New Resource Finder Tip: Bookmarking October 17, 2007
Posted by Phoebe in : Database Tip , add a commentThe new articles and databases Resource Finder has one functional change from the old: now, you can bookmark your favorite databases or searches as a way to save them. Look for “Save this Search”:
Click on “Save this Search” to see the full explanation:
What’s this Connotea we’re talking about? See this page about ideas for using Connotea at Duke.
New Articles and Databases Search Interface: First Tips October 8, 2007
Posted by Phoebe in : Database Tip , add a commentThe new look of the search interface for articles and databases went live this morning.
The functionality of the interface is almost exactly the same as the old site:
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1. a quick keyword search for articles (searching top article databases including ProQuest and Academic OneFile)
2. an advanced article search that allows author and title keywords and allows you to choose a list of top databases for your subject (Arts and Humanities, Government, Life Sciences, etc.)
3. search for an article database by name, or browse an A-Z list of all our databases
4. browse for a database by your subject or discipline
The E-journals interface is unchanged; the new look debuted this summer.
Our first tip:
Why log in? I asked the developers and they explained that there’s no real need to log in if you are using the interface from a campus computer, but if you are off-campus, logging in gives you the full access to the databases through EZ-Proxy.
How do you like the new look and feel? Have you discovered any tips or time-savers to make this interface work for you? We’re just getting comfortable with it ourselves, so we’d love a chance to learn from you!
Free Streaming Music! October 5, 2007
Posted by Jennifer in : Cool tools, Database Tip , 1 comment so farSmithsonian Global Sound for Libraries is a large collection of international music with full-length audio streams. This database is brand new and was recently acquired by Duke Libraries. It covers voices from people all around the world. Listen to old time country music, blues, recordings from African tribes, Broadway hits and much more!
Reasons to check it out, besides that it is now free to Duke students and staff:
- includes complete audio and video selections, media, educational resources and detailed liner notes.
- Search by country, culture group, genre, language or even instrument.
- Develop your own playlists.
- Create a user name and log-in to store favorites in a “My Playlists” folder.
- One stop shopping! You can buy albums you like directly from this site.
Enjoy! Browse all different types of music and put off writing that paper for a little while…
Click here for a sample track! 
Can’t find exactly what you want? Save time, Ask A Librarian!
RSS Feeds for Research: Speedy Delivery September 20, 2007
Posted by Phoebe in : Database Tip , 1 comment so farI hope many of you are reading my words right now thanks to an RSS feed - you’ve subscribed to this blog through Bloglines or Google Reader or your choice of aggregator. We make the RSS feed of the blog available in DukePass and it may soon be appearing on the Duke Libraries home page. You can add it to your Facebook page using the application FlogBlog.
RSS feeds can do a lot more than just allow you to spend hours procrastinating from your research by reading blogs that other people write as a form of procrastination. Many providers of article databases now allow you to set up repeated searches (often called “alerts”) that will deliver articles relevant to your work via an RSS feed. You can set up a search that sends all new articles from the most relevant journals in your field (a do-it-yourself table of contents service), or all new articles written on a topic, using a keyword search or subject heading.
The University of Wisconsin Library has set up a guide to databases that offer alert services - some of them only have traditional email alerts, which generally require you to register, but RSS feeds are noted when available, and they seem to be an increasingly popular offering. If you’re not sure what vendor provides your favorite database, look up the database in our finder, and click the “i” link for information. The vendor will be noted.
For an example, The Shifted Librarian raves about EBSCO databases’ newly revised RSS feed services - one click of a bright orange link gets you a url for the search that you can drop into your RSS feed tool. EBSCO databases at Duke include Academic Search Premiere, ATLA, ERIC, MLA, PsycINFO, and many others.
Some Gale databases have recently added the same feature: see the RSS4lib blog post for a screenshot. Academic Onefile (until recently called InfoTrac Onefile) is the biggest Gale database at Duke that has this enabled.
Automating searches for new articles in your field is a great way to keep up with what’s new - and RSS delivers it directly to you. Do you have another RSS feed research tip to share? Leave a comment!
What’s new in Lexis? September 17, 2007
Posted by Emily in : Database Tip, Research Help , add a commentIf you’re a fan of LexisNexis, you’ve probably noticed some changes in the last few weeks. The interface is more appealing and easier to navigate; its search box is larger and allows for “natural language” searches (the types of searches you do in Google); and you no longer get those annoying error messages when Lexis decides your search is too broad.
If you were put off by the old interface or haven’t used Lexis before, now’s the time to give it a shot. Why bother familiarizing yourself with such a GIANT research tool, you ask? Well, to start with…
- Search over 300 newspapers from around the world by date, headline, photo caption, keyword and more. Many are updated continuously, so you’ll never be behind!
- It’s not just about news–click “Legal” at the top of the page to access law review articles, legislation, and Supreme Court decisions from 1790
- Pull up SEC filings and company profiles, including Standard & Poor’s reports–just click on the “Business” button at the top of the screen.
- Find out how the public responds to Gallup Polls (and other public opinion polls)–go to “News” and click on “Roper Center for Public Opinion Research.” You can search polls back to 1935.
- Search blogs and web publications–just check those boxes on the “Easy Search” screen.
- Track down broadcast transcripts from NPR, CNN, and other major networks by checking the box by “TV and Radio Broadcast Transcripts” on the “Easy Search” screen.
So, next time you need the full-text of a Supreme Court decision for poli sci, a futures report for finance or are just curious how Americans weigh in on their favorite soft drinks, run a search through LexisNexis Academic.
Find a source or discover a trick worth sharing? Post a comment!
Find yourself discouraged and frustrated? Save time, Ask a Librarian!
