Trent in Oshawa Library Blog

Final posting

2010-09-02T10:53:00.001-04:00

This blog will no longer be updated. Please see the Trent University Library website for current information about Oshawa library services.

end of summer session

2010-07-27T18:10:00.003-04:00

Congratulations on surviving summer session - summer courses are tough as the deadlines are so short and the weather is so nice!

The final regularly scheduled Trent van delivering materials between Oshawa and Peterborough will be on Wednesday, July 28th. Items returned after that date will remain in Oshawa until the next van run, but will be backdated once they are received at Bata library.

This will be my final post as your 'Trent librarian' as you will have new library staff in the Thornton Road campus. I wish you all the best in the new academic year, the new campus and all new future adventures!

New library material delivery schedule

2010-06-23T19:08:00.002-04:00

The van service that transports library materials between the Durham/UOIT library on the Oshawa campus and the Bata library on the Trent (Peterborough) campus is now running just two days a week: Monday and Wednesday. Please keep this in mind when planning your time for researching essay topics!

summer library hours

2010-05-27T14:58:00.002-04:00

Both Trent's Bata library and the Durham College/UOIT library are open shorter hours for the summer. Please note: both libraries are closed weekends until classes resume in September.

To see a detailed list of Trent's Bata library's hours, click here.

To see a detailed list of the Durham College/UOIT library's hours, click here.

Time moves faster in summer session!

2010-05-19T19:02:00.003-04:00

Deadlines seem to loom much quicker during summer session, so be sure to plan ahead!

Hint: there are only so many books in the library collection on any particular topic, so if you need to use books as part of your research, be sure to order them early.

summer schedule for material delivery

2010-05-19T18:53:00.004-04:00

If you need to request items from Trent's Bata library in Peterborough (or send things back), you will be pleased to know that the delivery frequency is now five days a week (Mon-Fri afternoons).

To order items from Bata library, simply send an email to oshawarequest@trentu.ca, including your name, student number, item info and call number (if relevant).

If you have any questions or problems, please contact Trish (trish.johns-wilson@dc-uoit.ca) or Jacquie (oshawarequest@trentu.ca) for assistance.

Goodbye and have a great summer!

2010-04-21T18:17:00.003-04:00

Well, you survived another exam period! Congratulations!

The next year will be an exciting one as you settle into the new campus on Thornton Road in Oshawa. This is a fantastic opportunity to make your mark on your own campus.

I will not be joining you in the new location. Instead, you will have a new library staff in your very own, 'just Trent' library!

If you are taking summer courses, then I will see you over the summer. If not, then I would like to wish you all the best in your academic and personal life! It has been a pleasure 'being your librarian'!
Cheers,
Trish

Returning library materials

2010-04-21T18:08:00.003-04:00

When returning library materials at this time of year, remember that the van service that runs items back and forth between the campuses doesn't run on its regular Mon-Thurs schedule. It may take a bit longer than usual for items to arrive back at the Bata library in Peterborough and be taken off your account.

When materials arrive at Bata library, they will be backdated to the date that you returned them in Oshawa.

End of term reminder

2010-04-07T17:35:00.002-04:00

The end of the term is here - you made it!

Remember that the delivery schedule of library materials (including items being sent back to Peterborough) will change when classes are not in session. Once the schedule is finalized, it will be posted here.

Need somewhere to study?

2010-03-31T15:08:00.003-04:00

Trent's Bata library and the Durham College/UOIT library are open extended hours leading up to the exam period.

For Bata library hours, click here. The library will be open until 2am from March 29th to April 23rd.

For Durham/UOIT library hours, click here. The library will be open extended hours (until 10pm) on the following Sundays: April 11th, 18th and 25th.

Survey for Library Services at New Campus

2010-03-17T15:35:00.003-04:00

Here's your chance to share your thoughts and suggestions about the library space & services at the new campus on Thornton Rd (opening Sept 2010)! Complete the survey found at www.surveymonkey.com/s/oshawalibrarysurvey by April 5th.

What do you love/like/dislike about the existing services & resources? What would you like to see in the new space? Let us know!

Ordering or placing holds on Bata books

2010-03-11T18:29:00.004-05:00

Most items from Trent's Bata library in Peterborough can be sent to Oshawa via the van service at your request. To order an item, send an email message to oshawarequest@trentu.ca using your own email (NOTE: do not use Hotmail accounts as the message may not go through properly). Be sure to fill in the subject line and include your name, student number and library card number (found on the back of your student card) in the body of the message. Also include the item information: book title and call number as found in TOPCAT or the complete journal information (article title, author, journal name, volume, date & page numbers, as well as the call number as found in TOPCAT).

