What's New in Hurst Library?

22,000 Recordings added to Classical Music Library

2011-07-20T09:22:00.000-07:00

Looking for classical music to listen to but don't want to leave your desk? Then check out Classical Music Library, available through Hurst Library, to find streaming music you can listen to at your computer. According to Information Today, they've just added 22,000 recordings from record labels EMI, Virgin Classics, and Angel Records, including artists such as Yehudi Menuhin, Enrico Caruso, and Sarah Chang.

Local interest books

2011-07-01T10:41:00.000-07:00

Are you interested in books on local interest topics, such as music from Seattle or ethnic relations in World War II era Bellevue? The library has several e-books of local interest, so why don't you try one today?

Converting the West : a biography of Narcissa Whitman

A biography of Narcissa Whitman, who along with her husband was a pioneer missionary to the Cayuse Indians in Oregon Territory.

Strawberry days : how internment destroyed a Japanese American community

The story of a Japanese immigrant community that farmed strawberries in Bellevue just after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, telling of the community's break-up due to internment.

Weaving together the story of the Seattle music scene through a series of interviews with the people who were there, Grunge is Dead starts its history in the early 1960s, tracing the chain events that spawned some of the major rock acts of the 1990s, including Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Alice in Chains, and Soundgarden.

Windshield wilderness : cars, roads, and nature in Washington's national parks

David Louter traces the history of Washington State's national parks, considering what it means to view parks from the road and through a windshield.

A lawyer in Indian country : a memoir

This book contains vignettes of reservation life in Washington State and recounts some of the legal cases that illustrate the challenges faced by individual Indians and tribes. As the senior attorney arguing U.S. v. Washington, the author witnessed the 1974 Boldt decision that affirmed the Pacific Northwest tribes' treaty fishing rights, with ramifications for tribal rights nationwide. He describes both his work as an attorney and the life in Indian country.

New Staff Recommendations - "The Singer" by Calvin Miller

2011-03-23T18:58:00.000-07:00

The library has new staff recommendations!

Below is a recommendation for the book, "The Singer" by Calvin Miller, recommended by yours truly. =)

"[This story is a] beautiful retelling of the Gospel using the allegory of song. Miller uses poetic stanzas to bring new depth and meaning to the Gospel. I've read this multiple times and recommend it highly! Also, this is part one of a trilogy."

Even more staff favorites have been added over the last few days. Stop by and check them out!

Are you applying to Grad school? Changes to the GRE Test!

2011-03-20T16:46:00.000-07:00

It was recently made known that the GRE General Test is being replaced by the GRE revised General Test. The changes are apparently quite significant, and will go into effect on

August 1st, 2011.

To better serve NU's nursing students, Hurst Library has acquired the 2011-2012 GRE Exam, Strategies, Practice & Review:

We also have the 2010-2011 edition for those who are taking the test before the changes take place in August.

For more information, visit this weblink, and good luck!

Staff Recommends - Religion, Reason and Revelation

2011-02-02T19:10:00.000-08:00

One of our new student assistants, Nicholas, recommends this book for anyone interested in the reason behind the Christian faith:

Nicholas's recommendation for this book follows:

"[This book] offers a thorough and powerful defense of Christianity at the philosophical level. Want to answer the critic? Read this book."

Stop by Hurst Library to check out this and all the other great reads on our Staff Recommendations cart!

Bulletin Board Goodness

2011-01-28T09:08:00.000-08:00

Visit the library for all your reading, recreation, and research needs.

my library, my lifeline logo courtesy of the Cecil County Public Library

The 37th Readings And Reflections

2011-01-27T17:07:00.000-08:00

Join us for the 37th Readings and Reflections, sponsored by Hurst Library. This is an event offered each semester where we invite a guest speaker to share their knowledge and passion about various topics. This semester Dr. Kara Heinrichs will speak with us about conflict resolution - What does it look like when it’s done wrong? How do we do it better? Dr. Heinrichs's presentation will be followed by a time to ask questions and discuss the topic with one another. It’s one week from today, Thurs. February 3rd, in HSC 104 from 3:30-4:30.

Welcome Back

2011-01-10T11:47:00.000-08:00

Welcome back for Spring Semester. After a well deserved break for all, classes start up this week. As you look over your class syllabi, start planning out your research process. Remember, as you gather your resources for that research/term paper, leave enough time to read those sources. They may actually shape a bit of the direction of your research/paper writing.

