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August 28th, 2013
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Libraries and the university’s College of Engineering are collaborating in an effort to assess and teach information gathering skills among engineering students.
“In our own research and in other findings, we discovered a need in self-directed learning, especially in information literacy,” said Senay Purzer, an assistant professor in engineering education at Purdue and principal investigator on the project. “Engineering graduates must constantly renew and expand their skills in rapidly changing fields, and this program is designed to measure students’ information literacy skills and to develop their abilities as they become practicing engineers.”
Loosely defined, self-directed learning is a process where students determine their own learning needs, including knowing where to go to find the resources that can help them meet their objectives. That often involves information literacy skills, which is where Purdue Libraries fits into the project.
The effort received a $200,000 boost from the National Science Foundation to develop assessment tools that measure information literacy skills and attitudes among engineering students, said Michael Fosmire, head of the physical sciences, engineering and technology division of Purdue Libraries. Fosmire and Amy Van Epps, associate professor of library science, are co-principal investigators on the project.
“We expect to develop validated assessment tools that can accurately measure student performance, and we expect that these tools will lead to better and deeper conversations between engineering faculty and librarians about the skills students need in this area,” Fosmire said.
The project includes two objectives. One is to develop surveys to measure students’ perceptions of their self-directed learning skills to gather evidence and use that information to make effective decisions. The other objective incudes a multiple-choice information literacy test, one part focusing on assessing students’ reflective judgment and information literacy skills and the second part checking the reasoning behind their answers.
The overall goal is to promote persistent, lifelong learning skills in alignment with ABET requirements and the Purdue University College of Engineering’s Engineer of 2020 vision, to enable students to stay abreast of changes in their fields and be effective problem solvers as practicing engineers. The assessments provide engineering faculty with the tools and resources needed to do so.
The effort also initially includes the universities of Arkansas and Manitoba (Ontario, Canada), and Arizona State University. Additionally, project leaders also plan to share the program with others at professional research conferences and institutions across the nation. Several universities also have expressed an interest.
Writer: Jim Bush, 765-494-2077, jsbush@purdue.edu
Sources: Senay Purzer, 765-496-1684, senay@purdue.edu
Michael Fosmire, 765-494-2858, fosmire@purdue.edu
Amy Van Epps, 765-496-7680, vanepa@purdue.edu
Filed under: ENGR, faculty_staff, general, press_release
August 23rd, 2013
Welcome to the fall semester at Purdue, and welcome to Database of the Week. This feature from the Roland G. Parrish Library of Management & Economics is intended to give you a brief introduction to a database that you may not know. These weekly snapshots will have basic information about our most relevant online resources, and hopefully tempt you to explore for your own specific purpose. Feedback is always welcome.
Database name: ABI/INFORM Global, from ProQuest.
Find it:www.lib.purdue.edu/libraries/mgmt, under the left-hand column Collections, click on List of Business Databases.
Description/focus: ABI/INFORM Global is one of the most comprehensive business databases, delivering the content of over 3000 scholarly journals, trade journals, and non-periodicals such as EIU ViewsWire, Business Dissertations, and Business Cases.
Try this: The ProQuest interface begins at the Basic Search which treats your search terms as keywords. You can switch to Advanced Search and narrow your results by limiting to title. subject, or other field. You can also search in combined ProQuest databases by opening the “Searching:” list above the ProQuest logo. If your search results include titles displaying the icon Find It @ Purdue Libraries, click on that icon to get to the full text in another database. See here for a short video tutorial on the basics of searching ABI/Inform Global.
Why faculty should know this database: Almost all Parrish Library Subject Guides and classroom instruction sessions include ABI/INFORM Global as a recommended database for articles. Once you are satisfied with your search statement, one click turns it into an RSS feed.
Why students should know this database: ABI/INFORM Global gives researchers at all levels easy access to business and financial information, with the capability to narrow the search to scholarly journals, trade publications, or dissertations. Search results can be saved by creating personal folders within the database.
Tags: articles, full text, news, ProQuest, scholarly journals, trade magazines.