DO NOT use the 'Hold' option found in TOPCAT. There are a couple of reasons not to: i) this option is meant to be used if the item is already signed out and you would like to put your name on a waiting list and ii) there is nowhere to indicate that you are an Oshawa student and need the item sent down on the van (it would remain in Peterborough at the library circulation desk).

So, if an item is signed out and you would like to add your name to the waiting list, you can either contact Trish at the Oshawa campus via email or 905-721-2000 x2388 or email oshawarequest@trentu.ca. If sending an email, include your name, student number, library card number and the item information (title and call number). You will receive an email notification when the item is available for pickup .

If the item is available for loan, then order it using the oshawarequest@trentu.ca email as described above.

If you must use Google...try Google Scholar

2010-03-02T14:26:00.003-05:00

While I strongly encourage you to use the library's databases and online resources (after all, your tuition helps to pay for them - you might as well get your money's worth, right?), many people still prefer to use Google to find resources for essays and assignments.

As you will quickly discover, a search for almost any topic in Google will bring back 10's if not 100's of thousands of records. Then your work begins: which ones are scholarly, credible resources that are based on quality research and which are primarily opinion pieces (not generally suitable as a resource at the university level).

INSTEAD, try Google Scholar which will only retrieve scholarly, academic resources. You can either go to Google Scholar directly (http://scholar.google.ca) OR go to www.google.ca and click on the 'More' tab, then select 'Scholar' from the list.

Once at the Google Scholar page, select the 'Scholar Preferences' link. On the Preferences page, you will need to select Trent University as your Library Link (type 'Trent' in the search box, hit the 'Find Library' tab and select Trent from the list) and click on the 'Save Preferences' button at the top or bottom of the page.

Now, once you search for your topic, you will see links beside many of the item entries that will either take you directly to the fulltext of the item or to the 'Get it @ Trent' option to access it in one of our online resources.

Google Scholar still isn't a perfect search option for a number of reasons: very large number of results retrieved for most topics, many of which may not be available in our library; search function isn't as refined as in many of the library's databases, etc.

However, if you must use Google, try Google Scholar instead!

Winter weather = delays in delivery of library materials

2010-02-23T15:22:00.003-05:00

When ordering items from Bata Library in Peterborough, keep in mind that poor weather & bad roads may mean delays in delivery times. If the roads are in poor condition, the van that brings down our library materials may not run.

Be sure to leave yourself lots of time before due dates to allow for a day or two delay!

Children's literature articles

2010-02-09T14:38:00.004-05:00

To find articles in the area of children's literature, start at the library website (www.trentu.ca/library) and select the quick link called 'Resources by Subject Guide'. Select the English Literature subject guide.

Once in the guide, scroll down to the section titled 'English Literature Indexes'. The periodical indexes listed here are all excellent spots to search for articles concerning English literature.

The one 'true' English index is called MLA International Bibliography. The other indexes on the list are all excellent spots to look, but MLA is the only that that is 'just' literature resources. JSTOR is also a good choice, but it covers a variety of subject areas.

When using the MLA International Bibliography, keep in mind that it is a true index - the majority of the items that it indexes are not available in this database in full text. If there isn't a full text link with the article citation, you will need to determine if Trent has access to the journal in another database. To do this, click on the 'Get it @ Trent' link below the citation.

Hint: when entering your search terms, be sure to select any limiters that are appropriate. For example, you can limit your search to only scholarly articles (no magazines, dissertations, book chapters, etc). Also, you can limit your search by period - not when the item was written, but the time period that the content is covering. For example, if you were looking for articles on the hero image in literature pre-1900, you can limit your search to 1800-1899.

Reading Week delivery of library materials

2010-02-05T16:35:00.003-05:00

Reminder: there will be no regular delivery of library materials between the Oshawa and Peterborough campuses during Reading Week (Feb. 15-19th ).

If you would like to have library materials sent down, please make your requests to oshawarequest@trentu.ca by Tuesday, Feb. 9th to be safe. NOTE: send your requests through your Trent email account - there have been some problems receiving messages sent via other email accounts.

Items returned after the last regularly scheduled van run of Thursday, Feb. 11th will remain in Oshawa until the van service resumes on the 22nd. The items will remain signed out on your library account until they are returned in Peterborough, but will be backdated to reflect the date you brought them in to the library in Oshawa.

Enjoy Reading Week!

