News

Prospective Student

"Made Incredibly Easy!" Nursing Ebooks Now AvailableJanuary 14, 2016

Incredibly Easy! Nursing Ebooks Now Available

The print books in the "Made Incredibly Easy!" series are extremely popular with undergraduate nursing students. The library is now making these books from this series available as ebooks:

ACLS Review
Assessment
Breath Sounds
Critical Care Nursing
Dosage Calculations
Diagnostic Tests
ECG Interpretation
Emergency Nursing
Fluids & Electrolytes®
Heart Sounds
Maternal-Neonatal Nursing
Medical Spanish
Medical-Surgical Nursing
Medical Terminology
Nursing Care Planning
Pathophysiology
Wound Care

Instructions for accessing these titles are here. Questions? Ask your librarian.

LexisNexis Academic Now AvailableOctober 20, 2015

LexisNexis Academic Now Available

The library's database subscriptions now include LexisNexis Academic, providing business profiles, financial, patent, and legal information, as well as full text access to selected newspapers, magazines, and wire services. More info on this database is here. Video training is available here.

Natural Medicines Database Now AvailableSeptember 23, 2015

Natural Medicines Database Now Available

The library's database subscriptions now include Natural Medicines, an authoritative resource on dietary supplements, natural medicines, and complementary and alternative therapies. More info on this database is here.

Library Open Until 11:00 During FinalsAugust 6, 2015

Library Open Until 11:00 During Finals

To support students studying for final exams, the Oakland campus library will be open until 11pm Sunday-Thursday through August 13.

Database Tip #1: Sharing Your PubMed Search StrategyJuly 14, 2015

Database Tip #1: Sharing Your PubMed Search Strategy

This is the first in a series of tips the Library will be offering on how you can make effective use of our licensed databases. We’ll cover not only PubMed@SMU and CINAHL Plus, but also some of the lesser-known databases.

Tip #1: To convert your PubMed@SMU search strategy to a URL to easily share with others, just follow the steps in this video.

Library Open Until 11:00 During FinalsApril 9, 2015

Library Open Until 11:00 During Finals

To support students studying for final exams, the Oakland campus library will be open until 11pm Sunday-Thursday April 13-24 and May 4-15.

More Dissertations and ThesesNovember 12, 2014
More Dissertations and Theses

The library has expanded its dissertations and theses collection to include items from the UK and Ireland. Dissertations and Theses Global includes millions of searchable citations to dissertations and theses from 1861 to the present, including over a million downloadable as PDF. Dissertations and Theses Global is accessible from the library’s Databases and Tutorials page.

New Images GuideOctober 30, 2014
New Images Guide

The library's new images guide provides access to hundreds of images related to the health sciences as well as more general images. For example, the above image of the cross section of the brain is from The Atlas of the Brain by Rand S. Swenson.

Use an iPad in the Graziano LibraryJune 24, 2014
Use an iPad in the Graziano Library

The Winter 2013 Library/A&II Tech Survey found that students wanted the Library to provide access to iPads. We listened, and now six new iPads are available for use in the Oakland campus library. Enjoy!

Fall 2013 Student Library/AII Technology Survey ResultsApril 17, 2014
Fall 2013 Student Library/AII Technology Survey Results

In the fall of 2013, SMU students were asked to provide information on a number of topics related to their use of technology. The highlights of the survey results are below. The complete results and analysis are available here. The library is preparing recommendations based on the results. Librarian Barbara Ryken welcomes your questions or comments.

Library
  • The most-used resources students use to start library research assignments are library databases, then Google, then Google Scholar. (Library database tutorials are here).
  • Students are most confident in using articles from the library databases to complete assignments, followed by library website resources. Doctoral students are significantly more confident in using library databases than are masters or undergraduate students.
Canvas learning management system Educational technology resources
  • Most students text, access the Internet from a smart phone/tablet, and use apps. Least frequent practices are using video/audio creation software, contributing to wikis, and writing a blog.
  • Top-valued technology tools are smartphone/tablet with instructional/health-related applications, then ability to view pre-recorded lectures online, then ability to listen to or view online course-related audio or video content. Least valued technology tools are social bookmarking, then micro blogs, then designing own mobile apps.
Online learning experience
  • About 70% of students have taken at least one online or one hybrid course at SMU. 12% of the students indicated they are more successful in completely online courses compared to in-person coursework. 23% say they are less successful in online courses than in in-person courses.
  • About 60% of students reported that they prefer learning environments with some online components and 30% prefer no online components at all.
  • 6% of all students said they tend to learn the most in courses that are completely online. 61% of all students learn the most with some online components. 33% learn most when courses have no online components.
Needs assessment in the learning environment
  • The top expressed need for students is an image library containing health science images (86% overall). About 77% of students want a staffed technology lab to learn and experiment with profession-specific technologies (video/audio development, presentation tools). Checking out technology tools (cameras, recorders, and profession-specific tools) is desired by about 75% of students.

