topics
Want to get a jump-start on finding what's available through MCC Library? Try our new 360 Search. You can search up to 19 of our databases plus iBistro all at once.

or go directly to:

iBistro for books on your topic. Especially useful are the "Opposing Viewpoints" or the "Taking Sides" series.
Just remember that even if a book is lengthy, the chapter headings or back-of-the-book index will guide you to particular pages or chapters that are the most useful.

See if your topic has been covered by CQ Researcher.

Try Academic Search Premier articles from journals and magazines.

Lexis Nexis- Best for newspaper articles, but it also useful for law review articles (click on the "Legal" tab).

Need more help with researching Pro/Con topics? Check out a previous post on Pro/Con

Literary/Humanities Topics
Search for books about a particular author or director in iBistro.

Biography Reference Bank provides biographical information along with articles from journals, magazines and newspapers.

Topics in literature, film, music, or art can also be searched in iBistro,
but also check JSTOR for journal articles as well as Project Muse.

Additional information on film is listed on the Film Criticism blog post.

The sources listed in the Short Story Criticism blog post will also help for many literary topics.

Still not finding what you need?

Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
Call us at 732 906-2561 or
Post a question on this Blog.
Professional reference librarians are also available 24/7 through an international chat reference service. New Jersey's portion is called QandANJ

CSC 105

2008-06-05T13:12:00.000-07:00

Remember to help yourself with time management of your paper by using the Assignment Calculator.

Want to get a jump-start on finding what's available through MCC Library? Try our new 360 Search. You can search up to 19 of our databases plus iBistro all at once.

Or search the following Library databases individually to find articles on your topic:

ABI/Inform

Lexis-Nexis

Locate Books, DVDs and videos in this Library and 27 other libraries by using iBistro.

To find items in other libraries throughout the country, use Worldcat.

Whatever we do not have in this Library can be obtained for you at no charge by using Interlibrary Loan.

On the Public Web:

Want to know how a search engine works? Look at this How Stuff Works page.

If you want some details on Google's search algorithm, try How Google Works.

Check a few of the "human-powered" directories like the Librarian's Index to the Internet or Infomine to locate a few credible sites on computer science topics.

Try using a different search engine like Ask or Kartoo . Try an "unusual" one like Ms Dewey, or some search engines that are still in Beta like Powerset or Hakia, or a metasearch engine like Dogpile. Want some more alternatives? Click HERE.

Take a look at the top searches for 2007. How many of these terms did you use?

Finally, take a look at the Search Engines Relationship chart.

Need more help?
Stop by the Reference Desk
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
Call us at 732 906-2561
or
Post a question on this Blog.

15 Sites in 3 Minutes plus Google Alternatives

2008-04-03T12:30:00.000-07:00

Bonus: Play a game that does some good! FreeRice

Google Alternatives:
Search Engines
Hakia
Ms Dewey
Kartoo
Ask
Quintura
Exalead

Metasearch Engines
Dogpile
Ixquick
Mamma

Directories
Librarians' Index to the Internet
Infomine
Open Directory Project
Complete Planet
Mahalo

Have questions?
Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
Call us at 732 906-2561 or
Post a question on this Blog.

Juvenile Justice

2008-03-24T11:40:00.000-07:00

Try MCC Library's iBistro catalog to find books, DVDs, ebooks, etc.

To locate articles check:
Academic Search Premier

CQ Researcher

JSTOR

Lexis Nexis- Best for newspaper articles, but it also useful for law review articles (click on the "Legal" tab).

You can also take a look at the New York Times (Historical Newspapers)
and Biography Reference Bank

Still can't find what you need? Search Worldcat - you can request items we don't have by using Interlibrary Loan. There is no charge.

IF you are having difficulty finding criticism on your film:
Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Call us at 732 906-2561
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
or Post a question on this Blog.

What Happened on Your Birthday?... and Before?

2008-02-21T10:34:00.000-08:00

Before starting, check out the Assignment Calculator.

Find the front page of the New York Times for the day you were born by using the Historical New York Times. (Put your date of birth in the "Date Range-On This Date" box, then hit "Enter" or click "Search").

Follow the same instructions for any other date you are looking for.

To locate sources of information for each of the years you are investigating:

Try iBistro for books on particular era or decades. There are two series of particular interest "American Decades" and "American Eras".

Can't find enough in any of the iBistro libraries? Try Worldcat and request the items through Interlibrary Loan.

Try Academic Search Premier (particularly for your birthday year). Articles for pre-1980s are indexed but many of them are not fulltext. Use the Interlibrary Loan request form and the Library will try to get you a free copy of the article.

The the Facts on File history databases to view timelines and information for particular years.

Search JSTOR for journal articles written in or about a particular year.

You might check how prices translate from past years to today's dollars by using the Cost of Living Calculator.

To see the calendar for any year, check this CALENDAR.

Remember, MCC Reference Librarians are here to help:
Call 732 906-2561
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
or post a question on this blog.

Dance

2008-02-11T17:32:00.000-08:00

Start off by using the Assignment Calculator is at U of Minnesota Libraries.

Below are suggested sources for information on topics in Dance:

Check the International Encyclopedia of Dance
Look for books, DVDs and videos available in our Library by using iBistro. You can also see what some libraries in the Middlesex County area have as well.
For books, DVDs and videos available in other libraries, try WORLDCAT. Use Interlibrary Loan for items MCC Library does not have. Forms are also available at the Reference Desk.
Use The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts catalog. While the items are not full text, MCC Library can try to obtain them through Interlibrary Loan.

The International Bibliography of Theatre & Dance

Biography Reference Bank

Academic Search Premier*

JSTOR*

Lexis-Nexis*

Historical Newspapers- The New York Times- 1851-2004*

Project Muse*

WEBSITES

Professional Associations & Organizations

American Dance Guild

American Dance Therapy Guild

Dance Educators of America

Dance Notation Bureau

Dance New Jersey

National Association of Schools of Dance

National Dance Association

National Dance Education Organization

New Jersey Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance

Society for Dance Research

Society of Dance History Scholars

Dance Companies

Alvin Ailey

American Ballet Theater

Mega Sites & Misc. Dance Related Sites

ArtstLynx

CyberDance: Ballet on the Net

McCarter Theatre - Princeton

New York Magazine Classical & Dance Events

NJPAC

NYC Dance Connection (Ballroom and Latin Dance in the Tri-state area)

Performing Arts in Latin America

Finding Author Credentials

2008-02-11T17:30:00.000-08:00

FOR AUTHORS OF BOOKS:

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION:

Redo a Author/Name search in iBistro to locate other books by the same author or books ABOUT the author.

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION:

Check Biography Reference Bank, Contemporary Authors or Biography Collection Complete under the author's name.

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION:

Look for a book review on one of the author's books. Lengthier reviews may provide information on the background of the author you are researching. (See a Reference Librarian for help in locating reviews)

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION

Follow some of the steps outlined in "FOR AUTHORS OF ARTICLES".

FOR AUTHORS OF ARTICLES:

When using MCC Library's databases listed under Magazine, Newspaper & Journal Articles , the following techniques can help you find author credentials:

If the article you find is available full text or full image, you may find information about the author at the beginning or the end of the article. This is particularly true for journal articles.

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION

Where possible, check for a paper copy of the the magazine, journal or newspaper containing the article in question. You may find information on the author at the front of the issue under "Contributors" or under the information detailing the editorial staff and most prominent staff writers. (Of course if the article was not available in electronic format to begin with, you would have to find the paper source).

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION

If using the databases on the Magazine, Newspaper & Journal Articles page, try clicking on the author's name. You may find other articles written by him/her which may contain biographical information. You may also find that the author seems to write exclusively for one publication, on one particular subject area. (If this is the case, follow the instructions that follow).

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION

Find the website for the publication. (If you are using one of the EBSCO databases, do a "Publication Search". The website will be listed in the details of the publication). You may find the author's credentials listed there.

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION

Do a search on GOOGLE or other search engine (not Yahoo or other directories). A word of caution: there may be many people with the same name. It may prove difficult to determine which one is the author you are seeking.