Cost: For information about the Libraries’ subscription, contact Mary Dugan.
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Database of the Week comes to you from the Roland G. Parrish Library of Management & Economics. If you would like more information about this database, or if you would like a demonstration of it for a class, contact parrlib@purdue.edu. Database of the Week is archived at https://blogs.lib.purdue.edu/news/category/MGMT/. For more Purdue Libraries news, follow us on Twitter (@PurdueLibraries).
If you would like us to promote your favorite database, send an email to mdugan@purdue.edu.
Filed under: database, general, MGMT
August 21st, 2013
August 20th, 2013
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University Libraries is commemorating the 100th anniversary of the creation of its Special Collections through a special exhibit on display through Dec. 30.
The exhibit, in the Virginia Kelly Karnes Archives and Special Collections Research Center on the fourth floor of Stewart Center’s Humanities, Social Science and Education Library, traces the history and growth of the special collections. It showcases some of the earliest items collected on Purdue history and more recent acquisitions as collecting priorities have been established.
Organized by former Purdue librarian William Hepburn in 1913, Special Collections was part of his vision for a new library facility designed to fulfill his philosophy for a student-centered approach, focus on faculty research and continued community outreach. When Hepburn joined Purdue in 1904, the library was located in shared spaces with other departments and classrooms in University Hall. The space was crowded, with inadequate seating and collections space, and was seen more as a warehouse than a library. Hepburn envisioned a stand-alone library facility for Purdue that would serve as a center for learning and enhance the university’s teaching and research mission. He increased circulation and use of the library, and in 1911 the Indiana legislature appropriated $100,000 for building Purdue’s first library building.
After several years of effort, Purdue’s new library was dedicated on June 10, 1913. Purdue President Winthrop Stone, Indiana state librarian D.C. Brown and Hepburn spoke at the dedication of the new facility. In his address, Brown praised the new library and called on Purdue to create a strong research library to promote scholarship, the love of learning, and democracy. When Hepburn’s turn came, he called on alumni to contribute their papers and publications, in effect announcing the creation of the first collecting effort for what would eventually become known as Archives and Special Collections.
Although Purdue library leaders began collecting papers of alumni and faculty following the creation of the new library building in 1913, Special Collections was not established as a distinct unit until 1978, when space became available in Stewart Center. Some of the earliest collections include the personal papers and libraries of two of Purdue’s noted authors, Board of Trustees member Charles Major and alumnus George Ade. Selections from their collections are on display as well as rare books designed by acclaimed typographer and alumnus Bruce Rogers and the Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoon created by alumnus John T. McCutcheon. The first Purdue thesis, written by Charles Bohrer in 1876 on the physiological effects of beer, is included in the exhibit alongside other early Purdue documents such as a football game ticket and score card from 1893 and programs documenting the short-lived Purdue Circus. Other artifacts of Purdue student life, such as dance cards and clothing, are included, giving a sense of how student life and culture are documented in the collections.
Select items from the collections of two of Purdue’s most recognized women, Amelia Earhart and Lillian Gilbreth, also are showcased. Visitors will have the rare opportunity to see former staff member Earhart’s flight helmet and a model created by Frank and Lillian Gilbreth as part of their pioneering motion study work. The Gilbreths’ lives were featured in the book and film “Cheaper By the Dozen,” and their papers are among the most frequently requested collections by researchers.
In many ways the evolution of the special collections mirrors the institution itself, highlighting the accomplishments of the people who have contributed to Purdue’s history as faculty, staff or students. Since 2005 the Archives and Special Collections has strategically focused its collecting efforts on areas of distinction for Purdue as a land grant institution, including engineering, science, agriculture, and business. Collecting initiatives such as the Susan Bulkeley Butler Women’s Archives and the Barron Hilton Flight and Space Archives are part of the exhibit. Some of the most recent acquisitions, such as a checklist used by alumni astronaut Neil Armstrong for landing on the moon and a glove worn by alumni astronaut Eugene Cernan, the last person to walk on the moon, are available for viewing.