Set Up a PubMed My NCBI Account and Link It to SMU JournalsMarch 12, 2014
Set Up a PubMed My NCBI Account and Link It to SMU Journals

Creating a PubMed My NCBI account will enable you to save your PubMed searches and citations in the cloud. You can then customize your account to see the “Find It @ SMU” icon, and limit and link to SMU and free journals.

If you already have a My NCBI account, you can maximize your efficiency by linking it to the “Find It @ SMU” icon and SMU and free journals.

This tutorial will help you start making the most of My NCBI.

Two Thousand New Ebooks AddedMarch 6, 2014
Two Thousand New Ebooks Added

The Library has subscribed to the EBSCOhost Clinical Collection of ebooks, with unlimited access to two thousand titles in medical specialties, nursing, allied health, and general practice. These titles begin in 2008, and regular updates are made so that newer titles replace the oldest content. You can easily access the collection from the Library's ebooks page.

Scan and Fax in the LibraryJanuary 10, 2014
Scan and Fax in the Library

The Library now provides the capability for students to send and receive faxes and scan and email documents. Instructions are posted in the Oakland copy room; Learning Center students can ask their librarian for details.

December Extended HoursDecember 2, 2013
December Extended Hours

To help you study for finals, the John A. Graziano Library will be open until 11:00pm Mondays through Thursdays, December 2-19.

Student Technology Survey November 6, 2013
Student Library/AII Survey

The Library and Academic & Instructional Innovation is conducting its Student Technology Survey.

The Student Tech Survey gives you a chance to shape the future of educational technology at SMU. It asks questions about how you access and use digital technologies for library research and class assignments, how you feel about adopting emerging technologies, and what digital technologies you would like to use in your learning environment. The survey will take 10-15 minutes to complete. Upon completing the survey, you can enter your contact information to be eligible for weekly raffle drawings for a $50 bookstore gift certificate (One entry per person, please).

To take the survey, click here.

Thanks, and good luck!

Celebrate Open Access Week with Library/AII October 18, 2013
Celebrate Open Access Week with Library/AII

Phoebe Ayers has been editing Wikipedia for ten years. Join us as she presents “Effective Uses of Wikipedia.” on Wednesday, October 23, from noon to 1:00pm in HEC 311 or online via Adobe Connect. Lunch will be served to the first 15 attendees.

Wikipedia is the largest reference work in the world, accessed by half a billion people every month in 280 languages. For those seeking health information, Wikipedia is one of the most-accessed online resources, with the 28,000 English-language articles covered by Wikipedia’s WikiProject Medicine accessed over 2 million times a month, by patients and caregivers alike. What are the implications of Wikipedia for public health, what are the limitations, and what are the opportunities for those in the health sciences professions to contribute?

This presentation will give a window into how Wikipedia works, offering insight into how articles are constructed and describing the international online community that builds the site. It will also review initiatives to improve Wikipedia's nursing, medical, and public health content in and out of the classroom, and offer ideas for how to get involved.

Phoebe is a science and engineering librarian at UC Davis. She co-authored the book “How Wikipedia Works (And How You Can Be a Part of It)” and currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit that runs Wikipedia. Read her contribution to the New York Times here.

PubMed@SMU Tips and Tricks September 17, 2013
PubMed@SMU Tips and Tricks

On Monday, September 23, from noon to 1:00pm, librarian Debbie Sommer will show you how to use PubMed@SMU, SMU's customized PubMed link, to quickly connect to full text articles, request articles not in the Library's collection, and limit your search results to articles immediately available for free or through the SMU Library.