Finding Primary Resources - Part II (Humanities)

2010-02-03T17:36:00.004-05:00

'Primary material' can mean different things depending on your discipline. An earlier post covered primary materials in the social sciences; this one will focus on the humanities.

In the history field, primarily material generally refers to material created by an individual who lived through or witnessed a particular event. It could be a book written during the period/event, diaries, letters, photographs, etc. For example, a diary or letter written during the war by a soldier in WWII would be considered primary material. It could be published as an entity itself, or be included in a book on the topic (e.g. letters included in a general book on WWII).

In literature, a primary resource is the book, poem, play or short story. For example, Shakespeare's Hamlet is the primary item, while a book or article talking about the play is considered a secondary resource.

When searching for primary resources in the humanities, add terms like 'diaries', 'personal narratives' or 'correspondence' to your keyword search. For more information, see Trent's help section on primary materials.

Finding Primary Resources - Part I (Social Sciences)

2010-01-27T13:12:00.003-05:00

You have to use primary resources for an assignment in sociology, psychology or another social science field - what are they and where do you find them?

What is a primary resource?
'Primary resource' can mean something different depending on whether you are in social sciences/science or humanities (part II will focus on humanities resources). In the social science/science area, primary resources refer to works in which the authors have either created the theory themselves or have done original research themselves (i.e. conducted field work or a study involving surveys or questionnaires, etc).

Where are they?
Primary resources can be found in a variety of spots, depending on the type of resource. Books are found using the library catalogue, TOPCAT. Look for works by major theorists in your field that explain their ideas and theories (written by the theorist him/herself, NOT by someone else talking about the theory). For example, a book by Emile Durkheim talking about his own theories would be a primary resource, but a work written by someone else discussing Durkheim's theories would be a secondary source.

For articles, you would use the subject guides to find suitable article indexes in your area. Search for your topic as usual, but watch for articles that discuss fieldwork, a study, survey or questionnaire that the author(s) of the article actually conducted. If they are only discussing work that other people have conducted, then that would be considered a secondary source instead.

When searching for articles, you could try adding in a keyword like 'study' or 'survey'. Another term you may see, particularly in psychology, is 'empirical'. Some databases, such as PsycInfo, allow you to limit your search to empirical articles.

For more assistance, contact Trish in the library.

Welcome to the Winter term!

2010-01-12T15:02:00.002-05:00

Welcome back after the holiday break!

A few reminders for the winter term:
1) an updated student card is necessary to sign out books & reserve items (updated in Sept 2009 is fine)
2) poor weather may cause delays and cancellations of delivery of library materials - give yourself an extra day or two just in case the van doesn't run on schedule due to road conditions
3) ask library staff for assistance with using the Library's resources - gets lonely in the library if no one comes in with questions...

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-23T10:31:00.002-05:00

Reminder: Both Trent's Bata library and the Durham College/UOIT library will be closing for the holidays on Wed., Dec. 23rd at 4:30 pm. Bata library will reopen on Jan 5th and the DC/UOIT library will reopen on Jan 4th.

Enjoy the time off with family and friends!

Last week for delivery/return of library materials

2009-12-16T14:28:00.005-05:00

Reminder: The van that delivers library materials between Peterborough and Oshawa stops once classes are completed - no delivery of library items after Thursday, Dec. 17th! Regular service will resume when classes start on Jan. 11th, 2010.

Once the van stops running, any items returned to the Oshawa campus library will remain in Oshawa until Jan. 11th. All items will remain signed out on your account until they are received in Peterborough. Once returned at Bata library, the items will be backdated to the date you returned them in Oshawa and fines will be adjusted accordingly.

If you have any questions, please contact Trish or Jacquie.

Holiday closures

2009-12-07T18:17:00.002-05:00

Please note that both the Durham/UOIT library and Trent's Bata library will be closed over the Christmas and New Year's holidays.

Trent's Bata library will close at 4:30pm on Wednesday, Dec. 23rd and will reopen on Tuesday, Jan. 5th with reduced hours - see the Hours page for the most up to date information.

The Durham/UOIT library will close at 4:30pm on Wednesday, Dec. 23rd and will reopen on Monday, Jan. 4th with reduced hours - see the Hours page for the most up to date information.

The van service delivering library materials between Oshawa and Peterborough will be running on a reduced schedule during the exam period (watch for more info as it becomes available) and will not be running when the libraries are closed.

Looking for Reserves?

2009-12-01T15:35:00.002-05:00

Remember - if you are looking for reserve items for an Oshawa course, use the E-Res system. Don't use the reserves system found in TOPCAT, as that contains items for Peterborough courses only.

