Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Bigger and better...




This semester, there have been some big improvements to ITB Library's online databases!

Academic Search Premier has been replaced by Academic Search Complete.
With access to over 13,000 online journals, Academic Search Complete is an excellent source of information for ITB students.  It covers a variety of topics including sociology, engineering, horticulture and informatics.

Business Source Premier has been replaced by Business Source Complete.
Including over 20,000 industry reports, 17,600 company profiles, 1,600 country economic reports, in addition to books, journals and reports, Business Source Complete is an excellent source of information for students taking business modules.

For assistance in searching these databases, have a look at the online tutorials (simple search or advanced search). 

Don't forget - if you are reading this from off-campus, you need to log in to access the library databases.  Just enter your name, student number and PIN, when requested.  Any problems - ask a librarian at LibraryInfo@itb.ie!

Monday, January 30, 2012

Need a Little Help with Referencing?




Why not try the Harvard Reference Generator? This is a free online tool designed to help students prepare their bibliography or reference list quickly and easily. Simply fill out the box with the required information and hit the button at the end of the page. Based on the information supplied, it will automatically generate a perfect citation in the Harvard Style which you can then copy into your work. You can choose to reference books, journals, newspapers, and websites and therefore allows you to get along with your assignments without having to stress about getting your bibliography in order. You can check it out here http://www.citethisforme.com/
Of course, it is best to learn how to reference for yourself, without the aid of a tool. ITB library has its own comprehensive guide which explains all you need to know about referencing. you can find this printed guide in the display stand in front of the circulation desk.

Friday, January 27, 2012

January 28th is Data Privacy Day



According to Wikipedia, the purpose of Data Privacy Day is to raise awareness and promote privacy education. It is currently celebrated in the United States, Canada, and 27 European countries.  It is aimed at raising awareness among teens and young adults about the importance of protecting the privacy of their personal information online, particularly in the context of social networking.


Sharing information on social networking sites such as Facebook poses potential risks if you do not exercise caution. To smart n to success advise you to bear in mind: 

  • Set the security settings on your profile to "Only my friends".
  • Always monitor pictures that other people put of you and tag you on - don't hesitate for a second to "untag" yourself from pictures that you do not approve of.
  • Do not post pictures/videos of yourself under the influence of any type of substance.
  • Don't confuse Facebook with an on-line dating site!
  • Avoid putting your phone number, mailing address, children's or pet's names in your profile.
 
Other useful tips include:
 
  • Never post information regarding an upcoming holiday or trip as your status.
  • Change your password regularly
  • Be careful who you friend...i.e your boss!
  • Before clicking on a link from Facebook, always remember to check the address bar, do not follow links which are external to Facebook
  • Don't post anything which you wouldn't be prepared to say to somebody's face.