Welcome to the Brandman University Library Services and Resources Blog

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Welcome to the new Brandman University Library Services and Resources Blog. Our goal is to keep you informed about the many services and resources the Leatherby Libraries offers, keep you abreast of the latest tips for more productive searching, introduce you to new and exciting databases as they become available, and sometimes, just to offer a thought for the day. We want you to know that research does not have to be such a lonely endeavor.

We also want this to be an interactive experience. Please take the time to comment on posts that you find helpful, ask questions if you need clarification, or simply let us know how we are doing. Learning is not a one-way experience, so tell us what you need to be successful, and we will do our very best to help you meet your goals. We have a wonderful support group to assist you, and we live to answer questions. Any questions.

Let’s make the new blog another tool in the box to help you build your future.

Welcome and happy reading from the Brandman Library Services crew: Lugene, Cotton, and Kerry.

Leatherby Libraries Early Closure for Tuesday, June 13

men dancing in lederhosen
By Harald Bischoff (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

Just like the dancing men above, the Leatherby Libraries will be having a short(s) day on Tuesday, June 13. The library will be closing at 12:00 noon, but don’t despair. Your Brandman librarians will be back, bright and early, on Wednesday morning.

Memorial Day Hours for the Leatherby Libraries

Betsy Ross with flag
Edward Percy Moran [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

In observance of Memorial Day, the Leatherby Libraries will be closing at 3:00pm on Friday, May 26, and closed on Monday, May 29. The library will be open from 8:00am-8:00pm on Saturday and Sunday for those of you who use the library in person. The Reference Desk will be staffed with a librarian from 12:00pm-5:00pm on Saturday and Sunday for those who need research assistance. You can reach the Reference Desk librarian at (800) 344-5756 Ext. 3 or libweb@chapman.edu. Your Brandman librarians will be back on Tuesday, May 30.

Your Brandman librarians’ thoughts are with any of you who have lost a loved while defending us. We will be stopping for a moment of remembrance at 3:00pm on Monday and hope you are able to, as well.

ILLiad Request Tip: Book or Book Chapter?

portrait of book by van Eyck
Jan van Eyck (circa 1390–1441) [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
{{PD-1923}} – published before 1923 and public domain in the US.

Here at the library, we’ve noticed that students are a bit confused with the results from EBSCOhost when it comes to books. Books and book chapters use the same icon: book image

To solve this dilemma, we created a great new video: Book or Book Chapter: Recognizing the Difference in EBSCO Databases:

Book or Book Chapter image

Just click on the arrow to view the video. As always, if you need some help, just ask a librarian.

Need APA Help? Try the APA Style Guide to Electronic References

Pull hair
By Stuart Pilbrow [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

Have you ever found yourself pulling your hair out, trying to figure out how to properly cite the electronic media sources you used on the References page of your paper? Here’s the good news. The Leatherby Libraies has acquired the APA Style Guide to Electronic References, 6th edition, and it is available to view or print from the library website. It includes the basic information on how references are constructed; provides a DOI and URL flowchart to help illuminate how and when to use DOIs, URLs, and database information; and consists of a substantial section of various examples for electronic references. Here is how to access it:

  1. Begin at the Library’s Citation/Style Guides page
  2. Scroll down to locate the APA section and click on the link for “APA Style Guide to Electronic References, Sixth Edition” (the last link)
  3. You will be taken to the cataloging record of this document
  4. Click on “View or Print: APA Style Guide to Electronic References”
  5. You will be prompted to login with your full name and your Brandman student ID.

APA Electronic References

We also have a handy video tutorial to walk you through the process:

APA Guide

Please note that the APA Style Guide to Electronic References is a PDF document, and you may print copies only for personal use.

As always, Ask a Librarian if you need further assistance!

Library Access Issues

Kiszony ogórek
By The original uploader was Julienbzh35 at French Wikipedia [CC BY 1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/1.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

In a pickle about accessing the Leatherby Libraries to complete your assignment? On Tuesday, May 2, Brandman IT performed maintenance to correct a known issue. Unfortunately, the fix seems to have made hundreds of active students inactive.