To access E-Res, start at the library webpage and select the 'Trent in Oshawa' link listed under the Quick Links section. Select the E-Res option - you will need to login via the library 0ff-campus server (same login as you use for your Trent email or webct). Once in the E-Res system, search for your course code, professor's name or course name to find your desired course.

If the item is in electronic format or both electronic & paper, you will be asked for a course password. Your professor should have given this password out in class (you can also ask staff at the reference desk for assistance).

Cite right!

2009-11-25T18:16:00.003-05:00

When you are researching and writing your essay or assignment, remember that you will need to properly cite the articles, books and websites that you use as resources. If you use someone else's words (either as a direct quote or a paraphrase), you MUST give him/her credit by providing a citation for that information. Not properly citing your source is plagiarism which can be punishable by losing marks, getting a zero on your assignment, or even being expelled!

There are many types of citation styles: APA, MLA, Chicago, IEEE, etc. Be sure to use whichever format your professor specifies. The library has many useful books on proper citation - just ask library staff for assistance.

Need help with finding academic resources?

2009-11-16T13:33:00.002-05:00

You may be familiar with using Google to find resources for your assignments, but did you realise that the library has a wide range of academic, scholary resources in your discipline - items that you won't find as 'freebies' on the Web - available on the library website???

Contact Trish via email or 905-721-3082 x2388 for help with getting started.

Trent library system down Saturday, Nov. 14th

2009-11-14T11:13:00.002-05:00

Trent's library system will be down on Saturday, Nov. 14th, for maintenance. This includes the physical building (Bata library) in Peterborough, the catalogue and all online resources. Everything should be up and running as usual on Sunday, Nov. 15th, as long as all necessary maintenance has been completed.

Item location information in TOPCAT

2009-11-04T12:29:00.002-05:00

When using TOPCAT to look for books and other materials, be sure to check the 'Full Details' link for complete item information, specifically the 'location' information.

The 'location' information at the bottom of the record will indicate if the book is housed at the Bata library at Trent or in the Trent in Oshawa collection on the 3rd floor of the DC/UOIT library.

If the location is 'Oshawa-stacks', 'Oshawa-reserves' or 'Oshawa-reference', the item is in Oshawa.

If the location is anything other than Oshawa, then you know it is in the Bata library in Peterborough. For example, 'JBC items at Bata', 'Reserve desk', 'Stacks', 'Government publications', etc, then the item is at the Bata library.

If the item is kept at the Bata library, you may request that it be shipped down on the van service. Simply email oshawarequest@trentu.ca, providing the item title and call number and your information (name, student number and library card number found on the back of your student card). If you are a Durham or UOIT student taking a Trent course, please indicate that.

Student Card is Required

2009-11-04T12:24:00.002-05:00

Remember: you must have a current student card in order to sign out library materials, including reserves!

On the back of your Trent student card is your library card number. When you order items from Trent's Bata library (through oshawarequest@trentu.ca), please provide both your student number and library card number.

UOIT or Durham students: when requesting items for the first time from Bata library, please indicate that you are a UOIT or DC student taking a Trent course. A Trent library borrower's card will be sent down for you.

Sign up for a Research or RACER session

2009-10-20T18:41:00.003-04:00

Need help using Trent's library resources?

Sign up for a workshop with Trish:
Research Basics - Thurs., Nov. 19th, 2-3:30pm OR Wed., Nov. 25th, 5-6:30pm
Still using Wikipedia or Google for your assignments? Learn to find scholarly, academic resources through Trent's library website. Will also look at the 4-step research process, evaluating resources, difference between primary and secondary resources, a brief look at citation styles and so much more.

RACER: What is it? - Wed., Nov. 18th, 2-3pm OR Mon., Nov. 23rd, 5-6pm
What can you do if you find the perfect book or journal article and Trent does not have the item in the library? Use RACER, the inter-library loan system, to order items from other university libraries. Learn all of the tricks to using RACER.

All sessions take place in the Durham College/UOIT library in room LIB 132. Interested in signing up? Please contact Trish via email or 905-721-2000 x2388.

Library Service over Reading Week (Oct. 26-30)

2009-10-14T19:22:00.003-04:00

Reading Week is coming: Oct 26th - 30th.

See Trent's Bata Library hours here.

Durham College / UOIT Library hours won't change over the Break - see the hours here.

The van service that delivers library materials between Trent's Bata Library and DC/UOIT Library will have limited or no service over the Break. Watch the blog for the updated schedule as the Break gets closer. You can also contact Trish via email or phone (905-987-2000 x2388).