Also, planning ahead means you can get all the best books and articles for your papers. We have a lot of material online through our website and in print in the library building, but you may need to request an article or book from another library through our Interlibrary Loan service. The more time you have to request those items, the more likely we can get them to you while you can still use them.

Have a great Semester and stop on by the library to study, check out some books or journals, or get assistance with finding some quality material for your classes.

Updated NIV Bible Released for Online Viewing

2010-11-03T12:58:00.000-07:00

In it's ongoing efforts to increase clarity and remain relevant while, at the same time, stay true to the intent of the authors and original text, the translating body of the NIV released the online version of it's most recent revision and update.

You can search the text as well as compare it to the two previous versions here: http://www.biblegateway.com You can also find out the methods used and the approach applied by the translating committee.

More information about this release can be found here: http://www.biblica.com/news/106

"When the books of the Bible were first written, they captured exactly what God wanted to say in the languages and idioms used by the ordinary people of the time" said Professor [Douglas] Moo. "The NIV seeks to recover these priorities, allowing readers to perceive the structure of the original and the meaning of the original at the same time. The changes we have made in the update maintain and strengthen this focus, reflecting progress in biblical scholarship, developments in English usage, and an ongoing concern for clarity. We have also used new tools, drawing on state-of-the-art computational linguistic research to guide us in our decision-making and to ensure that the words we choose maximize comprehension of the original meaning."

The print version will be released in March 2011 and the Hurst Library plans to add it to the Reference Collection.

"All About Music!" Month and Staff Recommendations

2010-10-04T22:50:00.000-07:00

Well, the school year is off to a great start and October is a busy month at the library!

This month we are highlighting music with our "All About Music" display.

Front of Display

Back of Display

Side of Display
(I purposefully did not take a close up shot of the side of the display so that you'd have to come in and read the hilarious comic I found) =)

This display is for anyone who likes, is majoring in, is involved in or wants to know more about music. The library has countless books, magazines and periodicals with pertinent, relevant information, as well as articles written by some of the top people in the business. A few areas of music that are highlighted in the display are worship, audio recording, music education and performance. Be sure to stop by and check it out and make plans to stop in next month when we highlight a different area of study.

While you're here, you'll pass right by our staff recommendations!

The staff recommendations give you the chance to see what the library staff is reading and loving. Here are just a few of the titles that are being recommended:

"This book is perfect for ages 8 and up. I fell in love with Brian Jacques' 'Redwall' series at a young age, and through years of re-reading them, they never fail to engage and delight. I cannot recommend them highly enough!" (recommended by me, Emily Skolrud)

"[This book is] a compelling read and informative account of a modern woman's travels through the Middle East and former Soviet Union. Contains thought-provoking insights into various Asian cultures". - recommended by Christa Strickler

"This tale, often misconstrued as a story of romance and passion, recounts the dire consequences of foolishly ignoring the sound advice of family and friends in favor of unbridled lust. A true classic". - recommended by Michael Anderson

These are just a few of the titles that the Hurst Library staff recommend as great reads. Check them out before they're all snatched up!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

2010-06-09T14:00:00.000-07:00

The world's most unlikely hero: Greg Heffley, a truly Wimpy Kid.

In this series, brand new to Hurst Library, you have the opportunity to read Greg's diary and see the world from his perspective. After all, it is terribly difficult to be a kid!

Not only do we have the first installment of this funny series...

But also the middle two...

And the last!

This way you don't have to wait until the new ones come out to get your Wimpy Kid fix.

Note to parents: This is the book I would hand to readers who were just advancing from Reading Level 4 or 5 (mid-elementary school), but were too intimidated by a lot of text. Wimpy kid integrates a fair amount of text with funny cartoons. This is a great bridge into larger, thicker books - it has the heft of a larger chapter book with the word count of a Learn-to-Read. After this, they can move right onto Percy Jackson!

Enjoy the adventure!

The New Encyclopedia of the Bible

2010-05-15T11:07:00.000-07:00

This week's spotlight is on the latest edition of Zondervan's Encyclopedia of the Bible.

Generally speaking, I am not one to get excited about encyclopedias - I've got other things I'd rather be reading! However, one look at this resource and I am hooked.

