The library will open normal hours until Saturday 19 December.

Monday 21 and Tuesday 22 December open from 8:30am until 5pm
Wednesday 23 December open from 8:30am until 12:45pm

Library re-opens on Tuesday 5 January 2010 from 8:30am – 10pm

Borrowing over the Christmas period
Three-week loan books are currently issuing until 5th January, 2010.  From Monday 15th December  1 week Loan books will issue to Tuesday 5th Jan 2010.
From Friday 18th December  Short Loan books and DVDs will issue to 10pm Tuesday 5th Jan 2010.

The Library staff would like to wish all DCU students and staff a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

We’ve been hiding (one) of our lights under a bushel.  The Library has a great fiction collection available for loan.  All the latest novels, literary fiction prize winners and more are available at at 813 – 823.

Head up to the first floor and have a browse.

• Don’t see what you’re looking for?
  Check the catalogue.  Type in the author or title of the book and see if we’ve got it.
• Book you want out on loan?
  Place a reserve on it and we’ll keep it for you as soon as it is returned. (Need to know how to reserve?  Click here.)
• Want to make a suggestion?
  If we don’t have the title you want – tell us!  Drop us a line

RefWorks for Beginners! is a training session designed primarily for undergraduates and taught postgraduates.

This course is for those students who have a knowledge of citing & referencing. No Booking required. Just turn up!

To learn more about RefWorks visit our web pages

If you are new to citing and referencing you may wish to attend an alternative session Learn how to Cite and Reference first.

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:

Monday 7th December 13.00pm-13.45pm
Tuesday 8th December 13.00pm -13.45pm
Wednesday 9th  December 13.00-13.45pm

High noise levels in the quiet study areas and mobile phone use in the library are a perennial problem, and never more so than in the period leading up to exams.  In response to student requests, to help ensure the library remains a comfortable place to work and study, we will be patrolling the floors at the busiest times from now until the exams.

So, remember the rules!

• Do not make or receive calls in the Library

• If you want to work in groups, please book a
  collaborative study room or get together in the
  large mentoring suite on the ground floor

• Refrain from talking in quiet study areas and on the stairs

Thanks for your cooperation!

Dates for Sunday opening of the library in the period around exam time:

December  -  Sundays 6th and 13th

January  -  Sundays  10th, 17th and 24th

  Open from 10 am to 5 pm, for study only.

Borrowing/Returning at Express Service machines will be possible

The computer room on the Lower Ground floor of the library has now reopened for use as a quiet PC study area for Taught Postgraduates. It will be open at all times that the library is open.  However, it will be closed from time to time to facilitate the Library’s ongoing programme of Information Literacy training for students.  Times of these training sessions will be posted in advance on the doors.

If you missed out on our recent classes on how to cite and reference information sources correctly, here are some new dates!  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. Classes will take place in Training Room 1 on the ground floor of the Library. No booking required.

Tuesday 17th November 12.15pm – 13.00pm
Thursday 19th November 17.00pm – 17.45pm
Monday 23rd November 13.00pm – 13.45pm

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

Details below of forthcoming RefWorks classes for researchers and staff.

We will also be delivering a presentation on Zotero. Zotero is a free, open source alternative to RefWorks. While its still in development and not as well established as RefWorks, it is in many ways easier to use and offers some great new features for researchers. The presentation will cover:
-a demonstration of Zotero’s key features
-comparing Zotero with RefWorks and Mendeley, another rival reference management app.
All staff and students are welcome

All events will take place in Training Room 1, DCU Library.

Schedule:

RefWorks for Researchers and staff. Wednesday, November 11, 1430-1600.  Register here.

Introducing Zotero: the new RefWorks? Tuesday, November 17, 1300-1400. Register here.

Graduate Training: Introduction to RefWorks. Thursday, November 26, 1100-1230. This class is exclusively for first year research masters and PhD students. Register here.

RefWorks for Researchers and staff. Tuesday, December 1, 1000-1130.  Register here.