Welcome Back!

As the Spring 2011 semester begins, I want to give you an idea of how the library can help you with your research assignments.

Tips

1. Get Help: Do you have a research paper and you don’t know where to start? Ask one of the reference librarians for help. Our primary purpose is to help you figure out where to find information on topic. You will find librarians at the Reference Desk in the Blume Library. You can also give us a call (210-436-3508), or contact us by email. In addition, you will get some great resource tips from our online Research Guides, created by Blume librarians, which focus on popular research topics.
2. Find materials online: The library subscribes to over 100 online databases that include articles, e-books, e-reference books, reports, statistics, videos, images, and more. Our website includes a links to some of the most popular databases, a complete list of databases, and a links to databases by academic subject.
3. Find books, videos, and cds: Search the Library Catalog to discover the books, videos, cds, government documents, etc. that we have on your topic. You will use your Rattler ID card to check out from the library. By the way, we also buy popular books, movies, and music. Looking for something fun to do? Borrow free entertainment from the library!

Need more information? Take a look at the library website or contact us at the library. We can help you succeed!

How are we doing?

If you have a few minutes, take a quick survey and tell us about your experience with government information.

The Blume Library is a Federal Depository Library, and has been one since 1964. The Federal Depository Library Program was established by Congress to ensure that the American public has access to its Government's information. Since becoming a Depository, we have accumulated what we hope is a valuable collection of print resources from the Congress and many government agencies. We have reports from Censuses back to 1960, Statutes at Large (pictured on the right) back to 1964, primary diplomatic source material in the Foreign Relations of the U.S. back to 1914, and the Congressional Record (and antecedents) back to 1789! Plus much, much more.

In recent years, the government has been increasingly making its information available online and the Blume Library offers guidance in navigating these resources through tools available on our website. We offer a Government Information on the Web Subject Index, a State Government Information Index, a series of guides to government information, and more.

So take our survey! It covers access, services, and collections. Results of the survey will contribute to efforts by the Government Printing Office, the agency which operates the Depository Program, to address the value of Depository Libraries. Let us know how you have used government resources in the Library and online, what works for you and what could be improved. Thanks!

Library Subscribes to Value Line online

The Louis J. Blume Library recently subscribed to the online Value Line Research Center. The Research Center provides research on stocks, mutual funds, options, and other types of investments. The Value Line Research Center is available on-campus and off-campus to currently enrolled students, faculty, and staff at St. Mary’s University.

The Blume Library also subscribes to several other databases that provide investment information. These databases are:

• Morningstar Investment Research Center – mutual funds, stocks, portfolio analysis tools
• NetAdvantage (Standard & Poor’s) – stocks, mutual funds, company and industry information
• Business Source Complete – business journal articles, newspapers, magazines, etc.

You can find the Value Line Research Center, and the other databases, on the Blume Library website at http://library.stmarytx.edu/acadlib/indexes/bus.htm.

Contact any Reference Librarian if you have questions about this subscription or any other Blume Library database.

Voter information and links to campaign websites

Are you are registered to vote in Bexar County? Take a look at http://stmarytx.libguides.com/vote for links to candidates' sites, where available.

If you have already voted, thank you for voting. For those who haven't, Early Voting runs through Friday, October 29 in Bexar County. Election Day is Tuesday, November 2 and your local polling site will be open 7am-7pm. Links to the Bexar County Elections Department information about voting is available at http://stmarytx.libguides.com/vote

Participate in LexisNexis® QuizWhiz student competition for a chance to win valuable prizes!

Current St. Mary's University students are invited to participate in the LexisNexis Academic (one of the Blume Library's subscription services) QuizWhiz contest. Win points and prizes while exploring the content of LexisNexis Academic.

Sign up today. Registered students answer multiple choice questions on legal, news, business and more. Each correct answer earns points that may be redeemed by students for a variety of gift cards from national retailers in values of $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100.

Competition runs from September 13 through November 15, 2010 with questions updated as frequently as twice a week for opportunities to earn more.

See http://www.lexisnexis.com/quizwhiz/ for more information!

33 Years of Magill's Literary Annual Reviews Online

With the receipt of our 2010 Magill's Literary Annual, we have online access to 33 years of past Magill's Literary Annuals. The database includes over 6,900 reviews and essays covering fiction and nonfiction, across subjects, genres, and countries. Each year, Magill's Literary Annual critically evaluates 200 major examples of serious literature, both fiction and nonfiction, published during the previous calendar year. You can find the link to this database under Salem Literature on our web site or linked in our catalog record for Magill's Literary Annual. Search this resource to learn about recent publishing trends or to see how your favorite contemporary author or work of contemporary literature has stood the test of time.

Howdy, Partner!

Having trouble finding good, reliable, government information on a specific topic, like the Electoral College or Recycling? Or perhaps you'd like to browse a collection of useful government links on a broad topic like Education or the Military, and find a jewel of a useful website?

You should try our Government Information on the Web Subject Index!

The Index provides a single portal to link collections on particular subjects, taking advantage of the varied organizational schemes and terminologies developed by librarians around the country.

And the Index has just had its value acknowledged at the highest level—it's been designated an official Service Partner of the Government Printing Office, one of a handful of operations nationwide that "assist GPO to provide enhanced services to Federal depository libraries."

We are deeply honored to have our work so recognized by GPO, and are very excited at the national exposure that St. Mary's and the Blume Library will enjoy, especially in the library community, as a result of the Partnership.

Depository libraries receive tangible government publications, access to electronic publications (some of which are not freely available to the public), training, and support from the Government Printing Office. Established in 1813, the Federal Depository Library Program's purpose is to "to ensure that the American public has access to its Government's information." At St. Mary's, both the Blume Library and the Sarita Kenedy East Law Library are depositories. Across the nation, there are over 1200.

Government information can be useful in all sorts of research projects. Check out the Index, by all means, but if you need further assistance in finding government data or reports, ask a Reference Librarian.