There is great basic information on everything from Jerusalem to Catacombs, perfect for an experienced researcher just starting out on a new topic or a new student taking their first religious studies class.

Each entry explains the topic from both the Biblical and historical perspectives, as well as placing the topic completely within the greater world. Information, though not extensive, provides a basic understanding and a solid basis for further study.

Now that I have said my piece about the information in this book, let me step back into a more superficial position: BEAUTIFUL! Yes, this series is fully illustrated with full-color images.

Though the information is important, the way the information is presented is too. And this Encyclopedia covers both aspects wonderfully.

Young Adult Books - Heroines

2010-05-02T22:35:00.001-07:00

This week's new books were more varied than usual. With equal parts Nursing and Education, Fiction and Religion; however, the overwhelming majority was from our growing Young Adult section.

Even within the subheading of Young Adult, an even narrower topic emerged: African American, female protagonists.

When I was a wee librarian-ette, the only books with girls as storytellers were about falling in love, overcoming abuse, or involved dresses from the Renaissance. Even fewer of these books had multicultural, female protagonists... in fact, I am having difficulty thinking of a great young adult book with such a main character.

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is a noted exception. As is The House on Mango Street, The Devil's Arithmetic and Island of the Blue Dolphins.

That is why this week's Spotlight on New Books makes me so happy! Three new books with three exciting, female, African American, teenage heroines for you to read and enjoy.

The Girl Who Fell from the Sky by Heidi Durrow

After a tragedy that claims the life of both of her parents, Rachel is forced to face issues of race and class. This book is not about the tragedy of her early life or, really, the injustice of racial identity, but about how one girl reacted to these experiences.

Flygirl by Sherri Smith

All Ida ever wanted to do was fly, just like her daddy. When WWII begins she sees her chance with the WASPs; however, she has to hide her African American heritage to do realize this dream. If you are forced to suppress your family and who you are, can you ever completely realize your dreams?

Mare's War by Tanita Davis

This story follows two present-day sisters on a road trip with their eccentric grandmother. Just as the road before them, their grandmother's story unfurls allowing them to learn about her past and theirs.

Pulitzer Prize Winners

2010-04-25T15:05:00.000-07:00

The Pulitzer Prize is a yearly award honoring excellence in journalism and the arts - a prize that has been in existence since 1917.

Past honorees in the Fiction category include such greats as The Magnificent Ambersons, The Age of Innocence (my favorite book!!), The Good Earth, Gone with the Wind, and Our Town.

Of particular note in this category is 2007's winner, The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Haunting is the best word to describe this book and I am still lost for words on how McCarthy was able to craft such elegant prose from a story that was so minimal and wordless.

On the non-fiction side of the arts:

2010...
Lords of Finance: The Bankers who Broke the World

Liaquat Ahamed, using his skills as an economist and historian, traces the origins of the greatest economic disaster back to the hands of just a few bankers. Yet these few toppled the economies of the Western World and, Ahamed asserts, brought about WWII.

2008...
What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America

Daniel Walker Howe's revolutionary understanding of the creation of modern-day America. How did we turn from a pioneer's outpost to one of the most industrial countries? That question provides the backbone to Howe's history.

2007...
The Most Famous Man in America: The Biography of Henry Ward Beecher

Though overshadowed by his more famous siblings (Harriet Beecher Stowe, for one), Henry Ward Beecher founded modern Christianity. By replacing God-fearing sermons with a focus on love and mercy, Beecher's influence continues to be felt in sermons every Sunday. Outside of the pulpit, his life held some demons which Debby Applegate chronicles in this fast-paced tale.

These are just a few examples we have in the library of Pulitzer Prize winners.

For more information about the prize itself, click HERE.

Or come in and check out our special display
located by the Circulation Desk.

READ Poster Winner!

2010-04-21T20:03:00.000-07:00

I would like to congratulate our 2010 National Library Week READ Poster Contest winner...

Congrats Jonus!!!

Come check out his poster next week as it takes its place of honor!

Thanks to all of our wonderful entries and to all of you who participated in voting! We look forward to seeing your submissions next year!

Local History - Seattle Style

2010-04-18T16:01:00.000-07:00

Perhaps I enjoy history more than the next person; however, my tastes mostly lead me to the exotic, foreign and distant history of lands and peoples far away. The more foreign the place, the more I am interested in it.