Debbie will also demonstrate searching, saving citations, sending citations to RefWorks, and more. Whether you’re a new or seasoned searcher, you’re sure to pick up some useful tips!

Come to MOB 4004 with your laptop and your questions, or just follow along while enjoying your lunch.

Library Reference Drop-In Hours August 30, 2013
Library Reference Drop-In Hours

Librarians are available to help you with reference help, research, training on library resources, and other information needs. Check the reference schedule below, check at the circulation desk to see if a librarian is available, or contact your librarians to make an appointment. We are here to help you!

September 2013 Reference Drop-In Hours

Tuesday, Sep 3: 11a - 12:30p
Wednesday, Sep 4: 11a - 1p, 3p - 5p
Thursday, Sep 5: 11:30a - 1pm, 3p - 5p
Friday, Sep 6: 11a - 1p

Monday, Sep 9: 3p - 4:30p
Tuesday, Sep 10: 3p - 5p
Wednesday, Sep 11: 11a - 1p, 3p - 5p
Thursday, Sep 12: 11a - 1p, 3p - 5p
Friday, Sep 13: 11a - 1p

You Can Borrow From 13 NCCPL Libraries May 13, 2013
You Can Borrow From 13 NCCPL Libraries

SMU students have borrowing privileges at the 13 member libraries of the Northern California Consortium of Psychology Libraries. The list of member libraries, information on obtaining a borrower card, and circulation rules can be found here.

Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics Now Available March 19, 2013
Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics Now Available

The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics provides critical appraisals of new prescription drugs and comparative reviews of previously approved drugs, covering from 1988 to the present. It can be accessed directly or by navigating the Library's website: Journals > type "Medical Letter" in the search box.

Joanna Briggs Institute Database is Once Again Available March 19, 2013
Joanna Briggs Institute Database is Once Again Available

The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) is the international not-for-profit, research and development arm of the School of Translational Science based within the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Adelaide, South Australia. The JBI database contains a comprehensive suite of evidence-rich information in medicine, nursing and allied health, including evidence summaries, evidence-based recommended practices, best practice information sheets, systematic reviews, consumer information sheets, and systematic review protocols.

The JBI database can be accessed directly or by navigating the Library's website: Databases > Find a Database > Scroll down to Joanna Briggs Institute.

Old SMU Yearbooks Are Now Online February 27, 2013
Old SMU Yearbooks Are Now Online

You may not know it, but Samuel Merritt University used to publish an annual yearbook, The Splinter. These yearbooks, published from 1926 until 1994, are a rich source of Samuel Merritt College history and contain photographs of most of our students during those years.

Library technician Anna Barnard, herself a graduate of Samuel Merritt College, has taken on digitizing the entire collection of The Splinter. So far, Anna has digitized 1926-1931, 1971, 1973, and 1987. These volumes are listed in the library's catalog and can be viewed with a PDF viewer. Anna will continue with this project until all years have been digitized.

UpToDate Comes to SMU January 8, 2013
UpToDate

You asked and we listened! UpToDate has replaced DynaMed in the Library's collection of online databases. UpToDate is an evidence-based knowledge system authored by physicians to help clinicians make the right decisions at the point of care.

United in Anger Screening January 31 January 4, 2013
United in Anger Screening January 31

United in Anger: A History of Act Up will be shown in the Health Education Center on January 31 at 7:00PM.

This film tells the story of how a small group of men and women, of all races and classes, came together in the late 1980s to form ACT UP (the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power). Their goal was to end the AIDS epidemic and save each other’s lives in the face of government neglect, AIDS hysteria, and entrenched homophobia.

The film combines archival footage with insightful interviews from the ACT UP Oral History Project. Viewers see the planning and execution of a half dozen major actions, including Seize Control of the FDA, Stop the Church, and Day of Desperation. Collectively these forced the U.S. government, pharmaceutical companies, and the mainstream media to take notice of the AIDS crisis.

This screening is co-presented by the Samuel Merritt University Pride Committee, the Office of Academic Affairs, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and the John A. Graziano Memorial Library/Academic & Instructional Innovation. Director Jim Hubbard will be in attendance.