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION

See a Reference Librarian or....

Maybe the lack of information on the author is telling you something?....

Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Call us at 732 906-2561
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
or Post a question on this Blog.

Tips on Researching Pro/Con Topics

2008-02-07T13:08:00.000-08:00

Do some background research to find the names of the groups active in the controversy, the prevalent points of view and/or the terminology that is most appropriate.

EXAMPLE: On the subject of abortion, pro-life and pro-choice represent opposing views.

Use CQ Researcher, Facts on File, or the Britannica to get an overview of your topic.

Remember that using the words Pro/Con often do not yield good results. (See the example above).

Check our online catalog iBistro for books, DVDs, videos... on your topic. Particularly useful are the series: OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS and TAKING SIDES.

Searching for articles:

Try Academic Search Premier, Lexis-Nexis, Masterfile Premier and ABI/Inform may be the most useful databases, although depending on your topic, other databases might be more suitable. A Reference Librarian can help you make that determination or check the Subject List to find some suggestions.

Use the terms COMMENTARY or EDITORIAL to find opinion pieces.

Some of the following words may also help narrow your search results:

analysis ---evaluation--- public opinion--- surveys--- political aspects--- proponents--- opponents--- social aspects

Know the sources. Publications may have a particular bias. Example: The American Rifleman (NRA publication) would have articles AGAINST gun control.

Remember that research articles on particular topics tend to appear much later than news articles, opinion pieces, and think pieces. You may also find that the research validates only ONE point of view.

If you plan to use the public web, consider using a directory to locate one or two credible websites. Try: Librarians' Index to the Internet or Infomine.

Remember that the Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
Call us at 732 906-2561 or
Post a question on this Blog.

Psychology

2008-01-31T09:47:00.000-08:00

The Assignment Calculator is at U of Minnesota Libraries.

The reference sources: Child Development, The Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol and Addictive Behavior, The International Encyclopedia of Marriage and the Family, Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, and Psychologists and Their Theories are available online in the Gale Virtual Reference Center (under "Reference, Facts, Encyclopedias, etc. on the Library's Homepage).

Want to get a jump-start on finding what's available through MCC Library? Try our new 360 Search. You can search 19 of our databases plus iBistro all at once.

Or search the following individually:
Check iBistro (the Library's book, video, DVD, etc. catalog) and PsycBooks for e-books on psychology and related topics.

For articles on psychology related topics use the principal database for psychology research, PsycInfo, on the Library's Homepage under "Magazine, newspaper and journal articles".

For any articles or books not available at MCC Library, use the Interlibrary Loan request forms. MCC Library will have the materials delivered here for you to use.

Other sites:
The APA Formatting and Style Guide from OWL (Online Writing Lab at Purdue University)

or try the University of Illinois' Citation Styles Handbook:APA

You can also check some of the links from MCC Library's Citation Formats Page.

If you need help in learning to use PowerPoint, check out this tutorial from University of Rhode Island, this one from Internet 4 Classrooms, or check out the list of PowerPoint tutorials available on the web, courtesy of the University of Alberta.

A grad student from U of Minnesota provides a free downloadable APA Style Sheet for MS Word for many versions of Word. Please note the librarians have not tested this software, so user beware! A different APA Style Sheet is available for Word 97, 98 and 2000. Note that to date, none of these templates are set for the new Electronic Style Manual.

Remember that the Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
Call us at 732 906-2561 or
Post a question on this Blog.

Career and Job Information

2008-01-30T06:08:00.000-08:00

FINDING CAREER INFORMATION

Check iBistro to find books on your career choice or options for careers in your field of study. Try searching using the word careers and also vocational guidance.
Can't find what you need at MCC Library? Check WorldCat for additional titles and request them through Interlibrary Loan.

The Library's database Facts on File , has a career section called Ferguson's Career Guidance Center.

FUN TIP: Check Biography Reference Bank to read biographies of noted individuals in a particular field. Just start typing the occupation (not all occupations are listed) under "Profession/Activity" and hit search.

CAREER INFORMATION WEBSITES

Check the "Occupational Outlook Handbook" at the US Department of Labor website.
Search O*Net for additional career information. (Produced by the US Department of Labor).
The State of New Jersey's Workforce New Jersey Public Information Center.
Try the New Jersey Occupational Outlook Handbook. (Click on "Download".) If you are using a newer version of Adobe, you can use the "binoculars" on the left to search for your career.
Do a Google search for any of the Associations listed in Ferguson's or the Occupational Outlook Handbook for additional career information.
America's Career Infonet is also a good place to check.
The Digital-Librarian Employment page also has links to many career related sites.

WAGE AND SALARY INFORMATION

Salary information from many of the sources listed above may be country-wide averages. Check wage statistics for New Jersey at the US Department of Labor.

Look at the Wall Street Journal's Career Journal for salary information on professional jobs.

Try Salary Expert

Or when using O*Net, search for your career choice in the "Quick Search" box, selecting your career from the list provided. At the bottom of the screen select "New Jersey" to find the estimated wages for the occupation in New Jersey.

COLLEGE SEARCH

Check the College Blue Book (In the Gale Virtual Reference Library) to search for colleges that offer the degree programs you want.

You can also search Peterson's College Search or CollegeNet.

NEED TO FIND A JOB?

America's Job Bank

New Jersey's Job Bank

Job listings from the Star Ledger and other NJ newspapers.

Use JobWeb for openings geared to college students.

Check MCC Career Services for job listings.

Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Call us at 732 906-2561
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
orPost a question on this Blog.

CSC105

2008-01-02T08:30:00.000-08:00

Remember to help yourself with time management of your paper by using the Assignment Calculator.

Want to get a jump-start on finding what's available through MCC Library? Try our new 360 Search. You can search up to 19 of our databases plus iBistro all at once.

Or search the following Library databases individually to find articles on your topic:

ABI/Inform

Business Source Premier

Lexis-Nexis

Locate Books, DVDs and videos in this Library and 27 other libraries by using iBistro.

To find items in other libraries throughout the country, use Worldcat.

Whatever we do not have in this Library can be obtained for you at no charge by using Interlibrary Loan.

On the Public Web:

Want to know how a search engine works? Look at this How Stuff Works page.

If you want some details on Google's search algorithm, try How Google Works.

Check a few of the "human-powered" directories like the Librarian's Index to the Internet or Infomine to locate a few credible sites on computer science topics.

Try using a different search engine like Ask or Kartoo . Try an "unusual" one like Ms Dewey, or some search engines that are still in Beta like Powerset or Hakia, or a metasearch engine like Dogpile. Want some more alternatives? Click HERE.

Take a look at the top searches for 2007. How many of these terms did you use?

Finally, take a look at the Search Engines Relationship chart.

Need more help?
Stop by the Reference Desk
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
Call us at 732 906-2561
or
Post a question on this Blog.

Cool Tools for Adult Learners

2007-11-20T11:39:00.000-08:00

Hope you are all excited and looking forward to taking classes at MCC!

Here are the links to the websites we discussed:

Middlesex County College website

Reading
Calculate Your Reading Speed

Test Your Reading Speed

Speed Reading Pacing Methods

The SQ3R Reading Method

SQ4R and alternatives

Writing
The OWL at Purdue

Citation Machine

Assignment Calculator

Test Preparation
Accuplacer Self-Assessment

Accuplacer- Mathematics

Accuplacer Practice Tests

You can also look for SAT test preparation books in your local library.

The Testing Center (Johnson Learning Center Rm 229) has handouts of sample test questions.

Research
MCC Library's Homepage
Searching our catalog iBistro and close to 20,000 libraries in Worldcat does not require a password and ID. All of the databases listed under "Magazines, Newspaper and Journals Articles" and "Reference, Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, etc." can be searched on campus, but you must be a current MCC student to search them from home.

Cost of Living Calculator

Librarian's Index to the Internet

Infomine

Frank Potter's Science Gems

Google Book

Google Scholar

Ask

Remember that the Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
Call us at 732 906-2561
Post a question on this Blog
or
Chat with a Librarian online at QandAnJ

Advertising

2007-11-14T04:48:00.000-08:00

Use the following for your advertising topics paper:

Check iBistro (the Library's book, video, DVD, etc. catalog)

To find articles, check the following databases:

Communications & Mass Media Complete Library database

Lexis-Nexis Academic Library database
Best for newspaper articles back to the early 1980s.

