Thursday 23 December 2010

2010 science exam papers

The remaining 2010 science, arts and engineering exam papers have now been loaded and are available online.

  • At the DIT Library website click on Find Exam Papers (upper right side)
  • Click on Quick Link to Recent Exam Papers on the Library WebOPAC
  • Select College of Science or College of Engineering or Arts Kevin St
  • Select the year, your course code and then the module you require.
  • Exam papers are displayed by course code/year/module name.

 You will be asked for a login and password for the DIT Student Intranet where the exam papers are hosted - click here and enter your student number and PIN to get the login listing.

Tuesday 14 December 2010

Kevin St Library Christmas opening hours



  • Sat Dec 18th: 9.30am-4.30pm
  • Mon Dec 20th: 9.30am-9.30pm
  • Tues Dec 21st: 9.30am-9.30pm
  • Wed Dec 22nd: 9.30am-9.30pm
  • Thurs Dec 23rd: Afternoon closing
  • 24th December - 3rd January: Closed

Usual Term Opening Hours apply from Tuesday 4th January:

 •  Monday-Thursday: 9.30am-9.30pm

 •  Fridays: 9.30am-5.15pm

 •  Saturdays: 9.30pm-4.30pm

Monday 6 December 2010

2010 exam papers now available online

2010 exam papers for the Colleges of Science & Engineering are now available online.

Please note some papers are still being scanned by the exams office and will be made available as soon as possible.

To Access:  

  • At the DIT Library website click on Find Exam Papers (on the upper right side)
  • Click on Quick Link to Recent Exam Papers on the Library WebOPAC
  • Select College of Science or College of Engineering Kevin St
  • Select the year, your course code and then the module you require.
  • Exam papers are displayed by course code/year/module name.

You will be asked for a login and password for the DIT Student Intranet where the exam papers are hosted.  click here and enter your student number and PIN to get the login listing.

Friday 26 November 2010

British Standards Institute database - the bad news & the good news

 The bad news: due to budget cuts DIT Library's subscription to the BSi British Standards Institute database is cancelled effective Monday 29th November 2010.

The better news: the National Standards Authority of Ireland database (NSAI) will be available in the new year. This provides full text access to Irish and International (ISO) standards. An interim trial access point is available until 17/12/10 at http://www.standards.ie/ . Please contact the library for log-in details.

Wednesday 24 November 2010

Accelerate your search using Searcher

Accelerate your database searching with Searcher which allows users to search across up to 16 DIT library databases at once, with more databases to be added in the next few weeks. A list of the databases covered is available on the Advanced Search page. At the moment the DIT Library subscription to Searcher is available on the Kevin St Library Blog and Kevin St Library website. Searcher offfer the following options:

  • Searcher  removes duplicate results, and then weighs the relevance of each result.
  • Define your search using including specific phrases and complex Boolean operators.
  • Advanced search - search for the precise details needed, like an author name or a publication date.
  • Downloadable results - email or download your selected results to a citation reader for easy reference.

Saturday 13 November 2010

Online Exam Papers


Kevin St Exam papers (2009) are now available online 
 (2010 papers will be available shortly)


  • At the DIT Library website click on Find Exam Papers (on the upper right side)
  • Click on Quick Link to Recent Exam Papers.
  • Select College of Science or College of Engineering (Kevin St) or College of Arts (Kevin St).
  • Select the year, your course code and then the module you require.
  • Exam papers are displayed by course code/year/module name. 
You will be asked for a login and password for the DIT Student Intranet where the exam papers are hosted - contact Kevin St Library. Or click here and enter your student number and PIN to get the login listing.

Tuesday 9 November 2010

Hadron Collider creates a 'mini-big bang'

The Large Hadron Collider has successfully created a "mini-Big Bang" by smashing together lead ions instead of protons. The scientists working at the enormous machine on Franco-Swiss border achieved the unique conditions on 7 November. The experiment created temperatures a million times hotter than the centre of the Sun.

Up until now, the world's highest-energy particle accelerator - which is run by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (Cern) - has been colliding protons. Read more and see a clip here
LHC lead-ion collisions image from www.bbc.co.uk

Thursday 28 October 2010

Web of Knowledge update

The Web of Knowledge Personalisation Service which includes the following customised options now requires Athens authentication: 
  • Sign In and Register
  • Save and manage your references with EndNoteWeb 
  • Save and run searches
  • Create alerts and RSS feeds
  • Choose your start page
  • Table of Contents (ToCs) and Citation alerts
  • ISI Researcher Badge
Please note an Athens login is required for this personalised section only not the main database. Web of Knowledge database users in the DIT network do not require an athens login. Remote access still requries a DIT staff/student number and Library PIN. Please contact the Library for the new Athens login at 402-4894 or kst.library@dit.ie if you use the customised service outlined above.

