Teaching to a class of Chemical Engineering Graduate Students Unscripted

Yesterday I taught ChE 654 - Corrosion. The course description read as follows:

Fundamental principles including thermodynamics and kinetics of corrosion; forms of corrosion (e.g. galvanic, crevice and stress); methods of corrosion measurement; high temperature corrosion; and special case histories.

I decided not to use my standard Powerpoint Presentation that is found linked at http://library.njit.edu/researchhelpdesk/subjectguides/chemistry.php . I told the students that they could use the narrated or non-narrated version of this presentation.

I did cover main points such explaining the peer review process and distinguishing between Scifinder Scholar and Scopus. I also explained how basic information about the corrosion process could be found in textbooks. In this class I explained the significance of cited references and showed how they can be found in the two databases.

I did get training passwords for Scifinder that could be used for one day. I allowed the last half of the session for students to use the database to do their assignment. Some of the questions were:

• Find a Pourbaix diagram for the lead-water system
• Find some information about corrosion in soil
• Find information on who to measure a corrosion current.

Walk Up Reference Question of the Day

The patron had a 2-part question.

1. Is there a way of finding out what physicians are guilty of not paying their bills.

-My thought on this that this is a private matter and would not be in the open literature. The only possibility would be if a supplier wrote on a blog that a physician owed him money.

2. Is there a way I could find out if a physician had been sued for medical malpractice.

-I found this source in the catalog of the UMDNJ Library:

Title:
Questionable doctors disciplined by states or the federal government.
Publisher:
Washington, D.C. : Public Citizen Health Research Group, c1990-

-My second thought was to search the Lexis-Nexis database using the terms medical malpractice and urology and limiting it to New Jersey cases.

The patron could not find the physician in question, but it was possible that there could be a malpractice lawsuit with the doctor under investigation that was settled out of court and did not get into Lexis-Nexis.

Finding Properties of Chemical Substances on the iPhone

I was reading the Chemical and Engineering News of March 22, 2010 and found on page 56 a brief mention of ChemMobi, a free app for the iPhone. This app produced by Symx Technologies and the Royal Society of Chemistry provides access to 30 million chemical structures, molecular formulas, and Material Safety Data Sheets.

I have already placed the link to this on my physical properties page on the NJIT Library web site. I will certainly mention this next time I teach Math 225.

Chat Reference Question of the Day

You never know when a challenging question comes through on QANDANJ. I received this question this morning:

I'm looking for articles on how lay people use the internet to research science topics, and then how they evaluate the online information.

This question was from a student from Rutgers School of Communication and Information. This topic was of interest to me since several years ago I researched the topic of communicating science to the public. It seemed to me that there wouldn't be much written on this.

I searched Academic Search Premier and LISTA, but didn't find anything relevant for the student. The student then added:

My key focus is how lay people use the internet to research controversial topics, in particular nuclear energy and genetically modified foods, but i have had no luck with the specifics. i've widened my search to get something kind of relevant.

Lay people would likely Google to find information on controversial topics. I did find this article which was related to the health sciences:

Title:Evaluation of a Public Library Workshop: Teaching Older Adults How to Search the Internet for Reliable Cancer Information. Authors:Hoffman-Goetz, Laurie1 lhgoetz@uwaterloo.ca Friedman, Daniela B.2 dbfriedm@uwaterloo.ca Celestine, Ann3 acelestine@kpl.org Source:Journal of Consumer Health on the Internet; 2006, Vol. 10 Issue 3, p29-43,

This is how the chat session ended:


Patron:09:34:35 2010/03/23 (GMT-5)
my group and i have had no luck finding anything specific...lots of stuff on health research, but not more controversial scientific issues.

Librarian 1:09:35:36 2010/03/23 (GMT-5)
I went into the LISTA database which is published by EBSCO and searched on "internet searching" and "public" and "sciences" and retrieved 35 items

Patron:09:37:18 2010/03/23 (GMT-5)
ok, thanks for the tip on your search terms. i will keep looking on my own. have a great day!

People can now Register for the Upstate Downstate Science Librarians Meeting on April 26

The theme will be Trends in Sci/Tech and Medical Publishing.