Local history, on the other hand, is the stuff of boredom, forever associated with dull battles over water rights.

But this is Seattle! SEATTLE! Where the Wild West continued on through the 1930s, where the Gold Rush put us on the map, and our fair city has seen more than its fair share of ill repute! Lately, I can't get enough!

Thankfully, Hurst Library has some recent acquisitions to satisfy my new-found interest in all things local.

Here are my new favorites...

The House of Hope and Fear - Though more recent history, this is the real life story of a city hospital, Harborview to be exact, and the day-to-day struggles to keep up with the continuous flow of patients. This is the real-life Grey's Anatomy, in a real-life Seattle hospital.

A great read for nursing students!

Family of Strangers is a collection of newspaper clippings, birth records, and, most interestingly, photos of Washington's Jewish pioneers. Following the first settlers all of the way through WWII, this book is a time capsule lovingly written.

Did I mention the pictures?!?!

I credit PBS, more specifically their special on the Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition, for igniting my local history fever!

In this book, you are taken on a pictorial journey through the greatest unknown fair Seattle ever had. "World's Fair, Shmorld's Fair" is what you will say by the end of this book!

The Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition took place over a hundred years ago, saw hundreds of thousands of visitors, and left us a great legacy - all of the original UW buildings were created to house this fair.

My words fail to describe the beauty of this book!

-----

Hopefully it does not sound as though I have over hyped this local history stuff, but I just cannot get enough!

Scandal! Money! Double-Crossing! It is all here in our little town!

New Music Focuses at NU

2010-04-11T19:01:00.000-07:00

There are exciting things happening in NU's Music department! Over the past year they have been building a state of the art music studio in the 6710 Building and working on crafting three (yes, 3!) new major areas of interest.

Here in the library, though we do not have the fancy new equipment, we have been working on developing our collection to best serve the new students!

Recording Arts

The Guide to MIDI Orchestration - This is the original and premiere book for composers! It has everything: history, orchestration, MIDI and sampling environment, studio setup, future of orchestration, etc.

The Desktop Studio: A Guide to Computer-Based Audio Production - Using your computer for audio production is where the industry is heading and this book gives you the basics to lay the groundwork for an excellent computer based audio production experience.

Music Production: A Manual for Producers, Composers, Arrangers, and Students - This handbook walks its readers through every possible step in the production process. If you are new to the field, this will prove to be invaluable!

Sound FX - Want to learn how to use your studio to produce better music? This is what you need. If you have the basics down and want to expand your understanding of distortion, reverb, equalization, and pitch shift, then take a look at this book for helpful advice and inspiration.

Worship Technology

The New Worship - Though not specifically about worship technology, Liesch does discuss the changing role of music itself in worship. Anyone pursuing a career in Worship Technology needs to know how/if this relationship works!

Music Technology in Worship - This is the handbook for this particular focus, describing the role of technology within the church and within the music. Learn how to make the best out of what you have and reach as many people as possible.

Music Business

Music Business Handbook & Career Guide - A great, general guide to all of the major ins and outs of the music industry. From songwriting to production, this newly revised handbook is up-to-date and a first stop for people interested in any music related career.

Get a Job in the Music Industry - Still wondering if the music business is where you are being called? This volume highlights many different career possibilities in the industry, explains how to build a resume, and, best of all, provides a directory of other important publications to continue your quest.

Artist Management for the Music Business - From the Focal Press, the most trusted name in music publication, this volume addresses the managers. It starts from the beginning, instructing potential managers on the best ways to enter into the profession (college advice, internships, networking, etc), and continues by offering more advanced career advice.

New Mars Hill Audio Journal

2010-03-31T18:02:00.000-07:00

That is right!

It is time for Issue 101
of Mars Hill's Audio Journal!

This Issue includes new lectures...

Thomas Long discusses funeral rites and their place in today's society.

William Cavanaugh discusses how the concept of "Religious Wars" misinterpret religion.

James Hunter discusses how Christians need to start looking at culture differently when trying to engage with the world around them.

Please stop by and take a look!

New in Education

2010-03-27T15:31:00.000-07:00

"To teach is to learn twice."
~ Joseph Joubert, Pensees

Teaching, as many more eloquent people have said before me, is a calling. Northwest University makes a serious effort to keep their education program up-to-date and comprehensive so that, upon graduating, students enter the teaching force with all of the skills they need to reach their students effectively.