ABI/Inform Library database

PsycInfo Library database

Remember that the Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
Call us at 732 906-2561 or
Post a question on this Blog.

Theater

2007-11-06T06:42:00.000-08:00

Start off by using the Assignment Calculator is at U of Minnesota Libraries.

Look for books, DVDs and videos available in our Library by using iBistro.
For books, DVDs and videos available in other libraries, try WORLDCAT. Use Interlibrary Loan for items MCC Library does not have. Forms are also available at the Reference Desk.

LIBRARY DATABASES

The International Bibliography of Theatre & Dance

Literary Reference Center

Biography Reference Bank

Academic Search Premier

JSTOR

Lexis-Nexis

Historical Newspapers- The New York Times- 1851-2003

Project Muse

WEBSITES

ArtsLynx

The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts: Selected Internet Resources

Yale Theater Studies Research Guide

New York Magazine Theater

Remember, MCC Reference Librarians are here to help:
Call 732 906-2561
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
or post a question on this blog.

THE SCARLET LETTER-Research Topics

2007-10-30T12:27:00.000-07:00

To locate information on Nathaniel Hawthorne and the Scarlet Letter use the following databases:

Biography Reference Bank

Facts on File: Bloom's Literary Reference Center

JSTOR

MLA Bibliography

Academic Search Premier

For Books, DVD's, videos, etc. in MCC Library, use iBistro.

To investigate laws:
Facts on File: History Database Search

iBistro for books, DVDs, videos available in MCC Library

CQ Researcher

Lexis-Nexis
For newspaper articles ("News" default screen-after search results are displayed select "newspapers" on the left).
For law review articles(click on "Legal" tab).

Academic Search Premier

To find information on marriage customs:

Gale's Virtual Reference Library

iBistro - look for a series of books called "Culture Shock!" or "Culture and Customs"

JSTOR

Academic Search Premier

IF you are having difficulty finding criticism on your film:
Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Call us at 732 906-2561
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
or Post a question on this Blog.

Childhood and Play

2007-10-02T05:12:00.000-07:00

Before starting: Keep yourself on track by using the Assignment Calculator at U of Minnesota Libraries.

Try MCC Library's iBistro catalog to find books, DVDs, ebooks, etc.
Be sure to take a look at "Childhood in America"

Take a look at the New York Times (Historical Newspapers) - Search under hula hoops; yo-yos; board games; street games....

Check the History Reference Center

and Lexis-Nexis.

Still can't find what you need? Search Worldcat - you can request items we don't have by using Interlibrary Loan. There is no charge.

Look over:

Children in Urban America-Play and Leisure (from Marquette University)

Museum of Childhood (based in Great Britain) for some info on games and toys.

History of Toys

The National Toy Hall of Fame

IF you are having difficulty finding criticism on your film:
Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Call us at 732 906-2561
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
or Post a question on this Blog.

Film Criticism

2007-09-30T16:57:00.000-07:00

Before starting: Keep yourself on track by using the Assignment Calculator at U of Minnesota Libraries.

Use iBistro to find out if MCC Library has the movie. (Search by Title of the movie - you may also find books about the movie). Can't find it here? Check other iBistro libraries or WorldCat. The Library can try and get a copy for you through Interlibrary Loan.

Remember to search iBistro using the name of the director of the film, the film genre, and/or the principal actors.

TIP:In order to adequately search for reviews and criticism, be sure to find the names of the major actors, the director, producer, and the year the film was released. In addition, you may want to note the date of the VHS and/or DVD release.

Internet Movie Database
The most comprehensive of searchable online movie databases (now owned by Amazon.com). Some reviews are available, however, be aware that many are not written by professionals, rather, they are submitted by the general public.

International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers 4th ed. 2000 in the Gale Virtual Reference Library (Library Database)

CRITICISM and REVIEWS What's the difference?

While these two terms are sometimes used interchangeably, there is a difference. Generally REVIEWS are written at the time the movie is first released, when the video or DVD is issued, or as part of a BEST FILMS or RECOMMENDED VIEWING list. Reviews tend to appear in newspapers and magazines.

CRITICISM can be done at any time after the film's release. It involves a more studied and in-depth approach to the movie. Criticism is more likely to appear in professional magazines and journals. Please note that the study of films as a scholarly endeavor really began in the mid to late 1960's.

The following can be used to locate criticism and reviews.

Bibliographies & Full-text Articles:Individual Films - from UC-Berkeley Library

Film Literature Index - from Indiana University's Digital Library Program. Covers criticism published from 1976-2001 only.

Academic Search Premier Library database

Biography Reference Bank Library database
Search for the name of the director or the actors.

British Film Institute Film Classics REF PN 1995 .B732 2003
Reprints the 50 volumes of the series British Film Institute Classics published between 1992 and 2000

Communications & Mass Media Complete Library database

The Encyclopedia of Novels Into Films REF PN 1997.85 .T54 2005

The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction Movies REF PN 1995.9 .S26 H38 2001

The Encyclopedia of Stage Plays Into Films REF PN 1997.85 .T544 2001

Encyclopedia of the Musical Film REF PN 1995.9 M86 G7

Encyclopedia of Westerns REF PN 1995.9 .W4 F27 2002
Covers the major and (many of the minor) westerns produced on film.

Film Noir: A Comprehensive Illustrated Reference... REF PN 1995.9 F54 S74 1995

Guide to Critical Reviews: The Screenplay REF PN 1995 .S3
A multivolume set with lists of reviews from magazines and The New York Times.

History in the Media-Film and Television Library Database

JSTOR Library database

Lexis-Nexis Academic Library database
Best for newspaper articles back to the early 1980s.

MLA Bibliography Library database

Magill's Cinema Annual REF PN 1993.3 .M34 M345

Magill's Survey of Cinema - English Language Films REF PN 1993.45 .M3 1980
REF PN 1993.45 .M32 1981

Movie Review Query Engine
Can be used to locate movie reviews available on the general internet. Just be aware that many of the reviews listed are not necessarily by experts or professional movie reviewers. Some may be submitted by the general public.

New York Times website
The New York Times has just changed their policy about accessing articles on their website. It is still unclear how much you can get for free. You will have to register.
OR

Use New York Times (Historical- 1851-2004) Library database

Project Muse Library database

Selected Film Criticism REF PN S426 .S45
Contains reviews and criticism from 1896 - 1960. Many of the entries are reprinted in their entirety.

CHECK to see if MCC Library has a periodical by using this Periodical Title Finder.

IF you are having difficulty finding criticism on your film:
Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Call us at 732 906-2561
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
or Post a question on this Blog.

Finding Author Credentials

2007-09-27T09:13:00.000-07:00

FOR AUTHORS OF BOOKS:

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION:

Redo a Author/Name search in iBistro to locate other books by the same author or books ABOUT the author.

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION:

Check Biography Reference Bank, Contemporary Authors or Biography Collection Complete under the author's name.

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION:

Look for a book review on one of the author's books. Lengthier reviews may provide information on the background of the author you are researching. (See a Reference Librarian for help in locating reviews)

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION

Follow some of the steps outlined in "FOR AUTHORS OF ARTICLES".

FOR AUTHORS OF ARTICLES:

When using MCC Library's databases listed under Magazine, Newspaper & Journal Articles , the following techniques can help you find author credentials:

If the article you find is available full text or full image, you may find information about the author at the beginning or the end of the article. This is particularly true for journal articles.

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION

Where possible, check for a paper copy of the the magazine, journal or newspaper containing the article in question. You may find information on the author at the front of the issue under "Contributors" or under the information detailing the editorial staff and most prominent staff writers. (Of course if the article was not available in electronic format to begin with, you would have to find the paper source).

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION

If using the databases on the Magazine, Newspaper & Journal Articles page, try clicking on the author's name. You may find other articles written by him/her which may contain biographical information. You may also find that the author seems to write exclusively for one publication, on one particular subject area. (If this is the case, follow the instructions that follow).