Library/A&II Survey Results December 18, 2012
Library/A&II Survey Results

Thank you to the 72 faculty and 445 students who took the Library/AII Survey last month. The results will help us plan in the year ahead.

Faculty results
Student results

December Extended Hours November 28, 2012
December Extended Hours

The John A. Graziano Library will be open until 11:00pm Mondays through Thursdays, December 9-20, to help you study for finals.

Library/A&II Survey October 30, 2012
Library/A&II Survey

The Library/Academic & Instructional Innovation Department has a lot to offer faculty and students. But we can't make a difference if you aren't aware of our resources and services.

We want to learn more about what you know about our offerings.
We want to improve our communication with you.
We want to hear your suggestions on how we can improve our outreach and better serve you.

To accomplish that, we're asking you for five minutes of your time to take our brief survey. To thank you for your participation, we'll enter your name in a raffle to win a $25 gift certificate to the Oakland campus bookstore. (Learning Center students can use your certificate to order items on the bookstore's website).

Thanks for participating,

 

Barbara Ryken Oakland Librarian

One Search Brown Bag Sessions October 5, 2012

One Search Brown Bag Sessions

Join us for a brief training session on the Library/AII's newest offering.

One Search allows you to search our catalog, all our databases, plus a myriad of open access resources, all with one search box. It's easy and intuitive to use. Join us and get a few tips that will help you with your megasearch.

Coffee, tea, water, and fruit will be available to the first 15 attendees.

Coming Soon: OneSearch August 21, 2012

Coming soon: OneSearch

Don’t know which databases to search? Wish you could search all the library databases at once? Coming soon: OneSearch.

"Freedom Machines," a Video on Assistive/Adaptive Technology July 9, 2012

Freedom Machines, a Video on Assistive/Adaptive Technology

"Freedom Machines" is the latest addition to the library’s streaming video collection. This PBS special redefines "disability" through personal stories of technology, reflecting on America's largest minority: 55 million people with disabilities. View it and other online videos here.

Google Scholar Updates its Interface May 17, 2012

Google Scholar Updates its Interface

Google Scholar is a subset of Google that emphasizes scholarly content. It has just changed its look and feel. Improvements include access to Advanced Search features directly from the Results page.

More information on these changes is here.

Library Open Until 11:00 During Finals April 18, 2012

Library Open Until 11:00 During Finals

To support students studying for final exams, the Oakland campus library will be open until 11pm Sunday-Thursday April 15-19, April 22-26, and May 6-10.

Three New Nursing eBooks Added April 6, 2012

Three New Nursing eBooks Added

At the request of nursing faculty, we've added these nursing eBooks to the library's collection of eBooks provided by STAT!Ref:

Explore the New, Improved John A. Graziano Library April 5, 2012

New, Improved Library

After months of construction, the Oakland campus library opened its newly renovated and expanded space on March 15, 2012. Now that the dust has finally settled, we invite you to explore our exciting new facility and take our video tour.

One highlight of the renovation is a state-of-the-art computer lab with 26 PCs, four Macs, and two printers. This lab is open to SMU students during regular HEC hours, seven days a week-- just swipe your badge to enter.

We’ve also added three new study spaces for use on a first-come, first-served basis. Three new seminar rooms, seating 12-14 people each, are outfitted with A/V equipment and can be booked by faculty, students, or staff for meetings, lectures, or discussions.

For more information on the new library features, please stop by the circulation desk.

SMU Creates Open Access Publication Fund March 9, 2012

Open Access Publication Fund

Open access research articles are published in online peer-reviewed journals and are freely available to everyone, not just subscribers to a journal. Article authors maintain copyright control over their work.

Many open access journals—including those published by the Public Library of Science and BioMed Central—collect an author payment in lieu of charging for access. To encourage faculty to publish articles in open access journals, SMU’s Library/Academic & Instructional Innovation has established an open access publication fund. Supported by the Division of Academic Affairs and endorsed by the Faculty Organization Research Committee, this fund will reimburse faculty members up to $2,500 per calendar year for expenses associated with publishing an article in a peer-reviewed open access journal.