In that spirit, Hurst Library continuously updates their holdings...

These books, for example, are new in this week!

General Teaching Books:

Mindful Teaching and Teaching Mindfulness is a general companion guide for teachers of all grades and all subjects. The author works with the concept of mindfulness - how to be conscious of your teaching at all times - and integrates that with education, teaching the students the best way of taking their knowledge and using it in all aspects of his/her life. Basically, this is a guide to develop mental and emotional presence in your work.

Multicultural Teachin g is a handbook with real world activities and examples for teachers trying to reach a multicultural classroom. This book covers more than just racial diversity, but also addresses monetary and gender diversity. It is a good source for information, but a better source for practical how-to - walking you through lesson planning and self-evaluation.

Rethinking Classroom Participation: Listening to the Silent Voices. Anyone who has taught before knows the terror of a noisy classroom almost as well as the terror of the silent one. In this book Katherine Schultz teaches you to gauge this silence, listen to the quiet students, and insure that your instruction is getting to all of the students in the classroom.

Subject Specific Teaching Books:

The Mathematics Teacher's Handbook does exactly as its title suggests - provides a companion for Mathematics teachers. It comprehensively covers everything from developing a Math-loving classroom culture to making the most of math homework assignments.

Making Connections in Elementary and Middle School Social Studies attempts to make early Social Studies more personal and, hence, more accessible to the students. This book addresses most of the major methods for instruction and gives real classroom examples. This is the second and newest edition of this already much used guide.

Reforming Secondary Science Instruction operates with the (valid) assumption that secondary science education is broken and that, if we want our children to graduate with the necessary scientific knowledge, teachers need to work to reform it from the inside out. Each chapter addresses a different issue, walks you through a self-assessment, and guides you to beneficial reform.

Ha! That reminds me of this one time, in 10th grade biology, when my lab partner and I succeeded in setting the entire lab table on fire... but I digress.

Come check out all of these books I mentioned
and many more on special display on our New Book Shelf!

Magazines for Fun, not Learning

2010-03-21T14:57:00.000-07:00

If you are anything like me, you casually flip through magazines while waiting at the checkout or while killing some time in a bookstore. Usually this affords me enough time to get caught up on the latest gossip about Angie and Brad and on the latest thoughts of experts on trans fats; however, sometimes I want a little more time!

This is when I march over to my favorite corner of Hurst Library, sit in the comfortable chairs and browse one of the many popular magazines available.

What?!?!

You didn't know we carried popular magazines like...

Time

Seattle Ma gazine

Sports Il lustrated

and... People

We have these and many more to occupy your leisure time or to help you in the art of procrastination.

Come take a look!

Spring Break - Time for FUN!

2010-03-06T12:36:00.000-08:00

A whole week where you have nothing to do but sit in your PJs, eat ice cream, and watch movies... can life get any better?

You have learned to use our expertise while writing your papers and studying for your tests. To many students, however, we become obsolete during this annual break from classes. But...

Hurst Library can even help during Spring Break!

Not everything on our shelves is educational. We like having fun too! And, best of all, renting movies from us is FREE.

To search our collections visit our homepage, select the browse by format tab followed by the link called "Videos and DVDs."

... or just click HERE

Eyes on Canada

2010-02-27T13:00:00.000-08:00

Now that we are well into the Olympics, I've been thinking a lot about our friends to the north.

Personally, I started obsessing about snowboard-cross (Have you seen this? Spectacular!) and I have fully indulged my younger self's love of pretty things by watching as much ice dancing as possible. Watching the opening ceremonies with the Native American dances and the Mounties, I started to realize that we share so much cultural and political history with our neighbors, yet I know so little about them.

One of my favorite ways to learn more about a culture is by reading their literature - not boring books about their history, but fiction and poetry that offers unique perspectives on their lives and minds.

Here are a few of my personal favorite Canadians and some of their best works:

Margaret Atwood and The Handmaid's Tale

This haunting, dystopic tale, told from the perspective of a women who remembers better times, was the best book I read last year. Atwood's take on a future society sometimes resembles today's world in more ways than the reader cares to admit.

John McCrae and In Flanders Fields

"In Flanders fields the poppies blow..." starts the most beautiful and painful poems. Written by McCrae while in the trenches of WWI, this poem reminds me that it was not just American soldiers crossing the Atlantic to fight on the fields of Flanders, Canadians were fighting with us too. You will never look at the red poppies in the same way again.

