Student Library Newsletter

In this issue:

Finals week is almost upon us, and Buhl Library is ready to be your favorite study spot once again. Come on over!

Extended Hours
The library is open early and late, with extra hours on the weekend. If the library isn’t open, you should probably be asleep or in church.

Study Day (May 9th)
Everyone needs a break from studying once in a while, and if you are working in the library, you are already in the right place for a break! There will be stress-relief activities like puzzles and crayons available in the library, and you can cuddle with the therapy dogs in the lobby from 1pm to 4pm. You can also check out our “de-stressing” online guide for other activities, like the kitten cam and chair yoga, to help you keep calm and carry on.

Quiet Time
Sometimes the library gets a little lively, but during Finals Week the entire library is designated quiet study space. Even the Learning Commons! Everyone has work to do, so please help each other get it done by keeping the volume low.

Huddle Rooms
The Huddle Rooms are very popular during Finals Week so book yours early! Reservations can be made for 2 hours max as usual, but during Finals Week reservations are limited to one slot per day to be fair to others. These rooms are great for group study and collaborative projects. The Surface Hubs were made for this!

Help is Here
If you are writing final papers, don’t forget! Library staff is here as usual to help you find good sources and cite them correctly.

Good luck finishing everything up this semester. You can do this!

New DVDs!

In a recent campaign, students were invited to vote for the DVDs they’d most like to see added to the library collection. And now, based in part on that voting, a whole bunch of DVDs have just arrived on the Buhl Library DVD display shelves! Top vote-getters were Top Gun: Maverick, Dune, and Oppenheimer. Be sure to stop by and pick up something new for movie night!

Searching by Biblical Passages in Atla

Atla Religion Database with AtlaSerials is one of Buhl’s most popular databases, used for all levels and aspects of religious studies. And one of the best things about this database is how easy it is to search for resources on a specific passage of scripture. There is not one, not two, but three different ways to do this. Watch this tutorial to learn them all!

What are Microfilm and Microfiche?

Sometimes old technology is the only option! Nowadays, most articles or periodicals can be found online somewhere, somehow. But there remain a select few that have never been digitized or aren’t widely accessible. Some of these that Buhl’s researchers need are instead available on microform. 

Microform is a means of reproducing large amounts of content at a microscopic scale on film. It may come in the form of microfilm, on reels, and microfiche, on sheets. These are inserted into a reading machine, and the user scrolls through to find relevant sections. 

A microfilm reel       

Before computers, microfilm and microfiche were an ideal option for archiving newspapers, periodicals, and other content, saving space and also permanently preserving content that might be delicate or easily damaged. One microfilm reel might hold 2400 pages of content, and a sheet of microfiche might hold up to 100 pages.

A microfiche sheet

At Buhl, there are about 60 titles still held on microform that are not available to our users otherwise. These include the Allied News local newspaper, for which this is the only existing archive, and periodicals like the Atlantic Monthly and New Testament Studies for years before our online database coverage kicks in.

Microfilm/microfiche reader setup

If you find something in the catalog that is on microfilm or microfiche, you can experience this classic technology firsthand! Ask at the desk and a librarian will assist you.

For more on the history of microform in libraries, try this article. 

The student workers at Buhl Library have a few summertime reading suggestions for you!

Some of these books can be found in the campus libraries, and all are readily available from your favorite bookseller.

Note: the Curriculum Library is closed over the summer. If you wish to borrow something over the break, be sure to check it out on May 9th at the latest.

It’s time for Buhl Library’s Summer Reading 2024!

We want to see all of the amazing places you are reading this summer! Each week we will highlight the travels of our GCC community on social media. Whether you are in your own backyard or around the globe, send us a picture of you and what you’re reading at your location. Use this form to submit your photo anytime between Monday, May 20th and Sunday, August 25th. Submit as often as you like! One photo per submission please. Each submission will enter you into our prize drawing to be held in late August. Have a great summer, everyone!

Return your library books before you go

Thursday May 9th is not only Study Day but also the day that all your library books are due! However, if you need some books for your finals, don’t fret. There is a grace period on fines, so as long as you return your books by 6pm on Tuesday May 14th you will receive no fines. The books are due “early” so that you will get email reminders to help you remember to return your books as soon as you’re done with them. Just imagine the overdue fines if you leave campus for break without returning them! 

Note that the grace period on fines only applies to regular Buhl book checkouts and not DVDs, audiobooks, DVD drives, or reserves. Be sure to return these on time to avoid fines.

Borrowing over break

Did you know that you can check books out over the summer break if you are a returning student? This is your chance to get ahead on some reading for the fall or to finally read that fun book you’ve been meaning to! Checkouts for over break are available on request starting Wednesday May 8th whenever a librarian is on duty.

Congratulations to the many soon-to-be graduates on campus—you did it!! And a special shout-out to the 6 Buhl Library student workers graduating this month. Thank you for all your hard work and the great times in the library. We wish you all the very best!

Library Software Upgrade Summer 2024

Upgrade Reminder

The college libraries will undergo a major software upgrade in late July. The new system will host all of the library's data about collections, checkouts, course reserves, and more. The online library catalog will also be upgraded.

If you will be using the library during the summer, whether in-person or online, have no fear! You can expect minimal disruption. Buhl Library will remain open during its regular summer hours, and access to the collections and online databases will not be impacted during the transition. 

Click here for more information on the upcoming upgrade.

Attention, listmakers!

Do you save lists of titles under your account in the online catalog to keep track of your research, your summer reading wishlist, and more? When the library upgrades to the new library software system in late July, the online catalog will change and all saved lists in the current system will be lost unless you take action in advance. Before July 17, 2024,  review your saved lists and print or copy the contents of any lists you want to keep. Click here for instructions.

Candy Bar Sales Reach The Goal!

Thank you for your love of chocolate in support of a good cause. Buhl Library's springtime Daffin's candy bar sales raised over $600 in support of the Hopefield Children’s Complex in Grove City, helping local special needs children and their families. Those funds were enough to purchase everything on the organization's wishlist and more. Thanks to everyone who contributed!

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