Tuesday 26 October 2010

Endnote etutorials and updates

Getting started information for Endnote X2 and X3 versions is available on the library website.The X2 etutorial addresses transfering references from databases and use with Word 2007. If you're new to reference management software try the EndnoteWeb freeware first before using the subscription software. For faqs, webinars and demos re Endnote and Endnote see also the Adept Scientifc website.

Friday 22 October 2010

Aspirin - not just good for your heart?

Low does of aspirin long-term reduces the incidence of colon cancer by a quarter, research published this morning shows. Researchers from Oxford University carried out the first study to assess the long-term effectiveness of aspirin on colorectal cancer incidence and mortality and report their results in The Lancet. DIT Library subscribes to the Lancet e-journal - read the article here. If you are accessing this article from outside the DIT network you'll be asked for your student/staff number and Library PIN.

IEEE Database: access update

All users of the IEEE Electronic Library database please note that access is now via ATHENS authentication (previously IP authentication).

Please contact Kevin St Library for the current academic year passwords for both remote and DIT access. See also the Athens information on the Library website or contact the Information Desk at 402-4894.

Thursday 21 October 2010

Getting started in the Library


Need some help using the Library? Want  to borrow a laptop, locate information for a project or find out where the group study rooms are? Kevin St library is offering short 15 minute orientation sessions to help get you started.
For more information or to make a booking contact Kevin St library or your class rep.

Monday 18 October 2010

October Public Holiday

Kevin St Library will be closed on Saturday 23rd and Monday 25th October for the October holiday weekend. Usual semester opening hours apply at all other times. See also Kevin St Library Opening Hours.

Thursday 14 October 2010

IEEE Xplore Database Training

An IEEE database training event will take place in Kevin Street on Friday 29th October from 10am-1pm in the Kevin Street Library training room.

If you'd like to find out how to get the best from the database you may register here. Please indicate that you will attend the DIT Library Kevin Street event on the 29th giving your name and college.

Wednesday 13 October 2010

New screen & projector in Group Study Room

A new data screen and projector are now available in Group Study Room A207 for student use.

Students can connect with their laptop to prepare presentations or assignments or use with the Wifi.

To book a slot in the study room email Kevin St Library or contact the desk at 402-4894

Monday 27 September 2010

Library access via DIT app

DIT Library's e-resources and catalogue are now available as part of the DIT app for iPhones, iTouch and android smartphones. Download for free from any app store - search for DIT.

Just remember to have to have your library PIN set up to access the e-resources. 

Thursday 16 September 2010

Google Instant search comes to town - sort of

Google Instant is a new search enhancement that shows results as you type. This means that you can scan a results page while you type and you don’t have to finish typing your full search term, or even press “search.”.  You have to use google.com - it's not available on google.ie yet. Could be useful, could be annoying...give it a try and see..... For some less than complimentary feedback see Charlie Brooker's comments and for some hints n tips see this blog entry.

ACM Digital Library update

A gentle reminder to all ACM Digital Library users:
DIT's ACM subscription covers full-text access to the ejournals only. Unfortunatley it doesn't include access to conference proceedings or letters of the ACM. If you need a conf proc eprint see information and applications forms for an Inter Library Loan and we'll try and get you the info asap.

Monday 13 September 2010

Term opening hours

Welcome to new students and welcome back to returning students. Term opening hours in DIT Library Kevin St begin on Monday 20th September:
    • Mon-Thurs: 9.30am-9.30pm
    • Fridays: 9.30am-5.15pm
    • Saturdays: 9.30am-4.30pm

      Friday 3 September 2010

      Is technology dumbing us down?

      The internet debate rumbles on. Many of us are familiar with the arguments both for and against the idea that google is making us stupid and Nicholas Carr's latest book The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains fuels the debate arguing that the internet’s info-bites and quick-links format may be impairing our capacity for in-depth reading and thinking. Read a review and interview here and keep an eye out for the book in Kevin St Library.

      Thursday 26 August 2010

      New ALCID cards available

      ALCID cards for the academic year 2010-2011 are now available at the Library desk.
      For more information and an application form click here

      Wednesday 25 August 2010

      New DIT Library Book Loan Period for Undergraduates

      To ensure fairer and faster turnaround of textbooks the undergraduate student book loan period will change to 14 days from 6th Sept 2010.

      Items may still be renewed for a further 14 days at 01-4024894 or online using your Library PIN.

      Please note items may be renewed once only and items that are overdue are not renewable online. Reminder notices are sent to your dit email before and after book loans go overdue.