Library Grand Opening on March 15 February 15, 2012

Graziano Library Grand Opening

If you’ve visited the Oakland campus library in the last few months, you’ve probably noticed construction noise, workers in hard hats, and a lack of study space. To all of our patrons and supporters, we thank you for your patience. Now that the dust has finally settled, we want to invite you to a celebration of our new library space!

On March 15, 2012, at 5pm, the Oakland campus library will host a grand opening gala, and we're inviting the entire SMU community to attend.

We’ll be giving tours and showing off some of our new services and facilities, including a state-of-the-art student computer lab and six new study/seminar rooms.

We’ll also be extending a special thank you to the donors that made the new library space possible. Alumni, faculty, staff, students, and community and professional partners contributed over 2 million dollars to the library renovation fund.

Speakers will include SMU President Sharon Diaz and Marcus Banks, Director of SMU Libraries/Academic & Instructional Innovation.

We hope to see you there!

Video On Demand February 15, 2012

Video On Demand

The library has subscribed to two online video collections from Alexander Street Press. Now you can view healthcare-related educational and documentary videos on your computer or mobile device, and faculty can embed or link individual video titles directly in their Blackboard courses. These videos are assessed for accuracy and distributed by a respected academic publisher, so instead of doing a random search on YouTube, check out these two new resources:

Nursing Education in Video is an online collection of videos created specifically for the education and training of nurses and other healthcare workers. The collection’s suite of tools, including searchable transcripts synchronized to video, give the ability to drill down in seconds to find the footage of interest from hundreds of hours of video.

Filmakers Library Online provides award-winning documentaries on a range of subjects including bioethics, health, psychology, and gender studies. The collection represents diverse cultures and traditions.

To see all online video resources available through the library, check out our online video page.

Free Apps to Help You Study, Work, and Live February 15, 2012

Free Apps

Have you ever used Google Apps, Vimeo, Dropbox, or Epocrates? If you haven’t, now is the time to check out these powerful free tools for teaching and learning! Free Web 2.0 and mobile apps are increasingly being used by educators and students to collaborate and communicate at a higher level and there are no signs of this trend abating.

To learn more, check out this slideshow by Library/AII staff members Ted Curran and Hai-Thom Sota. Ted and Hai lectured on Web 2.0 and mobile apps at a recent Community Learning Series lunch.

You can also get recommendations on helpful Web 2.0 apps by going to our Recommended Tools page. Here you’ll find staff-tested web apps for file sharing, collaboration, blogging, social bookmarking, and more.

For mobile apps, check out the library's mobile resource guide, where you’ll find information on how to access and install free and subscription-based mobile apps, including Lexicomp and DynaMed. You can also stop by the Oakland campus library’s mobile station to test drive a variety of free mobile healthcare and education apps on our iPad.

Use RefWorks to Collect Citations and Format Your Bibliography February 15, 2012

Use RefWorks

RefWorks is a powerful web-based application available to all SMU students, faculty, and staff. It allows you to collect citations from the library article databases, organize them, and create a bibliography in the format of your choice (think APA and AMA).

Use your SMU email address to create a RefWorks account and you’ll receive a group code that allows you to use the application even when you’re off campus. Begin storing your citations online with Refworks and access them anytime, anyplace, even after you graduate. To learn more, go to our Refworks Guide.

Welcome to the New and Improved SMU Library/AII Website October 1, 2011

New SMU Library/AII website

In an effort to better serve the SMU community, we’ve revamped our website! Our home page has a whole new look and improved navigation. Check out our video tour to learn more.

Our new homepage includes a horizontal navigation bar where you can find hours, locations, and contact information. In addition there are four navigation boxes located in the main content area. Use the Quick Search box to quickly find the book, database, journal, or course reserve you need. If you’re not sure how to find an item, have questions about the research and writing process, or want to know about borrowing policies or library services, check out the Help box. Finally, the News and FAQ boxes keep you up-to-date with the latest Library/AII information.

The website is a work-in-progress that we’ll continue to tweak and update as we receive user feedback. If you'd like to share your suggestions on how to improve the site, please submit our feedback form. Your comments will be delivered directly to our web team.