In 2009, the University Archives was formally established with a resolution signed by then President France Cordova to ensure that the documentation of Purdue’s growth, changes and accomplishments are preserved. Today, many of the important documents and images capturing the activities of Purdue faculty, staff, and students are in digital form. Archives and Special Collections is acquiring born digital records and personal papers that tell the story of Purdue’s past. This includes archiving important content on university websites such as electronic publications and Board of Trustees minutes to ensure that the important activities happening today are not lost to future researchers of Purdue history. A video demonstrating work with these news types of collections is included in the exhibit.
Source: Sammie Morris, 765-494-2905, morris18@purdue.edu
Filed under: collections, events, general, press_release
August 13th, 2013
August 12, 2013
News Release
CLARK COUNTY, LAKE COUNTY and INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – A joint report published by Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) traffic engineers and Purdue University researchers shows:
-The impact of the five-month Sherman Minton Closure, which detoured I-64 traffic in Southern Indiana. I-65 southbound segments approaching Louisville claimed multiple spots in the 2012 Indiana Mobility Report’s top congestion rankings, which also showed travel time improvements upon completion of I-64 Sherman Minton and I-65 Kennedy Memorial bridge repairs.
-Improvements in I-80/I-94 travel speeds upon completion of Borman Expressway widening and reconstruction in September 2011. The 2012 Indiana Mobility Report also ranks congestion on Indiana’s interstates, including increases or reductions in travel time.
-Significant improvements in I-465 west leg travel speeds during 2012 as the Accelerate 465 widening and reconstruction project opened to traffic. The 2012 Indiana Mobility Report also ranks congestion on Indiana’s interstates, including increases or reductions in travel time.
The report indicates that Indiana’s transportation infrastructure continues to improve, with most occurrences of significant congestion attributable to construction, severe weather and nonrecurring incidents. Since 2011, congestion on Indiana’s interstate system was reduced by 6 to 18 percent.
Making year-over-year comparisons and studying heavily traveled commuter corridors improves upon the 2011 Indiana Interstate Mobility Report, which was recognized last week at the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Annual Meeting in Boston. ITE’s Management & Operations/Intelligent Transportation Systems Council presented INDOT with its 2013 Project Achievement Award. The award recognizes the development or implementation of notable projects that demonstrate the use of Intelligent Transportation Systems technologies to benefit society by improving mobility.
Third-party data providers such as INRIX collect anonymous speed records from navigation systems, mobile phones and other electronics, and then disseminate this information as traffic alerts on GPS devices or red-yellow-green overlays for online and local media traffic reports. INDOT and Purdue partnered under their Joint Transportation Research Program to analyze billions of anonymous speed records compiled from road segments statewide.
The innovative mobility performance measures are intended as a planning tool to help INDOT and policymakers shape future infrastructure investment priorities, and the measures were presented last week to a joint study committee of the Indiana General Assembly.
In 1937, the Indiana General Assembly passed legislation that led to the formation of what is now known as the Joint Transportation Research Program (JTRP) to facilitate collaboration between INDOT and Purdue University. JTRP research projects help INDOT identify and implement innovation opportunities that solve Indiana’s transportation challenges, and the program has been recognized nationally as a model for interaction between government, academia and industry. More than 1,500 technical reports are available for free through a unique collaboration between JTRP and Purdue Libraries.
The 2012 Indiana Mobility Report and the inaugural 2011 report are available at http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/imr.
Source: The Indiana Department of Transportation
Filed under: general, press_release, RSRCH, scholcommAugust 8th, 2013
Libraries IT Customer Service Announcement:
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Date/Duration of Event: |
From Friday August 9 @ 11:00pm to Saturday August 10 @ 8:00pm
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Description of Event: |
General power outage to the main server room in MATH B60. They are upgrading the electrical system to the server room and need all equipment powered off.
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Services Affected: |
All Libraries services will be down for the duration of the power outage. A few services like a minimized copy of our website will be online to alert users of what is happening and to provide access to the services we have that are hosted elsewhere (Alma, Primo, SFX, etc.).
