Access newspapers online: Part 2

In part one of our newpaper posting, we looked at the NexisUK database which provides access to the full content of Irish and international newspapers. In Part 2, we will focus on accessing the historical content of Irish newspapers online.

1. The Irish Times Digital Archive
You can access the latest content of the Irish Times online via their website or through NexisUK.  The Irish Times Digital Archive provides access to the archive of the Irish Times covering the period 1859 to about a year ago. Note: you must select ‘News: the historial Irish Times ’ from the drop down database menu (see below). If you select ‘Proquest Newspapers’ you will only be searching the Irish Times from 1995 to date. 

Click here for a short video demonstration on how to perform an Advanced Search of the archive.

2. Irish Newspaper Archive
This database comprises digital image copies of a large number of Irish national and regional newspapers. Click here for a listing of the titles and their coverage. This database is a work in progress and as a result there are some gaps in coverage. Titles include, the Irish Independent 1905-2001, Sunday Independent 1906-2002 and the Freeman’s Journal 1763-1924.

As always, if you need help accessing and using any of our databases please visit our Information Desk on the  ground floor of the Library. If you can’t visit us in person, call the desk @ 01-7005210 or email us @ library.dcu.ie

PhDs and Web 2.0 tools

 

Zoë Corbyn from Times Higher Education has just written that researchers aged between 21 and 27 aren’t using Web 2.0 tools like RSS and social bookmarking in their work.

In my work as a research support librarian, I have been promoting Web 2.0 tools to researchers. An increasing number of researchers are using them but its very far from reaching a critical mass – they’re far from being an essential part of everyone’s work. I believe this is because:

1. RSS feeds from databases and journal publishers are difficult to set up. Publishers often expect users to create personal accounts and click through numerous screens before they get to an RSS icon. Every publisher does things differently – some only allow table of contents alerts, some automatically stop your feed after a year.
2. Social networking/bookmarking. There’s a lot of startup services for researchers and academics – I’ve come across about ten of them – but no single one has taken off yet. Some of them, like Academia.edu, look great, but they’re all stuck in a situation where no one is signing up because none of their friends/colleagues have signed up first.
3. None of these services talk to each other. I can set up a Web of Science feed on my Google Reader, but Google can’t easily transfer the references to RefWorks and its just an tricky sending them on again from RefWorks to my citeulike account. The future may be with Zotero, which is trying to do all this in one service.

The fact is that the volume and complexity of information researchers need is on a different scale from the general public and can’t be simply automated with Web 2.0 tools. That’s why a good working relationship between researchers and librarians is so important. Librarians can offer hands-on help with all these technologies, and advise and train researchers on the best ways to find / manage / share / publish their information.

Originally posted on Read Around Research, a blog on dissemination and publication of research.

Learn how to Cite and Reference – Additional Dates

New dates for our popular class on how to cite and reference information sources correctly are now confirmed.  All welcome!  Whilst the class focusses on the Harvard style of referencing, it will be of benefit to all students who want to brush up on their skills and understanding of citing and referencing. All classes will take place in Training Room 1 on the ground floor of the Library. The dates are:

Tuesday 3rd November 13.00pm-13.45pm
Thursday 5th  November 13.00pm -13.45pm
Monday 9th  November 13.00-13.45pm

Colour Printing in the Library

We’ve had a number of students asking if they can print in colour in the library. Yes -  we have two locations where you can use PCs for colour printing:

8 PCs in the Information Commons on the ground floor and
4 PCs on the second floor  (left of stairway – follow signs)

You will need to login using your Novell username and password to use these PCs. If you need to top up your printing account, there’s a top-up machine in the photcopying area on the ground floor.

International Open Access Week

To celebrate the first international Open Access Week, the library will host a number of events throughout the week to promote Open Access(OA) and show you how you can deposit your scholarly publications in DORAS (DCU’s open access institutional repository).

Monday 19th, 12.00-12.30  
     DORAS Workshop – how to deposit your publications in DORAS
Tuesday 20th, 12.00-12.30 
    DORAS Workshop – how to deposit your publications in DORAS
Wednesday 21st, 13.00-14.00
   Open Access Forum – What is OA, and how can DCU be more OA
    friendly  (Tea & Sandwiches provided)*
Thursday 22nd, 13.00-13.30
    DORAS Workshop – how to deposit your publications in DORAS
Friday 23rd, 13.00-13.30
    DORAS Workshop – how to deposit your publications in DORAS

All DORAS workshops will take place in Training Room 1 on the ground floor of the Library
The Open Access Forum will take place in the mentoring suite, also on the ground floor
We look forward to seeing you there.
*Please RSVP Margaret.wilson@dcu.ie

Learn how to cite and reference using the Harvard System

Are you working on your assignment and wondering how to cite and reference your information sources correctly?
Are you required to use the Harvard system?
If so, then why not attend one of the following sessions in Training Room 1 on the ground floor – no booking required!
Tuesday 27th October 17.30 – 18.15
Thursday 29th October 13.00-13.45
Tuesday 3rd November 13.00 – 13.45