The Library and Academic & Instructional Innovation: One Big Department October 1, 2011

The Library and AII Merge

The SMU Library and the Academic & Instructional Innovation Department (AII) have joined forces to provide students and faculty with improved resources, services, and technology. You’ll notice our new website banner reflects the merger of the two departments. AII staff help support academic technologies on campus, including Blackboard, Campus Pack and TurningPoint.

In fall 2010, the two departments merged into a single department under the leadership of Marcus Banks, Library/AII Director. Since then, we've been exploring how our combined skills and experience can lead to greater innovation and stronger services. In the coming year, expect to see more integration of the two departments, including a new office suite located adjacent to the library that will house the entire combined staff; a second re-design of the website that will fully integrate AII’s resource pages, guides, and tutorials; and a new emphasis on open-source academic and instructional resources.

Check Out Our New Mobile Station at the Oakland Campus Library October 1, 2011

Mobile charging station

Did you know that over 70% of students at SMU own a mobile device that can access the internet (a smart phone, PDA, tablet, etc)? To support mobile users at SMU, The Graziano Library has designed a walk-up kiosk - called the Mobile Station - that provides access to chargers for the Apple iPhone/Pod/Pad, as well as most Android smart phones and BlackBerrys. The Mobile Station also includes a demonstration iPad loaded with the latest healthcare apps and mobile-friendly sites. Drop by, charge your phone, and check out the in latest apps! The Mobile Station is located at the rear of the Oakland library’s main study area.

Search Lexicomp, CINAHL, PubMed, and More on Your Mobile Device October 1, 2011

Search databases on your mobile device

Have you ever wished you could quickly and easily access the latest drug information or health science research in the clinical setting, in the classroom, or simply on the go? Now you can! Using mobile apps or mobilized websites, you can search many of our most popular database on your smart phone or other mobile device. Go to our Mobile Database Guide for access instructions and activation codes. Apps are available for CINAHL Plus, Dynamed, Lexicomp, and Micromedex. Mobilized sites are available for AltHealth Watch, CINAHL Plus, Consumer Health Complete, Medline with full –text, MD Consult, National Guidelines Clearinghouse, PubMed, RefWorks, and Stat!Ref.

San Mateo Students: Chat Online with Your Librarian October 1, 2011

Chat online with the San Mateo librarian

Are you a student at the San Mateo Learning Center? Your librarian, Geri Bodeker (a.k.a. “The Sherpa”), is just one instant message away. As part of a pilot program evaluating the effectiveness of IM tools, SMLC students can now chat online with Geri during specified hours. Are you stuck in a CINAHL search? Having trouble finding the full-text article online? Chat with Geri here.

Student Tech Survey Results February 1, 2011

Student Tech Survey

Did you know that over 70% of SMU students own a smart phone or other internet-enabled mobile device? Or that 90% would like to view pre-recorded course lectures online?

These are just two of the findings of the first SMU Student Technology Survey. The results of this study will shape the support and expansion of teaching and learning technologies by the Department of Academic & Instructional Innovation, the Graziano Library, and SMU as a whole.

Highlights from the survey are here. You can view all the results of the survey here.

A similar study of technology use by faculty is planned for this spring.
http://www.samuelmerritt.edu/library/about/news
www.samuelmerritt.edu
crawl=CC-MAIN-2016-07
78928
application/http; msgtype=response
sha1:V5GKZFVNNVCEXNVOH6Z7LGZIRQO2TVBG
<urn:uuid:14826a61-0fc8-4e79-9c2e-a7bbb4693da9>
2016-02-12T18:29:47Z
67.97.72.150
sha1:G4SX3DLOTQG7G33AYCCHJ6QIZ5NZHX5L
<urn:uuid:7150ccff-9230-4734-bf5a-13b2ddf7a7cb>
http://www.samuelmerritt.edu/library/about/news
length
response
<urn:uuid:b313221b-ecb2-4cf7-ab1d-c9386bbc8640>
robots: classic
hostname: ip-10-236-182-209.ec2.internal
software: Nutch 1.6 (CC)/CC WarcExport 1.0
isPartOf: CC-MAIN-2016-07
operator: CommonCrawl Admin
description: Wide crawl of the web for February 2016
publisher: CommonCrawl
format: WARC File Format 1.0
conformsTo: http://bibnum.bnf.fr/WARC/WARC_ISO_28500_version1_latestdraft.pdf