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION

Find the website for the publication. (If you are using one of the EBSCO databases, do a "Publication Search". The website will be listed in the details of the publication). You may find the author's credentials listed there.

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION

Do a search on GOOGLE or other search engine (not Yahoo or other directories). A word of caution: there may be many people with the same name. It may prove difficult to determine which one is the author you are seeking.

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION

See a Reference Librarian or....

Maybe the lack of information on the author is telling you something?....

Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Call us at 732 906-2561
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
or Post a question on this Blog.

Career and Job Information

2007-09-25T11:17:00.000-07:00

FINDING CAREER INFORMATION

The Library's database Facts on File , has a career section called Ferguson's Career Guidance Center.

FUN TIP: Check Biography Reference Bank to read biographies of noted individuals in a particular field. Just select the occupation (not all occupations are listed) under "Profession/Activity" and hit search.

CAREER INFORMATION WEBSITES

Check the "Occupational Outlook Handbook" at the US Department of Labor website.
Search O*Net for additional career information. (Produced by the US Department of Labor).
The State of New Jersey's Workforce New Jersey Public Information Center.
Try the New Jersey Occupational Outlook Handbook. (Click on "Download".) If you are using a newer version of Adobe, you can use the "binoculars" on the left to search for your career.
Do a Google search for any of the Associations listed in Ferguson's or the Occupational Outlook Handbook for additional career information.
America's Career Infonet is also a good place to check.
The Digital-Librarian Employment page also has links to many career related sites.

WAGE AND SALARY INFORMATION

Salary information from many of the sources listed above may be country-wide averages. Check wage statistics for New Jersey at the US Department of Labor.

Look at the Wall Street Journal's Career Journal for salary information on professional jobs.

Try Salary Expert

COLLEGE SEARCH

Check the College Blue Book (In the Gale Virtual Reference Library) to search for colleges that offer the degree programs you want.

You can also search Peterson's College Search or CollegeNet.

NEED TO FIND A JOB?

America's Job Bank

New Jersey's Job Bank

Job listings from the Star Ledger and other NJ newspapers.

Use JobWeb for openings geared to college students.

Check MCC Career Services for job listings.

Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Call us at 732 906-2561
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
orPost a question on this Blog.

Lit Crit- Short Stories

2007-09-18T17:15:00.000-07:00

Keep yourself on track by using the Assignment Calculator at U of Minnesota Libraries.

Search iBistro under the name of the author to find books of criticism on his/her work. Remember that an entire book of criticism is probably not dedicated to one short story, so searching under the short story title might not yield all of the relevant sources.

Remember you can request books from other iBistro libraries by placing them on hold. They will be delivered to the MCC Library.

If you have time before the paper is due, check WorldCat for sources that MCC does not have. Remember that Interlibrary Loan services are available, free of charge to any current MCC student.

Search for additional sources of short story criticism by searching the following databases:

Biography Reference Bank

Facts on File-Bloom's Literary Reference Center

Literary Reference Center (EBSCO)

JSTOR

MLA Bibliography – the most well-known source for literary criticism

Academic Search Premier

Project Muse

Additional criticism can be located by using Reference Books:

Critical Survey of Short Fiction – REF PN 3321 .C7 2001
Critical Survey of Short Fiction – REF PN 3321 .C7 M345
The titles above are also available online: Literary Reference Center (EBSCO)
Reference Guide to Short Fiction 2^nd edition – REF PN 3373 .R36 1999
Short Story Criticism REF PN 3321 .S56 H37
Short Story Writers -REF PN 3373 .S398 1997
Twentieth Century Short Story Explication – REF PN 3373 .W33

A word of caution: You may find the SAME critical essay in several of these volumes and databases.

Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
Call us at 732 906-2561 or
Post a question on this Blog.

Psychology

2007-09-13T14:10:00.000-07:00

The Assignment Calculator is at U of Minnesota Libraries.

A grad student from U of Minnesota provides a free downloadable APA Style Sheet for MS Word for many versions of Word. Please note the librarians have not tested this software, so user beware! A different APA Style Sheet is available for Word 97, 98 and 2000.

The reference sources: Child Development, The Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol and Addictive Behavior, The International Encyclopedia of Marriage and the Family, Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, and Psychologists and Their Theories are available online in the Gale Virtual Reference Center (under "Reference, Facts, Encyclopedias, etc. on the Library's Homepage).

Check iBistro (the Library's book, video, DVD, etc. catalog) and PsycBooks for e-books on psychology and related topics.

For articles on psychology related topics use the principal database for psychology research, PsycInfo, on the Library's Homepage under "Magazine, newspaper and journal articles".

For any articles or books not available at MCC Library, use the Interlibrary Loan request forms. MCC Library will have the materials delivered here for you to use.

If you need help in learning to use PowerPoint, check out this tutorial from University of Rhode Island, this one from Internet 4 Classrooms, or check out the list of PowerPoint tutorials available on the web, courtesy of the University of Alberta.

Remember that the Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
Call us at 732 906-2561 or
Post a question on this Blog.

New Features in iBistro

2007-09-12T05:49:00.000-07:00

The Library's catalog, iBistro has several new features for you to use.

From home or on campus, you can now place a HOLD on items listed in the Library catalog. Items placed on Hold will be available at the Circulation Desk in our Library for you to pick up.

Found a book in another iBistro library that you would like to read?

Use the Hold feature and the item will be delivered to the MCC Library. You will be called or emailed when it arrives at MCC.

Need to renew a book?

Login to MY ACCOUNT. See what has been checked out to you and renew items on your account.

What do you need in order to take advantage of these features?
Your updated library bar code (on the back of your student ID card) and the initial PIN: CHANGEME

Have questions? Contact us at 732 906-2561
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
or post a message to this blog.

CSC 105

2007-09-12T05:39:00.000-07:00

Remember to help yourself with time management of your paper by using the Assignment Calculator.

Use the Library's databases to find articles on your topic:

ABI/Inform

Business Source Premier

Lexis-Nexis

Locate Books, DVDs and videos in this Library and 27 other libraries by using iBistro.

To find items in other libraries throughout the country,use Worldcat.

Whatever we do not have in this Library can be obtained for you at no charge by using Interlibrary Loan.

There are additional resources listed on the Computer Science Subject Guide.

Need more help?
Stop by the Reference Desk
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
Call us at 732 906-2561
or
Post a question on this Blog.

Dance

2007-09-10T18:28:00.000-07:00

Start off by using the Assignment Calculator is at U of Minnesota Libraries.

Below are suggested sources for information on topics in Dance:

Check the International Encyclopedia of Dance located in the Reference section of the Library at REF GV 1585 .1586 1998 ( Check this blog regularly-we are waiting for final approval to have it available online. A link will be provided here). Here is a temporary link that is not available from home, yet:
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Look for books, DVDs and videos available in our Library by using iBistro.
For books, DVDs and videos available in other libraries, try WORLDCAT. Use Interlibrary Loan for items MCC Library does not have. Forms are also available at the Reference Desk.
Use The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts catalog. While the items are not full text, MCC Library can try to obtain them through Interlibrary Loan.

LIBRARY DATABASES

The International Bibliography of Theatre & Dance

Biography Reference Bank

Academic Search Premier

JSTOR

Lexis-Nexis

Historical Newspapers- The New York Times- 1851-2003

Project Muse

WEBSITES

Professional Associations & Organizations

American Dance Guild

American Dance Therapy Guild

Dance Educators of America

Dance Notation Bureau

Dance New Jersey

National Association of Schools of Dance

National Dance Association

National Dance Education Organization

New Jersey Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance

Society for Dance Research

Society of Dance History Scholars

Dance Companies

Alvin Ailey

American Ballet Theater

Mega Sites & Misc. Dance Related Sites

ArtstLynx

CyberDance: Ballet on the Net

McCarter Theatre - Princeton

New York Magazine Classical & Dance Events

NJPAC

NYC Dance Connection (Ballroom and Latin Dance in the Tri-state area)

Performing Arts in Latin America

Church and State Redux

2007-07-31T05:03:00.000-07:00

Before starting your paper, use the Assignment Calculator (from the University of Minnesota Libraries) for help in determining your research timeline. (Particularly useful for whirlwind summer classes!)

