Natural Standard

The library has added a new database on its subscription list called Natural Standard. This is a database which is different from others that we already have in our collection in the sense that it is the first portal to books and articles in the area of integrative medicine. Integrative or integrated medicine is an area of medicine which combines alternative medicine with evidence-based medicine.

One nice feature of Natural Standard which makes it unique is that it employs a grading system to show expert opinions. For example, an article designates with A means it has a strong scientific evident. It has a statistically significant evidence of benefit from properly randomized trials (RCT), or evidence from one properly conducted RCT and one properly conducted meta-analysis, or evidence from multiple RCTs with a clear majority of the properly conducted trials showing statistically significant evidence of benefit and with supporting evidence in basic science, animal studies, or theory. B means good scientific evidence. This grade applies to situations in which a well designed randomized controlled trial reports negative results but stands in contrast to the positive efficacy results of multiple other less well designed trials or a well designed meta-analysis, while awaiting confirmatory evidence from an additional well designed randomized controlled trial. C means unclear or conflicting scientific evidence. D means fair negative scientific evidence. It also has a level called Lack of Evidence, which means the team of experts cannot evaluate the efficacy of the experiment due to lack of adequate available human data.

In short, Natural Standard is a good and reliable source of information on alternative and holistic medicine.

By Kultida Dunagin

Weeding Project

During the 2013-2014 academic year the TCTC library has weeded 938 print and 1926 electronic books.

Some librarians are “savers”. Others are “tossers”. These terms refer to an individual’s propensity for keeping books (and now, electronic sources). In the dim, dark past (say, up to about the mid 1960’s) most libraries had to beg for materials and wouldn’t DREAM of getting rid of things no matter how out-of-date the information was, because then there wouldn’t be any books on the shelves. But in the early 1960’s as the Russians outdid us in the space race and governments began generously funding libraries practically everywhere, libraries filled their shelves up, and librarians were happy. They MIGHT have even gotten rid of a few things they didn’t need. This lasted until the mid-1980’s sometime. Funding dwindled as taxpayers expressed frustration and politicians made “no new taxes” promises.

The funding looked like this, in a totally unscientific graph of my own devising:

As you know, the mid-1980’s was a LONG TIME AGO. Unfortunately for many libraries, that’s when time seems to have stopped if the copyright date of the majority of the books on the shelves is any indicator. Many libraries still have a glut of books from 1960 through 1980. Obviously, some information doesn’t get old. The words in “Tom Sawyer” are still the same as they were when Mark Twain/Samuel Clemens wrote them. The same side still won, say, World War II, no matter what the copyright date of a history book might be, but as history is analyzed, new insights and information can be added. But other information goes out of date… some very quickly, other more

Connecting with the TCTC Library

The library utilizes a few of the social media tools that are available.  We have Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.  Each of these serves different purposes but all tie together to let you, as a person of TCTC, know that we have a variety of services.  Our Twitter feed usually lists interesting points of the day which could include trivia or quotes.  Our Facebook will usually show various pictures of the staff and other activities that the library participates in. Our Twitter is also linked to Facebook.  Our newest endeavor in social media is Pinterest. Our account there has boards on assignments, citation guides, and new books.

Besides social media, the library offers a table of contents service for professional journals titled Journal*Browse.  We develop this website for you.  You are able to go into it at any time to see current journals in your field.  We do need individual input from you to develop this service.  See examples of Journal*Browse at http://library.tctc.edu/JournalBrowse.   We have guides developed for Sci/Tech, Tutoring, HR, English, Comprehensive Studies, and the Library.  If you need a Journal*Browse developed, please contact Jessica Scott at  jscott2@tctc.edu

We have monthly display themes.  This year’s displays will be based on the below concepts:

·         July - Summer Fun
·         August – Back to School
·         September – Early Childhood
·         October – Hispanic Heritage Month
·         November – Culture and Customs of…
·         December – Cookbooks
·         January – Popular Fiction
·         February – Black History Month
·         March – Nonamerican Authors
·         April – General Country Displays
·         May – Popular Magazine Display
·         June – Books a Million Trip

The library also has a PR campaign every year. This year it is “TCTC Libraries:  The heart of your research”. Look for more information on this campaign as the year progresses.

And finally, remember you are reading the library blog!

Facebook: Tri-County Technical College Library

Twitter: @tctclibrary

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/tctclibrary/

Blog: http://tctclibrary.blogspot.com/

 

Are there other ways that would help you connect to the Library?  If so, contact the Library Director, Marla Roberson at mrobers1@tctc.edu

 

 

Film on Demand and TED Talks Videos - A great combination!

TED Talks is a nonprofit organization devoted to the concept of spreading ideas in short, powerful talks. The library utilizes a database called Films on Demand that provides access to over 600 different TED Talks videos. Are you interested in topics such as Autism, energy production, the power of body languages, or the creation of books? If so, these TED Talks topics, along with many more, can be found in our Films on Demand database!

To access the TED Talks videos in our Films on Demand database, simply CLICK HERE!

If you are off campus, you will be asked to use a password to access this database. Your password for all of the library databases is your T number, with the T.

Take a moment to check out some of the videos in this database. You will be surprised at what you will learn!