The PSC Library is open M-W 8am-8pm and Th-F 8am-4:30pm. PSC Librarians are available through the "Chat Now" button or via email at librarians@prairiestate.edu.
Creepy Crafts
Join the PSC Library on Monday, October 21st from 12:00 - 1:00 PM in the Atrium for the third annual Creepy Crafts! Unwind with the library to plant some succulents. This event is free and open to students while supplies last.
We are looking for doll donations. If you have some taking up space please respond to this email. They do not need to be in good condition.
Lunch ‘n Learn: Día de los Muertos
Bring your lunch to the library for our Día de los Muertos-themed October Lunch ‘n Learn on Tuesday, October 29th from 12:30 - 1:30 PM in the back of the library. Afterward, we’ll have traditional treats and crafts in the Scholar’s Garden. This event is free and open to all on campus. Classes are encouraged.
The library has an updated research guide for the 2024 General Election. This guide will walk you through the voting process from voter registration, making a voting plan, checking your ballot, fact-checking claims, to knowing your rights at the poll. Here are some of our favorite tools from this guide:
If you can’t get enough of our voting tips, we also wrote a recent student blog post aimed at first-time voters, but anyone can use the information.
Last summer the library changed the way we search with a new discovery layer. The discovery layer is the search engine used to find items in the library collection using our website. We now have Library Search, which replaced OneSearch. This video was created to show you how to use Library Search starting with a keyword search.
After putting your search term(s) in Library Search, there are a few different ways you can search for items. These are called search profiles. There is a picture below with the following search profile choices: Everything, Library Catalog, Articles, and all I-Share Libraries. I will detail what each means below.
The new system has multiple ways to do the same thing. Once you put a keyword into the library search, you’ll also get these options in a menu above the search bar. Some are the same as the search profiles mentioned above, but others are different. I would like to highlight a couple that are different below.
“Fetch item” is a citation linker. Library Search does a good job of keyword searching, and it can search for titles and authors as well. However, if I already know an exact title, or have a full citation, a citation linker is a better bet, in my opinion. To use it, hit “fetch item,” and then click the bubble for an article, book, or journal. Fill in as much information as you can. (If you have a whole citation, simply copy and paste it in there verbatim.) For example:
Click submit and you can search for your item.
Another feature I would like to highlight is Journal Search. As the name suggests, Journal Search will search journals. You can search by journal title or ISSN.
On the left-hand side, you can also see journal categories if you don’t have a title or ISSN.
Like anything new, this can take some getting used to. The library will continue to share new features, tips, and tricks for this new system.
It is a joke that even on vacation, librarians visit libraries. Instead of a more typical library watercooler, I wanted to share some library joy so, I asked the library staff this question:
What's the most beautiful library you have visited?
Enjoy this tour of some beautiful libraries!
Here are their answers:
Valerie: Trinity College Library’s Long Room, Dublin, Ireland
“I went on a vacation to Ireland with my husband in 2019. No trip to Dublin would be complete without a visit to Trinity College Dublin’s College Library’s Long Room. The Long Room is the college’s oldest library, dating from the 18th century, and contains rare and archival materials. Tours are available to view both the Long Room and the Book of Kells, which contains the four books of the Gospels in Latin.
Valerie’s Personal Picture, 2019
Alex: Shrewsbury Public Library, Shropshire, U.K.
“I would pick Shrewsbury Public Library in the U.K. I had the chance to visit it with my classmates as part of my Library Building Design class when I was working on my master's degree.”
Shrewsbury Library https://www.accessable.co.uk/shropshire-council/access-guides/shrewsbury-library
Thane: Chetham's Library, Manchester, U.K
By KJP1 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=72741937
Grace: Williams Research Center, The Historic New Orleans Collection in Louisiana
Ten or so years ago I spent long hours there on dissertation research. The WRC is many things, not only a library. The halls of the historic building where the reading room is located are lined with art and artifact displays from throughout New Orleans' history. Arriving at the beautifully maintained reading room, ornate wooden bookshelves and little spiral staircases to the upper stacks line either side, while large windows overlooking Chartres Street in the French Quarter provide plenty of light. The atmosphere is peaceful and studious after navigating the busy streets outside.
neworleans.com, n.d. https://www.neworleans.com/listing/williams-research-center/32442/
With the General Election coming up in November, we’ve been talking a lot about voting and wrote about it for our September student blog. However, voting is only one means of civic engagement. Our October book display will feature other means of civic engagement, from protesting, to social movements, and running for office. Please stop by the library to see this display in person, or keep reading to see the eBooks.
African American Statewide Candidates in the New SouthCharles S. Bullock |
Living ResistanceKaitlin B. Curtice |
Freedom Is a Constant StruggleAngela Y. Davis |
Global Diffusion of ProtestDonatella della Porta |
Protest CulturesKathrin Fahlenbrach |
Protest CampsAnna Feigenbaum |
CraftivismBetsy Greer |
Out and RunningDonald P Haider-Markel |
Use the Power You HavePramila Jayapal |
ProtestStuart Kallen |
Music and Protest in 1968Beate Kutschke and Barley Norton |
Running from OfficeJennifer L. Lawless and Richard L. Fox |
Do the WorkMegan Pillow, Roxane Gay |
The Visual Memory of ProtestAnn Rigney and Thomas Smits |
You Call this Democracy?Elizabeth Rusch |
A People's History of the United StatesHoward Zinn |
Lastly, the library is here for you; reach out with any questions at Ask a Librarian!