Look at Facts on File's "World Atlas" for a brief overview of religion in a particular country.

Try searching the Britannica Online.You may want to use the "Compare Countries" feature to look at the country you are studying compared to the US (or any other country.

Or go directly to the Britannica World Data Analyst for an overview and comparison.

Check the Gale Virtual Reference Library for entries from "Countries and Their Cultures".

Two of the these sources offer links to credible sources on the public web.

Check MCC Library's catalog for books on the country you are researching. Of particular interest is the series "Culture and Customs".

For articles on the country you are researching and religion, search Academic Search Premier, JSTOR (limit articles to 2000 on). Lexis-Nexis for both newspapers and Law Reviews (Under Legal Research).

If needed, check the following public websites for more information on the country you are researching:

Country Studies from the Library of Congress which is updated annually.To check if there are more recent developments, check the Country Profiles site.

The CIA World Factbook - the online version of the annual print reference book (website is updated every two weeks)

Remember that an "official religion" (or lack of one) does more than determine where and when people worship. It has implications for education, the legal system, foreign policy, rights of minorities and women, commerce, mass media......etc.

Remember that the Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
Call us at 732 906-2561
or
Post a question on this Blog.

Cool Tools for Adult Learners

2007-06-11T09:09:00.000-07:00

Hope you are all excited and looking forward to taking classes at MCC!

Here are the links to the websites we discussed:

Middlesex County College website

Reading
Test Your Reading Speed

Speed Reading Pacing Methods

Writing
The OWL at Purdue

Citation Machine

Assignment Calculator

Research
MCC Library's Homepage

Librarian's Index to the Internet

Infomine

Worldcat

Google Book

Google Scholar

Remember that the Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
Call us at 732 906-2561
or
Post a question on this Blog.

Drama Criticism

2007-04-03T12:22:00.000-07:00

Check MIDAS by searching under the name of the author to find books of criticism on his/her work. Remember that an entire book of criticism may not dedicated to one play (unless it is a play by a long-dead, much-written about dramatist like Shakespeare) so searching under the play title might not yield all of the relevant sources.

If you have time before the paper is due, check WorldCat for sources that MCC does not have. Remember that Interlibrary Loan services are available, free of charge to any current MCC student.

Check some of the Library's Reference books to locate additional sources of criticism:

Drama Criticism REF PN 1601 .D59
Modern Drama Scholarship and Criticism REF PN 1851 .C372
Contemporary Dramatists REF PR 737 .C57 1999
Contemporary Black American Playwrights and Their Plays REF PS .I53 .N5 P43

Additional Reference titles are available....just ask a Reference Librarian for help.

Use the following online Reference sources to locate criticism:
Biography Reference Bank
Contemporary Authors
Facts on File: Bloom's Literary Reference Online
Magill On Literature Plus

To locate journal articles, use the following databases:
MLA Bibliography
JSTOR
Academic Search Premier
Project Muse

If the article you need is not available in this Library (MLA Bibliography and Academic Search Premier are not entirely fulltext) remember that both databases have Interlibrary Loan forms included in the citation. MCC Library will obtain a copy of the article for you--at no charge.

Remember that the Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
Call us at 732 906-2561
or
Post a question on this Blog.

Church and State

2007-03-28T08:49:00.000-07:00

Before starting your paper, use the Assignment Calculator (from the University of Minnesota Libraries) for help in determining your research timeline.

Get an overview of the historical and consititutional aspects of church and state by searching the Facts on File history databases.

Look for Supreme Court cases, analyses and some articles in CQ Supreme Court Collection.

To locate books, videos, DVDs available at MCC, use our catalog MIDAS. Check Worldcat for items we do not own (use the Interlibrary Loan forms to request the books, videos, DVDs). Remember that you can also check the e-book collection: Humanities e-Books.

Find law review articles by using Lexis-Nexis- Legal Research.
You can also use Lexis-Nexis to find newspaper articles. Remember to do a "Guided News Search", Step 1 "General News", Step 2 "Major Papers". The default time period is 6 months, but you can search "All of the dates" or anywhere in between.

Academic Search Premier is a general database (covering many different subject areas) Use it to search for journals and magazines.

Depending on the focus of your paper, you could also search for journal articles in JSTOR.

Try using the word religion instead of church and laws, constitution or government instead of state if you are having difficulty finding materials for your paper.

OR
Remember that the Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
Call us at 732 906-2561
or
Post a question on this Blog.

ENG 121 - New Brunswick

2007-03-23T06:28:00.000-07:00

It was great to meet all of you yesterday!

A reminder of some of the sites we reviewed:

The Assignment Calculator (from the University of Minnesota Libraries) for help in determining your research timeline.

The Best Search Tools chart from Infopeople. Provides an overview of the features of major search engines, and includes two of my favorite internet directories: Librarian's Index to the Internet and Infomine. Please remember these are very small databases compared to Google, but you can find one or two credible/scholarly/important websites in most subject areas.

Encyclopedias and dictionaries can help you understand your topic, provide insight into an issue you might want to explore and identify terms that may help in your searches. Try Facts on File for history, literature, health and science encyclopedias and other reference sources. Use Gale Virtual Reference Library for health/medicine; culture; child and family psychology and film. Or use a general encyclopedia like Britannica Online.

To locate books, videos, DVDs available at MCC, use our catalog MIDAS. Check Worldcat for items we do not own (use the Interlibrary Loan forms to request the books, videos, DVDs). Remember that you can also check the e-book collections PsycBooks and History e-Books (if your topic is related to those subject areas.)

For articles from newspapers, check Lexis-Nexis, Historical New York Times (1851-2003), and ABI Inform (for Wall Street Journal).

Academic Search Premier is a general database (covering many different subject areas) Use it to search for journals and magazines.

There are subject-specific databases such as: PsycInfo (psychology); Science Direct (science & medicine); ABI Inform and Business Source Premier (business, management & accounting); Lexis-Nexis- Legal Research (law and law-related topics) and others available on the Library's Magazines, Journals and Newspapers page.

Reference Librarians are here to help!
In New Brunswick, during the Spring 2007 semester, a Reference Librarian is available on Wednesday nights from 6PM-9PM.
Otherwise:
Stop by the Reference Desk on the Edison campus (we're open 73 hours a week, 7 days a week.)
Call us at 732 906-2561
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
or
Post a question on this Blog.

Good Luck with your research projects!

English 122 Sections 22,25,34 & 78

2007-03-09T09:25:00.000-08:00

Before starting, check the Assignment Calculator (from the University of Minnesota Libraries)for help in determining your research timeline.

Check MCC Library's catalog, MIDAS, to find books, videos and DVDs on your topic.

Check WorldCat for additional titles and request them through Interlibrary Loan.

For most topics:
For articles from magazines, journals and newspapers:
Academic Search Premier

Lexis-Nexis
Remember to do a "Guided News Search", Step 1 "General News", Step 2 "Major Papers". The default time period is 6 months, but you can search "All of the dates" or anywhere in between.

Some topics will find the following databases helpful:
Communications and Mass Media Complete

PsycInfo

If you are interested in seeing older New York Times articles and ads, use the Historical New York Times.

ABI/Inform

Business Source Premier

JSTOR

To find a few good websites, try using:
Infomine

Librarian's Index to the Internet

Instead of the website recommended by your textbook authors, look at:
All Experts

or

Explore the notes and references on Wikipedia.

Remember that the Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
Call us at 732 906-2561
or
Post a question on this Blog.

English - Why Johnny Can't Disobey

2007-03-04T15:55:00.000-08:00

Just a reminder of the sources covered during the Library orientation on Friday.

What words should you use?
Try any one of the following: obedience; conformity; peer influence; altruism. You could also look at: honor codes; whistle blowing; nonconformity; moral development.
In most cases, limiting by the word children works well.
NOTE: Some of the words work better in some databases than in others.