The Panelists will beKris Fitzpatrick – IEEE
Allan Barnett – Institute of Physics Publishing
Elizabeth Perill – Elsevier

Please RSVP to me by e-mail by April 19. I will give the instructions on how to access the web conference on or about April 19. Please feel free to contact me if there any questions. Please re-register if you signed up for the original date in February.

Bruce.Slutsky@njit.edu
973-642-4950

I don't think there has ever been snow in NYC as late as April 26 :)

Cuts in State Funding to New Jersey Academic Libraries will be Disastrous

We received a memo yesterday from Norma Blake, State Librarian, reporting deep cuts in funding to New Jersey Libraries. The details may be found at http://www.web2learning.net/archives/3663

The NJIT library will affected through the loss of funding for Business Source Premier, Academic Search Premier and interlibrary loan services. If the Faculty Library Committee prioritizes those databases, other resosurces will have to be cut. We will soon have a vacancy for a reference librarian. It appears that this position will not be filled in the forseeable future.

Hopefully, these deep budget cuts can be at least partially rescinded.

American Chemical Society Publications Announces iPhone Application

American Chemical Society (ACS) Publications announces a new service called ACS Mobile which provides readers with up to the minute live streams of research content published by the Society’s journals. For further information and a demonstration of the features and functionality of ACS Mobile please go to http://pubs.acs.org/r/acsmobile

Columbia University Reference Symposium: Doing More With Less

On Friday March 12 I went to the Columbia University Reference Symposium with the theme “Doing More with Less”. It is always nice to reconnect with colleagues from other universities and meet new people. This was their 8th annual symposium, but from what I was told it was the first time non ARL librarians like myself were invited. It has been 20 years since I left NYPL which of course is an ARL library. I certain envy the librarians with very large collections.

All libraries these days are faced with shortages of money, space, time and staff. The aim of this symposium was to see how our colleagues are coping with these situations and obtain ideas that we can bring back to our own institutions. The aim of this journal entry is to help me remember what I learned at this conference. It is not in any way to be an exhaustive review of the events of the day. Readers can see the conference web site for more information. The Powerpoint presentations are posted there. I like to us anecdotal and personal approaches to this work related blog and personal journal. Please feel free to check it out if you don’t know me.

The keynote address was: Fitness for Purpose: Aligning Resources in Changing Times by Wendy Lougee, University Librarian at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Some of the points she made:
· Money lost is not coming back
· External Funding for libraries in weak
· The cost of library expenditures is rising faster than the consumer price index

She mentioned 3 trends in higher education:
· Abundance of Resources through the Internet
· Just in time and found learning
· Cloud based and decentralized learning

She quoted from the Horizon Report and How Students Seek Information in the Digital Age by Head and Eisenberg.

She raised some questions:
Can institutions volunteer to take on a domain for permanent archiving? I think this is a substitute for the old concept of “Library of record.”
Do we understand student and faculty processes?
How do we enable transitions of old processes and methods to new?
What is our unique shareable expertise?
What are our distinctive, shareable assets?

The next speaker was Derik Badman who until recently was Digital Services Librarian at Temple University. He is beginning a new position at Sringshare. The title of his talk was “How I Swapped My Expensive Cobrowsing Software for Two Cheaper and Better Options: a picture Talk."

He talked about OS Ticket, which seamlessly integrates inquiries created via email, phone and web-based forms into a simple easy-to-use multi-user web interface. He suggested using e-mail widgets and widgets on the library home page.

John Hernandez, Coordinator for Social Sciences at Northwestern University continued the program with his talk “Doing Less with More” Using RSS feeds, podcasts, and other technologies to deliver more content via Libguides.”

Michigan State University actually uses 559 Libguides which is a content management system.

The final talk of the morning session was Refocusing Distinctive Capabilities: Strategic Shifts in Baker Library Services
Mallory Stark and Cynthia Churchwell, Baker Library, Harvard Business School

They discussed:
· Context for Strategic Shifts
· Developing New Capabilities

There were breakout sessions after lunch considering situations of:
· Less Space
· Less Time
· Less Staff
· Less Money
· More Technology

I attended the session on less money. It has always been difficult at the NJIT Library, but it is now worse. We have let go our weekend reference librarians which has compromised the level of service. The other librarians at this session were in similar predicaments. Other libraries had less professional staffing at the tradition reference desk. We also discussed the use of free resources on the internet to help replace tools that can no longer be retained due to budget restrictions.
I encountered David McMillan whom I’ve known since he worked as a temporary librarian at NJIT. I also met Amanda Bielskas and Song Yu who have attended the METRO Science Librarians SIG. Song is also active in the American Chemical Society Division of Chemical Information.