Reminder: order your books and other items from Trent's Bata Library as soon as possible to avoid disappointment due to limited or no van service over the Break!

HIST 1001h assignment hints

2009-10-08T18:38:00.003-04:00

When you are looking for history resources, try using the 'History' subject guide, listed under the 'Resources by Subject Guide' link on Trent's library webpage.

On the History subject guide, you will find a list of history indexes. These indexes will list articles from magazines, journals and in some cases, newspapers. A good one to try for Canadian topics is 'America: history & life' (despite the name - it does cover North and South America). JSTOR is also another excellent resource.

Below the Indexes, there is a section titled 'Other Online Resources'. This area lists a number of resources that may be useful if you are looking for primary resources . For example, 'Canada's Heritage' is the Globe and Mail newspaper dating back to 1844. Others that may be of interest could include 'Early Canadiana Online', 'OurOntario.ca' and so on - check the description link beside the item to see more information about it.

Remember: if you look in one spot and don't find exactly what you need, keep looking! Try other indexes and/or other search terms.

Off-Campus use of library resources

2009-10-01T19:04:00.003-04:00

When you are logging into the online library resources, you will be asked to authenticate as an off-campus user with the proxy server. The login information you will use is the same as your login for WebCT (MyTrent) or your Trent email.

If you are unsure of your username and password, go to www.trentu.ca/claimid to verify the information.

DO NOT GUESS! If you have more than four failed attempts, Trent's security system will lock out your IP address. You will be unable to reconnect until Trent staff have removed the block.

Need academic journals?

2009-09-23T18:20:00.003-04:00

You are starting to work on your first assignment and realise that you need academic journals.
What are they?
Academic journals are similar in format to your favourite magazine (made up of individual articles) but are different in content. Very simply put, academic journal articles are written by experts or scholars in the field (history, psychology, sociology, etc) for other experts in the field. The article content has been carefully researched and documented.
How do you find them?
In most cases, you will not find academic journal articles available as freebies on the Internet. Instead, use the resources that staff at Trent's Bata library have subscribed to on your behalf. The simplest method of finding scholarly journal articles is to use something called a journal index or database. Each index or database covers a different set of journal titles.
Where do I find a journal index or database?
On the main library web page (www.trentu.ca/library), select the link 'Resources by Subject Guide'. You will see a list of discipline areas - just choose the one that fits. Once you are in the Subject Guide you will see a list of indexes (also known as databases) that are suitable for that area. Read the description provided for each index and find one that sounds promising. Each index is set up a little differently, so be sure to read the screen and check out the hints/tips/help section.
If you have any problems, contact Trish Johns-Wilson for help.

Your student card = Your library card

2009-09-16T17:49:00.004-04:00

Your student card is your library card and must be presented each time you borrow books (including reserve materials). On the back of your Trent student card, there should be a 13-digit barcode - that is your library card number.

If you are a new student, make sure that you get your photo id taken. If you are a returning student, be sure to get your card validated with a stamp for the current academic year.

Are you a UOIT student taking a Trent course? The first time that you borrow books from the Trent collection (either from Oshawa or from Peterborough) you will be sent a Trent library borrower's card.

September startup is here!

2009-09-11T13:42:00.002-04:00

To all new students - welcome to the Trent in Oshawa program!
To all returning students - welcome back!

Hopefully, many of you will be coming into the library with your classes for sessions with me. Whether you have a formal session or not, if you have any questions about library services in Oshawa, please feel free to contact myself (Trish) or Jacquie at Bata library in Peterborough.

Have a great startup!

Library News for August

2009-08-04T14:43:00.003-04:00

There will be no van service delivering materials to/from Trent during the month of August. The van will resume regular service once classes start in September.

If you return Trent library books to the Durham College/UOIT library throughout August, the items will stay in Oshawa until the van resumes in September. NOTE: The books will remain on your library account until they are received in Peterborough. Once received in Peterborough, the items will be backdated to the date that you returned them in Oshawa and relevant overdue fines will be removed.

The exception will be items requested from other universities through RACER, Trent's Inter-Library Loan system. RACER books will be shipped to Peterborough via inter-university courier within a few days of being returned in Oshawa.

If items come in for you that you requested through RACER, they will be shipped down via the courier service and you will be notified when they are ready for pickup in Oshawa.

If you would like library materials from Trent during August, you will need to travel to Peterborough to get them.

Enjoy the rest of the summer and see you in September!

End of term is coming!

