Student Library Newsletter

In this issue:

Does the term "primary source" leave you a bit confused? This primer will help!

What are they?
Primary sources are the raw material on which research is based. They are firsthand testimony or direct evidence concerning a topic and present information in its original form. They have not been interpreted, condensed, or evaluated by other writers. (Sources that do the interpreting, condensing, or evaluating are called secondary sources.) You will use primary sources as evidence and to illustrate your arguments. Primary sources come in all shapes and sizes and can be found throughout the library as well as online.

Examples of primary sources

The importance of context
The context of your research can impact whether you should consider a source as primary or secondary. Biographies are a good example. They are typically considered secondary sources because they pull together information from many sources and present an interpretation of the historical figure. But what if you aren't researching that historical figure but instead are researching how that figure has been portrayed, or how a particular biographer writes? In that case, the biography is now a primary source.

For more information on primary sources, visit the library’s online guide and check out the special display on the lower level of the library.

Here are two examples for searching primary sources:

Historic Newspapers

Newspapers can be a key primary source for historical research. They provide “at the moment” accounts of events and also offer contextual understanding of the cultural, social, and political climate of the day. For some events that didn’t otherwise enter the written record, they may even be the only primary sources available. And good news! In our modern digitized world, finding and accessing historic newspapers is as simple as using a library database. You might not see any newspapers in Buhl Library, but they are here in virtual droves. Many offer full-text searching, or you can review content by date.

Here are some of the key historic newspapers and collections available through the library:

Newspapers

• The New York Times (1851-present)
• The Times (London : UK, 1785-2014) and The Sunday Times (London : UK, 1822-2006) (part of GALE Primary Sources (Newspapers))
• The Wall Street Journal (1984-present) (part of US Newsstream)
• The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (1997-present) (part of Newspaper Source)

Collections

• US Newsstream: this package includes over 1300 newspapers and other news sources dating from the 1980s to current news
• Newspaper Source: this package offers full coverage of more than 40 US and international papers plus select coverage of almost 400 regional newspapers.
• Nexis Uni: you may know this database chiefly for legal research, but it also contains significant coverage of newspapers, from the local to the international level. 
• Accessible Archives: this package includes a large number of historical American newspapers, many of which can’t be found elsewhere.

For more on the historic newspapers available to you, check out the library's News & Newspaper Access page.

Library DVDs with Accessibility Features

Many DVDs are issued with special features like closed captioning or audio description to support use by people with disabilities, but these DVDs can be hard to locate in a library catalog. Not anymore! Buhl Library staff has reviewed our entire collection to identify accessible DVDs and updated catalog records when appropriate with at least one of the following standard genre tags:

• Films for the hearing impaired
• Television programs for the hearing impaired
• Films for people with visual disabilities
• Television programs for people with visual disabilities.

It turns out that over half of the DVDs in our collection offer some support for users with disabilities! If you are looking for DVDs with such features, you can now find the genre tag as part of the DVD description in the online catalog, or you can search or filter on the tags. These updates also aid staff in locating appropriate DVDs with the features you need if you come to the library for assistance.

Library Software Upgrade Summer 2024

The library has another renovation coming! But don’t worry, this one involves no noise or dust. 

Buhl Library, and all of the libraries on campus, will be upgrading to a new library management software system in July 2024.  The new system will take over hosting the library collection and patron data as well as enabling functions like library borrowing and course reserves. The biggest impacts of the change will be behind-the-scenes for library staff, but library patrons will enjoy an upgraded version of Henry, the online library catalog.

The decision to change software systems wasn’t taken lightly after 30 years on the same system. But in that time the library’s needs have changed and new technologies have become available. The library will be moving onto an open-source product called Koha, supported by ByWater Solutions. This product will better support library functions, patron activities, and the library’s strategic goals; it will also realize long-term cost savings for the library.

More details on the upgrade timeline and impacts of the change will be coming soon. For the latest information, please visit the Library Software Upgrade page.

Upcoming Faculty Book Talk

Kimberly M. Miller
 April 18th, 2024
4-5pm
 Buhl Library Classroom

Dr. Miller is the author of 11 novels, of which Seriously, Sadie? is her most recent. Come and listen to her speak on the creative writing and publishing process!

Click here to choose from our list or to recommend one of your favorites, and check back regularly to see daily results of the polls. Voting is open April 3rd-17th.

Candy Bar Sales Continue

Satisfy your sweet tooth and help a great cause at the same time! The library continues to sell a variety of Daffin's chocolate bars for $1 each in support of the Hopefield Children’s Complex in Grove City, helping local special needs children and their families. Sales will continue until the supply runs out and we meet our fundraising goal.

Recently Added Faculty Publications

Users of Britannica Academic will notice a recent redesign. The updated site offers a fresh new interface, and all of its search features are now front and center, with advanced searching and filters right on the home page. Notice especially the easy filter for finding Primary Sources.

Not a Britannica Academic user yet? This is a useful tool for finding background information on many topics, and it also includes access to images, multimedia content, and select journal articles and primary source documents.

Test your knowledge of the English language!

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has recently issued a fun quiz you might enjoy to test your knowledge of the English language. Click the logo to start.

For more on the meaning, usage, and history of over 500,000 English words and phrases, visit the OED online, provided for you by Buhl Library.

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