I would like to thank the members of the planning committee whose hard work made this possible.
Kathleen Dreyer, chair
Cristina Ergunay
Kay Forbes, intern
Colleen Major
Mark Phillipson
Yasmin Saira

Spotlight on Tony Stankus, Science Librarian Extraordinaire

I recently reconnected with Tony Stankus, Professor, Life Sciences Librarian & Science Coordinator at the University of Arkansas Libraries. He has held this position since 2007. Prior to that he was Science Librarian at the College of the Holy Cross. He has distinguished himself by writing 10 books and over 160 articles in the field of library science. Since his undergraduate major was in modern foreign languages, a person not educated in the physical or life sciences can distinguish himself in science librarianship. I last saw Tony at the Trisociety Symposium in Boston in August 1998. Below is a partial list of his publications. I should try to catch up on my professional reading.


Record: 1
The SLA DBIO 100 Poll: 100 Journals Voted by SLA’s BioMedical and Life
Sciences Division as the Most Influential over the Last 100 Years By: Stankus,
Tony; Spiegel, Sarah E.. Serials Review, Dec2009, Vol. 35 Issue 4, p202-212,
11p; DOI: 10.1016/j.serrev.2009.08.012; (AN 45640751)
Database: Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts


Record: 2
Are “Least Publishable Unit” Brief Communications Articles Still Appearing
Sooner After Acceptance in this Era of E-Publishing Ahead of Print? Evidence
from Three Bellwether Pairs of Life Science Journals that Feature Separate
Editions for... By: Stankus, Tony. Serials Librarian, Jul/Sep2009, Vol. 57
Issue 1/2, p111-117, 7p; DOI: 10.1080/03615260802669128; (AN 43051371)
Database: Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts


Record: 3
Turning Meat, Poultry, Eggs, and Dairy Products into Nutraceuticals, Part
Three: The Literature of Animal Nutrition Approaches to Increasing Conjugated
Linoleic Acid Levels in Eggs, Fluid Milk, Cheese, Yogurt, and Butter as a Part
of a Value-Added... By: Stankus, Tony. Journal of Agricultural & Food
Information, 2009, Vol. 10 Issue 2, p124-148, 25p, 1 Graph; DOI:
10.1080/10496500902802718; (AN 37154977)
Database: Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts


Record: 4
Broilers. By: Stankus, Tony. Journal of Agricultural & Food Information, 2009,
Vol. 10 Issue 1, p8-16, 9p; DOI: 10.1080/10496500802690528; (AN 36592128)
Database: Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts


Record: 5
Turning Meat, Poultry, Eggs, and Dairy Products Into Nutraceuticals, Part Two:
The Literature of Animal Nutrition Aimed at Increasing Conjugated Linoleic
Acid Levels in Beef, Lamb, Goat, Pork, and Broilers as a Part of a Value-Added
Functional Foods... By: Stankus, Tony. Journal of Agricultural & Food
Information, 2009, Vol. 10 Issue 1, p37-62, 26p, 1 Graph; DOI:
10.1080/10496500802690544; (AN 36592125)
Database: Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts


Record: 6
It Is Not Just a Matter of Taste: 19th-Century Psychophysics and 21st-Century
Sensory Evaluation Surveys of Food and Beverages: A Brief Review with
Illustrative Readings. By: Stankus, Tony. Behavioral & Social Sciences
Librarian, 2008, Vol. 27 Issue 3/4, p125-139, 15p; DOI:
10.1080/01639260802365061; (AN 37568592)
Database: Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts


Record: 7
Turning Meat, Poultry, Eggs, and Dairy Products Into Nutraceuticals Through
Increasing Their Conjugated Linoleic Acid Levels, Part One: Reviewing the
Literature of Benefits Claimed for Conjugated Linoleic Acids in Human Health.
By: Stankus, Tony. Journal of Agricultural & Food Information, 2008, Vol. 9
Issue 3, p229-255, 27p, 1 Graph; DOI: 10.1080/10496500802286152; (AN 35000943)
Database: Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts


Record: 8
Relative National Membership and Self-Reports of Professional Activity Among
Academic Science, Engineering and Medical Librarians: Some Hypotheses on Why
SLA Is Mentioned So Often. By: Stankus, Tony. Science & Technology Libraries,
2008, Vol. 28 Issue 3, p195-207, 13p, 4 Graphs; DOI:
10.1080/01942620802098685; (AN 33248477)
Database: Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts


Record: 9
A Review and Bibliography of the Literature of Honey Bee Colony Collapse
Disorder: A Poorly Understood Epidemic that Clearly Threatens the Successful
Pollination of Billions of Dollars of Crops in America. By: Stankus, Tony.
Journal of Agricultural & Food Information, 2008, Vol. 9 Issue 2, p115-143,
29p; DOI: 10.1080/10496500802173939; (AN 34030224)
Database: Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts


Record: 10
Can the Brain be Trained? Comparing the Literature on the Use of EEG
Biofeedback/Neurofeedback as an Alternative or Complementary Therapy for
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). By: Stankus, Tony. Behavioral
& Social Sciences Librarian, 2008, Vol. 26 Issue 4, p20-56, 37p; DOI:
10.1080/01639260802031556; (AN 35284995)
Database: Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts

Amusing Photo

I would like to thank Ricky Waller of St. Johns University. He posted this photo on Facebook.

New Jersey Transit Proposes a 25% Fare Increase

Since I take NJ Transit to work each day, I thought this topic would be more appropriate for my work related journal. The official anouncement can be found at http://www.njtransit.com/tm/tm_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=PressReleaseTo&PRESS_RELEASE_ID=2596 . I think this is quite unfortunate based on the current economic climate. I think New Jersey should raise its gasoline tax to offset any possible fare increase. It certainly would be prohibitively expensive for me to drive to work due to the bridge tolls, but many New Jersey commuters may decide to derive to work. I have to think about taking the PATH instead of NJ Transit. The negative thing about that is that the PATH is slower and the seats are less comfortable. And so it goes.

When the Going Gets Tough The Tough Get Going

Readers of my personal journal know that I very often post videos of songs that express my feelings about some experiences. One of my reference colleagues at NJIT just announced her resignation. I didn't speak to her about it yet, but it seems that she wants to pursue a masters degree in public administration on a full time basis and eventually seek a career commensurate with that degree. I certainly wish her well in her future endeavors.

This will leave our reference staff shorthanded since there is a hiring freeze. I doubt very much if the university administration would allow us to hire a temp. It is quite possible that we will not be able to fill the position for a year. I am proud of my 17 1/2 year tenure at NJIT and see a short handed situation as a challenge. Several times in the past I was there when reference was short handed due to vacancies, illnesses, and family leaves. To quote Billy Ocean, "When the Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going." Below is a video of his performing that 1980s hit.

Should Libraries impose limits on interlibrary loan requests?

Do any universities have policies limiting the number of interlibrary loans that a student or faculty member requests over a period of time?

Over the years the university has grown by offering new programs, but funding for the library has remained flat. The growth in interlibrary loan requests is a result of the libraries inability to provide resources in these new areas. Our interlibrary loan staff reports some very heavy requesters. It is impossible to tell how important an article or book is for a patron. Very often a paper is essential since a researcher may need to repeat an experiment reported in the literature. Sometimes, an article is needed for current awareness. In this case reading the abstract may be sufficient.

Limiting the number of requests may hinder a researcher, but if an interlibrary loan office is bogged down by some frequent requesters, other patrons may have to wait.

Any comments?

Finally Some Questions During an Information Literacy Session

It is always frustrating when there are no questions after a library instruction class. I wonder if students already know the material or are they just bored and totally disinterested. Yesterday afternoon after my session with a biomedical engineering class I did get a few questions:

• When I asked if students had any sample questions one student offered magentic resonance imaging in medicine. After the professor interjected saying that this was too broad he limited it to safety issues.
• A second student asked how a search in Scopus can be limited to review articles.
• A student asked for a clarification of the concept of citing references
• After I mentioned that Nature magazine was available on the iPhone, a student seemed intrigued by this.

I always find that students are much more attentive and receptive when the professor is in the class during a library lecture.