      If you have any queries please contact Kevin St Library at 402-4894 or  kst.library@dit.ie

      Friday 13 August 2010

      Webicina Resource


      For web2.0 style updates and new information resources relating to ophthalmology, genetics, pathology and other biomedical resources have a look at Webicina.

      Thursday 5 August 2010

      New audio and image resources for students

      JISC digital media and Intute have collaborated to produce a great new range of tutorials for students using the web to locate and embed audio, images and video for project and research work. 
      Find out where to find appropriate links with advice about copyright and licensing issues clearly explained.



       

      Tuesday 3 August 2010

      Updated textbook editions

      Gasson & Morris : Contact Lens Manual:  a practical guide to fitting:
      2010 : 4th revised edition
      4 copies in Lending and 2 in Short Loan


      Haynes, William : CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics 2010-2011
      91st edition
      Shelved in Reference



      Friday 30 July 2010

      HIQA Catalogue of Irish Health Information Sources

      The Health Information and Quality Authority today published a comprehensive national Catalogue of Irish health information sources. The catalogue aims to increase awareness about the purpose and content of these sources and how the data can be accessed.

      New Health Research Board Report


      The therapy professions make up a significant proportion of the health-care workforce in Ireland. One of the DoHC's strategic goals is to ensure that the therapy professions have clear direction for their research.The HRB study addresses this by using the Delphi research technique to identify research priorities for each profession:

      (i) physiotherapy
      (ii) occupational therapy
      (iii) podiatry
      (iv) speech and language therapy
      (v) nutrition and dietetics
      (vi) orthoptics

      Tuesday 27 July 2010

      Monday 2nd August: Library closed


      Kevin St Library will be closed on Monday 2nd August for the Public Holiday.

      Summer opening hours apply at all other times:
      • Monday-Friday 9.30am-5.15pm.

      Wednesday 21 July 2010

      Calling all postgrads: useful tools from Google Scholar

      In order to get the most out of using Google Scholar have a look at the following recently released new features:
      • Google Scholar Alerts to help you keep up to date with your field of interest
      • Search within Citing Articles which can help you trace an article's impact
      Remember when using Google Scholar you need to set your preferences so that Google knows you are affiliated with  DIT Library. That way, Google can detect which journals DIT Library has a subscription to and provide a link to take you to the full text.
      You can choose up to three libraries to link to. Once you save your preferences, either a library link or icon will appear in your search results. In addition to selecting your library, you can also choose to display citation import links to various bibliography managers, such as EndNote and RefWorks.

      DIT Library collaborates in bibliometrics research project


      DIT Library with DCU, UCD and NUI Maynooth Llibraries have received funding for a collaborative project to produce bibliometrics training materials.

      Bibliometrics is a methodology to measure research publications and assess research impact and the project aims to produce an online tutorial, worksheets, posters, booklets, and multimedia elements. Materials will be editable wherever possible and will include exemplars of adapting / using the materials for Computer Science.

      The grant is from NDLR -  the Irish National Digital Learning Resources service. The materials will be hosted in the NDLR repository which is available for all to use under Open Access license.

      Monday 19 July 2010

      Updated Science Programme Documents now available online

      34 updated science programme /course documents are now available in pdf format on the Library Catalogue

      • Search by Title or Subject and input the Course Code e.g. DT238

      • Search by Author and input a School or College e.g. School of Computing or College of Science

      • To get a full e-listing search by Subject and input Course document DIT Kevin St

      Please note: you will need your DIT student number and your Library PIN to access these documents both inside and outside the DIT network.

      Tuesday 13 July 2010

      ACM database update


      Following numerous desk enquires and emails re. access issues with the ACM Digital Library database DIT Library staff tried to establish to what exactly DIT users were entitled. It turns out that DIT's ACM subscription enables access to the journals full-text only and not to the conference proceedings or letters.

      Anyone who needs material beyond this subscription level please contact the Library at 402-4804 or email Ask A Librarian to arrange an Inter Library Loan. Documents can be supplied electronically or in paper format.

      Monday 12 July 2010

      New physics textbooks now available

      Knight, Randall: Physics for scientists and engineers with modern physics : a strategic approach
      Shelf Number: 530
      (4 copies in Short Loan & 6 in Lending)
      Hofmann, Philip: Solid State Physics: an introduction
      Shelf Number: 530.41
      (3 copies)
       
       
       
       
       
      Kidger, M.J. Fundamental Optical Design
      Shelf Number: 535.32
      (2 copies)

      Thursday 8 July 2010

      Summer Services for Postgrads & Researchers

      Need information and can't get to the Library during summer opening hours? Here are some of the options you might find useful:

      Contact us at 01- 02484 or at Ask a Librarian for more information 

      Friday 11 June 2010

      Enjoy the summer - Kevin St Library is still open!