Lucy Montgomery and Anne of Green Gables

This is where the story begins. I cannot count the number of times I read these stories as a kid, and, even today, I nurse and enduring love for Anne and her strength throughout life's problems. It is never too late to start reading about dear Anne!

Alice Munro and Open Secrets

Each of these short stories is devoted to a different woman who must overcome or succumb to different situations, each written with love and understanding. At times, I wanted to reread the poetic beauty of each line and, at other times, I threw the book across the room in anger.

and, last but not least,

Robert Service and The Shooting of Dan McGrew and Other Poems

Anyone who knows me will laugh when they see this! Not more than a day passes when I don't quote from my favorite Service poem, "The Cremation of Sam McGee." Service gives voice to the thousands of men who left everything to prospect in Alaska during the gold rush - their pain, their suffering, and the siren's call they couldn't deny.

Going Green

2010-02-20T13:17:00.000-08:00

Talk about perfect weather! I mean, honestly, there is nothing I would change about what is going on outside right now. The flowers are blooming, the grass is growing, and I doubt I'll have to pull my wool coat out at all this year! Over the past week, I've shaken off the dust of another summer and filled my lungs with fresh air.

As I have been basking, my mind has been contemplating how important it is for us to continue to preserve what we have here. Thankfully we live in a community that values recycling and other Earth-friendly pursuits; however, this is a principle that we in the library take to heart and apply to all other aspects of our lives.

Hurst Library houses a wonderful collection of books dedicated to the subject of Green Living.

For appreciating its beauty...

Hop e's Horizon

A Symbol of Wild erness

Places of Quiet Beauty

For the business-minded...

Green Recovery

101 Ways to Turn Your Business Green

Green Business Basics

For understanding the politics of the Green Movement...

The Making of Green Knowledge

Guide to Sustainable Development and Environmental Policy

The Politics of the Environment

For learning how to live a life with less impact on the environment... well, come to the library and ask one of our gifted Librarians how to find the resources to fit your needs.

Audio Journal? Exploring Mars Hill's Audio Journal

2010-01-23T16:48:00.000-08:00

Something librarians love: reading. However, sometimes it is not safe to have one's nose in a book - while you are driving, or trying to clean-up. These are the times when audio books come to our rescue!

That is why we are excited to share with you Mars Hill's Audio Journals.

Rather than listening to hours upon hours of a book, this audio journal allows you to listen to smaller lectures, sermons, and presentations that are both enlightening and enjoyable.

On the latest edition, you can hear...

Jennifer Burns discussing the legacy of Ayn Rand.

Dallas Willard discussing spiritual knowledge.

And Christian Smith discussing the spiritual lives of people as they reach adulthood.

Please, come take a look... or a listen... to what the Mars Hill Audio Journals have to offer.

They are located in the Periodicals section, beside the Reference desk and can be checked out for a week.

News Flash: Computer Lab now open until 3:00am

2010-01-13T16:58:00.000-08:00

As most of you, my Readers, already know, attached to Hurst Library is the Computer Lab where you can study late.

But things are about to get better... starting tonight, the Computer Lab will be open until 3:00am!

This is a handy spot to study while the rest of campus sleeps, with access to computers, the Internet, and printing.

See you there... well, actually, I'll leave the late night studying to you!

Non-Book Related Services

2009-11-08T16:17:00.000-08:00

Most of the time people come to the library to check out some books, use our reference materials, or search our databases; however, that is not all we can do for you!

Need a printer?
We have four (one in the lab, one upstairs and two in the print room), including a color printer!

Need a copier?
We have a black and white copier ($0.05/copy) and a color copier ($0.10/copy) - both print double-sided and both can copy a range of sizes.

Need a scanner?
We have two - both of our copiers scan to PDF documents that are automatically sent to your email for free.

Need a place for group study?
Reserve one of our two study rooms for group projects, tutoring, etc - just click here to sign-up.

Need to write a paper?
We have over 25 computers in the library with Word, Excel and PowerPoint. In addition, you can use our attached computer lab which is open until 1:30am every night!

Need a movie to kill some free time?
Here is a list of all our DVDs and VHSs that you can check out and enjoy.