2009-07-22T19:43:00.003-04:00

As your classes wind up and assignment deadlines loom...remember that the last date to return books to Trent on the van service is Wednesday, August 5th. Items returned after that date will remain in Oshawa (and signed out to your account) until the van service resumes in September.

Your Student Card = Your Library Card

2009-06-30T15:13:00.003-04:00

Remember: you MUST have a current student card in order to sign out library materials (including reserve items). If you do not have a card or it is outdated, please go to the Campus ID office.

On the back of your student card is a 13 digit number that is your library card number.

Hint: if you are trying to renew books online through TOPCAT, your PIN is the last four digits of your student number.

Be flexible with search terms

2009-06-16T19:59:00.003-04:00

When looking for books or articles on a topic, don't just focus in on one particular phrase or term - think of other ways of saying the same thing.

For example, post secondary education could also be higher education, college or university.

Topics dealing with teenagers may also use the terms teen, teens, adolescent, adolescence, youth or juvenile.

A topic such as Canada's First Nation peoples may also be found using terms such as indigenous peoples, aboriginal peoples, natives, Indians (more so in American material) and so on.

Don't get focused on one particular way of saying something - try to think of the various terms that people writing on the topic may have used. Don't give up until you have tried as many as you can think of!

Not sure where to look for research materials?

2009-05-28T18:29:00.004-04:00

Start at the library website, www.trentu.ca/library.

Looking for books? TOPCAT lists books (plus government documents, videos, microfiche/film, etc) from both the main Bata library (Peterborough) and the Oshawa collection.

Looking for journal articles? The simplest route to see the best journal indexes for your discipline is to go through the 'Find Resources by Subject' link. You will see a list of indexes that are the most likely to cover your area (history, anthropology, psychology, etc). Remember that each index covers a different set of journals, magazines, etc., so be sure to try more than one!

Ordering or Returning Library Materials?

2009-05-12T15:25:00.001-04:00

Are you interested in ordering items from Trent's Bata library or returning materials from there?
The van service will be delivering & picking up items at the Durham College/UOIT library during the evening, Monday-Thursday.

Welcome to Summer Session!

2009-05-05T20:25:00.002-04:00

Summer session tip:
Since summer classes are relatively short & seem to be over before you know it, start your essay research early. Give yourself lots of time to look for books & articles and to order items from Peterborough if necessary. You don't want to be too stressed to enjoy the nice weather!

Returning Library Materials April 20th - May 11th

2009-04-14T17:37:00.002-04:00

If you return or request library materials from Trent's Bata Library, you may be affected by changes to the van service over the next few weeks.

Week of April 13th - regular Monday to Thursday evening pickup and delivery

April 20th - May 10th - Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning pickup and delivery

May 11th - summer session begins - van schedule TBA

If you return Bata items to the Durham College/UOIT library, they will be returned to Peterborough on the next van run. Items will be backdated to the date you returned them once they are received by staff at Trent. Although the items will remain on your account until they are physically received at Trent, fines will not accumulate beyond the date you returned them in Oshawa.

Van Service for April 6th - 9th

2009-04-06T18:27:00.002-04:00

As classes are not running this week, there is limited van service for delivery or pickup of library materials in Oshawa.

The van will be running on April 6th and 8th. More frequent service should resume during the exam period.

Good luck with exams!

End of term is coming!

2009-03-30T20:18:00.005-04:00

Yes, the end of term is finally approaching! As you race to finish up your essays and assignments, please remember that library staff is available to help you with finding academic resources (i.e. other than Google or Wikipedia information).

Contact Trish in the Durham College/UOIT Library in person, at 905-721-3082 x2388 or trish.johns-wilson@dc-uoit.ca.

As classes end, the schedule for the van service may change. Watch the blog or the Trent in Oshawa page for more

Extended library hours for exams

2009-03-26T13:47:00.002-04:00

As exam time gets closer, the Bata Library (at Trent) and the Durham College/UOIT Library are open longer hours so you have more time to study.

Bata Library:
Monday, March 23rd - Thursday, April 23rd - open until 2am
Exceptions to this are Friday, April 3rd (close at 8pm) and Easter Weekend (see http://www.trentu.ca/admin/library/about/hours.html for Easter hours)

Durham College/UOIT Library:
Open from 10am to 10pm on the following Sundays: April 5th, 12th and 19th.

Returning library materials

2009-03-18T20:37:00.004-04:00

You can return library materials that you borrowed from Bata library (in Peterborough) through the Durham College/UOIT library in Oshawa. The items will travel from Oshawa to Peterborough on the van service. This van service runs in the evening from Monday to Thursday.

