Copyright "Slide Rule"

The legal issues of Copyright are confusing, and just about as complicated as the US tax code. Most of us want to do the right thing about getting permission, but we aren't always sure what that "right thing"might be. As an aid in determining if an item requires permission for use, the American Library Association has come up with a slide rule that gives a basic answer this question. It isn't enough by itself but should give you an idea of what needs to be done. The link is listed in the Copyright sidebar on this blog, as well as here"

http://librarycopyright.net/digitalslider/

Do you like to (or have time to) Read?

There are many new books published every year, and it is hard to keep track of all of them. The "New Books" shelves in the Library can certainly help if you are browsing, but what if you want to read a particular kind of book? Fortunately, there are social networking sites that can help so you don't have to depend on the bookstore sites to show you what you might like.

There are 3 sites to look at where you can join, share the books you read, and see what others are thinking about the books they read. Sharing titles and thoughts with others is a time honored way to find a new book you will love, and these new sites let everyone share with others who like the same things to read. Check them out:

Library Thing http://www.librarything.com
Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com
Shelfari http://www.shelfari.com

One of the "laws" of Library Science is "Save the time of the Reader." These sites will definitely save time searching and help you use that time to find and read new things to treasure.

July e-book of the month

Britannica Encyclopedia of World Religions, by Doniger, Wendy. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.

Religion is dominating today's headlines like no other time in modern history. Whether the issue is sectarian violence, stem cell research, or political elections, religion plays a critical role. But what is the story behind the headlines? The Britannica Encyclopedia of World Religions gets to the heart of the matter by providing a deeper understanding of the religions that shape our world.

Prepared by the editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster, with the assistance of hundreds of scholars and experts, this authoritative, comprehensive, and up-to-date book answers your questions as well as exposes you to the concepts, movements, people, and events associated with living and ancient religions, including Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism.

Designed to increase awareness of online resources and highlight the value of your eBook collection, the July eBook of the Month is provided through the generous support of Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.

We'll Miss Linda

One of the nice things about working at the College of Science is that so many people have been working here for years and there is a lot of loyalty to the College. Linda Hausauer has been a Library Associate for over 35 years, and this July 1 she will retire. It is hard to imagine how we will manage the services she has done over the years and we will miss her.

All the college community is invited to attend a Come and Go reception from 2-4, June 30, in the Mildred Johnson Library. We hope those of you who have worked with Linda over the years will be able to come and say good-bye as she moves on to new things in her life.

Encyclopedia Britannica

As part of the Library's Academic subscription to Britannica, we receive a monthly newsletter. This month, June 2008, the emphasis is on Native Americans. Visit this url

http://links.mkt797.com/servlet/MailView?ms=MTI2NzY1S0&r=ODk1Nzc4MzIS1&j=NTQxNzc2MQS2&mt=1

to see new and updated articles on the traditional cultures, histories, and current affairs of Native Americans.

Comments on MJ Library

In the good old days, we had suggestion boxes. Now we have e-mail for comments although we don't have comments directly to the blog. When you see this, I hope you will take a few minutes to e-mail us what new or changed services you would like to see at the library, or other improvements to our services. Within our budget, staff, and curriculum, we will do our best to see that we meet, change or correct based on what you say. So, what do you like best; what do you like least; where can we improve; what new things would you like us to have?

Summer School at the Library

This is a good summer, so far, to be in class: cold and rainy! Not much as yet to tempt students outdoors and away from school work. The Library is open for business, both for classes and beach reading. We have a great collection of Book Club recommendations as well as the audio books in the Commuter Collection. If you will be on vacation and need the books longer than the usual check-out period, be sure to mention this to the person who checks out to you. We will change the due date to allow for your trip.