Here are some quick steps to test access.

1. Start on the library homepage.
2. In the center Start Your Search column, click on “Advanced Search” that is immediately beneath the word Discover.
3. Logon using your Brandman username and password. Your username is your email address up to the @ symbol. For example, my email address is lrosen@chapman.edu, but my username is simply lrosen.

If you experience a password error, you need to contact the IT Desk. You can reach them by calling (855) 553-3007, emailing help@brandman.edu, or using the “Help” tab in your Blackboard course.

If you need any assistance beyond your password, please feel free to contact us. We are here to help.

Welcome to Summer I! Getting Started FAQs

Gillie helping to jam the printer (467241015)
By Dwight Sipler from Stow, MA, USA [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

With only eight, short weeks to complete your assignments, we know that you need your resources as soon as possible, but sometimes, you need a little help figuring out how everything works. You need to be able to log on to the Leatherby Libraries website http://www.chapman.edu/library and access the databases from home. You also need to be able to request items to be sent to your home. When we receive requests, we make every effort to process them within 24 hours. Depending upon whether or not we own the item requested, it could be fulfilled within 1 day for Leatherby Libraries items, 3-4 for electronic journal articles not owned by the Leatherby Libraries, or 2-3 weeks for books not owned by the Leatherby Libraries. These turnaround times do not include weekends or holidays.

Since we want you to receive your research materials in a timely manner, we want your requests to go smoothly. Here are some of the common issues that arise and the solutions that can have you receiving your materials in time for that big paper.

Problem: I cannot log in
Logging into the databases doesn’t have to be a test of your patience if you remember these simple tips:
• Your username is the portion of your Brandman email address up to the @ symbol. For example, my email address is lrosen@chapman.edu, but my username is simply lrosen.
• Your password is the same one that you use to access your Brandman Blackboard portal.
• Do not try to start by logging in at My Library Account. My Library Account will only tell you what items you have checked out and when they are due. Trust us. The site will let you know when you need to log on by popping up a logon screen.

Problem: My set-up for an ILLiad (interlibrary loan) account was rejected
Many of the issues that we encounter with the set-up of ILLiad accounts can be solved by remembering these guidelines:
• Your username should be the portion of your email address up to the @ symbol. For example, my email address is lrosen@chapman.edu, but my username is just lrosen.
• You MUST use your Brandman username, so do not make-up one for your account. Save twilightsparkle or raidersfan for later.
• You MUST provide your Brandman email address. If the email in your ILLiad account request is not your Brandman email, the request is cancelled.

Problem: My ILLiad request was cancelled
Occasionally, you may submit a request through ILLiad and receive a cancellation notification email. Do not despair. Please read the email, and you may find out that:
• The article or book that you requested is available electronically through the Leatherby Libraries. We’ll even tell you which database it’s located in.
• The article or book that you requested is available electronically through an internet search engine such as Google. We’ll even provide you the link, so you can access it even faster.
• You did not supply enough information about the book or article that you need. For books, please supply the title and author(s). For articles, make use of the Request through interlibrary loan feature in our databases. The information will automatically populate for you.

We realize that, even if you have done everything correctly, there may still be a snag. Please make use of your Brandman librarians, Lugene Rosen lrosen@chapman.edu (714) 532-7736 or (800) 344-5756 ext. 2 or Cotton Coslett coslett@chapman.edu (714) 532-7720. Our goal is to make your access to the resources that you need as quick and painless as possible. Let us help you make your student life easier and less stressful.

Something To Think About: John Carmack

Taking steps to the A166 - geograph.org.uk - 1181501 - staircase in hill
Andy Beecroft [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

Focused, hard work is the real key to success. Keep your eyes on the goal, and just keep taking the next step towards completing it. If you aren’t sure which way to do something, do it both ways and see which works better.–John Carmack

We are almost to the end of Spring II. You have taken some significant steps toward your goal.