Items may not be returned on your account immediately - travel time to Peterborough, time needed by staff to return items in the system, etc, may mean a delay of a day or two. If your books were already late, you may receive an automatically generated reminder message from Trent's circulation system.

Items will be backdated to the date that you actually returned them in Oshawa.

To avoid late fees, be sure to return your books on time!

Finding journal articles

2009-03-10T17:47:00.004-04:00

Do you know where to look when your professor says that you must use scholarly journal articles for your essay? (hint: not Google)

Answer: The library, of course! The library subscribes to thousands of journals to support the courses that the university offers. In order to search these journals, you will need to use something called an 'index'. There are many different journal indexes - some cover history topics, some cover sociology topics, etc., etc.

The library divides these indexes up into subject areas to make it easier for you. To find the right indexes for your area, use the 'Find Resources by Subject' link on the library website. Select the subject area that you are looking for (history, psychology, sociology, etc) and you will see a list of the relevant journal indexes for that area. As you scroll down the subject guide, you will also see a number of other online resources that might or might not be useful to you depending on your topic.

As you are using indexes, please keep in mind:
1) some indexes may have both scholarly material (journals) and non-scholarly
(magazines and newspapers) - a good clue is if there is an option on the search
screen to limit your search to scholarly materials only
2) some indexes provide the full text of the article, while others just tell you
that it exists - if there is no full text showing, use the 'Get it @ Trent' icon
to see if it is available within the Trent system, either in electronic format or
in paper (by checking TOPCAT)

Confused? Contact Trish for assistance: 905-721-3082 x2388 or trish.johns-wilson@dc-uoit.ca (or drop into the Durham College/UOIT library).

Renewal Reminder

2009-03-03T19:53:00.004-05:00

Remember to return or renew your books on/before their due date in order to avoid overdue fines!

To renew, use the 'My Accounts' option in TOPCAT on or before the item's due date.

Most items may be renewed once, as long as there are no holds on them.

If you have problems with a renewal, please contact Jacquie at oshawarequest@trentu.ca.

Anthropology assignment - ANTH 100

2009-02-24T15:34:00.003-05:00

Remember, if you are looking for a book for your anthropology assignment for Prof. Lohmann's class, it must be scholarly and written by an anthropologist.

Unsure if the author is an anthropologist? There may be a section in the book that provides you with information about the author (who they are, what their credentials are, etc). If not, check Google. Usually, if the person is an anthropologist, he/she will be affiliated with a university and will have a webpage on the university site listing professional info.

Regular van service resumes

2009-02-24T15:29:00.002-05:00

Weather permitting, the van service that moves library materials between the Oshawa and Peterborough campuses will be running Monday through Thursday evenings. If you receive an email from Jacquie Slater (oshawarequest@trentu.ca) indicating that your items are coming down on the van service, please check at the Durham College/UOIT library after 7pm.

As always, give yourself enough time when requesting items to allow for delays due to poor weather (van may not run) or high request periods (as essay deadlines approach, the number of requests tend to increase).

Reading Week reminder

2009-02-10T20:38:00.003-05:00

Reading Week is coming! Don't forget to renew or return your library materials before the break.

To renew, go to www.trentu.ca/library and select the 'Renew Books' link. If your items are already overdue (therefore unable to be renewed online), contact Jacquie at oshawarequest@trentu.ca to enquire about the possibility of renewing.

The last van before Reading Week is Thursday, Feb. 12th. Items returned after that date will be sent back to Trent on Feb. 23rd, when classes resume.

Reading Week - hours & material delivery

2009-02-04T18:20:00.004-05:00

Hours of operation:
There will be no change in the hours of operation during Reading Week (Feb. 16-20) for either Trent's Bata Library or the Durham College/UOIT Library. NOTE: both libraries will be closed on Family Day (Feb. 16th).

Delivery of material from Trent's Bata Library:
As there are no Trent classes running during Reading Week (Feb. 16-20), there will be NO regular van service bringing library materials down from Bata Library. Weather permitting, the last regular van delivery will be Thursday, Feb. 12th.

If you wish to have items for Reading Week, please order them through oshawarequest@trentu.ca no later than Tuesday, Feb. 10th. There will be no guarantee of delivery for items ordered after the 10th.

Items returned after the Feb. 12th van run will be held in Oshawa until classes resume on Feb. 23rd. The items will continue to show on your library account until they are received in Peterborough, and will be backdated to their date of return in Oshawa.