Check MCC Library's catalog, MIDAS, to find books, videos and DVDs on your topic.
You can also check the collection of e-books on psychology: PsycBooks.
Can't find what you need at MCC Library?
Check WorldCat for additional titles and request them through Interlibrary Loan.

For articles from magazines, journals and newspapers, use the following databases:
Academic Search Premier

Lexis-Nexis Remember to do a "Guided News Search", Step 1 "General News", Step 2 "Major Papers". The default time period is 6 months, but you can search "All of the dates" or anywhere in between.

PsycInfo

If you are interested in seeing older New York Times articles, use the Historical New York Times.

Keep yourself on target for completing your paper by following the Assignment Calculator.
(Sometimes conformity is the best thing to do!)

Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Call us at 732 906-2561
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
or
Post a question on this Blog.

Writing About Movies

2007-03-01T15:21:00.000-08:00

The web page on Film Criticism covers all of the online resources reviewed in the Library orientation and lists the Reference print sources discussed at the beginning of class.

Need to know if we have a particular periodical (newspaper, magazine or journal)? Check our Journal & Magazine Finder.

Remember that if MCC Library does not have what you need, you can request it through Interlibrary Loan at no charge.

Enjoy your movies!

***********************************************************************************
Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Call us at 732 906-2561
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
or
Post a question on this Blog.

Researching Student Success Topics

2007-02-23T10:27:00.000-08:00

Check MCC Library's catalog, MIDAS, to find books, videos and DVDs on your student success topic.
Can't find what you need at MCC Library? Check WorldCat for additional titles and request them through Interlibrary Loan.

Want to know what employers look for in a job candidate? Check the Library's database Facts on File, look for Ferguson's Career Guidance Center and click "Employability Skills". Many of the items listed are characteristics of a successful student!

Search for articles from popular magazines and journals by searching Academic Search Premier. Depending on your topic, you could also search ABI-Inform and Business Source Premier.

Find newspaper articles in Lexis-Nexis. (Remember to do a "Guided News Search", Step 1 "General News", Step 2 "Major Papers".)

Keep yourself on target for completing your Annotated Bibliography and paper by following the tips in the Assignment Calculator.

And when you need a study break: Check Biography Reference Bank and be inspired(?) by the famous people born on the month and day of your birth!

Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Call us at 732 906-2561
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
or
Post a question on this Blog.

Writing About Comedy

2007-02-20T13:13:00.000-08:00

Before starting, check the Assignment Calculator (from the University of Minnesota Libraries)for help in determining your research timeline.

If you've chosen any of the research assignments that involve film, look at the Film Criticism guide for help in finding resources. You may also want to check the Blog entry on Short Story criticism if the film is an adaptation of a short story.

If you are writing about television shows, be sure to check The Encyclopedia of American Television: Broadcast Programming post World War II to 2000 at REF PN 1992.18 .L3 2003
and The Encyclopedia of Television at REF PN 1992.18 .L3 2003
The databases listed in the Film Criticism guide will also be useful for information on television programs.

Listen to a discussion about laughter and humor on a Please Explain segment on WNYC.org
Check out the College of Comedy on PBS.org
Take a look at the American Comedy Archive.
Interested in seeing some old television comedy shows that are not out on DVD? Visit the Museum of Television and Radio in NYC.

Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Call us at 732 906-2561
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
or
Post a question on this Blog.

PowerPoint Tutorials

2007-02-20T08:21:00.000-08:00

Need to do a PowerPoint presentation but don't know what PowerPoint is or how to use it?

Start out by learning what makes a good presentation at Big Dog's Leadership page.

Try using the following PowerPoint tutorials:
University of Rhode Island,
this one from Internet 4 Classrooms ,
Microsoft wants to help too,
or check out the list of PowerPoint tutorials available on the web, courtesy of the University of Alberta.

Remember that 42 of the Library's computers have PowerPoint software. Check our hours.

Keep in mind that Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Call us at 732 906-2561
Email us at mailto:refmcclibrary@yahoo.com ,OR,
Post a question on this Blog.

Career and Job Information

2007-02-20T06:24:00.000-08:00

FINDING CAREER INFORMATION

Check MIDAS to find books on your career choice or options for careers in your field of study. Try searching using the word careers and also vocational guidance.
Can't find what you need at MCC Library? Check WorldCat for additional titles and request them through Interlibrary Loan.

The Library's database Facts on File, has a career section called Ferguson's Career Guidance Center.

CAREER INFORMATION WEBSITES

Check the "Occupational Outlook Handbook" at the US Department of Labor website.
Search O*Net for additional career information. (Produced by the US Department of Labor).
Try the New Jersey Occupational Outlook Handbook. (Click on "Download".) If you are using a newer version of Adobe, you can use the "binoculars" on the left to search for your career.
Do a Google search for any of the Associations listed in Ferguson's or the Occupational Outlook Handbook for additional career information.
America's Career Infonet is also a good place to check.
The Digital-Librarian Employment page also has links to many career related sites.

WAGE AND SALARY INFORMATION

Salary information from many of the sources listed above may be country-wide averages. Check wage statistics for New Jersey at the US Department of Labor; look at the Wall Street Journal's Career Journal for salary information on professional jobs; try Salary Expert; or when using O*Net, search for your career choice in the "Quick Search" box, selecting your career from the list provided. At the bottom of the screen select "New Jersey" to find the estimated wages for the occupation in New Jersey.

COLLEGE SEARCH

Check the College Blue Book (In the Gale Virtual Reference Library) to search for colleges that offer the degree programs you want.

You can also search Peterson's College Search or CollegeNet.

NEED TO FIND A JOB?

America's Job Bank

New Jersey's Job Bank

Job listings from the Star Ledger and other NJ newspapers.

Use JobWeb for openings geared to college students.

Check MCC Career Services for job listings.

Reference Librarians are here to help!Stop by the Reference DeskCall us at 732 906-2561Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.comorPost a question on this Blog.

ESL

2007-02-16T13:01:00.000-08:00

Just a reminder on what was covered during your class visit to the Library today (Friday February 16).

If you want to find books, videos and DVD's that are in MCC Library, use MIDAS.

If you want to find out more about the history, science, health, the US government, careers, etc. use Facts on File.

You can use the Historical New York Times (1851-2003) to find older New York Times articles, but to find newspapers articles from other newspapers AND the current articles from the New York Times, use Lexis-Nexis. The largest search (most newspapers) you can do is by using "Guided News Search" then in Step 1 choose "General News" and Step 2 "Major Papers".

Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Call us at 732 906-2561
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
or
Post a question on this Blog.

Theater and Performing Arts

2007-02-06T04:08:00.000-08:00

Find information on a playwright, choreographer or other artist by checking Biography Reference Bank.

Addtional information, particularly on playwrights and their works, can be found in Facts on File's Literary Reference Center and Magill's On Literature Plus.

Find reviews of performances by using the Historical New York Times and Lexis Nexis. It might be interesting to compare a review of a performance of Hamlet in the late 1800's to a more recent one.

For criticism and interpretation, use MLA Bibliography, the International Bibliography of Theater and Dance, JSTOR and Academic Search Premier.

Don't forget to check MIDAS for collected works of criticism or biographies. Can't find what you need at MCC? Check other libraries' holdings in Worldcat and request the items through Interlibrary Loan.

Manage your time by using the Assignment Calculator.

As always, Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Call us at 732 906-2561
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
or
Post a question on this Blog.

The 2008 Presidential Race

2007-02-01T14:27:00.000-08:00

If the 2008 Presidential Election were tomorrow, who would you vote for?

Though the election is more than a year and a half away, the field of presidential contenders is becoming very crowded. As of today, February 1, 2007, the following have declared their intention to run, or have set up "exploratory committees":

DEMOCRATS:
Joe Biden
Hillary Clinton
Chris Dodd
John Edwards
Mike Gravel
Dennis Kucinich
Barack Obama
Bill Richardson
Tom Vilsack

REPUBLICANS:
Sam Brownback
James Gilmore III
Rudy Giuliani
Mike Huckabee
Duncan Hunter
John McCain
Ron Paul
Mitt Romney
Tom Tancredo
Tommy Thompson

Other possible candidates include:
Chuck Hagel
Newt Gingrich
Olympia Snowe

For more information, check out the Washington Post 2008 Presidential Candidates site, or Time Magazine's Guide to a Crowded Field site.