      Kevin St Library Summer Hours

      From 17th June 2010 the library will open as follows:

      Mon-Friday: 9.30am-5.15pm
      Saturdays: Closed

      See also the DIT Library Opening Hours listing

      Tuesday 8 June 2010

      DART-Europe e-theses Portal


      On a similar note to the post below about RIAN- research output from DIT's repository ARROW is now being harvested by DART-Europe.

      DART-Europe is an e-theses portal which currently gives access to approx 156965 full-text research theses from 276 universities sourced from 17 European countries now including DIT. In a nutshell it aims to help provide researchers with a single European Portal for the discovery of Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs).

      National Portal for Irish Research (RIAN) available from today

      Ireland's National Portal for Open Access to Research Goes Live

      Ireland’s new national portal for Open Access to Irish published research will go live today. RIAN will act as a single point of access to national research output, and contains content harvested from the institutional repositories of the seven Irish Universities and Dublin Institute of Technology (Arrow).  RIAN aims to increase the visibility and impact of Irish research and will expand to harvest content from other Irish Open Access providers as the service develops.

      Benefits of RIAN to Irish authors:
      * Broadens worldwide access to material
      * Increases citations for research items
      * Enhances access to material via search engines
      * Raises profile of Irish researchers internationally

      Tuesday 25 May 2010

      Extended opening hours June 2010

      Kevin St Library opening hours have been extended to facilitate apprentice exams.

      From Tuesday 8th until Wednesday 16th June term opening hours will continue as usual:

      • Monday-Thursday: 9.30am-9.30pm
      • Friday: 9.30am-5.15pm
      • Saturdays: 9.30am-4.30pm
      Please note the library will be open on Saturday 5th June (9.30am-4.30pm), but is closed on Monday 7th for the June public holiday.

      From Thursday 17th June vacation opening hours apply:

      • Monday- Friday: 9.30am-5.15pm
      • Saturdays: Closed
      See also Kevin St Library Opening Hours on the web

      Thursday 20 May 2010

      New Web of Science database enhancements from May 2010

      New tools for author promotion available in ResearcherID


      • Highlight the impact of an author’s work with citation counts for papers indexed in Web of ScienceSM

      • Use EndNote® Web to manage a personal publication list for ResearcherID.

      • Explore the world of research with an interactive map that can help locate researchers by country and topic, or use the new country tag cloud.

      EndNote Web


      • Sort reference lists by times cited, date added to the library, and date modified to locate references easily.

      • View group affiliations for each reference in a list.

      • Save edits whenever you decide or let auto-save capture your changes.

      • Transfer up to 10,000 references between the Web and Thomson Reuters EndNote on the desktop

      Tuesday 11 May 2010

      9am opening extended until 5th June


      Kevin St Library opening time at 9am has been extended until Saturday 5th June to facilitate students doing college exams.

      • Monday-Thursday 9am-9.30pm
      • Fridays: 9am-5.15pm
      • Saturdays: 9am-4.30pm

      Tuesday 4 May 2010

      Irish Times epaper : access via DIT Library

      DIT Library's subscription to the Irish Times service (plus the Archive) does not include the digital version "Irish Times epaper" which is a separate subscription service.

      However DIT Library does now have 5 free concurrent user licences for the epaper version and access is available through our DIT Library's IP address. Just click on "Today's epaper" at the top of the Irish Times homepage to get access. Remember to access via the Databases link on the DIT Library website.

      Thursday 29 April 2010

      May holiday weekend

                 
      Kevin St Library will be closed on Monday 3rd May for the public holiday.

      The Library will be open as usual on Saturday 1st May (9am-4.30pm) and will re-open at 9am on Tuesday 4th May.

      Click here for summer term opening hours.

      Wednesday 21 April 2010

      Library guides available to download

      Library guides for Kevin St are now available in pdf format to download from the Kevin St library webpage. These range from info for first years to doing a final year project and doing literature reviews.

      Library opening hours during semester exams


      Kevin St Library will open at 9am from Monday 26th April until Saturday 29th May.
      • Monday - Thursday 9am-9.30pm
      • Fridays: 9am-5.15pm
      • Saturdays: 9am-4.30pm

      Monday 12 April 2010

      Open access resources for chemistry, physics and maths

      Two open access resources to research and ejournals crossed our radar today - have a look at
      Chemistry Central and PhysMathCentral - both are operated by BiomedCentral which is an independent publishing platform committed to providing immediate open access to peer-reviewed science research. Also available are the Biology Image Library and the Current Controlled Trials listing. Services such as articles alerts updates are all offered.