Cancelled - delivery of library materials on Jan 28th

2009-01-28T17:17:00.001-05:00

Due to poor road conditions, the delivery of library materials on Wednesday, Jan. 28th has been cancelled. The items should arrive on the Thursday evening van, weather permitting.

Save time - learn to use the library effectively!

2009-01-27T20:41:00.002-05:00

Save time and lessen your stress & frustration by taking an information session. All sessions are offered in the Durham College & UOIT library (room LIB 132).

Research Basics - discover the steps involved in doing academic research and how to use the library's tools effectively.
Tuesday, Feb. 10th, 2-4pm
or
Wednesday, Feb. 11th, 6-8pm

RACER (Inter-Library Loan) - what is it? Learn what RACER is and how to use it.
Thursday, Feb. 12th, 2-3pm or 6-7pm

Sign up for a session by dropping by the Reference desk in the Durham College/UOIT library or contacting Trish at 905-721-8668 x2388 or trish.johns-wilson@dc-uoit.ca

Loan Periods and Returns

2009-01-22T14:49:00.003-05:00

There has been some confusion over an email that was sent out by Durham College/UOIT library staff regarding loan periods and renewals.

To clarify: items owned by the Durham College / UOIT library may be borrowed for two weeks and renewed three times.
All items owned by Trent library (whether from the Peterborough collection or the Trent in Oshawa collection that is housed in the DC/UOIT library) have a two week loan period, with one potential renewal (assuming that no one is waiting for the book).

Off-campus access back up

2009-01-16T13:22:00.000-05:00

Access to off-campus services is back up as of Friday morning, Jan. 16th. Access to services such as E-Res, TOPCAT, journal indexes, etc. has been restored.

Bad weather may delay library materials

2009-01-13T14:10:00.000-05:00

As the cold winds of January whistle around us, just a reminder that poor road conditions may delay or cancel the van that travels between Trent's campuses in Peterborough and Oshawa.

Since the library materials you request from Trent's Bata library come down on the Monday-Thursday evening van, poor weather may cause delays in the usual delivery time. While the 'official' time frame for receiving items is 2-3 days, an increase in the number of requests (as happens as assignments loom) or poor weather may mean an extra day or two wait time.

We will make every effort to ensure that your items arrive in Oshawa as soon as possible. You can assist us by leaving yourself as much time as possible so that bad weather/delays in delivery don't result in the dreaded 'deadline panic'.

The Oshawa book collection is now automated!

2009-01-07T18:51:00.000-05:00

Yes, the Trent in Oshawa library collection is now fully automated! This means that when you find an Oshawa book listed in TOPCAT you can now tell whether it is available for loan or signed out. The Oshawa books will also appear on your library account as being signed out.

With the new system in place, you will need to have a current student card in order to take out library books. Also, overdue fines will apply if you keep your book out longer than the two week loan or renewal period!

2009-01-05T14:23:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!
Just a reminder to anyone who returned Bata library materials after the regular van service stopped on Dec. 11th: materials will remain on your account until the items are received in Ptbo and signed in as returned. The items will be backdated to the date that you returned them in Oshawa, so there will be no additional overdue fines accrued. If the items are still showing as outstanding after the first week of January classes, please contact library staff (trish.johns-wilson@dc-uoit.ca OR oshawarequest@trentu.ca).

Regular van service (Monday-Thursday evening) will resume on Jan. 5th, 2009.

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-22T13:20:00.000-05:00

The library will be closing at 4:30pm on Dec. 23rd and reopening on Jan. 5th, 2009. Regular van service and hours will resume on the 5th.

Have a safe and happy holiday season ... and of course, do lots of studying and prep for your January classes ... or just have a safe and happy holiday season!

Holiday van service

2008-12-10T15:01:00.000-05:00

Remember that the van service that moves library materials between Oshawa and Peterborough only runs when classes are in session. Weather permitting, the last van in December will be on Thursday, Dec. 11th.

If you would like to work on essays & assignments over the holidays, order your library materials by Dec. 10th at the latest. Simplest way to order: send an email request to oshawarequest@trentu.ca

Any items returned after the last 2008 van run will be held in Oshawa until the regular van service resumes on Jan. 5th, 2009.

What's it for?

2008-12-09T20:43:00.000-05:00

If you are a student taking Trent courses in Oshawa, this blog will be the spot to find updates on library services (changes to hours or van service), hints for general research, tips for assignments that keep coming up at the reference desk and so on. As always, if you ever have questions about library research, feel free to ask either myself or other library staff members for assistance!