Monday, February 23, 2009

News

News 

Survey on Library Service Quality

23-Feb-2009

From February 23 through March 6, the University Library will conduct a major survey of ISU students and faculty, focusing on issues of library service quality. The survey, known as LibQUAL+, is a standardized survey used across the country and around the world, sponsored by the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). Over 80 institutions, including some of the largest research libraries in North America and the United Kingdom, will participate in the spring 2009 LibQUAL+ survey.

This is the fifth time the ISU Library will have conducted the LibQUAL+ survey, having done so previously in 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2007. This year, a random sample of 2,000 undergraduate students, 800 graduate and professional students, and 800 faculty will be surveyed. They will receive the web-based survey by email, and can complete it from the convenience of their homes or offices.

If you happen to be one of the randomly selected students or faculty to receive an invitation to complete the LibQUAL+ survey, please do take a few minutes to provide us with your feedback. Your comments will be greatly appreciated!

For more information about the LibQUAL+ survey:

News

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Tuesday, February 17, 2009

The Top Ten Physics News Stories of 2008

The Top Ten Physics News Stories of 2008 

The Top Ten Physics News Stories of 2008

The following ten stories were selected by science writers and editors of the American Institute of Physics (AIP) and of APS as the top ten physics news stories of 2008. They are in no particular order. In many cases, more information about these topics can be found in the new APS online publication, Physics.

The Top Ten Physics News Stories of 2008

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Saturday, February 14, 2009

Where to find MSDS on the Internet

Where to find MSDS on the Internet 

    This FAQ was started by ILPI in 1995 after readers of our most popular web page, Where to Find MSDS's on the Internet, began asking us for help. By March of 2001, the FAQ has grown so long that we decided to subdivide the FAQ into several sections to make it more readable.

    Each section is a fairly broad category, so there is bound to be some overlap between the sections. If you still can't find an answer to your question after reading through the various sections, see the last question under Miscellaneous.

Where to find MSDS on the Internet

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MedlinePlus: Medical Encyclopedia

MedlinePlus: Medical Encyclopedia 

Medical Encyclopedia

The A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia includes over 4,000 articles about diseases, tests, symptoms, injuries, and surgeries. It also contains an extensive library of medical photographs and illustrations. For more information about A.D.A.M., see its content review board.

Browse by first letter of topic:

MedlinePlus: Medical Encyclopedia

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E-print Network home page -- Energy, science, and technology for the research community -- hosted by the Office of Scientific and Technical Information, U.S. Department of Energy

E-print Network home page -- Energy, science, and technology for the research community -- hosted by the Office of Scientific and Technical Information, U.S. Department of Energy 

Energy, science, and technology for the research community!

The E-print Network is . . .

. . . a vast, integrated network of electronic scientific and technical information created by scientists and research engineers active in their respective fields, all full-text searchable. E-print Network is intended for use by other scientists, engineers, and students at advanced levels.

. . . a gateway to over 30,380 websites and databases worldwide, containing over 5 million e-prints in basic and applied sciences, primarily in physics but also including subject areas such as chemistry, biology and life sciences, materials science, nuclear sciences and engineering, energy research, computer and information technologies, and other disciplines of interest to DOE. We hope the E-print Network proves valuable to you in supporting your research initiatives.

 

E-prints are scholarly and professional works electronically produced and shared by researchers with the intent of communicating research findings to colleagues. They may include preprints, reprints, technical reports, conference publications or other means of electronic communication. Preprints, those selectively shared pre-published documents or articles going through the publication process, have long been recognized and utilized by peer groups throughout the scientific community. Recent technological advances, however, have incorporated preprints with other forms of peer communications to establish an information genre in its own right. Therefore, the more inclusive term e-prints is more appropriate to use currently in describing this rich and valuable source of scientific and technical information that now reaches beyond the scope of pre-published information.

E-print Network home page -- Energy, science, and technology for the research community -- hosted by the Office of Scientific and Technical Information, U.S. Department of Energy

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State Agency Databases - GODORT

State Agency Databases - GODORT 

"Iowa is included -- but not the budget book. 

The Salary book is in a searchable database online through the Legislative Fiscal Bureau at the following URL:
http://staffweb.legis.state.ia.us/lfb/salbook/
The Des Moines Register also has the same salary book at http://data.desmoinesregister.com/results/index.php?info=State_Salaries -- HSM"

Every US State and the District of Columbia, agencies are creating databases of useful information - information on businesses, licensed professionals, plots of land, even dates of fish stocking. Some of this content is available on search engines, but much of it is part of the invisible web.

In any event, no resource we're aware of has tried to pull together all publicly accessible state agency databases until now. Eventually each state page below will have a page listing state government databases by agency. If this project gets a wily programmer, we can talk subject access or even federated search.

Click on a state name below to find a list of databases by agency. This is a wiki, so if you don't see something on a list that should be, feel free to add it as long as the resource is meant to be available to the public and is produced by a government entity in the listed state.

State Agency Databases - GODORT

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Wednesday, February 11, 2009

News

News 

Your Library - Newsletter: February 11, 2009

Welcome to Your Library - Newsletter, information about what's been happening at the ISU Library. We welcome your suggestions and feedback on how to improve this newsletter, so if you have a comment, please drop us an email.

Did You Ever Wonder Who Manages the Electronic Library?
The e-Library@Iowa State University, with its vast collection of electronic resources and online services, in many ways functions like a large "virtual" branch facility.