Take a look at television advertising for past Presidential Elections 1952-2004. Have they gotten better over time, or...?

Need to find more information? Remember, MCC's Reference Librarians are here to help! Please stop by the Reference Desk
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
Call us at 732 906-2561, or,
Post a question on this Blog.

Psychology

2007-02-01T13:28:00.000-08:00

The assignment calculator is at U of Minnesota Libraries.

A grad student from U of Minnesota provides a free downloadable APA Style Sheet for MS Word for many versions of Word. Please note the librarians have not tested this software, so user beware! A different APA Style Sheet is available for Word 97, 98 and 2000.

The reference sources: Child Development, The Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol and Addictive Behavior, The International Encyclopedia of Marriage and the Family, Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, and Psychologists and Their Theories are available online in the Gale Virtual Reference Center (under "Reference, Facts, Encyclopedias, etc. on the Library's Homepage).

Check MIDAS (the Library's book, video, DVD, etc. catalog) and PsycBooks for e-books on psychology and related topics.

For articles on psychology related topics use the principal database for psychology research, PsycInfo, on the Library's Homepage under "Magazine, newspaper and journal articles".

For any articles or books not available at MCC Library, use the Interlibrary Loan request forms. MCC Library will have the materials delivered here for you to use.

If you need help in learning to use PowerPoint, check out this tutorial from University of Rhode Island, this one from Internet 4 Classrooms ,or check out the list of PowerPoint tutorials available on the web, courtesy of the University of Alberta.

Remember that the Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
Call us at 732 906-2561 or
Post a question on this Blog.

Dance

2007-01-30T19:21:00.000-08:00

The assignment calculator is at U of Minnesota Libraries.

An overview of the sources covered in the Library Orientations on January 31, 2007 and February 6, 2007 is available here.

Please remember that we offer FREE Interlibrary Loan services. You can get a copy of the Book request form and also a copy of the Article request form. The completed forms can be dropped off at the Reference Desk or emailed to the Interlibrary Loan Department at library_ill@middlesexcc.edu

Here is an example for citing information from Biography Reference Bank , specifically an entry from Current Biography on Waslaw Nijinsky. PLEASE REMEMBER that citations should be double-spaced and the second or any subsequent lines are indented.

"Nijinsky, Waslaw." Current Biography. N.p.: H.W.Wilson, 1940. Biography Reference Bank.WilsonWeb. Middlesex County College Library, Edison. 8 Feb. 2007 .

"Quotes" are used around the last name of the person, first name of the person, because that is the title of the entry. N.p. is used because no place of publication is given. The date after "Edison" is the date you got the information.

When using Lexis-Nexis, this is the way a citation would look:

Kriegsman, Alan M. " The Radiant Reign of Margot Fonteyn: On the Ballet Stage, Hers Was a Grace and Style Beyond Compare." The Washington Post 22 Feb. 1991, final ed.: B1. Academic Universe. Lexis-Nexis. Middlesex County College Library, Edison. 8 Feb. 2007.

Kriegsman is the author, the title of the article is in quotes, the name of the newspaper is underlined, after the edition (if there is one) is the page number(s).

Remember that if you use an article from the Historical New York Times you would follow the format shown for Lexis-Nexis but you would NOT need the information after the page number (B1 in the example.)

If you have any questions, please stop by the Reference Desk, email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com, call us at 732 906-2561, or post a question on this Blog.

Welcome Back!

2007-01-24T12:05:00.000-08:00

Welcome Back and Happy New Year!

We hope that new and returning students will visit the MCC Library in person or on the web.
The Reference Librarians are here to help you with your research questions. Since we are familiar with many of the professors and assignments, we can guide you to the best sources to complete your assignments. Stop by, email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com, use our blog or contact a college librarian (not necessarily from MCC) via chat.

Remember we also have:

Over 40 databases on our website that are not available via Google.
43 computers with Internet access for your research and class assignments.
A new adaptive technology computer. (We're open more days and hours than the Adaptive Technology Lab).
Wireless access to the College's high-speed internet connection
Interlibrary Loan Services. If we don't have a book or article you need, it can be requested from another library, delivered here at no charge.
More than 200 DVD's.
Over 2000 e-books plus access to free audiobooks
Free printing from any of the internet computers
Group study rooms as well as individual study carrels
Comfortable seating near the Current Periodicals section
Copy machines. A color copier is available at the Circulation Desk

Let us know if you have any questions!

What Happened on Your Birthday?

2006-11-18T05:50:00.000-08:00

Before starting, check out the Assignment Calculator.

Find the front page of the New York Times for the day you were born by using the Historical New York Times.

Search for articles from popular magazines by searching Academic Search Premier.
There are two ways to find articles on or near your birthday:

Click on the "Publications" link in the green bar at the top of the screen. Browse for for "The Nation" or "National Review". By clicking on the title, you can select a particular year, then a particular issue and browse the contents of that issue.
or
Use the regular search screen, limit by month and year and search for a particular topic: music, politics, books, movies, medicine, etc.

You can use this second procedure for searching for newspapers or magazines in Lexis-Nexis.

Find famous people who died on your birthday by searching Biography Reference Bank. If you are older than 35 or so, you may be able to find famous people who were born on your birthday.

Search Facts on File's federated history search (click on the box on the right-hand side of the screen). Search for your year of birth to find significant events that occured the year you were born.

Britannica Online's timeline, can provide information on notable events for particular years.

You might check how prices translate from your year of birth to today's dollars by using the Cost of Living Calculator.

To see the calendar for the year you were born, check this CALENDAR.

Please note that the links provided will automatically ask for your student ID if you are off campus. You'll need to login in order to search the databases.

Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Call us at 732 906-2561
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
or
Post a question on this Blog.

LIT CRIT- SHORT STORIES

2006-10-24T19:35:00.000-07:00

Check MIDAS by searching under the name of the author to find books of criticism on his/her work. Remember that an entire book of criticism is probably not dedicated to one short story, so searching under the short story title might not yield all of the relevant sources.

If you have time before the paper is due, check WorldCat for sources that MCC does not have. Remember that Interlibrary Loan services are available, free of charge to any current MCC student.

Two of the books of criticism on Shirley Jackson are on RESERVE (Circulation Desk):

Shirley Jackson: A Study of the Short Fiction and Shirley Jackson

Additional criticism can be located by using Reference Books:
Critical Survey of Short Fiction – REF PN 3321 .C7 2001
Critical Survey of Short Fiction – REF PN 3321 .C7 M345
The titles above are also available online: Magill On Literature Plus
Reference Guide to Short Fiction 2^nd edition – REF PN 3373 .R36 1999
Short Story Criticism REF PN 3321 .S56 H37
Short Story Writers -REF PN 3373 .S398 1997
Twentieth Century Short Story Explication – REF PN 3373 .W33

A word of caution: You may find the SAME critical essay in several of these volumes, i.e. the essay on Shirley Jackson is identical in the two Critical Survey of Short Fiction volumes, Short Story Writers and is also available in Magill On Literature Plus.

Search for additional sources of short story criticism by searching the following databases:

MLA Bibliography – the premiere source for literary criticism Historical New York Times
Academic Search Premier
Biography Reference Bank
Facts on File: Literary Reference Online
Magill On Literature Plus
JSTOR
Remember if you are off campus, you must login here.

For biographical information search:

Biography Reference Bank
Contemporary Authors
Facts on File: Literary Reference Online
Magill On Literature Plus
Remember if you are off campus, you must login here.

Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
Call us at 732 906-2561 or
Post a question on this Blog.

CSC 105

2006-10-01T16:54:00.000-07:00

The assignment calculator is at U of Minnesota Libraries.

To check for books, DVD's, videos and audiobooks available at MCC, check MIDAS.
If we don't have what you need, check WorldCat. Remember that Interlibrary Loan services are available, free of charge to any current MCC student.