So, as you can see, the library has a great collection of books, reference materials, and journal articles, but we can also help you with the nuts-and-bolts of college life too!

Need Sheet Music?

2009-10-28T08:30:00.000-07:00

Northwest University is known for its excellent choirs and music program, so Hurst Library has and is continuing to acquire musical scores that you can check out.

We have everything from choral and vocal music, to operas and symphonies. The recent update to our website has made it easier than ever to locate these materials.

Here is how:
1) Log on to our website.
2) In the box near the bottom of the page, select "Browse by Format." There you will find a link to all of our music, called "Print Music."

That is all it takes to find great items like...

Music in the Romantic Period

American Song Treasury

Mozart's Piano Concertos

If you still have any questions, please contact one of our helpful librarians - Christa, the Cataloging Supervisor for example, is a musician and would love to talk with you more about the collection.

Have an old score? Donate it! We accept donations and are very interested in expanding our Music collection!

Your Library Director is Famous

2009-10-27T17:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the library staff received quite a shock when the newest volume of The Christian Librarian arrived in the mail...

That gentleman, circled in red in the center, is your Library Director, Charles Diede.

Every year we try to attend as many conferences, lectures, and seminars we can to stay on top of the changing world of library science. This way we can continue to bring you the most up-to-date information.

That is our promise to you.

Sometimes along the way we get famous, but most of the time we are just here to help!

Please stop by and congratulate Charles, and maybe ask us a few questions about your homework.

New Website, part 3: Advanced Search

2009-10-04T20:04:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the third installment of Website Navigation Help!

Previously we discussed how to use the Search Bar and explored the tools of our homepage.

Today, we are going to discuss the Advanced search options...

When to use Advanced Search?

Sometimes doing a keyword search does not pull up the records that you need to complete your work - either there are too many results, or the results don't have anything to do with what you want.

Let us begin by selecting the Advanced Search from the navigation bar at the top of our website.

This will take you to our entire advanced search screen.

As you will see, there are three different sections to this page - all three will be used for different reasons.

1) Finding Items Containing... This is where you go to limit or expand your search.

Between every word you type there is an imagined "and," "or," or "not" (depending on whether you are searching for all the words or none of the words). When you need to find a resource with more than one general topic, this is the place to go.

2) Exact Search...

If you want the computer to search only for the exact author, title, genera, etc, use the next set of search bars as demonstrated below.But be careful: even the slightest spelling mistake or misremembered pronoun will render the search null.

3) Limiting

Off to the right of the page is one of the most handy tools in your library arsenal!

You can choose which format you want your search results to be in - need a video? a journal? some music?
Or, do you want to search our Children's, Young Adult, or Reference sections only?

Take the time to explore all of these tools to limit your searching.
It is an easy, quick way to search like a librarian!

Updates to Citation Guides

2009-09-27T18:58:00.000-07:00

It is that time of year again when all of the major citation references publish updated versions of their style guides.

This year there were many changes! For example, MLA no longer assumes that the type of source is print - you must now label each citation as either "print" or "web." These changes might be a pain to learn, but they reflect the changing scope and method of research.

All of the new guides are available in the Reference section, in the general collection, and on the Reference Desk. Come and take a look.

M LA

T u rab ian (no new publication this year)

APA

Need something a little quicker and simpler? You are in luck!

Your trusty Reference Librarian, Tru, and dedicated User Services Librarian, David, have updated the Quick Guides for all three (MLA, Turabian, and APA - click on the title for a direct link to the .pdf files).

Still cannot find the type of citation you are looking for? Come ask us or send us an email (library@northwestu.edu).

Remember, check out our Citation Help box on our Hurst Library Homepage if you have any questions!

New Website, part 2: Exploring the Library Homepage

2009-09-19T11:42:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the second installment of Website Navigation help!

Previously we explored how to do a basic search using our Quick Search Bar.

Today we are going to take a look at the new (and old) features of the Library Homepage.

Helpful Links:

At the very top of the page, notice the links.

The first three links, Northwest University, Discovery, and Eagle connect to their respective websites.

The first group on the second line, My Account/Renew Books, will direct you to your personal account. Here you can renew books, check due dates, and put books on hold.

The second link on that line, My Lists, direct you to your personal list builder. Here you can create lists of books, like "Books for Theo 2503" or "Read Me," that allow you to organize by title, author or call number - making them easy to find when you are next in the library. These last two links will require you to log in using your email and password.

