Pulse

The report of this year’s LIS survey carried out last term is now available on the LIS website. Satisfaction levels with LIS remain high, with an overall satisfaction rating of 4.2 compared to 4.1 for the 2007 survey. All LIS services and facilities had positive ratings, with Outlook and Blackboard as our most popular services. Also, there were substantial increases in the satisfaction ratings for opening hours, the wireless network and PC reliability and provision.   

Statistics junkies will find the survey report at:  http://www.swan.ac.uk/media/Media,1680,en.doc 

Thanks  to everyone who completed a survey form. The feedback we get (positive and negative) really is appreciated.

I have changed the books in the book-sale today. Come along and have a look. They are situated just inside the doors to the Study Hall, on level 3 of the Library & Information Centre.

These books are either items that have been withdrawn because they are out of date or unused duplicates, or they are unwanted donations. This month’s sale comprises mainly of Social Welfare, Geography, Engineering and some donations.

Please could you take the time to inform relevant students.

Regards  

Lynne Tithecott

The establishment of communist regimes in Eastern Europe, 1944-1949 /

edited by Norman Naimark and Leonid Gibianskii.

How to design and report experiments / Andy Field, Graham Hole

Evolution / Mark Ridley

Before we are born : essentials of embryology and birth defects /

Keith L. Moore, T.V.N. Persaud

Guyton & Hall physiology review / edited by John E. Hall

Structures : theory and analysis / M.S. Williams, J.D. Todd.

Empires of light :
Edison, Tesla, Westinghouse, and the race to electrify the world / Jill Jonnes

As the  weather improves library users can expect south-facing parts of the LIC to become increasingly hot and stuffy (this includes the main group study area). If  you’ve already experienced this please  know that we are aware of the problem, caused by multiple faults with the air conditioning system. The estates department and contractors are working to fix the faults but new parts are required and may take some time to arrive and fit. The A/C plant will certainly not be fixed today  and possibly not even within the next two weeks.  Pedestal fans  have been placed in the areas concerned but their efficacy is limited .

Non-southing facing study areas (including the Law Library) are considerably more pleasant to work in at the moment.

Libraries Unleashed is an eight-page supplement in The Guardian (April 22nd, 2008) looking at the changing nature of academic libraries. In particular, there are several comments about the Google Generation of students (born in or after 1993).

“But while many are proficient with Facebook and Wikipedia, they may not be information-literate. Many lack the skills to differentiate between authoritative information and amateur blogging.”

“Their ease with computers and technology hides the reality of their information literacy skills: lacking analytical, effective search strategies, they rely on simple solutions for their study needs - parking their critical faculties.”

“They rely heavily on search engines, view rather than read, and lack the critical and analytical skills to assess information they find online.”

Libraries Unleashed is also available online:

http://education.guardian.co.uk/librariesunleashed