To find articles on your topic, check ABI/Inform, Business Source Premier or Lexis-Nexis' "General News" under "Guided News Search" or 'Business News" under the "Business" section. You could also check Regional Business News. If you are off campus, click here and login.

As promised, here is the Google search "Cheat Sheet". (Google keeps it well hidden!)

Remember that the Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
Call us at 732 906-2561 or
Post a question on this Blog.

Career and Job Information

2006-09-28T10:07:00.000-07:00

Here's a LINK to resources covering career and job information. Effective 10/17/06 several new links have been added, including sites that have more recent New Jersey salary ranges.

Check USA Today's "Dream Jobs".

If you need help in putting together a PowerPoint presentation, there are quite a few tutorials available on the internet. Here are just a few:
A little corny, but effective tutorial from the Digital Education Network.
From Bay City Public Schools, a PowerPoint tutorial for the 2000 version
From Microsoft, an audiovisual tutorial for PowerPoint 2003
Another Word document based tutorial for PowerPoint 2003 from the Kent School District, WA. They also provide links to other tutorials.

Remember that the Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
Call us at 732 906-2561 or
Post a question on this Blog.

Psychology

2006-09-21T14:04:00.000-07:00

The assignment calculator is at U of Minnesota Libraries.

Click here for the APA Style Sheet for MS Word.

The reference sources: Child Development, The Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol and Addictive Behavior, The International Encyclopedia of Marriage and the Family, Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, and Psychologists and Their Theories are available online in the Gale Virtual Reference Center (under "Reference, Facts, Encyclopedias, etc. on the Library's Homepage).

Check MIDAS(the Library's book, video, DVD, etc. catalog) and PsycBooks for books on psychology related topics.

For articles on psychology related topics use the principal database for psychology research, PsycInfo, on the Library's Homepage under "Magazine, newspaper and journal articles".

For any articles or books not available at MCC Library, use the Interlibrary Loan request forms. MCC Library will have the materials delivered here for you to use.

Remember that the Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
Call us at 732 906-2561 or
Post a question on this Blog.

Film Criticism

2006-09-19T19:58:00.000-07:00

The assignment calculator is at U of Minnesota Libraries.

An overview of the sources covered during your Library Orientation is available here.
(The UC Berkeley link has been fixed).

Here is a list of the major NY Times film reviewers, listed by the years they were most active.

To check if the Library has a magazine, journal or newspaper, search here.

Here's a link to the research chart used in class.

Remember that the Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
Call us at 732 906-2561
or Post a question on this Blog.

Enjoy your movie!

HRI-101

2006-09-15T05:44:00.000-07:00

If you need some reminders of the databases and websites covered in class today, here is a link to the webpage I created.

Remember that the Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
Call us at 732 906-2561
or Post a question on this Blog.

Best of luck on your assignment!

DANCE

2006-09-12T05:37:00.000-07:00

The assignment calculator is at U of Minnesota Libraries.

An overview of the sources covered in the Library Orientations on September 12 & 13, 2006 is available here.

Please remember that we offer FREE Interlibrary Loan services. You can get a copy of the Book request form here, and also a copy of the Article request form on this page.

If you have any questions, please stop by the Reference Desk, email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com, call us at 732 906-2561, or post a question on this Blog.

History 221 - US History I

2006-09-11T06:02:00.000-07:00

The assignment calculator is at U of Minnesota Libraries.

An overview of the sources covered in the Library Orientation on Sept.11, 2006 is available on this page.

I checked the TV listings and the PBS (Channel 13 ) show on Jamestown is airing on October 18, 2006 at 8PM.

If you subscribe to the History Channel, there is a 13-part series on the American Revolution airing on Sundays at 10PM starting on Sunday, September 17.

If you have any questions, please stop by the Reference Desk, email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com, call us at 732 906-2561, or post a question on this Blog.

Welcome!

2006-09-05T07:48:00.000-07:00

Welcome to MCC Library!
We hope that new and returning students will visit the MCC Library in person or on the web.
The Reference Librarians are here to help you with your research questions. Since we are familiar with many of the professors and assignments, we can guide you to the best sources to complete your assignments. Stop by, email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com, use our blog or contact a college librarian (not necessarily from MCC) via chat.

Remember we also have:

Over 40 databases on our website that are not available via Google.
22 computers with Internet access for your research and class assignments. (More computers coming soon!)
Wireless access to the College's high-speed internet connection
Interlibrary Loan Services. If we don't have a book or article you need, it can be requested from another library, delivered here at no charge.
Over 2000 e-books plus access to free audiobooks
Free printing from any of the internet computers
Group study rooms as well as individual study carrels
Comfortable seating near the Current Periodicals section
Copy machines. A color copier is available at the Circulation Desk

Let us know if you have any questions!

STUDENT ID's

2006-08-22T07:04:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already obtained your MCC student ID, there are
many incentives to do so:

Your student ID allows you to:

1. Check out books, videos, and DVD's from MCC Library
2. Request books, videos, DVD's from other libraries at no charge
3. Have easy access to the login information required for MCC Library's databases while off-campus
4. Download free audio books from ListenNJ.org

If that's not incentive enough to get an MCC student ID, consider
these perks:

1. If you like to travel, but don't like the cost, sign up for an International Student ID using your MCC card. You'll find travel and other discounts.
2. Another travel discount service available for students with a valid ID is STA/Travel
3. Need computer software and peripherals? Academic Superstore offers discounts if you have a valid student ID.
4. Many local movie theaters offer discounted tickets with a valid student ID.
For example, Loews, New Brunswick offers student discounts Monday-Thursday.
5. Many museums in New York and New Jersey offer discounts on admission fees if you show a valid student ID. Just a sampling: Newark Museum, Montclair Art Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the MOMA:Museum of Modern Art
6. Broadway plays and other theater/music events in NYC offer discounts for students. For example:Lincoln Center Theaters offer a "StudentTix", but there are a limited number available. Carnegie Hall also offers student discount tickets. Student Rush tickets are available for some Broadway Plays. Most Student Rush tickets cost between $20 and $25

Know of any other great advantages to having a student ID? Let us know!

Global Warming

2006-07-05T05:52:00.000-07:00

If recent flooding, last year's record setting hurricane
season,the melting of permafrost and the ice shelves at
both Antarctica and the North Pole convince you that
global warming is a problem, what can you do about it?

Here are some suggestions:
Figure out how much carbon you produce per year at the
carbon calculator.You'll be told how many trees will need
to be planted in order to compensate for your carbon use.
Make a donation toward planting those trees right on the
website (part of the Conservation Fund Organization) or
look for other tree planting opportunities at the Arbor Day
website.

Replace standard bulbs in your home with energy efficient
compact fluorescent bulbs.  You'll save on electric bills
and as a result reduce the amount of fossil fuels used to
create electricity. Note: even replacing one bulb will
help!

Recycle, Recycle, Recycle!  See ideas for recycling and/or
pick up Middlesex County's guide to recycling in the Library.

Support manufacturers who use recycled materials by
purchasing their products.Here's a website to help you
identify some of those products.

Save money on gas and save the environment! Share rides, walk
or take public transportation where possible. The Frugal Life
website offers more tips. 

Can't reduce the amount you drive? Check out TerraPass.
(Please note that it is a for-profit company).

Required to do research on global warming? Go to the
Library's website. Search for books or DVD's in MIDAS;
CQ Researcher has an excellent overview of Climate Change;
additional articles can be found in Academic Search Premier
and Science Direct.

Remember if you are off campus, login here. If you need
additional help,the Reference Librarians are available in
person (hours),by telephone(732 906-2561),by email or by
chat. You can also post your question on this blog.

ENGLISH 122-PreSummer session

2006-05-31T10:51:00.000-07:00

A heads up to the English 122 class that came to the Library on Tuesday May 30 at 1PM. The name of the last artist on your assignment is spelled FRIDA KAHLO. You can use Britannica, Facts On File and ArtStor to locate information on the artists.

WELCOME

2006-05-31T10:47:00.000-07:00

Middlesex County College Librarians welcome you to our new blog! We hope that this blog will provide you with news, research tips, and miscellaneous musings. Stay tuned!