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Action Required: |
None. A notice will be sent when all systems come back online.
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How to Contact Us: |
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Support Hours: |
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Monday – Thursday: |
8:00 AM to 6:00 PM |
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Friday: |
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
August 7th, 2013
This year’s Common Reading Program selection is “No Impact Man: The Adventures of a Guilty Liberal Who Attempts to Save the Planet and the Discoveries He Makes about Himself and Our Way of Life in the Process” by Colin Beavan. The author will talk about his attempt to become No Impact Man on Sunday, August 18th at 3pm in the Elliott Hall of Music. This event is free and open to the public.
This event is sponsored by the Office of the Provost, Student Success at Purdue, Purdue University Libraries, and the Office of Sustainability.
For more information go to: www.purdue.edu/commonreading
Filed under: events, general, press_release, Uncategorized
August 5th, 2013
Purdue Libraries faculty and staff are pleased to welcome Pete Pascuzzi, Assistant Professor and Molecular Biosciences Information Specialist. Pete joined the Libraries in the Health & Life Sciences Division on August 1st. His office is in the Life Sciences Library (LILY L-31), phone number 494-3620 and email: ppascuzz@purdue.edu. Pete will be liaison to the Departments of Biochemistry and Medicinal Chemistry & Molecular Pharmacology and also to the faculty, staff and students who utilize bioinformatics in their research.
Welcome, Pete!
Filed under: faculty_staff, general, UncategorizedAugust 5th, 2013
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue Libraries will support Purdue Day at the Indiana State Fair on Aug. 9 – welcoming Indiana residents and visitors to learn more about Purdue’s premier research library, enter a drawing to receive a signed copy of Jerry Ross’ Spacewalker: My Journey in Space and Faith as NASA’s Record-Setting Frequent Flyer and pick up a giveaway.
As one of over 30 exhibitors as part of Purdue Day, Purdue Libraries exhibit will line State Fair Boulevard at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Other features of the Purdue Libraries “Purdue Day” exhibit will include:
Details about Purdue Day will be available at Purdue information tents at Gates 1A and 12.
Writer: Shannon Walker, 765-496-6910, walker81@purdue.edu
Related website: Purdue Schedule of events: http://www.purdue.edu/giving/events/Indiana_State_Fair/
Filed under: events, generalJuly 30th, 2013
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The 2013 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) program will hold its annual research symposium July 31.
This summer 145 students from engineering, agriculture and science disciplines are participating in SURF. During the symposium, they will present their summer research to professors, graduate students, general public and other program participants.
The symposium will run from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering. It is free and open to the public.
The SURF program, celebrating its 11th summer, was started in 2003 by Jay P. Gore, Reilly University Chair Professor of Engineering. It provides undergraduate students in engineering, science and technology with an intensive, interdisciplinary research experience, allowing them to work closely with graduate students and professors and to gain hands-on laboratory experience.
The interdisciplinary nature of research at Purdue gives undergraduates the opportunity to work with researchers outside their discipline. During the 2013 program, a quarter of the participants took advantage of that opportunity.
Research categories include energy, technology and software development, nanotechnology, movement and dynamics, biology and genetics, sustainability and the environment, infrastructure and vehicles, health and pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and material science.
New this year, research abstracts and other scholarly documents from SURF students will be available at Purdue e-Pubs, as part of the SURF Research Symposium proceedings.
Purdue e-Pubs is a free service of the Purdue Libraries and provides free global online access to Purdue research. SURF will be the first organized undergraduate research program to deposit research documents to the Purdue e-Pubs. The SURF material can be found at http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/surf
SURF is administered by the College of Engineering and directed by Melba Crawford, associate dean for research in engineering.
A complete symposium agenda with times and locations is available at https://engineering.purdue.edu/Engr/Research/SURF/Participants/Summer/Events/RequiredMeetings/surf-symposium
Filed under: events, general, RSRCH, scholcomm