Ask A Librarian Feature:

Ever need to ask a librarian a quick (or long) reference question, but you can't get to the library while the Reference Desk is open?

Using this box on our website, circled below in red, will automatically send us an email! We will respond as soon as we can - and you didn't even have to leave your room.

Please note that we must have your email - after all, librarians are smart but we don't know everything, like who you are without an email address.

Citation Help:

Circled above is our citation center. Here you will find a link to RefWorks, something we will discuss in a future post. Basically, it is a great way to keep track of your bibliographies for all of your papers.

Just below that link, you will find links to our own citation quick-reference sheets. These are continuously updated by Tru, our Reference Librarian.

Searching Tabs:

Quickly find what you need by using the Searching Tabs.

Books, Videos, Music, Etc: Type keywords, author, or title into the search bar to search the catalog, or click on the links provided to search for E-books, Commentaries, Dictionaries, etc.
Articles: Click here to search by journal title, or use the links to connect to one of our many databases. Don't know which database to use? Use the drop-down menu to go to subject specific databases.
Other Libraries: Use this to find materials that our library doesn't own, specifically searching on WorldCat.org or requesting an ILL.

Browsing Tabs:
This last section of the website provides four additional ways of searching. These are less specific and great to use when you don't know exactly what you need.

______________________

Next time we will be discussing the wonderful world of Advanced Search options!

Anything Different about Printing?

2009-09-09T20:01:00.000-07:00

Why, yes! Let us count the ways...

1) Printing Quota:

In years past, each term you would get a certain amount of pages added automatically to your account - that is no longer the case. Now you must add pages to your account before you can print.

Why?
Well, most people did not use all of their pages or wasted them with unnecessary printing. As it is our responsibility to be diligent stewards of the Earth, and in an effort to remember this Northwest University decided to instigate a debt balance system (meaning you pay as you go).

How do you add pages?
Go to this site (Student Printing Balance) and it will tell you all about your options!

2) Costs:

Black and White: $0.04

Color: $0.08

3) Which Printer?

When you have added money to your account and are ready to print, make sure that you select the printer!

If you are in the library, the main printer is called "Psalms-Libary-Copier." However, if you want to print in color, select the printer called "Psalms-Library-Color-Copier."

Hopefully that clears up any confusion that you might have about printing.

Do not forget that we are here to help you so do not hesitate to ask!

New Website, part I: Quick Search Bar

2009-09-01T18:29:00.000-07:00

While you were enjoying the summer weather, our resourceful Systems Librarian, Adam, was hard at work crafting a new website.

So, all of you returning students and regular library users will notice that there are some important changes to the system and may not know how to use them.

Well, just sit back and over the course of the next few days Dorothy and I will show you how to get the most out of the library website!

Quickly Searching Our Catalog:

Using the Quick Search Bar, highlighted in yellow below, is the easiest way to search our resources.

Remember, this is a keyword search. All that means is that you can type in the title, subject, or author - all within the same search bar.

For example: If you are searching for books written by Jane Austen, then you start by typing Jane Austen into the search bar. This will reveal suggested searches, like so...

By selecting the suggestion "Austen, Jane," you are taken to the list of results which will look like this...

To further limit your search because the results are too numerous and don't completely satisfy your needs, a series of "Do you want..." questions will appear, just under the search bar. In this case, finding books by Jane Austen, selecting the "Do you want items by this author?"(highlighted above) link gives us exactly what we want.

You will now be taken to a list of books that we have in the library, all written by Jane Austen herself.

And there you go! You can now search the catalog quickly and effectively!

Next time, we will explore the features of the homepage itself including subject searches, helpful links, and Ask a Librarian.

Welcome to Hurst Library

2009-08-20T19:04:00.000-07:00

Over the past few months we at Hurst Library have been asking you about how you use our resources and listening to how we can improve your experience.

That is why we are proud to announce the What's New in Hurst Library blog where I will publish information on how to use our resources, advertise special events, let you know about new books and databases, and keep you informed about new advances in information services. All of this in the hopes to enrich your library experience.

If you have a question or an idea that would make a great blog post, feel free to let us know by e-mailing me at heather.vanmouwerik@northwestu.edu.

I look forward to getting you the content, help and information you need about Hurst Library.