Survey on Library Service Quality
From February 23 through March 6, the University Library will conduct a major survey of ISU students and faculty, focusing on issues of library service quality.

Art & Poetry in the Library, Part II
Stephen DeStaebler's The Left-sided Angel greets visitors beside the south entrance to the Parks Library.

Government Publications at the ISU Library
Over the past 100 years, the Library has developed a historical collection which is diversified in subject matter, including items covering social science and public policy issues as well as scientific and technical topics.

Library Recognizes Darwin's Contributions to Science and Culture
Celebration on Feb 12th, 2009 for Darwin's 200th Birthday and the 150th Anniversary of the publication of his book "On the Origin of Species".

CAB Abstracts, NTIS Documents, and Searching Google for Older Scientific Magazine Articles
More access available to research material.

February is National Bird Feeding Month
Bring a little color to your back yard!

The "Search for" Box and the Library Catalog, Part II
Searching in the Library Catalog works differently than using the "Search for" box. Results also display differently.

Interlibrary Loan/Document Delivery Relocated
The Interlibrary Loan/Document Delivery (ILL/DD) office moved to a new location over the winter break.

Papers of Naturalist C. C. Parry Available in Special Collections
The Special Collections Department houses the papers of C. C. Parry, a botanist and physician.

New Electronic Journal Subscriptions
Titles newly activated by the ISU Library over the last few months.

ISU Remembrance Day Event: Internment of Japanese Americans During World War II
February 19th, 1:30-3:00 p.m., Sun Room of the Memorial Union.

First Spring 09 Library Seminar on February 25
"Not Just Facebook: Niche Social Network Sites" presented by Associate Professor Gerry McKiernan.

News

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Monday, February 9, 2009

National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis

National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis 

The National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis is an independent
research consortium dedicated to basic research and education in geographic
information science and its related technologies,
including geographic information systems (GIS).

National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis

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Plant Information Online

Plant Information Online 

Welcome to Plant Information Online! Use Plant Information Online to discover sources in 1063 North American nurseries for 107916 plants, find 378901 citations to 140596 plants in science and garden literature, link to selected websites for images and regional information about 14157 plants, and access information on 2463 North American seed and nursery firms. Plant Information Online is a free service of the University of Minnesota Libraries.

Plant Information Online

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Regulations.gov

Regulations.gov 

Regulations.gov is your source for all regulations (or rulemakings) issued by U.S. government agencies. On this site, you can find:

  • All Federal regulations that are open for public comment (i.e., proposed rules) and closed for comment (i.e., final rules) as published in the Federal Register.
  • Many Federal agency notices published in the Federal Register.
  • Additional supporting materials, public comments, and Federal agency guidance and adjudications.

When you find a document, you can also submit comments through the web site on those documents that are open for public comment.

After Congressional bills become laws, Federal Departments and Agencies are responsible for enforcing those laws through regulations. Departments and Agencies develop regulations through the Federal rulemaking process, most commonly through a notice-and-comment process. In general, Departments and Agencies publish proposed rules that are open for public comment, and after a specified timeframe, the Department or Agency publishes a final rule based on public comments and other information. Regulations.gov users can find Federal proposed and final rules published every business day by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in the U.S. government's Federal Register, and submit comments through the web site to the Agencies on proposed rules that are open for public comment.

The Regulations.gov web site also houses other types of federal information. In addition to Federal regulations, many Departments and Agencies use Regulations.gov to post other types of documents open for public comment, such as Agency significant guidance. Certain Federal agencies also allow the public to initiate an action by filing a submission via Regulations.gov.

Each Department or Agency determines what information is made available on the site. Therefore, the information displayed on Regulations.gov docket and document details screens and comment forms is unique for each Department and Agency and conforms to each Department or Agency's internal policy. For additional information on a specific Department or Agency, visit www.usa.gov.

If you're looking for government information not on this site, you can try the following web sites:

  • USA.gov the official portal to the U.S. Government.
  • Business.gov the official business link to the U.S. Government. It provides information on regulatory compliance and other information for small business owners.
  • e-CFR provides access to the electronic Code of Federal Regulations for a compilation of all final Federal regulations.

Regulations.gov

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Library recognizes Darwin's contributions Feb 12

 News

Library recognizes Darwin's contributions Feb 12

February 12, 2009, 2:00 & 3:00 pm
Parks Library, Room 192

The library is recognizing Darwin's contributions to science and culture by hosting a celebration on Feb 12th, 2009 for Darwin's 200th Birthday and the 150th Anniversary of the publication of his book "On the Origin of Species". There will be 2 presentations: "Darwin and Culture" and "Darwin's Citation Impact" at 2:00 and 3:00 respectively.

Darwin and Culture - Heather Lewin
Asst. Professor & Subject Librarian
Science & Technology

A survey of literature to examine the culture in which Darwin's work was presented and the impact of his work on culture up to this day. Includes impact on sociology, psychology, archeology, literature, and many other facets of culture.

Darwin's Citation Impact - Lorrie Pellack
Assoc. Professor & Department Head
Science & Technology

This session will cover basic definitions of impact factors, citation impact and h index. Then, will look at Charles Darwin's publication record, the process involved in determining his citation impact, and compare Darwin's citation impact to that of modern day researchers in ecology and evolutionary biology.

Special Collections

Additionally there will be a display in Special Collections of some of Darwin's publications.

News

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